‘Yep!’
‘And Desica would allow this?’
There he had me! I must’ve started to look really shifty then, because Rayner’s eyebrows came down really low over his eyes as he said, ‘Dominic …? What’re you up to?’
‘Who, me?’
‘Yes, you!’
I thought about making up some plausible story but one wouldn’t come to me, so I decided to tell the truth. Not the whole truth and nothing but the truth, but the truth nonetheless.
‘Mum’s got a remote control system at our home so I … er … I can direct VIMS from there. That’s how come I can get it to BFC.’
‘I take it Desica don’t know anything about this.’ Rayner hit the nail straight on the head.
‘Not as such,’ I admitted.
‘I see …’ Rayner actually stopped bopping about. He was weighing up the pros and the cons, the fors and the againsts, the yeses and the noes, the rights and the wrongs, the …
‘So you’d send VIMS over to the power plant and let me use it?’
I nodded eagerly.
‘Why?’
‘Pardon?’ I blinked, taken aback.
‘Why would you want to do that?’
‘’Cause you need help to find out what’s causing your mechanical pigs to malfunction. You want to make sure that nothing is happening that could cause an explosion,’ I replied, playing his words back to him.
‘And what’s in it for you?’ Rayner asked drily.
I smiled. No wonder Rayner was the manager of the power plant. Not much got past him!
‘If VIMS sorts out your problem then it will also sort out Mum’s problem at the same time,’ I said.
‘I’m not with you.’
‘VIMS is in danger of being dismantled. A lot of people where Mum works think that VIMS is a waste of money, time and space – but it’s not. And if VIMS solves your problems at the power plant then I get to prove it.’
‘I see.’
And I could tell that he did see. The frown on Rayner’s face deepened as he considered my proposal.
‘Please, Rayner. I can’t let them dismantle VIMS. Mum’s worked too long and too hard on it. And it does work, I know it does. I just have to find some way to prove it.’
‘I’ll do it on one condition,’ Rayner told me.
‘Which is?’
‘Your mum has to agree.’
‘But Mum might still be unconscious …’
‘That’s the only way I’ll do it, Dominic,’ Rayner told me firmly.
He stood stock still to look at me directly, so I knew he was serious.
‘OK,’ I agreed reluctantly.
Rayner and I looked at each other. Was he thinking the same thing as me? I forced the thought out of my head. Mum was going to get better. She was.
Think of a joke, Dominic. Think of something funny, bizarre, sarcastic. Or don’t think at all …
‘Hi, Dominic.’
I turned my head and instantly smiled. ‘Hi, Liam.’
And it was only after I’d spoken that I remembered I was meant to be mad at him.
‘What’re you doing?’ Liam asked.
My smile faded. ‘Going home.’
‘Want some company?’
I considered. ‘OK,’ I said at last.
We started walking off together when I remembered Rayner. He drove past me with an understanding wave of his hand. I waved back.
‘Who’s that?’
‘A friend of Mum’s and Jack’s,’ I replied. ‘He works at BFC Power just outside town.’
We walked on in silence.
‘Look, I’m sorry …’
‘I didn’t mean …’
Liam and I spoke in unison. He looked at me and smiled. I smiled back.
‘Sorry,’ he said.
‘That’s OK.’ I shrugged. And the funny thing is, it was OK. ‘I don’t want to lose a good friend over this.’
‘Am I a good friend?’ Liam asked, surprised.
I frowned at him. ‘Of course you are.’
‘I didn’t know that,’ Liam said thoughtfully.
‘What d’you mean – you didn’t know?’
‘I thought you were going round with me as kind of a last resort, because you had no one else to go around with.’
I stared at him, my mouth opening and closing like a feeding goldfish. I wanted to tell him not to be so stupid, I wanted to ask him how he could think that, but the words wouldn’t come.
‘It’s OK,’ Liam shrugged. ‘I know I don’t have much going for me.’
‘Don’t talk rubbish. And OK, when Matt and I stopped being friends, maybe that is why I started talking to you,’ I admitted. ‘But that’s not why I’m still talking to you. I think of you as my good friend – and I have done for ages. All right?’
