The Race

by Ian Berry

  Saskia laughed. “You think we’re the SuperTwins? I like that. Just wait ‘till we tell Kyra and Katya.”

  “I did say if I didn’t know better. It was only the other week I was out for the evening with all four of you. Just a coincidence. One day I’ll find out what it is you do while I have my fingers in my ears.”

  “Just wait for our memoirs, Melanie. You’ll have a chapter all to yourself,” I said. Then by way of a change of subject, “How’s your Peter then anyway?”

  “Hm. My Peter. I like that. Not seen him since Tasha’s wedding - at least not in person. Not the same on the computer but better than nothing.”

  “Bet your monitor has lipstick marks all over it,” laughed Saskia.

  “I’m not that bad,” said Melanie indignantly. Then spoiled it by laughing with us.

  Saved by the bell, the phone rang. Melanie answered it. “Somebody called Rio for you Saskia. Not sure which one she wants. Doesn’t usually matter anyway.”

  Saskia was nearest so she took the phone. “Hi Rio, what’s up?”

  I fired up the super hearing to listen to both sides of the conversation.

  “Hello, Saskia. I need a favour.”

  “Hm. Name it and we shall see what might be done.”

  “I get my plaster off today - at least I would but Mum and Dad can’t take me.”

  “Ah, I see. Can’t wait any longer?”

  “No. It’s driving me mad. Please please please can I beg a lift from school to the hospital?”

  “Ah-ha. Good job we need to come and see your head teacher anyway today then. We’ll be around at the end of the school day, look for us.”

  “Thank you thank you thank you. See you later. Bye, Saskia.”

  “We need to go and see Rio’s head teacher?” I asked.

  “Mm. With all that stuff about how hard we can make her work.”

  “Ah. We need to go see her head teacher.”

  “That’s what I said. Need to put a bomb under HR. Think they’ll have all the information now?”

  “Dunnow. Know a way to find out.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Go and ask them.”

  “Never thought of that. Brilliant idea.”

  “Shall we?”

  “Let’s.”

  “You two are like two halves of the same girl,” laughed Melanie. “And I suppose you’ll be calling at your favourite bit of the building?”

  “Might do. D’you want anything bringing?”

  “No thanks. If you fetched me something every time you went down there I’d be a giant roly-poly by now. I don’t know how you two manage it.”

  Near the cafeteria we bumped into a rather flustered Amanda, James PA. “Hi Amanda. Not your usual self today?”

  “Late for work. Bloody second time this week. Car trouble.”

  “Broken down?”

  “Clapped out more like. Need a new one but I can’t afford it yet.”

  “If it’s a real problem, go see my dad,” said Saskia. “He’ll sort something out for you. If he doesn’t, we’ll thump him, eh Saskia?”

  Frankly I couldn’t even think about thumping Rob but I nodded as if in agreement. I thought a cuddle would be more persuasive anyway. Amanda was still talking.

  “D’you really think so? Needn’t be a new one, just so I can rely on the damn thing.”

  “I know so. Make sure you tell him who you are. He’ll fix something for you.”

  “Thanks, Saskia. I might just do that.”

  Amanda hurried off, probably to apologise to James for being late. We carried on to HR.

  “You lot should have some stuff for us about employing underage people?” I asked.

  They said yes they did, here it is, will there be anything else? We said no thank you, smiled sweetly at them and retired to the cafeteria to consider our position. That position turned out to be a corner table complete with mugs of hot chocolate.

  Saskia fished out a mobile phone. Actually she just changed to be holding it under the table. She used it to ring her dad.

  “Hi Dad, it’s me. Quick word. Expect a visit from a nice lady called Amanda Wilson. She’s James PA. Her wheels are - less than perfect, shall we say. I’ve said you might find an old banger in a corner she can buy for a couple of quid.”

  “Ok. Seeing as it’s you asking. Actually I might have just the thing.”

  “Friend of ours Dad. A favour for a friend, we won’t make a habit of it. By the way, Rio gets her leg sorted this afternoon. Start making plans for her to do your photos.”

