Although her heart jumped into her mouth, Polly did not miss a beat. 'Really, and has it been cast?'
'Not yet. I'm playing the hero, of course,' Brad said modestly.
'And the heroine?' Polly had everything crossed. Would he offer it to her?
'Well…' Brad was enjoying himself. He was basically cruel and loved watching Polly squirm. 'It's not up to me. Steve has the last say.' And before Polly sank into a pit of the deepest despair, he said. 'However, I can suggest who I think would do the best job. We are looking for the best, you know.'
~
Alison couldn't stand it a moment longer, and Polly wished the floor would open up and swallow her whole when Alison asked. 'Well, are you going to put Polly out of her misery, Brad? Are you going to ask her to audition for a part?' she asked.
Before Polly could retaliate with feigned horror, Lily said, 'yes, you should, she is the best actress Brad.'
'I'm sure she is, but sorry girls, I don't want Polly to audition.' He stopped and waited. He looked from one girl to the next, loving the disappointment on their faces. Then he said. 'As I said, we only want the best, which of course is all Hollywood can offer. Steve is negotiating as we speak. But I can only work with one star.' He stopped and asked for another cup of coffee. Polly's heart was in her boots, she was so disappointed she could have cried. Eventually, Brad finished his coffee. 'Thank you Lily, that was really nice. Now what were we talking about? Oh yes, the movie. If she has the time and wants the part, I am going to suggest. He hesitated again, 'Polly, and hope she says yes.'
'What?' was all Polly could say, as all the girls jumped up screaming and laughing with delight.
'Polly, you're going to be a star. Hamish has to let Brad do the movie in our house now,' Alison said.
'If not, we'll kidnap him and leave him on a desert island,' Lily said.
Now that's a good idea, Brad thought. I might just run that past Zack and Knox. Things were getting better and better.
The night ambled on, and it was nearly eleven before Brad left. The girls decided to stay the night with Lily, so they could gossip about Brad's offer.
'Also if we stay, it will make Hamish suffer,' Polly said. She was still very unhappy with him.
'No,' objected Alison. 'That's not nice. I'm going to ring and tell him we are staying here.'
'Yeah, you're right. We'll both ring him,' Polly said.
At first, Hamish was very cross the girls had just disappeared, but he forgave them and told them to come home first thing in the morning. Excited as they were, the three girls went to their beds and were fast asleep within moments.
Things heat up
'Brad Capriole Missing - Presumed Kidnapped.
Where is the most recognised face in the world?' the headlines screamed. Brad's manager, Paul Devlin, and Director Steve Smith were constantly in the news, giving interviews for TV and papers. A worldwide search revealed nothing. The last place Brad was traced to was a house belonging to a Lily Holtz. Present was Polly Pippin and Alison Winter. It was not known why he was there, but it was later revealed he might have offered Polly a part to star in his latest movie. He left alone.
'Well, that eliminates you from kidnapping him Polly unless you have imprisoned him to have him all to yourself,' Lily said.
'Yeah, he's probably drugged, tied up and locked up in our garden cottage,' Alison added.
'That's not funny,' Polly snapped. 'You know how excited I was about starring in his movie.'
'I don't believe it, Polly. Is that all you care about?' Alison said. 'Don't you care where Brad is?'
"No, because I don't believe he's missing. I think it's a publicity stunt,' she added.
'You know you could be right. What a joke he is. I hate him now… the idiot.' Alison got up and added, 'coffee anyone?'
There was a harsh, loud knocking on the front door. Alison looked at Polly and Lily. ''Oh my God! That's how the police knock.'
'You hide in the attic, and I'll tell them you're not here.'
Another visit
Cracking up, Lily called the girls down from the attic. It was the Jehovah's Witnesses who had pounded on the door she said.
'I think we should go home.' Alison walked to the window. 'I want to talk to Hamish. Will you come Lily? I think you should. If you stay here, reporters will hound you.'
'This is becoming ridiculous. First Polly is arrested for poisoning Brad, and now he's gone missing. Do you think the real police will come and get you this time Polly?'
'Well, according to Ape, the police who arrested me were not real police. That definitely was a publicity stunt. Anyway, I think we should sell our story to the press,' Polly said defiantly.
