“Show me.”
Newt did a couple of tricks.
“Wow, youaregood.”
“I’ll just mesmerise anyone looking for trouble.”
“You probably could.”
By the time they were ready to leave, Dila looked stunning in a long silver dress, her hair done in a complex style that defied wisdom and gravity. There was a lot of spray involved. Newt briefly wondered how flammable she was. Only four of them went in the limo: Dila, River, Newt and Andy. Max had gone earlier with Jesse.
Newt’s heart thundered the moment they left the hotel room. He really didn’t think anything bad was going to happen, but the responsibility of keeping River safe was weighing on him. When their limo joined the queue of cars waiting to drop off guests, Newt pushed his foot between River’s and nudged his ankle.
“Don’t try the Horizontal 360 seasick,” Newt said. It was one of the very difficult yoyo moves.
“You think I can’t do it?”
“Remember the broken vase.”
When it was their turn and they finally pulled up next to the red carpet, Newt was so on edge he felt sick. People were crammed together behind barriers, all of them holding up phones. Press photographers were on the other side of the red carpet. Newt and Andy slipped out of the car and came round to open the door for River and Dila.
As River and Dila headed away from the car, Andy pulled Newt back. “Give them space for photos. You’re too close.”
River had a bright smile on his face, Dila was clinging to his arm and waving to fans. People held out autograph books and River stepped forward to sign them—something he and Newt had practised—and to pose for photos and selfies. The crowd was making so much noise there was little chance of River having a conversation with anyone but further along, the press waited.
Newt knew this drama and excitement was important because it hyped anticipation and conversation about the film. He was a little disappointed he wouldn’t get to see it, but River had asked Max to get him a copy. Newt’s gaze flicked constantly between River, who was now giving an interview to a woman in a white coat, and the crowd. There were several policemen keeping fans behind the barrier, though Newt thought if they all rushed at once, there was nothing anyone could do.
It was pure chance that Newt happened to be looking in the direction of one section of the crowd standing close to where the barrier met the building, when he spotted someone jumping over.
“Three o’clock,” he called to Andy and moved between River and Dila, and the man who was wearing a dark jacket and a dark beanie.
Newt blocked his access and a moment later, found himself facing a large knife.Oh shit. Acting on pure adrenaline, Newt palmed the yo-yo, flicking it out, hitting the guy on the cheekbone. The man reeled back, disorientated, but still lunged sideways to get past him. Andy was trying to restrain him as Newt brought his fist down hard on the hand holding the knife. He wrapped the string of the yoyo around the guy’s wrist and yanked. Newt was dimly aware of people screaming as he struggled with the knifeman. They both fell to the ground. Andy kicked the knife away, the police waded in and to Newt’s relief, they took over.
The whole episode had taken only moments but felt like forever. Newt pushed to his feet and stepped away, pushing the yoyo back into his pocket. When he looked around, he could see no sign of River or Dila but people were takinghispicture.Shit.
“You all right?” Andy patted him on the back.
“Yes.”
“Inside. Now. I can’t believe you did that with a yoyo!”
Newt kept his head down and followed him. Not everyone inside the lobby was aware of what had happened but those nearest the entrance were. River came rushing over and Newt put out his hand to stop River doing something stupid like hug him, even though that was exactly what he wanted to happen.
He could see River was shaken, so Newt pulled himself together. “It’s okay,” he said quickly. “The police have him.”
“Are both of you all right?”
Newt nodded.
“Yes,” Andy said. “Amazing ninja skill with that yoyo!”
River widened his eyes.
“I took a picture of the guy once the cops had got him cuffed.” Andy showed River his phone.
River shook his head. “Never seen him before.”
“Maybe Dila knows him. I don’t know which of you he was going for.” Andy exhaled.