  “Oh good. I could do with her as soon as.”

  “Might bring her for tea. Have plans ready.”

  “Ok. Enjoy the rest of your day. Love to you and to Saskia.”

  “Love you, Dad. Bye.”

  I told Saskia I’d listened to both sides of her phone call. “Rio for tea?”

  “Why not? It’s Friday, she’s got all weekend to do homework and stuff. I’ll text her, don’t suppose she can have the phone on in class. She’ll get it at lunchtime.”

  Because nobody was watching, Saskia used a little bit of super speed to compose the text, her thumbs were a blur. Then she said a rude word and had to do it all again at normal speed when the phone couldn’t keep up with her. She grinned ruefully as she sent the message.

  “I’ve said we’ll take her to the hospital then she’s to come for tea, we’ll take her home early evening. Will that do d’you think?”

  “Eminently, my dear Watson.”

  “In that case, if you’ve finished your hot chocolate, Holmes, we should call on Amanda and remind her about Dad.”

  “Capital, Watson. Come, the game’s afoot.”

  Amanda was back in her office having mollified James by taking him a coffee. I knew he wouldn’t mind Amanda being late, I also knew she’d make it up by staying late anyway. We stuck our heads round the door.

  “Hi again Amanda. Er, go and see Dad this weekend. He’s expecting you. Says he’s got something that’ll do you nicely. Don’t know what he means, might be a bicycle but I don’t think so.”

  “Thanks, Saskia. Boss said if you were passing to call in.”

  “Wonder what he wants?”

  “Know a way to find out.”

  “What’s that then?”

  “Ask him.”

  “Damn. Never thought of that.”

  “Yes you did. You know you did.

  “Maybe I did. We should.”

  “Should what?”

  “Ask him of course.”

  “Oh, yes. Suppose you might be right.”

  “You know I am, I usually am.”

  “Who d’you think you are? Miss Right?”

  “Yep. And my first name is Always.”

  Amanda was grinning. “I feel much better now today. I was feeling down in the dumps but not anymore.”

  “Saskia and Saskia, Happiness Incorporated, no job too large, no job too small. See you later Amanda.”

  I tapped on James door and stuck my head round it. “Knock knock. Hi Boss. You requested our presence?”

  “Come in and shut the door.”

  “Sorry about yesterday, Boss. The other two were busy.”

  “So I understand. Now, how’s that friend of yours Rio getting on? Could do with her services.”

  “James, are you psychic or have you got the plant phones tapped? We’re taking Rio to the hospital this very afternoon to get the plaster off,” said Saskia.

  “Neither, just hopeful. If you were here for more than two minutes at once you’d probably have gathered from Jeff what’s going on.”

  “Oh James, we’re so sorry. We don’t mean to neglect our work. We’ll try and make more effort,” I sa
id.

  James spluttered and began to laugh. “You know I don’t mean it. You also know that the present arrangement suits me very well. Having you two work for me was the best idea you’ve had.”

  “You do realise we haven’t had it yet don’t you?” said Saskia.

  “What on Earth do you mean by that?”

  “We were told by ourselves from 2065 that you’d employ us. They knew because you had, we knew because they told us. It’s a circle, just goes round and round. We don’t let that sort of thing bother us anymore.”

  “Well it’d bother me, but anyway - talk to Jeff about what he wants Rio to do. Something about aerial shots of the plant, she’s good at those. I expect you to use the helicopter, not yourselves, ok?”

  “Ok, Boss, spoilsport.”

  “Go on, push off. Do some work for a change.”

  Saskia stuck her tongue out at James, I decided a kiss would be better so Saskia changed her mind and joined me. We skipped out to find Jeff.

  “Er, Jeff? It seems our propensity to be elsewhere when needed is interfering with your plans,” I said.

  “Mm. I hear our new photographer is possibly going to be available from tonight.”

  “Might be. What do you want her to do? James muttered something about aerial pictures?”

