Unleashed! Read online

  ‘You can’t pike!’ hissed Clem, her nostrils flaring.

  ‘No, I won’t pull out.’ Mio lifted her head and squared her shoulders. ‘I’m a Freewheeler.’

  ‘Good,’ said Clem with a nod. ‘Now, my job is to scout around the warehouse to free the dogs. Then we run for our lives.’ She looked at everyone. ‘Ready?’

  ‘Ready!’

  Mio and Tong left The Van and headed for the tenements, the video tucked under Mio’s arm, dark heads bent in conversation. Clem, Darcy and Bryce walked to the corner of the warehouse and glanced round. They saw nothing but the usual piles of rubbish and a car turning into the alley. They waited.

  ‘Tong’s waving his hat,’ said Darcy. ‘Mio must be in position.’

  Clem grabbed Darcy’s arm and squeezed it gently, saying, ‘I’m so nervous.’ ‘Me, too.’

  ‘Me, three,’ said Bryce, wringing his hands. They were damp with sweat so he wiped them on his shorts a few times. Two seconds later they were damp again. ‘It’s a long time since I’ve done this. I’m probably rusty.’

  They walked past the two huge doors with MCMXIV above them and stopped at the small door at the end of the building.

  Clem turned to Mio and waved. Then in a hushed voice she said, ‘Okay, Bryce. Show us what you’re made of. Darcy and I’ll keep watch.’

  Bryce bent down to inspect the lock and announced, ‘It’s a dead bolt. A five pin tumbler.’

  Clem whispered, ‘Is that good?’

  ‘Yup.’ Bryce stood, pulled out his keys and unscrewed the metal tubing then upended the pick and the torque wrench. But his hands were slippery and he dropped them. ‘Oh, fudge!’ he hissed and bent down to pick them up, wiping his hands on his shorts another couple of times. Clem and Darcy looked up and down the street. Grabbing the pick Bryce inserted it into the lock, saying, ‘First, I’m gonna try raking.’ He pushed the pick to the back of the lock with one hand while holding the plug with the torque wrench in the other. ‘It’s a good way of shifting some of the pins.’

  ‘What are pins?’ asked Darcy.

  ‘The moving bits inside the lock. There’s five pairs of pins in this lock.’

  ‘How do you know?’

  ‘’Cause they’re the most common.’ Bryce pulled the pick out quickly, at the same time turning the torque wrench. Nothing happened. A thin film of sweat formed on his top lip. ‘Better try again.’

  Clem moved closer to check out how he was going, then urged him, ‘Hurry!’

  ‘I’m going as fast as I can,’ snapped Bryce.

  ‘Sorry,’ said Clem, screwing up her nose. ‘I’m a bit edgy. That’s all.’

  ‘Well, riding me isn’t going to make me go any faster.’

  Darcy was starting to feel edgy, too. He wrapped the camera cord round his wrist, then unwrapped it.

  Again, Bryce pushed the pick to the back of the lock and positioned the torque wrench. Again, he pulled the pick out quickly and turned the wrench. ‘Shoot!’

  ‘What’s up?’ asked Clem.

  ‘Lost your touch?’ asked Darcy with a slight smirk.

  Bryce spat on the ground, then shrugged. ‘Truth is, I’ve watched this heaps of times but never actually done it myself.’

  Clem moaned but Darcy lost his temper. ‘So, you’re all talk, is that it?’

  Bryce’s nostrils flared. A muscle jerked in his cheek. For a third time he bent to the task.

  On the rooftop Mio and Tong were wondering what the hold-up could be.

  ‘Bingo! That’s one pair taken care of.’ Carefully, Bryce placed the torque wrench into the keyhole again and turned the plug. Keeping exactly the right pressure on the plug he inserted the pick and felt for the remaining pins, all the while listening to the lock. As each pin moved into the right position he heard a slight click. Bryce smiled then moved to the next one. ‘Only two to go,’ he said. ‘Phew.’

  But just as Bryce began to work on the fourth pin Darcy jumped. ‘Someone’s coming!’

  ‘Oh, my God!’ squeaked Clem.

  About a block away a woman was striding in their direction.

  Bryce glanced up. His stomach flop-flipped. His face glowed with sweat. Even from a distance it’d be obvious what he was up to. His heart hammered and his hands shook at the realisation that he was risking everything by doing this.

