Final Storm

by Deborah Abela

  Griffin’s skin ran cold. ‘Where is she?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ Aleksander said. ‘I was told she was somewhere far away.’

  ‘What about your security cameras?’ Xavier asked.

  ‘They only store vision from the last twenty-four hours.’

  ‘Why are you all whispering?’ Bea appeared behind them.

  Griffin spun round. ‘We … Aleksander …’ He saw her pleading face and couldn’t lie. ‘Isabella’s missing.’

  ‘She’s not on holidays?’ Fly held Charlie on her arm.

  ‘Is she lost?’ Raffy stood beside them looking small and anxious.

  ‘We don’t know.’ Griffin felt his back stiffen. ‘But we’re going to bring her home.’

  ‘How?’ Raffy asked.

  Charlie ruffled his wings and screeched.

  Griffin turned to Fly. ‘Do you think Charlie can find her?’

  ‘Of course he can,’ Raffy said.

  ‘He’s Charlie!’ Bea boasted.

  Fly stroked the eagle’s back. ‘He’s out of practice and the snow will make it hard, but he can do it.’

  Fly carried Charlie onto the veranda. She held out her arm and he stepped onto the surrounding stone wall. The snow was falling in sheets against the black night.

  ‘Good boy, Charlie.’ Fly spoke quietly and tickled him under the chin.

  Griffin handed her a beanie of Isabella’s. Fly held it under Charlie’s beak. ‘We need you to find Isabella. She’s missing.’

  Charlie nuzzled into the woollen hat.

  Bea raced from the house. ‘We cut his food into tiny pieces, just like you asked.’

  Bea handed over a small leather pouch. Inside were morsels of meat and on the front was written, Charlie’s dinner. Fly took out a piece and Charlie gulped it down. She tied the pouch around his neck. ‘When you find Isabella, she’ll feed you the rest.’

  Charlie raised his beak and his screech echoed in the snowy air.

  ‘And we can track him?’ Griffin checked.

  Fly took out her phone and began typing. ‘Charlie still has his microchip from his time as a rescue eagle. When I enter his identity number into this location app, we’ll see him. There!’ She pointed to a red dot on a map of New City. ‘We can watch from the computer too.’

  ‘What if he doesn’t find her?’ Raffy couldn’t hide his worry.

  ‘Of course he’ll find her,’ Bea said, trying to buoy him up. ‘He’s Charlie. He found me when I was lost in the snow and saved Isabella when she was caught in a blizzard. He’ll do it again, you’ll see.’

  Griffin wanted to believe Bea but this was the second night Isabella had been missing and it was snowing heavily and they had no idea where she was. He leaned close to the eagle. ‘Please bring her back, Charlie.’

  Fly held out her arm and Charlie hopped onto her sleeve. ‘You can do this.’ She stroked his feathery cheek.

  With one quick spring of her arm, Fly launched him into the air. His grand wings plunged and he soared into the night sky. Within moments, he’d disappeared.

  In the warmth of his study, Aleksander loaded the app onto his computer and Fly entered Charlie’s number. The red light of his microchip appeared on a map.

  The small group watched nervously as the eagle navigated away from the mansion.

  ‘He’s moving to the outskirts of the city.’ Griffin clenched his hands against his chin.

  ‘How long do you think it’ll take to find her?’ Raffy asked.

  ‘It depends on where Isabella is.’ Fly tried to sound reassuring. ‘But Charlie is New City’s best rescue eagle, remember? He’ll find her.’

  They all monitored the red dot, except Xavier, who sat behind them on a lounge, his eyes fixed on Aleksander. ‘Who told you Isabella wasn’t on holidays?’

  Aleksander sat deathly still for whole seconds before he said, ‘Sneddon.’

  ‘Sneddon?’ Xavier jerked forward. ‘You said you’d never met him.’

  Aleksander stood up from his chair and backed away. ‘He’s my benefactor.’ He took a deep breath, shoving his hands in his pockets. ‘And my dad.’

  There was a heavy silence that quickly filled with a sense of foreboding.

  ‘You don’t have a dad.’ Griffin chose his words carefully. ‘Your parents died in the floods.’

  ‘I said they were lost to the floods.’

  ‘So you lied!’ Xavier lunged towards him but Griffin stood up and held him back.

