by Lyn Gardner
Emmy had shaken her head hard. “No, that’s why I don’t understand it. It’s as if she’s thinking about something else all the time and just wants to be alone.”
Olivia had frowned. Wanting to be alone was not typical Eel behavior at all. She was never happier than when she was in a crowd. Olivia loved being with Tom, Georgia and the others but she could quite happily spend hours on her own practising the high wire or reading Shakespeare or even just day-dreaming. Jack always said that if his daughters had been animals Eel would definitely have been a dog and Olivia a cat. “Probably a wild cat,” he added with a grin. “A puma or a snow leopard.”
“Listen, Emmy,” Olivia had said, smiling reassuringly. “I expect it’s just a phase she’s going through. You’ve always been her best friend.”
Olivia walked back out of the flat, closed the door carefully behind her to ensure it was locked and went downstairs again. She thought she would just check in the music rooms and after that she would head to the river without Eel, even though she had promised Jack that she would bring her little sister with her.
She stopped outside one of the music rooms. The door was closed but she could hear voices from within. To her astonishment, she realised that the voices belonged to Eel and Alicia.
Alicia was saying: “I know it’s unusual but I hope you understand the situation. I would be very grateful,” and then Eel replied excitedly: “That’s perfect! Completely perfect.”
Olivia frowned. Why hadn’t her gran said she was on her way to talk to Eel? She supposed that Alicia must have just found Eel in the music room. But there was something about the exchange that struck her as odd, though she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. Olivia pushed open the door. Two faces swung guiltily around, and Oliva found herself staring at Eel and Alex. They both looked put out to be discovered together.
“What are you up to?” she asked, a sharp edge to her voice.
“Nothing,” said Eel quickly.
Olivia glared at Alex. “I heard you impersonating my gran again.”
Alex fixed his soulful eyes on Olivia. “I didn’t mean anything by it, I really respect Miss Swan. She’s an amazing woman. I was just entertaining your little sister, Liv.”
“Well, she doesn’t need entertaining. She’s supposed to be coming with me to see Dad.”
“Maybe I can tag along,” said Alex, and it sounded like a statement not a question.
“Oh Alex, of course you can,” said Eel enthusiastically. “I’m sure Dad would like to meet you.”
“Sorry,” said Olivia brusquely. “This is a Marvell-only outing. Maybe another time.”
“I’ll look forward to it,” said Alex. “It would be nice to spend some time with you, Liv.”
“Actually,” said Olivia, with a forced smile, “I’d really like it if you didn’t call me Liv. Livy or Olivia is just fine.”
For a second a brief look of astonishment mixed with hurt flitted across Alex’s face, and then he recovered himself. “I’ll remember that, Livy. Sorry.”
He winked at Eel. “See you around, Eel. It’s nice doing business with you.”
*
Olivia hurried towards the river with Eel trying to keep up.
“What did he mean, ‘nice doing business with you’?” asked Olivia.
Eel reddened. “It’s nothing. Just a turn of phrase,” she said.
“You’re not up to something, are you? You’re neglecting Emmy. She seems quite hurt.”
Eel bristled. “You’re one to talk about upsetting your friends!” she said.
“What on earth do you mean?” asked Olivia.
Eel sighed. “Sometimes I think you’re completely blind, Livy. You never notice anything. It’s so obvious to everyone else. It’s the talk of the school!”
“What’s so obvious?” asked Olivia impatiently, speeding up until Eel was all but running.
“I can’t believe I have to tell you,” said Eel. “Georgia is soft on Alex.”
“Oh,” said Olivia. “Well, I had noticed she behaves very oddly when he’s around, and she does want to drag him along to everything. Maybe she should ask him out?” Olivia frowned. “Although, it would be very odd if one of us started going out with someone. Actually, I don’t think I’d like that very much at all. I like it as we are. Me, Tom, Aeysha, Georgia and Katie. Although things are going to change next year when Aeysha leaves. It won’t feel the same at all.”
“Well, Alex and Georgia are never going to happen,” said Eel, “because Alex is interested in someone else.”
“Who?” asked Olivia.
