Another message flickered on Isabella’s phone. ‘I’ve been paired with Aleksander Larsen.’
‘You?’ Xavier was about to say more, until the look on his friends’ faces made him reconsider. ‘I mean, of course they’d pick you, I was just thinking that they’d …’
‘Choose you?’ Griffin helped him out.
‘No, well, I …’
Luckily for Xavier the bell rang and he was saved from embarrassing himself further.
‘Sorry, old mate.’ Griffin shuffled along the row. ‘We’ll have to hear more about you later.’
‘Oh, you will, Griffman,’ Xavier promised, following closely behind. ‘You will.’
Bea and Fly waved goodbye and hurried off. As Griffin joined the rush of students leaving the hall, he searched for Isabella, but it wasn’t until he reached the foyer that he found her.
Walking towards a waiting Aleksander Larsen.
With a dull ache in his chest, Griffin watched as Aleksander made a grand show of greeting her with a bow. He couldn’t hear what they were saying, but Isabella laughed and curtseyed in reply.
He and Isabella also had a mantra. On the first day of term, just before class, she’d say, ‘Reach for the stars, Griffin Fletcher’ and he’d reply, ‘Go forth and be great, Isabella Charm.’ They’d said it before the floods and now they were back at school, they’d begun saying it again.
Until today.
‘Don’t worry, Griffman.’ Xavier clapped him on the back. ‘I still love you.’
Griffin wriggled out of his hold. ‘I’d rather be strangled by a python.’
‘That’s funny, but I know you don’t mean it.’ Xavier whistled as he walked away, leaving Griffin alone.
Outside, dark clouds tumbled by in slow motion. A strong wind swept across the yard carrying with it flecks of ice. Even though Griffin was protected by the glass-domed foyer, he felt cold. He pulled his scarf higher against his cheeks and made his way to class.
Outside, in a waiting Armavan, Ruben had been placed in a cage. Ariella watched through tinted windows as Isabella and Aleksander headed along one glass walkway, while Griffin trudged down another.
‘So that’s Isabella Charm?’
Beside her sat a man in a low-slung hat and dark glasses. His face hidden in the shadows.
‘The very one.’
CHAPTER FOUR
A New Alliance
‘And this is one of my absolute favourites!’ Professor Singh was bursting with glee as she led her students past the robots in her lab. She was shortish and roundish with wiry, grey hair that floated around her head as if electrically charged. Her eyes were magnified by thick red-framed glasses, which made her seem constantly surprised.
‘This is Mathilda.’ She stopped in front of a small puppy sitting on a bench. ‘She looks and behaves exactly like a regular canine companion, but won’t eat your slippers or trample dog doo all over your favourite rug.’ She winced in disgust.
Reaching into the pocket of her lab coat, she took out a soft toy and threw it over the heads of the students. ‘Fetch, Tilly!’
Mathilda leapt off the bench and across the lab, zigzagging between students’ legs. She chomped on the toy before bringing it back and dropping it next to the professor’s yellow trainers. ‘Good girl.’
She scooped Mathilda up and held her close.
‘She’s the perfect pet. She doesn’t eat or bark and in a world where it’s often too dangerous to go outside, she doesn’t need walking. No mess or fuss, just an obedient, loyal friend.’ She pursed her lips and cooed as if speaking to a baby. ‘Isn’t that right, Tilly-willy?’
There were a few snickers as she nuzzled into Mathilda’s cheek before placing her back on the bench.
‘When I was a child,’ she said dreamily, ‘a world of robots was the stuff of science fiction and yet, here we are!’ She threw out her arms and Aleksander ducked, only just avoiding being whacked in the head.
‘You’re quick,’ Isabella whispered.
‘You have to be around here.’
The professor’s face darkened. ‘But some people aren’t happy having robots in our lives. They think they’ll malfunction, or take over the world.’ She dug her fists into her hips. ‘Humans have been in charge for centuries and look where that’s got us. Silly creatures with all those … those …’ She spun round sharply. ‘What are those things you feel?’
‘Emotions?’ Isabella guessed.
