‘The first round is about to begin.’ Mr Mallet sounded more like a drill sergeant about to send troops into battle.
‘Does anyone else think he’s enjoying this a little too much?’ Griffin tried to hoist a heavy backpack onto his shoulders. He almost toppled over when Bea and Raffy came to his rescue. ‘I can’t even lift the pack, so how am I supposed to run with it?’
‘You’ll be great, Griffman.’ Xavier slapped him on the back and the twins caught him again before he fell. ‘The trick is to stay upright.’
‘You’re a funny man.’ Griffin gave him a reluctant smile.
‘I do my best.’ Xavier lifted his pack as if it weighed nothing and searched the dome. ‘Where’s Wonder Boy?’
‘He had a meeting off campus.’ Isabella tightened the straps on her pack.
‘What about?’
‘He didn’t say.’
Xavier pursed his lips. ‘Man of mystery, that one.’
‘The rules are simple,’ Mr Mallet continued. ‘You have fifteen minutes to make your way through the forest. Hidden among the trees are a series of flags. The person to collect the most flags wins. All noncompeting students are to leave the trial area.’
The twins hugged Griffin so hard his knees almost buckled. Fly’s hug lingered a little longer. ‘You’re my hero.’
‘You don’t want a better one?’
Fly stuck her nose in the air. ‘I like this one.’
They climbed into the stands. Cameras were placed above the course and giant holoscreens hung from the ceiling offering a bird’s-eye view of the action.
Griffin sighed. Each path looked as dark and dangerous as the next.
Mr Mallet lifted the whistle to his mouth. ‘On your marks.’
Isabella turned to Griffin. ‘You can do this.’
‘It’s nice of you to say.’ He shifted under the weight of his pack. ‘Even though I don’t believe you.’
The whistle sounded and students began running.
Griffin felt as if he was carrying a boulder. He pushed through prickly branches and hanging vines, his feet splashing into pools of muddy water. Isabella looked back to make sure he was okay. Xavier was way out in front.
‘Ouch!’ Griffin struck his head on a low branch. He closed his eyes and stumbled forward, slamming his knee into a boulder. The pain shot through him like a bolt of electricity. His glasses went flying and his backpack sent him diving into the mud like an overbalanced turtle.
‘Griffin!’ Isabella ran back. ‘Are you okay?’
‘My knee,’ was all he could say as he clutched his leg.
Cheers rang out from the stadium as a bell rang. The first flag had been found.
Griffin cradled his sore knee. ‘I’ve got to find a way to do this without falling down.’
Isabella wiped his glasses on her shirt and slipped them on his nose. ‘You will.’
‘Anytime soon, do you think? Because if this was the real thing I’d be in big trouble.’
Another bell sounded and more cheers erupted, followed by another, when a familiar siren rang throughout the dome.
Isabella and Griffin felt their weather detectors vibrate.
‘Ice tornado.’ Isabella looked her at screen. ‘A bad one.’
The lockdown began.
Mr Mallet’s voice was calm but firm. ‘All students make your way into the stands for a headcount.’
‘Do you think you can move?’
‘Sure.’ Griffin slipped off his pack and tried to stand. The pain ripped through his knee. ‘No problem,’ he lied through gritted teeth.
Xavier appeared beside them, muddied and breathless, two flags poked out of his pocket. ‘Need a hand?’
‘No, I’ll be …’ Griffin attempted to put weight on his leg, but he almost buckled.
‘Sounds like a yes to me.’ Before Griffin could argue, Xavier threw off his pack and scooped him into his arms. ‘You can thank me later.’
Isabella led the way through the trees with Xavier close behind. The dome was filled with apprehension as students waited for the storm to hit.
Isabella reached the kids first. ‘Everyone okay?’
‘Definitely.’ Bea put her arm around her brother’s shoulder as Xavier placed Griffin beside Fly.
‘Does it hurt very much?’ she asked.
‘Hardly at all.’
Mr Mallet called out names, followed by a chorus of, ‘Here, sir.’
