by Maz Evans
‘Thanks,’ said Elliot. ‘Sorry I got you attacked. Again.’
‘No bother,’ said the Queen. ‘There’s always some menace. If it’s not mythological monsters, it’s those frightful prime ministers.’
‘Thank you, Your Majesty,’ said Virgo with a curtsey. ‘It’s been very optimal to see you again.’
‘Nice to see you, everyone,’ said Elliot, running across the lawn.
‘You too, Mr Hooper,’ winked the Queen. ‘You know where I am if you need me.’
‘I do,’ shouted Elliot with a smile, looking back at the sea of elegant, one-handed waves.
23. The Vault
Despite Terrence’s best efforts in the Queen’s limo, Elliot, Virgo and Hermes arrived at the Natural History Museum just as the security guards were closing the mighty front doors.
‘Er – sorry – I left my . . . umbrella in there,’ said Elliot, racing up the steps. ‘Can I just run in and grab it?’
‘Sorry,’ said the guard, blocking his way. ‘You’ll have to come back tomorrow. The museum is closed.’
‘But, please! It’s my mother’s favourite umbrella!’ Elliot lied desperately. ‘Her mother gave it to her and her mother gave it to her . . . It’s a family heirloom! It’s been passed down through five generations of my family!’
The guard paused and stared at him. Had it worked?
‘About time you bought a new one, then,’ he said. ‘The. Museum. Is. Closed.’
And the massive doors slammed in Elliot’s face.
‘What do we do now?!’ hissed Virgo, consulting her notes for the heist as they retreated around a corner. ‘My meticulous plan relied on us being inside the museum before it closed! I have to win the quest . . . What are we going to do?’
‘Not sure,’ said Elliot, looking around for another way inside. He was going to get that Air Stone. ‘How do you break into a museum?’
‘Take the first left, then continue for twenty metres,’ said a muffled female voice from inside his satchel.
Elliot pulled the bag off his shoulder. There was a faint glow at the top, which brightened as he opened the flap. He rummaged around the depths of the bag until he pulled out Theseus’s ball of string. It was shining bright gold.
‘Take the first left, then continue for twenty metres,’ chimed the voice again.
‘That’s Ariadne’s voice,’ said Hermes. ‘She must have pre-programmed it. Nice one, babe.’
‘Beware speed cameras, roadworks and heartless heroes who ditch you on an island,’ the voice continued. ‘Proceed to the route.’
The golden twine glowed and twitched in Elliot’s hands. A single golden thread poked out from the tightly rolled ball, appeared to look around and then dropped to the ground. It started to wind along in the grass, signalling a thin golden path around the side of the museum.
‘Look – it’s showing us the way!’ said Virgo as the thread disappeared around a corner. ‘It’s going to help me conquer the maze! My quest is on! Let’s go!’
Elliot, Virgo and Hermes crept as quickly as they could behind the twine, which led them towards the rear of the great building.
‘Caution: security guard at next junction,’ whispered the voice. The group dived into a dark recess just as a security guard rounded the corner. As soon as his torchlight disappeared, they continued carefully along the golden path.
In a dark corner, the twine suddenly disappeared underground. Elliot let out a frustrated groan.
‘Mate!’ Hermes shook his head. ‘You have got to be kidding me.’
‘Where is it leading us?’ asked Virgo. ‘It appears to be some manner of subterranean cave.’
‘It’s a drain,’ said Elliot. ‘We’re going in through the sewer.’
‘That doesn’t sound so bad,’ shrugged Virgo.
‘It’s not the sound that’s the problem,’ said Elliot.
‘Proceed through the poop for 150 metres,’ the twine instructed. ‘Your destination is through the lavatory.’
‘Here you go, kids,’ said Hermes, pulling three sets of plastic overalls and welly boots out of his bag. ‘Epic boggy bosh-not.’
With his magical touch, Hermes tapped the drain, which immediately transformed into a small door. He pulled it open and he and Elliot were knocked backwards by the stench that assaulted their nostrils. Virgo remained untroubled.
‘Can’t you smell that?’ Elliot retched.
‘My sense of smell is perfectly optimal, thank you,’ said Virgo, pulling on her overalls.
‘Then why doesn’t it bother you?’ said Hermes. ‘Not being funny, but this stinks worse than your jokes.’
