Tunnels 06 - Terminal

him and Elliott there – the area right in the centre of the circle had also been scooped out to such an extent that the frozen soil was visible. ‘Do you think that’s how all fairy rings are made?’ he suggested less than seriously.
    But Elliott was already at the top of the incline where she was crouching behind a low metal railing. She touched the top of her head in an on me hand signal, which immediately warned him to be on his guard. She’d found something. And as Will scrambled up the slope towards her, his Sten gun at the ready, she patted the air in another signal, indicating he could keep down.
    They were by the side of a wide road that swept around a corner to their right. It followed a slight gradient down to their left, and on the other side of this section of road there were buildings.
    ‘So we’re not in the countryside,’ Will whispered, as they both took in what lay before them. ‘We have been brought to London after all,’ he added.
    ‘Yes, I’d worked that out for myself,’ she whispered back.
    ‘But those are some houses,’ Will said. He knew from their size that he and Elliott had to be in one of the wealthier areas of the city.
    Elliott craned her neck to the left to see what was further down the road. ‘No lights anywhere,’ she whispered. She hadn’t much experience of Topsoil cities, and added, ‘That’s not usual, is it?’
    Will didn’t respond immediately, listening to the distant barking of a fox. ‘No, something’s definitely wrong.’ Almostdirectly across from them was a side road lined with more large houses. ‘Let’s take a look over there,’ he suggested, then peered up at the sky. ‘I’ve no idea how late or early it is, but we don’t want to be stuck out in the open when it gets light.’
    ‘Yep,’ Elliott said. ‘So cover me.’ She ran in a half crouch across to the corner of the road opposite, then kept watch as Will did the same. They tucked themselves in against a wall, glancing at the vehicles abandoned along the road, around which rubbish and even some articles of clothing were strewn.
    Will’s gaze fell on a sign. ‘Bishopswood Road?’ he whispered, trying to think if he’d heard of it before.
    ‘Mean anything to you?’ Elliott asked.
    Will shook his head. ‘No, but from the postcode, this is north London, but not as far north as Highfield.’
    ‘Been a fire in that one,’ Elliott said, pointing to the house opposite where heavy smoke shadows stained the white Georgian frontage.
    ‘What about the next house along – spot anything there?’ Will asked, squinting as he tried to see it through his lens.
    ‘If we want somewhere safe to stay, how about the place right behind us?’ Elliott suggested. ‘Nice high wall around it.’
    Will took a moment to consider the house, noting the gates that seemed to be firmly shut. ‘Sure. Let’s give it a closer look.’
    Once over the wall they crossed the paved drive, checking each window for signs of life. Will tried the front door, but it was locked, so they crept around to the back, on the way passing a large conservatory.
    They came to a back door with glass panels in the upper half, and positioned themselves flat against the wall on either side. Will tried the handle, but again it was firmly locked.
    ‘So … do we break the glass to get in?’ he posed. ‘What about the noise?’
    Elliott didn’t answer right away, and they both listened to the fox continuing to bark in the distance, and the bitterly cold wind as it raked the bare branches of the trees in the garden.
    ‘I’m bloody freezing,’ Will grumbled. ‘Typical, isn’t it? I’ve been moaning about the sun and the heat for weeks, and now I get this.’ He glanced up at the sky. ‘Complete darkness and brass-monkey weather.’
    ‘Come on – smash it,’ Elliott making up her mind. ‘We can’t stay out here.’
    ‘Breaking and entering – here I go again,’ Will muttered. He swung the metal stock of his Sten at one of the panes of glass, grimacing as the pieces landed on the floor inside with a clatter. Reaching through the hole he released the catch on the interior of the door. ‘That’s it. We’re in.’
    The hallway was panelled with dark wood, and hung with several chandeliers. Will and Elliott split up and worked their way methodically through the ground floor, then met up at the bottom of the stairs before doing the same with the bedrooms on the next floor. Will shook his head. ‘Talk about homes of the