by Alesha Dixon
“Here goes nothing, Bright Sparks,” Kizzy whispered, climbing the steps up to the entrance. “Fred, you’re on.”
Fred saluted her before disappearing into the crowds of the museum, while the four of us wandered calmly round the room. I stopped and pretended to admire a whale skeleton, suddenly feeling sick with nerves. What if we couldn’t pull this off? What if someone caught us and I got all the Bright Sparks into trouble? Mum would ground me FOR EVER.
“Everything will be fine,” Kizzy said gently, even though I hadn’t said a word. “Stop worrying.”
“How do you do that? Can you read my mind?” I whispered.
“No. But I am your best friend, so that’s kind of the same thing.”
After a few minutes, Fred appeared at my side wearing a smug expression. He slipped a key card into my hand.
“Nicely done!” I exclaimed as quietly as possible. “How did you do it?”
He shrugged. “Took it from a security guard in the lift. The rest is up to you guys.”
“Ready, everyone? Let’s go,” Kizzy said determinedly, leading the way up the steps towards Dad’s office.
When we reached the right floor, Kizzy swung into action, seeking out someone who worked at the museum and asking if they could kindly fetch Professor Henry Beam for her, while on the other side of the room the rest of us huddled round a display of what looked like grey pebbles with our backs to her, waiting for the next part of the plan.
“Do you think these are actually important rocks?” Suzie asked, peering through the glass. “Or do you think someone just picked these up from their drive and told Professor Beam a bunch of lies?”
“I think that Aurora’s dad, with all his many degrees, knows whether they’re just rocks from someone’s drive or not,” Georgie pointed out.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Dad come into the room through one of the “Staff Only” doors. His face lit up when he saw Kizzy.
“Hello, Kizzy!” he said brightly. “What are you doing here?”
“I don’t know whether Aurora told you, but I’m taking a lot of new subjects this term and one of them is an extra science module. I thought I’d come here for some research.”
“What a brilliant way to spend your holiday! Research is excellent for relaxation,” Dad said enthusiastically, causing Suzie to bury her head in her hands. “How can I help?”
“There’s a soil display on the lower floor which I just can’t seem to get my head round. Any chance you can spare a few minutes to explain it to me?”
“Kizzy,” he said, puffing out his chest proudly. “I couldn’t think of anything I’d like to do more. If only Aurora showed this kind of interest in soil! Follow me.”
As he marched out of the room towards the stairs, Kizzy glanced back over her shoulder to wink at us before disappearing from view. I nodded to Georgie.
“Go, go, go!”
Georgie gave me a thumbs up before heading towards the lone security guard, who was yawning at the entrance to the room. Suzie, Fred and I watched as she greeted him and then reached into her bag, pulling out a handful of sparkly sunglasses.
“These are the latest design in security guard sunglasses,” we overheard her telling him as he examined each pair eagerly. “Rumour has it that the head of MI5 has a pair of these ones. Notice the diamante detail on the rim of the lenses. I actually applied those myself and I think they’d really suit you.”
“He’s distracted: you’re good to go,” Fred whispered. “I’ll call if your dad comes back; keep your phone on you.”
“Gotcha,” I said, before Suzie and I sneaked towards the door my dad had emerged from.
I tried not to look at the large “AUTHORISED ACCESS ONLY” sign as we did a final glance to make sure no one had spotted us, swiping the key card and slipping through the door as the light turned green.
I led Suzie to Dad’s office, remembering exactly where it was from the times we’d visited him before. It was in a messy state, with books, files and pens all over the desk. I guess Alexis was following in Dad’s footsteps when it came to office maintenance.
“Where do you think the book is?” Suzie asked, wrinkling her nose at the mess.
“I know exactly where it is,” I told her, crouching down at his desk. “Clara told me he keeps it in the bottom drawer.”
I pulled at the bottom drawer but it wouldn’t come out. I tried again, rattling the handle.