‘A true hero doesn’t balk at the first sign of difficulty,’ said Virgo grandly as she headed undaunted into the sewer. ‘Besides, you forget, I have experience in these matters. I share a bathroom with Elliot. Hurry up!’
After possibly the most disgusting ten minutes of his life, Elliot emerged behind Hermes, Virgo and the golden twine into a dark bathroom inside the Natural History Museum. He yanked off his stinking overalls and heaved violently into the toilet Hermes had moved to allow them to climb out from the sewer.
‘You have reached your destination,’ said the twine. ‘Have a safe onward journey. Unless you’re Theseus, in which case I hope you die slowly. Happy travels.’
‘That was gross,’ said Elliot as the string wound itself back into a ball and ceased to glow.
‘Welcome to my world,’ said Virgo. ‘Come on – we’re not there yet. We need to find the Vault.’
They crept out of the bathroom and into a huge, dark hall. Virgo picked up a map.
‘This is Hintze Hall,’ said Virgo. ‘The Vault is therefore . . .’
‘That way, you idiot,’ whispered Elliot, pointing to a huge sign directing them upstairs. ‘Why do you need that?’
‘There is no such thing as too much information,’ said Virgo.
‘I’ll remember that next time you want to show me what you found in your belly button,’ said Elliot.
He glanced up and saw a giant blue-whale skeleton hanging overhead, looking as if it were ready to dive from the ceiling.
‘Cool,’ he said as they ran up the staircase to the balcony up above. ‘This place is—’
‘Stop right there!’ yelled an angry voice. Elliot nearly jumped out of his skin to join the nearby skeletons. He was blinded by a torch shining in his face.
‘What do you think you’re doing?’ It was the security guard from the front door.
‘Uh – looking for my umbrella?’ said Elliot hopefully.
‘Do me a favour, sunshine,’ said the security guard. ‘The moths in the education centre were born yesterday. I wasn’t. You three, come with me. I’m calling the police.’
Elliot panicked. A royal pardon was all well and good, but he hadn’t managed to commit the crime yet. He needed that Air Stone.
While ideas pinged around his brain, he heard Jason’s lyre strike up a mellow tune from within his bag.
‘Not now!’ he whispered.
‘What’s that?’ said the security guard, flashing his light in Elliot’s eyes again.
‘Er . . . just my – ringtone,’ said Elliot.
‘Well, switch it off,’ said the guard, stifling a small yawn. ‘We need to . . . excuse me.’
He let out a big yawn.
‘Right – let’s get on with . . . Blimey,’ he said, stretching his arms and giving a second huge yawn. ‘Long day.’
Elliot pulled the lyre out of his bag. It was playing a soothing lullaby.
‘Cor – dunno what’s come over me,’ said the security guard, his eyes lolling. He plopped down on a bench. ‘I’ll just . . . er . . . rest me . . . y’know.’
‘Shhhh – there you go,’ said Hermes, pulling a pillow and a teddy bear out of his bag. ‘You have a lovely kip, mate. Don’t worry about us.’
‘Maybe just for five . . .’ said the security guard, before an enormous snore erupted from his lips. He was sound asleep.
&n
bsp; Elliot, Hermes and Virgo scampered quietly along the balcony. Every time they passed a member of the security team, they found that the magic lyre had cast its spell – they too were fast asleep, snoring, sleep-talking or sucking their thumbs. A signpost directed them left into a long side gallery.
‘Wow,’ Elliot gasped. Between the square pillars lining the room, large oak cases housed thousands of geological specimens, gemstones and minerals. There were enormous lumps of rock, sparkling with mineral deposits, huge nuggets of gold, meteorites, and loads of . . . Elliot didn’t know what they were. But they were awesome.
‘What is this place?’ asked Virgo, gazing at the rows of colourful specimens.
‘The Mineral Gallery,’ Elliot read.
‘These were all made by the Earth?’ exclaimed Virgo. ‘Extraordinary! How can a realm capable of such exquisite natural beauty also produce Brussels sprouts?’
‘Mate, not being funny – but there it is!’ Hermes whispered, pointing to the far end of the gallery.
There on the back wall were thick metal double doors, with THE VAULT written in big black lettering above them.
