by Andrew Cope
Lara grabbed Sophie’s rucksack from her back and tore it open. She pulled out the plastic bag with the bright blue ball inside and ripped that open too. The man was at the end of the landing stage, about to get into the boat. He’s too far away. I can’t throw it that distance.
Then Lara remembered the slings she had seen people use for throwing balls to dogs in the park at home. She grabbed the end of Ben’s woolly scarf, pulled it sharply off him and quickly folded it in half to make a simple sling. She put the ball into the sling and, holding the ends of the scarf between her teeth, twirled the whole thing round and round above her head before hurling the bright blue ball through the air towards her target. Yes! A perfect hit. Just as the man was about to start the engine, the bullet hit his back and exploded, covering him with fine blue dust.
No one watching could believe the result. The man instantly began to laugh and laugh. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he chuckled. He laughed so much that he couldn’t stand. You’d think he had heard the funniest joke in the world. ‘Hee hee hee!’ he went. ‘Oh, ha ha! Hee hee hee!’ He couldn’t hold the briefcase, or the gun. He dropped them both and collapsed on his back in the boat, holding his tummy and waving his legs in the air, laughing and laughing and laughing.
Agent CV89 was a good swimmer. He reappeared in the water beside the boat and retrieved the briefcase in a very professional way.
The newspaper seller took possession of the gun and, together with some other unlikely-looking officers – a road sweeper and a traffic warden – he frogmarched the robber away – with some difficulty, as he was still bent double with laughter.
The family looked at Lara in amazement. Sophie gave her a hug. ‘You are FANTASTIC, Lara!’ she said.
Just helping out a colleague! smiled Lara. The lad did well for his first mission. Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go and see what this London Eye is all about!
11. The Pickpocket
I can’t just sit here feeling sorry for myself. Spud had decided to give himself a pep talk. I need to get reinforcements.
Spud knew that Lara and the rest of the family were in London somewhere; all he had to do was work out how to find them.
He dodged out of the way as a young man, talking loudly on his mobile phone, almost tripped over him. That’s it! Ben always has his phone with him!
Spud looked around. There was a public phonebox further down the street but he probably couldn’t even open the door, let alone reach up to the keypad. Maybe I could borrow someone’s phone. It is an emergency, after all.
He walked slowly along, looking up at the people. They probably all had phones but they all seemed to be safely tucked away. As he passed the door of a jeweller’s shop, he noticed a man and a woman just inside, looking at a gold bracelet.
‘Darling Pumpkin,’ cooed the woman. ‘It’s beautiful! But it’s far too expensive!’
‘Nothing’s too much for my little Cupcake,’ said the man. ‘And it is Cupcake and Pumpkin’s first Christmas, isn’t it? Go on, sweetie – try it on!’
Oh yuck! thought Spud in horror. How soppy! Then he thought again. As Cupcake tried on the bracelet, she put her expensive handbag down on the floor, and there, sticking out of it, was a small gold-coloured mobile phone.
Here goes! Spud dashed into the shop. Just as he reached the phone, it started to ring. Cupcake bent to pick it up and saw Spud standing guiltily beside her bag.
‘Oh, Pumpkin, look, a sweet little puppy-wuppy!’ she gushed as ten pink polished nails reached down to lift Spud up.
Oh no, you don’t! Spud ran out of the shop as fast as he could go. That was close!
Inside the stockroom on the fourth floor, Star too had been doing her best to continue their mission. The first thing she did after Strange had left the room was run to check on the unconscious Santa. It took her a while but she managed to chew through the ropes around his wrists and then carefully do the same with his gag. After that she gradually pushed and pulled until she managed to get him into the recovery position.
I’m glad Mum gave us those first-aid lessons, she thought as she turned the old man over on his side on the floor and made sure his airways were clear.
She tried barking for help but soon realized that no one could hear her. The shop was busy now and Christmas music was playing loudly on every floor.
Star had a good look round to see if there was another way out, but the stockroom had no windows and only one door and the lock was one she had no chance of picking.