'What story?' Alison said. 'We don't have a story.'
'Yes we do - the movie Piers and Miles are going to make. Let's ring them.'
'No Polly, we can't use the boys like that. It's not fair,' Alison objected. 'They like us, and I like Miles. You are always making stupid plans, and they never work.'
'Ali, how can you be so mean? You know how much I want to star in that movie.'
'Yeah, and I want to win the lottery,' Alison said. 'Come on Polly, get real. How do you know Brad wasn't just saying you were going to star in the movie? He was bound to want something in return. Apart from the house.'
'It's true Pol, why would he want a virtual unknown to star in his movie when he could get anyone he wants? And, before you say a word, he has no idea how good or bad an actress you are,' Lily added.
Polly seriously considered throwing them both off Tower Bridge. 'Because I love you, I have decided not to strangle you.' She looked at the girls and laughed. 'After all, even if Brad didn't want me, he did want my house.'
'True,' said Alison. 'Anyway, Lily, get some things together and come and stay with us for a few days. It will be great fun, and you like Hamish.'
'I do not,' Lily retaliated before she got up to pack a few things. She loved being with Polly and Alison, and as the girls said, it would be fun.
~
After the scare at Lily's place, the girls decided to have a welcome home party at Byzantine Crescent.
'Welcome home?' Hamish said incredulously. 'You were only gone overnight.'
'Okay, well it's an excuse to invite Piers and Miles over, 'cause we let them down,' Polly admitted.
"And I spoke to Miles,' Alison added. 'Apparently, their twins are coming home from Australia. So it's welcome home for them as well Hamish, stupid.'
'And we are going all out to impress,' Polly said. 'So darling bro, back off.'
No one noticed Minx and Manx slowly miniaturise, creep out, and disappear down into the crypt. The little traitorous spies that they were had something interesting to tell the Rebels.
The meeting of the twins
'Piers and Miles have swallowed the story their twins and are coming back from Australia for a holiday. What idiots,' Zack said to Knox.
'I'm not sure it's such a good idea, Zack. Commander Pope told not to meet them right now. Apparently Commander Rekrap found out Piers and Miles had been given a false memory. They had twins in Australia, so he decided when the time was right he would give them real ones - us - so we could capture them.'
'And what if they don't believe us?'
'Don't panic, Knox. Commander Rekrap said they've been, I don't know, hypnotised or something so that they won't know the difference. It's our chance to capture them.'
'I still say we should wait.'
Knox pulled a face of disgust and looked in the mirror. 'It's amazing how much we look like those boys, but much better looking, of course.’ Knox sighed. ‘I shall miss my handsome face.'
'One physiological jab, and voila - identical doppelgangers. Aren’t our scientists are fantastic,' Zack said.
'Yeah, that was the easy bit. But the memory… their life from childhood, the memory they have had implanted. We have to remember that.'
'Haven't you read the brief yet?' Zack pulled a face and threw it at Knox.
'Oh, come on. It will only take you ten minutes if you concentrate, Knox. Don't be a baby.'
'Piers is so excited the idiot, he told me these girls are throwing a welcome home party for us in Byzantine Crescent. Of all the places, can you believe it Knox? Apparently the Liddles as well as Commander Rekrap helped organise it. You have to hand it to him, despite the fact he's as mad as the Liddles.'
~
One hour and fifteen minutes later, the Rebels were on a flight from Australia to England.
Knox was enjoying the flight, even though it was so slow he could have flown round the world and back a hundred times. 'Where are the Liddles?' he asked, 'I haven't seen them for ages.'
'The cheeky little buggers, you would never guess what they've got up to. They wandered into the girls' kitchen like two cute little kittens. The girls adopted them and called them Miss something or the other. What they don't know they're spying on them for us.'
'And they don't know they are lie detectors, or as Harry the Hand calls them, Liddles,' Zack added. 'I sent them a message, so they will be waiting for us when we get to London.'
'And Harry the Hand?'
'Oh, he will turn up when he needs something. He changes sides as often as the Liddles, but he always comes back.'
