Superpower Showdown

by Alesha Dixon

  I pushed them up my nose now as Suzie held out her phone to show us a picture online of Mr Mercury and Selena Silicon being escorted by police from a van towards a prison.

  “It’s all over the news,” she said. “The crown has been returned to the Queen. I hope Mr Mercury never gets out of prison again. I can’t believe that his sister was in on it, too! I wonder how Nanny Beam caught them both.”

  “I can’t help but feel sorry for Mrs Silicon,” Georgie said. “She was so nice and she must be so upset with both her children.”

  “Nanny Beam actually filled me in on that side of things,” I revealed with a smile. “Mrs Silicon is furious. She told Nanny Beam that she’s going to visit them in prison every day and for the whole visitor’s hour, for each of them, she’s going to practise her recorder right in their ears.”

  The Bright Sparks all grimaced.

  “I can’t say they don’t deserve it,” Kizzy said.

  “Mrs Silicon also told Nanny Beam that we were delightful,” I added. “Georgie, she said if you ever need help with any alterations or sewing for your future fashion shows, she’d like to be considered.”

  “Noted,” Georgie said. “The summer fashion show I’m organizing is just around the corner. I’m going to need all the help I can get over the holiday.”

  “Mr Mercury is in prison, the crown is back with the Queen and, most importantly…” Kizzy lowered her voice, glancing round to make sure no other students were listening. “The Light of the World has been returned to its rightful place. It’s all worked out in the end and MI5 didn’t even need our help.”

  I smiled to myself as the others nodded in agreement.

  Fred sighed. “I have to admit that when you told us Nanny Beam had returned the stone, Aurora, I felt a little disappointed.”

  “You did?”

  “Yeah. It’s great and everything, but I wish I could have been there to see it, you know?”

  “I know what you mean,” Suzie said, getting a dreamy look on her face. “Imagine being under the Northern Lights and watching the most precious stone in the world be returned to its rightful place. It’s like a scene from a movie. It must have been amazing.”

  “Yeah.” Kizzy smiled at me sympathetically. “I’m sorry you were too sick to go with her to return it, Aurora. That must have been rubbish.”

  “It’s OK,” I said hurriedly. “I’m just happy to be back at school with the Bright Sparks. Everything is back to normal and we don’t have anything to worry about except homework.”

  “True.” Suzie smiled, closing her eyes and lifting her face to the sun. “As Nanny Beam always says, we should enjoy the peace, calm and positive energy of these sun rays. Let our souls blossom and regenerate our light within.”

  We all sat in thoughtful silence, Suzie’s lovely words hanging in the air.

  The silence lasted for precisely five seconds before Fred reached for something in his bag and then jumped to his feet, holding a super-soaker water gun.

  “SURPRISE ATTACK!” he yelled, aiming it straight at Suzie and drenching her.

  Suzie screamed, attracting the attention of everyone outside, who all looked over to see what was going on.

  “I’M GOING TO KILL YOU!” Suzie raged, her wet hair plastered to her face, as Fred roared with laughter.

  He stopped laughing though when she ran full pelt at him, managing to wrestle the super soaker from his hands and chasing him round the yard, getting him back. Students began to cheer as the two of them ran round and round in circles and I even saw Mrs Prime, the head mistress, stifling some giggles before she called out for them both to “stop messing around”.

  “What was that Suzie was saying about peace and calm?” Kizzy asked, shaking her head at them.

  “So, Aurora, what are you going to do without a mission to focus on?” Georgie asked, sniggering as Suzie got Fred right in the face just as he was turning around to ask her to let him catch his breath. “Now that Mr Mercury has finally been tracked down and, as you say, everything is back to normal, don’t you think you’ll get bored?”

  “Nah.” I grinned. “I’m all right. Knowing Lightning Girl and the Bright Sparks, another adventure will find us soon enough. Until then, I’m happy to just be me.”

  I closed my eyes, feeling the warmth of the sunshine on my face, listening to Georgie and Kizzy burst into a fresh round of laughter as Fred frantically raced past, Suzie hot on his heels.

  Everything was just as it should be.

  Epilogue

  In the darkness, Nolan Vermore lay on the rock-hard mattress and stared up at the grey ceiling. He closed his eyes and exhaled deeply, wondering how everything could have gone so wrong.

  He had been so close to ultimate power. So close to having everything he dreamed of in his grasp. And then that Beam girl had ruined everything. A member of his own family, no less.

  Now, he was stuck here. In a tiny cell of the most secure prison in the world. He was so bored. There was nothing to do, the food was disgusting, and he’d hardly been able to sleep a wink, the room smelt so damp and his bed was too uncomfortable.

  And considering he’d lived in a cave for decades, that was really saying something.

  At least they’d put him in an empty underground cell, so that he could be in the pitch black. He supposed that was considered a punishment in most people’s eyes, but Nolan still couldn’t bear the light.

  He lifted his hand right up to his face and opened his eyes to examine his palm. He could make out more of the thin, dark, jagged lines protruding from his sunken skin.

  His door suddenly opened, and someone stepped in, closing the door firmly behind them.

  Nolan sat up and squinted through the darkness.

  “Who are you?” he barked. “Who’s there?”

  “Hello, Nolan,” came the reply.

  “What’s going on?”

  “I’m here to talk to you. I have a feeling that we can help each other.”

  “What?” Nolan frowned. “Who are you?”

  “You see,” the voice continued, “I visited your son, Darek, when he was in prison. He gave me some very useful information. I think that I may be able to help you and, in return, you may be able to help me.”

