Big Brother, page 2
‘We’ve got to talk,’ said Emma. ‘I think something awful might have happened.’
‘There’s a world-wide chocolate, ice-cream and lolly shortage?’ asked Isi.
‘Is, I’m being serious!’ cried Emma.
‘So am I!’ said Isi, but she was grinning.
‘No really, guys. You know how we were all talking in my room on Saturday night?’
Her two friends nodded.
‘Well, Bob was spying on us.’
‘My brothers do that all the time,’ said Elle.
‘But Bob was using a spy camera,’ said Emma.
‘We looked okay, didn’t we?’ asked Isi. ‘I think my cupcake pyjamas are awesome.’
‘And the camera had sound!’ Emma went on. ‘He and Otto could hear what we were saying.’
Both Isi and Elle’s mouths dropped open. Now they looked as serious as Emma.
‘He couldn’t …’ said Isi.
‘He didn’t …’ said Elle.
‘Hear us talking about SHINE?’ asked Emma. ‘He hasn’t said anything yet but he might have,’ she said glumly.
‘What do we do now?’ asked Isi.
It was Emma’s special SHINE spy phone. She took it out and saw it flashing an indigo flash. It was a mission alert. Emma looked back at Isi and Elle, who also checked their phones, but both of them shook their heads.
‘Looks like it’s only you, Em,’ said Isi.
‘Good luck,’ said Elle.
Emma gulped as she headed towards the girls’ toilets. Normally she was excited about reporting into SHINE HQ but now her stomach felt tight. She bit her lip. Did SHINE know about what happened with Bob?
As the other students headed towards their classrooms for the start of class, Emma walked across to the girls’ toilets. She pushed open the door and quickly scanned the room to make sure she was alone. When she was certain she was, Emma turned on the hand-dryer, as a precaution to block out any noise and walked to the last cubicle on the right, went in and locked the door behind her. She sat on the toilet seat and took out her phone, inserting it into a tiny, almost unnoticeable, socket on the side of the toilet roll holder. The phone clicked in and a message flashed on to the screen.
EJ took her phone out of the socket and put it back in her dress pocket. She held on to the sides of the toilet seat as the back wall of the cubicle spun around. EJ dropped onto a beanbag and pushed off down the long slide that was the SHINE Mission Tube. She knew the ride to the SHINE Code Room usually took ten minutes so she was surprised when she was still whizzing around corners more than fifteen minutes later.
This is weird, she thought. I mustn’t be going to the Code Room.
As an agent in the Code-cracking Division, EJ would start each mission by deciphering a secret message that SHINE had intercepted from SHADOW. Once she had cracked the code, she would then, normally, go to the Operations Room of SHINE HQ where she would prepare for the mission behind the intercepted message. EJ liked knowing what she needed to do but she was also learning that things didn’t always go to plan.
The Mission Tube stopped winding and went straight ahead, picking up speed until it was going so fast that EJ thought she might fall off. Finally it began to slow and then stopped. In front of her on the Mission Tube slide was a large white capsule, like a mini bullet train, just large enough for one person. On the door to the capsule was a button like a doorbell. EJ stood up and when she pressed the button a flap slid up revealing a screen. The screen flashed.
EJ went to put her index finger on the screen.
‘No not that finger, the little one,’ a digital voice corrected.
Wow, wondered EJ as she put her little finger on the screen. Is everyone watching me today?
The digital voice spoke again. ‘Pinkie print match. Agent Identity confirmed. Enter Mobile Code Room, Agent EJ12.’
The capsule door slid open and EJ stepped inside. She was surprised to see that there was no steering wheel, only a stool facing another, larger screen and keyboard. The screen had both a red button and a green one on the side.
EJ sat down, looked at the big screen and pressed the green button. The screen flashed.
‘I have to fasten my seat belt to crack a code?’ asked EJ. ‘What’s going on?’
But she knew to obey instructions and as she strapped on the belt, a piece of paper came out from a slit at the bottom of the screen. As EJ examined it, she felt the capsule beginning to move along the Mission Tube.
EJ looked at the code. She didn’t recognise it but she immediately spotted something unusual: every word ended in ‘AY’.