'Only because he's frightened to death of you, Zack.' They both laughed. Knox thought for a while. 'Where are we staying? I don't believe we should stay with Piers and Miles. And what are we doing about Daddy darling? We can't risk him turning up.'
'Lord Montague Giles Knightly, the pretend dad? You're going to love this. We organised a trip. He's on a mission in the Middle East for the United States of America, fighting terrorists. The Freeflyers don't know it yet, but it was organised by a couple of rogue Freeflyers.'
'Let me guess who they are. Freeflyers Event and Salute.' Zack grinned.
'You're good,' Knox said sarcastically. 'And isn't it great, now they are on our side. They have become Rogue Zens?'
Chapter 4
Who's to Blame?
Leaders from every orb in the First Universe had felt strange vibrations from Earth, and a meeting deep in the bowels of Zenithal had been called.
'What happened? How did the world get mixed up with these time shifts? Who is responsible, Rhettnor?' Lord Sullivan said, he sounded angry, and he was.
'It all started when two of our trusted warriors, Event and Salute, became Rogue Zens,' Rhettnor said. 'They invaded Byzantine Crescent with the intention of disrupting life as it's known on Earth.'
'It's hard to believe… Event and Salute, our most beloved Freeflyers have become Rebels. I'm devastated. How could that happen, Rhett?'
'I don't know Lord Sullivan. No one saw it coming. Anyway, getting back to our problem. I think Sreip and Selim should sort this out. They discovered the Planet Earth, they asked us not to colonise, and we ignored them. They have proved they knew better.'
'Rhettnor, you know usually I'm your man,' Lord Sullivan said. 'But we are all aware your son and nephew have a vested interest with two Earthbeings, called love, and babies were born. So now even I would be reluctant to vote for what you say.'
Rhettnor was exasperated as if that one thing caused all the trouble. 'They might have had a "vested interest" as you say. But they also have a long and caring love for Earth, and I'm sure they would not make any decisions that would be for personal desire or gain.'
'But once they did, Rhettnor, once they did.'
An agreement could not be reached, so a compromise was agreed to.
'I move Sreip and Selim spend two years' Earth time seeking a solution,' Rhettnor said.
'And if they don't?'
Rhett was reluctant to answer.
'And if they don't?' The question was asked again, this time more urgently.
'We reverse time till before we colonised.'
'And then?' was the call.
'Maybe we try again. I personally think the Earthbeings will probably never learn.' Rhett looked round the hall. 'My brothers, we are not entirely innocent. I am sorry to say, we have tainted Freeflyers amongst us. Anarchy seems to be infectious!'
'So what will Sreip and Selim be to Earthbeings - Gods?'
'No. They will be, "The conscience of man". We have to decide the best way to save Earthbeings and all Freeflyers ending up prisoners in the Dark Universe's outer reaches. I know our best hope is Sreip and Selim.' Commander Rhettnor said, his hands behind his back, crossing all his fingers.
'Well, it's all we have, so let us hope it works,' Lord Sullivan said sadly. 'Let us hope.'
~
A voice came from the door. 'Enough of this. It's time we started to play dirty.' The guardian of Earth, Lord Montague Giles Knightly, walked in, followed by Mrs Hart, The Keeper of Byzantine Crescent.
'Lord Montague, so good to see you, but I wish it were in better times.' Rhettnor stood and warmly hugged his friend.
'Before you ask, I was sent on a bogus trip to the Middle East. Bloody Rebels got into our communication link… again. Thank goodness everything is safe and Bristol fashion back in London. The boys are in their respective beds, as are the girls. Lily and Lucy are staying with them. And Ape, our latest trainee initiated Freeflyer, is now in Hamish's memory as an Air Force buddy. He is on high alert for invaders to Earth from Egregious. We are calling him in now to get him up to date.'
The second party
Hamish and Ape were sitting in a corner of the Brown Sugar Café drinking coffee, and although it was early and empty, they were whispering.
'Hamish, you really have to take control of your sister. Another party? What is she thinking?' Ape was frowning.
'You tell her. She won't listen to me.'
'Unfortunately, I won't be around. I'm being called away for a very important meeting. In fact, I should be there right now.'
