Mr Kelly’s tanned face was split with a broad smile. ‘Fantastic! We like improvers here. Go-getters. I wouldn’t be surprised if one or two of you on this coach ended up working for us here one day, huh?’

There was a token of polite laughter up and down the rows of seats.

The coach lurched slowly forward, down a long straight driveway flanked by freshly cut lawns, wet with the moisture from water sprinklers.

‘OK, guys, we’ll shortly be arriving at the visitors’ reception area, where you can get off. We have some refreshments ready for you before we start the tour of this facility. I will be your guide for today, and, as I’m talking, if you have any questions at all, please don’t be afraid to raise your hands and ask. We want you to get the most out of today… to understand what our work is here and how very important it is to the environment.’

Edward looked out of the window as the coach approached a decorative flowerbed and swung slowly around it. In the middle, framed by an arrangement of

vivid yellow chrysanthemums, was a sign: WELCOME TO TERI: TEXAS ADVANCED ENERGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE.

CHAPTER 5

1906, San Francisco

‘Hey! Don’t turn around yet — I’m not ready,’ snapped Maddy irritably.

Liam stayed where he was, facing the grubby redbrick wall in front of him. The back alley reeked of rotting fish, and he wondered if he lingered too much longer here whether the smell was going to be stuck on him for the rest of the day.

‘Are you not done yet?’ he asked.

Maddy muttered under her breath. ‘It’s all these damned laces and hooks and buttons and things. How the heck did women manage to dress themselves back then?’

He turned his head a little to look up the alley. It seemed to open on to a busy thoroughfare. He saw several horse-drawn carts clatter by, and men dressed like him: formal grey morning coats, buttoned waistcoats, high-collared shirts, with top hats, flat caps and bowler hats.