Evil Star

disgusted him but they felt strange, like some sort of unpleasant fancy dress. And he kept on stumbling over his rubber sandals. Worst of all, he was worried about Richard. He had to admit that Sebas-tian was right —
    the chances of the journalist turning up at this hacienda were probably one in a million. But he had nowhere else to go, no other clues to follow. He had to start somewhere, and it might as well be here.
    Pedro stopped and took a quick drink. Matt did the same, wondering Horowitz, Anthony - [Gatekeepers 02] - Evil Star if the Peruvian tap water would make him sick. The other boy was doubtless used to it. He had been drinking it all his life. The water was warm and tasted metal-lic but Matt didn't care. He had to stop himself from drinking it all.
    After that, Matt's thoughts wandered. Five miles might not seem much to Pedro, but it was a long way for him, particularly in the heat and in sandals that tried to trip him up every few paces. A car passed, coming the other way, and once again the two of them had to dive for cover. I low much security would there be at the hacienda? Sebastian hadn't said anything but it occurred to Matt that anyone as rich and powerful as Salamanda would be sure to have guards.
    The sun began to set and a cool breeze crept into the air. Matt's legs were beginning to ache and he only had an inch of water left when they turned a corner and Pedro raised a hand in warning and they ducked back into the undergrowth, crouching low. There was a house directly ahead . . . not just a house but an entire complex complete with barns, storerooms, stables, and even, incredibly, a sixteenth-century church carved out of white stone, with its own soaring bell tower. This was where the lane had brought them — all five miles of it. There was nothing more beyond. Two stone pillars and a twisting metal gate marked the entrance. The gate was open, but somehow Matt didn't feel it was inviting him in.
    Carefully he peered round, searching for any sign of life. All the buildings were grouped around a flower-filled courtyard with an elaborate ornamental fountain in the middle. A huge acacia tree grew next to it. The tree had four separate trunks and leaves that spread out to provide a natural shade from the sun. There was a tractor parked outside one of the barns. A man, dressed in white, Horowitz, Anthony - [Gatekeepers 02] - Evil Star came out, pushing a wheelbarrow. Apart from the soothing tin-kle of water in the fountain, everything was silent.

"Matteo . . ." Pedro tapped Matt's arm and pointed.
    Matt looked into the distance and saw a guard tower constructed at the edge of the complex. At the same time, a man appeared with a rifle strapped across his back. He stopped and lit a cigarette, then kept on walking. So Matt had been right. This hacienda might be in the middle of nowhere but Salamanda left nothing to chance. The place was guarded, and Matt was sure that there would be plenty of other security around, too.
    "Que hacemos ahora?" Pedro asked.
    "We wait." The meaning of Pedro's question was obvi-ous. He wanted to know what they were going to do. Matt looked up. The sun was already setting behind the palm trees that grew tall behind the house. The night might still be an hour away, but the shadows were spreading out. They would help. Two dark-skinned boys in dark clothes in the dark. It wouldn't be too hard to slip inside.
    The house itself was completely open. Three wide, wooden stairs ran up to a veranda that ran its full length. There was nobody in the courtyard, no sign of movement in the guard tower. Security cameras? Matt hadn't seen any, and there was always a chance that they wouldn't oper-ate in this low light. He would just have to risk it.
    The thought that Richard might be here, perhaps only a few meters away, spurred him on. He nudged Pedro and then, keeping low, ran through the gate across one corner of the courtyard, making for the side of the house.
    Nobody saw them. Nobody cried out. Matt stopped, breathless, his back against the wall just below the veranda. Pedro was next to him, Horowitz, Anthony - [Gatekeepers 02] - Evil Star looking unhappy. He shook his head as if to say This is a crazy idea
    and I don't want any part of it. But at the same time, he was still sticking by him, and right now Matt was grateful that he wasn't alone.
    Where would Richard be and how could they possibly find him in a house crawling with guards? There was no obvious prison complex, no