All she could do was keep an eye on the casualty and wait. But it’s OK, thought Star, because my brother’s out there and he won’t let me down!
Spud’s narrow escape in the jeweller’s had given him an idea. I have to think like a thief, he said to himself. I’ve got no choice. He remembered the force that Strange had used to hit the back of poor old Santa’s head, and shivered. It could even be a matter of life or death.
He trotted along the street until he came to a cafe. Two teenage girls – one dark and one fair – were drinking smoothies and chatting. The one with dark hair had put her handbag safely under the table. At least she thought it was safe. She didn’t notice a small black pup slithering on his tummy towards her. Being very careful not to touch their feet, Spud pushed his nose into the bag, searching for a phone. Yes! He picked it up gently in his mouth and pulled it slowly out of the bag. If this one rings, I’ve had it! But the phone didn’t ring. Like an experienced pickpocket, Spud was out of the cafe in seconds. No one had noticed. If they see that on closed-circuit TV later, they’ll get a shock! chuckled Spud.
He ducked into an alleyway and found an old cocktail stick lying on the ground by some dustbins. Exactly what I need! Pups’ paws aren’t designed for mobile phones.
Holding the stick in his mouth, Spud tapped out Ben’s number and waited. It was ringing.
Please, answer, Ben! Don’t let it go to voicemail!
12. On the London Eye
The clear oval pod was climbing slowly round the big wheel of the London Eye and Dad was just pointing out a funny-looking building nicknamed ‘The Gherkin’ when Ben heard his ringtone.
‘I wonder who this is? I don’t recognize the number.’ Ben pulled the phone out of his pocket. ‘Hello?’
Instead of an answering voice there was a torrent of urgent barking – it sounded like one of the pups, although Ben couldn’t be sure. Lara was sure, though. She recognized Spud’s voice straight away and jumped up to put her head beside the phone.
‘Oh, I see, it’s for you, Lara!’ laughed Ben. Then he realized from Lara’s face that something was wrong.
‘You’re where?’ barked Lara. ‘What about Star? What?! Stanley Strange! When? Midday? But it’s almost that now! OK, go back to the shop and wait. I’ll be there as soon as I can.’
‘What’s the matter, Lara?’ asked Sophie. By now their pod was creeping over the top of the wheel. The sun was out and the views were fantastic, but no one noticed. They were all looking at Lara.
Lara grabbed Dad’s tourist map of London and pointed to the store. Then she pointed at Ben’s phone and barked urgently.
‘Spud and Star are in that shop?’ asked Ben. ‘But how? Why?’
I haven’t got time for this, thought Lara desperately. I’ve got to get there. I’ve got to stop Strange and rescue Star!
She looked down at the city spread out so far below them. The slow ride up had been such fun, but now she felt like a prisoner trapped high in the air.
It’s going to take ages to reach the ground. I might as well try and explain, she thought.
Lara took Ben’s phone and, using Dad’s pen between her teeth, carefully spelled out two words as if she was going to send a text.
strange santa
‘Strange Santa? Do you mean there’s a strange Santa in the shop?’ asked Sophie.
Lara nodded vigorously and then pointed meaningfully at the word ‘Strange’ and began t
o mime playing the mouth organ. For a minute everyone looked blank.
‘I’ve got it!’ said Ben. ‘ When we were carol singing – that horrible man at End House – his name was Stanley Strange, wasn’t it? Is he the strange Santa, Lara? Is that why Spud and Star are there?’
Yes! Well done, Ben – and Star is in danger too. Oh, why doesn’t this big wheel thing move any faster?!
Lara looked as anxious as she could and pointed at the number twelve on Dad’s watch. Now Ben and Sophie understood perfectly, although Dad was still looking baffled.
‘Something bad is going to happen in the shop at twelve o’clock, Dad,’ explained Sophie.
‘Yes, something that involves Stanley Strange – that man who nearly ran us all over. I think he might be disguised as Santa Claus,’ added Ben.
That’s right! That’s right! barked Lara, nodding.
