"He must stay silent about this," Jonathon said. "Don't tell anyone else."

"What about the other Freaks?"

"No."

Daniel puzzled over this. He trusted them with his life. Why would Mina's father react so harshly? He knew that the vision was unpleasant. He didn't want to think of Mina in that way. Then he remembered waking up with the vision, and the gut instinct not to tell anyone. For some reason, he felt that helping Mina meant keeping this to himself.

The team grouped around the truck, with Ali directing the loading. Daniel glanced at each of them; the people who would help bring back Mina and Angela: Matthew, Ali, Kitty, Hiro a who refused to stay in the Compound alone a Mike, and Jonathon.

"Aye then, we're ready." Ali banged the side of the truck. "Time te get yer women back, Danny." Ali pounded his shoulder.

Mary walked over to them and pulled Hiro into a hug. "Take care, wee man." She glared at Jonathon. "Keep him out of any, and I mean any fighting."

Jonathon nodded, and Daniel watched each person climb into the large truck. It was one thing keeping his vision to himself... it was another knowing these people put their lives at risk for Mina. He swallowed dryly, and stared out through the broken Compound wall to the green fields surrounding. What lay in wait?

11 * Mina *

A gentle rocking woke me from a pleasant slumber, and a cool breeze lifted the hairs on the back of my neck. I felt cushioned against a plush head rest, but my body pressed against some sort of constraint; it squashed my chest. My eyelids fluttered and bright sunlight rushed in, making me squint. I rubbed my eyes, and patted down my body to feel for the constraint. It was a seat belt, and it dawned on me that I was in a car moving at speed. I wiggled the fabric out for extra space and turned to find Mum in the driver's seat.

"Morning, sleepyhead," she said.

Pleasant air scented with wild honeysuckle poured in through the open window.

"What are we doing in a car?" I looked out to see us travelling along a wide road surrounded by limestone walls and large fields. It reminded me of my journey to the Compound.

Why weren't we in the Compound? I couldn't remember the events before getting into the car. We'd been sat around a table, enjoying food... What happened next? It blurred.

"We're on our way home, sweetheart."

I felt groggy. "The house with the yellow door?"

"No, that's the house you lived with your father in Area 14. I'm taking you to the place you were born."

"But I don't remember where that was," I said. I'd never really thought about it before. My memories aged five upwards were all really blurry. I remembered story time, yet nothing about where we lived or what it was like.

She beamed at me. "You'll soon see, sweetheart. You're going to be so happy."

I stretched out my arms and legs. "What about Dad and Daniel? Are they following in another car?" I peered through the back windscreen hoping to see them waving back. Instead, the empty grey road greeted me. My stomach dropped with disappointment.

"No," Mum said. "They're going to join us at a later date."

I settled into my seat. Her words comforted me, and I did feel happy a despite the grogginess. There seemed a sort of euphoric rush pulsing through my veins, but at the same time my arms and legs felt heavier. My stomach growled.

Mum laughed. "You're hungry, I take it. There's food in the back."

It took more effort than usual to reach through to the back seat and grab a few packets of sweets. I ripped open the packets, and shoved a few in my mouth.

"Are you still feeling ill?"

"What do you mean? Was I ill? Is that why I can't remember last night? Weren't we having dinner?"

"Don't you know, sweetheart? We agreed to go home. You and me."

"Oh. Okay."

I watched the scenery pass me by as we shared the chocolate and tuned into the radio. My first road trip with Mum. Just the two of us.

If only Daniel could be with us. It would take him a little while to adjust. He could be distrusting sometimes and that made sense. He'd had a rough time. My heart soared with the hope that one day he'd learn to love my mum and then we could be a real family.

We'd live in a big house outside Area control. Kitty would probably want to make a little nest in the garden away from everyone, and Mike would spend all of his time wherever Kitty went. Hiro could have a room all to himself right on the top floor so he could tune out our thoughts. Daniel would have an art studio and a work bench for his woodwork. I imagined him creating beautiful furniture like elegant tables, and ingenious children's toys. Mum would make us all breakfast in the mornings: fried bacon and eggs on thick toast. Maybe she'd learn to live with Dad. Maybe I'd learn to forgive him. I imagined him making us spaghetti, and teaching Daniel how to read.

Angela and Cam would live next door and come over for tea. Uncle Matthew and Ali could come too, and they'd bring Ginge and Sebastian. It'd be the most perfect life ever, and I'd... I'd... what would I do? What would I do with the rest of my life? I'd never thought about it before. I didn't know what I wanted to do. I knew I wanted to know my mum, and I wanted to be with Daniel, and I wanted everyone to get on... but what did I want to do?

"What are you thinking about?" Mum asked.

