About the Book
How do you keep your head in the game when someone wants you gone? When those dearest to you are far away and the future is so uncertain …
Kensy and Max are back in London for no time at all before things begin to heat up – quite literally. As a result, Granny Cordelia ships them off to Australia on an undercover mission. The twins find themselves planted in a posh Sydney school where first appearances prove to be deceiving. What seems like a straightforward assignment turns into something so much bigger. Kensy and Max must employ all their spy skills – the fate of their parents, and who they’ve been searching for, depends on it.
Contents
Cover
About the Book
Title Page
Cast of Characters
Maps
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
A note on the Atbash cipher
About the Author
Books by Jacqueline Harvey
Jacqueline Supports
Imprint
Read more at Penguin Books Australia
The Grey household
Kensington Méribel Grey
Agent-in-training, 11-year-old twin to Max
Maxim Val d’Isère Grey
Agent-in-training, 11-year-old twin to Kensy
Anna Grey
Dormant agent PA S2694, Kensy and Max’s mother
Edward Grey
Dormant agent PA S2658, Kensy and Max’s father, eldest son of Dame Spencer
Fitzgerald Williams
PA S2660, Kensy and Max’s manny, nephew of Dame Spencer
Song Li
PA U2613, Butler
Sidney Li
PA U2614, Dame Spencer’s butler in Wilton Crescent
Pharos
Dame Cordelia Spencer
Head of Pharos
Rupert Spencer
PA X2672, Dame Spencer’s son
Magoo MacGregor
PA P2659, Headmaster of Central London Free School
Romilly Vanden Boom
PA P2646, Science teacher at Central London Free School
Monty Reffell
PA P2667, History teacher at Central London Free School
Autumn Lee
Agent-in-training
Carlos Rodriguez
Agent-in-training
Wentworth Grammar staff
Thaddeus Thacker
Headmaster
Stella Black
Assistant to the headmaster
Divorah Skidmore
Receptionist to the headmaster, choir stylist
Harriet Sparks
Choir manager
Mrs Strump
Choir pianist
Jaco De Vere
Head cricket coach
Wentworth Grammar students
Curtis Pepper
Year Five student, neighbour
Donovan Chalmers
Year Six student, son of Dash and Tinsley
Ellery Chalmers
Year Five student, daughter of Dash and Tinsley
Dugald McCrae
Year Six student, talented tenor
Lucienne Russo
Year Six student, talented soprano
Other
Dash Chalmers
Owner of The Chalmers Corporation, father of Donovan and Ellery
Tinsley Chalmers
Wife of Dash, mother of Donovan and Ellery
Derek Grigsby
Shopkeeper
Rosa
Housekeeper to the Chalmers
Simone Stephenson
Stonehurst College choir mistress
Lucy Dowsett
Executive assistant to Dash Chalmers
Nick
Cherry Tree Farm manager
George Kapalos
Investigative journalist
Hattie Pendleton
Central London Free School student
For Ian, who makes things happen, and for Dot and Zoe, who are fabulous and some!
Case Note 17
Author: Fitzgerald Williams,
Pharos Agent (PA) S2660
Subjects: Kensington Grey, PA A2713;
Maxim Grey, PA A2714
Kensington and Maxim Grey were admitted as Pharos agents-in-training at the age of eleven years and one month.
FIELDWORK
On a recent school History tour to Rome, Kensington, Maxim and three of their friends and co-agents-in-training – Autumn Lee, Carlos Rodriguez and Misha Thornhill – were instrumental in solving two major interlinked crimes: the first being the opportunistic kidnapping of Nico Vitale, son of the Prime Minister of Italy; and the second, a plot holding the Prime Minister to ransom over the control of the wheat and pasta industry by the highly elusive crime syndicate known as the Diavolo.
Misha Thornhill had been tasked with befriending Lola Lemmler, a fellow student at Central London Free School, in order to gather intelligence on the girl’s father (alias Steve Lemmler, real name Sergio Leonardi), a known kingpin of organised crime. Through the children’s efforts, Sergio Leonardi was revealed as the head of the Diavolo, working alongside the President of Italy and a gang of thieves led by a woman disguising herself as a nun. The Diavolo is notorious for a wide range of criminal activities, including petty theft, extortion, money laundering and arms dealing. Their crimes and misdemeanours run to practically all areas of life in Italy.
