Full Speed

by Jacqueline Harvey

  ‘Oh,’ Heike said. ‘What did you say your name was?’

  ‘I am Song, at your service and this is my empl–’

  Anna cut him off. ‘Family,’ she said, glaring at the man. ‘I’m Anna Spencer and these are my twins, Maxim and Kensington, and this is Uncle Song.’

  Max had to turn away to stop himself chuckling. Uncle Song – that was a newie.

  Fox Van Leer tapped his foot impatiently. ‘Well, that is all very nice, but we must get going. There was a mix up this morning and our alarms failed. We missed our usual time on the mountain so decided to have some coffee and breakfast first. It is not our usual way of doing things.’

  Max noticed a smile tugging at Soren’s lips when his father disclosed this information. He and the lad exchanged a sneaky look, all but confirming Max’s suspicions that Soren had something to do with the family’s late start.

  Kensy looked at the helmets and had a brilliant idea, but she needed time. She stared at Max and tugged on her right earlobe. It was a secret signal that they had always had between them – a tug on the left lobe meant that everything would be all right, but they’d recently expanded the repertoire and a tug on the right meant ‘create a distraction’. They’d used this very successfully when paired up on spy tasks at school.

  ‘Mum, I’m sure that you’ve met Mr Van Leer before, haven’t you?’ Max said to his mother, making a face.

  ‘I think you’re right, darling, but I just can’t place it,’ Anna said, taking her son’s lead.

  ‘I don’t think so,’ the man snapped.

  ‘Maybe it was a party in London?’ Max said.

  ‘Or a ball. I’d never forget someone as handsome as you, especially not in a tuxedo,’ Anna said. ‘Could it have been at Christmas?’

  Fox shook his head, but the handsome comment had appealed to his giant ego. ‘What did you say your name was again?’

  ‘Anna Spencer. Dr Anna Spencer, actually.’

  ‘What sort of doctor are you?’ he asked.

  Now that Fox was talking to Anna, Song continued to work his charm on Heike. She was telling him all about where she had bought her ski suit. Kensy just needed Max to keep Soren busy for a few minutes.

  ‘What was your father saying about a stolen snowmobile?’ the boy said quietly, guiding his new friend away from the others and directing their attention towards the roadway while Kensy pretended that she was fixing the lining inside her glove.

  ‘Papa said that it was at one of our rented chalets – a farmhouse on the northern outskirts of the village. Someone must have broken into the garage and taken it, probably just kids joyriding. It happens sometimes,’ Soren replied.

  Meanwhile Kensy had managed to get the silver box out of her pocket and place the first patch inside one of the helmets – she had no idea whose it was as they were both the same.

  She was about to take the second one out when Fox looked up at the mountain.

  ‘I am so sorry, Dr Spencer, but we really must go. Axel will be waiting,’ the man said, glaring at his son who was still deep in conversation with Max.

  His booming voice startled Kensy, and the second patch slipped out of her hand. She looked down and couldn’t see it anywhere. This was not something she wanted to lose.

  Kensy pretended to drop her glove and bent down to pick it up, her eyes searching the pavement for the piece of fabric.

  ‘Of course,’ Anna said. ‘It was lovely to meet you all. Perhaps you would like to come for drinks this evening? We’re staying in a gorgeous chalet. I think it must be one of the most beautiful on the whole mountain.’

  ‘Really, I cannot imagine so. We own the most beautiful chalet on the mountain. You must come to us,’ Fox said, his chest puffing out proudly.

  Anna had never met anyone so vain – she’d almost rolled her eyes, but realised that wouldn’t have gone over very well.

  ‘And not just for drinks. We will have dinner too. But first, drinks at six. Chalet Julen on the Bachstrasse 112,’ the man said. It wasn’t a suggestion as much as an order.

  Soren was surprised by his father’s insistence, but hopefully tonight their annoying diet would be abandoned and they could have a decent-sized meal.

  Kensy was still fumbling about on the ground when the others turned to her.

  ‘What are you doing, darling?’ Anna asked.