‘Yes! That’s them. Blasted things. Of course we need some emotions, like fear to make us run from angry possums, but what’s the point of all the others?’
She sighed, genuinely puzzled, but brightened at the sight of her lab. ‘Robots are supremely useful – from flying robots like drones and rescue eagles, to robots that build Armavans, clean our homes, operate on us and even explore space. They do the difficult or dangerous jobs humans don’t want to do, whilst being much more efficient.’ She eyed the machines adoringly. ‘Most of the time you don’t even know they’re there.’
She whirled around so suddenly that two of the students squealed.
‘You simply can’t escape them!’ Her wide eyes were even wider. ‘Come, there’s more!’
She led them to a robot wearing lemon overalls, with a neat ponytail and piercing green eyes that stared blankly into the distance.
‘This is Mabel.’ The professor looked even shorter and rounder beside the trim, tidy robot. ‘She’s a prototype and is almost finished. Isabella, why don’t you say hello?’
Isabella stepped forward and gazed at the lifeless figure. ‘Hello, Mabel.’
The robot immediately came to life and lifted her head. ‘Hello, Isabella.’
‘How did she know my name?’
‘She heard me say it,’ the professor said proudly. ‘Robots are programmed to learn fast and store everything they see and hear.’
Mabel held out her hand and Isabella took it. ‘It is very nice to meet you.’
‘Nice to meet you too.’ But when Isabella tried to withdraw her hand, the robot’s grip tightened. She tried again, but Mabel’s robotic hold became even firmer.
‘It is very nice to meet you,’ the robot repeated, her bright green eyes locked onto Isabella’s.
The more she tried to pull away the more she felt Mabel’s fingers crushing hers. Isabella felt a thud of panic. She tried to prise away the robot’s fingers but they wouldn’t budge.
Aleksander turned to Professor Singh. ‘Something’s wrong.’
‘It is very nice to meet you,’ Mabel droned.
‘Where’s the power switch?’
‘It’s … it’s … oh, where is it?’ The professor tapped her lips, trying to remember.
Isabella winced as pain shot through her fingers.
‘Behind her ear,’ the professor cried.
Aleksander pushed aside Mabel’s hair and pressed a small button. Her grip loosened and she lowered her arm.
‘Oh, my dear.’ The professor reached out to Isabella but wasn’t sure what to do with her hands, finally deciding to tuck them in her pockets instead. ‘Are you okay?’
Isabella cradled her hand. ‘I’m fine.’
Professor Singh slid her glasses along her nose. ‘I’m terribly sorry. Nothing like that has ever happened before.’ She looked mournfully at Mabel, as if she was losing a friend. ‘There must be a glitch. She’ll be sent back to engineering and thoroughly retested.’
The feeling slowly returned to Isabella’s fingers. ‘I’m okay. Really.’
‘Of course with any new technology there can be teething problems.’ Isabella could see the professor was still shaken. ‘Which is why it is so important we are here. To make sure the robots of the future are flawless and that nothing like … that, can ever happen. So let’s begin.’
For the next two hours, Professor Singh discussed the fundamentals of robotics at a frantic pace. Isabella glimpsed the students on either side of her who were taking notes and seemed to be keeping up, whereas she was lost.
‘Don’t worry,’ Aleksander said when he saw Isabella gripping her pen. ‘She gets carried away and forgets we don’t know as much as she does.’
When Professor Singh finished, she slumped over her bench with an exhausted sigh. ‘Brilliant, isn’t it? Now to your assignment. In pairs, you will create your own robot. The modelling software lets you design it, the robotics software will help you with programming and our 3D printers will bring your robot to life.’
She nodded towards a bank of 3D printers lining the back wall of the lab.
‘Your plans are due in a fortnight and your prototypes by the end of term. And I expect nothing less than brilliance!’
The class huddled before computers and began scribbling in notebooks. Isabella turned to Aleksander. ‘I’m sorry you’re stuck with me.’
‘Are you kidding? I was secretly hoping you’d be my partner.’
‘Why?’
