Tube Riders, The by Chris Ward Page A

alerting him to danger. He had frozen just a second before feigning cool and calmly looking around, noticing several closing Cross Jumpers. He was good, she had to admit, the way he sauntered back inside as though he’d just stepped out for a cigarette and then changed his mind. Brought up on the hardest streets, she had no doubt, but too late. The Tube Riders were still trapped inside.
    Moving through her trees to the left was Maul, a big sledgehammer held in both hands. It was his weapon of choice when it came to smashing up people who messed with him, the reason for his name. He glanced at her often, she noticed, and while she found it irritating, she appreciated the gesture. He was looking out for her, as usual, when out of all of them she was the one who needed it least. Muscular and mean though he was, Dreggo could make short work of him or any of the others. In fact, she didn’t need their help at all, but she had to involve them in this if she wanted to maintain her control of the gang.
    ‘When you get inside, spread out across the platform,’ she growled to several Cross Jumpers as she reached the entrance. ‘Make sure they have no escape routes. If they go into the tunnels, that’s fine. They’ll be mine then.’
    Maul grinned inanely as he passed her. Others looked less excited about the prospect of a fight, but they were too scared to argue. They stuck together in twos and threes, and she hoped they would give each other strength.
    Billy Lees went last. He gave her a long, cold look as he passed, longer than she felt was respectful. He had led the Cross Jumpers for more than three years before she showed up, and he didn’t look happy about being back in the ranks. Her jaw tensed as she followed him inside.
    #
    Switch, doubled over, hands on his knees, was trying to get his breath back.
    ‘I went outside to go get some drinks,’ he said. ‘But as I got to the top of the stairs I saw them coming. Lots of them. Armed with clubs and shit.’
    ‘Who?’
    ‘I think it’s pretty obvious, don’t you?’
    Simon glanced at Paul and Marta. ‘Are you sure they were coming in here?’
    ‘Of course I’m fucking sure. They were headed straight for the station entrance.’
    ‘How many?’ Marta asked.
    ‘I saw at least ten but there could have been more. They had knives, clubs, lengths of pipe, the usual street fight bullshit.’
    ‘You could see their weapons?’
    Switch shook his head. ‘Didn’t need to. I could see from the way they were walking what the fuckers were concealing.’
    Jess’s lip trembled. ‘What do we do now?’
    Switch rounded on her. ‘Did they follow you here? Spies from Daddy?’
    ‘No!’
    Simon put up a hand. ‘Switch, give it up.’
    ‘Or what, Simon?’
    ‘Just shut up!’ Marta shouted. ‘We’ve got bigger problems to worry about. I think we all know who they are and how they got here.’
    Simon shook his head. ‘How would Dan know how to find them?’
    ‘I don’t know, luck? Now shut up before they hear us, while there’s still time to find somewhere to hide–’
    ‘Too late,’ Paul said quietly. ‘They’re here.’
    As they peered out from behind the pillars, Marta saw the group descend the far stairs and spread themselves out. With the other exit long ago bulldozed and concreted over, there was no way out.
    ‘We’ve got to go into the tunnels,’ Simon said.
    Marta turned to look at him. ‘And go where?’
    ‘I don’t know, keep going until we reach the next station?’
    ‘It’s about three miles. We’d get chased down.’
    ‘Or run down by the next express,’ Paul added.
    Simon glanced at Jess. The girl was looking down at her waist, fiddling with what looked like a money belt tied around her stomach. ‘What are you doing?’ he asked.
    ‘You know, if we get in trouble, it’s evidence–’
    ‘You’ve got a digital camera?’ Switch said, incredulous, pushing Simon out of the way. ‘You were planning to get us on the fucking TV?’
    Jess