'Is it to do with what you said about Rebels from another universe? D'you want me to come with you?' Ape knew Hamish was teasing him.
'No, you stay here and protect the girls. Look Hamish, I'm new to all this. There is much I don't know. I do know, however, something evil is about to happen.' Ape stood. 'Pay the bill Hamish,' he said grinning. 'And if I can get back for the party - I will.'
They shook hands. 'Can't wait for you to get back mate,' he said, and in the second he turned round to call for the bill, Ape had disappeared. Hamish finished his coffee and was just about to leave when Piers and Miles, followed by two men, walked in.
'Hamish,' Piers said. 'Come and meet our brothers. Stay and have a coffee with us.'
These must be the twins that were in Australia, Hamish thought, and as he approached the group, an unpleasant shiver went down his back.
'Hi. You must be Zack and Knox.' Hamish put out his hand, which both men ignored and sat at a table. Piers and Miles were obviously very embarrassed. 'Sorry Hamish,' Piers said. 'They've had a long flight, and I know for a fact Zack doesn't travel well.'
'I understand,' Hamish said. 'Look, I won't stay for coffee, thanks Piers. I'm coffeed out. Well, see you at the party.'
'Can't wait,' Piers and Miles said in unison.
'Give Polly my,' Piers hesitated, 'regards,' he said. He had wanted to say 'my love' but decided it might not impress Hamish.
Hamish walked outside and decided to go directly to Byzantine Crescent. Somehow he had to cancel this party.
~
The house was abuzz with activity. The four girls were in the kitchen deciding what food to serve. 'I hope it ends better than the last party,' Polly said.
'Yeah, everyone left,' Alison said. 'And I can't remember going home with Hamish. And talk of the devil.' Alison broke into her own sentence as Hamish walked in.
Hamish tried everything he could to get Polly and Alison to cancel the party, but nothing worked. The boys' twins were tired after the long flight, he said. The twins would want to be alone to catch up, he added. Ape couldn't come and he, Hamish, wouldn't come! Nothing worked.
'Shut up Hamish. I've already spoken to Piers, and he said they couldn't wait, and right now we're busy. We want to impress the boys this time, we want to make it up to them. They own a film studio, and I want a part in that new movie being filmed in this house. So sod off.'
'I won't sod off Polly, and I'm telling you, it's not going to happen either. And any more of that talk and I will personally cancel the party.'
'Hamish, if you do, I will never talk to you again.' And knowing Hamish would not cancel the party, she added. 'And I will tell Barbara you are in love with her and want her to have your babies.'
Everyone broke into spontaneous laughter. Hamish chased Polly round the table, caught her and gave her a head rub with his fist. The rest of the girls jumped on him and held him down while Polly grabbed the scissors and threatened to cut his hair to the scalp if he didn't agree… and help.
'Okay, okay, I give in!' he yelled. 'You can have your stupid party.' Polly gave him a kiss on the cheek, which he didn't want, and they allowed him to get up, provided he promised he would not say another word.
'Right girls, make him a cup of coffee, and put him back on the party list. Barbara can make up the numbers.'
He didn't want the coffee and was grumpy when he left, but no one noticed or cared.
'I didn't tell you, but we got a card in the letterbox yesterday,' said Alison. 'I put it under a fridge magnet.' She grabbed it and read. 'Special deal, the best food the world can provide.'
'Hang on,' Polly said. Somewhere deep in her memory, she had heard something like that before, but she couldn't quite remember when.
'Delicacies from the Exotic East.
Exquisite crystal provided for the best French Champagne. All free for the first customer to ring and book a party.'
'Quick! Where's the phone? We could still be first,' Alison said. And she ran to the phone and dialled the number. 'Hello, hello,' she said. 'We're ringing about the offer on your pamphlet.'
'Yes, congratulations! Yours is the first phone call.'
'Really!' said Alison. She gestured to the girls to come over and listen.
'Yes, you are very lucky. Our delivery boy delivered your leaflet first and did not get any further. He fell over outside your house and sprained his ankle. We took him to the hospital and said we would deliver our leaflets when he was better. So it's your lucky day.'
Polly Pippin and The Tunnel of Death Page 5