Eel gave a long sigh of disbelief. “You, of course, dummy.”
Olivia stopped walking. “Me? Don’t be silly, Eel. Alex Parks and I have got absolutely nothing in common. In fact, I think he’s a bit creepy. It’s as if he’s acting being really nice all the time rather than really being nice. Sometimes when he looks at me I feel as if I’m being engulfed by an oil slick.”
Eel giggled. “I think he’s trying to be charming, and it’s clear there are plenty of other Swan girls who find that kind of thing attractive.” She paused. “Livy, maybe you should tell him? Not that you think that he’s an oil slick, obviously, but that you’re not interested. I think he thinks he’s in with a chance.” She paused and looked embarrassed. “In fact, he asked me if I’d put in a good word with you for him, and I promised I would.”
Olivia looked horrified. “So that’s what the two of you were doing together,” she said, angrily.
“Er, sort of, yes,” said Eel, looking shifty. “But Livy, it’s clearly a hopeless cause. You should tell him he’s wasting his time.”
“I think I’d better. I feel terrible about Georgia. It’s explains why she’s so snappy with me. Maybe if I tell Alex I’m not interested, it will clear the way for her.”
“Maybe,” said Eel doubtfully.
“Eel,” said Olivia. “I feel like such a total noodle for not noticing. Thanks for telling me.”
“Oh, that’s OK,” said Eel. “You’re welcome to ask your little sister’s advice any time you like. Though I may have to start charging. Maybe I could set myself up as an agony aunt.”
At that moment they passed the tube station where the free evening paper was just being delivered. Olivia took one off the top of the pile and unfolded it to look at the headline. She gasped.
High-Wire Daredevil Preparing River Thames Stunt!
Fury rose in her throat. Somehow word about Jack’s plans had got out! She quickly scanned the story, and then immediately she realised that she was wrong. It was even worse than she thought. The newspaper wasn’t referring to Jack at all. The story was about the Russian stunt man, Viktor Ivanov, who planned to perform the exact same stunt as Jack a mile or so down the river from him at exactly the same time! Olivia felt sick. Jack had been wrong when he said he’d been given permission instead of his rival. They had both been given it! Jack had competition, and the first round had gone to the Russian.
Eel saw her sister’s white face. “What is it, Livy?” she asked. Olivia passed her the newspaper soundlessly.
The two girls studied the picture of Viktor Ivanov, who looked very young but very determined. The article also broke the news of Jack’s attempt, and included a quote from Viktor’s agent, Ethan Rees. Olivia read it aloud, her voice becoming angrier and angrier: “‘The Great Marvello is yesterday’s news. Viktor is a rising star. This will be a battle between two gladiators played out on the high-wire suspended above the Thames. And my boy will be victorious.’”
Olivia was so outraged that she made Eel run all the rest of the way to the river. But when they arrived, Pablo was already on the phone with Ethan Rees.
“Listen, don’t worry, Liv,” said Jack. “It’s a game. They’re just trying to psych me out with all that talk of me being past it. As far as I’m concerned, the more the merrier. The rivalry between us will stir up more interest in the stunt. It’s just a pity that this Viktor guy has got in first, but I certainly don
’t want to get in a fight with the guy. There’s room for both of us on the river. It’s just a bit of showmanship, that’s all.”
When Pablo came off the phone, he agreed with Jack. “The rivalry will be good for both your dad and this young upstart. Especially when Jack wins! I just wish I’d thought of it myself.” He turned to Jack. “Ethan Rees wants to hold a joint press conference next week. It will be a bit like the weigh-in before a boxing bout. He wants us to play up the competitiveness, go for a bit of banter. What do you think?”
Jack looked pensive, and Olivia felt a surge of sympathy for him. She knew that kind of flashy posturing wasn’t Jack’s thing.
“You don’t have to do it, Dad,” she said, gently.
“I think it sounds fun,” said Eel. “Like a mock duel. Exciting.”
“Eel’s probably right,” said Jack. “It’s just a bit of fun.” He looked at Olivia’s serious face. “Don’t you worry about me, chick. I’ll be fine. Viktor the whippersnapper had better look out. I feel quite sorry for him already.”
