connections have also failed. There are reports of people getting terribly lost because their satnavs have stopped working and they no longer have the ability to read a map.’
‘We didn’t have satnav in the war,’ Reg pointed out, ‘and we never got lost once.’
‘But you did bomb the wrong town, dearest,’ reminded Ivy.
The news item continued, but Shakespeare’s attention was drawn to the map.
Scotland is crossed out? And they said ‘we’re on the news’?
He looked down at a huge piece of paper that was unfurled on the table. His translating collar allowed him to unscramble the words and pictures.
It’s a diagram of that machine
, he thought, glancing at the contraption that sat in the middle of the floor. There were masses of calculations that he couldn’t understand. His
eyes fell on a sentence that had the word ‘precision’ underlined and one that he had to read twice. ‘When the machine is started, there will be thirty-six seconds before the lasers ignite.’
Shakespeare was puzzled. His brain was working on an idea that he didn’t think was possible.
Especially not by old people. But I suspect I’ll have thirty-six seconds to save the world
.
12. Room with a View
The morning sun glittered on the Thames. The plan was for the family to enjoy breakfast on board the boat and then do some sightseeing in the capital city. Mum and Dad had a lie-in so Ben, Sophie and Ollie skipped into the restaurant, only to find Professor Cortex slumped at the breakfast table, snoring like a tractor.
‘He’s been here all night,’ explained the waiter. ‘He must have got very drunk.’
‘He doesn’t really drink,’ said Sophie, picking up his empty champagne glass and sniffing it.
Ben slapped the professor on the back. Then again, much harder, and the old man grunted. ‘Prof,’ he said, aware that the other diners were looking their way, ‘it’s morning.’
The professor raised his head from the table,
a piece of last night’s pepperoni stuck to his cheek and the pattern of a napkin imprinted on his forehead. ‘What morning?’
‘Our final morning. Before we go sightseeing,’
said Ollie enthusiastically. ‘And it looks like there was no diamond thief.’
‘You look terrible,’ remarked Sophie. ‘Where’s Shakespeare?’ She lifted the tablecloth and looked under the table.
The professor’s head hit the table once more and he groaned. ‘Oh dear. She’s cleverer than I thought. I think something terrible has happened to Agent CAT,’ he announced into the tablecloth.
Shakespeare wasn’t sure how to play it. The diamond collar had been removed from his neck, but his translating one was still intact. He’d spent ten minutes sulking under a table, hissing at the pensioners. But he’d cleared his head and come to his senses.
What would a Spy Cat do? I need information
.
He’d peeped from his hiding place and had counted fifty-five old people, mostly sitting in comfy armchairs, chatting or doing crosswords. One group of old ladies was engrossed in a jigsaw. A couple of elderly gentlemen were gluing model aeroplanes together. Maude, the old lady who had snatched him, was brewing some fresh tea.
None of them look very dangerous
, thought Shakespeare.
I have a big advantage over them. They don’t know that I’m a ginger ninja. They don’t know that I’ve got a translating collar. I can be the professor’s eyes and ears. I’m sure my family will have noticed I’m missing and are on their way. A Spy Cat would mingle, eyes peeled and ears alert. A Spy Cat would find out what the plot is. I’ve heard them talking about ‘Mission GoD’ which is taking place at midday today
.
Shakespeare glanced at the grandfather clock ticking loudly in the corner.
8 a.m. Exactly four hours to save the world
.
Sophie was the one who’d brought the professor to his senses. Three strong black coffees had dilated his pupils and his brain was groggy but functioning. ‘We are going to find my
‘We didn’t have satnav in the war,’ Reg pointed out, ‘and we never got lost once.’
‘But you did bomb the wrong town, dearest,’ reminded Ivy.
The news item continued, but Shakespeare’s attention was drawn to the map.
Scotland is crossed out? And they said ‘we’re on the news’?
He looked down at a huge piece of paper that was unfurled on the table. His translating collar allowed him to unscramble the words and pictures.
It’s a diagram of that machine
, he thought, glancing at the contraption that sat in the middle of the floor. There were masses of calculations that he couldn’t understand. His
eyes fell on a sentence that had the word ‘precision’ underlined and one that he had to read twice. ‘When the machine is started, there will be thirty-six seconds before the lasers ignite.’
Shakespeare was puzzled. His brain was working on an idea that he didn’t think was possible.
Especially not by old people. But I suspect I’ll have thirty-six seconds to save the world
.
12. Room with a View
The morning sun glittered on the Thames. The plan was for the family to enjoy breakfast on board the boat and then do some sightseeing in the capital city. Mum and Dad had a lie-in so Ben, Sophie and Ollie skipped into the restaurant, only to find Professor Cortex slumped at the breakfast table, snoring like a tractor.
‘He’s been here all night,’ explained the waiter. ‘He must have got very drunk.’
‘He doesn’t really drink,’ said Sophie, picking up his empty champagne glass and sniffing it.
Ben slapped the professor on the back. Then again, much harder, and the old man grunted. ‘Prof,’ he said, aware that the other diners were looking their way, ‘it’s morning.’
The professor raised his head from the table,
a piece of last night’s pepperoni stuck to his cheek and the pattern of a napkin imprinted on his forehead. ‘What morning?’
‘Our final morning. Before we go sightseeing,’
said Ollie enthusiastically. ‘And it looks like there was no diamond thief.’
‘You look terrible,’ remarked Sophie. ‘Where’s Shakespeare?’ She lifted the tablecloth and looked under the table.
The professor’s head hit the table once more and he groaned. ‘Oh dear. She’s cleverer than I thought. I think something terrible has happened to Agent CAT,’ he announced into the tablecloth.
Shakespeare wasn’t sure how to play it. The diamond collar had been removed from his neck, but his translating one was still intact. He’d spent ten minutes sulking under a table, hissing at the pensioners. But he’d cleared his head and come to his senses.
What would a Spy Cat do? I need information
.
He’d peeped from his hiding place and had counted fifty-five old people, mostly sitting in comfy armchairs, chatting or doing crosswords. One group of old ladies was engrossed in a jigsaw. A couple of elderly gentlemen were gluing model aeroplanes together. Maude, the old lady who had snatched him, was brewing some fresh tea.
None of them look very dangerous
, thought Shakespeare.
I have a big advantage over them. They don’t know that I’m a ginger ninja. They don’t know that I’ve got a translating collar. I can be the professor’s eyes and ears. I’m sure my family will have noticed I’m missing and are on their way. A Spy Cat would mingle, eyes peeled and ears alert. A Spy Cat would find out what the plot is. I’ve heard them talking about ‘Mission GoD’ which is taking place at midday today
.
Shakespeare glanced at the grandfather clock ticking loudly in the corner.
8 a.m. Exactly four hours to save the world
.
Sophie was the one who’d brought the professor to his senses. Three strong black coffees had dilated his pupils and his brain was groggy but functioning. ‘We are going to find my
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