Christmas Countdown

by Susannah McFarlane

EJ and IJ looked up to the sky-painted ceiling.

  ‘Not that high, the statue!’

  EJ looked at the elf statue but jumped back in shock when its eyes blinked. EJ stepped forward again, standing right up close to the statue. ‘CC, is that really you? You’re … you’re stone!’

  ‘It’s stone-coloured paint,’ whispered CC. ‘It’s really hard standing so still all the time!’

  ‘Wow, CC, this has to be your best disguise yet,’ said EJ, impressed. ‘You guys in the surveillance division rock!’

  ‘Don’t look at me,’ CC warned her. ‘Just act as if you two are talking to each other so people don’t realise you’re talking to me.’

  ‘Uh, okay,’ said EJ. ‘Oh, meet IJ12, CC. She’s in the science and invention division and,’ she added, smiling at IJ, ‘one of my best friends. This is her first time OM.’

  ‘Welcome to SHINE,’ said CC. ‘You’ve certainly picked a big mission for your first. What do you know so far?’

  ‘Well,’ began IJ, ‘we know that SHADOW agent Tiffany Glass has stolen the Aurora Diamond Collection. The ones in the Delia Stones’ Christmas windows are fakes.’

  ‘Fakes?’ said CC.

  ‘Yep. Tiffany, pretending to be a diamond polisher, has been slowly taking the real ones and replacing them with glass fakes.’

  ‘Her last name is Glass? That’s appropriate,’ CC commented.

  ‘And a little funny,’ said IJ, stifling a giggle.

  ‘And there’s more,’ said EJ. ‘They have built an escape corridor from the vault room that leads to Christmas Wonderland. We’ve just come from there. They must have used the corridor to carry out the diamonds but why would it lead here?’

  ‘I’m not sure,’ said CC but I can tell you that there are SHADOW agents all over Christmas Wonderland and there is something else.’

  ‘What is it, CC?’ asked EJ.

  ‘Well, all the agents I’ve seen are in elf costumes.’

  ‘Elves?’ said EJ. ‘The girl with Tiffany Glass in the vault room was in an elf costume!’

  ‘I’ve been taking photos using my stone stocking-cam and relaying them back to SHINE. They’ve confirmed that the elves are under-twelve division SHADOW agents.’

  ‘All the elves?’ asked IJ.

  ‘We’re not sure,’ replied CC. ‘Some don’t match with the SHINE database but that might just mean they’re new. What did the elf with Tiffany Glass look like?’ she asked.

  ‘We only saw her from the back,’ said EJ. ‘But her voice was so familiar.’

  ‘CC,’ asked IJ, ‘what are the elves doing?’

  ‘They just seem to walk around the park carrying toys and waving at little children.’

  ‘What does it all mean?’ wondered EJ.

  Piinngg!

  EJ checked her phone. ‘It’s SHINE. They’ve intercepted another cracker code and sent through the riddle.’ EJ looked at the riddle on screen, reading it silently.

  ‘Okay,’ said EJ. ‘It’s the same kind of riddle as the first cracker code but a little different. Let’s see. IJ, will you write down the letters as I call them. The first can only be P, the second could be C or A but the third letter has to be R.’

  ‘So far it is either PAR or PCA,’ said IJ.

  ‘The fourth is easy, it’s the same as the second but we don’t know if it’s C or A yet but I am going to say that they are As.’

  ‘So that would be PARA,’ said IJ.

  ‘That seems more likely,’ said EJ. ‘The fifth is D and the last is either B or E but very few words end in B so I’m going with E. What do we have now, IJ?’

  ‘PARADE,’ said IJ. ‘It spells parade and Tiffany Glass talked about getting ready for the parade!’

  ‘And there’s something more,’ said EJ. ‘All the things in the clues are toys. Is it a toy parade?’

  ‘I can help with that,’ said CC. ‘This evening is Christmas Eve and Christmas Wonderland closes at 5pm with a toy parade that leaves Wonderland with Santa on his sleigh.’

  ‘But what does that have to do with the diamonds?’ wondered IJ.

  ‘I’m not sure,’ said EJ, looking at the time on her phone. ‘But we only have five hours to find out.’

  EJ knew that they needed to be highly organised if they were going to search the entire Christmas Wonderland in time.

