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Max Remy Superspy 09: The French Code

ePub ISBN 9781742745145

Random House Australia Pty Ltd
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First published by Random House Australia in 2007

Copyright Â© Deborah Abela 2007

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

National Library of Australia
Cataloguing-in-Publication Entry

Abela, Deborah.

The French code.

For primary school aged children.
ISBN 978 1 74166 119 4.

1. Spies â€“ Juvenile fiction.
I. Title. (Series: Max Remy super spy; 9).

A823.4

Author photo by Todd Decker
Cover and internal illustrations by Jobi Murphy

To Rachel â€“ Max and Deb will miss you

Hurried footsteps echoed down a sparsely lit corridor of the Louvre museum in Paris. A darkened figure stole a quick look over his shoulder and tripped, falling heavily to the floor. His cane snapped across the room, stopping out of his reach. He lay there, arms and legs splayed, his head aching from its clash against the cold marble floor. â€˜Donâ€™t stop now,â€™ he breathed. â€˜You have come too far for that.â€™

With a groan of effort, he retrieved his cane and pulled himself to his feet. He scuffled forward, through the dim light of the exit signs. His monstrous and elongated shadow spilt over the walls with their ancient stone carvings from temples and tombs, over pedestals bearing the sculptured heads of pharaohs and the mummified hands of kings.

It was late. Just on midnight. The museum had long been closed.

The figure wheezed, his chest heaving, but he only slowed his pace when he stood before a lit office at the end of the corridor. He gathered his breath before entering.

A hunched-over man in a rumpled suit with an equally rumpled and tired smile looked up from behind a desk. â€˜Youâ€™re here. Thank you for coming,â€™ he said.

â€˜I am always here for you, Antoine,â€™ the figure whispered back. He was an older man, with skin the colour of wet cement, ruled with faint lines as if heâ€™d been preserved in formaldehyde. Antoine drew a small leather satchel from the top drawer of his desk and laid it on the surface between them. The old man sat down heavily on a chair opposite. â€˜Is that it?â€™

Antoine pushed a pair of wire-rimmed glasses along his nose. â€˜I think youâ€™ll be very pleased.â€™

The old man rubbed his hands together, wet from sweat and anticipation. He untied the straps of the satchel and peeled the leather away, pausing. â€˜Itâ€™s beautiful.â€™

â€˜Just as you expected?â€™

â€˜More so.â€™ The old manâ€™s breath quickened. â€˜Are you sure that itâ€™s the right one? There were many forgeries made.â€™

â€˜I have checked for all the distinguishing marks and it matches perfectly. Including the setting for the final piece. Just as the book explained.â€™

In the corridor, two security guards silently moved towards the office door, their leather shoes cushioning their steps over the polished floor.

A nervous gasp caught in the old manâ€™s throat. â€˜And you have the final piece?â€™

â€˜Yes. I found it, just as I said on the phone.â€™ Antoine shifted nervously in his seat. â€˜But there is a problem.â€™

The two guards waited on opposite sides of the door, listening, barely breathing.

Antoineâ€™s glasses slipped down his nose. â€˜I canâ€™t give them to you.â€™

The old man winced, as if from a stabbing pain. â€˜Canâ€™t give them to me?â€™

â€˜Iâ€™ve discovered that what we have been searching for is far more powerful than we could have imagined.â€™

The old man shifted forward on his seat. â€˜Youâ€™ve tried it?â€™

â€˜Yes.â€™ Antoine allowed himself a brief smile. â€˜And for that reason I have to insist it stays within the museumâ€™s secured vault.â€™

An icy pall fell over the room.

â€˜But you canâ€™t mean that â€¦ not after all that weâ€™ve â€¦â€™ His creased brow freckled with sweat. â€˜But I need â€¦â€™ He slammed his fist into the desk. â€˜You owe me this.â€™

Antoine realigned his glasses, his jaw set in firm resolve. â€˜Iâ€™m sorry, I know how much this means to you, but Iâ€™ve made up my mind.â€™

The old manâ€™s hands shook, and he was seized by a hacking cough that echoed into the corridor.

One guard nodded to the other and they made their move.

The lights in the office suddenly extinguished. Smothered cries for help were followed by desperate clambering and a series of thuds. The two guards emerged from the office dragging the unconscious bodies of Antoine and the old man after them. They made their way down the corridor, past the blank, unseeing eyes of ancient kings and pharaohs to a service elevator. They stepped inside, dumped the bodies and waited while the doors closed on their deep, satisfied smiles.

The numbers above the doors lit in turn as the elevator descended to the lower floors.

Outside, at one of the museumâ€™s service entrances, a waiting garbage truck received its unusual cargo. The two guards climbed into the cabin, cranked the gears into place and the truck ferried them into the darkened streets of Paris.

âI wasnât spying. I swear. Iâm just a kid. What would I be doing spying?â Agent Max Remy yelled at the locked prison door. Her tied hands squirmed in the rope behind her. It was itchy and thick and, even from there, smelled of cow manure. âAnd couldnât you find a less stinky rope?â

Trouble was, Max had been spying. And sheâd been caught.

Max and her spy partner, Linden Franklin, were members of the elite intelligence agency, Spyforce. They were in Nigeria, in the city of Lagos, on the verge of uncovering an animal smuggling ring when soldiers spied Max pointing her camera at them and had them thrown in jail on charges of spying.

After being held for six hours in a hot and airless cell, circled by scuttling cockroaches and the occasional scorpion, the metal door opened with a whine. The four imprisoning soldiers entered and positioned themselves at attention against the wall, while the officer in charge followed behind and circled the two young spies with slow, ominous steps.

He wore dusty army greens, a dismissive smirk and large, mirror-lensed sunglasses. When Max stared at him, all she saw was her miniaturised self caught in their smudged reflection.

âListen, I think youâre upset about the camera, but I didnât take any pictures of these guys. It has sand stuck in the focus ring from a sandstorm in the Sahara. So you see, I wasnât spying â I was checking for sand.â

There was a stifling silence. Max swallowed hard against the drying heat and flinched as another cockroach scampered over her boots.

The officer stood before them and began talking quietly in a language foreign to Max and Linden. His voice grew louder as he stabbed the air with his fingers only centimetres from their faces. Max jumped when he slammed a fist into his palm. He turned to the soldiers, shouting an order that he punctuated with a swipe of his finger across his throat.

âI didnât understand the first bit,â Linden said. âBut I know what that last bit means.â

The soldiers pulled Max and Linden up by their shirts and pushed them out of the room.

âWhere are you taking us?â Max shouted. âLet us go. We havenât done anything!â

âMax, Iâm not sure your screaming is working.â

âYou got a better idea?â

âNot yet,â Linden answered.

âThen screaming it is.â

They were shoved through a stone archway into a large, walled courtyard with a murky green pond in the centre.

âYou might want to get your pool cleaned,â Max said before she felt the hard end of a gun in her back, pushing her forward.

âThere is no way I am going in there.â

The soldier pushed the weapon into her even harder. âEasy with that thing. You might hurt someone â¦ like me.â

âUm, Max?â Linden said.

âIâm a little busy telling off Mr Gun-happy.â

âWe have a visitor.â

Max turned to see the rounded snout and spiked back of a crocodile emerge from the water.

âOh.â Maxâs chest seized with panic as the courtyard door slammed behind them, leaving them alone with their new oversized friend. The crocodile edged closer, his giant prehistoric feet hauling his hulking body towards, what Max now realised, was his lunch.

Was this the end of Max and Linden? Were their short lives to be ended in the jaws of an algae-riddled dinosaur? Would the last sound theyâd ever hear be the hiss of a crocodile as he was about to

âAaaah!â Maxâs palm computer vibrated against her leg.

âYes, Max? Is something wrong?â

Max looked up from her story and stared at the unamused face of her teacher, Miss Yates.

âNo, Miss.â

The palm computer vibrated again. Max snuck her hand beneath her desk and slid the top of the device out of her pocket. It was Spyforce calling during the middle of a creative writing class. âI mean, yes. I need to go to the bathroom.â

âYouâve only just come back from recess.â

Max leant forward and clutched her stomach. âYes, but I think Iâm going to be sick.â Her hands flew to her bulging cheeks.

âOh.â Miss Yates turned pale and her eyes widened with the impending threat of child vomit. She waved Max towards the door and sat heavily in her chair, fanning herself with an old copy of Alice in Wonderland.

Max ran to the toilets and pulled the palm computer from her pocket. âHello?â she panted.

âMax, how completely delightful to see you.â The beaming face of Steinberger, the Administration Manager of Spyforce, appeared on the screen.

Just as a toilet flushed.

âOh dear.â Steinberger blushed and looked away. âI hope I havenât interrupted anything important.â

âNo. Just give me a second,â Max whispered. She snuck into a cubicle and waited for a kid to leave the toilet. âGo ahead.â

âWe have another mission we think you and Linden will be perfect for. How soon can you get to London?â

âIâm at school,â Max said. âIâm a kid, so this is what I do most days.â

âYes, yes, of course you are. I meant to say firstly that thatâs all been covered. We have arranged for you and Linden to be chosen as last-minute honorees in a group of specially selected students going to France on a short cultural exchange trip.â

âFrance? Whatâs the mission?â

âIâm afraid I canât tell you much yet, but Iâve sent some documents to your computer for you to read.â

âWhen will you need us?â

âTomorrow.â

âTomorrow?â

âYes, Iâm sorry about the short notice, but we do need you here as a matter of some urgency. Can you make it?â

âAbsolutely, I can â¦â Max stopped. âHave you told my mother?â

âYes. I spoke to her by phone this morning undercover as Professor Steinhoffer, one of the administrators in charge of the exchange, and she was completely delighted.â

âShe was?â

âYes, apparently she went on an exchange to France as a young girl, which brought back many fond memories. I have given her all your flight details, and she will have you at the airport tomorrow afternoon. Linden is making the trip from Mindawarra with his dad and your Uncle Ben and Aunt Eleanor. So, does another mission sound okay to you?â

âIt sounds very okay.â

âExcellent. So we will see you both very soon. It will be a joy as always to work with you once again, Max Remy. Goodbye.â

Max stared at her palm computer and waited for what she knew would happen next: a few moments later it vibrated to life again.

âI know,â Max said to Lindenâs small face on her screen. âA mission to France. Coming?â

âWouldnât miss it. Do you know what itâs about?â

âNo, Steinberger wouldnât say,â Max replied. âBut from the urgency of the call, it must be something very big. It might even be our biggest mission yet.â

âBetter wear my best jumper then.â

âYou have a best jumper?â Linden wasnât known for his flair for fashion.

âIt only comes out for special occasions.â

Max smiled. âI guess Iâll see you and your âspecial occasionsâ jumper tomorrow.â

âSure thing, boss.â

âAnd donât call me boss.â

Â 

âMum, you have to stop crying.â

Max looked around the airport to see how many people were staring at her mother as she blubbered loudly into another tissue. âI canât help it. My little girl is going away to see the world.â Another blubber and sniff. âSheâs growing up so fast.â

There was a time when Maxâs mum was less sentimental. On occasion, Max missed those times. Like now.

âYeah, but itâd be a lot less embarrassing if you let me do the growing up without the crying in public.â Max tried to hide from the stares and stifled laughing of passing passengers.

âNot so long ago you were my little baby. Next youâll be leaving home and â¦â This thought was a cue for more crying.

Max gave her Uncle Ben a âsave-meâ look. He moved in and cradled Maxâs motherâs shoulders. âThere, there, Anna. Sheâs coming back. The exchange is only for a week. Sheâs not leaving you forever.â

âForever?â Maxâs mum looked horrified before turning to weep into Benâs chest. Now it was Benâs turn to throw a âsave-meâ look to Lindenâs dad, who took over the shoulder cradling.

âItâs all part of letting go,â he said.

âYes.â A coy smile dangled from Maxâs mumâs lips. âI suppose youâre right.â

Eleanor slipped her hand into Maxâs and turned her away from all the comforting. She took a thick leather belt from her bag and handed it to her niece. âAnd one Time and Space Machine,â she whispered.

Ben and Eleanor were also secret agents of Spyforce and were the inventors of the machine.

âThanks, Eleanor.â Max tied the belt around her waist, making sure it was completely concealed beneath her shirt.

âAh, and you must be our exchange students.â A widely grinning Steinberger stepped through the crowd in his shiny shoes and even shinier cheerfulness. And next to him was the Spyforce chef, Irene. âI am Professor Steinhoffer and this is Professor Irena.â

Irene was a plump woman who usually dressed in kaleidoscopic colours like a human merry-go-round. But on this occasion she wore a grey suit with her hair pulled back in a very un-Irene-like bun.

âWe are officers with The Centre for International Cultural Exchange.â Steinberger and Irene held out their cards to the adults. âPromoting a world of friendly international relations and mutual harmoniousness which, I think youâll agree, the world needs now more than ever.â

âThat and muffins.â Irene carefully pulled a container from her bag. âAnyone care for one? I baked them myself.â

Linden went into a mini-meltdown. His shoulders drooped and his mouth opened in a trance-like joy. He and Irene bonded over their fine appreciation of food, which to Max was more like some kind of brain-zapping madness.

Food could make Linden forget anything, including the fact that they werenât supposed to let on that they knew Irene and Steinberger.

As his feet almost propelled him into Ireneâs arms, Max stepped between them. She grabbed two muffins and handed one to Linden with a warning look. âThanks, Professor Irena.â

Linden took a long, slow whiff of the muffin before taking a bite. His eyes drifted closed and his body began to sway. âWhite chocolate chips, macadamia nuts, dark Belgian chocolate and,â Linden grinned, âNew Zealand manuka honey.â

âPerfectly right.â Irene only just held herself back from giving him a bear-sized hug and instead shook his hand. âAlways a pleasure to meet a food connoisseur.â

âNice to meet you, Steinber â¦ I mean, Professor Steinhoffer.â After Ben introduced the adults, he said, âAnd, of course, this is Max and Linden.â

âI recognise you from your gorgeous photo.â Irene winked at Linden. âYouâre even better looking in real life.â

âHe certainly takes after his father.â Everyone turned to Maxâs mum, who held her tissue to her mouth as her cheeks glowed bright red. âI mean they look alike â¦ the hair â¦ the eyes â¦â She searched for someone to take the focus off her. âDonât you think?â

Now it was Maxâs mumâs turn to throw a âsave-meâ smile at her daughter.

âDonât tell him heâs good-looking,â Max said to Irene. âHis head wonât fit through the door of the plane.â

A womanâs voice floated above them, announcing the boarding of their flight.

âHave fun over there.â Lindenâs dad pulled his son in for a hug.

âPlease take care of my little girl.â Maxâs mum had begun crying again.

Irene offered her a fresh tissue. âThey will be treated as if they were our very own.â

âTake care, you two.â Ben started to tear-up as well.

âWe will.â Max had forgotten how soppy goodbyes in her family could get. âLike you said, weâre not going away forever.â

âForever â¦â Her mother let out a fresh wail, and Ben followed with a loud sniff.

âSpeaking of going away,â Steinberger looked at his watch, âthereâs the boarding call again. Your French adventure awaits.â

There was a bustle of last-minute hugs and kisses and double hugs, until Steinberger finally managed to coax his young spies away. They stood at the exit leading to the international flight area, waved to Ben, who was being comforted by Eleanor, and Lindenâs dad, who was hugging Maxâs weeping mother.

âOkay, thatâs enough crying for one day.â Max wiped great smudges of lipstick from her cheeks and gave her family a final wave. She turned and headed with the others through the sliding glass doors. Inside, lines of passengers were putting bags, coats and trays of wallets and coins through the X-ray machines.

Linden chomped into another muffin Irene had offered him. âThese are seriously some of your best.â

âThank you.â Irene smiled.

âI thought you never went on missions.â

âI donât, but I wasnât going to miss the opportunity to travel to Australia to pick up my favourite food critic. Chief Harrison needs these for an afternoon tea he is having today with some Japanese sumo wrestlers, and I needed your expert opinion.â

âJapanese sumo wrestlers?â Max asked.

âYes, his doctor said he should do more sport and he fancies himself as a bit of a wrestler. So he thought heâd get some advice from the experts.â

Two burly security officers appeared before them. Steinberger showed them his Spyforce card before being directed through a special exit.

âShouldnât we be going that way?â Max pointed to the X-ray machines.

âThereâs no time to take a regular flight, Iâm afraid,â Steinberger answered.

One of the guards entered a secret code into a numbered panel and two thick metal doors slid open. The guards stood aside and waved them through.

âWhere are we going?â Linden mumbled through the last mouthful of muffin.

âTo a special part of the airport used for top-security arrivals and exits.â Steinberger led the way down a dimly lit corridor. âYou know, presidents, rock stars, royal jugglers â¦â He grinned cheekily. âAnd people who are in a hurry to start a spy mission.â

Steinberger led them through another security door and onto the tarmac. A compact, dark-windowed transport carrier scurried them away from the towering hulks of internationally-bound planes towards a series of giant hangars. They were dropped inside the farthest one and found themselves in a large, seemingly empty, space.

Empty except for one thing.

A mechanical hum filled the air and a large metal hatch opened before them revealing a doorway-sized view of the inside of a plane. A set of stairs descended.

âThe Invisible Jet.â Max smiled.

The Hyper Fast Invisible Jet was a Spyforce invention aided by invisibility serum created by Irene in her kitchen. The jet had a pool; a spa; large, comfy chairs and super-powerful computers called Digital Think Amajigs stored in every seat. For Linden, the best thing about the Think Amajig was the unlimited menu.

âItâs always hard deciding what food to order first.â Linden brushed a leftover muffin crumb from his jumper.

âDonât you ever get full?â Max asked.

Linden shrugged. âIt hasnât happened yet.â

âWelcome to your super-fast ride to London in the worldâs most luxurious, high-tech mode of transport to ever â¦â

âUm, Steinby,â Irene interrupted. âWeâre in a bit of a hurry.â

âYes, yes, of course. Come on, team.â Steinberger and Irene stood on either side of the jetâs visible stairway.

âYour ride awaits,â Irene invited.

Max and Linden hurried up the stairs of the jet and settled into their large, fluffy seats, ready for their mission to Paris. Meanwhile, in the main terminal, Maxâs mum sniffed, blew her nose and waved a different, Max-less plane goodbye.

â€˜Canâ€™t we go another way?â€™

Max stood before a giant terracotta pot that doubled as a secret elevator inside Spyforce headquarters. It was a high-security way of getting to Chief Harrisonâ€™s office, buried deep in the subterranean layers of the agency. â€˜Every time I get in one of these, I never know if Iâ€™ll ever come out.â€™

â€˜I agree with Max â€¦â€™ Irene said. â€˜Last time I took one, I ended up fair on my toosh after a particularly sharp stop. I think Iâ€™ll walk, but first I need your palm computers. Quimby needs to tweak them for your mission.â€™

Max and Linden handed them over before Irene leant in and gave each of them two very sloppy kisses. â€˜Be careful in France and thanks for the thumbs-up on the muffins.â€™ She turned and waved behind her. â€˜Tootledoo.â€™

â€˜You have no need to worry, Max.â€™ Steinberger held out his hand and ushered them inside. â€˜I know the elevators have played up in the past, but the repairs have been completed. Thereâ€™ll be no more malfunctions this time, I promise.â€™

He placed his hand up against the side of the pot. A light glow lit up around his fingers as the identification process was being completed. A few seconds later, the side of the pot slid open.

â€˜Good morning and welcome,â€™ the elevatorâ€™s greeting system sang. â€˜Please enter your destination and enjoy your ride.â€™

â€˜Sounds good so far,â€™ Linden said.

â€˜Thatâ€™s because we havenâ€™t given it a chance to stall or stop with half-opened doors or leave dirt clumps all over us.â€™ Max held on tight to the handrail. With an unsettlingly human sigh, the doors closed and after a soft whir they began their descent.

The elevator gently vibrated beneath them as Max waited for the first sign of malfunction but, after several minutes, the vibrating faded and the elevator stopped.

â€˜You have arrived at a secure floor.â€™ The greeting system continued, â€˜Before leaving, please look into the mirror to the left of the doors for a complete facial ID.â€™

â€˜Iâ€™ll go first.â€™ Steinberger looked closely into the mirror. â€˜Itâ€™s part of our new upgraded security system.â€™ A green line of horizontal light scanned down and up Steinbergerâ€™s face before a gentle ping was heard.

â€˜ID complete,â€™ the melodious voice sang.

â€˜Why did you need a new security system?â€™ Max stood in front of the mirror.

Steinbergerâ€™s face clouded over. â€˜There was a small security breach around the time you completed your mission in Malta.â€™¹ A ping sounded, â€˜ID complete.â€™

â€˜A security breach?â€™ Linden took his turn at the face scanner.

â€˜Yes.â€™ Steinbergerâ€™s brow wrinkled into a sad frown. â€˜Just as the work was completed, an unidentified figure was caught on camera leaving the premises.â€™

After another ping, the voice again came to life. â€˜ID complete. You may enter. Have a nice day and thank you for travelling with us.â€™

â€˜They were never caught?â€™ Max asked.

â€˜No.â€™ There was a heavy lilt in Steinbergerâ€™s voice. â€˜It was as if he just disappeared the moment he was detected.â€™ He remained quiet for whole seconds before his cheerier self returned. â€˜We canâ€™t stay in here all day; we have a mission brief to attend.â€™

They stepped into a richly carpeted foyer. â€˜See, Max, perfectly delivered in one piece.â€™

â€˜It is exciting, Steinberger, but elevators around the world do this kind of thing every day. Itâ€™s their job.â€™

â€˜Oh Max, youâ€™re always so funny.â€™ Steinberger stepped briskly past the blurred faces of famous agents, including a blurry Ben and Eleanor. He slowed reverently at the glass cabinet containing the original Spyforce Manual. It had once been stolen and threatened to change the very nature of existence with its recipe for a potion that would enable humans to live forever.² Eventually they stopped at a set of elaborately carved doors leading to Harrisonâ€™s office.

Steinberger brushed non-existent lint off his suit, pushed his sculptured hair into place and wiped his hands on a hanky before knocking. â€˜Sir,â€™ Steinberger almost bowed, â€˜your agents have arrived.â€™

â€˜Ah,â€™ a voice answered from within. â€˜Throw them in. Oh blast, I mean, show them in.â€™

Max and Linden shared a smile and followed Steinberger into a cluttered room with tall ceilings and long, stained-glass windows leading nowhere. There were lounges piled with cushions, scattered terracotta pots and more blurred paintings of secret agents on the shelves and hanging from walls, crammed alongside books, certificates, awards, thank-you letters from world leaders â€“ and the odd tennis racquet and fishing rod. And in the middle of all the chaos stood a smiling Chief Harrison.

â€˜Welcome, welcome, welcome.â€™

â€˜Itâ€™s good to have you back at the Force, sir.â€™

â€˜Thank you, Max. It is very good to be back.â€™ He leant in. â€˜Just between you and me, I think it was time. With all that recuperating at home, Iâ€™d become quite attached to daytime cooking shows and somehow managed to burn down my kitchen.â€™

Chief Harrison had been ordered to take a break after an almost fatal encounter with an old enemy, Mr Blue, and his deadly Heart Stopper device.³

Max saw Steinbergerâ€™s face droop. His bottom lip trembled at the recollection of almost losing his Spyforce chief but was propped back into its usual sunny disposition by the beeping of his palm computer. â€˜Ah, heâ€™s here.â€™

Steinberger opened the door to a grinning Toby Jennings. One-time school foe of Max and now fellow Spyforce agent.

â€˜Donâ€™t worry, everyone, now that I am here the world is safe.â€™

â€˜From everything except your giant ego.â€™ Max folded her arms.

Toby turned to Linden. â€˜I bet she talks about me all the time when Iâ€™m not around.â€™

Linden nodded. â€˜I think it might be true love.â€™

Max flicked her head away. â€˜Between Toby and his mirror, maybe.â€™

â€˜I hear you two had a mission in Malta,â€™ Toby said.⁴ â€˜Canâ€™t have been much fun without me.â€™

â€˜I was devastated.â€™ Max feigned a sad look.

â€˜You can make it up to Max on this mission.â€™ Harrison steered the conversation back to the business of spying. â€˜For now we need to talk about France.â€™

Harrison gestured to a lounge and the three spies took a seat. â€˜During his last mission, Toby was sent to Paris.â€™

â€˜Yeah, some guy with way too much time on his hands planned to flood the cityâ€™s underground Metro system with quick-drying cement.â€™ Tobyâ€™s chest inflated. â€˜It was a pretty ingenious plot, but he had no chance with me on the case.â€™

â€˜Are you sure you donâ€™t have to be back home in Austria for any reason? Iâ€™m not sure thereâ€™ll be enough room for you and your ego on this case.â€™

â€˜Nope.â€™ Toby smiled. â€˜Lucky for you, Iâ€™m all yours.â€™

â€˜It was the success of that mission,â€™ Harrison explained, â€˜that has led the French Government to ask for our help on another important matter infecting their plum tree.â€™

Harrison winced. â€˜Gosh and blast. Their plum trees are fine. As far as I know. But they need our help on an important matter affecting their country.â€™ He sat forward and spoke with urgency. â€˜A top archaeologist from the Louvre has been kidnapped.â€™

â€˜Being one of the most important museums in the world,â€™ Steinberger added, â€˜with one of the most comprehensive collections of objects and artworks from human history, the French government is very sensitive about the loss and it is determined to find the archaeologist before the world finds out.â€™

â€˜Yes, and members of the French police are on their way to â€¦â€™ Harrison was interrupted by his office door flying open. â€˜And here they are.â€™

Two men in dark blue uniforms and stiff-peaked hats entered the room. They stood at attention like a guard of honour while a third, taller man in uniform strode in between them. â€˜We â€™ave arrived. Ze briefing can begin.â€™ He turned to two CRISP agents standing at the door behind him. â€˜Why are you standing zere? You are not needed anymore.â€™

The two men from CRISP (Central Response Investigative Safety Patrol), who were responsible for the internal security of the Force, looked to Harrison.

â€˜If you could wait outside?â€™ Harrison asked.

The agents closed the door behind them.

â€˜Commandant Tetu.â€™ Harrison stood and held out his hand. â€˜Welcome to Spyforce.â€™

â€˜Chief â€™Arrison.â€™ Commandant Tetuâ€™s jaw hardened and his fists clenched and unclenched, reminding Max of an over-wound toy. â€˜I am sure you understand â€™ow grave our situation is and zat we must act fast, speedy, rapidement.â€™

â€˜Yes. Of course.â€™ Harrison lowered his hand.

â€˜Commandant Tetu.â€™ Steinberger straightened. â€˜I would like to introduce you to our fine agents for this mission. Max Remy, Linden Franklin and â€¦â€™

â€˜I â€™ave no need for names, only action, answers and a quick rezolution.â€™ Tetu tugged at the cuffs of each sleeve of his jacket. â€˜Let me be clear. Ze French police are more zan capable of â€™andling zis affair alone, but ze president seems to zink your agency is special and insists on your â€™elp.â€™

â€˜Thatâ€™s because Spyforce saved Paris from â€¦â€™ Max began, but Tetu turned away.

â€˜Ze screen, Stain-berr-gerr.â€™

Steinberger grasped the remote. A screen slid into place and a data projector descended from the ceiling.

â€˜He makes you feel welcome, doesnâ€™t he?â€™ Toby whispered to Max.

The image of a small man with wire-rimmed glasses and a moustache appeared on the screen. Tetu approached and held out a pointer.

â€˜Zis is Antoine Marceau. â€™E is ze head of ze department of Egyptian Antiquities at the MusÃ©e du Louvre.â€™ His chest puffed. â€˜As you know, it is one of ze most beautiful and famous museums in ze world. Ze night before last, â€™e was working late in â€™is office when zis happened.â€™

He flicked his pointer at Steinberger to start the video footage.

â€˜This guy is really starting to annoy me,â€™ Max mumbled to Linden.

Tetu spun round to her, his left eye twitching. â€˜Do you want to work on zis case?â€™

â€˜Yes,â€™ Max answered. â€˜I am a very good spy and your government wants me on this mission. Maybe because youâ€™re not â€¦â€™

â€˜Ah, Max? Maybe Commandant Tetu has more he needs to show us.â€™ Lindenâ€™s voice calmed Max down. She crossed her arms and held the stare of the twitching-eyed Tetu. He leant forward, only slightly, his creaseless uniform remaining obediently rigid.

â€˜You will be quiet until you are invited to speak.â€™ He stared at her long enough for an uncomfortable silence to wedge itself between them. â€˜Ze video.â€™

Steinberger pressed play. The security camera footage was taken from up high and looked down on a faintly lit corridor dotted by exit lights. There were ancient statues in polished glass cabinets down the middle and crumbled stone carvings displayed on the walls. An older man came into view, before he tripped and fell to the ground.

Whole seconds went by where nothing happened, until he picked himself up and hurried through a lit doorway. A few minutes passed and two dark figures dressed in security uniforms entered the corridor. They waited beside the doorway before rushing into the room, emerging a short time later dragging two slumped bodies. One of the figures stopped, rearranged his sagging human cargo to free one hand and waved at the camera before disappearing around a corner. The image of the empty corridor stared back at them.

Tetu slammed his pointer against Harrisonâ€™s desk, making Max jump.