  The woman slowed down as she neared The Van, checking it out as she went past. She stopped and peered inside.

  Clem scowled, ESP-ing her to go away.

  From the rooftop Mio was doing the same thing.

  In the event of another misdemeanour I shall have no hesitation in sending you to a juvenile detention centre. The judge’s words echoed in Bryce’s head. Now, his whole body started to tremble.

  The woman continued on, walking backwards for a few steps as she inspected the rear of The Van, then turning and proceeding in the kids’ direction.

  ‘Get ’er away,’ hissed Bryce. He straightened up and hid the tools behind his back, then leaned against the doorframe, grateful for its support.

  Clem bolted up to the woman, saying, ‘Stop!’ She held up her hand. ‘Please, stop.’ Close up, Clem could see that she was quite young and of a slight build. She wore gym shorts, a sports top and running shoes.

  The woman stopped. ‘What’s the matter?’ she asked, peering suspiciously at Darcy and Bryce. ‘Those two giving you grief?’

  ‘Oh, no. No!’ Clem cursed herself for not having thought of a reason to ask her to stop, then gave a wry smile. ‘Um, can you lend me some money?’

  The woman scowled but she patted her pocket and felt inside. ‘Don’t have any,’ she said, muttering, ‘Serve me right for exercising in the wrong sort of neighbourhood!’ But as the woman went to leave Clem grabbed her arm and swung her around so that her back was to the boys. ‘Hey!’

  ‘Um? What, what about some gum?’

  ‘Gum?’ The woman pulled her arm away, looking at Clem as though she was a piece of gum stuck to her shoe, and sighed. ‘Guess I can spare a piece of gum.’ While the woman checked her pockets Clem signalled to the boys to keep going.

  Darcy whispered to Bryce, ‘How much more time do you need?’

  ‘Seconds.’ Bryce gulped. ‘Hopefully…’

  ‘I’ll stand in front of you. Do it!’ Darcy plonked himself in front of Bryce, leaning against the wall as if nothing was happening.

  Bryce hesitated, gripped with a terror he’d never known before. Even his time on the streets wasn’t as scary as this. Now, he had so much more to lose.

  ‘You can do it,’ whispered Darcy. ‘You’re the only one who can.’

  Still Bryce hesitated.

  Darcy gave Bryce’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. ‘The Freewheelers are nothing without you. We need you, Bryce.’

  Bryce turned back to the lock, swallowed, and bent to the task.

  ‘You wouldn’t have a, um, a tissue, would you?’ Clem ah-chooed into her cupped hands. ‘I’ve got a dreadful cold coming on.’

  ‘Get lost.’ The woman went to sidestep past Clem. ‘I’m over this.’

  ‘Ah, ahhh, ahhhhchoooo!’ With the choo Clem planted herself twenty centimetres from the woman’s face, clutching at her nose. ‘Yuck! Major snot.’

  The woman recoiled, her face twisted with disgust as she snapped, ‘I don’t know what your game is, kid, but I’m not waiting to find out.’

  ‘Blease.’ Clem stood there with her hand blocking her nose, pressing so hard that her words came out all funny. ‘By dose. Dissue. Bretty blease.’

  ‘Oh, all right!’

  Clem looked over the woman’s shoulder at Darcy and Bryce.

  ‘Almost there,’ Bryce was saying. As the last pair of pins fell into place he rotated the plug then stood up. ‘It’s open.’

  Darcy signalled Okay to Clem.

  She nodded, then started running back to the boys, calling, ‘Thanks, lady.’

  The woman scratched her head, jogged a few steps, then launched into a full-on sprint. As Clem watched her
run back towards the park she laughed, then she returned to the boys.

  ‘Good one, Clem.’

  ‘Good one, Bryce.’

  ‘Let’s do this,’ said Darcy. ‘Ready?’ He stood with one hand on the doorknob and one holding the camera.

  Clem pressed behind him. ‘Ready.’

  ‘Lead the way,’ said Bryce.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Darcy pushed the door open several centimetres and peered inside. His eyes blinked in the murky light.

  ‘What can you see?’ asked Clem, her voice barely audible.

  ‘Nothing!’ Darcy pushed the door open further, muscles twitching, ready to pounce. He was hit by musty air, plus something else. He struggled to work it out—ammonia maybe? ‘It stinks’ was all he could say as he poked his head around the door. There was no sign of dog or human activity. Darcy’s heart sank when he realised they were wrong.

