Page 117 of Restitution

“Four petitions to have whatever charges they hand you dropped and Bernadette removed from her position. Over ten million on one petition alone in just six hours.”

I gulp, looking around the room, then at my mother. “But I’m not the good guy.”

She smiles weakly. “Yes you are, sweetheart.”

I should have been arrested hours ago, but by the looks of the screen, an army is preventing the police from entering.

I walk over to the patio door and open it, and low and behold, two helicopters are hovering over the manor. One is Barry’s, and the other belongs to the police. But I also notice the chain of people, loads of them, stretching around the manor grounds, only stopping at the loch.

Stacey stays beside me as we follow my mum out into the front entranceway of the manor, into the grounds, and down the cobbled path to the locked gates.

The sight has me frowning.

Justice for Jason!

Justice for Tobias!

End corrupt cops!

Arrest the real murderers!

Keep Kade free!

We stand with the Mitchells!

The signs and banners are dotted around the crowds outside thegates, hundreds of them – when they spot me, they all cheer and clap, and I forget how to breathe. Stacey covers her mouth on a happy sob, but I’m blank, staring at them all. All these strangers are here for me.

“Is that her?” one asks the other, staring at Stacey. “Wow, she’s so beautiful in real life.”

Am I in an alternate reality, or am I fucking dreaming?

There are people of almost every age in the crowd too – from teenagers all the way up to seventy plus – all rallying around the manor to protect me.

A hand slides into mine, and I curl my fingers. “I think we should turn our phones on.”

“Yeah. That’s probably a good idea.”

A police car is sitting in the distance – a news reporter too, filming the scene.

Some of the people have their phones out, recording me and Stacey and calling out to my mother. I pull Stacey to me when I feel an overwhelming crack in my gut – I need her to be here with me. Her back to my chest, I wrap my arms around her and rest my chin on her shoulder.

We watch everyone fight for us.

Luciella comes up beside me. “I’m proud of you, Kade.”

“Why?”

She glances up at me, her eyes watering. “You survived.”

She cuddles into our mum, and Stacey kisses my cheek. “I told you, didn’t I? You aren’t alone. Not now, not ever.”

I kiss her back then wave to the ones grabbing the walls for dear life while the guards warn them to stay on their side of the fence. The bodyguards are wearing bulletproof vests and helmets, guns strapped to them, all lining the perimeter to make sure noone gets in.

As happy and supportive as they all seem to be, someone in among them could be a spy or against us. Maybe even part of one of the empires I threw under the bus.

If I’m marked for assassination, they could all be in danger.

“Come on,” I say to my mum and Stacey, Luciella trailing behind. I lower my head and turn around. My heart is racing, and my blinking is getting a little out of control. I think it’s the overwhelming feeling of having so much support. “I need to get back inside before they see me freak out.”