Read Online The OK Team by Nick Place - Free Book Online Page A

chimney.’
    I’m pretty sure by now that Cannonball’s power isn’t making comparisons.
    We all stand. The Crypto Brothers yabber at one another in their own language while Miss Morse heads straight for the coffee table. Berry Boy has beaten her there, already making himself a cup of tea, which he sips before saying to the Bird, ‘Hmm, your tea tastes like boysenberry.’
    Cannonball and I get biscuits and glasses of milk.
    I say, ‘Can I ask you something?’
    â€˜Sure.’
    â€˜What’s your power?’
    â€˜My power?’
    â€˜Yeah, what do you do?’
    Cannonball shrugs a bit too casually. ‘Oh, you know, I can fly.’
    I can’t keep the admiration out of my voice. ‘You can fly? That’s awesome!’
    â€˜Yeah, well, you know, it’s pretty cool.’
    â€˜I can’t imagine anything better than flying.’ My brain is ticking off all my favourite flying Heroes, scattered around my bedroom walls.
    â€˜It’s not as great as you’d think,’ Cannonball admits, touching the bruise on his cheek with a finger. ‘And you, Focus? Is your power, you know . . .’ He nods at the way I’m losing and gaining sharpness randomly.
    â€˜Yep, for what it’s worth. So far, all I know is that if I get a fright I fall through walls.’
    Cannonball laughs. ‘Dude, at least you’ve got room for improvement.’
    I find myself smiling. ‘I sure have.’
    Training turns out to be a whole new world of humiliation for me. The Bird takes us through some basic self-defence techniques and I realise I barely know how to throw a punch. I learn how to position my fist so it isn’t sideways, which could lead to a broken wrist if I land a punch wrongly. I have no idea how to make a left jab roll into a right jab, and it turns out that you need to keep one foot behind you for balance, so that if somebody shoves you, you don’t fall flat on your bum. I find this out the hard way with one decent shove from Berry Boy in a rare moment when I’m solid enough to shove. Everybody laughs.
    â€˜Don’t worry,’ the Bird says kindly, trying not to notice that my shaking hand passes straight through the hand she is offering to help me get back on my feet. ‘It’s your first day. It will become easier. Just don’t go up against the bad guys yet. You need to train.’

CHAPTER 11
THE ALLEY OF DEATH
    I ’m so depressed that I’m practically a cloud again. I fall easily through the solid wall onto the street and land on my hands and knees in the alley at the back of the power station.
    â€˜Well, what have we here? Where did you come from, little freak?’
    I look up and I’m filled with panic. Stepping out from behind a collection of maybe a dozen big green wheely bins is a crazy-looking man, with a long, tangled beard and a nasty look in his eye. Dressed in a tattered coat and a beanie holding back his lank, grey hair, the guy has scars on both cheeks and a tattoo of a Frankenstein bolt on the side of his neck. He might be the most frightening person I have ever seen – including some of my school teachers.
    I stand and try to look Heroic. In fact, I suspect I just zap helplessly in and out of visibility. The man giggles – a manic, high-pitched giggle.
    â€˜Well, you don’t seem to know whether you’re here or not, little fella. The truth is, you’ll wish you weren’t, because I like the look of that silver cape thing you’re wearing. I reckon that might make a good blanket. Hand it over, kid.’
    I’m terrified. All my imagined first encounters with dangerous types had them cowering in the wake of my Heroic presence, not the other way around. But I’m also not happy about the idea of handing over my cape. That would be too humiliating.
    I try to puff out my chest. I try to stop my focus wavering so wildly.
    â€˜Stay back and I won’t hurt