  “We’re doing a new brochure for our range of cash registers. I need some spectacular stuff for the back cover.”

  “I’ve a feeling spectacular might be Rio’s middle name. Er, do you want the car park full or empty?”

  “Why - oh yes. I see. Er, empty I think. Either way I don’t think it matters. Why did you ask?”

  “Because Rio can work weekends better than weekdays. How soon? This weekend?”

  “If that’s possible, that’d be great.”

  “Rio will owe us a favour by tonight. I think Sunday. Can you fix up the chopper with Hormone Man - sorry - Mark?”

  “Should be able to. So long as you don’t beat him up again.”

  “Definitely a one-off. I think he’ll behave himself.”

  Jeff left, chuckling to himself.

  “Think Rio’ll be all right in a helicopter?”

  “If she can cope with you carrying her, a little chopper should be no problem,” said Saskia. “Biggest problem might be Mark - I suppose I could always thump him again.”

  I laughed. “He might hide behind the helicopter when he sees you coming. Anyway, got to go to Rio’s school. What time do they chuck the little blighters out?”

  “Probably around three. Slightly different at every school but more or less then.”

  “And before you ask, it was four o’clock in my day. Just remember I’m - I wasn’t always - mm.”

  “What, Twin? You’ve gone all quiet.”

  I pulled myself together a bit. “I was about to say I’m not a girl, and certainly not a girl as young as you, but I - couldn’t. I think it’s because I am - both of those things.”

  “That’s what I keep telling you.”

  “Mm. We can change shape so what does it matter what I look like on the outside, and we can appear to be any age we want, so what if I have a bit more experience than you. Doesn’t matter - any of it. I’ve decided - as from now I am a girl and always was - I just didn’t know it. As for other stuff - I love you. Thought you might like me to confirm that fact.”

  “And I can also confirm that I love you, now and always.”

  “Damn. Too public for a kiss and a cuddle. Save it all up until later.” I pulled myself further together. “What time did you say at Rio’s school? I distracted myself.”

  “About three.”

  “Schoolkids - huh. Part-timers the lot of ‘em. No wonder they have trouble going to work - present company excepted, of course.”

  “That’s two cuddles and kisses for later. Good job we don’t really need sleep.”

  Saskia had a thought over lunch. “I think we should let Jeff go with Rio in the helicopter and I further think we should ask Melanie if she’d like to go as well - to hold Rio’s cameras and stuff and make sure poor Rio isn’t intimidated by Mark.”

  “You don’t want one of us to go?”

  “No. Two - no, three - reasons. One is that we’ve been in helicopters before, let’s let Melanie have an adventure. Two is that we know what the plant looks like from the air already - we see it like that often enough. Reason three is selfish. Either I’d be left alone down here while you swan about in the chopper, or you’d be left alone while I ride. I don’t want to be alone without you for that long.”

  “Er, I make that three cuddles tonight. No sleep for us.”

  Saskia laughed. “Come on, Twin. Let’s go see if Melanie is up for a bit of chaperonage on Sunday.”

  Melanie was chained to her desk. “Are you organising the heli for Sunday?” asked Saskia.

  “Tentatively. Need you to confirm Rio then we’re in a go mode.”

  “What are you doing on Sunday?” I asked.

  “Nothing, far as I know. Why?”

  “Fancy a trip in the chopper?”

  “Me?”

  “Wasn’t talking to Saskia. I assume Jeff’ll want to go and supervise, that’ll leave one spare seat. Yours for the asking.”

  “But won’t you - don’t you want - you should - .” Melanie ran down eventually.

  “No Melanie dear,” said Saskia. “We’ve been in the helicopter before. Besides, there’s only one spare seat. Saskia and I’d have to fight to see who gets to go. I can’t stand the sight of blood.”

  “Saskia Hunt! That last statement is a fib, I have evidence to the contrary. You’d really, really let me go?”

  “One of us girls has to,” I said with a slight smile that probably only Saskia noticed. “Don’t want Rio to feel intimidated on her own with Jeff and Hormone Man - sorry - Mark.”