“It’s locked!” I said, my heart sinking. “What are we going to do?”
“Step aside, Lightning Girl,” Suzie said in a bored voice.
She whipped a couple of hair pins out from her perfectly sleek ponytail and stretched them out, before slipping them carefully into the lock and twiddling them about. There was a satisfying click and the drawer pulled open to reveal a very large, battered book on precious stones.
“Where did you learn to pick locks?” I asked in awe.
“I guess hanging out with Fred has some advantages,” she explained. “The more important question to ask here is, why on earth does your dad bother locking up old books? Is he seriously that much of a nerd?”
I smiled, carefully slipping the book into my bag. “According to Clara, there are only a few of these editions in the world. Mr Mercury may have had one of them.”
We made our way back down the corridor and to the door that led through to the display room. I turned to Suzie.
“You know what to do.”
She took a deep breath, composing herself. “Count me in.”
“5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1.”
She slipped through the door, shutting it behind her and I waited, listening to the sudden gasps and shouts as chaos began. After a minute I heard a soft tap on the door and I pulled it open to find Fred grinning behind it.
“She’s doing a brilliant job,” he whispered as I managed to come back through the door without anyone noticing, thanks to Suzie’s current display of her gymnastics routine.
The security guard that Georgie had been talking to was now completely distracted by Suzie cartwheeling in very close proximity to the priceless artefacts. While she continued her routine, the rest of us headed out of the room and down the stairs to the exit, Fred texting Kizzy as we went. She soon appeared behind us and we calmly walked out of the museum, waiting for Suzie to join us.
Moments later, she was escorted out by the security guard.
“You really think the routine was that good,” she was saying, as he nodded reluctantly.
“Excellent. You’re sure to win the competition. But please don’t practise in the museum ever again.”
She promised she wouldn’t and came over to join us, a smile spreading across her face.
“Bright Sparks, we did it!” She laughed, throwing her arm around Georgie as we all beamed at each other. “Mission complete.”
11
“And where exactly have you been?”
I froze in the doorway. Mum was waiting in the hall, her arms folded and her mobile phone clutched in one hand. She did not look happy.
Uh oh.
“Oh, hey there, Mum!” I squeaked. “I was just at Kizzy’s.”
“Were you?”
“Yep.”
“You were at Kizzy’s house down the road.”
“Uh-huh! Just like I told you this morning.”
“I see. And did you have a nice time at Kizzy’s house?”
“Yeah, a great time!” I nodded vigorously. “Kizzy’s mum made us some food and we did some homework together and then we watched a movie.”
“That sounds lovely.”
“It really was.”
There was a moment of silence before Mum pursed her lips together.
“The thing is, Aurora, I’ve just had a nice chat with Kizzy’s mum.”
A shiver ran down my spine. Oh no. THINK BRAIN, THINK.
“You … you did?”
“Yes, I did,” she responded calmly. “And according to her, you weren’t at Kizzy’s house.”
> “Oh… um… well, we were upstairs and she was downstairs, so maybe she didn’t realize…”
“That’s strange. She told me that Kizzy had told her she was going to Georgie’s house.”
“Ah, yes, right, hang on, I’ve been so stupid,” I said with a high-pitched nervous laugh. “I meant to say, Georgie’s house. Kizzy and I were at Georgie’s house. Silly me! Always get those two mixed up. They’re so … well, they have similar … hair and stuff.”
WORK HARDER, BRAIN.
She narrowed her eyes at me as I attempted to swallow the lump in my throat. I could feel the beads of sweat form on my forehead under her glare. Where do parents learn to look at you like this?! They must take some kind of class.
“Interestingly,” Mum continued, “after I spoke to her, Kizzy’s mum phoned Georgie’s parents and then Georgie’s parents had to call Suzie’s parents because Georgie had said she’d be at Suzie’s house.”
“Did she?” I croaked. “Right, Suzie’s house, oh my goodness, my brain is just going bonkers. Suzie’s house is where we were. I don’t know why I keep getting so mixed up. Is it hot in this hallway?”