Pablo grinned. “I’ll tell Ethan we’re up for it.”
But Olivia was worried. She didn’t want Jack to take any more risks than were necessary and she knew that if Viktor and his manager started upping the stakes, Jack would match them all the way.
“Don’t be anxious, little duckling,” whispered Pablo. “This Viktor Ivanov is an amateur compared with the Great Marvello!”
Chapter Ten
The buzz in the auditorium at Campion’s Palace of Varieties was growing louder and more excited. The space was full of journalists and camera crews. One of the sponsors had laid on free fizzy wine and sandwiches, which were disappearing fast. It was lunchtime and, with Alicia’s permission, Olivia, Eel and their friends had left school so they could be at Jack’s press conference. Two large screens on either side of the stage were showing some of both men’s previous exploits. There was film of Jack crossing Niagara Falls and Snake Canyon, and the other screen showed Viktor doing a complicated stunt on the top of a moving train in a low -budget Russian movie and jumping a tank of sharks on a motor bike.
“Hmm,” said Eel. “The sharks are the ones looking scared silly.”
“So,” said Aeysha, watching the films, “has this guy actually done any high-wire walking?”
Olivia and Tom nodded. “He’s a jack of all trades. He’s scaled some of Moscow’s highest buildings without climbing aids, and he’s done some dangerous stunts with fireworks. He’s even been a human canon ball, and yes, he’s done some high-wire stuff, too,” said Tom. “We looked at some of it on YouTube.”
“His tricking is pretty good, but not as good as Jack’s,” said Olivia. “The main thing is that it’s all high performance, short duration stuff. What he and Jack are trying to do now isn’t just about stunts, it’s about real endurance. And Dad’s got plenty of experience of that.”
A triumphant march started to play over the loud speakers. The screen at the back of the stage was flashing “Clash of the Titans” and the words “Day Zero”. The compère was more used to introducing boxers and darts players, and he spoke in the odd whoopy way that was typical of such MCs.
The music changed, and the compère shouted loudly: “Put your hands together for the man on my right, the Great Marvello, action hero and man of courage, the amazing, the peerless, the unsurpassed, the supreme stunt man and high-wire walker … Jack Marvell!” He made the last syllable of Marvell sound like a long drawn-out war cry.
Jack walked on to the stage. His hands were raised above his head but his broad smile seemed a little bashful as he acknowledged the applause and the cheers of the audience. He was wearing the slightly battered dark-blue cloak covered in tiny silver stars that he had worn as Prospero in the Swan Circus show Enchantment at the Edinburgh Festival the previous summer. Mixed in amongst the cheers were a few boos. Olivia’s head whipped round to see where they were coming from, but Tom put a restraining hand on her arm.
“Don’t worry about it, Liv. It doesn’t mean anything. It’s just part of the show.”
“Well,” said Olivia indignantly, “it all seems a bit of a circus to me.” She burst out laughing when she realised what she’d said, and Tom and the others joined in.
New music started playing, booming and jubilant. The compère began to speak again.
“And on my left, the unparalleled stuntman phenomenon that is the extraordinary, the lion-hearted, the incredible, the death-defying, shark-jumping prodigy and challenger all the way from the icy Russian Steppes, Viktor the Viktorious!” As the final words died away the music built to a crescendo and Viktor walked on stage with a swagger. He was an extraordinary sight. He was dressed in a silver jumpsuit with a thick belt around his waist studded with gems. His shoulders were padded like an American footballer, his cloak was made of lush, red velvet and as he turned round, the words “Viktor the Viktorious” could be spotted picked out in diamante on the back.
Olivia thought he looked completely daft, but saw that his eyes were wary despite the big smile on his face. The crowd went crazy and the camera men pushed each other out of the way to get a better position for their shots. Viktor played to the crowd much more than Jack and it took a full couple of minutes before everyone settled.
The compère turned to Jack.
“Are you ready for the Clash of the Titans?”
“Raring to go,” said Jack. The Swans cheered.
“What do you say to those who think you’re over the hill and won’t last the distance?”
