call the Monster Republic. But that’s not important,’ he carried on hastily, seeing Darren’s brow crease into a frown. ‘She was the one who told me all about Fry and his experiments.’
Cameron studied Darren’s face as he digested this bombshell. As he expected, Darren shook his head dubiously. ‘Come on. Everyone knows that Fry’s a good guy. He’s been helping the town out for years. Charity stuff and all that.’
‘All I know is what I was told. And what I know from the lab.’ Cameron gestured again at himself. ‘But you have to believe that there’s some truth in what I’m saying.’
‘Well, there might be something in it,’ conceded Darren. ‘But you can’t trust everything Rora says, can you?’
The penny that dropped right then must have weighed a ton. Cameron had been careful to avoid any specific details like names and places.
So how did Darren know who Rora was?
Cameron covered his surprise and confusion by glancing at his wrist as if he was checking a non-existent watch. ‘Well, I reckon I’ve given you plenty to think about for now, anyway,’ he said. ‘I’d better be going. Can’t hang around too much in daylight with a face like this.’ Hegave a strained laugh that Darren didn’t join in with.
Instead, his friend lowered his head and looked away.
‘I’m Sorry …’
Cameron’s heart sank. A swift look to the side told him all he needed to know. Tall, shaggy-shouldered figures had stepped into view from behind the concrete pillars of the flyover.
Bloodhounds.
chapter twelve
carla
‘I’m sorry, Cam,’ Darren repeated pleadingly as the canine monsters advanced on Cameron. ‘They’ve taken my mum. I didn’t have a choice. You’d have done the same, I promise you.’
Cameron grimaced. So Rora had been right again. He’d put his friends in danger. He understood why Darren had betrayed him, but that didn’t make it any easier to swallow. A mixture of anger and embarrassment burned in his throat like bile as he choked back a harsh reply, glancing quickly from left to right, calculating his best escape route.
‘He’s right. He didn’t have a choice,’ sneered a voice from behind him. Marie’s voice, turnedugly. ‘So, are you going to come quietly this time, loser?’
Cameron spun round. He could have done without another look into Marie’s eyes, now soured with that trademark Carl Monkton hatred. But at the same time, he didn’t feel much like standing with his back to her.
‘I hope not,’ continued Marie. ‘Dr Fry still wants you back, but if you ask me, he won’t care how many pieces you’re in.’
Carl swung Marie’s fist at Cameron’s face. He should have been ready, but either the monster had learned to move faster, or Cameron was still being fooled by the sight of Marie. Whatever the explanation, he was sent flying.
He landed in the mud, with the Bloodhounds closing in on him.
‘Rough him up nice, boys,’ the monster laughed, twisting Marie’s voice into still more horrible sounds. Cameron leaped to his feet, and braced himself into a combat stance, ready for the Bloodhounds.
Snarling viciously, the canine hybrids camein at a run, steel jaws snapping. Cameron had to duck or fend off assaults from several directions. He had fought and beaten them before in a blind rage, before he even vaguely understood his new strength and fighting abilities. Now he had a potent new ally – his HUD. The internal display seemed to plot his enemies’ attacks, directing Cameron’s parries and guiding his own punches to where they would have most impact.
The Bloodhounds were like blunt instruments: dangerous, but direct, with no finesse. They simply tried to grab him and bring him down, or tear at him with their teeth. To Cameron, it was as if they were attacking in slow motion. He could easily outmanoeuvre them, dodging back out of their reach, or ducking in under their blows to deliver devastating counter-punches, more or less at will. It was like
Cameron studied Darren’s face as he digested this bombshell. As he expected, Darren shook his head dubiously. ‘Come on. Everyone knows that Fry’s a good guy. He’s been helping the town out for years. Charity stuff and all that.’
‘All I know is what I was told. And what I know from the lab.’ Cameron gestured again at himself. ‘But you have to believe that there’s some truth in what I’m saying.’
‘Well, there might be something in it,’ conceded Darren. ‘But you can’t trust everything Rora says, can you?’
The penny that dropped right then must have weighed a ton. Cameron had been careful to avoid any specific details like names and places.
So how did Darren know who Rora was?
Cameron covered his surprise and confusion by glancing at his wrist as if he was checking a non-existent watch. ‘Well, I reckon I’ve given you plenty to think about for now, anyway,’ he said. ‘I’d better be going. Can’t hang around too much in daylight with a face like this.’ Hegave a strained laugh that Darren didn’t join in with.
Instead, his friend lowered his head and looked away.
‘I’m Sorry …’
Cameron’s heart sank. A swift look to the side told him all he needed to know. Tall, shaggy-shouldered figures had stepped into view from behind the concrete pillars of the flyover.
Bloodhounds.
chapter twelve
carla
‘I’m sorry, Cam,’ Darren repeated pleadingly as the canine monsters advanced on Cameron. ‘They’ve taken my mum. I didn’t have a choice. You’d have done the same, I promise you.’
Cameron grimaced. So Rora had been right again. He’d put his friends in danger. He understood why Darren had betrayed him, but that didn’t make it any easier to swallow. A mixture of anger and embarrassment burned in his throat like bile as he choked back a harsh reply, glancing quickly from left to right, calculating his best escape route.
‘He’s right. He didn’t have a choice,’ sneered a voice from behind him. Marie’s voice, turnedugly. ‘So, are you going to come quietly this time, loser?’
Cameron spun round. He could have done without another look into Marie’s eyes, now soured with that trademark Carl Monkton hatred. But at the same time, he didn’t feel much like standing with his back to her.
‘I hope not,’ continued Marie. ‘Dr Fry still wants you back, but if you ask me, he won’t care how many pieces you’re in.’
Carl swung Marie’s fist at Cameron’s face. He should have been ready, but either the monster had learned to move faster, or Cameron was still being fooled by the sight of Marie. Whatever the explanation, he was sent flying.
He landed in the mud, with the Bloodhounds closing in on him.
‘Rough him up nice, boys,’ the monster laughed, twisting Marie’s voice into still more horrible sounds. Cameron leaped to his feet, and braced himself into a combat stance, ready for the Bloodhounds.
Snarling viciously, the canine hybrids camein at a run, steel jaws snapping. Cameron had to duck or fend off assaults from several directions. He had fought and beaten them before in a blind rage, before he even vaguely understood his new strength and fighting abilities. Now he had a potent new ally – his HUD. The internal display seemed to plot his enemies’ attacks, directing Cameron’s parries and guiding his own punches to where they would have most impact.
The Bloodhounds were like blunt instruments: dangerous, but direct, with no finesse. They simply tried to grab him and bring him down, or tear at him with their teeth. To Cameron, it was as if they were attacking in slow motion. He could easily outmanoeuvre them, dodging back out of their reach, or ducking in under their blows to deliver devastating counter-punches, more or less at will. It was like
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