‘Sort who out?’
‘Starlings, five of them in my loft, wish I’d never started the Flying Squad, more trouble than it’s worth.’
‘The same five as before?’
‘Naw. This is the second watch.’
‘It’s hard to believe five small birds could make all that noise.’
‘You should have heard the din when all fifteen of them were in my loft the first morning. I never expected it to be like this, I thought they’d just come in one at a time to report.’
‘Can’t you put someone in charge of each squad?’
‘I did, but I think I chose the wrong ones… Crosspatch grumbles all the time, Bicker argues and Dazzle, who’s leader of the third squad, is too busy admiring himself to take any notice of what’s going on around him. Come up and sort them out, please.’
Jack smiled. It wasn’t often Camelin asked nicely for anything.
‘Let me get dressed first.’
‘No, you need to come now, I know they’ve got something important to say and they’ll listen to you.’
Jack sighed. Meeting a squad of starlings in his pyjamas wasn’t something he particularly wanted to do but he could hear the urgency in Camelin’s voice.
‘I’ll meet you upstairs.’
‘I’ll come back in when they’re quiet so they won’t know I came to get you. Say you’ve come to talk to me and ask where I am. OK?’
‘OK.’
‘Thanks Jack… I owe you one.’
Jack put on his slippers and made his way up to the loft. Not only were the five starlings squawking and bickering with each other but there was a lot of tail pecking and beak prodding going on too.
‘What’s the meaning of this?’ Jack shouted loudly. His voice had the same effect as before. All of the starlings froze. Jack pulled himself into the loft and sat looking at the silent squad. ‘Bicker, step forward, and give your report.’
Four of the birds gave a sideways glance to one of the group. The starling they were looking at stepped forward.
‘Bicker?’ asked Jack.
The starling nodded and was about to speak when Camelin flew in through the open window.
‘Ah! Sergeant Bicker, you have some news for me?’
Both Jack and Bicker looked at Camelin but neither of them spoke.
‘Come on, let’s have it then.’
‘There’s going to be a meeting this morning in Max’s garden, they’re all going to be there.’
‘They are,’ the other four starlings agreed.
‘Do you know what this meeting’s about?’
Another starling stepped forward to join Bicker.
‘My watch, Danny, went to call for Techno, that’s Twizzle’s watch, and Danny told Techno they were going to sort out the final plan… isn’t that right Twizzle?’
Jack looked at the starling that was nodding vigorously.
‘And…?’ grumbled Camelin.
‘Well I heard my watch, Tank, telling Digger’s watch Benbow, it was going to be about how Max can get his own back on Jack and Elan… didn’t I Digger?’
‘You did Grudge, you did, I was there, I heard it all.’
Camelin sighed. He fixed each starling in turn with his angry look.
‘Sergeant Crosspatch gave me that report yesterday.’
‘But Tank said they were going for Elan first,’ said Grudge.
Digger nodded in agreement.
‘They’re sorting out the where, when and how this morning. Our two watches are on their way to see Max now.’
‘So are Danny and Techno,’ squawked Twizzle.
‘Anyone got anything else to add?’ asked Camelin as he strutted up and down in front of the five starlings. He waited but none of them spoke.
Jack felt grateful to the starlings. If he could find out what was going to happen he could make his own plan and warn Elan too.
‘Do you think Nora would mind if we flew over to Max’s house. I think I’d like to listen in on that meeting?’
‘Don’t see why not. You go and ask her while I debrief the squad.’
By the time Jack was back in his room the squabbling had started all over again. As he dressed he saw Camelin swoop past the window. He must have given up on the debriefing.
Jack and Camelin flew the short distance from Ewell House to one of the estates on the outskirts of Newton Gill. As they circled above the garden of one of the big houses, Jack could see Bicker perched on the top of a summerhouse. He nodded to Jack and Camelin as they landed on the branch of an apple tree that overhung the bottom of Max’s garden. It wasn’t long before Grudge and Digger joined Bicker. They all watched as Max came down the garden and waited for Tank and Benbow to cross the grass from the back gate. Jack wondered if they’d be able to hear what was being said from their hiding place, especially if the gang decided to go inside. Max signalled for the other two to sit down before pacing up and down in front of them.