  EJ and IJ had bought an all-day pass that came with a map of the park. As they looked at it they saw just how big it was. It took up the whole block next to Delia Stones. The size was great if you were coming to Christmas Wonderland for fun but not so great if you were trying to find something quite small very quickly. There were lots of places to hide.

  ‘We’ll never be able to check all this out in time,’ said EJ. ‘We need to split up.’

  ‘Good thinking,’ said IJ. ‘I’ll take the forest side and you take the other.’

  ‘Good plan. Let’s activate our spy-talkers.’

  The girls took out their headsets and put them on. They looked like normal mobile phone headsets but would allow EJ and IJ to keep in constant contact.

  ‘And don’t forget your bauble charm, IJ. We need to leave cameras in as many places as we can.’ EJ took her bauble charm and twisted it. A red bauble appeared. EJ hung it on one of the lower branches of the Christmas tree and pressed the little button on top. She then took out her phone and pressed the bauble-cam app. On screen was IJ, giving a little wave.

  EJ grinned. ‘It’s working. If we can leave these in enough areas, maybe we can pick up some clues. Let’s go. We need to look for diamonds—and, like the girl in the vault room.

  ‘Roger, that,’ said IJ. ‘We can do this.’

  ‘Yes we can,’ said EJ, smiling at her buddy.

  EJ watched as her friend headed back towards the Christmas tree forest. She loved her friend’s optimism—she only hoped she was right.

  EJ now looked across to her right. Where was she going to start? She saw the tall tower that looked like a long stretched-up chimney. She checked the map and saw it was Santa’s Chimney Drop, a ride where you sat in an individual cage and were pulled all the way up to the top of the chimney, then held before being sent quickly back down again in sudden jolts, as if you were going to crash into the ground. EJ normally hated those kinds of rides but she knew there would be a great view of Christmas Wonderland from the top. She joined the queue and waited until it was her turn. Just as she was getting onto the ride, she saw two elves walk past the balloon stall. EJ went to turn back.

  ‘Don’t be scared,’ said the ride operator.

  ‘No, no,’ started EJ. ‘I’m not scared, I just need to go …’

  ‘Come on,’ said the woman. ‘You’re holding up the queue.’ She shut the safety bar over the singleperson capsule and EJ watched helplessly as the two elves made their way up the path and vanished into the crowd. She was so busy watching the elves she didn’t notice the ride attendant making a phone call while looking straight at EJ.

  There was a clunk and the capsules began to be pulled higher and higher up the Chimney Drop pole. They rose above the ticket booth, then above the large Christmas tree and then above even the Ferris wheel. EJ was now so high that she could see all over Christmas Wonderland. She looked out and then the ride, helpfully, began to slowly rotate, giving EJ a perfect 360-degree view of the park.

  ‘IJ, come in, this is EJ. Can you hear me?’

  ‘Rosemary that, EJ.’

  ‘Rosemary?’ said EJ. ‘IJ, you say “Roger that”.’

  ‘I know,’ giggled IJ. ‘I just thought I’d do the girls’ version! Now what’s happening?’

  EJ smiled. Even OM, her friend had her sense of humour. ‘I’m on the Chimney Drop. I can see the whole park.’

  ‘That’s great.’

  ‘It is but I can’t see anything that looks suspicious. Although I can see elves. Their costumes really stand out.’

  ‘There are elves here in the forest too,’ said IJ. ‘But they don’t seem to be doing anything that isn’t well, elf-like. They�
��re smiling at children and waving.’

  ‘There has to be something here,’ said EJ. ‘Otherwise why have the secret tunnel? I’ll …’

  Suddenly the capsule shook.

  WOOOOOOOOOOOOSH!

  ‘EJ, what’s wrong?’ cried IJ.

  ‘Hold on!’ yelled EJ. Then the capsule plummeted. ‘WHOOOA!’ cried EJ.

  ‘EJ!’

  ‘I’m fine, IJ,’ said EJ breathlessly as the capsule stopped halfway down. ‘It’s the ride but it’s stopped now—WHOOOA!’

  Then everyone on the ride screamed with that funny mixture of fear and fun as the Chimney Drop capsules dropped all the way down to the ground. EJ felt the rush and was smiling as the safety bar lifted.

  ‘EJ?’ It was IJ on the spy-talker.

  ‘Sorry,’ said EJ. ‘I was just saying I was going to have a look from the ground! I think I’ll try …’

  Piinngg!