â€˜Ooever zese arrogant and dangerous people are, zey must be caught.â€™

Max frowned. â€˜Do you have footage of what happened next?â€™

â€˜If zere was more footage,â€™ Tetu snarled, â€˜I would â€™ave shown you more footage.â€™ He softened his voice. â€˜We are not sure â€™ow zey did it, but it seems zis camera was ze only one in zis part of ze MusÃ©e zat was working. All ze others were immobilised, tampered wiz, dead.â€™

Max shrunk at the last word. â€˜Oh.â€™

â€˜Zere are very few people â€™oo know how to disable ze complex security of ze MusÃ©e. Zose people are being investigated now, but zo far â€¦â€™ Tetuâ€™s twitching began anew. â€˜We â€™ave nozing.â€™

â€˜So one of the figures being dragged away is Monsieur Marceau, but who is the other man?â€™ Linden asked.

â€˜Zir Reginald Strangways, a very rich man â€™oo â€™az been generously donating to ze museum and sponsoring Monsieur Marceauâ€™s work for years. Ze phone records show zat ze last call Monsieur Marceau made was to Monsieur Strangways.â€™

â€˜So is he missing too?â€™ Toby asked.

â€˜No. We found him dumped and unconscious in a gutter not far from ze MusÃ©e. â€™E â€™ad received a severe blow to ze â€™ead and cannot remember anyzing.â€™

â€˜And let me guess, the two men doing all the dragging arenâ€™t really security guards,â€™ Max suggested.

â€˜No. Zey are impozters.â€™ Tetuâ€™s voice slumped. â€˜Nozing like zis â€™as ever â€™appened to ze MusÃ©e before. As one of ze worldâ€™s most secure repositories of ancient and modern art and artefacts, we cannot let news of zis get out. Our reputation as guardians of ze worldâ€™s treasures would be lost. And Monsieur Marceau is a world leader in his field. It is imperative zat we find him wizout delay.â€™

â€˜Was anything stolen?â€™ Toby asked.

â€˜We are interviewing all staff from ze department and cross-checking all inventories to make sure everyzing can be accounted for.â€™ His voice softened. â€˜I have been told zat some antiquities possess great power and, outside ze secure walls of ze MusÃ©e, zey could cause unzinkable havoc.â€™

â€˜Havoc?â€™ Max asked. â€˜From an old vase or stone sculpture?â€™

â€˜Zis is what I am told.â€™ Tetu drifted into a dark silence.

â€˜And the message, Commandant Tetu?â€™ Harrison prompted.

â€˜Yes, yes.â€™ Tetu snapped back to attention. â€˜We found a message dropped onto Monsieur Marceauâ€™s chair.â€™ Tetu nodded at Steinberger and a photo of a scribbled note appeared on the screen.

â€˜What does it say?â€™ Max asked.

â€˜Gardez la fille,â€™ Toby spoke out unexpectedly.

â€˜Which means?â€™

â€˜Watch out for the girl.â€™

â€˜How do you know that?â€™ Max asked.

Toby shrugged. â€˜Iâ€™ve been studying French. It came in handy for my last mission.â€™

â€˜As well as French, Toby has been taking cryptography and cryptanalysis classes in Austria after school,â€™ Steinberger explained.

â€˜The study of message secrecy and code breaking,â€™ Linden said.

â€˜Yes.â€™ Steinberger smiled. â€˜And he has quite a flair for it. Topped his class in all his exams so far.â€™

â€˜Canâ€™t hold back true genius, I guess.â€™ Toby shrugged. â€˜If you stay close, some of it might rub off on you, Max.â€™

â€˜Along with your arrogance and over-inflated ego? No thanks!â€™ Max shot back.

â€˜And Linden,â€™ Steinberger continued, â€˜has been studying computer analysis and infiltration by correspondence class. And may I say, he took to it like â€¦â€™

â€˜If I can finish?â€™ Tetu sneered the room into an awkward quiet. â€˜We believe ze 12-year-old daughter of Monsieur Marceau is ze girl ze message is referring to and zat she may be in terrible danger. Your mission is to mind ze girl and make sure nozing â€™appens to â€™er.â€™

Maxâ€™s eyes widened. â€˜The Louvre has been broken into, an old man beaten up and dumped in a gutter, a top archaeologist has been kidnapped and â€¦ youâ€™re asking us to babysit a kid? Weâ€™re top agents who have stopped evil geniuses from making zombies of the worldâ€™s kids.⁵ Weâ€™ve saved Venice and Malta from being destroyed.⁶ Weâ€™ve rescued â€¦â€™

Max was silenced by Tetuâ€™s slow, quiet steps. He stood over her. â€˜If you donâ€™t like it, you can go.â€™ The comment hung in the air like a sharpened guillotine hovering directly above her.

Harrison spoke up to break the tension. â€˜This mission is to remain top secret, Max. If we were to place adult agents around Veronique, it would attract unwanted attention. Being the same age as her, you can be more discreet.â€™

A smug smile slithered across Tetuâ€™s colourless lips.

Max turned to her boss. â€˜Yes, sir.â€™

Tetu swaggered in front of the three young agents. â€˜Undercover police will be discreetly placed around you, but you are to stay wiz Veronique at all times. No-one is to know zat you are agents. Ze moment you give your cover away, you will be taken off ze case. As far as anyone is to know, you are friends â€™oo â€™ave come to visit from England.â€™

â€˜Weâ€™re from Australia,â€™ Max pointed out.

â€˜Wherever.â€™ Tetu waved his hand. â€˜Just make zure you do not mess up.â€™

â€˜Weâ€™ve completed eight missions so far.â€™ Max held Tetuâ€™s half-smiling stare. â€˜We have no intention of messing up.â€™

â€˜We shall see.â€™ One of Tetuâ€™s eyebrows arched into the shape of a question mark. â€˜It â€™az been arranged zat Monsieur Sleek will fly you to Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris in ze Invisible Jet. You will be escorted into a secret entrance and taken through ze arrivals terminal as if you â€™ad flown in on a regular plane. You will be met by an undercover police officer posing as your driver and taken directly to Monsieur Marceauâ€™s home. I will be in touch via zis palm computer that Chief â€™Arrison â€™as kindly given me so we can communicate in a zecure way. Is zat clear?â€™

â€˜Zat is clear.â€™ It was out before Max could stop it.

A cruel edge circled Tetuâ€™s eyes. His body loomed over Max, casting her in his shadow. â€˜Do not mess wiz me,â€™ he said quietly. â€˜Ozers â€™ave done so before and regretted zat day forever.â€™

He snapped his pointer closed. â€˜I will see you in Paris after you â€™ave been equipped. Au revoir, Chief â€™Arrison. Monsieur Stain-berr-gerr.â€™ Tetu nodded and, with his two officers, left the room.

â€˜That man has got to find his funny bone,â€™ Max said. â€˜And when he does, Iâ€™ll be the first to hit him with it.â€™

Toby and Linden sniggered.

â€˜What?â€™ Max asked.

Toby braved an answer. â€˜Maybe heâ€™ll find it where you left yours.â€™

â€˜I can be just as funny as the next person. Funnier, even.â€™ Max threw it out as a challenge. Toby opened his mouth, but a quick shake of the head from Linden warned him against it.

â€˜Commandant Tetu can be a little â€¦ stern,â€™ Steinberger said. â€˜Heâ€™s never worked with young agents before. Once he sees you in action, though, heâ€™ll change his mind.â€™

â€˜And until then we have to babysit some spoilt brat.â€™ Max sulked.

Harrisonâ€™s gaze lowered. â€˜She is very much more than that and may be in terrible danger. Minding her is your mission.â€™ His voice was firm.

â€˜Tetu is aware of your work with the Force,â€™ Steinberger added. â€˜He has studied your missions thoroughly, in fact, but he has made up his mind about your role in this one and isnâ€™t prepared to budge.â€™

â€˜Iâ€™ll budge him if I ever â€“â€™

â€˜Max,â€™ Harrison warned. His eyes met each spy before returning to her. â€˜I have staked the reputation of Spyforce on your involvement, and I know you will do your job and allow nothing to bring that reputation into disrepute, will you, Max?â€™

â€˜No, sir.â€™

â€˜Now hurry. Quimby needs to equip you so you can leave for Paris as soon as possible.â€™ He nodded once. â€˜Good luck.â€™

âAow!â Max cradled her head, which felt as if it had been slammed by a cricket bat.

âSorry, Max.â Steinberger rushed over to where Max was standing in the VART and handed her one of his many hankies. He believed that wherever you went, you couldnât go without your hanky â it somehow made everything better. âSince our renovations to the Force last month, we have rearranged the parking of some of our vehicles â¦ including the Invisible Jet.â

The VART, or Vehicular All-Response Tower, was a large cave-like hangar where Spyforce kept all its high-tech vehicles. There was the Sleek Machine, all-terrain trucks, one-seater mini choppers, hovercrafts and, of course, the Hyper-Fast Invisible Jet, which Max had, until today, known where it was parked. Max grabbed the hanky and dabbed at a small trickle of blood on her forehead. âI thought we were going to be equipped by Quimby?â

âWe are,â Steinberger explained, âbut due to our tight schedule, weâre going to do it in the jet.â

A large hatch lowered towards them, revealing the plush interior of the jet.

âAnd it looks as if Sleek is ready for us.â

âI love this thing.â Toby hurried up the stairs.

âAre you okay?â Linden whispered to Max.

âIâm fine, I just â¦â Max felt her heart flip a little as Linden went to touch her brow. She pulled away and shoved the hanky in her pocket. âItâs only a little cut. Weâd better get going.â

They climbed inside the jet and settled into the large fluffy seats before Sleekâs voice floated above them. âWelcome aboard the Invisible Jet. This is your captain speaking. We are about to commence take-off, so please fasten your seatbelts, stow all tray tables and Digital Think Amajigs, and get ready to enjoy your ride to Paris.â

âHe sounds happy,â Max said.

âThe Social Orienteering classes heâs been taking are really working,â Steinberger replied. âHe even received an award for âmost improvedâ.â

After the door closed and locked automatically, the jet lifted into the air and glided towards the opening hangar doors of the VART. At the lip of the exit, the gently hovering machine catapulted into a high-velocity vehicle, well on its way to Paris.

Theyâd reached cruising altitude in seconds and Steinberger began the orientation. âWeâll be in Paris in a jiffy, so let us get Quimby in here, shall we?â

Steinberger pressed a button on the control panel in his armrest. A large screen descended from the roof and, after a bleep and some static, Professor Quimby, chief inventor of Spyforce, appeared before them. She was in her newly upgraded lab, filled with shiny chrome benches lined with microscopes, lasers and vices. In the background were new machines still covered with cloth. In the centre of it all, Professor Quimby was bent over the flying sparks of a welder. After a few seconds, she stopped.

âProfessor Quimby,â Steinberger announced, âyour agents are assembled.â

Quimby looked up. âAh, hello there, everyone.â She took off her safety helmet. âWelcome to another mission. I was just putting the finishing touches on a new robot Iâm working on.â

âA robot?â Tobyâs eyes brightened. âCould I have one when youâre finished?â

âThereâs a lot of testing to do before I can unleash her on the public, but Iâll let you know when sheâs ready.â Quimby laid the welder and gloves on the bench. A long wisp of dark hair escaped from her bright pink scarf. âIf you reach beneath your seats youâll find your packs, which are fully equipped with the gadgets you will need for your mission in Paris.â

Each of the agents pulled out their packs, which also doubled as a Personal Flying Device.

âI have checked them all and added a no-tamper security system, so this time you should all fly without a hitch.â Quimbyâs smile fell a little. âAfter careful examination, Max, we found your pack had been tampered with in Malta. Weâre only happy you landed from a relatively low height into water, otherwise your fall could have been very serious indeed.â

Max felt a strange tingle of fear run through her as she recalled her PDF stalling mid-flight and her spiralling into the Grand Harbour in Valletta, the capital of Malta.⁷

âWeâre also lucky Linden was there to pull you out and give you mouth-to-mouth,â Quimby added.

âYou kissed her?â Toby sprang forward into Lindenâs face.

âI attempted mouth-to-mouth, but ââ

âHe didnât kiss me,â Max interrupted. âThere was no mouth-to-mouth. I woke up just in time.â

âOh,â Quimby said. âMy mistake.â

âI canât believe you were going to kiss her,â Toby said.

âI canât believe you donât understand that if you say that one more time, Iâm going to wrap you in that fluffy seat cover and slingshot you into outer space.â Maxâs eyes were wild. Toby stayed quiet.

âIn your packs you will find an old favourite.â Quimbyâs smile returned with new vigour as she held out a small, red rubber cube. âThe Foldaway Inflatable Vehicle.â

âThatâs a vehicle?â Toby asked.

âNot yet, but watch this.â Quimby moved back from the camera, which followed her every move. âAll you do is give the cube a shake like this, throw it to the ground and you have â¦ the Felani!â

A sleek red car materialised as if from nowhere.

âThat is going to be a dream to drive.â Toby imagined himself comfortably seated at the wheel.

âI donât think so,â Max said. âI donât plan on my life ending that quickly.â

âMax and Linden have been properly trained to use the vehicles,â Steinberger explained to Toby. âSo you are to leave the driving to them.â

âAll right,â Toby sighed. âBut theyâve just missed out on their first ride through the sound barrier.â

Quimby smirked and continued. âIts wheels contain fibres from the Venus flytrap for super-grip and, even though she looks like a flash city car, sheâs very sturdy for those occasions when you need to tackle harder terrain, but still look good.â

âItâs always good to know ââ Toby began.

âThat the gadgets will match the good looks of their agent?â Max guessed.

âNow youâre starting to get it.â

âMaybe youâre just getting predictable.â

The camera followed Quimby, who moved closer to her desk. She held up a transparent, button-shaped device. âYou each have a Tracer Bug that, as Max and Linden will remember, is linked to the virtual search engine on your Time and Space Machine. You simply enter the code number of the Tracer Bug youâre looking for and the search engine will track that person down. The code numbers are on your computer and each bug displays in different colours. Toby is blue, Linden is green and, Max, youâre red.â

âAnd this,â she picked up a small plastic curved object, âis your Descrambler. It fits inconspicuously behind your ear and will translate any language into English. Iâd like you to wear them now and keep them turned on at all times while you are in France.â

Each of the agents slipped the device behind an ear.

âIâd also like you to wear your infrared video/radio watches with built-in laser and torch. Theyâve been updated to include texting capability. Iâve also included your danger meters. Wear them close to your chests and at the threat of even the slightest danger, they will send out a pulsing vibration.â The three agents slipped on their watches and danger meters.

âIâve packed your MP3 recorders, which can hear and record voices up to three hundred metres away, and Night Vision Sunglasses that allow you to detect humans in the dark by built-in heat sensors. In your bags youâll find your palm computers with translation software installed, as well as detailed maps of France and a Global Positioning System, or GPS, that will direct you to any destination you need.â

âExcellent as usual, Quimby.â Steinberger looked at his watch. âBy my calculation, we should almost be in Paris. Is there anything else youâd like to tell the agents?â

âJust one more thing, which should happen any second now.â

âHello! Oh, I hope Iâm not too late.â A voice rose from the maze of bookshelves, benches and machinery of the lab. âAh, there you are. Thank goodness. I thought I might have missed you.â

Steinbergerâs face turned a deathly shade of old sport sock and his mouth opened and closed like a beached fish.

Max and Linden swapped sly smiles. A woman in a bright red lab coat and matching hair, which was swept up on her head like an overloaded beehive, appeared beside Quimby.

âSorry Iâm late. I had a particularly active morning trying to give medicine to a Japanese fighting fish.â She adjusted her rose-shaped glasses. âTheyâre stubborn little things when they want to be. Hello, agents. And Steinby. Lovely to see you as always.â Dr Frond waved. The normally in-control Steinberger giggled feverishly and his arm slipped off the armrest.

Dr Frond was the head of the Plantorium, the centre for creating new plant-based products for Spyforce, and the object of Steinbergerâs not-so-secret crush. âIn your packs you each have toiletry bags.â She held out a cake of soap, a packet of talcum powder and two travel-size bottles marked âshampooâ and âconditionerâ.

âTheyâre not just to keep us clean, are they?â Linden asked.

âNo.â Frond smiled. âThey are much cleverer than that. The soap is Professor Plombâs newly disguised Silent Bomb, which you activate by pulling this rope embedded in the end. The talcum powder is actually Snooze Powder that, when inhaled, will induce a deep sleep. The shampoo is Invisibility Cream and the conditioner is the Antidote to make you visible again. Thereâs also a deodorant, which is really Wake-Up Spray.â

âDoes it smell better than the last one Linden used on me in Malta?â Max asked. Many of Frondâs products had an unfortunate knack of smelling like dead fish.

âIâm afraid not.â Frond shrugged. âBut weâre working on it.â

Quimby clapped. âAnd now you are fully equipped for your mission to Paris.â

Sleekâs voice came to life above them. âLadies and gentlemen, we have begun our descent into Paris, one of the most romantic cities in the world.â

Steinberger, who had been quietly staring at Frond for her entire speech, sighed, before continuing to stare in silence.

âSteinberger?â Max waved a hand in front of his face, but he didnât move.

Quimby had a try. âYour agents are ready, Steinby. And I think youâre about to land.â

âGood. Wonderful. Magnificent,â he whispered.

âThanks for the gadgets, Quimby and Frond.â Max had had enough of Steinbergerâs love paralysis.

âYouâre welcome,â Quimby said. âAnd may the Force be with you.â

Max leant over and stopped the transmission.

âLadies and gentlemen,â Sleek announced, âplease stow all projection screens, tighten your seatbelts and get ready for one smooth landing.â

Max looked at Steinbergerâs love-dazed gaze and sighed. She tightened his seatbelt and pressed the button on his armrest to retract the screen.

âTime for the pact.â Linden held out his hands to Toby and Max.

âA pact?â Toby asked. âSounds good.â He took Lindenâs hand.

Max sighed and looked at the two outstretched hands. Holding one boyâs hand was enough to make a girl want to run, but two? She also knew Linden wouldnât start the mission without it. She reached out gingerly and took their hands.

Toby slipped on his best Mr Smarm voice. âI could tell you wanted to hold my hand as soon as I arrived.â

âLinden, make it fast.â Max closed her eyes.

Linden smiled. âIf Max or Toby should come to harm or get lost or be in danger in any way, I, Linden Franklin, will do everything I can to help them and bring them to safety. Your turn, Toby.â

Toby repeated the pact and squeezed Maxâs hand when heâd finished. âLots of girls would kill to have me looking after them.â

âDonât you mean they risk being killed with you looking after them?â

âYou can try and resist me for only so long before you crack. Youâll see.â

âIâll crack you if you donât ââ

A gentle bump onto the tarmac told them theyâd arrived at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. Max hurriedly said her pact before snapping her hands back and wiping them on her pants.

The agents slipped on their packs and stood at the exit hatch. A muttering Steinberger remained dreamily strapped in his seat.

âSteinberger?â Max said.

He kept muttering.

âSteinberger! Weâre here. In Paris. And we thought we should get on with the mission, if thatâs all right with you.â

âMission â¦â he muttered further.

âSomeone has got to do something about this,â Max mumbled before adding, âWeâll see you when we get back.â She led the other agents down the exit hatch, leaving a lovesick Steinberger wallowing in a pool of his brain-slushing crush.

â€˜Get him off me.â€™ Max shook her leg to try and free herself from a curly haired, snarling poodle whose miniature jaws had clamped onto her pants. â€˜Get him off me!â€™

Linden, Max and Toby were standing on the front steps of a palace-like Parisian house. It was surrounded by a thick garden; tall, looming trees; a swirling pebbled drive and, only in the last few seconds, the echoing cries and snarls of Max and the chomping poodle.

Linden tried to coax the furry animal away with a ball he found in the bushes, while Toby tried logic. â€˜Come on, girl. You havenâ€™t even met Max yet. How can you know so soon you donâ€™t like her?â€™

â€˜Fifi? Where are you?â€™ A voice came from inside the house.

The dog stopped growling and tugging.

â€˜Fifi?â€™

Fifi gave one last wrench that tore the seam of Maxâ€™s pants before unhitching herself and running inside the mansion.

Max looked down at the damage. â€˜That slobbering mutt ripped my pants!â€™

â€˜Youâ€™re lucky we were here to save you.â€™ Toby wiped his brow. â€˜Otherwise she could have ruined more than just your pants.â€™

Max stood, her face within centimetres of Tobyâ€™s. â€˜Next time I need rescuing, remind me to call someone else.â€™

She walked to the house and followed the cooing sounds of, she guessed, Fifiâ€™s owner. â€˜There there, ma chÃ¨re. Itâ€™s okay now.â€™

Max walked through a foyer that looked like a mini-museum stuffed with paintings and artefacts and followed the voice into an equally over-stuffed sitting room. It was crammed with glass cabinets of old pots, vases and jewellery, stone plinths holding busts of ancient rulers squeezed next to settees, lounges and coffee tables. There were softly lit papyrus paintings lining the walls beneath a lofty ceiling painted with floating clouds and plumpish angels.

And seated on an antique lounge, a girl cradled the mauling pup on her lap. â€˜Ah, the babysitters are here.â€™ She had long dark hair, a deep, sunbaked tan and a flowing shirt hanging loosely over a pair of designer jeans.

â€˜Actually,â€™ Max said, â€˜we are secret agents who â€“â€™

The poodle sat up and snarled. â€˜Whatâ€™s wrong, Fifi?â€™ The girl nuzzled into the animalâ€™s curly white coat. â€˜You never behave like this with anyone.â€™

â€˜It is strange.â€™ Toby sat on the lounge beside her. â€˜Animals usually love Max.â€™

The poodle leant forward and licked his hand.

â€˜She likes you,â€™ the girl cooed again. â€˜Fifi has an excellent sense for picking good people.â€™

â€˜He came at me from nowhere and tore my pants.â€™ Max pointed at her ragged-edged trouser leg covered in poodle slobber.

â€˜Heâ€™s a she.â€™ The girlâ€™s eyes sailed over Maxâ€™s clothes. â€˜And itâ€™s lucky you werenâ€™t wearing anything stylish.â€™ She turned away and looked at the boys. â€˜I am Veronique Marceau.â€™ She gave them a kittenish smile. â€˜It is charming to meet you both.â€™

Max looked down and took a careful glance at the clothes she was wearing. Baggy pants, regular shirt â€“ a little faded â€“ and trainers. It might not impress anyone, but at least she was comfortable.

â€˜You speak English,â€™ Linden said.

â€˜And German, Japanese, Finnish and Spanish. Iâ€™m learning Arabic too, but Iâ€™m not very good yet.â€™

Fifi raised a fluffy eyebrow at Max and bared her teeth revealing an almost snarling smile on her doggy jowls. Max scowled back.

A tall man in a black suit stood at the door holding his hat before him. As he spoke to Veronique, the three agentsâ€™ Descramblers went into action, translating his words into English.

â€˜Your car is ready.â€™

Veronique stood up. â€˜Itâ€™s time to go.â€™

â€˜Go where?â€™ Max asked.

â€˜An audition for a television show that is looking for new talent.â€™ She held up a gold-framed mirror and teased her hair with her fingers. â€˜And I think Iâ€™m exactly what they are looking for.â€™

â€˜You donâ€™t think you should stay here?â€™ Max asked. â€˜Considering whatâ€™s just happened to your â€“â€™

â€˜I have been instructed to carry on with my life as normal and that you are here to protect me.â€™ Her smile seemed like a taunt. â€˜You can stay if you like, but I do not think Commandant Tetu would be happy if you did. Come on, Fifi.â€™

Fifi jumped off the lounge, barking at Max as she skittled from the room after Veronique.

â€˜Sheâ€™s right, Max. Our mission is to stay with her,â€™ Linden said. â€˜And it might be fun.â€™

â€˜I think Iâ€™d have more fun shipwrecked in a sea full of sharks.â€™

Linden laughed.

â€˜Iâ€™m serious.â€™

â€˜I know. Thatâ€™s what I like about you.â€™

Parked outside was a long black limousine with deep leather seats that resembled more of a lounge room than the inside of a car.

â€˜You own a limousine?â€™ Toby asked.

â€˜It was a present from a friend of Papaâ€™s. He thought it too extravagant and was going to refuse, but I convinced him we should have it.â€™

After theyâ€™d all buckled themselves in, Veronique placed Fifi in a special dog seat between Max and everyone else. Veronique laughed and giggled with Linden and Toby throughout the journey and filled every second with stories of herself, famous people sheâ€™d met and holidays to exotic places.

Fifi stared at Max the whole way and, whenever she went to speak, the poodle bared her salivary white teeth and growled.

â€˜Fine,â€™ Max whispered to the mutt, â€˜I wouldnâ€™t want to take away from her majestyâ€™s limelight.â€™

Max stared out the window as the streets of Paris slid past. Cafes and parks filled with people laughing in the sun and strolling along tree-lined boulevards and avenues. The River Seine streamed silkily beneath them as they crossed the cityâ€™s oldest bridge, the Pont Neuf. They drove around the traffic-choked road circling the hulking single arch of the Arc de Triomphe before heading down the bustling, stylish shopping strip of the Avenue des Champs-ElysÃ©es.

It seemed everyone, from tiny kids to old men and women, had dressed up for an important function. Taxi drivers, teachers leading groups of small children, street sweepers and flower-sellers. She looked down at her torn pants and the dark stain where Fifiâ€™s dog dribble was starting to dry. Everyone was dressed elegantly, Max thought, except her.

The limousine swung into the driveway of the TV studio and stopped before the glass entrance.

â€˜Ready for my big moment?â€™ Veronique smiled at the boys and pulled her seat forward to reveal a concealed wardrobe. She took out a covered clothes hanger and a shoebox. â€˜Could you carry these for me?â€™ she asked Toby and Linden in a helpless baby voice.

â€˜Sure. Weâ€™d love to.â€™ Toby almost grovelled.

â€˜Oh, and bring Fifi will you, Max? Her lead is hanging there beside you.â€™

â€˜Sure.â€™ Max glowered and lifted the sparkling pink lead. â€˜Because it isnâ€™t bad enough I have to mind a spoilt brat, now I have to dog-sit, too.â€™

Fifi barked dog breath all over her.

â€˜You know an animal your size would be easy to lose,â€™ Max warned.

Inside the TV station, the auditions had begun. After signing in, Veronique and the agents sat in the audience listening to the last of a love song sung by a young girl.

Maxâ€™s face screwed up into an expression of pain. â€˜Iâ€™ve heard chainsaws sing better than that.â€™

â€˜It was actually very good, but you have to have a musical ear to hear it. I need to go to the changing room.â€™ Veronique jumped to her feet. She rubbed her nose against Fifiâ€™s and took the shoebox and hanger from the boys. â€˜Take care of my little angel â€¦ and wish me luck!â€™

â€˜This babysitting thing is going to be more painful than I thought.â€™ Max sighed.

â€˜I like her,â€™ Toby said.

â€˜Like her?â€™ Max almost choked. â€˜Sheâ€™s a spoilt little rich girl who is obsessed with how she looks and how interesting she thinks she is.â€™

Fifi growled at Maxâ€™s feet.

â€˜Sheâ€™s not that bad, Max,â€™ Linden reasoned. â€˜I guess you have to be pretty confident to enter these things.â€™

Maxâ€™s palm computer began to vibrate. She slipped it out of her pocket. â€˜Itâ€™s Tetu.â€™ She slumped down in her seat. â€˜Just when I thought my day couldnâ€™t get any worse.â€™ She opened the connection. â€˜Hello, Commandant Tetu.â€™

â€˜You â€™ave met Mademoiselle Marceau?â€™

â€˜We have. You didnâ€™t tell us she was so cheery.â€™

â€˜Cheeriness iz not zomething I care for. Where iz she now?â€™

â€˜Backstage at a TV station getting ready for some singing contest.â€™

â€˜You left â€™er alone? Unattended? Open to attack?â€™ Tetuâ€™s face smouldered into a fiery glow.

â€˜Well, not quite open to â€¦â€™

â€˜You â€™ad a simple order to stay wiz â€™er at all times.â€™ Tetu steamed. â€˜Find â€™er now! Or you will be expelled from zis mission immediately. And remember, do not bring any unnecessary attention to yourself.â€™

The screen went almost as black as Maxâ€™s mood. Which was when she smelt something strange.

â€˜Aaaah!â€™ She jumped up. â€˜Why you little â€¦â€™

The bustle of the auditions stopped, including the singer on stage, who was heading for her big finale.

â€˜What is it?â€™ Linden looked down and saw a puddle around Maxâ€™s shoes and a smug-looking Fifi sitting beside them. â€˜Oh.â€™

â€˜Itâ€™s okay, everyone. Itâ€™s just a little accident.â€™ Toby called out and the room slowly went back to the fuss of the audition, except for the girl on stage, who ran off in a weeping mess.

Toby held his nose. â€˜At least she chose the opposite leg to attack this time.â€™

â€˜Iâ€™m going to check on her highness.â€™ Max handed Linden Fifiâ€™s lead. â€˜Someone else can take care of the fleabag.â€™

Max found Veronique in the wings of the stage. She wore a long, tightly fitted dress that swirled around her from one shoulder and looked like it was straight from the windows of a top Paris boutique. Max sighed and walked over in her less-than-glamorous wrinkled shirt, tattered trousers and pee-stained shoes.

â€˜What is that smell?â€™ Veronique sniffed. â€˜You really ought to buy a better perfume.â€™

â€˜Itâ€™s not perfume, itâ€™s â€¦â€™

A woman with a clipboard and microphone headset approached. â€˜Veronique Marceau, you are next,â€™ Maxâ€™s Descrambler translated.

