Red by Libby Gleeson

I’m sure they would help you get to the Commission. Some of the ones here are men I’ve known most of my life. They come from good families. I’m sure they aren’t involved in anything that’s criminal. You wouldn’t be putting yourselves in any danger if you told them.’
    â€˜But we can’t be sure about anyone or anything.’ Red held her gaze. She was getting a bad feeling about Kate’s mum – what if she decided to phone the police first thing in the morning? Then they’d be at the door and they’d call Jazz’s parents and that would be that. The memory stick would be in Jazz’s dad’s hands, and she, Red, would be stuck. No dad … no memory … nothing.
    â€˜I don’t like the idea of you just heading off to Melbourne by yourselves. You are children. This is not some game you’re playing. Anything could happen to you and I’d feel responsible. In the morning we’ll sort it out properly.’
    â€˜Why don’t we sleep on it?’ Kate stepped in. ‘I’m stuffed and I’m sure you kids are.’
    â€¢ • • • •
    Later they lay on spare camping mattresses on the floor of the television room. Red couldn’t sleep. ‘I don’t think they’ll help us. Kate might, but not her mum.’
    â€˜You’re right. She’s a bit of a dragon. I reckon she’s on the phone right now, dobbing us in to some mate who’s a policeman. Everyone knows everyone in a town like this. We have to help ourselves,’ said Peri.
    â€˜But what can we do?’ said Jazz. ‘This was kind of fun at the start, but not now. We should’ve told Mum and Dad in the first place. Then we wouldn’t be in this mess.’ She rolled over, turning away from the other two.
    Peri moved closer to Red and whispered, ‘I reckon we should get on a bus tomorrow and go on to Melbourne. We should sneak out really early and do it just the way we did for the train.’
    â€˜But we haven’t got any money.’
    â€˜I’ve thought of that. Kate’s bag is on the bench in the kitchen.’
    â€˜We can’t take that.’
    â€˜Have you got a better idea? We can leave a note, tell her that we’ll pay her back.’
    â€˜But we can’t. You aren’t listening. I said we haven’t got any money.’
    â€˜If what’s on that stick is as important as your dad made out, then someone is going to reward you. They’ll look after you, and the cost of a bus ride to Melbourne is not much. Kate said she was here to recover a bit – she’s not planning to go anywhere. She won’t need money. Anyway, people like her can just go to the bank and get more. She won’t miss it.’
    â€˜You don’t really know that.’ Red felt herself wavering. She was like a fish on the end of a line.
    Peri the fisherman tried again. ‘In two days, or maybe even tomorrow, you could hand over that stick. People might know more about your dad. They might even know why you were in Sydney, where he was, everything you need to find out. But if Kate’s mother has her way we’ll be down at the police station telling our story to those blokes who dragged me in. They’ll be dead suspicious. They’ll be onto Jazz’s dad quick as a flash and our names will be in databases all over the country – if they aren’t already. Your dad said there are people who’ll do anything to stop that stuff getting to the Commission. We don’t know if it’s the business people Kate mentioned, or some hitman of theirs, or if it’s crooked cops or whatever, but you can bet that they’ll be straight onto it. Big-time crooks hack into databases all the time. They know what’s going on. They could figure out who you are and that you’re on your way to Melbourne and they’ll just know that it’s got something to do with your