“And then Suzie’s parents had to call Fred’s parents because Suzie said she’d be at Fred’s house,” Mum said, ignoring me, her voice getting more and more strained. “And Fred’s parents went up to his room, where he was supposed to be grounded, doing his homework and there was a note on his bed.” She paused, staring me down. “Do you know what the note said, Aurora?”
“Ummmm…”
“The note said that Fred had gone to Aurora’s house.”
I desperately tried to think of something to say as she held up her phone.
“I just got off the phone to Fred’s parents. I told them that Fred was, in fact, not here and hadn’t been all day. So” – she stepped forward – “do you want to tell me exactly what the Bright Sparks were up to today? Because clearly you were up to something, even though you promised me that you would stay out of trouble since I picked you up from PRISON just a few weeks ago.”
She towered over me as my brain completely shut down, giving me no help at all.
“I… I…’
“Hello, Kiyana!”
A voice rang out behind me and I spun round to see Aunt Lucinda bustling through the front door with Alfred stomping in behind her.
“Lucinda, what are you doing here?” Mum asked, frowning.
“I’m afraid I have come to confess.” She sighed, leaning against the door frame so that Alfred could get around her.
Mum and I did the same, flattening ourselves up against the wall as Alfred stalked down the hallway and into the kitchen. A few moments later there was the sound of something being smashed on to the floor.
“What exactly are you here to confess, Lucinda?” Mum asked, grimacing as another crash followed. “And make it quick. I don’t want my kitchen to be entirely destroyed by your sidekick.”
Widening my eyes, I tried to wordlessly beg Aunt Lucinda not to tell Mum anything.
“I acted as the chauffeur today for Aurora and the rest of her school friends,” she admitted.
My heart sank. I was busted. Aunt Lucinda didn’t know what we’d been doing at the Natural History Museum but there was no chance that Mum would believe any story I told her about all of us just fancying a day out there. And as soon as Dad told her that he’d bumped into Kizzy, she would likely guess that had been a distraction technique. I would have to tell her the truth.
“And where did you drive them?” Mum asked, her eyes narrowing.
“Sorry, Aurora,” Aunt Lucinda sighed, looking at me earnestly. “I have to tell your mother the truth. It is what family does. I can’t break her trust.”
I bowed my head, staring at my shoes and waited for the lecture and punishment to begin. Aunt Lucinda took a deep breath.
“Aurora and some of her friends were helping me to steal back the Dream Diamond,” she blurted out.
Mum’s jaw dropped to the floor.
“You WHAT?”
“Yes, yes, I know, Kiyana,” Aunt Lucinda said breezily, “it’s a bad idea to get children involved in stealing a precious jewel.”
“YOU THINK?”
“I thought it might be quite a fun mission for Aurora and her friends; you know, something to keep them occupied during their half term.”
“You thought stealing would be a fun thing to keep them occupied?” Mum cried, looking as though she might explode.
“Now, now, Kiyana, lower your voice. The neighbours will hear! And besides, it’s not stealing when the Dream Diamond belongs to me in the first place, as you very well know. It was in our family for years—”
“It never belonged to our family!” Mum interrupted angrily. “Our great-aunt took it from—”
“And then I merely took back what was rightfully mine before you took it from me once again—” Aunt Lucinda continued, ignoring her.
“It was never rightfully yours!”
“I imagine you want it for yourself, as is so often the way with older sisters…”
“HOW DARE YOU! I gave it back to the auction house you stole it from all those years ago!”
“Anyway, let’s not hold grudges, darling. I’ll forgive you this one,” Aunt Lucinda said, waving her hand as Mum’s eyes bulged out of her head. “Now, you can’t blame darling Aurora for helping her aunt, can you? After all, I didn’t tell her what the plan was when we left today. I happily used my power of charm to get her to join me. So that’s that.”