  ‘Let’s hear what he has to say.’

  ‘I was told my dad died in the floods. But one night, about a year ago, I got a message at my boarding school from someone claiming to be him. I thought it was a joke the other boys were playing on me, until he turned up. He told me everything that had happened since the floods. Living on the ship, trying to survive with two friends, how sad he was when his ship sank and they drowned.’

  ‘Sad?’ Bea asked as if she’d misheard.

  ‘About Tyran and Mouse?’ Raffy sniffed.

  ‘He never cared about them while they were alive,’ Griffin explained. ‘I doubt he cared after they were dead.’

  Xavier glared at Aleksander. ‘He didn’t mention destroying our city, kidnapping Fly and making Isabella walk the plank. She would have drowned if we hadn’t saved her.’

  ‘He never told me any of that.’ Aleksander began pacing. ‘He said you were the ones who tried to kill him.’

  ‘Us?’ Bea was indignant. ‘He’s a bully.’

  ‘And you lied about your name too,’ Xavier said.

  ‘No I didn’t. My mother’s name is Larsen. My dad lived in the city to be closer to parliament. He came home so rarely that when my mother and I left, he didn’t notice for a week. After that, my mum dropped his name, so I became Aleksander Larsen.’

  He frowned, as if there was something else. ‘And you’re right, Griffin. He created the ice storms, including the one that destroyed the school roof.’

  ‘He could have killed someone,’ said Bea, exasperated.

  ‘I know, I told him that.’

  ‘What’s his plan for the demonstration?’ Griffin asked.

  ‘He wants to create a storm and then bring it under control.’

  ‘And you’ve known this all along?’

  ‘Not exactly. He said he wanted to make up for not doing more in Grimsdon.’

  Xavier eyed him pitifully. ‘And like the dutiful son you believed him.’

  Anger seared across Aleksander’s face. ‘Why shouldn’t I? He’s my dad.’

  ‘Who asked you to spy on us and keep us out of the way while he made his comeback.’

  ‘He was worried you’d blacken his name, when all he wanted was to help the planet before it was too late.’

  ‘Too late to claw back all he’d lost. He told you a bunch of lies and you fell for it.’

  Aleksander threw himself at Xavier. They hit the ground with a heavy thud, Aleksander gripping Xavier’s jumper in his fists.

  Bea and Fly sprang from their chairs, nestling Raffy between them.

  ‘You believed him because you wanted it to be true,’ Xavier wheezed. ‘You wanted to have a father who was a hero.’

  ‘What’s wrong with that?’ Aleksander’s chest heaved and his eyes flared.

  ‘Because I think you knew it was a lie!’ Xavier lay on the floor, struggling for air.

  Aleksander squeezed Xavier’s jumper even harder, before his fingers weakened. He let go and slumped against the wall. ‘I thought he’d be different this time.’

  Bea and Raffy helped Xavier up. ‘Turns out you were wrong.’

  ‘That woman isn’t her mother, is she?’ Griffin asked, barely able to breathe.

  Aleksander shook his head.

  ‘And you knew?’ Griffin eyed him with a rising fury.

  ‘No,’ he insisted. ‘Not until today.’

  ‘Who is she?’

  ‘An actor. A very good one.’

  ‘Poor Izzy.’ Fly’s hand flew to her mouth.

  ‘The
files,’ Xavier said. ‘That’s why you were gathering information about Isabella.’

  ‘I didn’t know that’s why he wanted them.’ Aleksander dragged himself from the floor, pleading, ‘I would never do anything to hurt Isabella. You have to believe me.’

  ‘We don’t have to believe anything you say,’ Griffin said in disgust. ‘All we have to do is find our friend.’

  ‘Which will come as a surprise to you because friends are something you know nothing about.’ Xavier shoved Aleksander in the chest, daring him to make a move.

  Griffin’s mind ran through the last few months. ‘And the attack on our home. Did you know about that?

  He nodded. ‘My dad said Jeremiah was crazy and he was worried about you living with him. The robots were programmed to be careful.’

  Griffin and Xavier swapped confused looks. ‘Robots?’

  Aleksander swallowed hard. ‘Yes, my dad thought it would be safer to send in his guards.’

  ‘His guards are robots?’ Bea asked.