  Nolan slowly got up from his bed and peered into the gloom. This stranger’s voice gave him a very uncomfortable feeling and it took Nolan a few moments to work out exactly what that alien feeling was: fear. He hadn’t felt afraid of anyone in a very long time. Usually, everyone was afraid of him.

  Not this visitor, though.

  “Who are you?” Nolan demanded once more, too nervous to approach them.

  The stranger stepped forward and as they got closer, Nolan saw their face. He gasped.

  “You,” he whispered.

  “Yes, Nolan,” the visitor replied, a thin smile appearing on their lips. “It’s me.”

  Acknowledgements

  I can’t believe we are on book 4! The journey has been amazing! I have so many people to thank for making this dream possible. It takes a fabulous team of driven, focused, creative people to make something a success and I feel like the luckiest girl to have the most exceptional team of people around me that are a joy to work with! :) Lauren Fortune, Aimee Stewart, Mary Jones, Kate Graham, Eishar Brar and the whole team at Scholastic; Katy Birchall, Lauren Gardner, Steve Simpson, James Lancett and Rob Parkinson.

  Thank you from the bottom of my heart! Lightning Girl has been one of the most fun projects I have worked on in a long time and it’s down to all of you for making it so special. We set out to inspire young readers but I too have been inspired and motivated to keep creating fabulous stories that make a real difference.

  A big thank you to the A Team, friends and family for your continued love and support. And thank you once again to all the readers who make it all worthwhile!

  Love and light,

  Alesha X

  Photo by John Wright

  Alesha Dixon first found fame as part of Brit-nominated
and Mobo Award-winning group Mis-teeq, which achieved 2 platinum albums and 7 top ten hits, before going on to become a platinum-selling solo artist in her own right. Alesha’s appearance on Strictly Come Dancing in 2007 led to her winning the series and becoming a judge for three seasons.

  Since then she has presented and hosted many TV shows including CBBC dance show Alesha’s Street Dance Stars, Children In Need, Sport Relief and BBC1’s The Greatest Dancer. She is a hugely popular judge on Britain’s Got Talent.

  “ My inspiration to create a superhero called Lightning Girl began with wanting my young daughter to feel empowered. It’s been a dream to create a strong role model that any child can look up to - I want my readers to see themselves in Aurora, who is dealing with trouble at home and trouble at school alongside her new powers.

  I also have a love of precious stones and their healing properties; I have always been fascinated with their spectacular colours and the positive energy that they bring. As human beings we are always searching for something greater within ourselves and a deeper meaning to life and it’s my belief that we all have a light within us that can effect change and bring good to the world … we just have to harness it! :)

  Enter Aurora Beam! ”

  Photo by Ian Arnold

  Katy Birchall is the author of the side-splittingly funny The It Girl: Superstar Geek, The It Girl: Team Awkward, The It Girl: Don’t Tell the Bridesmaid and the Hotel Royale series, Secrets of a Teenage Heiress and Dramas of a Teenage Heiress. Katy also works as a freelance jounalist and has written a non-fiction book, How to be a Princess: Real-Life Fairy Tales for Modern Heroines.

  Katy won the 24/7 Theatre Festival Award for Most Promising New Comedy Writer with her very serious play about a ninja monkey at a dinner party.

  When she isn’t busy writing, she is reading biopics of Jane Austen, daydreaming about being an elf in The Lord of the Rings, or running across a park chasing her rescue dog, Bono, as he chases his arch nemesis: squirrels.

  Look out for Katy’s brand new series, coming out in autumn 2019:

  MORGAN CHARMLEY: TEEN WITCH

  Playing an elaborate practical joke on your pals, ideally involving some ants-in-their-pants

  Hanging out at a cool café, people watching and secretly listening in on conversations

  Playing in a football tournament – you’re very competitive

  Going clothes shopping to pick the perfect outfit

  Spending the entire day in the library – bliss

  Practising your gymnastic routine until it’s perfect

  Eating biscuits

  Hiding behind a door ready to jump out at someone and give them a fright

  Plugging in your headphones to listen to your favourite music – you’re a bit cool for all this childish chat

  Showing off trying to impress everyone by lifting up the kitchen table one-handed

  Raiding your host’s wardrobe upstairs to see if they’ve got any fabulous accessories you can borrow

  Sitting quietly behind the sofa with a really good book

  Trying to organize a dance off, secretly convinced you’ll be the winner

  Sniffing everyone’s pockets trying to find biscuits

  A fun-loving hyena

  A cool and collected cat

  A brave and loud lion

  A perfectly styled peacock

  A quiet and clever owl

  An athletic and graceful gazelle

  A dog, obviously

  Beware the Joker in the Pack

  Looking to the Future

  I Break Down Walls for Breakfast

  Saving the Day In Style

  The Pen is Mightier than the Sword

  I’m a Top of the Leaderboard Type

  Will Be Brave For Biscuits

  Catch up on Aurora

  Beam’s other adventures !

  Scholastic Children’s Books

  An imprint of Scholastic Ltd

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  SCHOLASTIC and associated logos are trademarks and or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc.

  First published in the UK by Scholastic Ltd, 2019

  This electronic edition published by Scholastic Ltd, 2019

  Text copyright © Alesha Dixon, 2019

  Cover artwork by Steve Simpson © Scholastic, 2019

  Cover characters by James Lancett represented by

  the Bright Agency © Scholastic, 2019

  Inside illustrations by Rob Parkinson in the style of James Lancett

  represented by the Bright Agency © Scholastic, 2019

  The right of Alesha Dixon to be identified as the

  author of this work has been asserted by her.

  eISBN 978 1407 19482 0

  A CIP catalogue record for this work is available from the British Library.

  All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of Scholastic Limited.

  Produced in India by Newgen

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, incidents and dialogues are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

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