  ‘Hold on, IJ. It’s SHINE. They’ve intercepted another cracker code.’ EJ looked at her screen. ‘At least I think it’s a code.’

  That’s not a code, that’s a joke, thought EJ. A really bad joke. I know that Christmas cracker jokes aren’t very funny but this one is hopeless. But if SHADOW sent it out of Wonderland it must mean something.

  EJ studied the map and saw it. Next to Santa’s Workshop was another ride, the Santa Express. It was over on the other side of the park—on the side IJ was checking out.

  ‘IJ, can you hear me?’

  ‘Go ahead, EJ.’

  ‘The message says the Santa Express, that’s a ride …’

  ‘I know, EJ,’ replied IJ. ‘I’m right opposite it now. I couldn’t see anything at the Snow Slide so I came down here. I’ll check it out now. I’ve left a bauble-cam on the ice-cream stand. It looks directly over the ride.’

  ‘Good work. Be careful. I’m going to check out Elf Village.’

  ‘Rosemary that. IJ out.’

  EJ smiled at the thought of her nutty spy-buddy as she took the path back towards Elf Village, stopping briefly on the bench by the elf statue. ‘CC,’ she whispered. ‘Seen anything?’

  ‘Maybe,’ replied CC. ‘Two elves came past before. At least one of them was a SHADOW agent. They were talking about Santa Express. They were saying it was all ready.’

  ‘Something is definitely happening there,’ said EJ. ‘Let’s see what IJ has found. IJ, can you hear me?’

  There was no reply.

  ‘IJ12, this is EJ12. Come in, IJ.’

  Still there was no reply.

  ‘IJ?’ EJ looked at CC grimly. Where had she gone? Had something happened to IJ12?

  EJ needed to find IJ. And quickly. That was SHINE’s most important motto—“Spy-buddies first, mission second”. She took out her phone and tapped the bauble-cam vision app. IJ had said she had left one on the ice-cream stall opposite the Santa Express so EJ checked that one first. Perhaps IJ was still on the ride? EJ waited and watched as the Santa Express train slowed down and stopped and everyone got out. She watched another ride load up and then set off again. Still, there was no IJ. She flicked through other bauble cams: in the forest, on the Snow Slide, but there was no IJ.

  ‘CC, I’m going to the Santa Express.’

  ‘Okay,’ said CC. ‘I’ll update SHINE.’

  EJ ran back past the Christmas tree, past the main gates and over to the Santa Express. Luckily, there was a lull in the queue and EJ didn’t have to wait too long. As she approached the top of the line, she moved to get into one of the sleighs. One of the elf attendants stopped her. EJ looked up and showed her all-day wrist pass.

  ‘That’s fine,’ said the elf. ‘Take this sleigh.’

  ‘Why?’ said EJ.

  ‘Because …’ the elf started unconvincingly. ‘Because this one is much better. In you go, please.’

  EJ didn’t have time to protest as the elf almost pushed her into the sleigh. She also didn’t notice the elf nodding at the other ride attendant who pulled a lever on the side of the Santa Express track.

  The rest of sleighs filled up with people as a woman’s voice came over the loudspeaker. ‘Hold on tight, the Santa Express is about to take-off. We’ve got to hurry if we are going to deliver all those presents on time so get ready for the ride of your lives!’

  The sleigh jolted into motion and EJ felt it begin to climb as they entered an almost completely black tunnel. She looked around and lights flashed on images of a snow-covered forest. Then as the sleigh began to climb higher, there were flashes of the tops of trees as if the sleigh was lifting off and beginning to climb into the sky. The climb became steeper and sparkling lights began to flash like stars and then EJ felt the ride level. For a couple of seconds the sleigh stopped and then there was another jolt as the sleigh began to move again, this time downwards. It was picking up speed. EJ could hear people in the other sleighs, some laughing, some beginning to scream. EJ held on tight as the sleigh rushed downwards and then turned sharply as a lightning bolt flash appeared in front of them. The sleigh lurched and rushed forward again, twisting and turning. The screams of fun from the other sleighs became louder and louder. EJ’s sleigh began climbing again and then, as it reached the top, it did a sharp turn before hurtling down again. It was fast, perhaps even faster than before. But this time, something was different. That’s odd, thought EJ. There’s no screaming.