The impromptu mission was sanctioned by Dame Cordelia Spencer while the children’s teachers and agents – Monty Reffell, Romilly Vanden Boom, Elliot Frizzle and Lottie Ziegler – were also mobilised. The other agents-in-training on the trip were not involved and the civilian students among the group remained completely unaware of the events that unfolded. I was able to assist the children in the final phase of their assignment with the help of Lottie Ziegler and the twins’ uncle, Rupert Spencer. Alessandro Grimaldi, Head of the Italian Secret Service, was in charge of the arrests at Quirinal Palace, where the President of Italy and his associates were intercepted and taken into custody. Following the completion of their mission, Kensy, Max, Autumn, Carlos and Misha continued their school History tour.
SKILLS, STRENGTHS AND VULNERABILITIES
Maxim consistently astonishes his teachers with his photographic memory. While it was his ability to remember maps in exceptional detail that initially caught everyone’s attention, Maxim’s visual recall capabilities have excelled in all manner of situations. Meanwhile, Kensington has recently been honing her skills in robotics in addition to her interest in mechanical engineering. This has led to some surprising and slightly alarming inventions, which have proven both interesting and useful. Her knowledge of machinery was extremely help
ful when the washing machine at Ponsonby Terrace recently broke down.
TRAINING
In the week before Christmas, Kensington and Maxim participated in intensive training exercises at Alexandria, the countryside headquarters of Pharos. During this time they were given instruction on tactical strategies via a range of stealth, combat and marksman-ship activities. The children were trained in the use of firearms and other weaponry, such as crossbows and regular bows and arrows. Kensington and Maxim learned to drive with Esmerelda, the computerised vehicle responsible for teaching all Pharos agents. Despite both children displaying impressive skills, an unfortunate mishap rendered Esmerelda almost completely destroyed. The twins were lucky to survive the fiery incident.
The children have also continued developing their proficiency in code-breaking and orienteering with Maxim emerging top of the class in both areas, although he tied with Autumn Lee in code-breaking. Kensington’s ability to pick locks is unsurpassed and her use of the regulation school hairclip to assist her in this area has been creative, to say the least.
Several new gadgets have been revealed to them, including the Blunderbus Bubble Gun, which was used to remarkable effect by Rupert Spencer during a car chase in Rome; lasso shoelaces, which both twins have access to; and poison-dart glasses currently being trialled by Maxim.
EMOTIONAL STATE
While Maxim has maintained a stable emotional state, it has become apparent that Kensington is struggling to deal with recent events. A sudden growth spurt is likely not helping either. She has been prone to outbursts and has fallen behind in some areas of her studies, which has landed her in a spot of bother with several of her teachers. One notable incident occurred in an Art lesson, where Kensington absent-mindedly painted over a canvas that Elliot Frizzle was partway through completing for the London Landscape Prize. Despite Kensington’s somewhat erratic behaviour, both children have done a very good job of adapting to their new and unusual life and are keeping busy with school and training.
UPDATE ON THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ANNA AND EDWARD GREY
Anna and Edward Grey made contact with Kensington and Maxim in Rome, appearing briefly inside a confessional booth in St Peter’s Basilica. While it came as a shock to the children, they were both overjoyed and are still confident their parents will soon return. I plan to brief the twins more fully on their parents’ self-directed mission to recover their maternal grandparents, who, while presumed dead in a botched robbery and subsequent fire in Paris 12 years ago, have recently been revealed to be alive. Kensington and Maxim have deduced considerable insights about this themselves. Having discussed the case with Anna and Edward, we have come to the conclusion that, rather than leave the children to speculate further and inadvertently say something they shouldn’t, they must be privy to the information available. Anna and Edward have given consent to brief Cordelia as well, though the information is Status Grey, for her eyes only. The possibility of a mole within the organisation remains high, and although Kensington is convinced it is Shugs, a gardener at Alexandria, I am not of the same opinion.
OTHER INFORMATION
Kensington and Maxim will continue to live at Ponsonby Terrace with Song and myself until their parents return and a decision is made whether they will remain as agents-in-training. Given their obvious skills and knowledge of Pharos, I believe it will be near impossible to convince them to give up their new life. I cannot imagine Maxim’s knife-throwing prowess would be sought after in many vocations outside of the circus, and Kensington is proving herself to have excellent intuition, despite her impetuousness. The children have both expressed a great desire to continue with the family firm.
Kensy measured the powder into the beaker, then added an extra spoonful for good luck. ‘What’s next?’ she asked, drumming her fingers on the benchtop. It hadn’t escaped her notice that numerous pairs of students had already ignited their mixtures.
