2-Power: the Korski Code

by Pete Johnson

  Sam immediately charged over to the dog.

  ‘No, don’t rush at him,’ urged Ella.

  But Sam was already crouched down and patting the animal. It was shivering and looked very weak.

  ‘Do you think it’s just been left here?’ asked Ella, stroking the dog too.

  ‘Oh, it’s been abandoned all right,’ said Sam.

  ‘And it’s just skin and bone as well,’ gasped Ella. ‘Poor thing.’

  Sam whispered to it, ‘Don’t worry, we’ll look after you now.’ The dog weakly thumped its tail. ‘There, he likes me already,’ cried Sam. ‘And I love that little black patch over your right ear… I think that’s dead cool.’ Then he looked up at Ella. ‘We’ll have to take Patch back with us.’

  ‘But they’d never let us keep him,’ she replied at once.

  ‘They need never know; we’ll smuggle him in, then keep him in my room –’

  ‘But he needs looking after,’ interrupted Ella.

  ‘I can do that,’ said Sam promptly.

  ‘But he’s not well. We’ve got to take him to the vet.’

  Sam muttered to himself, ‘I’ve always, always wanted a dog.’

  ‘So have I,’ said Ella. ‘But we can’t –’

  ‘No, all right,’ he replied, springing up. ‘We could go to that vet who came into our school. She seemed all right.’

  Very gently, very carefully, Ella picked up the dog. ‘I think Patch knows we’re helping him. He keeps licking me.’

  ‘He’s probably just thirsty,’ replied Sam.

  When they reached the surgery the receptionist told them the vet was in the middle of an operation and really couldn’t be disturbed. Instead, someone who didn’t look much older than eighteen or nineteen appeared. Sam and Ella quickly told him what had happened and he immediately started examining the dog.

  ‘Poor boy,’ he murmured. ‘You’ve been very neglected, haven’t you?’

  ‘How could anyone just dump a dog like that?’ asked Ella.

  ‘I’m afraid people do all the time,’ the boy replied. ‘He’s not very old, so he might have been given as a present and then one day the owner decided they just didn’t want him any more.’

  ‘That’s so cruel,’ murmured Ella. ‘I wish we could help him get strong again.’

  The boy said he would personally look after Patch now and even take the dog home at night with him. He also told them his name was Carl and he was a trainee vet. He handed them a card with his name and mobile-phone number on it. Sam, of course, had to give Carl one of his cards too.

  ‘Ring me anytime,’ said Carl, ‘and I’ll let you know how your dog is doing.’

  ‘Your dog.’ Ella liked that and she could feel tears springing up in her eyes when she had to leave Patch. She noticed Sam saying goodbye in a very shaky voice too.

  Outside neither she nor Sam spoke at first. Then Ella remembered something Carl had mentioned. He’d said it was so lucky they’d heard Patch whimpering, and then added, ‘You must have very sharp hearing.’

  Ella burst out, ‘You know, I don’t think we’d normally have heard Patch; it’s just when we’re online –’

  ‘– we’ve got super hearing as well,’ interrupted Sam. ‘We’re magic, we are.’ Then he added a bit more gloomily, ‘If only we could find a way to magic ourselves away from the Jolly Roger.’

  8

  Disturbing a Burglar

  Uncle Mike and Aunt Joy weren’t just angry when Ella and Sam got back, Uncle Mike’s lips actually turned white with rage as he bellowed, ‘We feed you, put a roof over your heads, and this is how you repay us!’

  All we’ve done, thought Ella, is take a little break from our work on a Saturday afternoon – not robbed a bank or anything.

  ‘I’ve never met such ungrateful children,’ screeched Aunt Joy. ‘Just looking at you both gives me a headache.’

  ‘Well, we’re going to be watching you very carefully in future,’ roared Uncle Mike. ‘There’ll be no more of this going off to play when you feel like it.’

  For the rest of the day Sam and Ella were run off their feet. Once they even collided into each other on the stairs. They both giggled until Uncle Mike shouted up, ‘Don’t waste time laughing!’

  The following day – Sunday – was, if anything, even busier. Well, it was for Sam and Ella. Aunt Joy had ‘one of her heads’ and could only shrill instructions. ‘I feel too ill to lift a finger,’ she moaned. ‘It must be the stress of having such disobedient children to look after.’

