In The Dark

by Susannah McFarlane

  EJ nearly choked. ‘You are A1’s twin sister?’

  ‘Yes, can’t you see the resemblance? I’m the beautiful one, of course, but Aurora does have a few of my striking features.’

  And now, as EJ looked, she could see it. That was what Adriana’s hair had reminded her of—it was A1. Adriana’s hair may have been black and A1’s was white but otherwise it was almost identical, all the way down to the pencils. And, now that she looked, their faces had a similar shape too. And they even both had pendants. EJ stared, her mouth open in disbelief.

  ‘You can close your mouth now,’ said Adriana. ‘Is it really that hard to believe? But of course everyone always said Aurora was the beautiful one, the clever one. “Why don’t you be like Aurora?” our teachers would say. “She’s such a shining example.” Blah, blah, blah. And at SHINE it was the same thing all over again. No one seemed to notice that I could do things, like write poetry, and invent things, clever things. But my poetry was laughed at and my inventions never got the praise they deserved, some never even got to see the light of day. So I left and went where my talents were appreciated. SHADOW valued me. They put me in the spotlight, where I belong. And now it will be SHADOW and I who turn the lights out on Aurora and her precious SHINE with my brilliant invention. Oh yes,’ hissed Adriana, leaning closer to EJ, staring straight into her eyes, ‘it will be so fine, to turn the lights out now on SHINE!’

  EJ was struggling to keep up with what she was learning. A1’s name was Aurora? Adriana was her evil twin sister? Adriana had been a SHINE agent but was now working for SHADOW? All because she was jealous? And what was her invention?

  ‘Brilliant invention?’ asked EJ.

  ‘Yes, you midget, I suppose it can’t hurt to tell you. I, Adriana X, have invented an invisible shadow.’

  ‘To do what?’

  ‘To secretly block the sun of course. Don’t be so dim, EJ12. There is a pole running up the mineshaft that is attached to a powerful ray gun positioned at the top of the tower. The ray gun shoots out tiny, microscopic particles to create an invisible shadow, which blocks the sun from reaching SHINE’s solar panels. It’s like a woman-made cloud.’

  ‘But how can something that is invisible block anything?’ asked EJ12.

  ‘Thank heavens I left SHINE!’ exclaimed Adriana. ‘I couldn’t bear to be surrounded by such stupidity, and by such small people. The cloud only looks invisible. That is where I have outdone myself. Any scientist can whip up a cloud, even SHINE could, but my cloud is colour-tinted to match the colour of the sky so when those silly SHINE engineers look up, all they think they see is clear blue sky. And while they’ve been scratching their heads, the SHINE power levels have been dropping. Now SHINE is almost completely out of power.’

  ‘That’s Operation Lights Out?’ said EJ.

  ‘Clever you, you intercepted my message did you?’ replied Adriana. ‘Then you will also know I have another little surprise for SHINE.’

  ‘The blast.’

  ‘Exactly. When the energy levels hit zero, the whole plant will be destroyed. It will decompose, break down to absolutely nothing.’

  ‘You can’t do that,’ shouted EJ.

  ‘Actually, I won’t have to do a thing. SHINE will do it all to itself. Shall I illuminate you? When the energy levels hit zero the whole plant will go into Eco-Deco mode. It will decompose, to nothing. I invented Eco-Deco and I put it in everything I make. E-D, Eco-Deco, don’t you like the poetic touch? I like to think of it as my parting gift to Aurora, to have put Eco-Deco into the solar plant without her knowing. But don’t look so sad, EJ, there will be some super, if rather smelly fireworks. According to my calculations, it will all happen at nine o’clock. Oh yes, at nine o’clock, the place will rock!’

  ‘Can’t you see that what you are doing is wrong?’ said EJ.