‘This is like our “arp” language,’ said EJ to herself. ‘You do something, the same thing, to each word. This one is pig Latin, I’m sure of it. You take the first sound and send it to the end and then add AY to the end of that. If the first letter is a vowel, you add a W. Let’s see what happens when I take the AY away and make the last sound the first.’ EJ tried the first word, murmuring to herself as she worked.
‘ONAY becomes ON and then it becomes NO. The first word is NO.’ EJ tried the second word. ‘IESFLAY becomes IESFL and then it becomes FLIES, so the second word is FLIES. Both of them are real words, so pig Latin must be the code.’
EJ quickly cracked the rest of the message.
Wow, thought EJ. That’s a lot of animals in one message. Flies, cats, foals, horses and the code’s in pig Latin. What’s that about?
There was, however, one part of the message EJ did understand: NEW HORSE CHARMS. CHARMs were the concealed spy gadgets all SHINE agents used and if SHADOW knew that SHINE was getting more CHARMs that wasn’t good. How could they have found out?
EJ keyed the decoded message into the keyboard and pressed the green button. Seconds later the screen flashed and text appeared.
EJ felt the capsule speed up and then tilt upwards.
Now EJ felt herself being pushed back into the seat as the capsule lifted off the Mission Tube track. She was in the air.
I must be leaving the Mission Tube, EJ realised. But where am I going?
After a few minutes, the capsule began to drop and then it landed with a soft bump.
The digital voice spoke again. ‘Door opening. Exit capsule and stand back. Eco-Deco is about to commence.’
EJ knew what that meant and she quickly unstrapped her seatbelt, stood up and stepped outside of the capsule as it began to shake and make gurgling noises. Within seconds, it was nothing but a small pile of rubble in front of her and EJ was standing in a small bushland clearing, surrounded by gum trees. Above her, a kookaburra gave its distinctive laughing call.
EJ looked up at the kookaburra and saw that instead of eyes, there were two glowing yellow lights. EJ climbed up the lower branches of the white ghost gum to take a closer look. She had just noticed a small SHINE logo on the bird’s breast when she heard a car engine. She climbed around to the other side of the tree trunk and watched as a silver campervan with two satellite dishes on the roof drove into the clearing. It stopped and a metal door slid open.
The driver’s dark-tinted window slid down and EJ recognised LP30 from the Transport Division.
‘Come on down, EJ12,’ called LP30. ‘A1 is waiting for you.’
A door on the side of the campervan slid open as EJ quickly climbed down the tree.
‘I see you have found IJ12’s kookaburra-cam,’ said A1, the head of SHINE, standing in the open door. ‘What do you think?’
‘Very lifelike,’ said EJ as she went up the steps and through the door. She looked around the inside of the campervan. She’d always wanted to go on a holiday in one but her parents had said no because her mum preferred her toilets to stay in one spot. The campervan seemed a lot bigger inside than it looked from the outside. There was a long centre section with three black chairs along a long narrow bench. On one wall was a map of the world and on the other was a bank of TV screens, all flashing different images. There were no windows. At the end of the campervan was a cubicle, a toilet EJ guessed, and a small kitchen. In the kitchen was a microwave oven set into the wall and a glass-door fridge with a keypad to one side next to a water dispenser. EJ could see that the fridge was stocked with yellow tubs like lunchboxes and wondered what was inside them.
‘Welcome to SHINE MOVE 1,’ said A1. ‘That stands for Mobile Operations Vehicle in Emergency Unit 1.’
‘What’s the emergency?’ asked EJ. ‘Why can’t we use the normal Operations Room?’
‘It’s too risky at the moment,’ explained A1. ‘Something very worrying has happened, something that could jeopardise the entire SHINE Agency. We have temporarily relocated to MOVEs while we give HQ a thorough security check. While that’s happening, I am running things from this mobile unit. We are constantly moving, making it difficult for anyone to pin down our location.’
‘What has happened?’ asked EJ. This was the most serious she had ever seen A1.
‘Something, someone,’ said A1 gravely, ‘has breached SHINE security.’