â€˜Wish me luck.â€™ Veronique turned and flicked her hair into Maxâ€™s face before gliding onto the stage. The crying singer was being led away and consoled by her mother, while two girls nearby pinched their noses and pointed at Maxâ€™s pants.

â€˜Why do I feel like my life is slowly swirling down a giant French toilet?â€™

The music began. Veroniqueâ€™s eyes closed. She took a deep breath before moving her hands in front of her like slow-motion butterflies.

â€˜Oh, come on,â€™ Max scoffed, but when she craned forward and looked into the audience, everyone, including an old man dressed in a large coat and hat at the back of the auditorium, was transported into some kind of adoring gaze.

Max went to reach for her MP3 player to reduce her suffering, when she saw the old man lift a pair of binoculars and point it in Veroniqueâ€™s direction. He kept them trained on her every move.

Max lifted her watch to her eye. â€˜Say cheese, Monsieur.â€™ She clicked a few photographs and watched him closely until Veronique warbled through her last, lingering note. During the applause, the old man stood up and hobbled towards the darkened rear of the auditorium.

â€˜I was great, wasnâ€™t I?â€™ Veronique panted to Max. â€˜Listen to their applause! I really performed perfectly. Oh, one of the judges is calling me over.â€™

She ran down the stage stairs and skipped through the crowd to the judgesâ€™ table. Max kept her in her sights and walked back to Linden and Toby.

She sat down heavily beside them. â€˜Iâ€™ve survived leeches, worms, plane crashes and megalomaniacs with egos bigger than Mount Everest, but I was in danger of not making it through that performance.â€™

She turned to see Toby wiping his eye.

â€˜Please, tell me youâ€™re crying because that was so bad.â€™

â€˜That was really â€¦ touching.â€™ Toby looked away.

â€˜Touching? I think someone has touched you on the head with a hammer and you didnâ€™t notice.â€™

â€˜To sing like that takes real talent,â€™ Linden added.

â€˜Talent? Whatâ€™s so talented about whining into a microphone about a boy who has broken your heart and left you sad and blah, blah, blah.â€™

Fifi growled.

Max watched as Veronique enthused at the judgesâ€™ table. â€˜And doesnâ€™t she seem a little calm for a girl whose father has been kidnapped?â€™

â€˜Sheâ€™s probably doing her best not to think about it,â€™ Linden said.

â€˜Why are you always so reasonable?â€™

Linden shrugged. â€˜Mum always said it was part of my charm.â€™

â€˜Well, before we get carried away with what other charms you have, look at this.â€™ Max held up her watch. â€˜This guy was watching Veronique though her whole performance.â€™

â€˜I didnâ€™t realise it was so cold in here,â€™ Toby said.

â€˜My guess is the coat and hat arenâ€™t for warmth,â€™ Linden added.

â€˜Iâ€™ll run it by Tetu and see if he can identify him and form any leads.â€™ Maxâ€™s palm computer vibrated again. â€˜Ah, thereâ€™s my best friend now.â€™ She opened the connection. â€˜Commandant Tetu, how nice to see you again. And so soon.â€™

â€˜Spare me ze sentiment.â€™ Tetuâ€™s left eye twitched. â€˜Did you locate ze girl?â€™

â€˜Veronique is fine, but there was this guy in the audience who was paying particularly close attention to her while she was singing.â€™

Tetu again rouged up. â€˜A guy? Which guy? What guy?â€™ His eye went into twitching overdrive. â€˜Why didnâ€™t you tell me? Is â€™e still zere?â€™

â€˜Iâ€™m telling you now and, no, heâ€™s not still here.â€™ Max took off her watch and plugged it into her palm computer with a USB connector. â€˜Iâ€™m sending you a picture of him now.â€™

â€˜She is safe, unharmed, out of danger?â€™

â€˜Yes, all three,â€™ Max confirmed.

â€˜Bon. I will have the photo examined. For now, we â€™ave finished our forensic investigation at ze Louvre and I â€™ave decided it is time to bring Veronique â€™ere. We need â€™er to look around ze office of â€™er papa to see if zere iz anyzing unusual zat will lead us to where â€™e iz. â€™Ave you finished wiz ze zinging?â€™

â€˜Well and truly, weâ€™ll zing her right over,â€™ Max answered. â€˜But weâ€™ll need to go home first and change. Thereâ€™s been a little â€¦â€™

â€˜You will bring â€™er â€™ere now.â€™ The twitching eye filled the screen. â€˜From where you are it should take forty minutes.â€™

Max felt the cold hard black of the screen slam against her. â€˜Looks like weâ€™re going to the Louvre. Now.â€™

In a darkened corner of the auditorium, an overcoated figure watched the agents move towards Veronique. He drew heavy, drudged breaths. When they had left, he turned and disappeared through the darkened exit.

â€˜Youâ€™re late.â€™

The agents found themselves in the same dim corridor of the Louvre that was shown to them in the security camera footage.

Max looked at her watch. â€˜By one minute.â€™

â€˜One minute still makes you late, delayed, behind schedule. And zat is somezing I do not enjoy.â€™ Commandant Tetuâ€™s eye twitched.

â€˜Ah, you â€™ave brought your fluffy little friend.â€™ He patted Fifi like he was patting a slug. â€˜Hello, doggy.â€™

Max and Toby swapped stifled smiles as Fifi ran behind Veroniqueâ€™s legs.

Tetu straightened and wiped his hands on a hanky. â€˜Welcome, Mademoiselle Marceau. Are you well?â€™

â€˜As well as I can be, Commandant.â€™ Over her dress, Veronique wore a long coat that she now pulled around her. â€˜I am trying to carry on as normal, as you requested.â€™

â€˜I know zis is a very â€™ard time for you, but we wonâ€™t keep you long.â€™

Tetu sniffed the air in disgust, his nose gravitating towards Max. â€˜What iz zat smell? Actually, donâ€™t tell me. We donâ€™t â€™ave time. Follow me.â€™ He spun on his heels and clipped down the corridor.

â€˜That man has got to relax,â€™ Max said. â€˜And does anyone else find that eye twitching thing annoying?â€™

â€˜It started after he was shot trying to save the president,â€™ Veronique said. â€˜He could easily have died. The whole of France thinks Commandant Tetu is a hero.â€™

â€˜So, heâ€™s a hero,â€™ Max shrugged. â€˜Would it hurt to crack a smile?â€™

â€˜The bullet severed a nerve in his face, which means he can no longer smile.â€™

â€˜Oh,â€™ Max bit her lip. â€˜Thatâ€™s too bad.â€™

The commandant stood at the entrance of an office. â€˜Your speaking iz slowing us down.â€™ He eyed Max like he was lining her up in crosshairs on a safari hunt. The others hurried ahead.

â€˜I still bet he was no Mr Jolly before the accident,â€™ Max whispered.

â€˜Zis is Monsieur Marceauâ€™s office.â€™ Tetu held his hand out reverently.

Veronique stepped inside, followed by the others. It was crammed with carved stone statues, amber amulets with fossilised bugs, broken clay pots and jars. In every possible space were piled papers, books, folders, maps and wooden boxes of chisels, brushes and trowels. Veroniqueâ€™s bottom lip trembled.

â€˜I â€™ope you understand, Mademoiselle, â€™ow important it is zat you are â€™ere. We â€™ave examined everyzing and taken all ze fingerprint and forensic evidence we need to find your papa, but as you know him better zan us, you may find somezing we â€™ave overlooked.â€™

â€˜I will do all I can to help, Commandant Tetu.â€™

â€˜You can touch anyzing, but please put everyzing back where you found it.â€™ He held her chin gently. â€˜You â€™ave nozing to fear. My men and I will be outside ze second you need us.â€™

Commandant Tetu gave a brief nod before leaving the room. Fifi whined and curled herself onto an old lounge chair in the corner. Veronique walked slowly to her fatherâ€™s desk. It was a rubble of papers, books, stone scarab beetle paperweights and piles of bus timetables and maps of Cairo and Egypt smudged with dirt.

â€˜What exactly does your father do?â€™ Linden asked.

â€˜Heâ€™s an archaeologist and an art historian. Ancient art, mainly. He goes on digs, finds ancient treasures, writes papers, lectures at museums here and around the world. Papa loves what he does.â€™ She picked up a handmade clay sculpture of the Eiffel Tower from a shelf crowded with trophies, awards and medals. â€˜I made this when I was little.â€™

Toby smiled. â€˜Who said that the Eiffel Tower always has to be straight?â€™

â€˜It was my first art project and Papa says itâ€™s more valuable to him than any of his awards. He keeps it at the front.â€™ Her smile fell.

â€˜Thatâ€™s where Iâ€™d keep it,â€™ Linden said.

â€˜Me too,â€™ Toby added. â€˜Maybe not right at the front.â€™

Veronique laughed. â€˜Youâ€™re very funny.â€™

â€˜Finally.â€™ Toby threw his hands in the air. â€˜Someone on this mission admits the obvious.â€™

Max rolled her eyes and flicked through a pile of old travel guides of Jordan and Tunisia.

â€˜It must be a good job working at one of the best museums in the world.â€™ Toby turned a page of a book made of stiff papyrus.

â€˜He loves the museum, but for him the dust and heat of an archaeological site in Egypt or Greece was where he was happiest.â€™ Veronique wiped dust from the tower. â€˜It feels like heâ€™s away on another dig, not â€¦â€™ She bit her lip.

â€˜Theyâ€™ll find him,â€™ Linden said. â€˜And any time you want to leave or freak out, just let us know. Weâ€™re here for you.â€™

Max looked up from searching a wooden box filled with rocks and ancient fossils.

â€˜I will try not to freak out.â€™ Veronique smiled.

â€˜Even if you do, thatâ€™s okay. Weâ€™re good with people freaking out.â€™ Max frowned and Linden pulled a hanky from his pocket. â€˜Take this. My mum always said itâ€™s good to keep one close. In case.â€™

â€˜You are a true gentleman.â€™ Veronique placed her hand on Lindenâ€™s.

A snail-like ammonite fossil slipped from Maxâ€™s hands into its box.

â€˜You must be careful with those,â€™ Veroniqueâ€™s voice strained. â€˜They are some of Papaâ€™s favourites.â€™

Max winced. â€˜Sorry.â€™

Veronique moved to a small table in the corner of the room. It was similarly piled with maps, charts and rose stone paperweights, but it was a gold and marble cylinder with hand-carved letters circling it that Veronique reached for.

â€˜Whatâ€™s that?â€™ Linden asked.

â€˜Itâ€™s a cryptex.â€™ Toby approached Veronique and looked closely. â€˜A device used to hide secret messages. Iâ€™ve seen a couple in the last few months, but this one is a real beauty.â€™

â€˜Papa had a fascination with them.â€™ Veronique smiled. â€˜How did you know what it was?â€™

â€˜Iâ€™ve been studying them in cryptography class, which, as Spyforce have discovered, I have quite a knack for.â€™ Toby winked at Veronique and, for some reason that Max failed to understand, she fell for it with a girlish giggle.

â€˜What is a knack?â€™ Veronique asked.

â€˜It means he thinks heâ€™s a genius,â€™ Max explained.

â€˜How does a cryptex work?â€™ Linden asked.

â€˜See these rings of letters around it?â€™ Toby explained. â€˜You turn them so that they line up to form a code word. This is a five-letter cryptex, so the code word has to be five letters long. Once youâ€™ve done that, the cryptex will open and reveal the secret message inside.â€™ Toby turned to Veronique. â€˜Only it wonâ€™t be that youâ€™re pretty,â€™ he smarmed. â€˜Thatâ€™s no secret at all.â€™

Veronique giggled again.

Maxâ€™s eyebrow squirmed up her forehead. â€˜I suddenly need to use the bathroom.â€™

â€˜Down the hall,â€™ Veronique said. â€˜Itâ€™s the first side passage on your left.â€™

Maxâ€™s trainers stepped silently over the floor. She walked past the rigid face of Commandant Tetu and his men, who blended in perfectly with the stone statues around them.

When she came out of the bathroom, Tetu had moved away from the other officers and was whispering into his phone. Max slunk into a shadowy corner behind him.

â€˜Donâ€™t worry. We are watching â€™er carefully. Ze two of zem are very close. If Antoine â€™as left â€™er a message, we will know about it. I will call you wiz any developments.â€™

He ended his call. Max waited a few seconds before creeping up behind him and coughing loudly. Tetu jumped.

â€˜Sorry to scare you, Commandant.â€™ She smiled broadly. â€˜Even the toilets are great in this gallery. No wonder the French are so proud of it.â€™

Max shivered through Tetuâ€™s Antarctic stare. â€˜Just do your job and make sure nozing â€™appens to zat girl.â€™

Max backed away from Tetuâ€™s skyscraper of a body. â€˜Did you find out who is in the picture I sent you?â€™

â€˜No-one of interest to us.â€™ Tetuâ€™s words were like a slammed door. Veronique appeared at the office doorway and he hurried to her side. â€˜Did you find anyzing?â€™

â€˜Nothing. Iâ€™d like to go home now,â€™ Veronique answered with a quiver in her voice.

â€˜Of course. Your driver is waiting.â€™ He bowed his head.

â€˜You will find him, wonâ€™t you, Commandant Tetu?â€™

â€˜Absolutely.â€™

The small group made their way through the corridor to the exit. Max turned once to see Tetuâ€™s face harden before he pulled out his phone to make another call.

As the limousine glided through the darkened Paris streets, Veronique took the cryptex from inside her coat.

â€˜We were told to put everything back where we found it,â€™ Max said. â€˜Tetuâ€™s been through that office. Heâ€™s going to know we took it.â€™

â€˜You didnâ€™t notice,â€™ Veronique challenged. â€˜So I doubt Tetu will. I was very discreet â€“ and Papa would have wanted me to have it.â€™

â€˜I guess one souvenir canâ€™t hurt,â€™ Toby said.

â€˜Thank you, Toby.â€™ Veronique turned away from Max. â€˜You are so understanding.â€™

Max held out her palm computer with the photo of the man from the audition. â€˜Do you know who this is?â€™

â€˜Yes,â€™ Veronique said. â€˜Itâ€™s Regi.â€™

Max leant forward to escape Fifiâ€™s panting dog breath. â€˜As in, Reginald Strangways?â€™

â€˜Yes. Why?â€™

â€˜He was at the audition today.â€™

â€˜He was probably making sure I was okay.â€™

Max frowned. â€˜Why didnâ€™t he come up and say hello?â€™

â€˜He is a very busy man.â€™ Veronique curled into her seat and cradled the cryptex to her chest.

â€˜Why wouldnâ€™t Tetu tell me who he was when I showed the photo to him?â€™

â€˜Because Regi has nothing to do with Papaâ€™s disappearance.â€™

â€˜Strangways was with your dad when he was kidnapped,â€™ Max said. â€˜They must have been discussing something important for them to have met that late at night. That makes him part of it.â€™

Veronique spun round. â€˜And your questions make you really annoying. Reginald Strangways and my father have been friends for years. Heâ€™s always been like an uncle to me. If he knew anything about Papaâ€™s disappearance, he would have said.â€™

She turned away abruptly. Fifi barked. Max went to say something more, but Linden shook his head.

The air of the limousine became thick with the blurred streaks of light and shadow from passing street lamps and headlights. And the bruised mood between the two girls. The car pulled into the long driveway of the Marceau house. Veronique leapt from the car as soon as it stopped.

â€˜Do you think she knows something sheâ€™s not telling us?â€™ Max grabbed her pack and stepped out of the car.

â€˜No, I just think sheâ€™s upset because her dad has been kidnapped and you suggested his friend might be involved,â€™ Toby answered.

â€˜We should go easy on Veronique, Max,â€™ Linden said. â€˜Our mission is to make sure nothing happens to her. Itâ€™s up to Tetu to solve the kidnapping.â€™

â€˜But donâ€™t you think sheâ€™s acting a little secretive?â€™ Max asked softly.

â€˜Maybe sheâ€™s not used to being open with people.â€™

â€˜Maybe.â€™ Max frowned. â€˜And while we were at the Louvre, I overheard â€¦â€™

Fifi barked from inside the car. â€˜But of course the world has to revolve around old fluffball here.â€™ Max slipped on her pack and undid Fifiâ€™s seatbelt, but the dog didnâ€™t move. â€˜What? Do you want me to carry you?â€™ Fifi barked and held out one paw. â€˜Now, youâ€™re really pushing it.â€™

Max picked up Fifi and carried her inside where a housemaid had laid out a table of chicken stew, duck sausage, crunchy bread rolls and tall glasses of chocolate mousse with layers of fresh strawberries and cream. Fifi jumped into her special chair that had been placed beside Max.

â€˜Something wrong, Max?â€™ Veronique asked.

â€˜Iâ€™m a vegetarian.â€™ Max looked at the sausage and chicken dishes. Her stomach rumbled.

â€˜How quaint.â€™ Veronique smiled. â€˜Iâ€™ve never met a vegetarian before. Well, thereâ€™s always the bread and mousse.â€™

Linden and Toby cheered Veronique up with stories of missions around the globe and rides in the hyper-fast Invisible Jet, peppered with a few heroic exaggerations and dramatic re-enactments thrown in. Max heard none of their rambling chit-chat as she recalled Tetu talking secretively on his phone and brushing her off when she asked him to identify Strangways. She waited for a break in the laughter.

â€˜Do you think thereâ€™s any way your father could be involved?â€™

Veronique dropped her fork on her plate. â€˜In his own kidnapping?â€™

Everyone stopped eating, even Fifi lifted her head from her personally engraved bowl.

â€˜Max?â€™ Toby held up his hands. â€˜What are you doing?â€™

â€˜When I left the bathroom at the Louvre, I heard Tetu say he was watching Veronique to see if her father had left her a message.â€™

â€˜How would he be able to leave a message when he was kidnapped?â€™ Linden asked.

â€˜Iâ€™m not sure,â€™ Max answered, â€˜but Tetu must think Veroniqueâ€™s dad is somehow part of what happened or at least up to something suspicious.â€™

â€˜Never.â€™ Veronique jumped up. â€˜If you knew my Papa, you would know he could never do anything wrong.â€™ She ran from the room, sobbing. Fifi growled at Max before running after her.

â€˜Nice one, Max. Just when she was starting to feel better, too,â€™ Toby said.

There was a prickly silence.

â€˜After what Tetu said, I had to ask.â€™

â€˜And I think you got your answer,â€™ Toby said.

Max looked at Linden. â€˜I just donâ€™t understand why Tetu isnâ€™t treating this as a missing persons case. I mean, heâ€™s one of the top police officers in France. Donâ€™t you think that tells us something bigger is at stake than a missing archaeologist?â€™ No-one answered. â€˜I didnâ€™t mean to upset her. Really. I just donâ€™t think sheâ€™s telling us everything she knows.â€™

â€˜Sheâ€™s had a big day, Max,â€™ Linden said.

â€˜Yeah, and with us here she has more people to push around than usual.â€™

Linden turned on her. â€˜Sheâ€™s lost her mum, Max, and now maybe her dad. Why canâ€™t you get that?â€™

Max recoiled as if sheâ€™d been hit.

â€˜She lost her mum?â€™ Max asked.

â€˜She died in a car accident when Veronique was a kid. It was in the notes on our computers.â€™

â€˜I didnâ€™t read that part,â€™ Max said softly.

Linden stood up. â€˜Iâ€™m going to see if sheâ€™s okay.â€™ He climbed the stairs and disappeared into the upper level.

Toby looked at Max. â€˜Heâ€™ll calm down.â€™

â€˜Linden never gets angry,â€™ Max said quietly.

â€˜Yeah, thatâ€™s your job.â€™ Toby nudged Max and smiled. Maxâ€™s breath grew short.

â€˜Heâ€™s worried about Veronique,â€™ Toby said. â€˜Thatâ€™s all. Heâ€™ll be fine in the morning.â€™

Â 

Linden found Veronique and Fifi huddled together on a cushioned lounge in a bay window in the upstairs corridor. The night streets of Paris spread beneath them. â€˜Any room on that lounge for me?â€™

Veronique nodded before turning back to the view outside.

He sat beside her. â€˜Max didnâ€™t mean to upset you. Sheâ€™s a good spy and usually has a good gut feeling when somethingâ€™s wrong.â€™ Fifi growled. â€˜Even though she could be a little more subtle in how she says it.â€™

â€˜Papa wouldnâ€™t leave me deliberately. I know it. Not after what happened to Mama. Iâ€™m all he has. He hates leaving me alone.â€™ A quick breath caught in her throat.

â€˜Dad was like that too, when my mum died.â€™

Veronique looked around. â€˜Your mum died?â€™

â€˜Yeah. Itâ€™s almost three years ago now. Dad wanted to stay with me all the time to make sure I was okay,â€™ Linden said.

â€˜What happened?â€™

â€˜I told him that sometimes I needed to be alone. I reckon thatâ€™s how he felt, too.â€™

â€˜It doesnâ€™t get easier, does it?â€™

â€˜Not really,â€™ Linden said. â€˜But I remember the good things more easily than I did at first. Mumâ€™s cooking, her singing and the way that even when things were really bad, she always knew what to do.â€™

â€˜Mama was a singer in jazz clubs. She was very popular. Everyone loved her. I want to be as good as her one day,â€™ Veronique whispered. â€˜Sometimes I miss her just as badly as the day it happened.â€™

Veronique wiped her eyes with Lindenâ€™s hanky.

â€˜It was a car accident. Sheâ€™d finished singing. It was late. She stepped into her car when a delivery truck lost control coming around a corner. The doctors told us she wouldnâ€™t have felt anything. I always wondered how they could be so sure.â€™ Veronique ran her fingers over Fifiâ€™s curls. â€˜Can I tell you something?â€™

â€˜Anything,â€™ Linden replied.

â€˜Papa was working on something very secret before he disappeared. Normally heâ€™d tell me everything about his projects,â€™ she laughed. â€˜Actually, heâ€™d get so excited you couldnâ€™t stop him. But he said this project was different. That there were people who were searching for the same thing, and if they had what my father was looking for, it would cause great trouble.â€™

â€˜What kind of trouble?â€™

â€˜He didnâ€™t say. The night he disappeared, he came into my room, as he usually does, to say goodnight. He said he had to go to the Louvre for something important. That he wouldnâ€™t be long. He wasnâ€™t quite himself that night and now, after what has happened, I think he knew something was going to happen to him.â€™

â€˜Did he say anything else?â€™

â€˜No. He kissed me on the forehead and it instantly put me to sleep.â€™ She smiled. â€˜When I was a little girl, he used to say it was his special sleeping kiss â€“ and it still works.â€™

Fifi whimpered and Veronique nestled into her cheek.

â€˜And Max is right about Tetu.â€™ She took the cryptex out of her coat pocket. â€˜Papa has left me a message.â€™

â€˜In the cryptex?â€™

â€˜Yes.â€™ She slowly rotated the cylinder in her hands. â€˜We had this game where heâ€™d leave notes for me around the house whenever he was away on a dig. When I found one note, it gave me clues about where the next one would be. At the end was a gift. That way, he said, it was like we were both on searches for hidden treasure.â€™

â€˜How do you know he left you a message?â€™

â€˜When we found the cryptex, the letters lined up to spell VERON. He is the only one to call me that; it is my pet name.â€™

â€˜Do you know the code word to open it?â€™

â€˜No. I havenâ€™t worked it out yet.â€™ Veronique looked down again. â€˜Maybe this proves he is involved.â€™

â€˜And maybe itâ€™s your dad sending you a completely innocent message. Like he always does. With a gift at the end.â€™

Fifi laid a paw on Lindenâ€™s leg.

â€˜Do you think?â€™

Linden smiled. â€˜Pretty much.â€™

â€˜Does pretty much mean yes?â€™

Linden nodded. â€˜Pretty much.â€™

Veronique put her head on Lindenâ€™s shoulder just as Max reached the top of the stairs. She stood there, out of breath, her eyes scrambling over the scene. Her throat seized up like it was in a vice. â€˜Come with me,â€™ she whispered. â€˜And Linden, put on your MP3. Thereâ€™s something you both need to hear.â€™

Max led them down the hall to a large open window facing the back garden. She pointed downwards to where two undercover policemen were stationed at the doorway. Linden leaned over and shared one earplug with Veronique. Max quickly turned away and listened as her Descrambler translated the conversation below.

âNo, no, no. Donât you see? He has to be in on it. Who else could it be? There are only a few men who know the full security procedures of that part of the gallery, and heâs one of them. You heard Tetu. And they wouldnât have so many of us watching the daughter if they didnât think he was involved.â

âI guess, but he is a very respected man.â

âEven the very respected can be tempted if there is enough money involved.â

âWhat do you have on your sandwich?â

âTuna and egg. And you?â

âSalami.â

âSalamiâs good.â

While the two men continued talking about sandwiches, Veronique handed Linden his earplug and turned back down the hall to the bay window. Linden and Max followed.

âThey think Papa was paid to let intruders into the MusÃ©e? Why would they think heâd do that?â Fifi jumped up and rested her head on Veroniqueâs lap. âThey arenât guarding me for my own protection, but to find evidence of a crime they think Papa has committed.â

âWeâve got to work out that message your dad left you,â Linden said.

âWhat message?â Max asked.

âVeronique thinks her dad has left her a message on the cryptex,â Linden explained. âBut first we have to work out the five-letter code word to open it.â

âSo Tetu was right,â Max said.

âNot about Papa being a criminal,â Veronique challenged.

âOkay,â Max said, âwhich makes it even more important that we decode the message.â

Veronique cradled the cryptex in her fingers.

âWhat words would your dad use?â Linden sat beside her. She studied the device before looking up.

âIâve got it.â She turned the rings of the cryptex so that it spelt âEgyptâ. Veronique held both ends and pulled, but it wouldnât budge.

âHow about a song or a favourite word your dad often used?â Max suggested.

âHe liked the word âchaosâ. He said his job was to find order and answers in a world of increasing chaos.â

Veronique lined up the letters and took a deep breath before pulling at the ends. It didnât move. âItâs something else.â

âWhat about a place or a person thatâs important for you both?â Max asked. âThink of something personal, just between you and him.â

Veronique stared at the cryptex. âCrete. We often go there for our holidays.â But again the machine wouldnât open.

Veronique turned the cryptex in her hands before the solution came to her. âElise,â she said. âIt was my motherâs name.â

She rotated the marble letters of the cryptex and held the cylinder carefully in her hands. With a little resistance, the two ends of the device separated and a rolled note fell out.

âLooks like thatâs it.â Linden picked up the note and handed it to Veronique.

She unrolled it. Her shoulders fell. âThereâs nothing on it.â

âHey, look what I â¦â Toby stopped at the top of the stairs with a pile of post in his hands. âWhatâs going on?â

âVeronique opened the cryptex, but the message inside is blank,â Max said.

âThere is a message inside? And you opened it without me?â

âYeah, who would have thought we wouldnât need your genius after all,â Max said.

âDo you know why your dad would leave a blank sheet of paper in there?â Linden asked.

Veronique shook her head.

âMaybe the message is invisible.â Max shrugged.

Veronique smiled. âMaybe it is.â

âIs what?â Max asked.

âInvisible.â Toby agreed. âYou know, Max Remy, sometimes you are very smart.â

âThanks.â Max had no idea what either of them were talking about.

âPapa has a black light in his study,â Veronique said.

âNo need.â Toby reached into his backpack and slipped out a silver pen-shaped object. âIâve brought my own.â

âWhatâs that?â Max asked.

âA black light. It detects messages written in UV pen that canât be seen under normal light. They use them a lot in galleries and museums to secretly catalogue works for security purposes. Hit the switch, will you, Linden?

Toby pointed the black light over the note. When Linden flicked the switch, purplish scribbled letters appeared in its glow:

Â 

For she thatâs sweet

A special treat

In a secret place

Where we would meet

Â 

âWhat does that mean?â Max asked Veronique.

âIâm not sure, but itâs definitely Papaâs handwriting.â

Toby shoved the post in his back pocket. âFor she thatâs sweet.â He turned to Veronique. âThat has to be you.â

âAbsolutely,â Max added sweetly. âWho else could it be?â

âA special treat,â Linden added. âSounds like one of those hidden gifts you told me about.â

âIn a secret place where we would meet,â Toby said. âDid you and your dad have something you did together that no-one else was part of? Somewhere you went? Something you did together?â

âWe had a few things, especially when there were just the two of us.â

âSomewhere no-one else knew about,â Linden said. âAnd where youâd meet, probably often by the sounds of it.â

Veronique focused on the note. âA secret place,â she repeated. âA secret â¦ The fudge tin.â She looked up. âAt night, if we both couldnât sleep, weâd often meet in the pantry beneath the fudge tin. Weâd sit on the floor and eat fudge. Papa would tell me stories about ancient pharaohs or tomb robbers who died from mysterious diseases stealing riches from pyramids. Or of beautiful queens who stole the hearts of even the hardest rulers. It was my favourite time, and heâd tell these stories until I got sleepy.â

âLooks like weâre going on a trip to the pantry,â Linden smiled.

They followed Veronique downstairs to the kitchen and to a large walk-in pantry at the end. On a top shelf was an old and battered tin painted with a scene of the French countryside. âItâs that one.â

Linden reached up and grabbed the tin. After a few good tugs he opened it. âItâs fudge.â He tried to squash the disappointment in his voice. âAnyone care for some?â

âWhy not?â Toby took a piece but Max and Veronique shook their heads. âWell, if Iâm the only one.â He lifted out another slice, which lay on top of a small object wrapped in cloth.