Moments passed and still no ice tornado.
‘Something doesn’t feel right.’ Xavier looked at the huddled groups of students and teachers staring anxiously up, waiting for the storm to hit.
‘Maybe it was a false alarm?’ The warning on Griffin’s detector was at the highest level, but apart from the cries of the roll call, it was quiet.
Then it began.
Metallic pinpricks flicked against the roof, as fragments of ice finally reached them. The far off roar of the tornado became louder as the eye of the storm drew closer and the fragments became blocks of ice the size of fists.
The storm ploughed into the dome like a wild hurricane. Blocks of ice ricocheted off the building, pounding and thudding in a terrible din.
Griffin held Fly close as the noise surrounded them like a wall of crashing chaos. Isabella and Xavier held the twins between them, as Raffy buried his face and held his hands over his ears.
Isabella looked over to make sure Griffin and Fly were okay.
Which was when she saw it.
Griffin jolted at her wide-eyed stare. He saw it too. Above their heads the roof began to sag. The weatherproof building was about to cave in.
Isabella jumped to her feet and held her hands around her mouth. ‘Mr Mallet!’
The sports teacher followed her pointed finger. He called to the other teachers, who began herding the students away from the breaking roof.
Fear gripped the dome. Trickles of icy water began dripping onto frightened kids, who spilled from the stands. Older kids gathered the smaller ones into their arms or took their hands and guided them to safety.
Isabella and Xavier led the twins away. Fly helped Griffin as he limped after them.
Raffy was jostled in the panic, lost his footing and tripped, lying splayed on the ground. A boot trampled his hand before Xavier pushed through the tangle of bodies and swept him up. ‘I’ve got you, Raff.’
Isabella looked back and saw water streaming through a newly opened crack. Cold rained down, creeping over everyone like a fog. Chunks of ice fell, slowly at first, until an avalanche of hail came crashing through.
Kids screamed and teachers barked orders.
The roof finally gave way.
The groaning of metal was followed by a sickening crack, as if the whole building was breaking. Water and hail flooded in like a burst dam.
Children slipped on the wet floor and stumbled over mounds of ice. The break in the ceiling split further, tearing it open like a tin can.
Isabella caught Griffin’s eye and didn’t need to say anything for him to run even faster.
They’d seen bad weather before, but this was different. The buildings in New City were weatherproof. They’d been tested in the most dangerous conditions and none had ever been damaged this badly.
Until now.
On a mountaintop nearby, protected by reinforced windows that offered a perfect view of the storm, a man in a royal blue housecoat handed his guest a warm drink.
‘Nothing like a hot chocolate to take away the chill of a wintry day. I had it made just as you like.’
‘Thank you, sir.’
The man sank into a leather lounge lined with a fur blanket and exhaled a deep, satisfied sigh.
‘Frightful weather.’ He wrapped his hands around the mug. ‘Luckily, we are here to help with the next phase of our plan.’
As the storm belted a path through the city, not far away, a flock of large winged creatures appeared from a thick, blustery cloud. They circled into a sharp swoop, before diving out of sight.
; CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Unexpected Guests
‘Are you sure you’re okay?’
Jeremiah tucked blankets around Raffy and Griffin, who nestled on the lounge in front of a crackling fire. Raffy’s hand was bruised and wrapped in a bandage and an icepack was tied to Griffin’s sore and swollen knee.
‘We’re fine,’ Isabella said, which was almost true but none of them could stand how worried he looked.
‘Especially with me there.’ Xavier ruffled Raffy’s hair. ‘All in a day’s work, right, buddy?’
The storm had passed, but the noise and screams and the moment the storm crashed through the roof stayed with all of them.
‘The school domes are weatherproof,’ Raffy said quietly. ‘We’ve had ice tornadoes before and the school was fine.’
Bea hadn’t left his side. She rubbed his back, trying to calm him, but it wasn’t working.
‘This wasn’t just an ice tornado,’ Jeremiah said. ‘It was a polar vortex. A nasty one.’
