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"And forty feet across," Evans said. "Even if you got that far, you'd still stand a fair chance of breaking your neck."

"I'm going," Brady said stubbornly. "Nothing's going to stop me."

Evans sighed. "When are you thinking of trying?"

"Sunday evening," Brady said. "It's dark by five and we're locked up for the night at six. From then on, there's only one duty screw who works from the central hall, checking all blocks."

"That could be dodgy," Evans said. "He usually pussyfoots around in carpet slippers. You never know where he's going to hit next."

"I'll take my chance," Brady said. "With luck, they might not find I'm missing till breakfast time. I'll need you to do the necessary with that spoon, of course."

Evans grinned. "You'll need me for more than that. Let's say you get over the wall and into the town. What are you going to do for money and clothes?"

Brady shrugged. "Break in somewhere. Take my chances. What else can I do?"

"I've got a key I made for myself in the machine shop," Evans told him. "It's hidden back in the cell. Opens any mortice deadlock known to man." He grinned. "Well, almost any. If you can get over the wall, cross the line to that churchyard over there. On the other side, you'll find a little lock-up shop. One of these surplus places. You can outfit yourself there. If you're lucky, you might even find a float in the till."

"Are you sure about that?" Brady said.

Evans nodded. "Remember I told you how I tried to find a way out of here when I first arrived? A bloke in my cell put me on to the shop. That's why I made a key. It was a perfect set-up, but I could never find a way out. Now, it's too late."

Brady turned and looked out across the wall to the railway line and the churchyard beyond. The shop and the key were the final touch. He felt completely calm, completely sure of himself.

It was only after the noon whistle when he was following Evans down the ladder that his hands started to tremble slightly because he was crashing-out and nothing was going to stop him.

(4)

RAIN lashed against the window as Brady peered out into the darkness. After a while he turned round and grinned tightly. "It's a hell of a night for it."

Evans was standing at the door, listening. He turned and nodded. "That's it, son. If you're going, go now."

Brady lifted his mattress and pulled out the coil of rope which he looped over one shoulder. The sling went round his waist, the wire-cutters into his pocket and he was ready.

Evans was already on his knees at the door. A moment later there was a click and it opened slightly. The old man peered out cautiously and then turned and nodded. "Have you got everything?"

Brady clapped him on the shoulder. "There's only one thing I'm worried about. What might happen to you."

Evans grinned. "I've never been so surprised in my life as when you opened this door, and they couldn't expect me to grass, now could they? As much as my life's worth." Brady tried to think of something adequate and Evans grinned again. "Go on, son. Get to hell out of it, and good luck."

The landing was dimly lit and the whole block wrapped in quiet. Brady stood there for a moment and then, as the door closed behind him, he moved quickly and quietly in his rubber shoes to the stairs at the far end.

Only a single light illuminated the hall below and the dome itself was shrouded in darkness. He balanced on the rail and clawed his way up the steel mesh curtain until he reached the roof of the cell block. He quickly hooked the snap links of the sling to the wire, securing himself in place and then took out the wire-cutters and got to work.

It was surprisingly easy and he took his time cutting first in a straight line across the roof and then down the side of the wall, link by link. It only took him five minutes and when he had finished, he slipped the wire-cutters into his pocket and pushed the section he had cut outwards.

The first steel beam lifted from a ledge in the wall of the hall about three feet to the right. He unclipped the spring links