âThatâs it!â Linden pulled the object out and unwrapped the cloth carefully.

âItâs a Taweret amulet.â Veronique took a sculptured stone piece from Lindenâs hand. It was part lion, hippopotamus, crocodile and human, and had been threaded through with a silver chain.

âWhatâs a Taweret amulet?â Max asked.

âItâs a goddess symbol that was very popular in ancient Egypt. She was seen as the protector of children and the home, especially at night when the forces of chaos were at their most powerful.â Veronique recited the lore as if from memory.

Max screwed up her face. âItâs a little ugly, isnât it?â

âThe three animals were believed to be some of the fiercest in ancient Egypt, and combining their strengths produced a powerful deity and amulet.â

âSo your dad left you a protective symbol,â Linden said. âWhy did he think you needed protecting? And from whom?â

âI donât know.â Veronique slipped the chain around her neck and clutched the amulet. âBut weâre still no closer to knowing where Papa is.â

âThis might help.â Toby remembered the mail in his back pocket and handed her a folded-up horse magazine in a plastic cover. âThe guys at the front asked me to give it to you.â

âMaybe she can look through that later?â Linden suggested.

âThereâs a letter inside. For Veronique. The police went through it all, but when I looked at the magazine, I noticed the seal on the magazine had been tampered with.â

Veronique opened the magazine and took out an envelope with her name on the front. She tore it open and unfolded the note. She gasped before handing the note to Linden. He read:

We have Marceau. Tell anyone & he is finished. Be at 16 Rue du Repos, Avenue Circulaire 66, 9 pm tonight.

âWho is it from?â Max asked.

Linden turned it over. âIt doesnât say.â He looked up the address on his palm computer. âOh.â

âWhat?â Max asked.

âThe address is for CimetiÃ¨re Du PÃ¨re Lachaise. That means cemetery, right?â

Veronique nodded. âNot just any cemetery. It is one of the most famous in the world. It has the graves of many well-known writers, painters, musicians and thinkers.â Her face whitened. âMy father is considered a great thinker. Maybe theyâve â¦â

âItâll be best not to think about âmaybesâ,â Linden said calmly.

âAah!â Linden flicked the note from his hands. The bottom edge began to smoke and the letter ignited, drifting to the floor as a pile of ash.

âA self-destructing note,â Toby said. âI guess that rules out getting any fingerprints.â

âSomeone doesnât want to be traced,â Linden said.

âWe need to leave.â Veronique scooped up Fifi.

âI donât think all of us should go.â Max looked pointedly at Linden.

âMax is right,â Linden said. âToby and I will go, and you and Veronique stay here.â

âBut I â¦â Max spluttered.

âItâs a good plan,â Toby added. âThe police have completely surrounded this house and are watching Veroniqueâs every move, so she needs to stay here.â He added with a smile. âAnd itâll give you two a chance to bond.â

Fifi barked.

âSorry. You three.â

âWeâll be in constant radio contact via the watches,â Linden said. âYouâll know our every move. I promise.â

Veronique nodded. âOkay. If you think it is best. I will trust you, Linden.â

Max pursed her lips.

âHow will you get there?â Veronique asked.

âOur backpacks are also Personal Flying Devices, and we have a GPS system on our palm computers as well as detailed maps of Paris.â

âI feel very safe being guarded by someone so smart.â Lindenâs face smudged bright red as Veronique sidled up beside him. âAnd brave.â

âYou could use the Time and Space Machine,â Max blurted louder than sheâd intended.

âWeâll leave that with you in case you need it,â Linden said.

âRight.â Toby pulled a small shampoo bottle from his backpack. âWhoâs in for a bit of Invisibility Cream then?â

âInvisibility Cream?â Veronique frowned.

âYeah.â Toby winked. âWatch this.â

Toby and Linden squirted the cream onto their hands and began to disappear as they applied it to their bodies and packs.

âHave we missed anywhere?â Toby asked.

âOnly there.â Max pointed to a waving strand of Lindenâs wild hair.

âOh,â she heard Linden say, before the strand of hair disappeared.

Max did a final check of the space where Linden and Toby stood invisibly. âI think youâre done.â

Veronique reached into the space before her. âYou really are invisible?â

âYep. Thatâs me,â Linden said. âAnd that.â

Max watched as Veronique poked and prodded the air. âWhat about there?â

âThere too.â Linden laughed. âAh, that tickles.â

âAnd there?â

âYep.â

Veronique grinned. âAnd what about ââ

âWill you stop touching Linden!â Max snapped.

The room went quiet.

âI mean â¦â Max coughed. âItâs time for Linden and Toby to leave, and we shouldnât hold them up.â

Max could hear Toby smother his laugh. âWe do have to go.â

âWeâll be in contact and keep you updated on how weâre going,â Lindenâs voice floated through the air. âVeronique, whatâs the most discreet way out of here?â

âFollow me.â

They made their way to a darkened room at the side of the house where there were fewer undercover police. Max and Veronique watched as it seemed like the curtains opened themselves and the window slid upwards.

âAu revoir,â whispered Toby before he landed with a muffled ooph outside, followed by a faint squelch of pebbles. A second crush of pebbles sounded as a policemanâs torch light swung through the night beneath the window. Veronique froze before leaning outside and waving at the dutiful officer. âBonsoir, monsieur.â She flashed her best smile.

The policeman moved closer. Maxâs Descrambler translated. âIt would be better, Mademoiselle, if you keep the windows closed. For your own safety.â

âI was taking in some fresh air.â Veronique exaggerated a deep breath.

The officer gave one final sweep of his torch before turning away.

âBe careful,â Veronique whispered.

âWe will,â Linden answered before a nearby bush parted and sprang back into position.

âWill they be okay?â Veronique asked.

âTheyâll be fine. If your dad is going to be found, theyâre the ones to do it.â

Veronique took one last look outside before closing the window and locking it securely against the night.

Agent Max Remy, the finest spy from the intelligence agency, Spyforce, was on the trail of Madame Grande-Bouche, a wealthy and garrulous woman fond of talking about herself and erecting statues in honour of her imagined talents. She had also recently been elected to the French Parliament and had aspirations of becoming Franceâs next Prime Minister.

She was famous for donating large sums of money to charities and institutions all over France â hospitals, museums, wildlife foundations, environmental groups â as long as with each donation a statue was erected in her name.

âPerfect,â Madame Grande-Bouche oozed as the truckâs crane lowered the most recent statue onto the ground outside the MusÃ©e du Louvre in Paris. She stepped closer and surveyed her finely chiselled features. âA very good likeness indeed. If I didnât know any better, Iâd say it was real.â She laughed out loud, as did her cronies who followed her every demanding footstep.

Working undercover as an apprentice sculptor, Max Remy had discovered that the statues werenât just Madame Grande-Boucheâs attempt at preserving her memory long after she had gone. Every statue was carved so that her extended finger provided a perch for a small sculptured bluebird to rest. All very sweet, Max thought, until she discovered the open mouth of the birds were wired to a length of tube that would, at a specific time on election day, release a hypnotic gas into the air, transfixing the public into voting for Madame Grande-Bouche. Once in power, she would change laws to make her the most powerful and wealthy woman France had ever seen. She would shut down hospitals, ban environmental groups and singing outdoors, except when she was giving one of her many concerts. There would be no end to her megalomaniac, conniving, self-seeking, fat-headed, big-mouthed

âHey. Thatâs mine!â

Fifi hurried away from Maxâs plate, where sheâd crept onto a chair and stolen her slice of strawberry tart.

âYou love strawberries, donât you, Fifi?â Veronique smiled from the lounge where she was brushing her hair.

âMaybe he can get his own next time.â Max sent a sour smile back.

âShe,â Veronique reminded her. âWhat are you writing?â

âNothing.â Max closed her spy notebook and slipped it into her backpack.

âSounds fascinating.â Veronique laid the brush down on an antique table beside her. âSo, apart from writing about nothing and being in a bad mood all the time, what else do you like to do?â

âIâm not in a bad mood all the time.â Max raised her voice. âAnd donât you think you better stop all that brushing in case your hair falls out?â

âDonât you think you should try using a hairbrush?â

Maxâs hands flew to her hips. âI use a ââ

âIt helps take my mind off Papa and the boys,â Veronique interrupted.

âRight. Itâs got nothing to do with how beautiful you think you are.â

âMy father has been kidnapped. I donât think you realise â¦â

A police officer knocked at the door. âEverything okay, Mademoiselle?â

Veronique calmed down. âYes, thank you. Everythingâs fine,â Maxâs Descrambler translated.

Veronique slumped back onto the lounge after the officer left. âIâm not going to be able to take being watched so closely.â She looked around. âAh, that will help.â

In the far corner of the room beneath a single stream of warm, orange-tinted light was a sandstone table. It was inlaid with bright blue and red mosaic tiles arranged into climbing snakes and palm trees. Sitting on top, in an open stand, was a leatherbound, yellow-paged book.

âThis will do nicely.â

âWhat is it?â Max asked.

Veronique brought the book over to the table where Max was sitting and sat beside her. Fifi leapt from the lounge and climbed onto a chair between them. âItâs called Le Livre des Enonciations or The Book of Sayings. It has thousands of lines of wise quotes and poetry from men and women, famous and not-so-famous, throughout history.â

âYou donât think thereâs a little too much going on to sit here and read quotes?â Max asked.

âItâs no less useful than you writing stories about nothing. And itâs not just âreading quotesâ â itâs bibliomancy.â

âBiblio-what?â

âBibliomancy. Itâs a way of predicting the future by interpreting a passage picked at random from a book. Papa and I love it. The book has to be one you trust a lot. Often people use religious books. St Francis of Assisi was known to use the Bible to help him make decisions.â

âIsnât that a little kooky for you and your father to believe in?â Max frowned. âHe is a scientist after all.â

âNot everything comes down to facts and hard evidence. Papa studies the ancient world where many different cultures believed in all sorts of ways to understand their world, and even cure themselves.â

âWell, I like working in facts and hard evidence.â Max looked at her watch. âLike exactly what time those boys are going to contact us.â

âBibliomancy has been believed for centuries.â Veroniqueâs smile was full of challenge. âBut you donât always get the answers youâre hoping for, so it isnât surprising youâre too scared to do it.â

Fifi barked and stared at Max.

âIâm not scared,â Max said. âI just think it sounds a little wacky.â

âPapa says scepticism is often a cover for fear. Why donât you try it?â

Max stared at the musty book that smelled like a forgotten wing of an old library. âI think Iâll leave my future to me to decide, not some moth-eaten book.â

Veronique sighed. âYou wouldnât be the first person to be nervous about having your future held up before you.â

âItâs a stupid old book that Iâve never seen before. It has nothing to do with my future.â

âIf youâre scared of what Iâll think of you, you can ask your question under your breath.â

âUnless it says âyour friends are safe and youâre going home soonâ, Iâm not interested.â

âIâll go first.â Veronique laid the book on its spine and held it firmly between her splayed fingers. âYou can ask a specific question or simply be open to whatever the book has to tell you.â

Max looked at Fifi, who was sitting upright, transfixed by Veronique and her smelly book.

Veronique took a deep breath and closed her eyes. âWill I meet a handsome boy soon who will think Iâm charming and cute?â

âMaybe you should ask if youâre always going to be this shy?â Max mumbled.

âShhhh,â Veronique whispered. âI need to concentrate.â

She took her hands away and let the book fall open. She slid her finger across the page, opened her eyes and read aloud:

Sometimes what you are searching for

may already be with you.

French proverb

Veronique looked up. âExcellent.â

âExcellent what?â Max asked.

âIt means Iâve already met him. Probably â¦ very â¦ recently.â Veronique flounced her hair.

âReally?â Max frowned at the book. âMaybe I will have a go.â

She pulled the book towards her and held it between her hands. She closed her eyes and let it fall open. Her finger swept across the page to one small passage:

Avoid being impatient. Remember, time

brings roses.

Anonymous

Fifi barked and pawed the air.

âIâm not impatient.â Max shut the book firmly. âThis book has no idea what itâs talking about.â

âI said you donât always get the answers you hope for.â Veronique patted Fifi. âHave another go.â

Max scowled at the book and held it upwards. âIâm only doing this to amuse you and as part of my babysitting duties.â She took a long, deep breath, let the book fall open, pointed her finger and read:

If you never leap, youâll never learn to fly.

Chinese proverb

âAnd since Iâm not planning on doing any flying any time soon, itâs been another pointless reading. This bibliomancy thing is a pile of ââ Maxâs watch lit up. She held it to her mouth. âLinden? Are you okay? Where are you?â

âWeâre fine,â Lindenâs voice came through in a whisper. âWeâre at the cemetery.â

âCan you see anyone?â Max asked.

âYou mean live people?â Toby piped up.

âThatâs the general idea,â Max answered.

âNot yet.â

âWhat can you see around you?â Max asked.

âApart from a tree-lined road, a bunch of old crypts and loads of weeping angels, not much,â Toby whispered.

Veronique grabbed Maxâs wrist and spoke into her watch. âHave they left any more messages?â

âYou have to press this button to speak.â Max pressed it for her and she asked again. âCan you see any messages?â

âNo, but itâs pretty dark,â Linden said. âThere are only a few lights, and we donât want to use our torches in case theyâre seen. Weâve got our Night Vision Sunglasses on so we should â¦ wait.â Linden went quiet.

âWhatâs wrong?â Veronique asked Max.

âI donât know.â Max texted Linden via her watch. âu ok?â

In a few seconds a message came back. âi c 2 men hiding. will leave camera on. txt l8r.â

âWhat are they going to do?â Veronique asked.

âFind out what those two men are up to.â

Max retrieved her palm computer and focused intently on the screen. The bumpy, darkened image crept closer to the two figures. They were dressed in dark skivvies, beanies and gloves, and their faces had been blackened. Lindenâs watch caught their conversation and Maxâs Descrambler translated.

âItâs almost nine oâclock. She should be here soon,â a raspy voice said.

âHow do you know sheâll turn up?â A second, uneasy voice whispered.

âI hear sheâs a feisty one. She wonât let her dad be kidnapped and do nothing about it. Not after our invitation.â

âWhy did he have us meet her here?â the second one breathed. âItâs a little creepy, isnât it?â

âSorry if itâs not glamorous enough for you.â

âI donât need glamour; I just donât need freaky.â He sighed. âAll of this because of a piece of rock. Why does he want it so badly, anyway?â

âNot sure, but weâve been paid good money to do this job, and Iâm not leaving until we do it.â

Max watched as Linden moved his radio watch even closer to the two men.

âWhatâs he doing now?â Veronique asked.

âIâm not sure yet.â

There was a brief pause before Linden released a ghoulish wail: âOooooo.â

âWhat was that?â The second man gasped.

âI donât know,â the raspy one hissed. âBut donât get so close; youâre on my toes.â

âOooooo.â It was Toby this time.

âItâs a ghost. I knew it. Weâre being attacked by a ghost.â

âThereâs no such thing as ghosts.â

Within seconds a vase of flowers lifted from a nearby grave and floated within centimetres of their faces.

âThat is a ghost.â

âWhyyy arrrre yooou heeeere?â Linden deepened his voice and added a ghostly waver.

Maxâs computer screen showed torchlights skittling amongst the gravestones like panicked moths. âYouâd better come out, whatever you are, or weâll â¦ Ouch! That ghost threw a stone at me.â

âTheyâre not ghosts!â

âWell, what are they then?â

âI donât know!â

âWhooooo has sent yooooou?â Linden wailed.

âIâm getting out of here.â The second man shuddered.

âYouâre not going anywhere.â

âWhoo has paiiid yooou to beeee heere?â Toby sang out.

âIt was â¦â

âWhat are you mad? You canât tell anyone or weâre done for.â

âTell us!â Toby whined. âOr we will haaaauuuunt you for aaaaall your dayyyys.â

âBut these ghosts are going to get us if we donât tell.â A splintering crash rang out. âThatâs it, Iâm out of here.â

Max and Veronique heard scuffled sounds as the screen went black, followed by footsteps and panting.

âWhatâs happening?â Veronique asked Max.

âIâm not sure.â Max drew in a quick breath. âI canât talk to Linden yet in case we give them away. Do you recognise the voices of either of those men?â

âNo.â

âAnd what did they mean all this being for a piece of rock?â

âI donât know.â Veronique sat heavily on the lounge. Fifi climbed beside her and lay her head in her lap. âSo it was a trap and theyâre after me?â

âIt seems so,â Max answered.

âWhy?â

âThatâs what we have to figure out.â

âMaybe this is why Papa gave me the amulet. To protect myself from those men.â Veronique looked up. âWe have to tell Tetu.â

âTetu might be in on it.â

âWe donât know that.â Veronique shook her head and nestled Fifi closer.

âThink about it,â Max said. âHe thinks your father is involved in his own kidnapping, and heâs watching you partly for your protection but mostly to see if your father passes any messages to you. I donât think that adds up to someone you should trust.â

Veronique scowled. âWhat if something happens to Linden and Toby?â

âIt wonât,â Max said. âTheyâve been around tougher men than Tetu. And even if they do have problems, which they wonât, Spyforce will be there in a second to help them out.â

Maxâs watch lit up. âItâs Linden.â She read the screen. âtailing 2 men. T @ câtery. needs help.â

Max texted back, âIll b there.â

Max entered the code for Linden and Tobyâs Tracer Bug on the Time and Space Machine. The virtual search engine immediately revealed an image of Paris and zoomed in to their exact locations. The screen showed Linden leaving the cemetery, but Toby stayed where he was.

âWhat are those lights?â

âThe green oneâs Linden,â Max answered. âToby is blue. I have to go and help him.â

âIâm coming too.â

âYouâre staying here. It might be dangerous.â

âIâll be fine. I have this.â Veronique held up the amulet.

Maxâs eyes lowered. âItâs a necklace. Iâm not sure how thatâs going to protect you.â

âBecause itâs a protective amulet and I donât care what you say, Iâm coming with you.â Veronique threw her hands to her hips. Max recoiled slightly at the gesture that was becoming annoyingly familiar.

âOkay.â Max threw a subtle look towards the windows. âWe canât leave from this room; the police will see us. Look tired and letâs go up to your bedroom.â

Veronique picked up Fifi, Max exaggerated a yawn for whoever may have been looking in from outside and the three went upstairs.

âThis is your bedroom?â

âYes.â Veronique held Fifi and looked around. âWhatâs wrong with it?â

Max surveyed the four-poster bed with its pink doona and curtains, the purple fluffy lounges filled with cushions, and soft animal toys that were crammed into almost every other space.

âNothing.â Max began to cough and felt her throat become clogged with all the girliness. âLetâs just go.â

She closed the curtains and switched off the lights.

âNow that those guards think weâve gone to bed, letâs go and help Toby,â Max whispered.

âAre we going to use the invisible cream?â

âNo.â

âHow are we going to sneak out of here without being seen?â

âYou have got to learn to trust me.â Max focused on the steady bleep of Tobyâs tracer on the screen of the Time and Space Machine. It hadnât moved.

âWhat are we going to do?

âYouâll see. Take my hand and hold on tight to the mutt.â

âSheâs not a mutt, and why should I ââ

âStop asking questions.â

Max grabbed Veroniqueâs hand and pressed transport. With a quiet fffttt and the muffled barking of a small poodle, the three disappeared from the room.

Fifteen seconds later, in the darkened folds of PÃ¨re Lachaise cemetery, a flash of fluorescent light ballooned in the air and tiny sparks of colour fell like a freak rain shower of light. Max, Veronique and Fifi appeared in the centre and, after a few moments suspended in the air, floated gently to the ground.

â€˜What just happened?â€™ Veroniqueâ€™s hair sat like a wind-blown curtain over her face. Fifi shook her flattened curls from her eyes and let out a small whine.

â€˜Weâ€™ve just travelled across Paris using this Time and Space Machine that my uncle and his brother invented. Great for travelling fast, not so great for your hair.â€™ Max stifled a giggle until she realised she and Veronique were still holding hands.

â€˜Err!â€™ They both let go.

Max put on her Night Vision Sunglasses and switched on the torch in her watch. â€˜Toby?â€™

Veronique placed Fifi on the ground, pushed her hair out of her face and began searching between graves, around tall marble crypts and amongst flower-strewn plots with carved angels, crosses and harps. She delved behind a huge cross-shaped headstone. â€˜Oh.â€™ She picked up a large sack, some rope and a piece of wood. â€˜I guess this was meant for me.â€™

â€˜They must have left in a hurry,â€™ Max said.

Fifi sniffed along the edge of a path and around the bottom of a rose bush. When she reached the base of a grave, she sat and barked.

â€˜What is it, Fifi?â€™ Veronique made her way to the pooch.

Fifi barked again but wouldnâ€™t budge.

Max ran over and saw a smashed vase. â€˜That would explain the crashing sound we heard.â€™ She looked behind the grave and her Night Vision Sunglasses revealed a glowing green human shape. â€˜Itâ€™s Toby. That dog might be good for something after all.â€™

Fifi growled.

Max put the glasses in her pocket and handed Veronique her watch. â€˜Hold this so I can see what Iâ€™m doing.â€™

Max reached into her pack and took out the bottle marked â€˜conditionerâ€™ that contained the Invisibility Cream Antidote. She rubbed it over Tobyâ€™s body and he slowly appeared, his arms and legs skewed, his face lifeless.

â€˜Toby?â€™

He didnâ€™t move.

Max put her head on his chest. â€˜Heâ€™s still breathing.â€™

She tapped him on both cheeks, but he didnâ€™t come to. She pulled Frondâ€™s Wake-Up Spray from her pack and squirted a fine mist of fish-scented spray over his face.

Toby stirred, moaning softly and moving his head from side to side. Max kept spraying until he convulsed into a writhing, coughing outburst. â€˜What are you trying to do, kill me?â€™

Max stopped spraying. â€˜Iâ€™m trying to save you, actually.â€™

â€˜Maybe you could use something less smelly next time?â€™

â€˜Frondâ€™s working on it,â€™ Max smiled broadly.

Toby tried to sit up but stopped and held his head. â€˜Did one of you use my head for soccer practice?â€™

â€˜Iâ€™ve wanted to, but not this time.â€™ Maxâ€™s smile faltered. â€˜Whereâ€™s Linden?â€™

â€˜When we spooked those two guys, and they ran off, we followed them to see where they were going.â€™ Toby frowned. â€˜Thatâ€™s the last thing I remember.â€™

â€˜I think it might have been because of this.â€™ Veronique held up the plank of wood.

Toby gave a half-smile. â€˜One of the men was swinging wildly, trying to kill ghosts with it before they left. Must have landed a lucky blow.â€™

Maxâ€™s watch lit up. â€˜Linden?â€™ Veronique answered. â€˜How are you?â€™

â€˜Fine. Is everyone there okay?â€™

Max reached for her watch. â€˜Toby got hit on the head, but itâ€™ll probably do him good. Where are you?â€™

â€˜After those two guys left the cemetery, they got in a car and sped off. I followed them with my PFD but lost them in a tunnel in the centre of Paris. I took photos of them at the cemetery, but theyâ€™re too dark to make anything out.â€™

Veronique grabbed Maxâ€™s hand. â€˜I was very worried about you, Linden. You were very brave to chase those men like that.â€™

Max frowned and withdrew her hand. â€˜As for us, Mr Brave, weâ€™ve had enough of graveyards for one night and weâ€™re heading back to the house.â€™

â€˜Iâ€™ll see you there, boss.â€™

â€˜Donâ€™t call me â€¦â€™ but Linden had already signed off.

Max slipped her watch back on. â€˜Toby, do you think youâ€™ll be okay to transport?â€™

â€˜No problem, I â€¦â€™ Toby got to his feet and wavered. Max and Veronique grabbed him by his arms. â€˜As soon as I can master this standing-up business.â€™

Max used one hand to activate the â€˜returnâ€™ function on the Time and Space Machine. â€˜Veronique, make sure you hold on to him tightly.â€™ She smiled. â€˜Itâ€™d be terrible to lose him half way.â€™

â€˜Wait.â€™ Veronique leant down and picked up Fifi. â€˜Now weâ€™re ready.â€™

â€˜What a shame,â€™ Max mumbled. â€˜We almost forgot Fido.â€™

â€˜Fifi.â€™

â€˜Whatever.â€™

Max pressed transport and the machine teleported them in seconds to Veroniqueâ€™s overly cushioned bedroom.

â€˜Thatâ€™s not as much fun when you have a sore head.â€™ Toby sat gingerly on the edge of the bed.

â€˜So what do we â€“â€™ Veronique began.

â€˜Shhhh.â€™ Max crept to the door and heard muffled voices downstairs. She opened the door a little and her Descrambler went into action.

â€˜What do you mean you donâ€™t know where zey are? You must know. You â€™ad ze simple job of guarding Veronique, and now you donâ€™t know where she is?â€™

â€˜Quick, put your pyjamas on,â€™ Max whispered.

Toby snuck to his room and changed while Veronique rifled through a drawer and threw a pair of bright pink satin pyjamas to Max.

â€˜Tell me you donâ€™t seriously wear these?â€™

â€˜Theyâ€™re my favourites.â€™

â€˜The things I do for Spyforce.â€™

The two quickly changed. Max looked at Veroniqueâ€™s ruffled hair and mussed it up even more. â€˜Thatâ€™s better,â€™ she said.

Veronique scowled. Max smiled back and gestured for her to follow.

â€˜Nice pyjamas.â€™ Toby smirked when he met them in the corridor.

â€˜Nice fish smell.â€™

â€˜I havenâ€™t had a chance to shower since I was almost killed.â€™

Tetuâ€™s screaming lifted into the upper floors of the house.

â€˜We better go down before he busts something.â€™

At the bottom of the stairs, Maxâ€™s heart beat wildly at the sight of the enraged Tetu and two cowering officers. â€˜Commandant Tetu?â€™ She feigned a just-woken-up yawn. â€˜What are you doing here?â€™

â€˜Where â€™ave you been?â€™ Tetuâ€™s face fired up like a bulging hot coal and his eye twitched like a dancing caterpillar.

â€˜Upstairs in our bedrooms.â€™ Max was flanked by a bleary-eyed Veronique and Toby.

He strode across the room and loomed over her. â€˜You â€™ave not. I checked, searched, investigated zoroughly and you were not zere.â€™

Max slipped from under Tetuâ€™s knife gaze and slumped onto a couch.

â€˜And where is ze other one?â€™ Tetu rippled with fury.

On cue, Linden appeared at the top of the stairs, his pyjamas crumpled and his hair askew, as if heâ€™d just been woken from a deep sleep.

â€˜He is a heavy sleeper,â€™ Max explained before she yawned again. â€˜Is there something wrong?â€™

â€˜Yes.â€™ Tetu blustered and twitched. â€˜You were not â€™ere. None of you were.â€™

â€˜But Commandant Tetu,â€™ Veronique sat beside Max, â€˜you have arranged very good minders. We were in the attic telling stories and must have fallen asleep. Are you here because you have news about Papa?â€™

Tetu stopped short. His tone softened, along with the colour of his cheeks. His eye calmed down. â€˜Nothing concrete yet, Mademoiselle, but we are getting close. I am sure it wonâ€™t be long until we find him.â€™

â€˜Thank you, Commandant. With you on the case, I know Papa is in very good hands.â€™

Tetuâ€™s eye twitched again. Just once.

â€˜Well,â€™ Tetu said, â€˜I will zay goodnight. Max, will you walk wiz me to ze door?â€™

Max hurried behind the large strides of Tetu. He opened the door and stepped onto the veranda where he stopped in a sudden spin.

â€˜I know you are playing games wiz me, and I donâ€™t like it. You are not to leave zis â€™ouse unless I know about it and only under full escort. Itâ€™s dangerous, unsafe, perilous. Is zat clear?â€™

Max gave him her best, obedient smile. â€˜Yes, Commandant.â€™ Her danger meter began to pound against her chest. â€˜Commandant, I think â€¦â€™

A gunshot cut through the night. Tetu pushed Max out of the way. The bullet cracked into a stone pillar beside where Max had been standing, sending a shower of grit and stone over her. Two officers ducked behind large potted plants, guns pointed as they scanned the grounds. Tetu stayed where he was in full view, legs astride, gun raised, searching for the perpetrator.

The sound of screeching tyres ripped through the air like a taunting laugh.

â€˜Maybe staying here isnâ€™t so safe, either.â€™ Max rubbed her head from where it had struck the ground after Tetuâ€™s shove. Her danger meter was calm.

â€˜What happened?â€™ Linden ran onto the veranda and dropped to his knees beside Max. â€˜Are you okay?â€™

â€˜I think so, apart from a ringing in my ears and this newly forming lump on my head.â€™

Linden held out his hand to help her up.

â€˜Iâ€™m fine.â€™ Max tried to stand and almost stumbled off the veranda into a rose bush.

Linden grabbed hold of her around her waist. â€˜Maybe Iâ€™ll help you anyway.â€™

â€˜It is obvious none of you are zafe â€™ere anymore.â€™ Tetu kept his eyes trained on the darkened borders of the front yard. â€˜Go inside, pack your bags and â€™ave everyone ready to leave in ten minutes.â€™

â€˜Where are we going?â€™ Linden asked.

â€˜Zere is an estate not far from Paris.â€™

â€˜An estate? Whose estate?â€™ Max brushed herself down.