  ‘Haven’t you noticed EJ “zero”,’ said Adriana, ‘that I can’t see very much at all and soon neither will anyone else at SHINE. I’d love to stay and chat some more but I really must fly. My SHADOWhelicopter is waiting for me at the top of the mine tower. I don’t want to miss the fireworks, the last show of light before SHINE plunges into darkness. So if you will excuse me I just need to...’ Adriana walked over to her computer and tapped some keys. ‘Perhaps you would like to watch the countdown?’ asked Adriana, turning the screen towards EJ.

  Adriana shuffled over to the elevator and opened the door. But before she got in, she turned back to EJ.

  ‘Goodbye EJ12. I am sure my goody-goody sister will come and rescue you, eventually, but you don’t mind if I turn the lights out, do you? I wouldn’t want to waste electricity. I’d like to stay but must away. Better luck next time, little EJ!’

  And with that, Adriana laughed a mean cackle of a laugh and flicked the light switch. The entire cave went dark. EJ could hear the clang of the cage door open and then another clang as it shut and then a whirring noise as the elevator shot up the mineshaft. Adriana had gone and EJ was left alone, tied up in the dark.

  Even if she had been able to move, EJ wouldn’t have wanted to. She would have been too afraid that she would bump something, something dangerous, something scary. If only she could have reached her phone, she could have used the BEST system. Now, more than ever, she could really have used another talk with Mum.

  Her mum would have told her that the scary blowing noise she could hear was just the wind whirling around the mineshaft. Her mum would have told her that the spooky dim glow in the corner was just the glow of the computer screens. EJ thought her mum might also have suggested she stop imagining scary things and start trying to escape and save the solar station.

  That jolted EJ out of her thoughts. She didn’t even stop to realise that she had just ‘un-scared’ herself. Instead, she looked over at the screen.

  Now that’s a noise I know, thought EJ. The sound that was so scary before was now a relief to EJ. It told her that she was no longer alone.

  ‘Hey Inky, Adriana was supposed to take you with her,’ said EJ to the kitten that was brushing against her legs.

  The kitten walked around the chair and stretched up to reach EJ’s hands.

  ‘I can’t stroke you, I’m kind of tied up right now,’ said EJ pleased with her ability to make a joke at a difficult time. ‘Hey cut that out!’ she cried as the kitten clawed playfully at her hands. ‘Your claws are sharp.’ And then EJ had an idea. Inky had clawed through the string once already, back in the tunnel, so why not again?

  ‘Inky, Inky, up here,’ cried EJ, jiggling her hands as much as she could, hoping the kitten would think it was a game. She did. The kitten stretched up, clawing at the string. EJ kept jiggling her hands and Inky kept trying to catch them with her claws. It wasn’t long before she had clawed little rips in the string, enough for EJ to break through the rest. EJ’s hands were free, a little scratched but free. ‘Well done Inky,’ said EJ.

  She untied her feet, stood up and slowly made her way over towards the dim glow of the computer screens. As she approached, she could see they all showed the same thing.

  Think, EJ, think! How can I stop the plant reaching zero energy and Eco-Deco going off?

  EJ took out her phone to search for an app that could help her but when she opened it, the screen flashed a warning.

  ‘Oh no!’ exclaimed EJ, but then said, ‘That’s it! Turn everything off. That’s how it can be stopped. If SHINE turns everything off, no more energy will be used, the plant won’t reach zero energy and Eco-Deco will be a no-go! Oh, I am turning into Adriana—I’m a poet and I know it,’ said EJ, laughing to herself. She sent a text to SHINE HQ. There was enough battery power for that.

  EJ waited, hoping.

  EJ watched the computer screen closely. She knew she was running out of time. Had her plan worked?

  Then

  And then

  The time to zero energy was increasing. With SHINE shut down, the plant was saving its power. Adriana shouldn’t have underestimated EJ12. She had done it—she had stopped Eco-Deco. The
plant would now have enough power to keep above zero and in the morning would begin to re-charge with the sunlight. With Adriana gone, the invisible cloud wouldn’t be turned on. Or would it? EJ12 had one more thing to do.

  EJ needed to shut down Adriana’s lab—but quickly before Adriana realised her plan had failed and came back.