  ‘I lost my ring when I pulled my glove off,’ she said, finally spying what she was searching for. She picked it up and shoved her hand into her pocket.

  ‘Did you find it?’ her mother asked, fully aware of the fact that her daughter didn’t wear any rings.

  ‘Yes, silly me. It was in my jacket the whole time,’ Kensy said, garnering quizzical glares from Song and her mother, and a wide grin from Max.

  Fortunately the Van Leers weren’t remotely interested in Kensy the klutz. They grabbed their gear and hurried away towards the funicular and the runs on Mount Rothorn at the northern tip of the village.

  As soon as they were out of earshot Anna asked Kensy what she’d been doing.

  The girl couldn’t answer truthfully. Mrs Vanden Boom had requested that she keep the mind-reading device a secret between the two of them and she’d already blabbed to Max so she made something up.

  ‘I’ve been toying with a new invention. A listening device,’ she lied. It wasn’t terribly far from the truth. It was just that she was going to be able to listen to Heike’s or Fox’s thoughts if it worked.

  ‘Did you plant it?’ Anna asked.

  Kensy nodded.

  ‘Awesome,’ Max said. ‘And tonight we should be able to bug their whole house. Great work, Mum. Dad will be impressed.’

  Anna took a deep breath. She wasn’t enjoying this. She wouldn’t allow herself to enjoy this. Even though it was just a tiny bit thrilling. She pushed all thoughts of espionage from her head.

  ‘Come on, we need to find a taxi,’ she said.

  Max was glad of his snowshoes as the family trekked higher up the mountainside towards the farmhouse that Fitz had messaged his father about yesterday. Without the aid of the devices – which in the old days looked like elongated tennis racquets, but now more closely resembled two miniature snowboards that attached to their walking boots – they’d all be sinking up to their knees in the new snow.

  ‘Mr Edward and I came up here last night,’ Song said. ‘But the house was empty and there was no sign of Mr Fitz. We even ventured into the creepy basement and the attic. There were two snowmobiles in the garage.’

  ‘I wonder if the snowmobile that Fox was going on about was from here too,’ Kensy said. ‘It would make sense that if Fitz saw them take off on those two, he may have followed them if there was a spare.’

  The girl pulled her beanie down over her ears, making sure that the earpiece for the mind-reading device was secure. So far she hadn’t heard a thing – but surely the gadget was worth a try. During the taxi ride she’d managed to get the other patch out of her pocket and back into the silver compartment without anyone noticing.

  Max bit his lip. ‘Soren said that it was stolen from one of the family’s rental properties at the northern end of the village. This is about as far north as you can go.’

  Anna looked across at Song and raised her eyebrows.

  ‘Dr Spencer, are you sure?’ the man said.

  Anna nodded.

  ‘It stands to reason that Fitz has gone a lot further than we’ll be able to on foot,’ the woman said.

  Max nudged his sister. ‘I think Mum’s about to steal some snowmobiles.’

  ‘Borrow, darling,’ the woman said, smiling. ‘We’re just borrowing them. We’ll return them as soon as we find Fitz.’

  Kensy felt a shiver run the length of her spine. If it wasn’t from the cold, it was definitely the anticipation. ‘Do you think we’ll need to hot-wire them?’ she asked as they neared the house. But then Kensy heard something in her ear. It was the most bizarre thing – as if she was inside someone else’s head. She was pretty sure that some
one was Heike Van Leer.

  Look at him go. He thinks he is all that, but what a peacock.

  Kensy had no idea who Heike was thinking about, but it was as if the woman was speaking to her. It was the weirdest sensation.

  ‘I’m rather hoping there are keys close by,’ Anna said, though she knew the children were well versed in starting all manner of vehicles without them. The twins had recently found themselves in a little bit of bother, having challenged one another to see who could hot-wire their grandmother’s 500cc Ducati, Carmelita. Max had succeeded in record time and while Cordelia had told them off, Anna sensed that the woman was secretly a little bit proud.