I pulled myself out of my reverie. "Oh, I dunno. It's silly."

"No, go on. I want you to tell me." Mum had a fancy car with lots of buttons. The car seemed to drive on its own. She pressed another button and took her hands away from the wheel. I gasped. "It's okay, this car has auto drive. It detects any obstacles, and slows down or drives around them. It's a robot car. See?"

Sure enough the car negotiated a bend in the road, and then steered around a pothole. "It works using Radar and computer programming. Now, I want to know what's on your mind. You had such a lovely, peaceful expression on your face that I'm curious."

"I was just thinking what it would be like if we were all together, and there weren't all these problems between GEM and Blemished. I imagined us all living in a big house with friends living nearby. It was nice."

"Go on," she said. "I can tell you're holding something back."

"Well, it was just a daydream. I worked out what everyone could do, and where they'd live. It's just that I didn't know what I wanted to do. It made me realise that I don't know what to do with my life. I don't have a purpose, I guess. I don't have anything to work towards." I sighed, and sank lower in my seat.

"Come on now, you can't be thinking sad thoughts on our trip." She patted me on the knee. "You're not even sixteen yet. You've got plenty of time to sort things through. Besides, when you get home you might find that you have a purpose. There might be something you can do there."

"What?"

"You'll see," she said, taking the wheel again.

For a while the car lulled me into a strange sense of calm. I forgot all about my daydream. But as the road disappeared behind us, worries crept into my mind.

"Who's taking care of Hiro?" I asked "Your dad, of course. Why wouldn't he look after the boy? After all he left you alone in area 14 to save him."

I bristled. It was true. I just didn't like to be reminded of it. At one time I'd be hurt, jealous even. I'd put those feelings behind me now. I'd moved on. "He thought Matthew would take care of me. It's not Dad's fault Matthew was taken away."

"Isn't it?" She idly fiddled with the radio. "If Jonathon hadn't left you in Area 14, none of it would've happened."

"Listen, I'm really mad at him for lying about you... it's just more complicated than that. I broke into Mrs Murgatroyd's house with Daniel. That's why the Enforcers came after us. Dad didn't know, and he wouldn't have left if he had."

"If you're sure, Mina," she said. I noticed the way she pouted like a GEM girl coming last place at a beauty pageant. "I'm on your side, and I'm just surprised that you're quite so... forgiving about everything."

I thought about that for a moment. "You think I'm a pushover?"

"Now, that's not what I said." She paused and took my hand. "My sweet girl. Why don't we pull over and have a spot of lunch. Are you still feeling dizzy?" She placed a palm on my forehead. "Hmm, you're a little hot."

"I do feel a bit dizzy," I admitted.

She clapped her hands together. "Then I shall make you some of my special tea a it's guaranteed to make you feel better!"

"That sounds nice. We'll get some mother and daughter time in before the others join us. I can't wait to see Daniel. I know he left early at the supper last night, but the alcohol made him uncomfortable. His mum drank too much."

"Mmhmm." She pressed a few buttons, and pulled over on the side of the road. "Come help me set up one of those god-awful camping stoves. I'm terrible at it."

I sprang out of the car and helped Mum with the boot. The sun beat down overhead, and we took shade in the car's shadow; sitting on the grass verge by the road. Mum flattened down the overgrown grass and weeds with a blanket, while I set up the camping stove.

She took a pouch of herbs from her pocket and tipped some of them into a steel kettle. She filled it with water and placed it on the lit stove. We settled down on the blanket with the box of chocolate bars.

"So, where are we going?" I asked. "I don't know how long I slept for. I don't even remember getting in the car last night. Where was I born?"

"Mina," she chastised jokingly. "You'll ruin the surprise."

I broke off a chunk of chocolate. "I've had a lot of surprises recently. I'm not sure I want anymore."

"Oh, don't be like that." She wrapped an arm around my shoulders and squeezed me tight. "It's an exciting surprise."

"But why not just tell me?" I moved away from her and put another piece of chocolate in my mouth.

"Honey, you'll get spots if you keep eating all that." She prised the chocolate bar from my fingers.

"We didn't have much chocolate in the ghettos," I said bitterly.

Mum sighed and handed it back. "I'm sorry, that was insensitive. I'm learning everything too, you know. I've not been a mum for a long time." The kettle boiled, and she poured the tea out into the lid of a Thermos flask before setting it down to cool.

"What happened last night?" I asked. "One minute we're at the meal having a good time. The next I wake up in a car away from the Compound." The cool breeze helped clear my mind of the fog. Something didn't feel right.