â€˜Monsieur Strangways.â€™

â€˜Strangways?â€™ Max asked. â€˜Isnâ€™t he a subject of your investigation?â€™

â€˜Not any longer. We â€™ave questioned him quite zoroughly and â€™e â€™as nozing to do wiz ze crime against Veroniqueâ€™s papa. â€™E insisted on taking care of â€™er at ze beginning, but I zought she would be safer here.â€™ Tetu sighed. â€˜Obviously, zat iz not true. So until zis â€™ole â€™orrible business is taken care of, sorted out, over and done wiz, you will stay zere.â€™ He looked up. â€˜Now hurry. Each second you stay here puts you in terrible danger, and I â€™ave given my word zat nozing will â€™appen to zat little girl.â€™

â€˜But â€“â€™ Max began.

â€˜You will do as I say.â€™ Tetuâ€™s words were like a hollow wind, tearing the last ounce of warmth from the air.

â€˜This is Strangwaysâ€™s estate? You have got to be kidding me.â€™

â€˜Nobody is kidding you, Toby.â€™ Veronique smiled. â€˜This is it.â€™

The limousine made its way through the slowly opening iron gates. Spotlights lit them from below, revealing the forged shapes of two elongated figures, each with the head of an animal.

â€˜And who are the two spooky guys on the gate?â€™ Max leant away from Fifi, who was in the seat beside her chomping noisily on a bone.

â€˜Anubis, the jackal-headed god.â€™ Toby held his palm computer before him. â€˜Heâ€™s known as the gatekeeper of the ancient Egyptian afterlife because he guided the dead as they journeyed through the darkness of the underworld.â€™

â€˜Guiding the dead?â€™ Max asked. â€˜Surely there were better jobs in ancient Egypt.â€™

â€˜It was a very important position,â€™ Veronique added. â€˜Anubis was the keeper of poisons and medicines for embalming. He was a patron of magic, could predict a personâ€™s destiny and was known as the announcer of death.â€™

Max jumped as the gates swung shut behind them with a reverberating clang. â€˜I still think Strangways could have thought of something more pleasant to decorate his front gates with.â€™

â€˜I donâ€™t know,â€™ Toby added. â€˜I think theyâ€™ve got class.â€™

â€˜The moment I need notes on class, Iâ€™m not coming to you.â€™

Veronique smiled. â€˜I agree with Toby.â€™ She flicked him a crooked smile. â€˜They have got class. Of course, not everyone will be able to see it.â€™

â€˜Oh, I can see â€¦ Aaah!â€™ Max recoiled from the slobber-covered bone Fifi had dropped in her lap.

â€˜Isnâ€™t that cute.â€™ Veronique smiled. â€˜Fifi only gives her dinner away to people she likes. Could you hand it back, Max?â€™ Veronique looked like she would enjoy nothing more than seeing Maxâ€™s fingers bathed in dog drool.

Max grabbed a tissue from a box in the side holder of her door and gathered up the dripping bone. â€˜Youâ€™re a long way from home, Fido,â€™ she whispered. â€˜Be careful you donâ€™t get lost out here.â€™

Fifi growled and snatched back the bone, only narrowly missing Maxâ€™s fingers.

The limousine entered a forest path, illuminated by flaming torches and fairy lights threaded throughout the trees. At the end, the path opened up to reveal Strangwaysâ€™s home.

â€˜Itâ€™s a castle.â€™ Lindenâ€™s eyes climbed the huge stone walls topped with battlements and anchored at each end by rounded towers lit from below by tinted orange glowing floodlights. In the centre, the gatehouse was fortified by a soaring stone archway laid behind a drawbridge that sat chained and sturdy above the dark waters of a moat.

Max stared out her window and mumbled. â€˜A castle that would be hard to escape from if someone didnâ€™t want you to leave.â€™

The car jolted onto the wooden bridge and drove into the interior within the castle walls. The heavy chains lurched into life, withdrawing the bridge in a droning ascent until it sealed the fortress with a wrenching thud. The limousine crept through the narrow stone gatehouse.

â€˜See those.â€™ Toby opened the sunroof and pointed upwards where gaping holes let in streams of light. â€˜Theyâ€™re called murder holes. If we were the enemy, weâ€™d be pelted with missiles or fiery arrows or burning hot liquids to teach us a lesson.â€™

â€˜Now thereâ€™s a way to make a person feel welcome,â€™ Max cringed. â€˜And close that, will you? Just in case Strangways is planning a lesson for us.â€™

â€˜Regi is harmless. Youâ€™ll see,â€™ Veronique said. â€˜Weâ€™ll be much safer here.â€™

The limousine pulled into the inner courtyard and swerved to a halt before a sweeping marble staircase. The interior of the castle walls were daubed with hundreds of arched windows and rose into a multi-level mansion. On either side of the stairs were gnarled, flaming torches. Below, lights hidden in shrubs lit up the building as if it were about to take flight.

A man in a tuxedo with shiny shoes and perfectly gelled hair was waiting to greet them. Without making eye contact, he bent low in one smooth motion and opened the door of the car.

Linden and Toby scrambled out and felt as if they should bow back.

Veronique turned to Max. â€˜Since you two are bonding so well, could you bring Fifi?â€™

â€˜Thereâ€™s nothing Iâ€™d love more.â€™ Max faked a huge smile, before snapping it into a sneer.

â€˜Great place youâ€™ve got here,â€™ Toby said to the tuxedoed man, who remained silent. Instead, without a sniff of a smile, he led them inside.

In the cathedral-sized foyer, they were met by another towering staircase and walls crowded with portraits and tapestries. From the centre of the roof hung a chandelier that looked like a fountain of diamonds frozen in midair.

â€˜If Strangways ever needs someone to mind this place for him while heâ€™s away, Iâ€™m his man,â€™ Toby drooled.

â€˜Thatâ€™s a very kind offer.â€™

The group turned to see a hunched man dressed in a suit and leaning on a cane. â€˜Iâ€™ll make sure to keep you in mind,â€™ he smiled.

â€˜Regi!â€™ Veronique ran and almost bowled the man over in a hug.

â€˜Careful, dear,â€™ Strangways staggered briefly, â€˜Iâ€™m not as nimble as I used to be.â€™

â€˜I donâ€™t believe you, Regi. Youâ€™re still strong.â€™

â€˜See these young people of today.â€™ Strangways turned to Toby and Linden. â€˜No respect for their elders.â€™

He closed his eyes and laid one hand on Veroniqueâ€™s head. â€˜It is lovely to see you again, my dear. After what happened to your father, I was in anguish thinking that you â€¦ Iâ€™m very sorry about the scare you had at your house this evening and that you have been dragged into all this. If anything happened to you, Iâ€™d â€¦â€™ Strangwaysâ€™s words snagged again before he looked up and smiled. â€˜You should introduce me to your friends.â€™

â€˜These are the people whoâ€™ve been sent to mind me. This is Toby and Linden and â€“â€™

Fifiâ€™s barking interrupted the introductions.

â€˜And who is this gorgeous thing?â€™

Max stepped forward to answer, but Fifi leapt out of her grip and into the arms of Veronique, who lifted her up to Strangwaysâ€™s cheek for a hello lick.

â€˜I was beginning to think I wasnâ€™t going to get my kiss,â€™ the old man said.

Max winced at the slobbering muttâ€™s attention seeking.

Strangways lifted his hand weakly towards the man in the tuxedo. â€˜Iâ€™ve had my housemaster, FranÃ§ois, make up some supper. Anyone interested?â€™

Strangways held Veroniqueâ€™s hand and led the group into a ballroom-sized dining room. Stretched across the middle was a table loaded with mini bacon quiches, ham and cheese croissants, chocolate profiteroles, strawberry tarts and a pot of steaming hot chocolate.

â€˜This place just got even more amazing,â€™ Linden whispered and almost floated to his seat.

Max pulled out a chair and Fifi jumped into it, panting at her innocently. Max gave her a warning look and moved to the other side of the table.

â€˜So this is where you live?â€™ Toby took a huge bite of a warm ham and cheese croissant.

â€˜Between here, my Paris salon and another castle I own in Switzerland, yes.â€™

FranÃ§ois silently circled the chairs, opening serviettes and placing them on the guestsâ€™ laps.

â€˜And weâ€™re safe here?â€™ Max asked.

â€˜This castle and its grounds have the very best of modern security,â€™ he smiled gleefully, â€˜as well as a few old and trusty ones. All a person has to do is think of trespassing and alarms will go off.â€™

Strangways laughed at his own joke. FranÃ§ois began pouring hot chocolates, using small silver tongs to add generously sized marshmallows.

â€˜So what do you remember from the night at the Louvre?â€™ Max asked.

â€˜Maybe Regi doesnâ€™t want to talk about that right now?â€™ Veronique shot a warning glance at Max.

â€˜No, no, dear. Itâ€™s okay.â€™ A pained expression clouded over Strangwaysâ€™s face. â€˜I had just climbed into bed when Antoine called me and said he had something very important to show me, an exciting new find from a recent dig.â€™ Strangways let out a small sniff. â€˜He always did that. He would get so excited about his work that heâ€™d forget what time of the day or night it was when heâ€™d call.â€™

â€˜So what did you do?â€™ Max continued.

â€˜My driver took me immediately to the Louvre to meet him, and when I reached his office we were beset by thugs posing as security guards. The next thing I knew I was being woken up in a gutter by a policeman.â€™

â€˜And you donâ€™t remember anything else?â€™

â€˜Iâ€™m afraid a combination of old age and a bang on the head has ensured that I donâ€™t.â€™

â€˜What did Monsieur Marceau show you?â€™ Max asked.

â€˜Alas, the two thugs blundered in before Antoine could reveal his news.â€™

FranÃ§ois finished his pouring and stood at the end of the table with his hands crossed before him.

â€˜You must have had an idea what it could have been. I mean, you fund most of his archaeological trips.â€™

â€˜Antoine is one of the busiest of his profession. He is currently investigating a multitude of projects. I fund some of them, certainly, but he could have had news about any one of them. Isnâ€™t that right, Veronique?â€™ Strangways picked up a fork and stabbed it into a slice of quiche.

â€˜Heâ€™d be working on so many, even I found it hard to keep track.â€™

â€˜How did you get the limp?â€™ Max eyed him suspiciously.

â€˜Maybe that is personal and Regi doesnâ€™t want to tell you,â€™ Veronique said.

â€˜It was such a long time ago,â€™ Strangways replied. â€˜I donâ€™t mind, dear. I was on an archaeological dig with Veroniqueâ€™s father. Weâ€™d discovered an underground crypt of great significance, but the roof wasnâ€™t as stable as we thought and it collapsed on top of me. Antoine carried me for over five miles for help, but my leg was shattered in so many places, the doctor found it hard to count. After a botched operation, I was left in constant pain accompanied by a rather unpleasant limp. My digging days were over, but my friendship with Antoine was cemented for life.â€™

Max eyed Strangways with a rigid stare. â€˜So tell us where he is, then.â€™

FranÃ§ois flinched, his eyes swinging round to Max.

Veronique dropped her strawberry tart onto her plate. â€˜If Regi knew that, heâ€™d have told the police. Youâ€™re a guest in this house, and it would be good if you could act like one.â€™

â€˜No, no, Veronique. Max is obviously a very clever agent and is merely covering all possibilities.â€™ Strangways smiled benevolently at Max. â€˜If any of us do decide to break the law, Iâ€™d say weâ€™d have to be very careful with you around.â€™ He laughed. â€˜But for now, itâ€™s been a long day and you should finish eating and get some rest.â€™

â€˜I wonâ€™t be able to sleep yet,â€™ Veronique said. â€˜After everything thatâ€™s happened, Iâ€™m really awake.â€™

Strangways placed a careful hand on hers. â€˜How about I show your friends the museum?â€™

â€˜Could you? It always makes me feel better.â€™

Strangways finished the last of his quiche and got up from the table with a laboured sigh. â€˜Then a tour it shall be.â€™

Toby and Linden swapped a quick look and shovelled in final mouthfuls of quiche and croissants. Each grabbed a chocolate-covered profiterole before following Strangways out of the room and down a long corridor. At the end they stood before a heavy wooden door.

â€˜Would you mind, young man?â€™

Linden wiped his chocolatey fingers on a hanky and, with both hands, pulled it open.

Strangways led the group down a set of winding stone steps. â€˜Be careful, the stairs are worn and the roof is a little low.â€™

The stairwell twisted downwards to a squat, roughly carved oak door, with a large brass keyhole. He reached into his pocket, removed a long brass key and slipped it into the lock. â€˜If you wouldnâ€™t mind, kind sir?â€™

Linden grabbed the handle of the door, opening it with a yawning creak to reveal a large, cavernous dungeon.

â€˜Please, go in.â€™ Strangways held his hand out and Toby, Veronique and Linden entered the room. As Max went to step past, Strangways whispered, â€˜You have no need to worry about security while you are here, my dear. Watch this.â€™

Maxâ€™s danger meter pulsed to life seconds before a circular metal blade swung pendulum-like past her nose, missing it by a finger-width.

Maxâ€™s throat seized and her skin prickled in the cold closeness of the breeze created by the blade.

â€˜If anyone even tried to trespass where they werenâ€™t welcome, thatâ€™s what theyâ€™ll be up against.â€™ Strangwaysâ€™s face had hardened to match his steel-edged voice before he smiled. â€˜Now weâ€™re ready to see whatâ€™s inside.â€™

Max stayed where she was, her danger meter calming to a slow pulse, her mind flinching at how close she had stood to instant death.

The stone arch ceilings sailed high above low-lit glass cases containing yellowing papyrus scrolls, ancient books, amulets, statues, gold necklaces and ceremonial cobra-circled headpieces. As the small group entered the underground museum, they were met with the cold, majestic look of two stone sphinxes, mythological characters with the bodies of well-fed lions and the heads of humans. Each wall was lined with stone slabs reaching from the floor to the ceiling, carved with outlines of kings and queens; symbols of cats, birds and fish; and scenes from everyday ancient Egyptian life.

âThis whole museum is yours?â Linden walked up to a sphinx and stared at its ragged features.

âYes.â Strangways sighed. âThe collection has taken years to assemble and is the absolute treasure of my life.â He turned to Veronique. âExcept for you, my dear.â

âWhatâs this?â Linden came across a towering stone tablet crammed with small letters and symbols.

âThe Rosetta Stone?â Tobyâs eyes widened.

âA replica,â corrected Strangways. âBut well spotted. The real one is in the British Museum.â

âWhatâs a Rosetta Stone?â Max asked.

âThe Rosetta Stone,â Veronique explained. âItâs a message written in three languages: two are Egyptian, including hieroglyphics, and one is ancient Greek. The text was carved in 196 BC but the stone wasnât found until 1799. By comparing the known Greek language against the hieroglyphs, a translator was able to work out the meaning of the ancient Egyptian language.â

âWell done, my dear.â Strangways nodded. âMany secrets from the ancient world â some very powerful â were finally revealed to us, and people like Veroniqueâs father are crucial in making that happen. Come,â he announced with renewed vigour. âThereâs more.â

âGreat, just what I need,â Max mumbled. âMysteries from the ancient world. Whatâs wrong with solving the one we have now?â

Her foot caught the edge of a rough flagstone and she stumbled into a life-sized stone statue, which she hugged in time to stop from crashing to the floor.

âOh, do be careful,â Strangways yelped. âThese are all rare pieces that if broken can never be replaced.â

âSorry.â Max carefully repositioned the statue on its pillar and looked up. She stared at the large, bearded, bluish coloured man with a palm frond on his head and one in his hand. Beside him was another pillar holding a woman with the head of a snake.

The brass plate below read:

Nun and Naunet

Deities of Water and Chaos

Said to have ruled over the watery mass of chaos before the world began. Ancient Egyptians believed that the waters of Nun would eventually flood the world, and once again the universe would become the prehistoric waste of Nunâs chaotic waters.

A strange tremor rippled through Max. She moved slowly away and shoved her hands firmly in her pockets.

Strangways led them beneath another low stone archway and down a shorter set of stairs into a sparsely furnished, low-lit room.

âThis is one of my favourite parts.â

âIt feels like a crypt.â Max shivered as the temperature around them fell.

âActually, it was more of a torture chamber originally.â Strangwaysâs voice lowered like a guide leading a ghost tour. âThis castle was once ruled by a vicious lord who used this dungeon as his punishment pit. He would bring his prisoners down here and leave them shackled to the walls without food or water. Then heâd release a bug of his choice. Wasps, bees, scorpions. Whatever took his fancy. The prisonerâs crime didnât have to be very big: a dinner served cold, a mumbled greeting, or the mere suspicion that you were up to no good could be enough to secure your journey to oblivion.â

Strangwaysâs eyes settled on Max. She tried to hold his stare, but the cold of the room began to prick her eyes. She turned away and found herself facing an upright coffin cradling a bound and frayed mummy.

âAaaah!â She screamed. âTell me heâs not a real dead person.â

âShe, actually,â Veronique answered. âAnd yes, quite real and long dead.â She walked to a glass cabinet containing a scroll of papyrus sheets nestled in a soft, glowing light. âI havenât seen this before, Regi.â

Strangwaysâs voice softened like an entomologist coming across a rare insect. âThat is my latest acquisition.â He hobbled over, his face warmed with a smile reserved for an old friend. âItâs The Book of the Dead. Or one of them at least, but this one is quite unique.â

âThis visit just gets more and more cheery.â Max sighed and sat on the edge of a carved stone pillar. She pulled her knees against her chest and rocked back and forth to try and warm up.

âThe books were collections of spells and formulas that were placed in tombs to protect the souls of the deceased, like guidebooks to a happy afterlife, and were otherwise known as books of magic.â Strangwaysâs voice was infused with awe.

âMagic?â Max asked. âI thought this was a museum of ancient history?â

âMagic was very much part of the life of the ancient Egyptian. They believed that magic, or heka as they called it, was integral in creating the world and that everyone had the ability to conjure it. But there were rules about how and why it could be used.â

âSo everyone in ancient Egypt was a magician?â Linden asked.

âWith the right resources at their fingertips.â Strangways leant in and smiled greedily. âSome were better at it than others.â

He picked up a pair of white cotton gloves beside the cabinet and slipped them on. âMany men died in ancient times trying to gain access to such books. Many forgeries were made to throw them off the track, leading them on erroneous trails.â He lifted a latch, opened the cabinet door and ran a hand gently over a page filled with hieroglyphic symbols and drawings.

âThere were palace and temple books of magic, but also private collections that were handed down within families. This is one of the private ones. Have you seen this before, my dear?â

Veronique leant over. âI donât think so.â

âI donât mean to be disrespectful,â Linden said, âbut isnât believing in magic a little â¦â

âLoopy?â Strangways finished his sentence. âIt is no more loopy than much of what we take for granted as true today. No more loopy than the appearance of the first leaf after a fire has destroyed an entire forest. No more loopy than the joining of a few cells that will eventually become a baby.â He held out his arm, revealing a long scar. âOr no more loopy than a cut to the skin that, with time, completely heals itself. All of these things are magic, my boy.â

âWith a firm scientific basis,â Max spelled out.

âFor some it is pure science, for others the element of mystery and magic can simply not be denied.â

âWhat did they use magic for?â Toby asked.

âAlmost anything. As a defence system against sickness, to protect a new home, to rid an area of poisonous snakes.â Strangways gasped like an excited four-year-old. âWhy, there are even stories where people brought wax animals to life or rolled back the waters of a lake. After years of searching, your father was the one who finally found this for me.â Strangways stole a quick glance at Veronique.

âWhy wouldnât he give this book to the Louvre, with all the other artefacts?â Max asked.

âThere are many such books that are far more detailed and, therefore, more important to the museum than this one.â

âHow does it work?â Toby asked.

Strangwaysâs eyes were lit from the light of the cabinet. âThe spell was recited with a series of actions.â He pronouned each word slowly, carefully. âIf it was done right, a person could summon the powers of magic and heka was yours.â

Strangways lifted his arms before him as if he were conducting a giant orchestra. Before he realised, heâd lifted his cane from the floor and began toppling sideways.

Linden and Veronique caught him.

âAre you okay, Mr Strangways?â Linden asked.

âYes, my boy.â Strangways took out a hanky and wiped it across his brow. âIâm sorry, I tend to get carried away whenever talk turns to ancient Egypt.â

Max rolled her eyes and kept rocking. âSo, when a person in ancient Egypt died, they had to rely on a bunch of spells to make sure they were happy being dead?â

âIt helped,â Strangways explained. âWhen a person died, the god Anubis would take their souls into the underworld and deliver them to the Hall of Truth, where their heart would be weighed against a feather.â Strangways held out his hand as if weighing an invisible heart. âIf the heart weighed less than the feather, it was judged to be full of goodness and granted eternal life.â

âAnd if it was heavier?â Toby asked.

âIâm afraid they would face the prospect of eternal darkness.â

A loud slam echoed around the room followed by a muffled cry. âAaaah!â

âWhat was that?â Toby breathed.

âAaaah!â

âThere it is again.â Linden looked around the room until he realised something was missing. âMax? Where is she?â

âI think sheâs in there.â Toby pointed to an ornately painted, human-shaped coffin.

âGet me out of here!â The muffled yelling continued from within.

âYep. Sheâs in there.â Veronique folded her arms across her chest.

Toby and Linden hurried to the long wooden sarcophagus and grabbed hold of the lid.

âIt wonât open,â Linden wheezed.

âIt has a self-locking system.â Strangways pulled a key from his pocket. âItâs the small gold one.â

Linden took the key and opened the lock.

âI said get me â¦ Oh.â Max opened her eyes.

âSeems I am good at rescuing you after all,â Toby smiled.

âWhat are you doing?â Linden asked.

âIt was getting cold, so I thought Iâd warm up in here.â Max felt another small bump forming on her head. No-one moved. âBut Iâd be better if I was out of here.â

Linden and Toby leant into the coffin and helped Max out.

âYou really do have to be more careful, dear.â Strangways leant on his cane. âI would hate for something to happen to you whilst you are in my care.â He turned to the door. âAnd now it is my bedtime. I need to be up early tomorrow for a board meeting in the city for which Iâll need all my energy just to keep awake. They can be such dreary things.â

He stood at the exit of the private museum and invited his guests to leave before locking the door behind them. âWould you mind, dear?â

Veronique took Strangwaysâs hand and helped him up the narrow, circling stairwell.

At the top of the stairs, Strangways took a moment to catch his breath. âYou will be treated with the utmost cordiality whilst you are here. And please, treat my estate and everything in it as yours.â

âDoes that include the fridge?â Toby asked.

An unrestrained smile rolled onto Strangwaysâs lips. âThe cupboards and pantry, too. Veronique can fill you in on all the other facilities we have here. And please donât worry. Wherever you go on the grounds, you will be perfectly safe. â

He rang a bell that sat on a hall table.

âMost importantly, I want you to try and forget the horrible events of the past few days. It is for Tetu and his men to do all the work and the worrying.â

The stiff housemaster appeared unsmilingly beside him.

Strangways laid a hand against Veroniqueâs cheek. âYou look more and more like your mother every day. She would be so proud of you.â

âThanks, Regi.â

âIâve had the rooms next to yours made up, Veronique, if you wouldnât mind showing our guests upstairs. Goodnight.â Strangways walked down the long corridor to his room, leaning on FranÃ§oisâs arm. Each step was strained and tired.

âHeâs getting older.â Veronique watched until she heard the soft click of his bedroom door. âCome on, Iâll show you to your rooms.â

âYou donât think heâs, well, strange?â Max walked closely behind. âI mean, the way he was going on about that heka stuff was really weird.â

Veronique reached the top of the stairs and swung around. Max stopped abruptly and leant back. âRegi has always been passionate about his work. It is his life.â

Max frowned. âThat doesnât make him any less weird.â

âI like him,â Toby said. âOkay, all that death and magic stuff is a little crazy, but if I have to listen to a few spooky stories between profiteroles and a luxurious castle holiday, then I can cope.â

âSometimes I wonder why you want to be a spy.â Max eyed Toby.

âSame as everyone else.â Toby grinned. âThe fame, the girls, the exotic locations.â

Veronique laughed. Linden did his best to cover a rising smile, and Max did her best to pretend she was still a spy trying to complete an important mission.

âWhyâs he so obsessed with spells and magic and what happens after people die? Itâs creepy.â

âHe isnât obsessed. When he has an audience, he likes to talk about those aspects for dramatic effect.â Veronique paused. âRegi is a good man and would do nothing to hurt me or Papa.â

She turned and flung herself into Lindenâs arms. He held her as she sobbed.

Toby levelled a look of blame at Max.

âI just want them to find my father.â Veronique took out Lindenâs hanky and wiped her eyes.

âThey will,â Linden patted her gently. âYouâll see.â

She gave him a fluttering smile and walked down the corridor to her room. âYou are always so caring, Linden.â She offered Max one last pointed look before closing the door.

âWhatâs your problem with Strangways?â Toby asked.

âI think he knows more about Antoine than heâs telling us,â Max said quietly. âLike Iâll bet he knows exactly what it was Antoine wanted to show him that night at the museum â he may even have it.â

âHow can you know that?â Toby asked. âWeâve only just met him.â

âHe rushes off late at night to have a secret meeting with Antoine to talk about an important discovery. Instead, we end up with a kidnapped archaeologist, a conveniently concussed Strangways and no discovery.â Max lowered her voice even further. âJust before we went into the museum, he almost sliced me in two with a giant blade.â

Toby and Linden swapped a confused look.

âMax, heâs an old man who walks with a cane.â Toby frowned. âI canât quite see him swinging any swords.â

âHe didnât swing it himself. He activated this giant medieval blade that swung across the doorway when you were already inside. He made sure I was standing close enough so that it only just missed me.â

âMaybe it was his way of letting you know the place is safe,â Toby suggested.

âOr that thatâs what weâll get if we go snooping around,â Max whispered and looked over her shoulder. âAnd did you notice he didnât answer me when I asked if he knew where Antoine was?â

âIt was the only question he didnât answer,â Linden recalled.

âAnd what about all those questions Strangways asked Veronique, where he was fishing for information?â

âWhich ones?â Toby asked.

âWhen he asked in a roundabout way whether her father had any news about one of the many projects he was working on, and if sheâd seen that Book of the Dead before. And did you see how he looked at her when he told her it was Antoine who found it? Like he was checking for any giveaway reaction.â

Toby offered another explanation. âMaybe he was seeing if she knew anything that would be useful for Tetu in finding her dad. Strangways is a family friend, and he probably thinks sheâd feel more comfortable talking to him than to strangers.â

âMaybe, but what did you think Strangways meant when he said he was sorry Veronique had been âinvolved in all thisâ?â

âThat he was sorry that Veronique had been involved in all this.â Toby frowned.

âThanks, Einstein.â Max scowled. âDonât you think it could mean that heâs not sorry about everything thatâs happened, but he is sorry that Veronique became involved in whatever sneaky plan heâs trying to carry out?â

âWhat sneaky plan?â Toby asked.

âI donât know,â Max answered. âI havenât worked that out yet.â

Maxâs room was the furthest down the hall. She felt tired. Her head was pounding from the fall into the coffin and her bones ached from lack of sleep.

From the shadows of the hallway, a hidden figure watched as she dragged her feet into her room and closed the door against the quiet, lamp-lit hall. The figure stayed there all night, watching and waiting.

Secret Agent Max Remy fought against the ropes that bound her body with a mummy-like grip. She writhed and struggled, hitting against the sides of the sarcophagus that was now her private prison in the dungeon of Strangwaysâs castle.

âYou see, you are no match for me, my dear, no matter how much of a superspy you think you are.â

Strangways leant against his cane and didnât even try to conceal his gleeful smile. âUntil now, I can assure you, you have dealt with amateurs, and I am no amateur. Not when it comes to getting what I want.â

Max took a deep breath and fought against the surge of panic swelling in her chest. âYou may think youâve won, but I will fight you until my last breath.â

Strangways put his weight on his good leg, leant his cane against the wall and gave Max a slow clap. âBravo!â he called out. âSuch a noble performance. And so dramatic. Pity it will be your last.â

Strangways grabbed his cane and pushed it into a button on the wall beside him. In the roof above Max, the stone cover of a chute slid open from which fell a waterfall of feed pellets.

Max closed her eyes and twisted her head away as her coffin filled with the dry foodstuff.

âFeeling hungry, are you?â She tried to sound calm.

âOh, itâs not for me, my dear.â

He nodded at a small hatch cut into a wall at the far end of the room.

âItâs for the rats, of course.â

A cage-like door swung upwards and a spill of rats flooded from the hole like a geyser. Maxâs pulse quickened. She looked from the rats to Strangways, who was now safely positioned behind a solid wooden door, his eyes visible through a sliding peephole.

âBye bye, Max Remy. Our time together has been short, but most definitely sweet,â he snivelled gleefully. âEspecially this part.â

The peephole panel slid shut.

The rats were tidal-waving into the room. Tumbling and stepping over each other, tripping and scrambling towards the smell of dinner.

Max kept pulling her bound arms until she finally managed to free her hand far enough to reach into her pocket and pull out her palm computer.

âLinden! Linden. This is Max. Iâm in trouble.â

Max waited for an answer.

âLinden? Where are you? I need your help.â

Max desperately watched the blank screen for a response, while behind it a large, toothy rat had sunk its claws into the top edge of the coffin and launched himself inside.

âAaaah!â

Max dropped her computer as the rat ravaged the pellets that lay all over her. Other rats followed, struggling to get to the edge of the coffin before leaping inside.

âAaaah!â Max tried to kick out with her legs and beat the rats away, but more scrambled over her, crawling on her, sniffing and drooling, until the coffin swam with them.

One large, hairy rat began to move up her chest, inching towards Maxâs face.