  If only I could Eco-Deco the lab, EJ thought. Hold on, can’t I? She remembered what Adriana had said: ‘I put it in everything I make.’ So did she put an ED button on the ray gun? ED buttons on her screens? EJ looked across to the shaft, then, realising that she was still in the dark, reached up to the wall, felt for the light switch and turned it on. That’s better, she thought. Now where are all those ED buttons?

  EJ looked behind the screens and, sure enough, there were little ED buttons. In fact, now she was looking for them, there were buttons everywhere. She ran over to the shaft and on the back of the pole there was another ED button. EJ checked the time. It was nearly nine o’clock and Adriana would be expecting fireworks. Well, she would get them but she might be surprised where they came from!

  EJ ran to the computers and pressed the ED buttons, she pressed more buttons under the table, she pressed the button under the large screen then she scooped up Inky and ran to the mineshaft. EJ stretched out and pressed the button on the pole of the ray gun. Already she could hear the farting noises starting. She needed to get out of the mine fast but the elevator was at the top of the tower. The noises were getting louder. Her boots, of course. EJ clicked her boots. Roller blades came out. EJ clicked again and riding boots appeared.

  ‘I don’t have time for this,’ cried EJ, getting frustrated. ‘I need the jet packs.’

  She clicked again. Yes! The jet packs came out at the back of EJ’s boots. She pulled the laces and the jet packs roared into life, nearly tipping EJ over as they started to lift her up. EJ had to be careful to keep her balance and keep holding on to Inky.

  ‘Up we go, Inky. This is going to be pretty fast,’ cried EJ, scooping up the kitten as she pulled the laces again to kick up into turbo charge.

  Like a flash, EJ shot up the mineshaft, out of the mine and into the night sky. With some skilful manoeuvring she brought herself down onto the hill overlooking the mine. As she landed, she could see the SHADOW chopper in the distance, hovering above the SHINE power station.

  ‘Adriana is waiting for her fireworks,’ said EJ as she sat on the top of the hill, stroking Inky, who was now sitting in her lap, purring. ‘If I am not mistaken the show is just about to begin.’ EJ turned back to watch the mine tower as she heard the first, familiar noises of Eco-Deco in action.

  A shock of fireworks shot out of the mine. They were pink and purple, blue and white, fizzing and whizzing high into the sky. Adriana was right, it was quite a show.

  EJ watched with amusement as the SHADOW chopper spun around and started flying over to the mine tower. Then it stopped, spun around again and flew quickly away. SHINE might have stopped Adriana’s plan but they weren’t going to catch her this time.

  The chopper had nearly disappeared from view when...

  A text. That was quick of A1, thought EJ, as she flipped open her phone.

  How did she know my number? wondered EJ.

  ‘Oh no, not two of them!’ cried EJ.

  EJ sat on the hill enjoying the last of the fireworks but it had been a long night and she was tired. It was time to go home. She took out her phone and pressed 4-6-6-3 into the keypad and a woman’s voice answered immediately.

  ‘ SHINE Home Delivery Service—straight to your door any time, anywhere.’

  ‘Agent EJ12 requesting home delivery,’ replied EJ. Looking at the little kitten now asleep on her lap, she added, ‘For two, again.’ EJ had a habit of collecting animals on her missions.

  ‘Roger that. We are on stand-by in the area, EJ12. Stay where you are. Estimated pick up time, five minutes.’

  By the time the pick-up helicopter arrived EJ was almost falling asleep. She held Inky tight as she climbed aboard. Agent LP30 greeted her.

  ‘Good evening EJ12 and congratulations on another mission well done. I have A1 on standby waiting to talk to you. Please put on your headphones.’

  EJ did and when she heard A1’s voice, she was surprised how similar it was to Adriana’s. Was it Adriana?

  ‘We do sound similar, don’t we EJ? But you can be assured it is me, A1. So now you know the stories are true and you have met my confused sister, Adriana. I had hoped we would be able to catch her and try to reason with her, but her helicopter moved quickly once she saw her plan was foiled. Maybe next time.’