  Meanwhile, Uncle Mike, frowning furiously, barked orders at Sam and Ella whenever they rushed past.

  Ella waited until lunch was over before she asked Aunt Joy if she could go out for just half an hour. She was desperate to see Professor Forbes and find out how much the Roman coin was worth. But Aunt Joy shrieked, ‘Don’t you know how much work we have to do today? You can’t leave here for half a minute.’ Then she sank right back in her chair again.

  There was just one moment when the twins weren’t being watched. That was when two groups of guests swooped down on Uncle Mike and Aunt Joy to complain about a kettle that didn’t work and a room that was far too hot.

  Ella seized her chance. She rushed into the office. First of all she called Carl to find out how Patch was. To Ella’s great relief, Patch was feeling much better and Carl invited them to visit their dog tomorrow.

  Then Ella rang Professor Forbes. ‘I’m so sorry,’ she said, ‘but we can’t come and see you today.’

  ‘What a pity,’ he said, ‘for I have some thrilling news for you.’

  ‘Oh, what is it?’ she cried.

  ‘I’d rather not tell you on the phone,’ said Professor Forbes mysteriously. ‘You never know who might be listening in.’

  Just then, Sam, who’d been keeping watch, gave two urgent raps on the door. This meant their uncle and aunt were on the way back towards reception.

  Ella said quickly, ‘Professor, could we come round and see you after school tomorrow?’

  ‘I’ll look forward to it,’ he replied. ‘And please don’t worry, I am taking excellent care of your coin. Oh, if you could also remember to bring my glasses…?’

  In fact, Ella was carrying them around in her pocket just so she didn’t forget them. But she had no time to tell him any of this as there was a thunder of thumps on the office door, which meant, ‘Leave right now!’ So she had to fling the phone down on Professor Forbes rudely before springing out of the office.

  She was only just in time as well. For Uncle Mike came striding into reception and would have been furious if he’d known she’d gone into the office – ‘out of bounds at all times to kids’ – never mind used the phone.

  He barked at her, ‘What are you doing loitering about here? You haven’t a moment to waste.’

  At half past five Sam was allowed a half-hour homework break. But Ella wasn’t permitted to stop as well. ‘You two are as thick as thieves these days,’ said Aunt Joy. ‘And we think it’s best you don’t spend so much time together.’

  Sam grinned to himself. They couldn’t stop him exchanging messages with Ella whenever he wanted. In fact, they’d been chatting online for hours; it was the only thing that had made today bearable.

  But when Sam reached his bedroom he received a big shock.

  Someone was in Ella’s room. He’d left her cleaning the kitchen. And he knew his uncle and aunt were in reception. So who on earth was it?

  He listened. Drawers were being opened and things hurled on to the ground. It was obviously a burglar storming about searching for jewels and money. Well, he wouldn’t find either of those in Ella’s room. No wonder he sounded so angry. Sam could actually hear the burglar snorting with fury.

  Sam was burning with rage too. How dare this burglar rifle through his sister’s things! He should go in and challenge him. Then he wondered exactly how big the robber was.

  A brilliant idea suddenly danced into his head. He’d go online with Ella and become super strong. Then he cou
ld charge in there and defeat the burglar, no matter how massive he was. Afterwards he’d be a real hero, wouldn’t he? Even Uncle Mike and Aunt Joy would be impressed when they heard how he’d tackled a giant robber, all on his own.

  Suddenly the door shot open. A huge man exploded out of it and sped past Sam before he could do anything.

  Sam did chase after him, but without his super powers he couldn’t run very fast at all. And the only person he bumped into was Uncle Mike, who roared, ‘How dare you charge about like a hooligan!’

  ‘A burglar,’ panted Sam. ‘I just saw one.’

  ‘What are you talking about?’ demanded Uncle Mike.

  Sam took him to Ella’s room.

  Uncle Mike looked around him at all the mess and confusion, then stared at Sam through narrowed eyes. ‘Some very odd things have been happening here recently,’ he said. ‘First it’s those bent forks, now this phantom burglar.’

  ‘He wasn’t a phantom; I saw him.’

  ‘If I find out you’re behind this –’

  ‘Me?’ exclaimed Sam.