‘WHAT?!’ said Dad, suddenly looking horrified. ‘But that’s where Mum’s taking Ollie for his special treat – to see Santa in that shop. We’ve got to get there – and fast!’
13. Strange Santa
Spud turned off the phone with a sigh of relief. This mission had got a bit too big for him and he was glad to feel that Lara had taken charge. I’ve got my orders now, I must go back to the shop and wait, he thought. Oh, but first I must return this phone.
He trotted round the corner just in time to see the two girls setting off up the road, their bags firmly over their shoulders. Oh no, I’m too late! What am I going to do?
There was nothing for it. Holding the phone carefully in his mouth, Spud ran up to the dark-haired girl and sat down on the pavement right in front of her, blocking her path. Then he put the phone down carefully by her feet and looked her directly in the eye. He cocked his head in what he hoped was his cute puppy look. Yours, I think?
‘My phone! Oh, I must have dropped it!’ said the girl. ‘What a clever dog! Thank you! Thank you! That’s amazing!’
Spud felt embarrassed. She doesn’t know that I took it in the first place. There’s no way I should be thanked for giving it back. He hung his head as the girl patted him gratefully, then gave her hand a quick lick and scurried off into the crowd.
As Spud made his way back down the street, the big department store loomed in front of him. He gazed up to the fourth floor. I wonder what’s happening in there? He thought. And, more to the point, what’s going to happen at twelve o’clock?
Up in the toy department, Mum and Ollie were standing in the queue for Santa’s Grotto. Mum was weighed down with carrier bags and Ollie was proudly carrying his new shoes, still in their box. When Mum told Ollie what his special treat would be, he was thrilled. ‘I’ve never been to see Father Christmas in a shop before!’ he said.
Even now, in the queue, he couldn’t stand still and kept hopping from foot to foot, peering at all the Christmassy scenery and exclaiming as he spotted different little animals hidden in the branches. ‘I wonder what Santa will say to me? Will I get a present? Hey, look, Mum, a squirrel! Look, it’s moving! It’s holding a nut in its paws! What kind of present will I get, Mum? Oh, wow! Look, there’s a sort of house in there! Is that where Santa is? Are we going in soon?’
There were some nice young women dressed as Santa’s elves directing the queue and Ollie noticed that one of them came out of the gingerbread house looking a bit concerned and whispered something to another, but he was too excited to let it bother him.
Inside the grotto, Stanley Strange was doing a terrible job of impersonating Santa. Strange was a clever man who could have turned his brains to very good use if he’d chosen to. In front of a computer – any computer – he was truly a wizard, but doing something as simple as talking to a small child was quite beyond him.
‘What do you want for Christmas?’ he snarled at a four-year-old. The little boy was shy and kept his thumb firmly in his mouth.
‘Come on, come on, I haven’t got all day,’ said Strange. ‘And if you keep sucking your thumb like that all you’ll get is braces on your teeth. Here, take this.’ He passed the child a present from the real Santa’s sack. ‘Merry Christmas. Ho ho! Next, please!’
The only time Strange brightened up was when one little girl said she’d like the latest computerized toy robot for Christmas. ‘Ah, well, that’s an interesting choice,’ he said and started a long explanation of exactly how it worked and all the different ways that it could have been improved. ‘I think the manufacturers were cutting corners,’ he confided. ‘Any fool can see that an infrared detector would have improved its efficiency, and personally I would have added a sensor control feature as well.’
The little girl was only five and couldn’t understand a word. Strange didn’t notice at first and continued to bombard her with facts until the little girl began to cry.
‘What! You mean you don’t know the difference between a megabyte and a megapixel,’ said Strange impatiently. ‘For heaven’s sake! The toy would be wasted on you. Stick to dollies and teddies, little girl. Merry Christmas. Ho ho! Stop blubbing. Next!’
‘What on earth’s happened to Santa?’ said one of the elves to another. ‘He’s usually so good with the kids.’
‘I know!’ agreed the other elf. ‘You’d hardly believe it was the same man!’