‘Because you’re Isabella Charm! You survived in Grimsdon for three years after the floods. You are officially amazing.’
Isabella shifted uncomfortably. Up close, Aleksander was even more striking. His dark eyes lit up and his hair fell over his forehead in a ruffled wave. She looked away, worried she might be staring. ‘We did what we had to.’
‘You did more than that! To live in a flooded city takes courage and ingenuity.’
Other students began to stare and Isabella hoped Aleksander would lower his voice. ‘I wasn’t on my own.’
‘Well, of course, there was Xavier. He seems clever.’ Aleksander wore a sly grin. ‘And to have a very high opinion of himself.’
‘Xavier can be –’ Isabella searched for the right word ‘– confident, but he’s really clever and Griffin built the greenhouse and created energy from waves so we could have hot baths and –’
‘But it was you who fought bounty hunters and thugs.’
Isabella was never comfortable talking about herself. ‘Not alone.’
‘You stood up to the Major General and his army.’
‘The whole town did.’
‘You tamed a sea monster.’
‘Not tamed, exactly.’
‘Okay, but how many people have ridden a sea monster and lived?’
‘I …’ Isabella was stumped.
‘See? None, which means you’re officially my hero.’
Isabella could feel herself blushing. ‘I’m no one special, and I know nothing about robotics, so we should get started.’
‘Okay,’ Aleksander agreed. ‘But I’m still going to call you my hero.’
‘Only if you teach me about these robots.’
‘Deal. The software is easy to learn and I’m also a bit of a robot tragic, so I started designing one over the holidays. We can work on that if you like.’
Isabella felt relieved. ‘Deal.’
As he began explaining his project, Isabella hung on every word, while in a dark corner of the lab Mabel’s head hung low, her arms by her side, one hand clenched into a fist.
CHAPTER FIVE
Aeroball
‘Students and staff of the Academy, welcome to the term’s first official Aeroball challenge.’
In the centre of the sports dome was a hulking man with bulging biceps and a chest threatening to burst the buttons on his shirt. He was the sports teacher, Mr Mallet. He had a microphone headset and a ‘can do’ attitude that oozed from every pore.
Aeroball was the Academy’s most popular sport. Much like aerial soccer, two players each wore a flying machine called an ornithopter – a backpack with wings operated by a remote strapped to the wrist. The first to three goals won.
‘Aeroball can teach us to overcome our fears and keep our minds strong,’ Mr Mallet said as he placed his hand across his heart. ‘It also helps us discover our best selves.’
Griffin sat with the others in the stands. The nets were suspended four metres above the ground, which made him feel dizzy just looking at them. ‘What if this is the best self I have?’
‘We’ll still love you,’ Bea said, snuggling close.
‘But we also know you can do this.’ Fly wasn’t about to give up on him. None of them were.
Except Xavier, who was grilling Isabella about Aleksander. ‘What’s the secret project he was working on?’
‘He didn’t say.’
‘Did he talk about me?’
‘He said he enjoyed listening to your interviews about Grimsdon.’
‘He did?’ Xavier looked pleased.
‘Yes,’ Isabella said. ‘But not nearly as much as you enjoyed giving them.’
The others giggled, including Griffin, who felt better.
Until Mr Mallet’s voice dragged him back to the game.
‘Please welcome back last year’s champion, Tanesha Williams.’
Excited cheers filled the stadium as a young girl flew into the field of play. With a big smile and black braids dangling from beneath her helmet, she clutched the ball in one arm and waved with the other, the gentle flapping of her ornithopter keeping her aloft.
‘And her first opponent is …’ Mr Mallet activated a name generator on his phone. ‘Simran Arnu.’
A tall, gangly boy with a nervous grin hurried to the side of the arena, where Raffy and two other students strapped on his pack and remote. They clipped on his helmet and made final checks before Simran flew into place.
‘Let the games begin!’ Mr Mallet blew into a whistle around his neck.
It was soon clear why Tanesha was the current champion. She operated the ornithopter as if she’d worn one her whole life. Swooping and diving to evade Simran, she easily controlled the ball, so that after only five minutes the score was three–nil.