âNo!â

Itâs gnarled teeth, yellow and fang-like, grew larger as it closed in, step by step, creeping towards her before a backdrop of marauding rats, dripping with saliva. Closer, hungrier until

âAaaah!â

Max woke to see two coal-black eyes staring at her.

âAaaah!

She screamed again and wrestled with the sheets of her bed, which had twisted around her like pythons. Unable to break free, Max flung herself onto the floor and rolled into the middle of the room.

âWhat is it? Whatâs wrong?â Linden stood at the door, already dressed, his wild hair almost combed into some kind of order.

âRats! A coffin! Me.â Max stopped when Lindenâs frown made her realise she wasnât making any sense.

âSorry?â Linden pushed his hair out of his face, only to have it fall back again.

It took Max a few seconds to take in what had happened: what was the dream part and what was real. The crawling, swarming rats were certainly the dream. The dead rat sitting on her pillow, eyes open and staring at her, was real. A present from Fifi, she realised, when she saw the mutt at the foot of her bed, wearing what seemed to be a smile.

âWhy you â¦â

Max wrenched herself out of her sheets and, with hands held out, headed for Fifiâs neck. Linden was quick to intercept, grabbing Max around the waist and lifting her from the ground.

âLet me at her.â Max gritted her teeth. âSheâs been out to get me from the first black, miserable moment we met.â

Max kicked and wriggled in Lindenâs arms.

âIâm not going to put you down unless you promise not to strangle Fifi.â Linden gasped.

âOh, isnât that cute. Fifi has brought you a present.â Veronique appeared behind them. Her hair neatly pulled back, she was wearing jeans and a shirt that sparkled with what Max thought may have been diamonds around the edge of her collar. And she was wearing make-up. She opened her arms and Fifi leapt into them. âAnd you two are playing some kind of wrestling game. How very â¦ boyish.â

Linden whispered in Maxâs ear, âDo you promise not to attack?â

âWhich one? Her or the animal?â Max whispered back.

âBoth.â

âOkay,â Max offered reluctantly. âBut only for now.â

When Linden let her go, Max tried to straighten her hair and clothes but knew that next to the designer look of Veronique, she resembled a rumpled sack of old rags.

âSee you downstairs.â Veronique spun on her low-heeled boots and left.

Linden looked at Max. âDo you want me to do something with that rat?â

âWould it involve putting it near Veronique?â

âNo.â Linden smiled.

âYouâre no fun.â

Linden pulled a hanky from his pocket and wrapped the rodent inside. âBreakfast is ready,â he said before leaving.

Max looked around at her room and caught sight of herself in the mirror of a marble-topped dresser. She stopped. Veronique was all chic and in control; Max was a walking cyclone. She sighed and turned away.

As she approached the breakfast room, the belly laughs from the others floated out in great waves.

âSharing your bed with rats now, Max?â Toby couldnât hold back another laugh. Fifi sat beside him and seemed to join in the hilarity, panting happily over a small steak. âItâs great how you and Fifi are bonding.â

Max moved away from the smiling pooch and sat next to Linden. âDonât you have anything more interesting to say?â

âI do, actually.â Toby smiled smugly, waiting to be asked for more.

âWell?â Max threw her open hands into the air.

âLast night I did a little research into ancient Egyptian amulets. They were often obtained by people known as âprotection makersâ, and Taweret is one of the big ones for offering protection. The other interesting fact is that a lot of amulets were made with a hidden cavity so that a protective spell could be inserted.â

âAnd you think there might be one in here?â Veronique took off the amulet. âWhere?â

âLook for something unusual or out-of-place in the design. A bump or stopper maybe.â

Veronique looked over the amulet and saw a rounded blocked hole under the feet. She took a clip from her hair and dug out a small wooden stopper. She shook the amulet and a rolled note fell to the table.

âAnd there it is,â Toby said with satisfaction.

Veronique read the note:

Â 

A nod of a head

And âCast outâ in a cry

Will chaos banish

With Taweret held high

Â 

âWhat does it mean?â Veronique asked.

âNot sure yet,â Toby answered. âBut I think itâd be a good idea to keep that amulet close.â

âAnd even more important to stick close to us. Weâve got the skills and equipment to keep you safe.â Max tried to keep the conversation in the land of the not-kooky. âAnd we should use today to find out more about Strangways. The more I think about it, the more I â¦â

âWeâve already decided what weâre doing today.â Veronique slipped the amulet back around her neck and beneath her shirt. âRegi has gone to his board meeting and left me a note to say we are to concentrate on forgetting about what has happened and leave the crime solving to the professionals.â

âWe are professionals,â Max spluttered.

âMaybe,â Veronique replied, âbut you are also my minders and are to do as I say.â She stood up from the table. âAnd I say weâre going horse riding.â

âHorse riding?â Maxâs face lost some of its colour.

âYes, and you are going to stop picking on Regi.â

âIâm not picking on him, I just think ââ

âRegi has opened his estate to us, and weâre perfectly safe as long as we stay within its boundaries.â

Veronique took an apple from an overflowing fruit bowl and munched into it. âUnless, of course, you canât ride horses.â

âI can ride horses.â Max spread a generous slathering of jam across some toast. âItâs one of my favourite sports, actually.â

âExcellent.â Veronique called over her shoulder. âFranÃ§ois?â

The grim housemaster appeared beside Veronique in seconds. âWe would like to go riding. Please have the horses prepared.â

FranÃ§ois nodded and withdrew from the room as silently as he had entered.

âWe better get ready.â Veronique walked to a gold-framed mirror and reapplied her lip colour. She gave herself one last satisfied look before walking out of the room as if she was about to meet the queen.

Max held her jam toast before her. âCan anyone tell me why she has to get so dressed up to go horse riding?â

âShe looks good.â Toby threw the last of his brioche into his mouth and stood up. âYou could take a few lessons from her.â

âIâm on a spy mission, not in a fashion contest.â Max went to take a last bite of her toast when a large glob of jam slipped off the buttery bread and slid down her T-shirt in a red drizzle.

âJust as well.â Toby chuckled and walked out.

Linden handed her a serviette. âI think it adds something.â

Max glared at the jam slithering down her shirt. âLike a big sign saying, âHow clumsy am I?ââ

A vehicle pulled up outside and beeped.

âAnd, of course, thereâs no time to change.â Max took Lindenâs serviette and wiped the goo off, leaving a giant smudge slathered across her chest.

Max frowned. âYouâre from the country, do you have any tips for this horseriding thing?â

âDonât let the horse know youâre afraid. Be confident, but not cocky. Horses are very intelligent.â

Max kept frowning.

âAnd have fun.â Linden nudged her lightly in the shoulder. âYouâll see. Once you get a feel for riding, itâs hard to stop.â

âAs long as when I do stop, Iâm still alive.â

Linden laughed. âCome on. Iâll make sure nothing happens to you.â

Max felt her face well up into a ridiculous jam-coloured blush. The horn beeped again. âHer ladyship is waiting,â she turned away, âand we canât have that.â

In the castle courtyard, FranÃ§ois held open the double doors at the back of a small passenger truck as Max and Linden stepped outside.

â€˜There you are.â€™ Veronique pulled on a pair of riding gloves. â€˜I thought youâ€™d changed your mind.â€™

â€˜I wouldnâ€™t miss a chance to ride,â€™ Max said.

â€˜Really?â€™ Veronique let Maxâ€™s statement linger in the air before turning to FranÃ§ois. â€˜To the stables.â€™

She climbed in and settled onto a side bench seat with Fifi nestled beside her, leaving barely enough room for Max to squeeze in. FranÃ§ois closed the doors, double-checking that they were firmly shut. He hoisted himself into the driverâ€™s cabin and wrenched the gears. The truck lurched into action, skidding over the pebbled path of the chateau, out the castle gate and over the roughly planked drawbridge before turning sharply into a canopied forest path.

â€˜Is FranÃ§ois the only one who works here?â€™ Max asked.

â€˜Regi has a few stable hands and a driver, but he is a very private man. When it comes to the chateau, it is only he and FranÃ§ois.â€™

â€˜He seems a little frail to be riding horses,â€™ Max said.

â€˜Riding was a great passion of his when he was younger and fitter. Now he just visits and talks with them. As a horserider yourself,â€™ she offered Max a sugary look, â€˜youâ€™ll know how adorable they can be.â€™

â€˜Of course I do,â€™ Max answered. â€˜Completely adorable.â€™

Veronique stared at Max. â€˜Once you get attached to horses, itâ€™s hard to let them go.â€™

After several bumps over potholes that saw Maxâ€™s head collide with the hard metal of the jeepâ€™s roof, they came to the stable complex. In the main yard, four stable hands stood at attention, ready with the horses.

Veronique stepped out of the truck and ran to a chestnut-coloured horse with a bright red leather saddle and golden stirrups.

â€˜Hero.â€™ She nuzzled into his nose. â€˜You get even more beautiful each time I see you.â€™

Linden stood beside Max. â€˜What do you think?â€™

Max swallowed. â€˜Theyâ€™re big, arenâ€™t they?â€™

Veronique placed her foot in the stirrup and sprang into the saddle as easily as if she was climbing into bed.

â€˜Hey, fella.â€™ Toby stepped up to his horse and mounted just as easily.

â€˜Of course he knows how to do it,â€™ Max mumbled.

â€˜You donâ€™t have to do this,â€™ Linden said.

â€˜No. I want to.â€™ Max straightened out her jam-smeared shirt.

â€˜Theyâ€™re very well trained, Max,â€™ Veronique said. â€˜Thereâ€™s nothing to be scared of.â€™

â€˜Iâ€™m not scared. Iâ€™m looking forward to it.â€™

â€˜Great. Take Siren.â€™ Veronique pointed to a smaller horse. â€˜She has a beautiful nature and will be perfect for you.â€™

Max steadily approached Siren and took hold of the reins. The horse whinnied and twitched. A damp, sewery smell rose up from behind the horse and slammed Max in the nose. â€˜Easy there, fella.â€™

â€˜Ooops.â€™ Veronique feigned a pitying look.

Max looked down to see her foot splattered by a steaming pile of horse manure. â€˜Great,â€™ she mumbled before whispering to her horse. â€˜I feel the same way, so letâ€™s make this as painless as possible. Deal?â€™

Siren snorted salivary spray all over Maxâ€™s hands. â€˜Thanks.â€™ She winced.

Max was helped into her saddle by a short, muscly stable hand, and after a few near misses where she almost tumbled off the other side, she was on.

Then she looked down.

â€˜Oh.â€™ Her head felt light. â€˜Itâ€™s a long way from the ground.â€™

A few final checks were made to Maxâ€™s horse before he was walked beside Veronique. The two horses exchanged grunts and snorts, with Hero stamping the ground.

â€˜Whatâ€™s he doing?â€™ Max asked.

â€˜Just a little healthy rivalry,â€™ Veronique smiled.

Linden gave Max a wink and vaulted himself into his saddle.

â€˜Fifi, you keep up,â€™ Veronique instructed. â€˜Ha!â€™

Hero and Siren charged at Veroniqueâ€™s cry, leaving the boys behind for the stable hands to make final adjustments to their saddles.

The two horses galloped to the rear of the stable buildings and into open country. Max clutched her reins, her scream drowned out by the thunder of hooves.

The hills were lush and green, falling around them in huge waves, which was possibly why Max started to feel seasick.

â€˜Whoah!â€™

She flattened herself against Siren, who tore after Hero like they were in a derby. Max shut her eyes and clutched the reins, holding them close to her chest as she bounded up and down on what felt like an out-of-control bull at a rodeo.

She half-opened one eye and saw Veronique and Hero leap over a hedge and disappear down a narrow forest path.

â€˜Oh no,â€™ Max whined and shut her eyes again. In seconds she was airborne. â€˜Aaaah! Iâ€™m going to die!â€™

Her horse hit the ground with a body-shaking thud, followed by the whoosh of fluttering leaves and closely passing tree limbs.

Veroniqueâ€™s horse made another leap into the air, sailing over the still, dark waters of a small pond.

Siren, however, had other ideas.

His hooves dug in for an abrupt stop, just short of the pondâ€™s edge, where he reared up on his hind legs.

â€˜Aaaah!â€™ Max tried to hold on, but her hands slipped along the reins and gave way.

Veronique heard the splash and swung Hero around to see a soggy and mud-blotched Max sitting in the rippling waters of the pond. She cantered over and dismounted. Her shoulders heaved and her hand flung to her mouth to try and stop the onset of giggles.

â€˜Siren is normally so good with water.â€™ Veronique couldnâ€™t hold back her laughter any longer.

Max glared at Veronique as Siren blasted a horsey sneeze all over her. â€˜Maybe you could find something more useful to do than stand there and laugh?â€™

â€˜Oh, so youâ€™re not enjoying the chance to wash off the horse manure and jam?â€™ Veronique blustered into an even louder giggle.

â€˜Donâ€™t you get bored acting so superior all the time?â€™ Max scraped mud from her arms.

â€˜I thought itâ€™d help us bond, since thatâ€™s what you do.â€™

Max slurped herself up from the pondâ€™s muddy bottom. â€˜I donâ€™t act superior.â€™

â€˜Oh no?â€™ Veronique swung her shoulders back and forth. â€˜Look at me, Iâ€™m a world-famous superspy.â€™

â€˜Making sure nothing happens to you,â€™ Max reminded her.

Veronique crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. â€˜While being grumpy and angry all the time.â€™

â€˜Youâ€™re a snob.â€™ Max crossed her arms.

â€˜Youâ€™re bossy.â€™

â€˜Oh no, youâ€™re the expert in that.â€™ Max squelched up the slippery bank. â€˜FranÃ§ois! To the stables!â€™ she mimicked.

â€˜You donâ€™t know anything about me,â€™ said Veronique.

â€˜I know youâ€™re spoilt, arrogant and vain.â€™

â€˜And youâ€™re a slob who is always covered in some sort of slime.â€™

â€˜At least Iâ€™m not obsessed with how I look twenty-four hours a day.â€™ Max swiped off a glob of mud, which accidentally sprayed Veroniqueâ€™s jeans.

Veroniqueâ€™s mouth flung open in disbelief. â€˜Do you have any idea how much these jeans cost?â€™

â€˜If itâ€™s anything like your ego, itâ€™s bound to be over-inflated.â€™

Veroniqueâ€™s jaw closed and hardened. â€˜Why you â€¦â€™ She scooped up a handful of mud and threw it at Max for a perfect T-shirt bullseye.

Maxâ€™s eyes widened into two white rings, pulsing from her mud-flecked face. â€˜I canâ€™t believe you did that? What are you, five years old?â€™

â€˜No, Iâ€™m just sick of your attitude.â€™

â€˜Maybe Iâ€™m sick of yours.â€™ Max returned the favour with a mud-slinging throw, which caught Veronique squarely on the shoulder.

â€˜Thatâ€™s it!â€™ Veronique leapt at Max and pushed her backwards into the pond.

The two rolled over in the belching, sucking mud pit. Their hands grasped at collars and sleeves and smeared brown slime over each other. Veronique fumbled her way to her knees, swiped her hand through the sloppy earth and, just as she was about to sling it all over Max, she slipped and fell headfirst into the stewed mess.

â€˜Ha!â€™ Max scrambled unsteadily to her feet. â€˜Now whoâ€™s the slob?â€™

She teetered forwards and backwards, laughing in great gasps until her feet slipped out from beneath her and she spun into the air, landing in a muddied whoopee-cushioned splat.

Veronique sat up and giggled. â€˜I guess we both are.â€™

Max frowned before looking down at her wet, chocolate-coloured body. â€˜I guess we are.â€™ She tried to fight it, but a smile tickled the edges of her lips before rising into a laugh.

Veronique scraped a splodge of muck from her face. â€˜You look ridiculous,â€™ she said.

â€˜So do you.â€™

There was a brief pause before their loud shrieks lifted into the air.

Fifi ran out from the forest, panting and barking. â€˜Itâ€™s okay, Fifi. Max and I have just had a little â€¦ fall.â€™ She bent forward and giggled.

â€˜And that dog is a crazed ball of psycho fluff.â€™ Max laughed even more.

â€˜She only acts like that with people she doesnâ€™t like.â€™ Veronique tried to breathe through huge gulping laughs.

Fifi tilted her head to the side and whined.

From the thickened tangle of trees behind the girls, Toby and Linden galloped into view.

â€˜What happened?â€™ Linden jumped off his horse and threw the reins to Toby. â€˜Are you two okay?â€™

â€˜Yeah.â€™ Max swiped another glob of sodden earth from her face. â€˜Just. And itâ€™s about time you two showed up. She almost killed me.â€™

Max and Veronique turned to each other and lost it, falling over their sludgy bodies, gasping and trawling for breath, chuckling even harder.

Linden frowned and turned to Toby, who just shrugged.

Max dragged herself to her feet. â€˜Miss Fashion here called me bossy, and we were just discussing whether that was entirely correct.â€™ Max held her hand out and helped Veronique upright.

â€˜And Miss Bossy here wonâ€™t admit she is.â€™

Max looked to Linden and Toby. â€˜I think youâ€™ll find that these two will tell you thatâ€™s not true.â€™

Linden said nothing while Toby began concentrating on patting the horses.

Maxâ€™s mirth dissolved. â€˜Wonâ€™t they?â€™

There was another long pause.

â€˜Well, you see â€¦â€™ Linden stopped. â€˜What was that?â€™

Through the mesh of forest, Linden caught a glint of light. â€˜Thereâ€™s something shining out from those trees.â€™

Toby tied up the horses and Veronique picked up Fifi.

â€˜Itâ€™s through here.â€™ Linden led the way into the thick undergrowth of the forest, climbing over log-sized roots and fallen moss-covered trunks, until they found themselves facing a rundown shed.

â€˜I never knew this was here. And Iâ€™ve been riding on Regiâ€™s estate for years.â€™

On top of the shed were a collection of satellite dishes.

â€˜Theyâ€™re very fancy dishes for a rundown shed.â€™ Linden pulled open the door. Inside was a mess of hay, machine and tractor parts and, at the far end, a desk laid out with computers, GPS systems, microphones and an audio panel. There were strewn sheets of paper and books with scribbled notes and diagrams.

â€˜A listening post,â€™ Linden said. â€˜Someoneâ€™s being bugged.â€™

Linden picked up a pot of tea from the bench and lifted the lid. â€˜This hasnâ€™t been here long,â€™ he said. â€˜Iâ€™d say it was freshly brewed this morning.â€™

â€˜So this shed is used to spy on private conversations?â€™ Veronique asked.

â€˜Yep. With the help of a few listening devices or bugs,â€™ Linden answered.

â€˜So who do you think is behind the eavesdropping?â€™ Toby asked.

â€˜These books and papers should tell us something.â€™ Max wiped her hands on a pile of hay and slowly thumbed through a notebook. â€˜Theyâ€™re filled with scrawled notes, doodles and what looks like names.â€™ She turned to Toby. â€˜Can you look these up?â€™

Toby took his palm computer out of his pack.

Max read. â€˜El Faiyum, El Qasr, Baharia and â€“â€™

â€˜Theyâ€™re places in Egypt,â€™ Veronique said. â€˜Papa has been to all of them.â€™ She stepped closer to Max and looked at the book. â€˜And theyâ€™re not doodles. Some are hieroglyphics.â€™

â€˜And Iâ€™ll bet a man who has his own copy of the Rosetta Stone knows a little about hieroglyphics,â€™ Max said. â€˜Veronique? Do you have that note Strangways left you this morning?â€™

â€˜Itâ€™s here.â€™ She reached into the pocket of her jeans and pulled out a soggy note.

Max lined it up beside the book. â€˜Iâ€™d say that handwriting is a pretty good match.â€™

â€˜But this shed is miles from anywhere. Strangways has difficulty walking. How would he even get here?â€™ Linden asked.

â€˜He has a helper or he made the notes somewhere else or â€¦â€™ Max stopped. â€˜Heâ€™s faking it.â€™

â€˜Faking it?â€™ Toby asked.

â€˜Yeah,â€™ Max said, â€˜or at least exaggerating to make us think heâ€™s a frail old man incapable of kidnapping someone.â€™

â€˜Regi did kidnap my father.â€™ Veronique looked down at Fifi and concentrated on stroking her fur. â€˜I know it,â€™ she said softly.

â€˜We still need to work out the meaning of his hieroglyphic doodling,â€™ Max continued. â€˜Toby, take pictures of the notes and you can work on deciphering them back at the house.â€™

â€˜As good as done, Miss Bossy.â€™

Toby pretended not to see Maxâ€™s poisonous scowl as he held his watch close to his face and snapped pictures of the pages of notes.

â€˜Just donâ€™t mess them up. We donâ€™t want anyone knowing we were here.â€™

â€˜Yes, Miss â€“â€™

â€˜Do you really want to finish that sentence?â€™ Max asked.

â€˜Maybe not.â€™ Toby went back to taking photos.

â€˜Linden, is there any way we can find out where the bugs have been placed?â€™ Max asked.

â€˜I can try.â€™ Linden took a small USB drive from a side pocket in his backpack.

â€˜Whatâ€™s that?â€™ Max asked.

â€˜Itâ€™s called the Gatecrasher.â€™ He turned on the computer and plugged in the drive. â€˜A small but very clever device that temporarily dismantles the computerâ€™s security system and gives me access to all its files. Spyforce issue it as part of the Computer Analysis and Infiltration course.â€™

â€˜Handy,â€™ Max said.

â€˜Very.â€™ Linden flashed Max a smile that made her feel like a meteor had crash-landed into the pit of her stomach. She tried to look normal and steady her breathing while Lindenâ€™s hands flew over the keys, typing in passwords until he accessed the file he was looking for. â€˜And there she is.â€™

A list of bugged buildings appeared on the screen.

The chateau and grounds

The homes and offices of:

Antoine Marceau

Pedro Bolivar

Gustave Heinrick

Alessandra Rossi

Veronique held Fifi even closer. â€˜Papaâ€™s name. Regi has been eavesdropping on my father? But why?

â€˜Weâ€™re not sure yet,â€™ Max replied carefully. â€˜But heâ€™s also been listening to us.â€™ Max shivered recalling all that theyâ€™d said since their arrival at the chateau, especially her suspicions of Strangways.

â€˜Aside from your father, do you recognise any of those other people?â€™

Veronique shook her head.

â€˜Iâ€™ll get Steinberger to run a check on them.â€™ Linden took his palm computer from his pack and typed out the message.

â€˜Why would Strangways bug a long-time friend who he was working with?â€™ Max asked.

â€˜Maybe he didnâ€™t trust him,â€™ Linden said before looking up at Veronique. â€˜Sorry.â€™

The only sound was the turning of pages as Toby continued taking pictures.

Max handed Veronique a Tracer Bug. â€˜I want you to keep this on you. Just in case.â€™

â€˜Just in case what?â€™

â€˜Iâ€™m not sure, but I think itâ€™s a good idea for us to know where you are every second.â€™

Veronique slowly reached out and put the bug in her shirt pocket.

Outside, the muffled hum of an engine sped towards them.

â€˜Time to get out of here,â€™ Max said. â€˜Follow me.â€™

Toby arranged the papers as they were. Linden removed the Gatecrasher device and turned off the computer, wiping it over with his shirt to erase any fingerprints. They ran through the forest to where the horses were tethered, the sound of the engine quickly gaining on them.

â€˜Linden, hold my backpack,â€™ Max said. â€˜And Toby, I need you to play doctor for my sprained ankle.â€™

Toby shook his head. â€˜Iâ€™m not sure I want such a difficult patient.â€™

â€˜Iâ€™ll give you difficult if you donâ€™t come here now.â€™

Max turned to the pond. â€˜The things I do for Spyforce,â€™ she muttered before throwing herself into the shallow pool.

Toby knelt beside her and grabbed her ankle when a small truck bounced out of the forest, tearing strips of dirt into the air behind it.

The truck came to an abrupt stop and FranÃ§ois jumped out.

â€˜What are you doing here? Who said you could â€“â€™

â€˜Iâ€™m afraid Iâ€™m not as good at riding a horse as I thought.â€™ Max winced. â€˜Siren got a little excited and bolted off the track before he decided to throw me.â€™

FranÃ§ois said nothing. He turned to Veronique and surveyed her muddied appearance. She pushed a hardening clump of sludge-covered hair out of her eyes. â€˜I tried to help, but I â€¦ slipped.â€™ She smiled sweetly.

â€˜Aow!â€™ Max yelped to draw FranÃ§oisâ€™s attention back to her.

â€˜I think she may have twisted it.â€™ Toby feigned concern. â€˜My parents are doctors,â€™ he explained to FranÃ§ois. â€˜We better get her back to the house so I can examine it more closely.â€™

FranÃ§oisâ€™s eyes flicked towards the part of the forest that hid the shed.

Max and Toby swapped nervous looks. There was a momentâ€™s hesitation before FranÃ§ois squatted beside Max and carefully lifted her up. He looked at Linden and flicked his head towards the truck. Linden opened the back doors and stood aside as Toby climbed in first, ready to nurse the injured ankle, and FranÃ§ois gently lay Max on the bench.

She gasped in pain. FranÃ§oisâ€™s face wrinkled into a frown. He took a blanket from a cupboard beneath the seat and laid it over her before meeting her eyes.

Max squirmed awkwardly under his searching gaze. She looked away. â€˜Thank you.â€™

â€˜Will someone come to collect the horses?â€™ Veronique asked.

FranÃ§ois nodded and moved away, inviting her and Linden to climb in. He closed the doors behind them and hoisted himself into the driverâ€™s cabin. A murky window separated him from his passengers.

â€˜Are you okay?â€™ Linden leant in, faking concern as FranÃ§ois threw them a look in the rear-view mirror and cranked the engine to life. It shuddered beneath them in a mechanical snarl and pulled away from the muddy pond.

â€˜FranÃ§ois must have us on a surveillance system of some kind.â€™ Max clenched her teeth as the truck hit a pothole. â€˜How else could he have known where we were?â€™

â€˜But was it your fall or our stumbling across the shed that made him get there so fast?â€™ Toby continued his inspection of her ankle.

â€˜How well do you know FranÃ§ois?â€™ Max asked Veronique.

â€˜Heâ€™s been Regiâ€™s helper since I was a kid. I know he seems cold, but heâ€™s really sweet and canâ€™t stand when he sees people or animals in pain. Once, he and I found a baby starling that had fallen out of its nest and nursed it until he was able to fly again.â€™

â€˜Thatâ€™s sweet, but from now on we donâ€™t trust him,â€™ Max said. â€˜We donâ€™t trust anyone on this property. Thereâ€™s a reason those people are being bugged, and Iâ€™m guessing it isnâ€™t a very nice one.â€™

She caught FranÃ§oisâ€™s gaze in the mirror, searching and focused. She looked down at her ankle and clutched it in faked pain. â€˜And itâ€™s about time we find out what it is.â€™

FranÃ§ois carried Max up the stairs of Strangwaysâs chateau, wrapped in the blanket from the truck. He entered her room and lowered her onto a long lounge. He fluffed cushions and laid one behind her back and one beneath her ankle before disappearing into the corridor. He returned with a pair of old crutches, a first-aid kit and an icepack, laying them on the dresser.

He backed away, squeezing his fingers until they drained to a lifeless grey-white.

âSheâll be fine now, thanks, FranÃ§ois.â Toby smiled. âSheâs lucky she has me here to look after her.â

Max threw Toby an âoh really?â look, while FranÃ§ois nodded and left the room.

Max looked at the others and put her fingers to her lips. She sniffed her mud-caked arm and spoke clearly. âIâm going to have a shower. I donât think I can handle this pond stench any longer. Veronique, will you help me?â

The two girls left the room, Max leaning on Veroniqueâs shoulder and a mud-stained Fifi following close behind.

Toby transferred the photos of the scribbled notes and drawings to his palm computer and downloaded a template for hieroglyphics from the Spyforce decoding database. Linden, meanwhile, searched the room, checking vases, desks and curtain hems for bugs.

After only a few minutes, he unhooked one from the frilled edge of a lampshade beside Maxâs bed. He held it up with a wide grin, before putting it on the floor and crushing it beneath his heel. He continued his search, but found nothing more.

âExtermination complete.â Linden smiled and helped Toby with the deciphering of the notes until Max and Veronique re-entered the room, closing and locking the door behind them.

Toby and Linden stopped what they were doing and stared open-mouthed.

âI feel much better after a shower,â Max said and waited for the boys to say something.

They both kept staring.

âI said I feel much better â¦â

Linden snapped out of it. âUm â¦ yep â¦ sorry. The roomâs clear. I found one bug, but thatâs it.â

âExcellent, now we can ââ Max began before being interrupted.

âWhat are you wearing?â Toby asked.

âWhy? Whatâs wrong?â

âNothing,â said Linden. âYou look â¦ great.â

Veronique held a newly washed and fluffed Fifi and smiled proudly. âI lent Max a few of my clothes.â

Maxâs hair was washed and blow-dried, and she stood in a halo of Veroniqueâs best perfume. She wore slightly heeled boots, new jeans with a sky-blue skirt flouncing over the top and a tight, light-purple shirt with long sleeves finishing it off.

No-one said anything.

âI might just put my own â¦â She turned to go, but Veronique blocked her path and Fifi barked. âYouâre not going anywhere.â

âI can do what I ââ

âDoes anyone want to know what weâve found so far?â Toby grinned.