‘Where are Danny and Techno? We can’t start without them.’
‘They’re on their way,’ replied Tank.
‘Good, we’ve got a lot to do before Sunday.’
Camelin hunched his wings.
‘What’s so special about Sunday?’ he whispered.
Jack shook his head for Camelin to be quiet; he didn’t want to miss anything Max might say. It wasn’t long before Danny and Techno arrived. The pair looked strange together. Danny was tall with long black lanky hair that flopped around his face. Techno was about the same size as Jack and everything about him looked neat and tidy. Max looked excited to see them.
‘Sit down so we can get started. You know why we’re meeting. This is top secret. No one is to tell anyone else… understood?’
Max waited for them all to nod before continuing.
‘We’re going to teach that stupid girl a lesson… we’re going to make sure she shows me some respect in future.’
‘How we gonna do that Max?’ asked Tank.
‘That’s why we’re meeting, so we can work that out.’
Tank sniggered.
‘If Benbow and Danny held her I could hit her, she wouldn’t like that.’
Max shook his head.
‘We’ve got to think of something better than that, besides, just hitting her isn’t going to work, we’d get in trouble and then she’d be smirking again. It needs to be subtle.’
Tank looked puzzled.
‘What’s subtle?’
‘Something clever but not obvious,’ explained Techno.
‘Precisely,’ agreed Max. ‘We want her to know it’s us but we don’t want to be seen… any ideas?’
‘We could ambush her and hit her from behind,’ suggested Tank, ‘she wouldn’t see us then.’
‘It’s got to be something worse than hitting,’ snapped Max.
They looked thoughtful. Max paced up and down until Benbow raised his hand.
‘My little brother’s got a story book about a rabbit…’
‘A rabbit?’ shouted Max. ‘This had better be good, what’s a rabbit got to do with anything?’
Benbow gulped and sat very still.
‘Well? I’m waiting.’
Jack thought he could see Benbow’s hands trembling. He clasped them together before continuing.
‘Well, the rabbit was always annoying a fox who wanted to get his own back so he makes a baby out of tar and the rabbit gets stuck on it. When he finally gets free he rolls in some leaves and they stick to him. I just thought we could do something like that.’
Tank and Danny laughed so much they began to roll around on the ground. Benbow looked uncomfortable again but Max ignored them all. He seemed lost in thought. Tank thumped Benbow on the back.
‘That’s a good one! A wickle wabbit… ah!’
‘Shut up Tank,’ snapped Max, ‘I’m trying to think.’
Tank abruptly stopped laughing.
‘Got your notebook?’ Max asked Techno.
The small boy pulled a pad and pencil from his pocket.
/>
‘Right,’ said Max, ‘this is what we’re going to do… Danny’s going to find the best location on the back lane for an ambush.’
Jack could see Tank smile.
‘Benbow, you’re going to get enough syrup to fill a bucket.’
Everyone looked at Benbow who began nodding at Max.
‘What d’you want me to do Max?’ asked Tank.
‘You’re going to get a pillowcase full of feathers. Think you can do that?’
‘Yeah, no problem.’
‘And Techno is going to make us a contraption that’ll tip syrup all over the stupid girl. She won’t see us because we’ll be able to control it from the other side of the hedge. Tank, you’ll be ready on the opposite side to put the pillowcase over her head. We’ll syrup and feather her. She won’t know what’s hit her and while she’s cleaning it all off she’ll have plenty of time to think twice about annoying me again.’
There was silence from the gang as Max looked from one to the other. When Techno finished writing he looked up.
‘Did you get all that?’
Techno nodded.
‘And can you build what we need?’
Again Techno nodded before finally speaking.
‘I’ll need to go with Danny to find the right place before I start making something.’