  ‘Over-protective,’ Xavier muttered, remembering what Sneddon had said during their meeting. Something Aleksander had also said. ‘Are Cora and Maxwell robots too?’

  ‘My dad says they’re more reliable than people, that’s why he surrounds himself with them.’

  ‘Even Ariella?’ Raffy asked.

  ‘Especially her. He wouldn’t trust anyone that high in his company who was human.’

  ‘She seems so real,’ Bea said.

  ‘That’s the beauty of modern robots. They’re programmed to learn our behaviour, so the older they are, the more human they seem.’

  ‘So she’d remember everything she’s ever learned?’ Raffy asked.

  ‘It’s stored in her memory chip, and cameras behind her eyes record everything she’s seen and heard.’

  Raffy turned to Griffin. ‘If we can access her memory, we can get proof of what Sneddon’s been up to.’

  ‘Raffy, you’re a genius.’

  ‘Griffin.’

  He turned to see Fly staring at the screen. The blinking red dot was growing faint.

  ‘What’s happening?’ Bea asked.

  ‘Is Charlie okay?’ Raffy squeezed in beside her.

  ‘He must be too far away,’ Fly answered. ‘Or it’s the bad weather, or he …’ She couldn’t say any more.

  The red dot blinked one more time before it disappeared.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

  A Fiendish Act

  Griffin stared at the computer, willing the dot to come back before he spun round to the others.

  ‘Aleksander, who has access to Ariella’s memory chip?’

  ‘My dad and Professor Singh. She created her.’

  ‘Is it hard to download the data?’

  ‘It’s easy once you have access, but I’d have to convince the professor first.’

  ‘You’re a charmer,’ Xavier said snarkily. ‘You’ll work out how.’

  ‘I need you to get that information to Albright and as many people as you can.’

  ‘How about Pinkerton?’ Raffy said. ‘She loves breaking news.’

  ‘And she loves Aleksander,’ Bea added.

  ‘Perfect!’ Griffin took charge. ‘Raffy, you go with Aleksander. You can tell people who Mr Phineas Snowden really is and what he did to destroy Grimsdon.’

  ‘Xavier and Bea, you stay here in case Isabella comes back and keep an eye on things for all of us.’

  Xavier was miffed. ‘I think it’ll be better if I have a more … central role.’

  ‘With a broken arm? Not this time.’

  He was about to argue but Griffin had already turned to Fly. ‘You and I are going to find Isabella and Charlie. You okay with that?’

  ‘Try to stop me.’

  ‘Oh, one last thing,’ Griffin said to Aleksander. ‘How do I operate the Armapod?’

  It didn’t take long for Aleksander to download the app for the Armapod to Griffin’s phone and explain how it worked. ‘These icons allow you to choose speed and mode of transport – manual, self-drive or trekking. It has a satellite GPS to take you wherever you want to go and allows us to keep track of you too. Will you be okay?’

  ‘Sure.’ Griffin wasn’t sure at all, but he had to try.

  ‘A medical kit and the hoverboards are in the back in case you need them,’ Aleksander said before adding, ‘And I’m –’

  ‘Sorry,’ Griffin snapped. ‘I know.’

  Cora and Maxwell packed food and water while Bea and Raffy ran across the yard with blankets. ‘In case Izzy’s cold when you find her.’

  They all stood in the snow, ready to wave goodbye, when Xavier clapped his good arm around Griffin’s shoulder and pulled him aside. ‘You were really impressive back there.’

  ‘Thanks. I feel a bit sick, though.’

  ‘That’s natural, even for me and I’m good at this rescuing business.’ Xavier grinned. ‘You can do this, Griffin.’

  ‘You called me Griffin.’

  ‘I thought it was time,’ Xavier said before becoming serious. ‘Bring her back. I miss her too.’

  Griffin climbed into the cabin and the door hissed closed.

  ‘This could get dangerous, Fly. You can stay here if you want.’

  ‘No chance.’ Fly was resolved. ‘We need to find them. Plus, you’re my hero, remember?’

  ‘You don’t want to choose another one?’

  ‘No way.’ She poked her chin out. ‘I’m sticking with you.’

  ‘Buckle up then and let’s go find them.’

  Griffin typed the location where Charlie was last spotted, chose the mode of transport and the Armapod came to life. He and Fly gripped the seats as the metallic legs sprouted from the side, like an awakening spider. Rising and falling through the freezing air, the machine manoeuvred through the snow in long, smooth strides.

