look at us too hard.?
The green line ended at the door of a small metal shed marked Staff Only. James peeked through a window into a small room with a line of vending machines. A miserable looking hack sat on a plastic chair drinking from a tiny cup. James swiped his card in the entrance door, went up two steps and cautiously poked his head into a narrow corridor that smelled of floor polish.
慙ooks sweet,?James said.
They stepped inside, passing by the frosted glass entrance of the room with the vending machines, then dashing along the corridor towards the staff exit.
James swiped Amandae card through the lock on the door. A mane voice came out of a loudspeaker. James hoped it was the friendly Mr Shorter in the central control room, but he had no way of telling.
慙ook up at the camera, state your name and staff ID.?
慥oss, Amanda, Y465,?James said, trying his best to sound like a girl.
Lhoe your buddy??the loudspeaker asked.
Curtis looked uncertainly up at the camera. Larren, Scott, KT318.?
Ney Scottie, you dont sound so good tonight. You got flu or something??
Heah,?Curtis said uncertainly.
Torry to hear that, man. You go home and catch yourself a good rest.?
The door buzzed to indicate that it had been unlocked. James and Curtis passed through and walked along a wire-enclosed path. They stood behind a red Wait sign, while a chunky door built into the armour-plated wall of the sally port rumbled backwards. Once it was fully open, the boys stepped into a tunnel.
When the door at their backs closed fully, a green bulb began pulsing above the door at the opposite end. James realised there was a slot for a swipe card. He couldnt remember if he was supposed to get interviewed a second time and was relieved when the metal door began rumbling.
As they stepped out of the secure compound, James spotted the sign pointing towards the staff car park and headed off briskly. Curtis was so shocked that he could barely open his mouth.
Inbelievable,?Curtis mumbled. Inbeeeeelievable. Youte a genius, James.?
Cont count your chickens,?James said, as they strode along a paved path through the night air. This is only the beginning.?
23. CARS
James couldnt risk hanging out in the car park too long, but there were more than fifty parked vehicles and he couldnt walk straight up to Scotte without Curtis wondering how he knew which one it was. James aimed the plipper at every car, until he got a blip and a set of flashing lights from a Honda Civic in the next row across.
As they cut between two cars, a battered pickup rolled over a speed bump into the car park. The boys instinctively ducked as the truck pulled in a few spaces along from the Civic. The driver swung out his legs and paused on the edge of his seat to light a cigarette. James recognised the face as it glimmered in the match light.
Arey,?Curtis whispered anxiously.
James had read Superintendent Freye personnel file. It said he was a hard worker who thought of cellblock T as his personal property, but nobody had expected him to turn up three hours before a shift. This was bad news. James had to think fast.
Frey was wearing a football shirt and jeans, but even allowing time for him to change into uniform, maybe drink a coffee in the staff lounge and walk up to block T, het still be discovering the tied-up hacks and raising the alarm within half an hour.
Taking Frey out was the obvious option, but the boys were on open ground and there were CCTV cameras everywhere. James decided to let Frey go unmolested. He was far from certain it was the right decision, but he remembered how the PERT team had treated Dave and he didnt want Goldinge prediction of them ending up in a dark cell getting a beating to come true. The further away from the prison they were if they got caught, the greater the chance that John Jones and the FBI team would be able to pull James out before the hacks got hold of him.
Once Frey had locked his truck and headed off down the cactus-lined path towards the staff entrance, they ran across to the little Civic and jumped inside. It was a flash model: racing seats, ten-spoke alloys and a beefy engine. James pulled a red seatbelt across his waist and hit the start button. He remembered what had happened the last time het driven a car, but there was too much