‘Great, we’ll meet on the Back Lane, ready for action on Sunday afternoon. The whole of Glasruhen will be at the Cricket Club and she’ll have to come out sometime. That weedy boyfriend of hers will be at the match with his grandad so she’s bound to meet him there, only she’ll not turn up ’cos she’ll be too busy cleaning syrup and feathers off, won’t she!’
Max laughed loudly, which seemed to be the cue for the rest of the gang to laugh too. Jack could see Techno and Benbow weren’t laughing as hard as Tank and Danny. He wondered if Benbow was regretting mentioning the story about the rabbit. Jack looked across at the five starlings. He was very grateful they’d taken their duties so seriously. Camelin’s Flying Squad had been a brilliant idea. Max had been right about the match on Sunday, he was going to be there with his grandad. At least now they knew what was being planned, Elan could avoid the back lane, or stay at Ewell House instead of going to the Cricket Club.
‘See you later,’ said Danny as he got up to go.
Techno and Benbow got up too and the three of them walked in silence across the grass towards the gate.
‘Brilliant plan, Max,’ said Tank.
Max didn’t say anything but Jack could see he was smirking.
‘Better get off too, see ya later.’
Max turned and walked back towards the house. Tank didn’t leave; instead he walked over to one of the flowerbeds, bent over, and picked up a few small stones. He came back to the shed and started throwing them at the starlings on the roof. There were shrieks and ear-piercing cries as the five birds took off. One of the stones clipped Twizzle’s wing and slightly knocked him off balance. The birds swerved and turned together in mid-air before heading straight back towards Tank. One by one they dive-bombed him. Jack had seen Camelin in action before and the starling’s aim was just as good. In no time Tank was splattered. With a loud triumphant shriek the birds flew off to the safety of a nearby tree. Jack laughed. It served Tank right. That might teach him not to throw stones at birds. A loud buzzing sound made Jack and Tank look towards the trees, a very large bee came into sight. Jack could see this wasn’t an ordinary bee, it had the body of a very angry looking fairy and it was heading straight for Tank.
‘Come on,’ called Camelin. ‘Race you back.’
Jack let Camelin go on ahead. By the time he flew into the kitchen, Camelin had already reached the part where the fairy bee was chasing Tank.
‘Ah! Veronica!’ laughed Nora. ‘She can’t stand injustice. She’ll be watching him closely from now on.’
Elan laughed.
‘If he bothers you again Jack, just make a buzzing noise, he’ll soon run away!’
Jack tried to imitate Veronica and Camelin joined in.
‘That’s enough you two,’ said Nora, ‘we’ve got things to discuss.’
Jack transformed and tried out his new visualisation skill.
‘You’ve mastered that, haven’t you?’ said Nora, as Jack stood before her in his black tracksuit and trainers. ‘Now, shall we sit down?’
Jack looked at Elan. She didn’t look worried. He wondered if Camelin had told her everything they’d overheard.
‘Grandad and I can meet you at the gate on Sunday if you like. The gang wouldn’t dare do anything with him there.’
‘It’s not a problem,’ Elan reassured him. ‘I can take care of myself.’
Nora tapped her wand on the table.
‘Shall we begin? We want to hear everything that happened at Falconrock.’
Camelin hopped over to the open door.
‘I’ll be in my loft if you need me, Jack told me all about it on the way back and I don’t need to hear it all again.’
Jack smiled to himself as Camelin flew off before Nora could reply.
Nora nodded thoughtfully once Jack had finished speaking.
‘And you say the crystal chose you?’
‘My hand was pulled towards it but I wasn’t able to keep it.’
‘No one can possess or control crystal magic but it will come to your aid if you are ever in need. Let us hope you’re never in a position to need that kind of help.’
‘What about the knowledge from the book?’ asked Elan, ‘Can you remember any of it?’
‘Not a word but things I couldn’t possibly know just pop into my head. When I had my hand in the pool in the labyrinth I just knew the name of every crystal, and I knew what each one could do and what colour it was.’