  ‘I think she has other ideas,’ said EJ.

  ‘I’m sure she does,’ replied A1, ‘but let’s not worry about that now, let’s look on the bright side. You’ve saved the power station. In a few days, our energy supplies will be back to normal. Well done, EJ12.’

  ‘Thank you,’ said EJ trying to stop herself yawning.

  ‘Yes, you must be tired. Sit back and snooze, we will have you home in no time. And don’t worry about an early start. We have arranged with your mum to write a late note for school tomorrow.’

  Mum? That made EJ think of something. ‘A1, can you please send a message to Mum?’

  ‘My pleasure EJ. What’s the message?’

  ‘Would you mind asking if she was really serious when she said I couldn’t have any more pets...’

  ‘Will do. And one more thing, EJ. EJ?’

  EJ didn’t answer. She had fallen asleep.

  Back home on the weekend, Emma was fully rested after her mission. Pip and Inky were chasing each other around the backyard—Emma’s mum had been sort of understanding about Inky—while Emma was getting ready for the slumber party. She had packed her bag with everything she needed, including a skeleton mask, an enormous bag of sweets, and put her pillow and Floppy on top of the bag by the front door. Elle’s mum would be there any minute to pick her up and take them both to Hannah’s house.

  ‘Are you going to be okay?’ said Mum, coming up behind Emma, putting her arms around her and giving her a squeeze.

  ‘What do you mean, Mum?’ asked Emma.

  ‘Well, you know, are you worried about the slumber party and the scary stories and maybe being a bit nervous in the dark?’

  ‘Not anymore Mum. I could do it with my eyes closed!’

  Her mum smiled, then the doorbell rang and Emma ran to the door. It was Elle and Isi and both of them were excited. Isi was possibly over-excited. She hugged Emma so hard that Emma could hardly breathe.

  ‘This will be so much fun,’ cried Isi and then, whispering into Emma’s ear added, ‘but Em if I get a bit scared, will you look after me? You don’t seem to be scared of anything.’

  Isi got scared too? Emma smiled before whispering back, ‘Of course I will, we can look after each other.’

  ‘Grab your stuff Em,’ said Elle. ‘We are going to have the scariest, best slumber party ever. Are you ready?’

  ‘Are you kidding?’ cried Emma. ‘Of course I am!’

  And she was, thanks to a little help from EJ12.

  Emma Jacks and EJ12 will return in

  BOOK 4

  ROCKY ROAD

  Read the first chapter at ej12girlhero.com

  Did you miss Book 1?

  The heat is on as someone seems to be melting the polar ice cap.

  Special Agent EJ12 needs to crack the codes and keep her cool to put the evil-doer’s plan back on ice. That’s the easy part.

  As EJ12, Emma Jacks can do anything.

  So why can’t she handle the school Ice Queen of Mean, Nema?

  Perhaps she can after all...

  Did you miss Book 2?

  Evil agency SHADOW is up to something in the middle of the rainforest. Something that could see them get the jump on SHINE.

  Special Agent EJ12 needs to leap into action. She must crack SHADOW’s codes and trust her instincts to foil their plans and save the rainforest.

  That’s the easy part. As EJ12, E
mma Jacks can do anything.

  So why is the state gym competition so hard?

  Perhaps it isn’t after all...

  Book 5 coming soon.

  SHADOW is cooking up a new invention which could put SHINE in a real jam. It’s a recipe for disaster. Special Agent EJ12 needs to be patient and keep her eyes peeled. She must get inside the chocolate cake factory, find out what is going on and stop SHADOW’s plan.

  That’s the easy part. As EJ12, Emma Jacks can do anything.

  So why is the school fund-raiser such a problem?

  Perhaps it isn’t after all...

  Back Cover Material

  EJ12 Girl Hero

  IN THE DARK

  SHINE’s solar energy station is under threat from the evil agency SHADOW.

  Special Agent EJ12 needs to lighten up. She must crack SHADOW’s codes and overcome her fears to stop them before they turn the lights out on the SHINE network.