Blood Ties
Sophie McKenzie
 Theo gives [his] bodyguard the slip once too often. Rachel receives a weird text from her father. So begins a highly dangerous search to unravel unanswered questions about their past. So together, Theo and Rachel go into an emotional rollercoaster, finding out things about their pasts, presents and future. But as they meet new people and lose contact with others they always know they have each other; especially because of their connections - Blood Ties. The book begins with Theo's narrative. He is running away from school and onto the high street in order to catch a movie, as he is tired of having his bodyguard, Roy, escorting him everywhere. His plan fails, and Roy brings him back home, where his mother is waiting for them. Theo and his mother have an argument, in which Theo accuses his mother of imagining a threat, which is why he has a bodyguard. Theo attempts - for the second time in the day - to run away, only to be stopped by Roy. His mother reluctantly agrees to tell him who is threatening his life. Meanwhile, Rachel Smith, after returning from another hard day at school, is reading a text from her father that says, "Goddess still safe in Heaven. Richard." She asks her parents about it at the dinner table, only to be brushed off. Rachel also notes how annoying her beauty-obsessed mother is, and how her mother is constantly comparing Rachel to her dead sister Rebecca, who was a star student and daughter. Back in Theo's house, Mrs. Glassman - Theo's mother - reveals to Theo that his father, whom she had previously told her son was dead, is actually alive and in hiding. With the information he received from his mother, Theo searches for his father - James Lawson - on the internet with the help of his best friend, Jake. He comes across an article that describes a bombing of a genetic research clinic, which is where Theo's father worked. The bombing was carried out by a highly aggressive group called RAGE (Righteous Army against Genetic Engineering). The article also mentions Elijah 'the Gene Genie' Lazio and Richard Smith. It said Richard Smith was at the birth of his daughter and saw the bombing from the hospital window. Theo and Jake are able to work out that Richard Smith had a daughter and that as the article was published fifteen years ago, his daughter would now be fifteen. They are able to work out which school she goes to and Theo decides to find Rachel and see if he can get any information from her father about his father. As Rachel leaves school the next day, a classmate of hers tells her that a boy is looking for her. Rachel thinks that it is some sort of setup and she makes for the other direction. But her classmate stops her in her tracks by saying "He's really fit." Rachel then decides to go have a look. As they near the bus stop, Rachel sees Theo and says that he is indeed fit. Theo approaches Rachel and asks her if her father is named Richard Smith. Rachel says that he is. Theo goes on to tell Rachel that her father may have worked with his father and then Theo lies and says that as his father is now dead, he would like to see if Richard knew him. Rachel feels sorry for him so they both go to Rachel's house, where he asks her father about the bombing of the research clinic and whether he knew anything about it. He denies it and looks terrified. After an awkward dinner, Theo gives Rachel his number and tells her to contact him if she gets anymore details. Later on, Rachel hears his parents talking and they are saying things like "we can't let Rachel find out" and "it was him. i could see it" and she wonders what is going on. As we switch back to Theo's point of view, he contacts his childhood-friend Max, who is a hacker and says she is happy to help if needed. Rachel, in the meantime, is cornered by a gang of girls who demand to know what relation she has to Theo. Rachel lies and says that he is her boyfriend. The leader of the pack, Jemima says that she expects to see him at the school dance as her date. Rachel realises that she has just gotten herself into even deeper trouble. Later on, Theo rings Rachel asking her if she can get hold of her dad's laptop. Theo's plan is to get Max to hack into her dad's email account and see if he sent any interesting emails lately. Rachel has fallen for Theo and is thrilled at the thought of seeing him again. She quickly takes the laptop and hides it in a backpack. She hastily says goodbye to her mother and goes to Max's house. When Rachel arrives at Max's house she gives Max her dad's laptop and Jake (who happened to be at Max's house) tries to flirt with her. Theo is embarrassed and tells Jake to back off. Max hacks into Rachel's dads' laptop and discovers an email sent to Rachel's dad from a certain Lewis. Later, the truth comes out and Rachel learns that Theo lied about his father's death. Rachel, feeling hurt and angry grabs the laptop and leaves. Theo is forced to apologise. Rachel accepts the apology and comes back to Max's house. The email that Max hacked talks about a business trip to Germany. Theo suspects that his father could possibly be there. He plans to go to Germany and find out. Rachel says that she will come with him as her dad is involved. They arrange to meet up at Rachel's school disco and leave together. Rachel then leaves. On the night of the disco as Rachel struggles to find a suitable outfit, she thinks about what she is about to do and whether she can trust Theo or not. Theo