“I say they are very wrong,” said Jack. “I’m not even in my prime! It’s going to be tough. But I’ll still be there at the end.”
Some people at the back started to chant. “Has-been. Has-been. Has-been.”
“How rude!” said Aeysha. Olivia saw Pablo’s face. He looked horrified.
The compère turned to Viktor. “What about you – the newcomer. Do you have the experience to make it to the end of this mighty feat of endurance?”
Viktor did a little shuffle and a twirl. “What do you think?” he said, his words tinged with a slight accent. “Look at me, I can take anything that old man throws at me. I’m going to win!”
“Don’t be so sure of that,” said Jack, with a grin.
“Bring it on, daddy,” said Viktor. “Don’t worry about me, old man.” He skipped about like a spring lamb and pretended to box Jack.
“Oh well, as they say, getting old is obligatory but growing up is optional,” retorted Jack.
Viktor drew himself up to his full height, and raised his arms. “Viktor will be victorious!” The people at the back cheered wildly and Jack looked increasingly uncomfortable as the chant of “Viktor! Viktor!” grew louder and louder.
After it was all over, the Swans sat in one of the dressing rooms with Jack and Pablo. They all looked gloomy.
“I’m sorry, Jack,” said Pablo. “I underestimated Ethan Rees’ bloodlust.” Then he added, darkly, “And the depth of his pockets. He obviously paid those people to boo you and cheer Viktor.”
“It doesn’t matter,” said Jack, stoically. “What matters is what happens out on the wire.”
Olivia knew that her dad was right, but she couldn’t help thinking that not only had Rees and Viktor won the first round, they had scored a convincing win in the second bout, too.
In the little dressing room on the other side of the stage, Viktor was miserably biting his fingernails.
“I can’t bear it, Ethan. Jack Marvell has always been a real hero to me. He’s no has-been.”
“Listen, my boy,” said Ethan, “in this business you’ve got to grab any advantage that you can. There is no such thing as rules, only winning. And you are going to win, Viktor. And when you do, the world will be your oyster. Hollywood movies, the works. You want that, don’t you?”
Viktor nodded.
“That’s my boy,” said Ethan. “I’ve invested a lot in you, Viktor, and you’re going to triumph. I’m going to make sure that you do. And if
that means bringing Jack Marvell down, so be it. I’ve nothing against the man but there can only be one winner and my job is to make sure that winner is you.”
Ethan’s phone began to chirp. He looked at it. “Ah,” he said. “One of the favours I’m calling in on your behalf.” He put the phone to his ear and headed out of the door.
Viktor watched him disappear and sighed loudly. Of course he wanted to win. But he wanted to do it fair and square. He wanted to do it the way that he knew Jack Marvell would do it, with grace and honour. He was beginning to realise that wasn’t how Ethan Rees saw things. But he couldn’t back out now.
Chapter Eleven
There was a carnival atmosphere down by the river, where even a band was playing. Although it was still early, several thousand people had gathered to watch Jack take his first steps on to the wire that would be his home for the next thirty days. Tower Bridge was crammed with people. Even the London mayor had stopped by, and he had delighted the onlookers when, with Pablo’s help and wearing a fetching harness, he had tottered a couple of steps on to the wire that extended over the Thames at a height slightly higher than a double-decker bus. In truth, the crowd was all rather hoping that the accident-prone mayor would fall in, but he retreated safely off the wire and made a little speech saying that he hoped the best man would win.
Olivia glanced around. All her friends were here with her and Eel and Alicia. But she could see some other Swans in the crowd too. She could see Emmy and her whole family, as well as Connor and Kylie who were heading their way.
Further back she was a little surprised to spot Alex Parks, standing talking to a man about Jack’s age and build, who she guessed must be his dad. A woman in a wheelchair was with them and Olivia remembered that Alex had said his mum was sick. The man was talking very intently to Alex, who kept shaking his head as if he was disagreeing strongly with his dad about something.
After a few minutes, Alex stormed away from his dad and started working his way through the crowd towards Olivia’s group. Georgia saw him coming and gave him a welcoming smile, but just at that moment Connor slipped into the space beside her, so Alex had to hover on the edge of the group.
