and not dumb risks. Calculated risks and impulsive risks. Risks you have no choice about and risks which only a madman would take. You getting this?’
Ruby said nothing.
‘OK, because what I’ve been seeing is a school kid making a whole lot of dumb moves and bypassing the brain function – and Redfort, FYI, you were recruited for your brain not your overweight ego.’
Ruby still said nothing.
‘Come outside a minute.’
THEY LEFT THE CHARLES BURGER and Hitch walked ahead of her, turning the corner into a grubby-looking alleyway, full or trash cans and fire-escape ladders, the brick walls rising high on each side of the narrow space between the buildings.
‘Kid, I’m going to explain something to you so listen up. OK, I’m bending the rules here so help me out.’
She shrugged, unsure what he was about to divulge. ‘OK.’
‘I have this idea, now it might be a wrong one but call it a gut feeling if you will.’
She looked at him.
‘Frankly, I don’t see you ever staying out of trouble – am I headed in the right direction here?’
Ruby sort of winced.
‘So we’re agreed that you will continue to behave like a numbskull action hero at least some of the time.’
Ruby tried not to smile.
‘My deal,’ said Hitch, ‘is that I don’t bring up the other day’s efforts to get yourself squashed and dead, so long as you meet me halfway.’
‘I’m listening.’
‘OK, I’m going to have to square it with the doc and I’m going to have to convince Agent Gill – and let’s not forget the whole team at Spectrum 8 – but I have an idea.’
Ruby didn’t ask what it was but hoped it was a good one. ‘What about LB?’ was all she said.
‘She’ll back me if everyone else is onboard,’ said Hitch.
Ruby gave a slow nod. ‘So what is this idea of yours?’
‘You ever been on an assault course?’ said Hitch, indicating the alleyway, trash cans and fire-escape ladder.
‘Yeah,’ she said slowly.
‘So this is like an assault course but with a twist.’
Ruby looked around. ‘I don’t see any course; just buildings and walls and stuff.’
‘You heard of parkour, kid?’
Ruby looked blank.
‘Let me explain.’ Without warning, Hitch ran. He was across the parking lot in the blink of any eye and headed straight towards a high brick wall – but he didn’t stop, he didn’t slow his pace, he ran at the wall and then up the wall, and when he got to the top he didn’t stop running, he jumped a narrow gap, grabbed a ledge, hauled himself easily onto a narrow pediment, leapt from the pediment onto a sloped roof, ran along the ridge tiles, vaulted onto a wall, ran to where the wall ended, did a handspring from the wall onto the ground, rolled, and landed back on his feet.
‘OK, that’s cool,’ said Ruby. ‘The last bit was a bit showy-offy but all in all, cool.’
Hitch rolled his eyes. ‘Always the smart mouth but you’re right, this isn’t about handsprings and acrobatics; it’s not about adrenalin or competition – leave that to the free runners. This is a discipline. You have to train and you have to understand the mindset.’
‘And you’re telling me that’s not risky?’ said Ruby.
‘Sure there’s risks, but these are risks you assess, you work up to. Never take a risk that isn’t worth taking. Be aware of your body’s own capabilities. Fear should be respected but should not control you. These are some of the principles of parkour.’
‘OK,’ said Ruby.
‘You have to feel it – the sensation of moving fluidly through space, mind and body as one. It’s almost like meditation. It’s not like crane-hanging or one of those daredevil pursuits. It is not you pitting yourself against the urban landscape, not you against fear. It is you harnessing your fear, overcoming physical and psychological challenge through training. The more you practise the stronger you will become both in body and mind. If your fear is telling you no, then you listen. The aim is not to lose your fear but to work through it – fear is your friend.’
‘OK,’ said Ruby.
‘You want to know how to run up a wall?’ Hitch asked but before Ruby could answer they were interrupted by a small buzzing sound and Hitch looked at his watch and then at Ruby.
‘A message from me?’ asked Ruby.
‘Well, a message from your watch,’ said Hitch.
Ruby made a face. ‘The skywalker, you think?’
‘Could be anyone,’ said Hitch.
‘Anyone who can encode a message,’ corrected Ruby.
‘Doesn’t exactly narrow the field as far as the villains we know go,’ said Hitch. ‘For all you know we might have the Count on our tail.’
Ruby shivered. She didn’t like to think the Count’s name, let alone hear it spoken out loud. ‘So what are you gonna do?’
He shook his head. ‘Whoever this bozo is, it would seem he wants our attention but for now he can’t have it.’ Then he looked up. ‘So where were we?’
‘You were running up a wall,’ said Ruby.
‘So I was,’ said Hitch. ‘Any questions?’
‘Yeah, are you going to teach me how to do that or what?’
‘Are you going to stop behaving like a numbskull at least some of the time?’ asked Hitch.
‘It’s a strong possibility,’ said Ruby.
‘OK, that’ll have to do,’ said Hitch, rolling his eyes heavenwards. ‘I’ll teach you.’
Ruby didn’t go to school on Monday, nor Tuesday, nor Wednesday. Hitch had written a very convincing letter explaining that Ruby had suffered a road traffic accident (which wasn’t actually a lie) and was suffering psychological trauma (which may have been a tiny one). Instead of sitting at her desk in Twinford Junior High, Ruby spent her time in parking lots, shopping malls, alleys and low-rises, devoting the days to parkour, to practising the skills and getting into the mindset. Parkour was about moving in harmony with the city. It was about challenging