Autumn looked up from the sheet of paper, where she had been reading through each step of the experiment. ‘It says here that the powder has to go in there,’ she said, pointing to the small bowl filled with sand that had been soaked in lighter fluid.
Kensy picked up the beaker and tipped the mixture onto the granules.
‘Now you can set it on fire,’ Autumn instructed.
‘Well done, Max and Carlos, that’s fantastic!’ Mrs Vanden Boom exclaimed from the other side of the room. She swiftly moved on to congratulate Inez and Yasmina.
Kensy glowered. She flicked on the lighter and thrust it into the bowl of powder. She and Autumn watched closely as it sizzled and flashed, the flames rising higher and higher.
‘I don’t think it’s supposed to do that,’ Autumn said, anxiously glancing around at her classmates. Everyone else’s flames had died down once the chemical reaction had trans formed the powdered mixture into a charcoal snake. Theirs, however, was only intensifying.
Kensy gulped. ‘We need to put it out.’ She grabbed a small beaker of water and poured it over the bowl, which instantly exploded into a fireball. Kensy leapt backwards just in time to avoid losing her eyebrows.
‘Fire!’ Inez shouted as the flames shot towards the ceiling.
Several of the children screamed.
Romilly Vanden Boom spun around from where she’d been running through the experiment for the third time with Dante and Sachin. ‘Good heavens! How on earth did that happen?’ She sped to the front of the room, sidestepping the benches and launching herself at the fire blanket that was hanging from a hook.
By now the ceiling had begun to ignite. Max ran for the extinguisher and wrenched it from the wall while Mrs Vanden Boom pulled the blanket from its pouch and hurtled back to the inferno. She threw it on the bowl just as Max pulled the pin and aimed the nozzle towards the burning ceiling. Thankfully, the flames were snuffed out in seconds and there were only a few scorch marks to show what could have been so much worse. But it was already too late. The fire alarm had been triggered.
‘Oh no, this is bad.’ Kensy turned to Autumn, biting her lip. ‘I didn’t mean to. It was an accident.’
Romilly sighed. ‘Right, everyone, walk sensibly to the front entrance – there’s to be no running,’ she ordered.
Kensy and Autumn joined the rest of the students in the hallway, where the sirens were still blaring.
‘What were you girls doing?’ Mrs Vanden Boom demanded when she caught up to the pair.
‘It was my fault,’ Kensy said. ‘I think I might have added too much baking soda.’
‘Hmm, that shouldn’t have turned your snake into a flamethrower. That doesn’t make any sense at all,’ Romilly said, shaking her head. She ushered her class through reception and out onto the tiny patch of front lawn, where she began to count heads. Kensy and Autumn fell into line alongside the rest of the school population. ‘I want to see you in my office at lunchtime, Kensy. We need to t–’
‘But, Mrs Vanden Boom,’ Kensy interrupted, ‘I have to see Mr Frizzle first, then I’ve got detention with Miss Witherbee.’
Romilly frowned at the girl. ‘I’ll send a message to the others. This is serious, Kensy. We’ve been back at school for almost six weeks and in that time you’ve deleted the programming for your robot, you almost lost a finger in a vat of acid and you just set fire to the lab – and that’s only in your Science lessons. I hear there have been other mishaps too. We need to have a chat to find out what’s going on with you, okay?’
Kensy nodded, feeling sick to her stomach.
‘My office in twenty,’ the woman said. ‘Downstairs.’
There was much speculation among the student body about what had happened, with murmurs ranging from burned toast in the staffroom to someone smoking in the toilets, until Sachin set everyone straight, telling them loudly that Kensy was to blame. A blast of heat rose to the girl’s cheeks.
‘Good one, Kensy,’ Hattie Pendleton moaned. ‘We were in the middle of an exam. Now we’ll have to stay in at lunchtime to finish it.’
Kensy’s eyes
narrowed. ‘Oh, put a sock in it, Hattie,’ she snapped.
Her twin brother, Max, caught her gaze. ‘Don’t worry,’ he mouthed, touching his left ear ever so quickly – their secret signal that everything would be all right. But, truthfully, he was worried about her. Kensy hadn’t been herself since their trip to Rome. He’d tried talking to her, but she was either touchy or fobbed him off with a joke.
Monty Reffell emerged from the building last of all. He wore a bright orange hard hat and matching hi-vis vest, which didn’t go well with the rest of his outfit, given that he’d been teaching his Lower Sixth formers about World War II and was currently dressed as Winston Churchill, in a tweed suit and bow tie, complete with a pillow down his front for extra bulk.
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