“Lucinda—” Mum said through gritted teeth, clenching her fists.
“Kiyana, the Bright Sparks failed me. They were unable to find the diamond. You and that dusty auction house have hidden it splendidly. The diamond is safe and sound, and here we are –” she placed her hands on my shoulders – “also safe and sound. No harm done. How about you forgive me, much like I’ve just forgiven you for robbing me of a priceless heirloom?”
I really felt that Aunt Lucinda might be pushing her luck but I didn’t say anything because in that moment, I couldn’t have been more grateful for her and her bonkers cover up story.
There was a loud crash from the kitchen and Mum buried her head in her hands.
“You look like you could do with a cup of tea, darling,” Aunt Lucinda said, tilting her head sympathetically. “Let’s go and put the kettle on before Alfred destroys that too.”
Mum turned around to head towards the kitchen in a daze, too tired to fight her sister any more. Aunt Lucinda waited until she was a safe distance away and then leaned in towards me.
“I hope whatever you took today was worth the hours of lectures I’ll be receiving from your mum,” she whispered into my ear.
I smiled warmly up at her. “It is. I promise. Thanks, Aunt Lucinda.”
*
That night, I stayed up late reading through the book using the soft glow of light from my palm. My eyes were getting tired and heavy, and I was sliding further and further down into the comfy soft pillows every minute, when I suddenly came upon a passage that made me sit bolt upright.
It was just what I had been looking for.
12
“Wait a minute,” JJ said, holding up his hands. “You STOLE from the Natural History Museum?”
I shook my head at the screen.
“No, I didn’t steal from the museum. I stole from Dad. The book belongs to him. And I’m planning on putting it back, so it’s more like borrowing.”
“You know what? I can’t believe you’re doing cool stuff like stealing from museums, while I’m stuck inside writing an essay on the history and structure of glass,” he said grumpily.
Cherry made a face into her camera.
“Why are you writing an essay on glass?”
“I was practising my free kicks and I accidentally kicked the ball with slightly too much super strength.” He sighed. “It smashed through a window of the school science building, flew straight through the classroom and smashed right out of the window on th
e other side.”
Cherry’s jaw dropped.
“And the teachers STILL haven’t caught on that you have superpowers?”
“They think it was a freak accident. Anyway, because I destroyed loads of glass, I now have to write an essay about it.”
“That seems a bit unfair,” I reasoned. “It was an accident; you didn’t mean to break the windows.”
“Weeeeeell, that’s true, but in defence of my headmaster –” he hesitated – “I was skipping class at the time. I was supposed to be in a science lesson.”
Cherry laughed. “Not a very subtle crime then. Aurora, tell us more about this book! It sounds like you went to a lot of trouble to get it. It must be important.”
“I wasn’t sure whether it was going to be important at all, but then I came across this passage and, well” – I paused, taking a deep breath – “I think I’ve discovered a potential breakthrough about the Light of the World and its powers. And other precious stones too.”
Cherry’s eyes widened, and JJ broke into a grin.
“You mean, there really are more precious stones out there with superpowers. COOL!” JJ said, punching the air. “I want one!”
“Keep dreaming, JJ,” Cherry said, rolling her eyes. “What else did it say, Aurora?”
“Hang on,” I said, quickly jumping off my bed to shut my bedroom door.
Dad was outside in the garden with Aunt Lucinda and Alfred, but I still didn’t want to risk him overhearing my conversation. I was just closing it when Alexis appeared at the top of the stairs.
“Hey.” I smiled, waving at him. “You’re home!”
“Yep,” he nodded, rubbing his eyes, leaning on the banister as he hauled himself up to the top step, “I’m home.”
“I thought you were at Vermore Enterprises today. Dad said you left this morning.”
“I did, but Mr Vermore insisted I have the day off.”
“Looks to me like you need it. You’ve been working so hard all half term,” I pointed out. “Cherry and JJ are on a call if you want to say hi?”