  ‘I wouldn’t put anything past you,’ said Uncle Mike, breathing very heavily. ‘Now clear this mess up. I must check none of the guests’ rooms have been disturbed.’

  But not one of them had. Only Ella’s.

  ‘Do you think,’ said Ella, when Sam was helping her to tidy up her bedroom, ‘that the robber spotted us on the cliffs finding the coin and now he’s after it?’

  ‘Yeah, that must be it,’ cried Sam excitedly. ‘It proves that coin is worth a fortune. We’ll have to take really good care of it when we get it back.’ Then he went on, ‘I so wish I’d caught that burglar; I never even saw his face. All I can remember about him is that he was very big… and his aftershave.’

  ‘His aftershave?’ repeated Ella blankly.

  ‘Yeah, I got a real whiff of that. It was as if he’d had a bath in it: dead strong. I’ll remember if I ever smell it again.’

  And Sam did smell it again – the very next day.

  9

  A Shock for Sam

  The next day started in a really horrible way – with a maths test. Not Sam’s best subject. And he hadn’t slept very well so he felt especially awful when he gazed at the paper.

  ‘I shan’t get a single mark,’ he groaned to himself. Then he knew what to do.

  Moments later, Ella heard a buzzing noise in her ear, and then Sam was saying, ‘Hey, Ella, be a mate: tell me the answers.’

  She was very shocked. ‘That’s cheating.’

  ‘No, it isn’t,’ he replied. ‘It’s helping out your twin brother.’

  ‘It’s cheating,’ repeated Ella. She added a bit more softly, ‘I’m really sorry Sam…’

  ‘Oh, go boil your head,’ he snapped.

  Sam’s mood wasn’t any better at the end of school. He and Ella were going to look in on Patch at the vet’s first, then go and see Professor Forbes. They walked along in total silence. Ella was upset about that. She had really liked it when they’d got on together.

  Trying to be friendly, she said, ‘Well, I wonder how much our Roman coin will be worth?’

  ‘I hope that Professor Forbes hasn’t left the country with it,’ said Sam.

  Ella laughed. ‘He wouldn’t do that.’

  ‘He might – or he might substitute our Roman coin with a fake one.’

  ‘Oh no, Professor Forbes is a famous archaeologist,’ said Ella. ‘And he’s a very nice man.’

  ‘I don’t think so,’ muttered Sam. ‘He’s got sly eyes.’

  Ella laughed. ‘But you can hardly see his eyes behind those tinted glasses.’

  ‘I can see them,’ said Sam. ‘And they’re sly.’

  ‘Now you’re just being silly.’

  ‘No one knows anything except you, do they?’ said Sam. Then he added under his breath, ‘Miss Goody-Goody.’

  They didn’t say another word until they reached the vet’s.

  As soon as Patch saw them, his tail thumped the ground and he stumbled unsteadily over to Sam.

  ‘Look at that,’ cried Sam, patting the dog enthusiastically. ‘He likes me the best, don’t you, boy?’

  Ella thought Sam was just being pathetic. And anyway, Patch looked very pleased to see her too.

  Carl said he’d done some investigating and was now certain that Patch had been dumped by his previous owner. ‘And he’s been starving hungry, haven’t you, boy?’

  Patch wagged his tail.

  ‘Right away he knows we’re talking about him,’ said Sam, ‘because he’s dead clever.’ They talked and played with Patch for ages.

  At last Ella said, ‘I suppose we’d better go and visit Professor Forbes now.’

  ‘You go,’ said Sam, ‘seeing as you like him so much. I’m staying with Patch for a bit longer.’

  Ella was surprised but just said, ‘Oh, all right, see you later.’

  Sam didn’t answer, he just went on playing with Patch. Then, all of a sudden, the dog curled up into a ball and went to sleep.

  ‘He’s still quite weak,’ explained Carl. ‘I expect he’ll sleep for a couple of hours now.’

  So, after giving Patch a final little pat, Sam left. He decided he’d wait for Ella by Professor Forbes’s house. He supposed he hadn’t been very nice to her today; well, he knew he hadn’t. But she drove him crazy, especially when she acted so perfect.

  He was turning into Professor Forbes’s road when a large man strode in front of him. And Sam’s heart jumped because he thought he could smell that aftershave again. He half ran after the man, and took a huge sniff. Yes, it was him all right. That burglar moved in a cloud of aftershave.

