I decided to go to school that Monday morning, mostly to sort things out with Debbie. With my other teachers, I'd pretend I was coming down with a virus, so they wouldn't suspect anything was amiss when I didn't turn up the next day. I didn't think Mr. Blaws would be sent to investigate before the weekend — missing three or four days was hardly unusual — and by the time he did, Mr. Crepsley would have hopefully returned. When he was back, we could sit down and establish a definite plan..

Steve and Harkat were going to continue hunting for the vampaneze when I was at school, but agreed to be careful, and promised not to engage them by themselves if they found any.

At Mahler's, I looked for Debbie before classes began. I was going to tell her that an enemy from my past had found out I was seeing her, and I feared he planned to hurt her, to get at me. I'd say he didn't know where she worked, just where she lived, so if she found somewhere new for a few weeks and didn't go back to her old apartment, she'd be fine.

It was a weak story, but I could think of nothing better. I'd plead with her if I had to, and do all in my power to persuade her to heed my warning. If that failed, I'd have to consider kidnapping her and locking her up to protect her.

But there was no sign of Debbie at school. I went to the staffroom during the break, but she hadn't turned up for work and nobody knew where she was. Mr. Chivers was with the teachers and he was furious. He couldn't stand it when people — teachers or students — didn't call in before going absent.

I returned to class with a sinking feeling in my gut. I wished I'd asked Debbie to contact me with her new address, but hadn't thought of that when I'd told her to move. Now there was no way for me to check on her.

The two hours of classes and first forty minutes of lunch were some of the most miserable moments of my life. I wanted to flee the school and dash round to Debbie's old apartment, to see if there was any sign of her there. But I realized that it would be better not to act at all than to act in panic. It was tearing me apart, but it would be for the best if I waited for my head to clear before I went investigating.

Then, at ten to two, something wonderful happened — Debbie arrived! I was moping about in the computer room — Richard had sensed my dark mood and left me alone — when I saw her pulling up outside the back of the school in a car accompanied by two men and a woman — all three dressed in police uniforms! Getting out, she entered the building with the woman and one of the men.

Hurrying, I caught up with her on her way to Mr. Chivers' office. "Miss Hemlock!" I shouted, alarming the policeman, who turned quickly, hand going for a weapon on his belt. He stopped when he saw my school uniform and relaxed. I raised a shaking hand. "Could I talk to you for a minute, Miss?"

Debbie asked the officers if she could have a few words with me. They nodded, but kept a close watch on us. "What's going on?" I whispered.

"You don't know?" She'd been crying and her face was a mess. I shook my head. "Why did you tell me to leave?" she asked, and there was surprising bitterness in her voice.

"It's complicated."

"Did you know what was going to happen? If you did, I'll hate you forever!"

"Debbie, I don't know what you're talking about. Honestly."

She studied my face for a hint of a lie. Finding none, her expression softened. "You'll hear about it on the news soon," she muttered, "so I guess it doesn't matter if I break it to you now, but don't tell anyone else." She took a deep breath. "I left on Friday when you told me. Booked into a hotel, even though I thought you were crazy."

She paused. "And?" I prompted her.

"Somebody attacked the people in the apartments next to mine," she said. "Mr. and Mrs Andrews, and Mr. Hugon. You never met them, did you?"

"I saw Mrs Andrews once." I licked my lips nervously. "Were they killed?" Debbie nodded. Fresh tears sprung to her eyes. "And drained of blood?" I croaked, dreading the answer.

"Yes."

I looked away, ashamed. I never thought the vampaneze would go after Debbie's neighbours. I'd had only her welfare in mind, not anybody else's. I should have staked out her building, anticipating the worst. Three people were dead because I hadn't.

"When did it happen?" I asked sickly.

"Late Saturday night or early Sunday morning. The bodies were discovered yesterday afternoon, but the police didn't track me down until today. They've kept it quiet, but I think the news is breaking. There were news teams swarming around the building when I passed on my way over here."

"Why did the police want to track you down?" I asked.

She glared at me. "If the people either side of the apartment where you lived were killed, and you were nowhere to be found, don't you think the police would look for you too?" she snapped.

"Sorry. Dumb question. I wasn't thinking straight."

Lowering her head, she asked very quietly, "Do you know who did it?"

I hesitated before replying. "Yes and no. I don't know their names, but I know what they are and why they did it."

"You must tell the police," she said.

"It wouldn't help. This is beyond them."

Looking at me through her tears, she said, "I'll be released later this evening. They've taken my statement, but they want to run me through it a few more times. When they release me, I'm coming to put some hard questions to you. If I'm not happy with your answers, I'll turn you over to them."

"Thank—" She swivelled sharply and stormed off, joining the police officers and proceeding on to Mr. Chivers' office "-you," I finished to myself, then slowly headed back for class. The bell rang, signalling the end of lunch — but to me it sounded like a death knell.

THE TIME had come to fill Debbie in on the truth, but Steve and Harkat weren't keen on the idea. "What if she informs the police?" Steve screeched.

"It's dangerous," Harkat warned. "Humans are unpredictable at… the best of times. You can't know how she'll act or what… she'll do."

"I don't care," I said stubbornly. "The vampaneze aren't toying with us any longer. They know we know about them. They went to kill Debbie. When they couldn't find her, they slaughtered the people living next door. The stakes have risen. We're in deep now. Debbie has to be told how serious this is."

"And if she betrays us to the police?" Steve asked quietly.

"It's a risk we have to take," I sniffed.

"A risk you have to take," Steve said pointedly.

"I thought we were in this together," I sighed. "If I was wrong, leave. I won't stop you."

Steve fidgeted in his chair and traced the cross on his bare left palm with the gloved fingers of his right hand. He did that often, like Mr. Crepsley stroking his scar when he was thinking. "There's no need to snap," Steve said sullenly. "I'm with you to the end, like I vowed. But you're making a decision that affects all of us. That isn't right. We should vote on this."

I shook my head. "No votes. I can't sacrifice Debbie, any more than you could let Hooky kill me in the alley. I know I'm putting Debbie before our mission, but I can't help that."

"You feel that strongly about her?" Steve asked.

"Yes."

"Then I won't argue any more. Tell her the truth."

"Thanks." I looked to Harkat for his approval.

The Little Person dropped his gaze. "This is wrong. I can't stop you, so I won't try, but… I don't approve. The group should always come before the… individual." Pulling his mask — the one he needed to filter out the air, which was poisonous to him — up around his mouth, he turned his back on us and brooded in sullen silence.