  The ride was completely silent except for the wheels of EJ’s sleigh grinding on the tracks. Suddenly EJ realised that her sleigh had been separated from the others. She looked ahead. A light flashed and all EJ could see was a wall, a wall with a fireplace painted on it and stockings hanging down. The sleigh was heading straight for the wall. EJ held on tight to the bar and waited for the turn she knew had to come. But it didn’t. EJ closed her eyes. It’s going to hit the wall, she thought.

  Just as EJ thought her sleigh was going to slam into the wall, two doors opened and the sleigh rushed through before screeching to a halt. The doors behind her slammed shut again and EJ gasped, opening her eyes. She was in what looked like a storeroom. Looking around the room, she opened her eyes even wider.

  ‘IJ?!’

  EJ’s spy-buddy was sitting on a chair with her hands tied behind her back. She tilted her head to the left. EJ looked across but she could only make out a dim outline of a shadowy figure in the corner. She recognised the voice though.

  ‘Isn’t this nice—IJ12 and EJ12. I’ve always thought that two SHINE agents are better than one.’

  And with that, Tiffany Glass stepped out of the shadows and, before EJ could react, handcuffed her to the bar of the sleigh.

  ‘SHINE’s standards seem to be slipping,’ said Tiffany. ‘You two were caught much too easily. We’ve been watching you ever since you entered the park. In the forest, the Chimney Drop, at the ice-cream stall …

  ‘You have?’ asked EJ. Does SHADOW have cameras of its own?

  ‘I’m not one of your old-fashioned agents, that’s why SHADOW was so pleased when I joined. I don’t take risks. I like to know exactly what is happening all of the time. There are cameras all around the park. But now you’re here and I can get on with my final preparations.’

  ‘And what are they?’ asked EJ, hoping to lead Tiffany into telling her plan.

  ‘You’ll have to work a lot harder than that,’ snapped Tiffany. ‘I don’t fall for baby beginners’ tricks like that one. But I don’t have time for you now. I have things to do, diamonds to wear.’

  ‘Ah, diamonds?’ said IJ, winking at EJ.

  ‘So what?’ snapped Tiffany. ‘How does knowing that I have the Aurora diamonds help you? You won’t be able to escape and you know nothing about my plan. By the time SHINE finds you, the diamonds and I will be long gone.’ And with that Tiffany Glass opened a door. EJ could hear the crowds of Christmas Wonderland. ‘Merry Christmas, children!’ Tiffany’s mean laugh could be heard even after she had slammed and locked the door.

  ‘Please tell me you have a plan, EJ,’ said IJ.

  EJ looked at her friend. T
his was a tough first mission and she needed to help her through it. If they were at school, it would be Isi who would be doing the cheering up but now EJ saw it was her turn.

  ‘Of course I do,’ said EJ, who saw IJ’s face soften immediately. I just need to think of it, she thought.

  EJ looked at her handcuffs and smiled. ‘Tiffany isn’t quite as clever as she thinks she is,’ she said. ‘We’ll be out of here in no time. Watch this.’ EJ leant down to the bar where her hands were and, with her teeth, she took her skeleton key charm from her bracelet and put it between her fingers. With the index fingers of both hands she twisted. A key appeared.

  Her friend was impressed. ‘Way to go, EJ!! But how are you going to unlock … oh I see.’

  EJ had picked up the key again in her teeth and then put it in the lock of the handcuffs. There was a click then a clunk and the handcuffs fell to the floor. She rushed over to IJ and untied her rope.

  ‘No wonder you have so many Shining Star points,’ said IJ.

  EJ went to the door that Tiffany had left through but there was no lock. ‘It’s like the one in the vault room,’ she said, ‘so my key won’t work. How will we get out? We have less than two hours before the parade and we still don’t know where the diamonds are.’ Then EJ jumped back. She had heard footsteps. ‘Quick, IJ. Get back on your chair and put your hands behind your back. Someone’s coming!’

  EJ grabbed the ropes and quickly re-tied IJ before jumping back into the sleigh and re-cuffing herself. They would have to start all over again but they had no choice. They held their breath as the door opened. It was Tiffany Glass.

  ‘Still here?’ she said. ‘You’re even more hopeless than I thought. But don’t mind me.’ Tiffany walked over and opened a storage cupboard. She took a small teddy bear out and shut the door. ‘Wouldn’t you like to know?’ she cried as she returned to Wonderland, slamming the door locked behind her.

  EJ removed her handcuffs and untied IJ again, who took out her spy pad and began to scan the room with the X-ray app.