  Suddenly the man turned round. He had a beetroot-red face and a thick neck. He stared at Sam for a second. Perhaps he heard me taking that massive sniff, thought Sam.

  The man marched quickly on again. Sam hung back a bit. He wanted to trail this guy, see where he went.

  But the next moment he received the shock of his life.

  He watched the burglar stride confidently down a drive, and then knock on a door. He was let inside at once.

  The house belonged to Professor Forbes.

  10

  ‘Help!’

  Ella had just sat down opposite Professor Forbes – a glass of orange juice and some surprisingly fresh biscuits beside her – when her nose started to itch.

  Was this a sneeze, or could it be Sam trying to get through?

  The next moment Sam’s voice thundered down her ear. ‘Grab the coin and get out of there now!’

  ‘But why?’ she quavered.

  ‘Just do it,’ he ordered. ‘Get out now!’ He sounded so serious and urgent, he really frightened her.

  Then she noticed Professor Forbes looking at her questioningly. He’d obviously asked her something. ‘Sorry, what was that?’

  He smiled. ‘I just enquired if you’d had a hard day at school?’

  ‘Yes, thank you.’ Ella was aware that wasn’t quite the right answer, but her head was spinning. Sam had been so insistent. Over and over he’d told her to ‘Get out now!’

  Something really bad must have happened. She hoped it was nothing to do with Patch.

  She drew a great shuddery breath and scrambled to her feet. ‘Sorry, Professor, but I’ve just forgotten something. I’ll be back in a minute, I expect… but could I just take my coin with me?’

  Professor Forbes peered at her in some surprise, and then said softly, ‘But of course.’ He slowly shuffled over to her, the coin in his hand.

  Ella snatched it from him, which she really hadn’t meant to do, but she was so agitated now. ‘I’m sure I’ll be back,’ she cried.

  ‘Just before you go, my dear,’ said Professor Forbes, ‘did you happen to bring my glasses with you?’

  ‘I think so,’ said Ella, fumbling about in her school bag. She was sure they were in there. But it was overflowing with stuff and her hands were shaking so much that she couldn’t seem to find them. ‘No, sorry, I must have forgotten t
hem again.’

  A look of real disappointment crossed his face but then he said smoothly, ‘Well, never mind. Now do look after your coin. We shall have to have our chat about that later.’ His voice rose. ‘Mrs Saunders, our young friend has got to leave.’

  Mrs Saunders bobbed up right away. Ella was sure she’d spent most of her time listening just outside the door. She didn’t know why the professor employed someone so creepy.

  And at the front door Mrs Saunders snapped, ‘The poor professor is totally lost without his glasses.’

  ‘I really thought I’d brought them,’ cried Ella. ‘I shan’t forget them next time.’

  But Mrs Saunders didn’t reply. She just stood watching Ella leave, in a very suspicious way.

  Out on the pavement Ella bumped straight into Sam. She was out of breath now and very worked up. ‘What’s happened?’ she shrieked.

  ‘Did you just see a man walk in?’

  ‘No,’ she replied.

  ‘Well, someone did and I recognized him. It’s the guy who tried to rob you.’

  ‘But I thought you didn’t see the burglar,’ cried Ella.

  ‘I didn’t – but I smelt him and especially his rotten aftershave. And that guy in Forbes’s house smelt identical…’

  Ella smiled.

  ‘What’s funny?’ demanded Sam.

  ‘It’s just you gave me the shock of my life and all because…’

  ‘I tell you, it’s the same person!’ Sam was shouting now.

  ‘Loads of people use the same aftershave,’ said Ella quietly.

  ‘Not the way he splashes it on, so strong it rots your nose. Actually, I think that guy’s working for Professor Forbes.’

  ‘What!’ exclaimed Ella in amazement. ‘You’re saying a famous archaeologist sent a burglar along to my room to steal – well, what exactly? He already had the Roman coin.’

  ‘Did you get it back?’ demanded Sam suddenly.

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Show me,’ he cried.

  ‘Oh, honestly,’ sighed Ella, digging it out of her pocket. ‘Happy now?’

  Sam began examining it very carefully. ‘You’re certain he hasn’t switched our coin for a clever fake?’