Griffin was confused. ‘We studied those in class. They only happen in the North or South Pole.’
‘Ordinarily, yes,’ Jeremiah admitted.
‘What’s a polar vortex?’ Bea asked.
‘It’s a circling mass of freezing air,’ Griffin explained.
‘But this one came with a hailstorm.’ Jeremiah scratched his beard. ‘We’ve never had anything like it this far from the polar circles. The force of the wind and the weight of the ice on the roof was too much.’
Jeremiah’s phone vibrated. He gazed at the screen and Isabella caught a flicker of sadness.
She swapped a worried look with Griffin. ‘Is everything okay?’
‘It’s from the premier. It says, I’m sorry. Turn on the TV.’
Xavier switched it on. A live broadcast from the Halls of Government was beginning.
Premier Albright sat at a desk, his hands clasped in front of him and his sunny disposition replaced by a look of consternation.
‘Good evening. For many weeks now our city has been at the mercy of increasingly cold and dangerous weather.’ He took a deep breath. ‘As premier, it is my job to keep you safe and at that, I could do better.’
Isabella saw Jeremiah pick at the frayed edge of his jumper as if he knew what was coming next.
‘That is why we are shutting down the Bureau of Weather.’
‘What?’ Bea’s head spun round to a crestfallen Jeremiah. ‘They can’t do that.’
‘Once vital for our society,’ the premier continued, ‘it can no longer cope with our changing world. I would like to thank the staff and especially Jeremiah Pain, who led his team so bravely in extraordinary times.’
He forced a smile. ‘I want to assure the good people of New City that your safety is our priority and we will soon make a very exciting announcement to prove just that. Goodnight.’
Xavier switched off the television and they sat in a grim silence. ‘Are you okay?’
‘Of course.’ Jeremiah sat upright. ‘The premier is right and this way I can spend more time with you.’
‘You love your job,’ Griffin said.
‘Yes but this will be a chance to try something new.’
‘Like what?’ Isabella wasn’t buying his cheerfulness any more than the others.
‘Oh, there are lots of things, don’t you worry. Now, how about I stoke that fire and Griffin can read to us.’
Over the next few days the weather improved. Principal Galloway declared the Academy closed for a week while repairs and a thorough safety check of all buildings took place.
Jeremiah applied for jobs, but as soon as they realised he was that Jeremiah from the Bureau, they lost interest, until he was offered a position as a cleaner at the library. He insisted he loved it and didn’t miss the Bureau one bit, but at night, after everyone was sleep, he’d sneak off to his study, searching websites and making copious notes on weather patterns.
And trying to find out more about Ariella’s rescue eagles.
He and Griffin spent hours glued to weathercam footage and couldn’t find any sign of the robots. Not even a glimpse. If they were involved in the bad weather, they knew how to escape the cameras.
Despite his assurances that he was happy, Jeremiah’s cheeks became sallow and he found it harder to hide his glum mood.
And the more Raffy fretted.
That’s when Bea and Isabella decided they needed to spoil them with a lavish dinner with all of Jeremiah’s and Raffy’s favourites. Minestrone soup, spaghetti and meatballs, and sausages with mashed potato, lashings of gravy and extra tomato sauce. And they’d invite Fly and Charlie. They’d all be together, just like in Grimsdon.
On the night of the feast, Charlie perched on a stool beside Fly. Griffin thought he seemed smaller and thinner since he last saw him.
‘He’s depressed about not being a rescue eagle anymore.’ Fly stroked his chin. ‘We still train in the backyard when the weather is calm, but other times he stares out the window.’
Charlie raised his chin and let out a small squeak.
‘And he misses you all.’
‘That’s only natural,’ Xavier said. ‘We are pretty loveable.’
The house filled with delicious aromas, the table was set and the candles lit.
When they heard Jeremiah’s Armavan, Bea and Fly raced into the yard, took his hands and led him inside, where he was greeted with a warm huddle of hugs.
‘What’s the special occasion?’
‘You,’ Bea said as she and Raffy pulled out his chair.