Liam regarded me thoughtfully. Then he smiled. ‘All right.’
‘I should think so too,’ I sniffed.
I was still a bit miffed at him, but I decided that I’d had more than my fair share of being miffed for one day.
‘I’ll walk you to your house if you like,’ said Liam.
‘Fine.’ I tried to sound all casual about it as if it were no big deal – but it was really.
‘Friends again?’ asked Liam.
‘We never stopped being friends,’ I told him. And that was the truth.
‘So how’s your mum?’
I tried for a shrug which didn’t quite work. ‘I’m just praying she’ll have woken up when I go to see her tonight,’ I admitted. ‘I hate this. I feel … I feel so guilty.’
‘Guilty? About what?’
We carried on walking for a good minute before I could answer. To be honest, until the words had come out, I hadn’t really realized that that was what I was feeling.
‘Part of me wanted Mum to fail.’ My voice grew quieter. ‘She works all the time, especially since she had the VIMS idea. We never go anywhere or do anything. In fact over the last two years, I think I’ve seen more of Jack than my mum.’
‘But that doesn’t mean you wanted her to get hurt.’
‘Yes, but—’
‘No,’ Liam interrupted emphatically, ‘you never wanted her to get hurt so you’ve got nothing to feel guilty about.’
I sighed. I wanted so much to believe him but every move I’d made over the last few days had been a wrong step. So why should Mum’s accident be any different?
‘I don’t know …’
‘I do,’ Liam said firmly. ‘You may be a bit full of yourself sometimes and you may think you’re always right and you may think your feeble jokes are all hilariously funny …’
‘Get to the point,’ I said. ‘Any more unfailing support from you and I’ll end up blubbing on the pavement!’
‘But – as I was going to say before you interrupted me – you’re OK,’ Liam concluded in his typical underwhelming fashion.
‘Thanks!’
‘I mean it. You care about people and you’re very loyal – and funny, when you’re not trying to be.’
‘Liam, I think I’ve heard enough now.’
Liam grinned at me. ‘Just saying.’
‘Just assassinating more like!’
Liam gave me a shove. ‘Come on! Let’s see who can tell the worst Matt Vinyl joke.’
‘You’re on.’ This was a contest I could win, hands down.
Chapter Fourteen
Missing
AS WE WALKED home, Liam and I made up the very worst jokes we could about Matt Vinyl. Silly jokes like, ‘What did Matt Vinyl do when he was told he had a flea in his ear? He shot it!’ Or, ‘Matt Vinyl asked me for ten pence to phone a friend. I gave him twenty pence so he could call all of them!’ I told you they were silly! I told Liam a true but very painful joke.
‘Matt was just about to thump me once when I said to him, “If frozen water is iced water, what is frozen ink?” Matt replied, “Iced ink.” And I said, “You sure do!” Iced ink – I stink! Geddit?’
Liam groaned. ‘How did Mat
t take that?’
‘How d’you think? I got thumped.’
Liam looked at me like I’d lost my marbles. ‘You’re totally nuts. Matt is so jealous of you and your mum that he can hardly see straight, yet you keep on provoking him. It’s one thing to defend yourself but it’s something else entirely to go looking for trouble.’
‘What d’you mean – he’s jealous?’
‘Your mum was never out of the papers around the same time that his mum ran off.’ Liam shrugged. ‘I guess that’s why he started to … well, go a bit funny. And you made things worse by never shutting up about your mum. It was “My mum this!” and “My mum that!”’
My whole body went cold, as if I’d just been thrown into an icy swimming pool. ‘I didn’t. I didn’t do that.’
‘Of course you did. Which was only natural,’ Liam said. ‘You were proud of your mum. I would’ve been too. But I thought you could’ve handled Matt a little better.’
Stunned, I stared at Liam. Click! Click! Click! Click! It was like a whole load of jigsaw pieces falling into place in my head. How could I have been so stupid?
‘I didn’t realize,’ I said at last.
Liam raised his eyes heavenwards. ‘You must’ve been the only one in the class who didn’t. Like I said, Dominic, sometimes you can be a bit too full of yourself.’