Max pushed her hair behind her ears and sat beside him. âAs long as it takes the attention off me.â

âThe hieroglyphics decoder from Spyforce is pretty fast,â Toby began, âso I should have it all worked out pretty soon. But so far it seems that â¦â He paused and turned to Max. âYou smell nice.â

âYou really need to get on with it.â Max gave him one of her best death stares before looking back to his notes.

âThereâs a bit of mad raving, especially when Strangways gets to the part about âholding the world to ransomâ.â

âHolding the world to ransom?â Max asked. âHow does he plan to do that?â

âThatâs where it gets confusing. He talks about heka and goddesses and secret ceremonies, and his Book of the Dead gets loads of mentions. He gets especially worked up when he talks about that. His scribbling is all weird and hard to read.â

âHeâs going to use an old book to threaten the world?â Max asked.

âHe even mentions specific pages,â Toby said. âAnd Iâm not sure, but I think heâs going to do it using an ancient ritual.â

âHe did get pretty excited about heka rituals when we were in the museum,â Linden said.

âMaybe it has something to do with Papaâs latest project and why he was so secretive about it.â A wavering tear fell down her cheek. âMaybe heâs part of it?â

Linden laid his hand on her arm. âAnd maybe heâs been kidnapped because he didnât want to be part of it.â

âPapa could be a criminal. They might arrest him and throw him in jail. They might â¦â A loud sob escaped from her chest. Fifi nuzzled into her neck and licked her cheek.

âThereâs no point getting upset, we donât know thatâs true,â Linden said.

âDid your father ever talk about rituals and The Book of the Dead?â Max asked.

âPapa told me about many and how some ancient ceremonies were performed with certain objects that brought the bookâs magical powers to life.â

âMagical powers?â Max scowled before mumbling, âI was hoping for an answer based in the real world.â

âIâll bet Strangways had your dad searching for something that would activate the bookâs powers,â Linden said. âBut what?â

âIt could have been many things,â Veronique answered. âFigurines, potions, wands.â

âPotions and wands?â Max looked like she had just sucked a lemon. âAre you serious?â

âYeah. The potions could be made of lots of different ingredients like dogâs blood, and the wands were often carved with the likenesses of powerful gods â they were symbols of the magiciansâ authority to summon mighty beings.â Veronique held Fifi closer.

âThis must be what your dad meant on the night you last saw him,â Linden said. âThat if the wrong people had what he was searching for, it would cause great trouble.â

âWhat kind of trouble?â Max asked.

âI donât know,â Veronique answered. âThatâs all heâd say.â

âDid your dad believe in all this magic business?â Max asked.

âAbsolutely. Heâs even proven it.â

âProven it?â Max eyed Veronique. âHow?â

âWhen I was a kid. He told me a story of how heâd cut his hand open and used heka to cure it within minutes.â

âHe cut his hand open to see if magic would cure it?â Max asked slowly. âAnd that never struck you as being a little odd?â

âMy father was very passionate about his work. I always trusted that he knew what he was doing.â

âRight.â Max turned away from talk of magic back to the world of facts. âAre there any hints as to when this frail old man might be taking over the world? And from where?â

âThere are a few dates, referring mostly to when he added particular artefacts to his museum, along with scribbled notes about a neckpiece. The only place names were the ones in Egypt, but they seem to relate to where his museum pieces were found.â

âIâll bet the main reason weâre here is to keep us out of the way so Strangways can carry out his plan. Whatever it is,â Maxâs eyes widened, âwe need to get another look at that book. Especially those pages Strangways mentions.â

âBut how?â Linden asked. âThe dungeon is locked up tight?â

âWe could use the Time and Space Machine,â Toby said.

âYouâd set off the security system as soon as you landed,â Veronique said. âRegi even has the floor wired.â

âSo how do we sneak in?â Toby asked.

A slow smile came to Maxâs lips. âWeâre not going to sneak in. Weâre going to walk in.â

â€˜How are we going to walk in?â€™ Toby asked. â€˜Are you planning on walking through doors?â€™

â€˜Nope.â€™ Max turned to Veronique. â€˜How good do you think youâ€™d be at charming your way in?â€™

â€˜That,â€™ Veronique pulled her shoulders back and gave a flick of her head, â€˜would be easy.â€™

Max unlocked their bedroom door, only to be met with the stone-cold face of FranÃ§ois. She jumped back before lifting her â€˜injured footâ€™ from the ground and hopping to a chair. â€˜Aaaah! FranÃ§ois, we didnâ€™t hear you.â€™

He held out a tray of fresh bread rolls crammed with cheeses, salad and ham.

Toby and Linden gravitated towards the tray, but Max stuck out her good leg and blocked their path, leaving room for Veronique to go into action.

â€˜FranÃ§ois, how sweet. Thank you.â€™ She grabbed the tray and put it on a side bench. Her smile withered. â€˜But Iâ€™m not sure I could eat anything right now.â€™

She reached into her pocket for Lindenâ€™s slightly pond-soaked hanky. FranÃ§oisâ€™s face was etched with a worried frown.

â€˜I feel a bit shaken after Maxâ€™s fall,â€™ she sniffed. â€˜It reminded me of how fragile life is and how terrible things can happen in an instant. How you can lose people when you least expect it â€¦â€™ She blew into the hanky. Linden laid a comforting hand on her shoulder, while Fifi snuggled into her leg. â€˜Like Papa being â€¦â€™ She turned and wept on Lindenâ€™s shoulder.

Max pursed her lips and sat forward in her chair.

â€˜Weâ€™ve been trying to make her feel better,â€™ Linden said to FranÃ§ois, â€˜but nothing seems to work.â€™

FranÃ§ois reached out to comfort her, but had no idea what to do with his hand, so he slipped it back to his side.

â€˜There is one thing that may help.â€™ Veronique sniffed. â€˜Could we go down to the museum?â€™

FranÃ§ois shook his head and uttered a quiet, â€˜No.â€™

â€˜Please, FranÃ§ois. I know Regi doesnâ€™t like people going down there without him, but Iâ€™m sure heâ€™d make an exception for me.â€™ She held Lindenâ€™s hanky to her nose. â€˜It reminds me of Papa and makes me feel as if he is still â€¦â€™ This time Veronique fell weeping against Lindenâ€™s chest.

Max crossed her arms, uncomfortable with just how much weeping on Linden was going on.

FranÃ§oisâ€™s face twisted into a pained scowl, and he shifted on his feet. Finally, he nodded and took his keys from his pocket. Fifi barked and jumped up on FranÃ§oisâ€™s leg.

â€˜Thank you,â€™ Veronique whimpered and threw her arms around FranÃ§oisâ€™s waist. He flinched and looked as if he was having trouble breathing, until Veroniqueâ€™s performance finally came to an end. â€˜This really means a lot to me.â€™

FranÃ§ois looked at Max and Toby. â€˜Not you two.â€™ He handed Toby the first-aid kit with bandages.

â€˜But,â€™ Max began, â€˜I need to be with Veronique. Itâ€™s my job. I couldnâ€™t â€¦â€™

FranÃ§ois held his hand out in invitation for Linden and Veronique to join him.

â€˜Max.â€™ Veronique sniffed. â€˜Since you canâ€™t come, Iâ€™ll leave Fifi for company.â€™

Max squared a very unhappy eye on Veronique. â€˜That makes staying behind all the more worthwhile.â€™

Veronique offered Fifi a kiss and handed her to Max with a wink before they were led away.

â€˜Looks like I need to do some doctoring.â€™ Toby sighed and went to reach for Maxâ€™s ankle.

â€˜Donâ€™t you even think of touching me.â€™

â€˜O-kaaay.â€™ Toby slowly backed away and took a bread roll from the tray. â€˜Mmm â€¦ These are good.â€™

Max grabbed the medical kit and wrapped her ankle in a bandage. â€˜That should make FranÃ§ois happy.â€™

Her palm computer suddenly vibrated against her leg. She put Fifi on the floor and pulled her computer from her pocket. Linden was sending her a video link of the museum tour via his watch. â€˜Nice one, Linden.â€™

The dark and grainy image showed FranÃ§ois opening the door at the end of the stone staircase and standing at attention for Linden and Veronique to enter the museum. The sounds of their footsteps echoed around the room as the image sailed between the two sphinxes, passed the deities of chaos and water and the replica of the Rosetta Stone, with only a quick peek at the lower room and Strangwaysâ€™s Book of the Dead.

â€˜I feel better already, FranÃ§ois.â€™ The video swung round to Veronique, who took a deep breath. â€˜Thank you.â€™

Max could hear FranÃ§ois mumble a reply, followed by the image of the nervous looking housemaster, whose eyes locked onto their every move.

â€˜Weâ€™ve got to get FranÃ§ois out of there so they can take pictures of the book,â€™ Max said.

â€˜We â€™eed some â€™ind of â€™ecoy,â€™ Toby suggested through a mouthful of sandwich.

â€˜A decoy. Something that will lure him out fast.â€™ she smiled. â€˜This castle is like a prison. I bet if you tried to open one of the doors leading outside youâ€™d set off an alarm. That should get him running.â€™

Toby swallowed. â€˜Yes, Miss Boâ€“â€™

Max narrowed her eyes.

â€˜I mean, okay.â€™ Toby grabbed another roll and left the room. He crept downstairs into the kitchen and to the door at the rear. He undid a series of bolts and turned a key already in the lock. He swung the door open and sat at the table before taking a huge bite of his roll.

Max heard the alarm from the room. The image again swung round to FranÃ§ois, who pulled a thin electronic device from his pocket and flicked it open.

â€˜What is it, FranÃ§ois?â€™ Max heard Veronique ask.

â€˜The kitchen,â€™ he mumbled, before looking at the stairs behind him.

â€˜If you need to go, we can stay here.â€™ Max watched her screen as Veronique unveiled one of her best smiles. â€˜Linden is here to take care of me.â€™

In the background, FranÃ§oisâ€™s eyes flicked back and forth in indecision before the sound of the alarm sent him fleeing from the room.

The image darkened. â€˜Good work,â€™ Max heard Linden whisper. â€˜Heâ€™s on his way up.â€™

Toby held his computer before him and spoke into his watch. â€˜Iâ€™ve sent the page numbers to your computer.â€™

â€˜Iâ€™m right on it.â€™

Max watched as the image followed Veronique into the lower room of the museum and the cabinet with Strangwaysâ€™s Book of the Dead. She put on the gloves and unlatched the cabinet door. Linden whispered the numbers and Veronique carefully turned the ancient and delicate pages, each turn finishing with the click of Lindenâ€™s watch.

In the kitchen, FranÃ§ois met Toby.

â€˜Sorry about the alarm.â€™ The young spy finished the last of his roll. â€˜Max needed to rest and I was going to take a walk. Good roll, by the way.â€™ His face was all innocence as FranÃ§ois looked around the room before pulling shut and locking the door, this time taking the key.

Toby stood up and brushed crumbs from his hands. â€˜I could really get used to this chateau life.â€™

FranÃ§ois reset the alarm system and hurried out of the room.

â€˜Heâ€™s coming back,â€™ Toby contacted Linden.

FranÃ§oisâ€™s feet fell softly against the stone floor of the castle as he hurried down the stairs to the entrance of the museum. He burst in to be met by Veronique and her overly affectionate hug. In the background, Linden carefully closed the cabinet of The Book of the Dead and replaced the gloves where they had been.

â€˜Thank you, FranÃ§ois.â€™ She sniffled into his suit. â€˜Youâ€™ve been so kind.â€™ She began weeping.

FranÃ§oisâ€™s horror-stricken eyes sought out Linden, who appeared from the interior of the museum.

â€˜Sheâ€™s a little overwhelmed.â€™ Linden unfastened Veroniqueâ€™s fingers from her grip on FranÃ§oisâ€™s jacket. â€˜Sheâ€™ll be right after a lie down.â€™

Linden led his distressed friend upstairs to Maxâ€™s room, with the jingling of FranÃ§oisâ€™s keys and the turning of locks echoing behind them.

â€˜Youâ€™re back.â€™ Toby met them at the door of Maxâ€™s room. â€˜Did the alarm give you enough time to take the pictures?â€™

Linden handed Toby his watch. â€˜Mission accomplished.â€™

Toby plugged the watch into the USB port of his computer and began downloading the photos. â€˜Did you get all the pages?â€™

â€˜Every one.â€™ Linden smiled. â€˜Thanks to some very fine acting by Veronique.â€™

â€˜We were a great team,â€™ Veronique whispered. â€˜I never knew this whole spy thing could be so exciting.â€™

â€˜So weâ€™re a little more than just babysitters?â€™ Max asked.

Veronique smiled. â€˜Yes. Much more.â€™

Max turned to Toby. â€˜How long will it take you to decipher the pages?â€™

â€˜Shouldnâ€™t be too long. Iâ€™ll get started straight away.â€™

Lindenâ€™s palm computer vibrated in his pocket. He took it out and opened the connection. â€˜Hi, Steinberger.â€™

â€˜Hello, Linden. Good work on the bugging discovery. Iâ€™ve looked into the names of the people on the list and discovered they are of some of the most revered minds in the field of archaeology.â€™ Three photos appeared on the screen beside the face of Steinberger. â€˜Theyâ€™re professors mostly, from some of the best Egyptology departments in universities around the world.â€™

â€˜Are they all okay?â€™ Linden asked.

â€˜Yes,â€™ Steinberger answered. â€˜I immediately had agents dispatched to find them. All are in very good health.â€™

â€˜Did they know Monsieur Marceau?â€™ Max asked.

â€˜Yes, it seems they did, Max. All of them used to meet on a regular basis, but weâ€™re not sure at this stage what those meetings were about. We should know more after theyâ€™re questioned further. Youâ€™ve never heard of these people, Veronique?â€™

â€˜I met a lot of Papaâ€™s colleagues either at home or at functions â€“ or when I went to the Louvre after school â€“ but I donâ€™t remember them at all.â€™

â€˜Are you okay?â€™ Steinberger asked gently.

â€˜Yes, thank you, your agents are taking very good care of me.â€™

â€˜Sheâ€™s been really brave.â€™ Lindenâ€™s compliment was returned with a girlish giggle from Veronique.

Max had heard enough about Veroniqueâ€™s bravery. â€˜Steinberger, I know this is going to sound crazy, but it seems Strangways is planning to use The Book of the Dead to attempt some kind of ancient Egyptian spell.â€™

Steinbergerâ€™s face moved closer to the screen. â€˜What kind of spell?â€™

â€˜Weâ€™re not sure yet,â€™ Max said. â€˜Itâ€™s not possible, is it?â€™

â€˜Actually, Max, Quimby has had a keen interest in ancient Egyptian methodologies and theories for years. They were very advanced in many ways, and itâ€™s believed they possessed technologies that are lost to us, but that were far superior to anything we have today. Why, if we had the resources that were available then, we would be completely incapable of constructing the pyramids.â€™

â€˜Yeah, but magic?â€™ Max laughed.

â€˜From Quimbyâ€™s studies, these technologies may not be immediately comprehensible to us, but that is not to say the power of them should be underestimated. There are scientists today who believe fervently in the power of ancient practices and are working hard to discover their secrets. Be careful, Max. Strangways had devoted his life to this ancient civilisation. If anyone was to know how to harness these powers, it may well be him.â€™

A measured silence filled the room.

â€˜Stay safe, all of you. Iâ€™ll let you know when I find out more.â€™

Steinberger signed off and Linden slipped his computer into his pocket.

â€˜Itâ€™s up to you, Mr Code Breaker.â€™ Linden looked at the tray of rolls FranÃ§ois had brought them. â€˜And itâ€™s definitely time for one of these.â€™

A brief knock was followed by the appearance of FranÃ§ois at the door. His eye shot to Toby and his palm computer.

â€˜Playing games calms me down,â€™ Toby explained.

FranÃ§ois paused before speaking. â€˜There is a call for you, Mademoiselle. Downstairs. Commandant Tetu.â€™

â€˜Why is he calling me on Regiâ€™s phone when he has my mobile number?â€™ Veronique bent down and held out her hands. â€˜Come on, Fifi. He might have news about Papa.â€™

Fifi jumped into her arms and FranÃ§ois closed the door behind them.

â€˜Good news, I hope,â€™ Toby said and turned back to his computer and notes. â€˜Because Iâ€™ve only begun deciphering the first page, and it doesnâ€™t look good.â€™

Max and Linden crowded around him.

â€˜You remember how Strangways said his Book of the Dead was unique; I think Iâ€™ve worked out why. I told you I did a little research about the books last night before I went to sleep. Many of the spells that made up the books were actually written on rolls of papyrus and on tablets and temple walls. They were mostly good magic, but there were also books of destructive magic. Flicking through these pages that Linden sent, it seems Strangways is a little more devoted to the destructive kind.â€™

â€˜How many spells do you think you are looking at?â€™ Max asked.

â€˜There seem to be two separate ones. But one of themâ€™s pretty big.â€™

â€˜Do you think you can work them out?â€™ Linden asked.

â€˜Yep. Itâ€™ll be more tricky than decoding Strangwaysâ€™s notes, but I think I have the genius to do it.â€™

â€˜Itâ€™s great working with someone so humble.â€™ Maxâ€™s palm computer vibrated in her pocket. â€˜Commandant Tetu?â€™

The face of the steely French officer appeared on her screen. â€˜â€™Ow iz everyzing?â€™

â€˜Very castle-like, thank you. Did you have good news for Veronique?â€™

Tetu paused briefly and his eye twitched. â€˜Ah â€¦ not as such, no, but we are getting close. I would like to speak wiz â€™er.â€™

Maxâ€™s stomach pinched. â€˜But you just did.â€™

â€˜I â€™ave no idea what you are talking about. I am calling now to talk to â€™er.â€™

Max nodded at Linden and flicked her head towards the door. He put down his roll and raced from the room.

â€˜You didnâ€™t call to speak with her about five minutes ago?â€™ Max tried to keep her voice firm.

Tetuâ€™s eye was twitching wildly now. â€˜You will stop wasting my time and put Veronique on now!â€™

â€˜She isnâ€™t here,â€™ Max almost whispered.

Tetuâ€™s face turned into a puce, pulpy fury. â€˜She â€¦ isnâ€™t â€¦ zere?â€™

â€˜No. Iâ€™ll call you back.â€™ Max closed the connection and breathed deeply to try and calm her heart. â€˜Tetu didnâ€™t call Veronique.â€™

They ran downstairs and met an out-of-breath Linden. â€˜She isnâ€™t here,â€™ he puffed. â€˜The front doorâ€™s open and thereâ€™s no sign of FranÃ§ois or the truck.â€™

Max felt her palm computer vibrate with another call from Tetu.

â€˜Do you think sheâ€™s still wearing your Tracer Bug?â€™ Toby asked.

â€˜I hope so.â€™ Max took out the Time and Space Machine and accessed the virtual search engine. She entered her tracer code. In a few seconds a blue-green image of the earth appeared. It zoomed in on France and careened down to the grounds of Strangwaysâ€™s chateau and a forest path.

â€˜There she is.â€™ Max watched as a red dot blipped on the screen. â€˜Sheâ€™s inside FranÃ§oisâ€™s truck.â€™ Her voice stuck in her throat like cotton wool.

â€˜We left her alone for only minutes,â€™ Max whispered. Linden saw small silver tears flare up in her eyes. â€˜Our only job was to look after her and I mucked it up.â€™

â€˜Weâ€™ll get her back,â€™ Linden said.

Max looked up from the machine and slipped her arms though the straps of her pack. â€˜Toby, you stay here and work out the rest of that spell or ritual or whatever it is. I bet it has everything to do with where theyâ€™re taking Veronique. Write to me on the palm computer as soon as youâ€™ve cracked it. Donâ€™t call in case itâ€™s not safe to speak. We were sent here to make sure nothing happens to Veronique, and thatâ€™s exactly what weâ€™re going to do.â€™

Max stood on the pebbled drive of the courtyard with a shoe on one foot and a bandage wrapped around the other. She gave her hand a fierce shake before throwing a red rubber cube onto the ground. A small plume of dust rose into the air followed by the appearance of a red, sleek vehicle.

Linden noticed Maxâ€™s clenched fists. â€˜Would you like me to drive?â€™

â€˜No thanks. Iâ€™ll do it.â€™ She threw him the Time and Space Machine, which somersaulted over the Felani. â€˜You navigate.â€™

Max threw her bag in the back and turned the key hard in the ignition. The engine revved to life as she and Linden clicked into their seatbelts. She spun the car away from the chateau steps, and a storm of dust and pebbles confettied into the air behind them. She sped into the castle entranceway, through the streaming pools of light from the murder holes.

â€˜Oh.â€™ Max slammed her foot hard on the brake, skidding the car into a sliding drawl that stopped just centimetres from the solid wood of the raised drawbridge.

â€˜I forgot about that.â€™

Linden opened his door. â€˜Wonâ€™t be a sec.â€™

He put the Time and Space Machine on the seat and got out, inspecting the mechanism that operated the drawbridge. Max reversed the Felani to give him more room.

Linden turned to her and smiled. â€˜I think a little soap will do the trick.â€™

Max rifled through her pack and pulled a cake of soap from her toiletry bag. She jumped out of the car and stood next to Linden.

â€˜I reckon just about there.â€™ He pointed to the top corners of the bridge where two large metal boxes were fixed. â€˜3â€¦ 2â€¦ 1.â€™

The two spies each tugged on the embedded rope in a soap, hurled them and turned away, shielding their heads with their arms.

The silent bombs busted apart the boxes as if they were made of paper, scattering the massive chain links and hurtling the unstrung drawbridge downwards. Splintered chunks of wood and metal fell into the blackened moat.

â€˜These bombs are stronger than his last ones.â€™ Linden shook his head, which puffed dust and grit into the air. He looked across to the other side of the moat. â€˜And thatâ€™s a long way now that the drawbridge is gone. Think we can do it?â€™

Max brushed a thick layer of dust from her face and clothes. â€˜Jump in.â€™

They flung open the doors and strapped themselves in. Linden held the Time and Space Machine firmly in his lap while Max took a careful breath and threw the car into reverse. She stopped in a screech, pushed the gear stick into drive and latched onto the sight of the far edge of the moat.

â€˜Prepare for takeoff.â€™ Linden planted his feet firmly against the floor.

Max lifted her foot and plunged it hard onto the accelerator. The Felani remained where it was while the spinning tyres found traction and leapt into life. The needle from the speedometer edged round, higher and higher as the bridgeless moat sped closer.

They felt one last jolt as the Felaniâ€™s wheels left solid ground and sailed into the air. Linden looked down. â€˜I think I saw an alligator.â€™

Max took her foot off the accelerator and braced for the landing. â€˜I think the smooth part of this ride is about to end.â€™

The Felani hammered against the ground, bouncing rodeo-like and slinging Max and Linden in their seats like rag dolls. The car came to a bumpy stop.

â€˜Good job,â€™ Linden said. â€˜Shame we donâ€™t have time to do it again.â€™

He searched the screen of the Time and Space Machine for signs of Veronique and the Tracer Bug. â€˜Sheâ€™s still on the grounds. Go through there.â€™

Linden directed Max to the edge of the forest and through a small gap in the trees. She swung the wheel, spinning the car out of the way of gnarled trunks and over their misshapen, knotted roots.

â€˜Are we getting out of here any time soon?â€™ Maxâ€™s voice shuddered as her hands jerked the wheel in sharp twists.

â€˜Any minute now.â€™

The last of the trees gave way and the Felani lurched into sunlight and an open field. Max pushed harder on the accelerator.

â€˜How far away is she?â€™

â€˜About two kilometres.â€™ Linden stared at the screen. â€˜But sheâ€™s stopped moving.â€™

Max shot Linden a nervous look. â€˜What do we do about that?â€™ She nodded towards a long hedge that spanned the field in the distance.

â€˜Itâ€™s right in the way of where we want to go.â€™

â€˜Fine,â€™ Max said through gritted teeth. â€˜Straight ahead it is then.â€™

The Felani flew over the bumps and furrows of the field. The hedge got closer.

â€˜Are you sure?â€™ Linden asked.

â€˜Quimby says these things are strong,â€™ Max answered. â€˜Letâ€™s test her out.â€™

Her foot was level with the floor. The Felani gained speed, tearing over the grassy field. It hit a buried stone and lifted into the air.

â€˜Hold on.â€™ Max tightened her grip on the steering wheel and closed her eyes as the Felani crashed through the hedge. Branches hit against the car like a crowd of hands playing drums on the roof before they came out the other side.

â€˜We did it,â€™ Linden cheered, until he realised their ride had suddenly become smooth again. â€˜Uh oh.â€™

The Felani nosedived through the air briefly before it was engulfed by the shallow water of another pond and stalled. Max put the car into neutral and started the engine. â€˜Iâ€™m not done yet. Is Veronique still close?â€™

â€˜Yep, weâ€™re almost there.â€™

The Felaniâ€™s super-grip wheels easily climbed out of the pond and after another short, rally-driving trip through a smaller forest, Max slowed to a stop behind a large tree, within throwing distance of a small steel-clad hangar.

â€˜Sheâ€™s in there,â€™ Linden said.

â€˜A plane hangar?â€™

Linden shook his head. â€˜Thereâ€™s no airstrip.â€™

â€˜Is that where heâ€™s going to do his â€“â€™

The roof of the hangar seemed to come to life and opened out like two huge mechanical arms. In a matter of seconds a helicopter rose up from its metal insides.

â€˜Doesnâ€™t look like it,â€™ Linden answered.

â€˜Is she onboard?â€™ Max asked.

Linden nodded.

Max tried to hide the fear in her voice. â€˜Weâ€™ll wait to see where she lands and use the Time and Space Machine to rescue her.â€™

The helicopter grew smaller on the horizon. They watched until it disappeared. Now that the car had stopped, Max could no longer ignore the vibration of her palm computer. â€˜Itâ€™s Steinberger.â€™

â€˜Max, I tried to call Lindenâ€™s computer, but I couldnâ€™t get through.â€™

â€˜Sorry, Steinberger,â€™ Linden leant into the screen. â€˜Weâ€™ve been on a bit of a noisy ride.â€™

â€˜We feel you may be in danger.â€™

â€˜Tell us about it,â€™ Max mumbled.

â€˜Weâ€™ve discovered that the two Louvre security guards were bribed with an extraordinary amount of money and a small island for each of them. After some extensive investigating, weâ€™ve tracked the bribe to an account in Switzerland in the name of a company owned by Strangways.â€™

â€˜Bribed in exchange for the security procedures for the museum?â€™ Max asked.

â€˜And Strangways faked his own abduction to make it look like he wasnâ€™t involved in Antoineâ€™s kidnapping.â€™

â€˜Do they know where he is?â€™ Linden asked.

â€˜No. Iâ€™m afraid not.â€™ Steinberger shook his head.

â€˜Did you discover this or Tetu?â€™ Max asked carefully.

â€˜It was two Spyforce agents. And the professors from your list have told us that Strangways is well known for offering generous amounts of money for finders of ancient artefacts, but in recent years heâ€™s been especially keen on finding a particular book.â€™

â€˜The Book of the Dead?â€™ Max asked.

â€˜Precisely.â€™

â€˜We know where it is.â€™ Maxâ€™s palm computer vibrated in her hand with another message. The top of the screen flashed with a name: Tetu. â€˜Veroniqueâ€™s dad found the book for Strangways, who keeps it in a private museum under his chateau. It has some spells Toby thinks Strangways is going to use in some destructive ritual, but the book alone isnâ€™t enough to make that happen.â€™

â€˜He needs an object to power it,â€™ Linden added. â€˜We donâ€™t know what it is, where heâ€™s going to do it or â€¦ why he needs Veronique. Tobyâ€™s working on it now.â€™

â€˜He needs Veronique?â€™ Steinberger asked.

The computer continued to vibrate with Tetuâ€™s call.

Max paused. â€˜We think Strangways has had Veronique kidnapped. Weâ€™re on our way to get her now.â€™

â€˜Oh dear.â€™ Steinbergerâ€™s face twisted into a worried mess. â€˜Do you need anything from us?â€™

â€˜Max gave Veronique her Tracer Bug, so weâ€™re going to track her down. If we need help, weâ€™ll call.â€™

â€˜Iâ€™ll have agents on the ground ready to move as soon as you need them. Good luck.â€™

â€˜Could you send some agents to get Toby?â€™ Max asked. â€˜Heâ€™s alone at the chateau.â€™

â€˜Iâ€™ll do it straight away.â€™ Steinberger paused. â€˜Be careful, you two. It seems Strangways has made it his lifeâ€™s purpose to find this book. Now that he has it, he wonâ€™t be easily convinced to give it up.â€™

â€˜Thanks, Steinberger.â€™ Max closed the connection.

â€˜Theyâ€™re in Paris.â€™ Linden watched the screen. â€˜Flying over the city.â€™

â€˜Tetuâ€™s been trying to call. What do I tell him?â€™

â€˜He didnâ€™t know about Veronique. Maybe heâ€™s not involved after all?â€™ Linden said.

Max activated the message link. â€˜Hello, Commandant.â€™ She could feel the heat of Tetuâ€™s temper flowing into her hands.

â€˜Where is she?â€™ he asked quietly.

â€˜We lost her.â€™

â€˜You lost â€™er?â€™

â€˜We have a Tracer Bug on her, so we know where sheâ€™s being taken.â€™

â€˜Why arenâ€™t you wiz â€™er now?â€™

Max swallowed. â€˜Sheâ€™s been flown away in a helicopter out of the chateau grounds, but weâ€™re going to â€¦â€™

â€˜You are going to do nozing. We will take over from â€™ere,â€™ he spat. â€˜You are relieved of your duty.â€™

â€˜Sheâ€™s at the Eiffel Tower,â€™ Linden said.