arrives at Rachel's school disco, and he reflects on how she looks nice. As Theo and Rachel stand together awkwardly, Rachel asks Theo to dance. Theo uncomfortably agrees, even though he doesn't seem to have any feelings for her. As they dance awkwardly, Jemima comes up to Theo and asks him why he's here with her. Rachel steps in and tugs on the neckline of her already extremely low shirt. Jemima screams and everyone gathers around to see what's going on. Rachel pulls Theo away and says that she had to make a diversion. As sneak out through a side door and start walking towards the train station, they are suddenly attacked by two men in masks and dark clothing. One man puts his hand over Rachel's mouth to muffle her screams and the other takes out a gun and aims at Theo's forehead. Just as Theo braces himself for death, the other man punches the man holding the gun and knocks him out. The man tells them that his name is Lewis and to back into the school and meet him in the headmistress's office. Theo takes a shaky Rachel to the office and Rachel sits down and sobs her heart out. Theo uncomfortably pats her back. Rachel wonders how he is so calm when he had just been so close to death. Lewis appears once more and he convinces them that he is safe by saying that he knew Theo's father. He bundles them into a car and they both sit on opposite ends of the backseat. Theo begins to start shaking violently as he remembers the feel of the cold gun against his head. Lewis looks over and tells him to let Rachel hold him as he will feel better. He shakily hugs Rachel and she strokes his hair as he "cries and cries and cries." After a little while Theo feels better yet slightly embarrassed as Rachel has witnessed his breakdown. He pulls away and asks where they are going. Lewis tells them that they are going to meet Theo's father. Theo wakes up in the car on the motorway to Scotland. He is covered with a blanket and has a pillow behind him. Rachel - who has been awake the entire journey - strokes Theo's face tenderly to wake him up. Lewis - the man who 'rescued' them - assures them they've got another hour in the car. When Theo groans he is hungry, Rachel hands him a ham-and-mayonnaise sandwich which he eats gratefully. Two hours later, they arrive at their destination. Theo and Rachel are offered beds for the night by Lewis' girlfriend and colleague, 32 year old Mel. Theo falls asleep and Rachel goes soon after. The next day, they are given clothes, magazines and bacon butties by Lewis, while Mel gives them some combat training. That evening, Theo is introduced to Elijah 'the Gene Genie' Lazio and Elijah explains everything. He explains how Theo and Rachel are both clones: Theo a clone of Elijah and Rachel a clone of her dead sister Rebecca. Elijah also does his best to comfort Theo whom he calls 'his son,' but later shows his true colours when he abducts Theo along with Mel and ties them up on a plane bound for America, leaving Rachel distraught and Lewis horrified. What will become of Theo, Mel and Elijah? Theo is sedated by Elijah after he witnesses him hit Mel. After spending a couple of months at Elijah's house in D.C, Lewis and Rachel arrive to rescue Theo and Mel. RAGE attack Elijah who kidnaps Theo, Rachel and a younger clone of himself, Daniel. Elijah holds them hostage in his now-deceased ex-wife's house. It is revealed that Elijah is in need of a heart transplant and intends to use Theo's heart because of him being a complete genetic match. Realizing they have to escape Theo who is locked in his room cuts himself so that Elijah will come in to help. Theo locks Elijah in his room and escapes the house with Rachel and Daniel. They meet Lewis and Mel in the town and Elijah turns up and captures them, holding them in an abandoned park. Elijah kills Mel, and shoots Lewis in the chest. Ambulance crew turn up and tend to Lewis and Rachel and Theo. The three are transported to hospital. Elijah abducts Daniel and goes on the run with him. Theo wakes up in hospital and his mother is distraught over her lies that led to her son being nearly killed. Mrs. Glassman convinces her son that he's safe and she will never, ever let him be in danger again. Theo refuses to listen until his mother shocks him by calling him 'sweetheart,' for the first time in his life. She later goes on to explain about the relocation and allows him to call Jake and Max to say goodbye. Theo comes to forgive his mother and after a reluctant moment, the two hug each other fiercely, ending with Theo breaking down in sobs and his mum comforts him and reassures him. Rachel eventually comes to - her father is delighted and does his best to comfort her - and her mother is angry. She refuses to accept Rachel's protests about Theo and blames her for running away. Her mother goes onto compare her to Rebecca, until Rachel stops her and shouts at her that she is not Rebecca. Her mother is shocked by her outburst and coldly tells her to get back into bed before convincing her husband to leave with her. Theo says his goodbyes to Rachel and her father - having left her mother to go home to London - and kisses Rachel softly before departing for a new life with his mum. Rachel and her father do the same and leave the hospital. Months later, Rachel comes home from a taster day at a new school and goes online to chat with Theo. They have a friendly conversation before ending telling each other the hope to see each other again...soon.