With a quick backwards glance, Elliot, Virgo and Hermes ran the length of the Mineral Gallery until they reached the massive doors. Hermes tried to transform them. They were locked tight.
‘Not gonna happen,’ he said. ‘Mortals aren’t daft – something’s stopping my powers.’
‘According to my research,’ said Virgo, consulting her notes, ‘the Vault is protected by an advanced hi-tech security system.’
‘You’re not wrong,’ said Hermes. ‘They’ve made these immune to magic. They’re locked tighter than my dad’s underpants.’
‘Noooo!’ squealed Virgo. ‘We have to get in! I have to fulfil the quest! I have to get my kardia back . . . Oh, and keep the mortals safe, etcetera . . .’
Elliot sighed. Being a jewel thief was rubbish. His mind flickered to his dad. Had Dave Hooper got a thrill from his robbery? Elliot couldn’t see the fun in it. His hand clasped the watch in his pocket.
The watch.
A thought flashed into Elliot’s head. Wasn’t one of Hephaestus’s modifications . . .?
He pulled the watch from his pocket and held it to the security doors with trembling fingers. He turned the winder until it reached ‘safe-cracking’, then pressed the button down. He closed his eyes. He really needed this to work, it was their only . . .
As soon as the watch touched the metal, a series of clicks and clunks started up inside the doors. The three friends looked at each other with bated breath. Could the watch really unlock the Vault?
Their question was answered as the doors quietly slid open. The flashing alarm lights around the room froze. The Vault was theirs.
‘Woah,’ whispered Elliot as the white room revealed its treasures to the intruders. There were precious gemstones, a priceless snuff box, even a piece of rock from Mars.
But there, straight in front of them, was the Air Stone.
It hit Elliot like a slap. It was huge, a massive hexagonal lump – an emerald the size of a teapot. The display cabinet lit it up from the inside, but the Air Stone didn’t need any illumination. It glowed with its own magical splendour. Elliot had never wanted to possess something so much in his life.
They approached the glass case that displayed the mighty gem.
‘So how do we get it out?’ Virgo asked. She began pacing the floor as she considered the options. ‘Perhaps we could wish the glass away with the wishing pearl. Or did Aphrodite give you a potion that could prove helpful? Or perhaps—’
SMASH!
Elliot and Virgo snapped their heads around to see Hermes standing in front of the broken display case with a hammer and a big grin.
‘This method is also effective,’ said Virgo.
Elliot crunched over the broken glass and stood before the Air Stone. He reached out. Like a magnet, it was drawing his hand towards it, glowing brighter as his fingers came closer, as if willing him to possess it. With the lightest of touches, Elliot made contact with the Air Stone. He immediately felt the same sensation he’d experienced with the Earth Stone. He could do anything. He could beat a Daemon. He could save the world.
Or you could cure Mum, said his dark voice triumphantly.
‘Come on, mate,’ said Hermes, looking back at the doors. ‘We need to make like my leather trousers after Christmas dinner – and split.’
Elliot opened his father’s watch to reveal the Earth Stone. The magical diamond was still beautiful. But the Air Stone would make it look even better. He slowly brought the watch to the emerald.
The moment the Air Stone made contact, it started to tremble, shrinking in a green glow until it magically filled a quarter of the watch cover. Elliot looked at his two Chaos Stones. They were stunning. And he could only imagine the power they had together.
‘Banging,’ said Hermes, snapping the watch closed. ‘Let’s motor.’
They darted through the Mineral Gallery and back towards Hintze Hall.
‘I’ve done it!’ squealed Virgo. ‘I’ve won my quest! I will have my kardia! I will have my immortality! I will have my beautiful silver hair!’
‘Shhhhh!’ said Elliot. ‘We’re not safe yet.’
‘Of course we are. My plan was flawless . . .’
‘Your plan?’ hissed Elliot.
‘And I must say,’ Virgo replied, ‘winning my quest wasn’t nearly as challenging as I expected. Perhaps being a hero isn’t so . . .’
A nearby light suddenly extinguished. And then the one next to it. And the next . . . The hall grew as dark as a shadow as every light around the room flicked off.
‘Who’s doing that?’ asked Virgo, looking around the empty museum.
‘Dunno, babe,’ said Hermes cautiously, instinctively grabbing both children. ‘But let’s be on the safe side . . .’