We carried on walking along in silence. It was as if I was looking at myself through new eyes or clearer glasses – and I wasn’t too happy with what I saw. Was I really so self-centred that I hadn’t realized why Matt had gone off me? Obviously, I was. I’d lost my friend and I knew I’d never get him back. Too much had passed between us now.
‘Enough of Matt. He’s too depressing,’ Liam dismissed. ‘What’ve you been up to recently? Anything exciting?’
I tried to make up my mind whether or not I should tell Liam about hiding VIMS. Something told me that he’d want me to order VIMS to go back to Desica.
‘Penny for them?’ Liam said.
‘Huh?’
‘Your thoughts.’
By this time we’d reached my house.
I shrugged. ‘It’s just that …’ I paused at my front door, searching for the right words. I was so deep in thought that I didn’t even notice the car parked outside my house, nor its occupant, until I heard the gate creak open.
‘Dominic, hold on.’ Julie came running up the garden path behind me.
‘Is Mum …?’
‘Your mum’s fine – as far as I know.’
Breathing a sigh of relief, I waited for Julie to continue.
‘Dominic, I’m not going to beat about the bush. VIMS has disappeared.’
I was shocked. It’s strange but true. I stared at Julie, totally stunned. All day I’d been waiting for the other shoe to drop. And drop it did – right on my head! Had I really thought that no one would notice a multi-million-pound piece of equipment going missing?
‘Disappeared …?’ I whispered.
‘Yes.’ Julie’s eyes narrowed. She looked from me to Liam and back again. ‘D’you know anything about it?’
‘What could I know?’ I squeaked.
‘You love your mum, don’t you?’ Julie asked.
The sudden unexpected question threw me.
‘Of course I do.’
‘And you’d do anything for her? Anything to make her happy?’
I gulped, trying to force down the rising tide of panic threatening to erupt at any second. She knew …
‘I … er …’
‘Dominic, this isn’t the way to do it,’ Julie said gently. ‘I know you don’t want to hurt Jack or your mum but if you know where Jack hid VIMS, you must tell me.’
‘Pardon?’
‘I know that Jack took VIMS and hid it somewhere.’ Julie couldn’t keep a hint of impatience from entering her voice. ‘Dominic, you must tell me where he took the VIMS unit.’
‘I don’t understand …’
‘Dominic, I’m not in the mood to play games. And this is a very serious and very dangerous game Jack is playing. Now, where is VIMS?’
A car pulled up behind Julie’s white BMW. It was Jack. He was at my side in seconds flat.
‘Is there a problem, Julie?’ Jack asked.
‘Jack, you can’t get away with this. VIMS belongs to Desica, not to Carol and certainly not to you.’
‘I’ve told you before and I’ll tell you again, I have no idea what you’re talking about,’ Jack said icily.
‘Right! That does it! You leave me no choice. If VIMS doesn’t turn up by this time tomorrow then I’m going to have to call in the police.’
The police … Never in my wildest dreams had I thought that they’d get involved. After casting both of us a look that shrivelled, Julie strode back to her car and drove off without another word.
‘Dominic, I’d better get home,’ Liam said. ‘Phone me later.’
I nodded. Jack and I watched as Liam set off up the road. He only lived round the corner but suddenly it was as if he lived on the other side of the world. I was beginning to realize how lucky I was to have Liam as my friend.
‘Dominic, come into the house.’ Jack put an arm around my shoulder as we both went inside.
‘How’s Mum? Is she OK?’
‘She’s still unconscious.’
‘Oh …’
Jack closed the door behind us and we went into the kitchen. I didn’t need to ask him, just as he didn’t need to say. Mum was seriously hurt. Perhaps more so than anyone had first thought if she still hadn’t woken up.
‘Can I go and see her?’ I asked.
‘Of course you can. We’ll both go after we’ve had some dinner.’
‘Have you been with her all day?’
‘Since after lunch. I went into work this morning.’ Jack searched through the fridge before taking out two microwaveable chicken and chips dinners.
‘Does … does Julie really think you’ve done something to VIMS?’ I couldn’t meet his eyes when I asked that one.