‘From what you say, you absorbed the whole book. You’ll keep that knowledge now for the rest of your life and it will be there, like the crystal magic, whenever you might need it.’
Both Nora and Elan smiled.
‘You’re going to be a great king, Jack Brenin,’ said Elan.
Jack blushed. He felt a long way from being great.
‘You’d better go and get your things together; it’s almost time for you to go. Elan says you’re going to start collecting parts for the buggy today.’
Jack had forgotten all about the buggy. He’d been far too preoccupied with other things.
Jack felt a bit guilty as he walked through Nora’s garden. Elan was chatting away happily and Orin was riding on his shoulder. He knew Camelin was watching them. The buggy was already becoming a problem and Jack didn’t want to exclude Camelin but there was no way to include him, not while Grandad was there. It wasn’t the only problem on his mind.
‘You don’t have to come to the cricket match if you’d rather not,’ Jack told Elan as they walked through the tunnel to Grandad’s garden.
‘It’ll be fine, you’ll see.’
Jack knew they wouldn’t be able to discuss the matter any further when he saw Grandad in the garden. He called to them as they came out of the tunnel.
‘Hello you two! Come and look at what I’ve got.’
Jack and Elan stood at the shed door and waited for Grandad to unlock it. On the floor was a pile of wood, pieces of metal, thick rope and two tins of paint.
‘We’ll need to sort this lot out,’ Grandad told them. ‘I don’t know how much of it will be any good. The plans for the Comet are on the bench over there, I dug them out of the loft, so at least we’ve got something to work from.’
Jack went over and examined the plan. It was old and tatty at the edges. Someone had written, The Comet, across the top in thick capital letters. Underneath was a sketch of the finished buggy. It had four small wheels and a tapered body in the shape of a rocket. There were flames attached down both sides. The buggy had been coloured silver and its name had been written in blue capital letters across the front. The rest of the paper was covered in notes, drawings, crossings out and diagrams Jack didn’t understand.
‘Wha
t do you think?’ asked Grandad. ‘She was a beauty, flew like the wind she did.’
‘It looks great,’ said Jack with as much conviction as he could muster.
Elan came and stood beside him.
‘It’s brilliant.’
A broad smile spread across Grandad’s face.
‘Well, we might as well make a start. I’m going to enjoy this.’
AMBUSH
For the next two days, Jack and Elan helped Grandad sort through the scrap pile in his shed. By late Saturday afternoon the rubbish had been loaded into Grandad’s trailer.
‘If we get a move on I can make it to the tip with this lot before they close,’ he told them.
Jack looked at the inside of the shed. It was very tidy. All the useful bits of wood and metal had been laid out at the far end under the two shelves. Jack had levered off the tops of the paint tins and looked inside. There was plenty of blue, yellow and black paint, but the silver was no longer useable. They’d decided unanimously that the buggy would be blue and they’d use the black to paint the buggy’s name along each side.
‘Now are you sure you don’t want me to bring back a tin of silver?’ Grandad asked before he drove off.
‘It’s fine,’ Jack assured him. ‘I like blue.’
‘So do I,’ said Elan.
‘Well that’s settled then, blue it is.’
Once Grandad’s car and trailer had turned onto the road, Camelin swooped down from the tree opposite the open shed door. He swaggered past Jack and Elan and began an inspection of the inside of the shed.
‘Can’t see what all the fuss is about. Why’s it taken you so long to tidy this lot up?’
‘Before you say any more,’ interrupted Elan, ‘we couldn’t use magic to help.’
Camelin had a long grumble to himself before flying up onto the table and inspecting the plans.
‘Hmm! The Comet. I remember all the buggies from the past. Your grandad’s used to win all the time. Of course this is all going to be a waste of time, it won’t stand a chance this year.’
‘Whyever not?’ asked Elan.
‘Because I know what’s going on at Smedley’s yard.’
Jack and Elan exchanged looks.
The Jack Brenin Collection Page 70