‘And another thing,’ added her friend. ‘Why does he keep looking at his watch?’
The secret Santa checked his watch one more time. The seconds were ticking. When the big hand and little hand met at twelve, he would be a multi-millionaire.
14. Follow That Dog!
The moment the doors of their pod slid open, Dad, Ben, Sophie and Lara leapt out and began to sprint towards the road. They had to reach that department store. There wasn’t a minute to lose.
‘We’ll get a taxi,’ said Dad, frantically waving both arms about in a windmill motion as he saw a black London cab driving towards them. The cab sailed by. There was already a passenger sitting in the back, reading a newspaper.
You have to look for one that has its light on, thought Lara. Dad’s in such a panic he’s not thinking straight.
She spotted a cab with the word ‘TAXI’ lit up on its roof and calmly raised a paw to catch the driver’s eye. The cab pulled to a halt, the driver astonished to be hailed by a black-and-white dog.
‘I’ve seen it all now,’ he said.
The family bundled into the back and they set off across the river. But the journey was painfully slow. It seemed like everyone in the world was out in London that morning. Cars, buses, motorbikes and taxis jammed the roads while groups of shoppers threaded their way through them. Every traffic light seemed to be stuck on red as gangs of people poured over the crossings, laughing and chatting.
Lara pointed at Dad’s watch. It’s almost quarter to twelve! We’re never going to get there at this rate. Then she pawed at the taxi door.
Ben took the hint. ‘Lara thinks we’ll be quicker on foot,’ he said.
‘Yes, I think you’re right, Lara,’ said Dad. He paid the driver and the family tumbled out and began trying to push their way through the crowded streets.
‘Which way, Dad? Up here?’ asked Sophie. The children had never been to this part of London before and had no idea where they were or where they were going.
Dad wasn’t really sure, either. ‘It’s a long time since I was last here,’ he said, putting on his glasses to look at the map. ‘I think we take the next turning on the right – or is it the left? Oh, sorry, I do beg your pardon!’ Ben and Sophie tried not to laugh. A man beside them was carrying a large Christmas tree over his shoulder and Dad had just apologized to the tree.
Lara’s training meant she could memorize a route in seconds. She took one long look at the map and began to run ahead, leading the family down a series of tiny side streets and alleys, away from the crowds. No time to lose. My pups are in peril. Lara was sprinting now and the others all ran as fast as they could to keep up with her, but soon Sophie started to ge
t a stitch and Dad was puffing hard.
Lara was just as fit as she always had been; football practice with Ben and judo lessons with Sophie (Sophie was coming on well) kept her in tip-top condition. If I go on ahead I might get there in time, but I’d have to leave the others behind. She quickly assessed the situation. The children will be OK with their dad – even if he is beginning to go rather red in the face. With a wave of her paw, Lara began to run flat out like a greyhound. See you later, guys! The family were soon left far behind.
Lara couldn’t avoid the busy roads for long. Suddenly, the narrow alleyway became a broader road and before she knew it, she was out in the traffic again. The cars and buses were at a standstill and the pavement was jammed too. There were shoppers everywhere! A group of tourists were marvelling at the Christmas lights, all gazing upwards and taking photographs. Lara dived through their legs, only to come straight up against a double buggy carrying identical twins, both bawling loudly. This is hopeless!
Then Lara noticed one vehicle that managed to keep moving. It was a racing bike ridden by a messenger in Lycra shorts and a state-of-the-art helmet. He had a carrier box on the back of his bike and was darting expertly through the traffic at top speed. Now’s my chance! thought Lara as he drew near. With one great bound she leapt towards the moving bike and landed on top of the box. The messenger felt the weight increase and glanced sharply to his right; Lara leant quickly sideways in the opposite direction, ducking out of his line of vision. He glanced to his left and Lara ducked to the right. He too was in a hurry. He hadn’t time to stop and investigate. He put his head down and pedalled swiftly on with Lara riding triumphantly behind. What a perfect way to hitch a lift!