More competitors lined up to take her crown. Some came close, but no one proved any real match, until Mr Mallet cried, ‘Aleksander Larsen.’
The crowd livened up, knowing at last, here was some real competition.
‘I was hoping he’d be called.’ Griffin took a notebook from his bag. ‘I bet I’ll learn a lot from watching him play.’
‘You could learn a lot from me too if you –’ Xavier began.
Griffin held up his hand. ‘Sorry, Xavier, I need to concentrate.’
Isabella, Bea and Fly smirked at each other.
Beside the court, Raffy helped Aleksander into his equipment. ‘You’re Raffy, aren’t you?’
‘How did you know?’
‘I read what you did with those bullies in Grimsdon. If I ever get into trouble, I want you and your sister on my side.’
‘I wish Maths was that easy.’
‘I can help, if you like.’
‘Really?’
‘Maths is my idea of a fun way to spend lunch. What about tomorrow in the library?’
Raffy’s mouth dropped open. ‘Thanks.’
‘No problem. Wish me luck.’
Aleksander flew into position. He and Tanesha shared a brief nod and the whistle blew.
Tanesha drew back her leg, as if ready to send the ball far across the field. When she tapped the ball aside instead, Aleksander was ready and, with a slight flick of his boot, stole possession.
All in a matter of seconds.
Tanesha hovered, confused, until she turned and saw Aleksander’s ornithopter in full flight, speeding towards his goal. She sped after him, but he slammed the ball into the net before she even got close.
Griffin joined in the cheers. ‘Aleksander might do this.’
‘Against Tanesha?’ Xavier cried over the noise. ‘He had a lucky break, that’s all.’
When play restarted, Aleksander was about to make his first move when Tanesha stamped hard on the ball, sending it plummeting. She somersaulted into a dazzling plunge, racing after it. Dribbling the ball left and right, staying just out of Aleksander’s reach, she drew back her wing and, with a perfectly timed hit, scored a goal.
The entire stadium sprang to their feet.
‘See?’ Xavier crossed his arms. ‘Pure luck.’
‘Not skill?’ Isab
ella asked.
‘Nah, Tanesha’s got this.’
After more expert flying, Tanesha backed it up with another goal, which Aleksander wasted no time in equalising.
They were two goals each. Xavier crossed his fingers.
When the whistle blew, Aleksander spun round, sweeping the ball into his wing and turning his back on Tanesha, who was centimetres behind. He tried to fake a move to the left but she read his thoughts and snatched possession.
Tanesha clamped hard on her remote, pushing the ornithopter even faster. Aleksander was close behind. The goal was only metres away. Tanesha drew her leg back, ready to claim victory, when her foot sailed into clear air. She stared at the net, as if wondering what had happened.
Aleksander had snuck in from below and, with the tip of his wing, stolen the ball. By the time she realised what had happened, Aleksander was halfway across the field. She tore after him, but seconds later she watched the ball sail into the net.
The crowd erupted. Bea, Fly, Isabella and Griffin hugged each other and cheered.
Xavier sat in a huff.
Aleksander congratulated Tanesha before she flew from the field in a hail of applause.
Mr Mallet waited for silence before announcing, ‘The next competitor is …’
Griffin closed his eyes and quietly pleaded, not me, not me, not me …
‘Griffin Fletcher.’
He searched the stadium. ‘Do you think there might be another Griffin Fletcher?’
‘Sorry, Griffman,’ Xavier answered. ‘You’re the only one.’
‘You’ll be fine,’ Fly said. ‘You’ll be wearing your helmet and safety suit.’
‘The floor’s padded too,’ Bea said. ‘If you fall, you won’t do much damage.’
‘Damage?’ Griffin hadn’t thought about that.
‘What are you most nervous about?’ Fly asked.
‘Let’s see, there’s my lack of coordination, my fear of heights and getting through the game without killing myself. Apart from that, nothing at all.’
‘You’ve still got your sense of humour,’ Xavier said. ‘So all is not lost.’
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