There's something wrong with Phoebe

21 - Lily

“Listen up, you guys! Listen up!” I yelled. The noisy chatter did not stop and I got up onto one of the tables, placing my hands firmly on my hips, and the noise died down as everybody turned to face me. “Obviously, Jack has been caught. I don’t know why or how or what for, but he’s been caught. I reckon he’s being taken to court, and Phoebe is too! Fingers crossed they find each other, but simply hoping isn’t going to help. We need a plan. Jack has taught as well and we need to figure out what we’re going to do!”

“I say we use all our bombs and attack the place!” said Jessica, who was eight. She’d always been quite feisty.

“With Jack and Phoebe inside?” I said, arching an eyebrow and Jessica blushed.

“We can still attack,” said Selina, standing. “If we all run in there and ambush the place, they’ll have to let Phoebe and Jack go!”

“But then everybody will know Jack’s got an army.”

“His plans will be ruined!”

“I say we send a few off to the court,” said Cheryl, who was the most intelligent here. “The strongest of us – Katy, Lily, Natasha and Jessie would be the obvious choices for me. Does everyone agree?” We all nodded. “Then, me, Ashley and Selina can help upstairs with the orphanage. If those kids start running riot, somebody will call round for a thorough inspection and there’ll be sure to find this place down here.”

“Agreed,” I said. “But what are we actually going to do at the court?”

“What do you think Phoebe is going to try to do?” I smiled.

“If I know Phoebe, and I think I do, she’ll lull them into a false sense of security, and then she’ll strike. She’ll grab all the guns in the room, knock a few out and escape. She’ll get Jack too and run straight out. I think we should try and get inside to try and be there ready to help her if need be. We have the most chance of getting out of there intact. We can all come back here. Jack will be so pleased – and what with Cameron’s work in Manchester yesterday, Phoebe’s work and Vanessa’s from last week, that’s Jack’s six explosions all done. We must await the next stage and we’ll see what happens.”

“What is the next stage?” said Lottie, the smallest girl here at six. Everyone frowned before looking up at me nervously.

“Jack will tell us,” I said firmly. I had no doubt in our leader. It didn’t matter he hadn’t told us yet, or what all these explosions were for. We trust him. “Now, let’s get to work!”