EJ’s mouth went dry. How did A1 find out so quickly? she wondered.
‘A1, I didn’t know Bob was listening. I’m not even sure he does know anything … Even if he did it couldn’t possibly cause so much trouble, could it?’
‘EJ12,’ said A1, ‘what are you talking about?’
‘I think my brother, Bob …’ began EJ.
‘No, no, it’s nothing to do with you,’ interrupted A1. ‘For the last couple of days I have suspected that SHADOW has had access to some top-level agency information, hence our relocation to the MOVEs. This message, intercepted this morning, confirms my suspicions.’
‘So there are new horse CHARMs,’ said EJ, reminded of the message.
‘Yes,’ confirmed A1. ‘And I think the cat part of the message means C-A-T, one of our Centres for Animal Training. We have a number of them, each training different types of animal agents for mission work.’ She turned to the map on the wall. ‘Activate live mapping,’ she commanded. ‘Show CATs.’ The large map on the wall lit up with yellow globes flashing in different locations. ‘Show CAT videos,’ instructed A1. Video of dolphins, tigers, puppies, horses, birds and rabbits now appeared on the screen bank.
‘Each flashing light shows the location of a CAT,’ explained A1. ‘As you can see from the videos, we have different centres for different kinds of work. We even have agents such as HT12 working with rabbits. They are excellent diggers! Our marine unit is, obviously, located under the water, off a small island in the Pacific and our SHINE Wildlife Refuges are over in Africa. You know that one of course, from your outstanding mission there.’
EJ blushed with pride.
‘Now,’ said A1, turning back to look at the map. ‘As you can see, we also have a number of CATs locally. Our cat CAT is here, the dog CAT here and our horse CAT is here. It is at the horse centre that we think there might be a security leak. The only agents outside the Science and Invention Division who knew about the new horse care CHARMs were the head trainers at the horse CAT because they helped test them but even they don’t know everything about them. Still, whoever sent that message must have been either at our horse CAT or in our Science and Invention Division.’
‘Which is why you have evacuated into MOVE?’ EJ understood now. ‘Who at SHADOW could be behind the plot to find out our secrets?’ wondered EJ. ‘Aren’t most of the known SHADOW masterminds in SHINE detention?’
‘Certainly a lot of them are thanks to you, EJ,’ said A1. ‘Caterina Hill and her cousin Amber Tekcor are in one of our detention centres, the same one as Adriana.’ A1 paused for a moment and sighed sadly. EJ knew why. Adriana X was one of SHADOW’s most brilliant agents but she was also A1’s sister.
‘Brothers and sisters can be a real pain, can’t they?’ said EJ. For once, it was as if she could read A1’s mind.
A1 smiled. ‘They can certainly cause a few problems, but Adriana has kept out of trouble lately. In fact, all reports are that she has been on very good behaviour. She’s even taken up drawing.’
‘Hmmm,’ said EJ suspiciously.
‘My thoughts exactly,’ said A1. ‘But whatever Adriana is doing, she certainly isn’t at the horse CAT and yet that’s where the information is being leaked from. I need you to go there, EJ, and find out what’s going on. We are doing a lot of top-secret work with our animal agents at our CATs, work we don’t want SHADOW to know about.’
‘Are we doing something at the horse CAT?’ asked EJ.
‘Yes, EJ,’ replied A1. ‘Horses are a very important part of our search and rescue work. Through a top-secret combination of diet and training, our agent horses are becoming both faster and more agile in even the most difficult conditions.’
‘And the new horse CHARMs help with that?’ asked EJ.
‘Exactly.’
‘And the foals?’
‘The work we are doing with the foals is the most important and secret of all,’ said A1. ‘These foals are in our FAST program, Foal Agent Speed Training and they are the first specially bred for mission work. They will give us a huge advantage over SHADOW. They will be faster, quieter and more highly trained than any other horse agent.’
‘SHADOW already suspects something about them,’ said EJ. ‘But what about the rest of the message? “No flies on me but plenty at CAT.”’
‘I don’t know but I don’t like the sound of it,’ said A1. ‘SHADOW is clearly planning something. We must hurry. Your SHINE-issue riding gear is in the cubicle at the end of the van,’ she continued. ‘Please go and change while I prepare your CHARMs.’