  Song walked up to the front porch and rang the doorbell just to be sure there was no one in residence. After a few minutes he was convinced they were in the clear, but the twins did a lap of the house nonetheless, peeking through the windows. There were towels folded on the end of the beds ready for the arrival of the next influx of guests.

  ‘If Fox is so worried about security, I don’t understand why the garage is unlocked,’ Max said as he and his mother pulled open the old style barn doors.

  ‘I think your father and I may have left it that way last night,’ Song said. ‘In anticipation of returning today.’

  Kensy stood around the corner. Heike’s thoughts were getting busier and this time she was left under no illusion who the woman was thinking about.

  Fox, you’re so embarrassing. Stop showing off.

  Kensy chuckled out loud then shoved her hand over her mouth.

  ‘And the keys are in the ignition,’ Anna said, realising this was going to be much easier than first thought.

  ‘Kensy, where are you?’ the woman called.

  The girl had just heard Heike thinking that if Fox broke his leg and had to go to hospital then everyone would see he wears Superman long johns under his ski suit – what a child.

  Kensy giggled again. Obviously Mrs Vanden Boom hadn’t thought about all the implications for the device. Hearing what sort of undergarments their subject preferred was definitely not something Kensy anticipated.

  ‘Right, Max, you ride with Song and, Kensy, you’re with me,’ Anna said.

  She’d been expecting an argument about who would drive, but Kensy didn’t say a word.

  The girl really wanted to tell her brother that the mind-reader was working – though there were a few crackles at times that were driving her a bit mad.

  Between the four of them they had the vehicles out of the garage in no time and were soon on their way, speeding up the mountain higher and higher. Fortunately there were no ski trails this far over and a large stand of pine trees gave them cover from prying eyes.

  ‘Do we have the coordinates of where Fitz’s GPS last pinged?’ Max called out to Song who was sitting in front of him.

  ‘Yes, we are heading there now. Last night your father and I did not make it this far,’ the man replied.

  As they emerged through the forest and into a clearing Song slowed down and Anna pulled up alongside of him. But it was Max who spotted something behind another cluster of trees further over.

  ‘There!’ he yelled and pointed, leaping from the snowmobile. The boy sank into over half a metre of powdery snow, forgetting he’d taken off his snowshoes, which were now in the rack on the back.

  ‘Good one, Max,’ Kensy chuckled at her brother who was flailing about trying to push himself up.

  Obviously Heike hadn’t been thinking about much the past little while. She seemed to be concentrating on her skiing technique – as if running the words of a previous instructor through her mind on a loop. Kensy had blanked her out and wasn’t really listening until she heard something that made her ears prick up. Her grandmother’s name. Heike was thinking about Cordelia. That Cordelia Spencer, she is so . . . There was an awful crackling sound and Kensy missed several words before she heard smug and perfect, followed by another long crackle then coming. What was coming? Kensy bit her lip. Ah this helmet is too tight, she heard the woman thinking before the transmission ceased.

  Kensy gasped loudly.

  Anna turned to her daughter. ‘What’s the matter?’

  The girl shook her head. ‘Nothing.’ She had to pull herself together. ‘Is that a snowmobile in the trees?’

  ‘Yes, we’ve just been talking about it,’ Anna said with a frown.

  But Max had noticed her reaction and she gave him an ever so slight nod. They had to get some time alone so he could find out what she’d heard. That would be amazing if the mind-reader actually worked – though he wondered whose helmet she’d managed to place it inside.

  The snowmobile was almost completely buried. But if it was the one that the Van Leers were missing and Fitz had taken it as they thought, then he had to be around here somewhere.

  Song switched off the ignition and Anna did too.

  ‘We should go on foot,’ the man said.

  Anna turned and indicated for Kensy to pass over her snowshoes, but the girl was lost in her own thoughts staring into the distance.

  ‘Kensy!’ Anna waved her hand in front of her face. ‘Snap to it. Pass me my snowshoes.’

  ‘Sorry, Mum.’ Kensy took a deep breath and did as she was asked then attached her own. All the while her mind was racing. Why was Heike thinking about Cordelia? What did she have to do with any of this? After she told Max, she needed to share this information with her parents and Song and Fitz, though she’d say she got it from her listening device for now. She wanted Mrs Vanden Boom to be the second person after Max to know that her invention actually worked.

