The Power of Zero: A found family, vigilante justice story

Book excerpt: The origin story to Jackie Keswick's popular Power of Zero series. Enjoy this poignant coming of age story of courage and hope with a touch of revenge. Who says underdogs don't bite? Twelve-year-old Jack Horwood has run from the pimp his mother sold him to, preferring to take his chances on the streets. A house with a cheerful red door – and a classic convertible out front – prompts him into a spot of breaking and entering, and soon he has a warm, dry basement to squat in. Until the owner of the house, Jamaican hacker Rio Palmer, discovers his hideout. Rio offers him a safe place to stay, but Jack doesn’t believe a word the man says and runs. Rio can’t forget the youngster who is scared and vulnerable, and stronger than many men Rio has met. Finding Jack is a tiny challenge. Teaching him to trust is like climbing a mountain. But when faced with a true zero and its power, Rio can do nothing else. The Power of Zero is the first book in the Zero Rising series, which tells Jack's origin story.