"You had a bit too much wine last night. It was my fault. I shouldn't really be giving teenagers alcohol, but you're all so grown up. After the meal I talked to Matthew and the others, and it was agreed we'd all come out for a trip. Both Ali and Matthew had had too much to drink and no one wanted to wake up your dad so we came on ahead."

"What about our guard? Dave?"

Mum's tone cooled. "What about him?"

"Well, why did Mary just let us leave? She wanted you guarded, so it doesn't make any senseaa"

"Dave simply didn't want to come. Now, would you stop this nonsense and drink your tea?" She passed me the cup, which was still hot enough to hurt my fingers.

I placed it next to me on the verge. "It's too hot."

"All right. Drink it soon, though. It'll help with the dizziness."

"I actually feel a lot better anyway," I admitted. "Think I just needed some air."

Mum stood and bent to kiss me on the top of my head. "Just do as I ask. Mum knows best."

I hugged my knees and watched as she started to dismantle the stove. For the first time I began to regret believing everything she said without question. Things didn't add up, and when I asked her about it, she became defensive. I longed for Daniel by my side to help me; to tell me what to believe and who to trust. He always knew. He understood people better than I did. I just got tricked and taken for a fool.

"They are coming, aren't they?" I said, my voice sounding weak and small. "You're not lying to me?"

"Mina, you're my daughter and I love youaa"

"Answer the question."

She faltered for a moment, and her mouth opened and closed as if she contemplated telling me something. I waited for her to speak, leaning towards her. She sighed, and hung her head. When she finally lifted her chin and appeared about to answer my question, her eyes bulged and she pointed to the verge. "Snake!"

I followed her finger just as the snake leapt out of the grass with its jaws open to bite. I froze in shock a having never seen a snake before a which gave it enough time to clamp its jaws around my arm. For a split second I just stared at it, aghast; its thin body swinging back and forth, dangling from my arm. I screamed and swatted it away with my mind a throwing it far away from us. My heart pounded and my palms dampened. I took a deep breath to steady myself. Every part of my body trembled.

Mum rushed towards me, and pulled me away from the verge. She grasped my arm and examined the wound. "I don't see any venom but I'll give you a shot just in case." She dashed over to the car, and retrieved a medical kit. "I'll just clean it and pop on a plaster."

Despite the sting of alcohol on the cut, I loved watching her take care of me. It made me feel precious. A princess. She applied a plaster before filling a syringe with clear fluid. I frowned at the sight of the needle. Something about it reminded me of the night before. A flash of falling boxes popped into my mind. Why?

Without hesitating, Mum grabbed me by the arm, rolled up my sleeve, and jabbed me with the needle on the fleshy part of my arm.

"Ow," I said. "That hurt."

"Give it a few moments and you won't feel a thing."

I leaned against the car, and waited as the medicine flowed through my body. It brought with it a pleasant warming feeling and a sense of calm.

"Is that better?" she asked in a soothing voice.

I nodded. My worries drifted away. Why had I been so angry? I couldn't even remember what I'd been saying.

"It's strange to see a snake acting so violently," she said. "Perhaps it had young. Mothers get very aggressive when protecting their babies. It's like I said, darling. Mothers know best."

12 * Angela *

Angela sighed as she watched Sebastian kick the tyre in frustration. They'd been travelling for four hours, and it was mid-morning. They made good time for the first few hours; until the cart started to weaken from over use. Then they'd run over strips of mangled metal, and ripped the tyre apart. Game over.

"Well, there isnae a spare. So ah guess we'd best get walkin'." Cam confirmed their predicament.

"How far is it?" asked Angela. She dreaded walking the rest of the way. Her body felt tired and unprepared, and her muscles ached from pushing the cart half a mile. Even still, she refused to let the others know her concerns.

Ginge examined the map they'd stolen from an abandoned petrol station. "Another fifty miles." She sighed.

Angela glared at no one in particular. "I told you it was too slow."

"Aye, an' the truck was too heavy," Ginge snapped. "There wasnae a perfect way te dae this. We've just got te get on with it. Make the best of things, eh?"

Cam put an arm around her. "Ginge is right. We cannae fall out about it. We have te just get on with it."

Angela felt some indignation rise up and she clenched her fists, trying to ignore it. Cam was right. She couldn't just stand there blaming everyone. She had to get on with things and walk. It just reminded her of when she'd broken out of Area 14 with Daniel and Mina; watching as they made all the decisions and ignored her like she was a stupid little girl. She didn't want that to happen again, but most of all she didn't want to be that girl again. She didn't want to feel jealous or annoyed any more.

"Okay, let's move then. Who's on map duty?" said Angela. She forced herself to smile so wide that the skin at the corners of her mouth stretched almost painfully.

"That's... kinda creepy, Angela," Sebastian noted.