  Song put on his snowshoes then went to Max’s aid, pulling him out of the waist-deep snow and plonking him back onto the snowmobile where he strapped the boy’s snowshoes to the bottom of his walking boots.

  Max jumped down and raced over to his sister.

  ‘Did you hear something?’ he whispered.

  Kensy nodded. ‘I’ll tell you later.’ She turned back to her mother and Song.

  ‘How do we even know which way to look?’ Kensy said. ‘There’s so much new snow. Any trails are long gone.’

  Song studied his watch, which had recorded Fitz’s last coordinates. ‘Mr Fitz’s final communication was not from this place. We need to head north.’ He used the compass to direct them.

  Song led the way towards the ridge when he suddenly stopped, the others almost crashing into one another.

  ‘This is it. The final transmission point,’ he said, looking around. He was standing on the exact spot in the middle of a wide expanse of open space.

  ‘But there’s nothing here,’ Max said. ‘Unless he was abducted by aliens, how could he just disappear?’

  Song shrugged when suddenly the snow around him began to funnel downwards.

  ‘Song!’ Max called. ‘Jump!’

  The boy charged towards him and pushed the man out of the way as the surface disappeared from under his feet.

  Max and Song lay on the snow, breathing heavily as a hole about a metre in diameter opened up.

  Kensy gasped as she and her mother leapt back. ‘What on earth?’

  Max stood up and offered his hand to Song, pulling the man to his feet.

  ‘Thank you, Master Maxim,’ he said. ‘I suspect we may have solved the mystery of what has happened to Mr Fitz.’

  The four of them lay on their stomachs around the void and peered into the dark cavern below, wondering exactly what it was that they had found.

  Anna pulled a torch from her pocket and shone it into the cavern below.

  ‘Fitz!’ Kensy called. ‘Are you there?’

  Meanwhile Song and Max had gone to get the snowmobiles. Regardless of whether they had to send someone down or they had to winch Fitz up, they needed the machines as anchors.

  In the bunker below, Fitz was still scratching his head, his thoughts vacillating between whether he was about to electrocute himself or preferably open some secret doorway. At least his stomach had stopped grumbling, having located some ancient tins i
n one of the cupboards and a can opener. He’d sniffed the baked beans, wondering if they were fit for human consumption, but they smelt fine and were surprisingly tasty. Eating had provided a welcome distraction from his throbbing shoulder and, on top of that, he’d managed to fashion the can opener into a pair of pincers, which he was just about to put to use when he thought he heard a voice. Fitz stopped and turned around then raced back through the labyrinth of armament boxes to the central room.

  ‘Fitz! Are you down there?’ Kensy shouted.

  ‘I’m here!’ Fitz called, then cleared his throat and yelled again. ‘Kensy!’

  ‘It’s him!’ Kensy gasped, leaping to her feet and jumping up and down, though Song urged her to stop lest she end up falling too.

  ‘We’ll get you out of there,’ Max called.

  Song pulled a small gadget from his jacket pocket – a Pharos-issue harness complete with tension wire and a winch perfect for any vertical emergency.

  ‘Mr Fitz, please put the harness on and we will have you out of there in a jiffy,’ Song directed the man.

  Fitz blanched. He wasn’t sure that he’d be able to stand the pain if he had to have it around his shoulders, but this was his best option right now.

  The harness fell to the ground beside him and he managed to pull it over his head. He’d have to hold tight with his good arm and hope the pain didn’t cause him to pass out.

  ‘Are you ready?’ Song shouted.

  ‘Yes,’ Fitz said as the line tightened and his feet rose from the floor.

  On the surface Max fired up one of the snow mobiles to which they’d tethered the winch. He had it idling in reverse just in case they needed some extra power. Given the device could hold up to a tonne this wasn’t likely, but it was still best to be on the safe side.

  Fitz yelped as the harness grabbed at his damaged shoulder, but he held tighter with his good arm and gritted his teeth.