‘Why me?’
Griffin poured juice into a tall glass. ‘Because we haven’t told you enough how much you mean to us.’
‘And how lost we’d be without you,’ Isabella added.
Charlie screeched.
Fly giggled. ‘Charlie thinks so too.’
Raffy flung his arms around Jeremiah and didn’t say a word.
‘You’re very welcome.’ Jeremiah stroked his head.
Raffy held him tight and Jeremiah looked as if he might cry when Xavier said, ‘Will this go on much longer because I’m really hungry.’
Charlie launched himself at Xavier and landed on his head.
‘Hey!’
‘I told you he’s missed you.’ Fly signalled with her hand and Charlie flew back to his stool.
In the light of flickering candles they told stories and jokes; actually it was mostly Jeremiah who told the jokes and they were mostly terrible, which made them laugh even more.
It was the first night in months that everything felt like it should, and they could forget about the weather and the ice storms and the Bureau.
It was during the dessert of chocolate cake with generous scoops of ice cream that Charlie raised his head and screeched.
‘What is it, Charlie?’
The faint growl of an engine rumbled in the distance.
Isabella hurried to the window and pushed aside the curtains. Knife-like beams of light cut through the night. ‘Armavans. Two of them. They’re heading straight here.’
Jeremiah and Xavier joined her, holding their hands against the blinding lights as the vehicles entered the drive.
Griffin drew Raffy and Bea beside him, while Fly tried to calm an unsettled Charlie.
‘What’s happening?’ Raffy asked.
Before anyone could answer, the Armavans came to a stop. Doors lifted and three figures emerged dressed in black and wearing masks.
And holding guns.
‘Oh dear.’ Jeremiah froze.
‘Get down!’ Isabella cried. ‘Now!’
A barrage of thuds pounded the house and slammed against the walls and windows.
Isabella locked the doors while Griffin scooted the twins beneath the table. Jeremiah scrambled after them, shielding them with his arms. Charlie screeched and flapped before Fly and Xavier could coax him to join the others.
The shooting continued. A savage battering from all sides that felt as if it would never stop. Bea heard her brother whimpe
r and held him even closer.
As suddenly as it begun, it stopped. Shoes crunched into the snow and doors closed. The lights from the Armavans curved away and the engines faded into the night.
‘Is everyone okay?’ Jeremiah’s face was lit by the wavering light of the candles.
They nodded, unable to speak or even understand what had happened.
Jeremiah got to his feet and inched towards the door. He turned the key and slowly drew it open.
Isabella followed, with the others close behind. Her heart ached at what she saw. The home Jeremiah had built by hand and repaired after being abandoned for years, the home he promised would keep them safe, was splattered with great floods of red paint. Dripping from the roof and walls and sprayed across the snow.
And there was something else.
On the front door, written in an angry scrawl of red paint was one word.
Liar!
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
A Sneaking Suspicion
‘But why do we have to go there?’ Xavier stuffed clothes into his backpack.
‘Where else can we go?’ Isabella kept her voice low so the twins wouldn’t hear.
‘We could go to my place.’
‘Your mum is away. Who will take care of us?’
Xavier tightened the straps on his bag. ‘We never needed anyone in Grimsdon.’
‘Principal Galloway thinks staying with Aleksander will be safer.’
After calls to the Rescue and Emergency Force and Principal Galloway, guards drove Fly home with Charlie tailing them all the way, and it was arranged that the others would move in with Aleksander.
‘And it was very generous of him to agree,’ Isabella said with a glare, as if challenging him to say any more.
She turned to leave when Xavier grabbed her sleeve. ‘Promise me you’ll be careful.’
‘Of what?’
‘I don’t trust him.’
‘Maybe that’s because you’re jealous.’ She pulled away from his grip. ‘After years of being Grimsdon’s one and only hero, you have competition and you don’t like it.’
She left the room to join the others.
Griffin helped the twins finish packing and led them outside, where guards wearing headsets and carrying guns patrolled, eyes peeled for any suspicious movement.
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