He fluttered up, holding Elliot and Virgo, and flew them quickly down the stairs.
‘OK,’ said Hermes, flying inches over the ground towards the doors. ‘Time to—’
‘Leaving so soon?’ said a lone figure, emerging from the darkness and blocking their escape. Elliot drew an unsteady breath as a single moonbeam illuminated the intruder.
‘Hello, Elliot,’ said Thanatos with a smile. ‘Good to see you again.’
24. Fight at the Museum
‘Thanatos!’ said Hermes, moving in front of Elliot. ‘Not being funny – but what the daemonic unbosh are you doing here?’
‘Oh – just a spot of sightseeing,’ said Thanatos. ‘You were in my sights and I wanted to see what you were doing. Besides – Elliot and I had such a lovely time yesterday . . .’
‘You spent time with Elliot yesterday?’ scoffed Virgo. ‘That is highly illogical. Elliot would be insane to . . .’
Elliot could feel her gaze on his downturned head. ‘It’s . . .’ he started.
‘It’s all right, mate,’ said Hermes. ‘No biggie.’
‘So, got any good souvenirs?’ said Thanatos. ‘Fossil fridge magnet? Fluffy dinosaur? Given the hour, I’m guessing that either there’s a sleepover I wasn’t aware of . . . or you’ve just found one of my Chaos Stones.’
‘Yeah. Banging as it is to chat with you, mate – time for us to rock,’ said Hermes, taking a mighty leap into the air with Elliot and Virgo.
‘I really wouldn’t do that if I were you,’ warned Thanatos.
‘Yeah, well – with all respect and everything,’ said Hermes, whizzing towards the museum doors, ‘I don’t give a—’
The doors suddenly blasted open in a plume of black smoke, the explosion sending Hermes into a spin and tossing Elliot and Virgo across the floor of Hintze Hall.
‘Don’t worry,’ whispered Hermes, flying down beside them and taking up his position in front of them. ‘I got this . . . What do you want, Thanatos?’
‘Oh, I think you know perfectly well what I want,’ smiled the Daemon. ‘I want my Chaos Stones back.’
‘Well, Armani want me to mod
el next season’s underwear,’ said Hermes. ‘Looks like you’re both gonna be disappointed.’
‘Elliot?’ said Thanatos, taking a menacing step towards him. ‘Have you had a moment to consider my deal?’
‘Nice try,’ said Hermes, putting his arms in front of Elliot. ‘But you can’t touch him.’
‘This is true,’ said Thanatos. He gestured behind them. ‘So I’ve brought a little assistance. I’ve believe you’ve met . . .’
Elliot turned around as the plume of smoke funnelled to the ground. It cleared from the floor up, forming a pair of talons, a pair of jet-black wings . . . and the smiling face of . . .
‘ . . . my mother,’ drawled Thanatos.
‘Hello, Elliot,’ said Nyx, stalking towards him with Hypnos’s sleep trumpet, the tips of her wings reaching towards him like long, dark fingers. ‘It’s not nice to take things from other people. Those stones belong to my son. Give. Them. Back.’
Elliot took a step backwards – but Virgo’s firm hand on his arm reminded him that Thanatos was approaching from the opposite direction. They were trapped.
With a terrifying grin, Nyx unfurled her wings and leapt up. She hovered in the air front of them, her black wings outstretched, like a scorched angel.
‘Well, if you won’t give them to me,’ she said, raising her talons to snatch her prey, ‘I’ll just have to—
A deafening groan rang out through the hall. Elliot clasped his hands over his ears and looked up at the ceiling to find the source of the air-shattering noise. He couldn’t believe his eyes . . .
Swimming elegantly through the air was the enormous blue-whale skeleton. Following his gaze, Nyx also looked up, just in time to see the almighty skeleton dive down from the ceiling with its jaws gaping . . .
‘Mate!’ said Hermes, riding on the back of the whale, his magical touch bringing it to life. ‘Seriously! Run!’
‘Come on!’ Elliot shouted to Virgo, grabbing her arm just as the whale plunged at Nyx. The Goddess of the Night tried to fly out of its path, but the skeleton was too quick. With one almighty gulp of its vast jawbone, it swallowed her, before crashing to the floor with an almighty crack, knocking Thanatos sideways and trapping Nyx in a bone prison.