EJ went into the cubicle, quickly changed and came out wearing black riding boots, brown jodhpurs and a pink and black shirt with the SHINE logo on one sleeve. She also had a standard-issue SHINE backpack with a torch and binoculars. A riding helmet, equipped with a SHINE spy-talker, a radio device for agents to communicate with each other, had been added. The riding helmet worried EJ.
‘Um, A1,’ said EJ. ‘I can’t ride. I haven’t done horse training and I’m not so …’
‘You’ll be fine, EJ,’ A1 reassured her. ‘We need you to look like everyone else training at the centre. Now, let’s take a look at your CHARMs.’
Laid out on the bench were four silver CHARMs: a rosette, a horseshoe, a brush and a heart with a horse’s head engraved on it.
‘Are these the new horse CHARMs?’ asked EJ.
‘Yes,’ replied A1. ‘You are the first agent outside the Science and Invention Division to see the finished products. Now, this is rosette-cam,’ said A1, picking up the first CHARM. ‘The cameras also have motion sensors so an agent can be alerted when someone enters an area.’
‘I’ve used something like that before,’ said EJ, thinking of her intruder-alert sensor at home.
‘Very good,’ continued A1. ‘Simply twist and the rosettes will appear. It’s a multi-CHARM and you can use as many rosettes as you need and they won’t look out of place on a stable door. If we are right and something is going on at the horse CAT, these might be useful.’
‘The brush is a horse-care CHARM?’ guessed EJ.
‘Plus a little more,’ said A1. ‘Twist and you have a standard horse body brush but inside is also a powerful scanning device that will allow you to search and collect even the most microscopic foreign object. It can be used on any surface. We have modified it from equipment used by airport security staff. After using the scanning device, you can attach the brush end to your phone to send us the samples for testing.’
‘Okay,’ said EJ, impressed. She looked at the next CHARM. ‘So the horseshoe is a horseshoe?’
‘Yes and no again,’ answered A1. ‘SJ45 has been working on this one.’
EJ beamed proudly. SJ45 was her mum who, although retired from active missions, continued to do some work for the agency. She was a vet so a lot of it was in animal research.
‘This CHARM produces special horseshoes that will allow our horses to run even faster without risk of slipping even on rocky terrain. SJ45 cleverly based them on mountain goat hooves. The shoes have soft, slightly hollow pads in the centre that act like suction caps when pushed down. They can be put on in seconds and will make our horses more surefooted and safer—and even more useful in our search and rescue operations.’
‘Go head, LP30,’ said A1.
‘Five minutes until drop-off, A1,’ said LP30 over the campervan intercom. ‘We can stop for only five seconds, we really need to keep moving to prevent risking detection.’
‘Very good,’ replied A1. ‘Okay, EJ, it’s time to go. Put this mission lunchbox in your pack, it should keep you going while OM and when the door opens, we will stop for just five seconds.’
‘But where will I be?’ asked EJ.
‘We are dropping you just down the road from the horse CAT. Agent GG22, our head horse trainer and one of our most trusted agents, is expecting you but she thinks you are coming for basic horse training. I think it’s best if no one knows the real reason you are there.’
EJ gulped. ‘I’m going to ride?’
‘You’ll be fine, EJ,’ repeated A1. ‘And, until we know more, the less people who know about this mission the better. Now, walk north along the dirt road for one kilometre and you will come to a white gate with a sign that says Glowing Gum Farm. That’s the CAT. Walk through and down the long, winding drive, lined with gum trees and when the road straightens up, you will see large paddocks on either side. On the left is the paddock where the retired horse agents spend the day. Approach the bay, that’s dark brown, horse with white socks …’
‘Horses wear socks?’ asked EJ.
‘No, when they have a different colour at the bottom of their legs, these sections are called socks.’
Gee whizz, lemonfizz! thought EJ. Horse language is almost like a secret code!
‘It’s a code you’ll soon crack, EJ,’ said A1. ‘Now, the bay is called Lucinda. She’ll let Agent GG know you are there.’