Jack shrugged. ‘VIMS has disappeared and, as far as Julie is concerned, I’m the obvious suspect.’
‘Oh!’ I stared down at the ground. Never had my shoe been so fascinating.
‘So where is it, Dominic? What did you do with the VIMS unit?’
‘Just because it’s missing, doesn’t mean that I—’
‘Dominic, I didn’t do it and neither did anyone else who works for your mum. Which leaves you.’
‘But I don’t know how …’
Jack raised his eyebrows at my attempted denial and it died on my lips.
‘Where is it?’
‘I hid it. I mean, I made him hide,’ I admitted at last.
‘That much I’d worked out for myself,’ Jack said wryly.
‘He’s in the sea,’ I muttered.
‘He’s where?’
‘In the sea. I told him to stay there until I gave him the password.’
‘Password? You made up a password?’
‘Yes.’
Jack nodded slowly. ‘Which is why he wouldn’t respond to any of the commands we gave him from the control panel at Desica.’
‘Jack, please understand. I had to. I couldn’t let you dismantle Mum’s work, I just couldn’t.’ The words came out in a frantic rush.
The microwave dinged to tell us that the food was ready, but I wasn’t particularly hungry and I don’t think Jack was either.
‘What a mess!’ Jack sighed. ‘I don’t know what to do for the best. I don’t know …’
‘Jack, you mustn’t let anything happen to VIMS. You mustn’t,’ I pleaded.
‘Sit down and eat your dinner,’ Jack told me.
I picked at my food, my eyes more on Jack than on my plate. What was he going to do? Was he going to tell Julie what I’d done? Come to that, what was I going to do? I had to return VIMS or the police would be dragged into this and I might get Jack into trouble. I certainly didn’t want that.
‘I’m going to have to return him, aren’t I?’ I said
at last.
‘I’m afraid so,’ Jack replied.
‘Can’t I keep him for just one more day?’ If I could just get him to the power plant …
‘No, Dominic. You heard Julie, she’s going to call the police. Your mum’s got far too much on her plate already without worrying about the two of us down at the local police station trying to explain what we’re doing with a multi-million-pound robot.’
The two of us … I smiled at Jack, grateful for the way he’d said ‘we’ and ‘us’. And in that moment, I felt like Jack was really and truly my dad. And then I sighed, because I knew he was right. I was going to have to return VIMS before I got us both in serious trouble.
‘All right. I’ll tell VIMS to go back to Desica tonight,’ I said. ‘But can we go and see Mum first?’
Chapter Fifteen
Permission
WHEN WE WALKED into Mum’s side room at the hospital, Pops turned to us, his eyes ablaze.
‘She woke up. Carol woke up!’
I was at her side in an instant. ‘Mum? Mum, it’s me, Dominic.’
‘I think she just fell asleep again,’ Pops told me. But that didn’t stop me.
‘Mum? Mum, are you all right?’
Her eyelids fluttered open. ‘Dominic?’
‘Mum!’ I tried to hug her but it was a bit difficult so I kissed her on the cheek instead. ‘You smell just like a hospital bed pan!’
‘Charming!’ Mum said indignantly. Her eyes were wide awake now.
‘A clean one,’ I hastened to assure her. ‘And you smell of tonsil sticks and antiseptic.’
‘That’s even worse.’ Mum glared.
‘No, I didn’t mean that you smelt …’
‘Dominic, quit whilst you’re behind,’ Jack suggested.
I shut up. That’d come out entirely wrong! I’d only meant that she smelt of hospitals and medicine.
‘Mum, how’re you feeling?’
‘I’ve been better.’ Mum smiled, then winced. ‘And it hurts when I breathe.’
‘That’s ’cause you had a punctured lung and a broken rib,’ Jack told her.
‘I know. The doctor told me,’ Mum sighed.
‘Mum, I need to talk to you.’
‘Go on then.’ Mum closed her eyes momentarily. She looked exhausted, and worse than that, so fragile.
‘I don’t think your mum’s up to a long discussion now,’ said Jack, his expression sombre.