  “You’re making the arrangements so you’ll know what time to get here. We’ll probably be Rio’s Taxi so we can pick you up as well if you like,” said Saskia.

  “Come on, Twin,” I said. “We’ve a date with a schoolfull of kids and then a hospital. We’ll ring you about three thirty and confirm stuff, Melanie.”

  We left Melanie with a slightly bemused expression and went to get the mini. We were at Rio’s school nicely in time to speak to the head teacher. The school secretary ushered us into the presence. I could see Saskia was a little intimidated, it hadn’t been all that long since she’d been at school herself.

  “Hey, Twin, don’t panic. Remember, your Mrs. Turner’s name is Julia. Head teachers are human as well,” I whispered.

  “Mrs. Rogers, good afternoon. You probably know who we are and why we’re here,” I said.

  Mrs. Rogers nodded so I went on, “We have our Robinson Corporation hats on this afternoon - despite what your pupils might think later. Have you been told about Rio Ashworth?”

  Mrs. Rogers found her voice. “Her class teacher has told me more or less everything. It’s very good of you to take an interest.”

  “Not completely altruistic I’m afraid,” I said. “We think she can do some good work for us - and for Saskia’s dad. Naturally, payment will go her way, we understand that would be welcome.”

  “As long as her schoolwork doesn’t suffer, I’ll support you - and her.”

  “I know all about this stuff first hand,” I said. “I’ve got all the paperwork suitably prepared by our Human Resources department.” I handed it over. “Should be all in order. We should be able to make sure most stuff happens over the weekend, for anything in school time, we’ll give you the required notice and guarantees.”

  Mrs. Rogers looked through the paperwork. “Seems all in order. Right, would you like a cup of tea while you wait for the bell?”

  “Do you have hot chocolate?” asked Saskia, ever
hopeful.

  “I do believe we may have. I’ll just get Samantha to put the kettle on.” she went to put the school secretary on red alert.

  “I’ve been letting you lead, Twin. You lost me when you used the word ‘altruistic’. Been reading the dictionary again?”

  “Just means kindness and concern for others without thought about yourself.”

  “I like that word, describes you.”

  “And you. Fine pair we are. Oops. Incoming.”

  “Here we are. Two hot chocolates.” We all three sat round the meeting table in Mrs. Rogers office.

  “Do you mind that we’re getting involved with your pupils?” asked Saskia.

  “Not at all. I do know who you are, what you’ve done. I’m afraid I did a bit of checking up - mostly asking friends and people like that. Seems you’ve been doing this sort of thing since you were about sixteen or so. There’s a long line of Rios - ours is just the latest. By the way, which one of you can fly a helicopter?”

  Saskia laughed. “Oh, that’s Saskia over there. Saskia Chandler to be correct. That’s a coincidence. Rio’s first job for us will involve a helicopter - not piloted by Saskia I have to say.”

  “So you must be Saskia Hunt.”

  “Guilty as charged, I’m afraid.”

  The meeting of the Saskia Appreciation Society was cut short by the school bell thank goodness.

  “Rio told me you’d be picking her up so I told her to come here first, might take her a minute or two on her crutches.”

  “I don’t think so,” I said. “She can move on those things. In fact here she comes now.”

  “Hi Saskias,” called Rio. Then she remembered where she was. She looked down at the ground and said, “Oh, sorry, Mrs. Rogers. I didn’t mean to shout.”

  Mrs. Rogers put her hand on Rio’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. I think I’d shout too if I had a couple of friends like these two.” She smiled as Rio looked up into her face. “Go on. Off you go. I think you might enjoy this weekend. Just so long as you don’t fall asleep in class on Monday.”

  Rio did a three point turn on her crutches and all three of us left Mrs. Rogers’ office. If I’d thought we’d just sneak out and run away, I was sadly mistaken. Rio’s friends were waiting in ambush. There were only about nine or ten but it seemed like about a million - they made enough noise for a million anyway.