  The others huddled together, waving goodbye as the Armapod melted away into the inky black night.

  Raffy and Aleksander sat in the Armavan as Cora drove through the outskirts of New City. They were quiet, each wrapped in their own thoughts, until Raffy asked, ‘Is it true you didn’t know Isabella’s mum wasn’t real?’

  Aleksander nodded. ‘I was happy she’d come back. I knew how much Isabella wanted to see her again. I also meant what I said about wanting you on my side. Do you believe me?’

  Raffy thought about it. ‘Yes. I’m sorry about your dad.’

  ‘Me too.’

  The Armavan pulled up in front of a squat metallic house. It was late and it took a few moments after they knocked before the door opened.

  ‘Aleksander?’ Professor Singh squinted against the streetlights, cradling Mathilda on her hip. They both wore matching nightcaps and slippers. ‘Is something wrong?’

  ‘This is my friend Raffy and we need to ask you a favour.’

  ‘Of course,’ she said, waving them inside. ‘Come in, come in.’

  Her house looked more like a lab than someone’s home. Chairs and tables overflowed with books and papers, and parts of robots lay on benches and shelves. Along the wall were multilayered banks of computers and 3D printers.

  Professor Singh held Mathilda even closer as Aleksander and Raffy told her everything. About Sneddon’s true identity, his previous life in Grimsdon, using the robotic eagles to cause the ice storms and Isabella going missing.

  ‘Is she okay?’ Her eyes ballooned even more behind her glasses.

  ‘Our friends are looking for her now,’ Raffy said.

  The professor stroked Mathilda. ‘When Mr Snowden asked me to work for him, he said I’d be part of a bold new plan to save the planet.’ Her whole body slumped. ‘I’ve suspected for some time that wasn’t exactly true, but he and Ariella can be so … convincing.’ She flinched. ‘And now he’s using my beautiful eagles to harm people.’

  ‘We have to stop him before he hurts anyone else,’ Aleksander said. ‘But we need your help.’

  ‘What can I do?’

  ‘We need evidence he caused the ice storms a
nd we were hoping to access Ariella’s memory chip to get it.’

  Professor Singh held Mathilda closer. ‘It would mean breaking the rules of my contract and risk making them very angry.’

  Raffy worried she was going to refuse when she hurried across the room, placed Mathilda on the table and pushed up her sleeves. ‘Let’s do it.’

  Her fingers flew across the keyboard. Scrolling green data filled the screen as Raffy stared in awe. ‘It’s like watching someone’s thoughts.’

  ‘Yes,’ the professor said proudly. ‘When the robots recharge at night, their data is automatically backed up for safekeeping. All I have to do is access her databank and we’ll have her most up-to-date memories.’

  Her face was tinged with sadness. ‘Mr Snowden said my robot eagles would be used to calm bad weather, not cause it.’ She pulled Mathilda into her arms. ‘When used correctly and ethically, robotic technology is our key to a better world, but in the wrong hands …’ A tear fell down her cheek onto Mathilda’s fuzzy head. ‘Oh these annoying …’ She looked at Raffy for help. ‘What are those things we feel?’

  ‘Emotions?’ he guessed.

  ‘Yes, those.’ She pulled a hanky from her pocket and blew hard.

  A small ping sounded from the computer.

  ‘Transfer complete.’ She handed Mathilda to Raffy, who cuddled her to his chest. ‘Now all I have to do is enter a few key search words and we will find out what Ariella knows about those storms.’

  Snow fell all night, covering everything in an icy stillness. It was early, and a dull glow of morning light began to drive away the darkness.

  Fly and Griffin sat in the warmth of the Armapod as it climbed over the bleak outskirts of the city, across snowy plains with a few scattered houses lying tilted and half buried.

  Gently rocked by the machine’s rhythmic steps, they sat in silence. Fly looked hopefully at her phone, willing Charlie to reappear. Griffin had sent Isabella another message, and he waited anxiously for her reply.

  ‘Still nothing?’ Fly asked.

  He shook his head.

  ‘We’ll find them soon,’ she said. ‘I know it.’

  Xavier rubbed his face with his good hand, bleary from not sleeping.

  Bea sat beside him, in the icy blue light of the computer.