  Clem nudged Darcy inside then slipped in behind him. She blinked, her eyes watering at the overpowering smell. Creeping in further she was careful to make no sound. She peered into the muddied darkness, disappointment lodging in her throat. She wondered where the dogs were, and the cages. She could sense Bryce behind her. ‘Nothing,’ she whispered faintly. Tears welled in her eyes. She was so sure the dogs would be here.

  ‘Shhh.’ Bryce strained to listen. ‘I heard something.’

  The hairs on the back of Clem’s neck stood to attention. Darcy reached for her hand, his warmth surprisingly reassuring. He pressed gently and Clem pressed back.

  ‘Heard it again.’ Bryce’s voice grew more urgent. ‘Over there.’

  Clem couldn’t work out how he could hear anything over the thumping of her heart.

  ‘In the corner,’ said Bryce, sneaking further into the warehouse. By now, his eyes were accustomed to the dark, aided by the ray of light streaming through the open door. But night was falling and he knew it wouldn’t last long. He could see a table and chair and skirted around them. Clem and Darcy followed.

  Something scuttled across Clem’s foot. She clamped her hand to her mouth. It was too heavy to be a cockroach. Must be a mouse. Or a rat! She shuddered at the thought.

  The kids moved forward as one, like some sort of giant caterpillar.

  Darcy was dying to use the camera flash to shed some light, but he didn’t dare. He thought of his mum and dad and how they’d kill him if anything happened to Clem.

  Bryce was the least perturbed. Although wary, he was enjoying the adrenaline rush. ‘Over here,’ he said and tugged Clem’s shirt so that she followed him. But before they went more than a few steps, they heard a crash!

  Clem wheeled around, blood pounding in her head as she took small, rapid breaths. At the same instant Darcy fired off the flash so that for the first time much of the warehouse was illuminated.

  It looked like some secret cavern tucked into a hillside. The roof was high, its wooden rafters covered with spider webs. Spider webs stretched down the walls and between the legs of the table and chairs, too. A doorway led into a room beyond. Dust and dirt caked the floor. As the light faded the kids spied two piles of wooden crates in the corner. They saw movement off to the right. Then there was darkness.

  ‘Who’s there?’ A voice sliced through the air.

  Clem jumped so high her teeth clinked together. Her body trembled. She clutched Darcy, so hard she gave herself nail-ache. Darcy and Bryce were faring no better. Clem could feel Darcy shaking while Bryce had such a grip on her elbow she thought her arm would drop off.

  ‘May as well give yourselves up.’ The voice was harsh, deep and grating. It was a man’s voice. ‘Before things turn nasty.’

  Bryce had recovered enough to form a plan. ‘Let’s split up,’ he said, his voice so soft that Clem and Darcy had to strain to hear. ‘Head for the door.’

  ‘No.’ It was Clem.

  ‘Take that!’ said Darcy. Pointing the camera in the direction of the voice he pressed the button. Click, click, click, click, click.

  A man reared in front of them.

  The man with the knife!

  What happened next was a blur. The man powered towards them, his face contorted in anger.

  Click, click, click, click, click.

  The man flinched, then held his hand to his eyes to shield them from the light. There was an almighty cry as he lunged at Darcy. Darcy whirled out of his grasp.

  Click, click, click, click, click.

  Red eyes glowed in the darkness.

  Bryce tackled the man. ‘Ooomph!’ The two crashed to the floor and Bryce copped a mouthful of dirt. As he tried to scoot out of the way arms clamped to his legs and pulled him back.

  Click, click, click, click, click.

  They rolled over and over, reminding Bryce of a crocodile’s death roll, then stopped.

  Bryce was pinned down. Pain shot up his back. Hands clamped around his throat.

  Click, click, click, click, click.

  ‘No!’ roared Clem and using her arm as a club she belted the man across the back of his head. ‘Let go!’ she screamed.

  Bryce felt the hands slacken and none too soon. His lungs were ready to burst. He wrenched the hands away, then using the only weapon he had he head-butted the man in the face. Pain sledgehammered his forehead.

  ‘This way.’ Clem dragged Bryce towards the pile of crates.

  Satisfied he’d caught the whole thing on camera, Darcy followed.

  They crouched behind the crates, trying to be quiet.

  The man made enough noise for ten men as he lurched around the warehouse in full blood-curdling cry.

  Suddenly, Clem felt something warm on her right hand. At first she wanted to scream but something held her back. It felt comforting, familiar. She peered into the crate and could just make out the outline of something. It was small—white with tan and black splotches. It was the beagle! The tongue licked her again and Clem beamed into the darkness, overjoyed that they’d found her.

  ‘The dogs are in the crates,’ she whispered. ‘Ready for shipment.’

  Click, click, click, click, click, went Darcy.

  In the bright light several more dogs could be seen. But they lay there, unmoving. Clem let out a sob. ‘They’re dead!’

  Bryce held up a sodden rag and sniffed. ‘Drugged more like it.’

  Distracted by the dogs the kids lost track of the man. A footstep alerted them to his presence.

  ‘Aaaghhhh!’

  A face loomed. There was a flash of silver, click, click, click, click, click, then an almighty grunt and a thud. The man crumpled to the ground, shock and surprise on his face. The knife clattered to the floor and the kids looked up.

  It was Tong!

  Suddenly, light flooded the warehouse. Four police officers swarmed through the door, yelling, ‘Hands up! You’re under arrest.’

  But the man’s hands were going nowhere. He was out cold.

  The police officers took no chances. One leaned on the man’s back. Two held down his legs and the fourth twisted his arms. In a blink he was wearing handcuffs. The man stirred, then groaned.

  Mio ran through the door with someone behind her.

  Mr Lark!

  They raced over to the kids gathered around the crates. ‘Thank God you’re all right!’ cried Mr Lark. They huddled together laughing and crying and slapping each other on the back.

  Mio stepped away to video the evidence.

  Eight crates were stacked together. In each crate lay the body of a dog. It was only then that the kids registered what had been happening. Beside the crates was a small fork-lift. Used syringes littered the floor. Most of the dogs were muzzled.

  Clem went up to the beagle. The little dog opened an eye and tried to lift her head. She started to whimper. ‘Hush, little one,’ Clem whispered. ‘I’m going to get you out.’ The beagle tried to stand but she toppled over. Mio kept filming.

  Two police officers continued to sit on the man who was now screaming obscenities. The other two policewomen searched the wareho
use. They disappeared into a small room that looked as though it was once used as an office.

  Clem slipped the latch to the crate and yanked open the door, then she scooped the beagle into her arms and burst into tears. She crushed the dog to her chest, saying, ‘It’s okay. You’ll be all right. Promise.’ She buried her face in the beagle’s fur and began to sob.

  The policewomen emerged from the office waving some papers in gloved hands. ‘Pedigree papers,’ one explained. ‘Forgeries, of course. And sales invoices.’

  The other held up a tin box and added, ‘And quite a stash of money.’

  ‘Looks mighty suspicious.’

  They turned to the kids. Bryce and Darcy were opening the crates with the help of Mr Lark. Mio stopped filming. There was no sign of the Chin. She felt a surge of disappointment.

  Sirens could be heard, getting louder and louder. The warehouse door reflected the red flashing light as more police ran inside.

  Clem found her voice telling them, ‘There’s others. Not just this man. The men pretend to be workers at the Braxxby Animal Shelter. They’re in on this, too. Not Elaine. She’s genuine. They steal the dogs, say that they’ve put them down, then smuggle them here to sell them off.’

  ‘Don’t worry,’ said a voice behind them. ‘We’ll get them.’

  Another woman walked up to the group then halted in front of Clem. Clem gasped. It was the jogger. ‘Looks like your cold cleared up,’ she said with a smile and held out her hand. ‘I’m Officer Pressman. Undercover.’

  ‘What?!’

  Darcy took a step forward. ‘How’d you know?’

  Officer Pressman laughed. ‘Got a call from a very agitated gentleman who ordered us to come here real quick! Or he was going to have us all demoted.’

  The kids all turned.

  ‘Mr Lark!’

  Mr Lark chuckled. ‘It’s an old trick. Works every time.’ He chuckled again then looked at the kids, pretending to be angry. ‘I knew you lot wouldn’t go home like I told you. Disobedient rascals. So, I called the police.’

  Officer Pressman looked around. ‘By the time we got here you kids had it sewn up.’ She pretended to groan. ‘All that’s left for us is the paperwork.’