Tetuâ€™s eye twitched. â€˜Ze tower and surrounding park â€™ave been shut today due to a threat.â€™

â€˜The helicopter is hovering just beneath the top,â€™ Linden said, watching his computer. â€˜An inflatable chute is opening out. Itâ€™s hooked onto the outside railing.â€™ His face drained as he watched two figures slide down the chute. â€˜Theyâ€™re inside the top level.â€™

â€˜What kind of threat?â€™ Max asked Tetu. â€˜From who? When?â€™

â€˜Today â€¦ a threat to â€¦ we donâ€™t know who but we â€™ad to â€¦â€™

â€˜Itâ€™s Strangways,â€™ Max said. â€˜And we can help you â€“â€™

â€˜You will leave zis to me,â€™ Tetu instructed. â€˜Do not come anywhere near ze Eiffel Tower.â€™ His normally twitching eye hardened into a firm, sneering look. â€˜You â€™ave done enough damage.â€™ â€˜â€™Opefully zere is still time to fix up your mess and save â€™er.â€™

His face snapped from the screen.

Max grabbed her pack from the back of the car and held out her hand for the Time and Space Machine. â€˜Weâ€™re going.â€™

â€˜Thought you might say that.â€™ Linden handed it over.

Outside the car, Max used the virtual search engine to zero in one of the towerâ€™s four iron pillars.

â€˜Ready?â€™ But as she was about to grab Lindenâ€™s hand to transport them, a text message came though on her computer.

â€˜Itâ€™s from Toby. Heâ€™s worked out the spell.â€™ Linden leant in and they scanned the screen. â€˜And how to break it.â€™

Max texted Toby to forward it to Steinberger and added, â€˜Keep listening.â€™

She pressed the record function on her watch so Toby could hear everything that was about to happen. She grabbed Lindenâ€™s hand. â€˜Itâ€™s time we cancelled Strangwaysâ€™s little magic show.â€™

She pressed transport and the two spies disappeared.

Max and Linden appeared in a flash of fluorescent light inside one of the four iron pillars of the Eiffel Tower. When the rain of sparks cleared and the two spies were gently lowered to the ground, Max searched again for signs of the Tracer Bug on the Time and Space Machine.

She sighed and looked up through the laced metal archway. A swirling gust of wind buffeted into them as grey, bloated clouds moved in on either side. âShe had to be at the top, didnât she?â

Her head began to spin from the curving height of the tower. She looked down and caught hold of the iron frame beside her.

âI can go by myself if you want,â Linden said. âYou can keep watch down here.â

âIâm fine.â Max tightened the straps of her pack. âHow many police do you think are here?â

Linden scoured the grounds. The nearby roads were blocked off with barriers and police cars with flashing lights. Officers were stationed within metres of the tower base and around the edges of the park, keeping out tourists, Parisians and camera crews. âOver a hundred.â

âThatâs what I thought.â Max pulled out the lever on her backpack. âWe can fly through this middle section to the first floor. Letâs go.â

The blare of sirens pushed Max and Linden further into the shadows of the tower. Max peeked around the metal edge. âItâs Tetu. If he goes up, heâll either blow it or be in real danger. We have to stop him.â

They ran from the pillar to a line of police cars pulling up before the tower.

Tetu emerged from the first car. He held up his hand and the officers around him stopped at attention behind him. With snapping steps and a face chiselled into irritated confusion, he stood, legs astride, solid as the tower, as Max and Linden approached.

âStrangways has Veronique and heâs going to ââ

ââOw did you get âere zo fast? You were at ze chateau.â

âIt doesnât matter,â Max said. âStrangways ââ

âIs our business!â Tetu shouted. âI forbade you to be âere. I ââ

âNeed us,â Max interrupted. âStrangways is about to wreak untold chaos on this city â possibly the world â and unless you let us go up there with you, you wonât know how to stop him.â

Tetuâs eye twitched like a dancing flea. ââOw do you know zis?â

âToby worked it out from a spell Strangways is going to use that is written in Egyptian hieroglyphics in his private museum.â

âSpells?â Tetu spat. âDiscovered by ze other boy?â

âThe other spy,â Max corrected. âAnd heâs done more than you to ââ

âWe have to come with you.â Linden gently took Maxâs hand to calm her down. âWe know how to stop him.â

Tetu winced and rubbed his chin. He glanced at the crowds that were growing at the perimeter of the park. He turned to two of his men behind him. Maxâs Descrambler interpreted. âNo-one is to get in this park or near this tower. You and Marcel, come with me.â

One of the officers spoke into a walkie-talkie and hurried behind Tetu, who marched towards the tower entrance.

âDo we follow?â Linden asked.

âThereâs no way heâs going up there without us.â

At the entrance, four officers stood aside and allowed Tetu and his officers through, but blocked Max and Linden.

âCommandant Tetu, you have to let us up,â Max pleaded.

Tetu flicked his hand at the guards and the two spies rushed forward, only just squeezing between the closing doors of the elevator.

âYou will not get in my way.â Tetu spoke without looking at Max and Linden. âZis is my investigation and I will âandle Strangways. You are only âere in case you can be useful.â

The elevator began its climb up the slanted metal pillar of the tower, through its intricate weave of ironwork. Max gasped as the glass panels of the elevator revealed Paris slowly falling away, the growing crowds and tops of trees ruffled by a blustery wind. She looked away and took a deep breath to steady her heart. She slipped one of her arms through the strap of her pack.

Tetu spun round. âWhat are you doing?â

âGetting a drink from my bag,â Max answered. âHeights make me feel faint.â

âStop fidgeting.â Tetu turned away. âKids,â he snarled, his eye breaking twitching records.

Max reached into her pack and took out the container marked âtalcum powderâ. She and Linden traded smiles before he took a hanky from his pocket and she lifted the neck of her shirt to cover her mouth and nose.

Max twisted the top of the powder and used both hands to squeeze down firmly so that the elevator swelled with smoke.

Tetu looked up. âWhat ze â¦â

The guards coughed and spluttered. Tetu turned and glared at Max.

âWhat âave you ââ Tetuâs question was interrupted by a yawn. âGet zem,â he slurred. The officers tried to lift their arms to grab the two spies, but instead collapsed to the ground in a crumpled pile.

âYou will â¦â Tetu pointed at Max before he keeled over and landed like a heavy sack on top of his men.

âMust have been tired,â Linden said through his hanky.

He turned to Max, who clung to the railing and had her eyes firmly shut.

The doors opened on the second level of the tower.

Linden grabbed Maxâs hand and they stepped over the sleepy passengers. Once outside, Max breathed more easily and double-checked the location of Veronique. âSheâs still on the top level. Why couldnât Strangways have chosen a nice place on ground level to take over the world?â

âThis way.â Linden spied the elevator that would take them higher.

The doors opened and Max held onto the rail tightly as she felt the small box climb the height of the tower. She felt her face heat up and turned away from the windows. She gasped and closed her eyes even more tightly. Linden peeled one of her hands away from the railing and held it tight. âIt wonât fall. I promise.â

Max felt her heart calm. A little. Until she felt the pulsing of her danger meter against her chest.

âCan you feel that?â

âYep.â

When the elevator stopped, Max leapt out. She turned her back on the towering view of Paris and gasped in huge chunks of air while leaning against a solid wall of steel. Linden rubbed his hand.

âSorry,â Max said. âIâm still no good with heights.â

âItâs okay.â Linden shook his hand. âIâm sure Iâll get some feeling in it again soon. Where do you think Strangways is?â

A muffled shout spilled from a room nearby.

âIâd say we just found him.â

Max and Linden crept to the room and peeked over a window ledge. Inside, Veronique was firmly tied to a chair, with Fifi roped to the rung beneath, a rag shoved in her mouth. Strangways lorded over them.

Max shook her head. âWhat is he wearing?â

Strangways was dressed in a long white linen gown with pleated sleeves that flared at the elbow and was gathered around the middle of his waist with a gold belt. Around his neck he wore an elaborate gold neckpiece that was more like a breast plate filled with symbols of fish, eyes and beetles made out of coloured gemstones. He wore a black headdress that fell stiffly around his shoulders and was holding a semi-circular ivory wand. He stood beside a folded-out scroll of papyrus sheets.

âThatâs The Book of the Dead from his museum,â Max said. âFranÃ§ois must have brought it to him when he kidnapped Veronique.â

Strangways was talking. Veronique looked quietly defiant.

âLetâs go.â As Max went to move, a thick rope lassoed through the air and wound around them both.

They turned to see FranÃ§ois creeping from the shadows behind them.

âFranÃ§ois, you have to let us go,â Max pleaded. âStrangways is about to do something really dangerous and we have to stop him.â

FranÃ§ois said nothing as he added another loop of rope and tied it off tightly. He dragged his prisoners through the door.

Strangways spun round with a quicker movement than Max would have expected from a frail man. âAh, we have visitors. I guess it wonât hurt to have a few guests to watch the show, will it, FranÃ§ois?â

FranÃ§ois held the rope firmly and didnât answer.

Veronique cried out. âMax, Linden. Regiâs about to ââ

âConduct a water spell.â Max frowned. âApparently. Or at least try to.â She directed a smile at Strangways. âToby worked it out. Youâre planning to use this old book to raise the level of the River Seine and flood Paris. I donât mean to be picky, but donât you think thatâs just a little deranged?â

âOh, itâs not deranged, my dear. Itâs science, just not as we in the modern world understand it.â

âAll right. Letâs say itâs about to flood in Paris,â Max conceded. âWhy?â

âTo give the present world a taste of the power of the ancient world, and what better place to do it than from one of the new worldâs most cherished monuments.â

âWhat will it achieve?â Linden asked.

âIâve spent my whole life searching for the secret to creating heka and now Iâve found it. This modern world, with its fuss and noise and hunger for technology, has lost touch with the true meanings of life and living. The ways of ancient Egypt, one of the most intelligent civilisations to have ever lived, were true and pure. Now itâs all clothes and money and destroying the environment. How advanced can we really call ourselves when, in order to live, weâre destroying the very planet that keeps us alive?â

Max frowned. âI agree with you about the environment bit, but how is flooding Paris going to help you re-create a dead civilisation?â

A calmness floated across his face like a quietly approaching storm cloud. âIt will clean out the filth, install me in a position of power where I can lead the world through its current chaos and into enlightenment.â

âRight, well, itâs a shame none of that is going to happen. Now that weâre here.â

Strangways laughed. âYou have been watching too much TV, my dear.â

âAnd youâve been hanging around too many bad costume hire shops.â

âYou donât like the outfit?â Strangways stepped into an easy turn. âThatâs a shame, itâs genuine and befits my status as a descendant of a long line of Egyptian nobles.â

âYouâre not limping,â Max said. âSo you were faking it?â

âNo, the limp was real and, believe me, I was quite ill. My doctor gave me six months to live at most.â Strangways smiled broadly and pulled a jar from his pocket with what looked like a muddy green mixture. âWith this potion, a spell from my beloved book, this neckpiece and a small healing ritual, it seems Iâm not dying anymore. I knew it would work,â he cried, âand that all my years of searching would not have been wasted!â

âWhere is Veroniqueâs dad?â Linden asked.

âHe is somewhere that need not concern you.â

âBut Papa has been helping you for years and was the one who found The Book of the Dead for you.â Veronique wrenched at the ropes around her. âHow could you kidnap him?â

Fifi ground her teeth into the rag and spat it from her mouth. She put her front paws onto the bottom rung at the back of the chair and began to chew at Veroniqueâs ropes.

âThe book belongs to me,â Strangways said darkly. âIt was passed down through many generations of my family, until an unscrupulous ancestor sold it to pay his mounting gambling debts.â

âSo your family is full of liars and thieves? Youâd fit in nicely, then,â Max said.

âI am simply taking back what is mine.â

âWith a little kidnapping along the way.â

âThat was unfortunate, but I am not going to let a few people stand in the way of the progress of history.â

âOr of your ego.â

Strangways slapped his ivory wand into the wall only centimetres from Maxâs face. âThis is about the resurrection of a better civilisation. Ego has nothing to do with it.â He calmed. âYou know this is a high tower, many people feel an overwhelming sense of vertigo. It would be terrible if that happened to you and you just â¦ fell.â

Max opened her mouth to speak, but Linden squeezed her hand.

âI am sorry about your father, Veronique. After he found the book, he discovered we needed one element to activate its power.â He ran his hand over his chest. âThis neckpiece.â

âSo thatâs what you stole from the Louvre the night you met Antoine in his office?â Max asked.

âYes, completely intact except for one single element. With that we would have our dream of creating heka.â

Strangwaysâs face darkened. âBut Antoine discovered how powerful it was and decided the neckpiece and book were too dangerous to be in the hands of just anyone.â

His voice grew louder. âHe decided that after all the money I had given him, after all the years I had supported him, that he wouldnât hand me what was rightfully mine.â

He took a deep breath. âTrouble is, even though your papa thinks he is so clever, I worked out what the missing element was for myself.â

Fifi continued chewing at Veroniqueâs rope, breaking it apart, strand by strand.

âWas it you who left the note in the museum warning us to mind the girl?â Max asked.

âThatâs a funny thing.â Strangways said. âI did it to throw the investigation off track by making the French police focus their attention on Veronique, until I realised I needed her.â

âFor what?â Veronique asked. âI donât have anything.â

âThatâs what I thought until I overheard your little fudge discovery. Thatâs when I orchestrated the shooting to scare Tetu into letting you stay with me.â

âIt was you who shot into Veroniqueâs house?â Max fumed. âYou almost killed me!â

Strangways smiled. âIf Iâd wanted FranÃ§ois to kill you, he would have.â

He walked over to Veronique and, using the tip of his wand, slid it under the chain around her neck.

âLeave her alone,â Linden yelled.

âWhen I saw you at supper at my house, I took one look at the amulet and knew it was what I needed to commence my plans. You see, this book, as great as it is, is powerless without the amulet in this necklace â and I will have it. Taweret. Protector of children. How sweet.â

âItâs mine. Papa gave it to me.â

âIn a few minutes it wonât matter what your papa thinks. Not when heâs tied up in the sewers of Paris.â

The murmur of thunder rolled through the clouds outside.

Veroniqueâs face turned a lifeless grey.

âWhere is he?â Max cried.

âOh, donât worry, heâs somewhere heâll feel right at home. Antoine is beneath the Louvre itself, ready to feel the full force of my water spell.â

âYou canât let him die,â Veronique pleaded.

âYou see, my dear, I can do whatever I want.â Strangways clutched the wand in his hand so that the skin stretched thinly across his bony knuckles. âYour father betrayed me and I have no use for traitors.â

Max snuck a quick look at her watch to see that it was still transmitting to Toby.

âNow. To business.â Strangways lifted the wand away from Veroniqueâs neck.

âDonât touch her!â Linden shouted.

FranÃ§ois tightened his grip on the rope even more.

âNo! I wonât let you.â Veronique swung her head sharply and bit down on Strangwaysâs thumb.

He snatched it from her mouth and delivered a poisonous scowl. FranÃ§ois jolted forward, but Strangways raised his hand to stop him.

âNo, it isnât important. Only this is.â He lifted the chain over Veroniqueâs writhing body and pressed the amulet into a moulded space in his neckpiece. A small gasp fled from his lips. A perfect fit.

He held his wand high and began reading the spell from the scroll. It was a language Maxâs Descrambler couldnât interpret.

The room became immediately cooler. The murky green mixture in Strangwaysâs bottle began to quiver. Outside, the wind stirred with more force. Max and Lindenâs danger meters hammered into them.

Strangwaysâs chanting continued, like a mantra. He closed his eyes. Dark clouds rolled over the city.

A flash of light tore into the room. Max and Linden looked away just as Fifi ripped at the last threads of Veroniqueâs ropes. The poodle climbed onto a bench and launched herself at Strangways.

âAaaah!â The old man toppled to the floor as the amulet dislodged from the neckpiece. Veronique leapt from her chair and picked it up.

âYour fatherâs note from the amulet,â Max cried.

Strangways lifted his head to see Veronique nod and hold the amulet high. Her voice held firm. âA nod of the head and âcast outâ in a cry, will chaos banish with Taweret held high.â

âNo.â It escaped from Strangways in a breathless whimper.

The door slammed open. A thunderous echo filled the room followed by a swirl of wind, taking with it the rolled papyrus pages of The Book of the Dead.

âThe book!â Strangways scrambled to his feet and grasped for the scroll, but he tripped on his robes and fell onto the cold steel outside. He looked up to see pieces of papyrus flying away like seagulls surfing on the wind. FranÃ§ois moved to help him up, but Fifi jumped and sank her teeth into his leg.

âAaaah!â

FranÃ§ois let go of the ropes and Linden wriggled his arms free. He reached into his pack, pulled out his Swiss army knife and sliced through the ropes.

FranÃ§ois was still screaming from the pain of Fifi, who wouldnât let go of his leg, when Linden squirted him directly in the nose with sleeping powder. He was knocked out immediately.

âThatâs good stuff,â Linden said. âTime to go.â

Linden grabbed Veroniqueâs hand and led her out of the room. Fifi sank her teeth one last time into FranÃ§oisâs other leg before leaping after them. Max went to follow, but Strangwaysâs strong fist grabbed at her ankle.

âYou have destroyed everything.â He got to his feet and grabbed Maxâs shoulders, forcing her into the cold steel edge of the balcony railing. It was the only thing between her and a deadly plunge through the darkening evening.

âLet her go!â Linden shouted.

The wind howled around them, tore into their faces, punishing them with icy drops of rain.

It was as if Strangways didnât hear. As if he didnât know Linden was even there. Only Max existed, and his need for revenge. His hands locked around her neck and forced her back over the balcony. Max turned her head and caught a glimpse of the Paris streets far below. She felt her body surge with fear before her muscles tightened in a wave of nausea.

âStrangways, donât do this.â Linden edged forward, slowly, carefully. âPlease let Max go.â

âYouâve ruined everything.â Strangways tightened his grip on Max. âYears of hard work, of searching, of â¦â

His eyes glowed with fury. His arms stiffened and he lifted Max with one forceful push.

âStrangways!â Linden cried. âPlease!â

Max struggled to breathe, gasping what small snatches of air she could.

Strangways remained unmoved, as if in a trance. Linden watched as his friend teetered on the edge of the balcony, briefly, when Strangways gave one last push and she fell.

âMax!â

Max tumbled backwards into the night, feeling as if the wind was sucking her into a giant black hole. She struggled to reach behind her, against the pull of the wind and her own disorientation, to find the lever of her pack.

Fly, fly, fly. She said it over and over in her head. Please fly.

Finally her hand found the lever. She pulled it out. She continued to tumble and thought she could hear screams from the crowd below.

Fly, fly, fly.

The PFD began to find grip in the air, but still she turned and plunged downwards.

âYouâre not going to die,â Max screamed into the air and pulled the lever hard towards her. It slowed in its descent, wobbling through the air. She could see the lights from the ground coming closer. Maxâs arm struggled to gain control against the pull of gravity until finally the PFD slowed her descent even more, staggering and reeling, hovering four metres from the ground.

Maxâs throat hurt from the cold evening air and her panicked breaths. The wind pushed into her in wintry, bullying gusts. She swallowed deeply and landed the PFD in a soggy, grassy patch near a fountain. She laughed briefly before her legs turned to jelly beneath her, and she sank in a dead faint to the ground.

â€˜Iâ€™ll have a turn.â€™ Toby sprang from his chair and confidently strode over to The Book of Sayings. â€˜If it predicts that my future is going to be filled with beautiful girls and a couple of fast cars, then Iâ€™m willing to become a believer.â€™

Veronique sat on a deep lounge, curled in the arms of her father.

Toby held the book between his hands, the spine resting on the table. He closed his eyes, let it fall open and read out loud:

And you will be showered with gifts beyond your wildest dreams.

â€˜It doesnâ€™t say that,â€™ Max said. â€˜Let me see.â€™

Toby slammed the book shut before she could reach him. â€˜Oh, Iâ€™ve lost the page.â€™

â€˜The book is very often correct, Max,â€™ Antoine countered her sceptical look.

â€˜And Toby often makes stuff up, Monsieur Marceau.â€™

â€˜Linden, do you want a turn?â€™ Veronique asked.

Linden sat on a long settee and faked trying to get up. â€˜I donâ€™t think I can. I may have had one piece of roasted chicken too many. Or maybe it was the chocolate tart or crÃ¨me caramel. Iâ€™ve never eaten so well in my life as I have here over the last couple of days.â€™

Max laughed. â€˜Go on. Weâ€™ve all done it now. Thereâ€™s only you left.â€™

With an exaggerated moan, Linden pulled himself off the couch. He took hold of the book and closed his eyes.

â€˜Wonâ€™t be as good as mine,â€™ Toby said.

â€˜Donâ€™t forget to think of a question!â€™ Max reminded him.

Linden let the book fall open. He placed a finger on a line and read:

A true friend brings out the best in you. They are not perfect but are always perfect for you. Old Danish saying

â€˜See, I told you mine would be better,â€™ Toby said.

â€˜It is all a matter of perception,â€™ Antoine said. â€˜Personally, Linden, I believe that is one of the bookâ€™s wisest sayings.â€™

â€˜What about Strangways?â€™ Max asked. â€˜He said you were once good friends.â€™

â€˜Yes,â€™ he answered with a sigh, â€˜I thought we were searching for the same thing in our quest to re-create heka, but I realise now we were after something very different.â€™

â€˜Where did you find the Taweret amulet?â€™ Linden asked.

â€˜Iâ€™d been on three separate trips to Egypt to find it. I knew what it looked like and used all my local contacts to track it down, but with no luck. One day, at the end of another trip, I was sitting at the back of a Cairo market sipping on a chilled glass of sugarcane juice, when I saw it. Sitting on a trinket stall selling tourist junk. Just waiting for me to find it.â€™

The doorbell sounded. A man with a hat in his hand and black suit stood at the door of Veroniqueâ€™s house.

â€˜The car is here, Mademoiselle.â€™

Veronique picked up Fifi and held her to her chest. â€˜I guess itâ€™s time for you to go.â€™

Max, Linden and Toby collected their bags and went outside where the limousine was waiting for them.

â€˜Iâ€™m glad they found you, sir.â€™ Linden held his hand out to Antoine.

â€˜Me too.â€™ He took Lindenâ€™s hand. â€˜Iâ€™m only glad the French government chose such intelligent agents to be on the case.â€™ He shook Tobyâ€™s and Maxâ€™s hand. â€˜We will always be indebted to you.â€™

Veronique smiled. â€˜Thank you, Max. For everything. Youâ€™ve been â€¦â€™

Fifi jumped out of Veroniqueâ€™s arms and into Maxâ€™s where she began licking her face in a frenzy. Max flung out her arms and held the dog away from her. â€˜Hey! Canâ€™t you just wag your tail like a normal dog?â€™ She put her on the ground.

Veronique laughed. â€˜She likes you.â€™

â€˜I preferred it when she didnâ€™t like me.â€™

Toby nudged into her. â€˜You canâ€™t help it when youâ€™re irresistible. I know all about that.â€™

â€˜Come on, boys. I will help you pack the car,â€™ Antoine offered.

â€˜You once asked me why I take her everywhere,â€™ Veronique whispered to Max when they were alone.

â€˜You donâ€™t have to â€“â€™

â€˜Papa gave her to me when my mother died. Itâ€™s like when Fifi is with me, Mama is still with me. Does that makes sense?â€™

Max nodded. â€˜It does.â€™

Outside, Veronique hugged Toby and Linden and kissed them on both cheeks. â€˜You two stay out of trouble.â€™

â€˜Us? Trouble? Never.â€™ Toby said. â€˜Good luck with the TV show. They obviously know great talent choosing you.â€™

â€˜Je mâ€™ennuyerai de vous,â€™ Veronique said with a smile. â€˜Vraiment.â€™

â€˜Nous aussi,â€™ Linden replied.

Max leant over to Toby. â€˜What did she say? Iâ€™ve taken out my Descrambler.â€™

â€˜She said sheâ€™ll miss us,â€™ he answered. â€˜Especially me.â€™

Veronique launched into Max with a hug. â€˜Thank you,â€™ she whispered. â€˜I wasnâ€™t very kind to you when we first met. Iâ€™m sorry. You were so brave. There is no wonder Linden really likes you.â€™

â€˜What? How do you â€¦?â€™

Veronique pulled away quickly and opened her arms for Fifi, who leapt into them with practised ease. â€˜Now give Max one last goodbye kiss.â€™

â€˜No, thatâ€™s really not â€“â€™

Fifi licked Max in one long slurp, complete with a blast of dog-breath.

â€˜Ah! I just had a shower.â€™ Max wiped her face on her sleeve.

Antoine encircled Veronique and Fifi in a hug. â€˜Au revoir and safe trip home.â€™

â€˜Do you always have this many fancy houses, castles and limousines on your missions?â€™ Toby asked Max.

â€˜I donâ€™t know. I donâ€™t notice those things,â€™ she answered.

â€˜How can you not notice?â€™ Toby looked horrified.

â€˜I donâ€™t know, maybe because Iâ€™m busy trying to save the world.â€™

Linden laughed and gave Max a look that made her feel like she was falling from another great height. â€˜I never notice either.â€™

â€˜Can I get in the front?â€™ Toby asked the driver, who nodded.

â€˜Can I drive?â€™

The driver shook his head.

â€˜Worth a try though, eh?â€™ Toby climbed in the front, while Linden and Max slipped into the back.

Max fastened her seatbelt and wound down the window. â€˜Veronique?â€™ she asked in a whisper. â€˜How do you know?â€™

Veronique gave a playful shrug. â€˜He told me.â€™

She and her father waved as the car pulled away from the curb and joined the crowded flow of Parisian traffic.

â€˜Told you what?â€™ asked Linden.

Max met Lindenâ€™s questioning look and tried to think of an answer.

â€˜Told me that â€¦ that â€¦â€™ Maxâ€™s palm computer vibrated against her leg. â€˜Thatâ€™ll be Chief Harrison. He said heâ€™d call before we left.â€™

â€˜Ah, Max and Linden. Whereâ€™s the third hero of this little party?â€™

â€˜Heâ€™s up front, sir,â€™ Max answered.

Chief Harrisonâ€™s face drained of zippiness. â€˜He isnâ€™t driving, is he?â€™

â€˜No,â€™ Max said. â€˜Weâ€™ve faced enough danger in the last few days without letting that happen.â€™

â€˜Yes, yes indeed.â€™ Harrison said. â€˜Congratulations on the completion of your mission. I know you were sent to France as minders, but without the skills and expertise of all of you, Antoine â€“ and Paris â€“ might never have been saved.â€™

â€˜Thank you, sir,â€™ Max said.

â€˜French police have Strangways and FranÃ§ois in custody now, but weâ€™ve also discovered there were other men who were after the amulet, the book and Veronique because of what she may have known. We believe the men you told us about from the cemetery may have been working for a private collector in Germany, but weâ€™re still following that up. Luckily they hadnâ€™t anticipated coming up against Toby and Linden.â€™

â€˜But they had a note saying they had Veroniqueâ€™s dad,â€™ Max said. â€˜I thought only a few people knew about that.â€™

â€˜News of the kidnapping did leak out in some circles. A lot of money has been spent by many people trying to find exactly what Strangways was after. These guys thought theyâ€™d use that information and take their pants. Oh blast, well, of course they took their pants, but they also took their chance.â€™ Harrison shook his head.

â€˜Antoineâ€™s discoveries of the book and amulet are very important but just as dangerous as he thought. As a result, the amulet, book and neckpiece are all going to be held in different museums around the world, with strict instructions that they never be reunited again. And Max?â€™

â€˜Yes, sir?â€™

â€˜Tetu is being awarded a medal for his work in solving this case.â€™

â€˜A medal?â€™ Max almost choked on the words. â€˜But he â€“â€™

â€˜Is still upset with you for putting him to sleep.â€™

â€˜But he was going to â€“â€™

â€˜You are going to send him an apology. I know you two didnâ€™t get along, but we stand to gain very little by upsetting the French police.â€™

â€˜But, sir, he treated you so badly when he was in your office, like you were some â€¦â€™

Harrison smiled. â€˜My feelings arenâ€™t as easily crushed as that, but I did appreciate your spirited defence. You perhaps need to sometimes choose a better way to express it.â€™

â€˜Iâ€™m working on it, sir.â€™

â€˜I know. Just make sure that apology is with him by the end of the day, and you might want to add your congratulations for the medal.â€™

â€˜Yes, sir,â€™ Max mumbled.

â€˜In the drawers beneath your seats youâ€™ll find a satchel from The Centre for International Cultural Exchange. It has notes and workbooks relating to your visit. It is complete with facts you learnt, places you saw, as well as video, photos and details of what you did on your rampage â€¦ Oh bother, of course I mean on your exchange. Weâ€™ve sent your family postcards and emails about your trip on your behalf. Theyâ€™re on your palm computers so you can see what you have written.â€™

â€˜Weâ€™re sending you home on a regular flight. To give you time to rest.â€™ Harrison sighed. â€˜Youâ€™ve done us very proud. But for now, go home and tell your parents all about your cultural exchange trip.â€™

â€˜Thank you, sir. Goodbye,â€™ Linden said.

Harrison disappeared from Maxâ€™s screen.

â€˜Tetu is getting a medal!â€™ Max cried. â€˜Can you believe that?â€™

â€˜You still donâ€™t trust him?â€™ Linden asked.

â€˜Not much.â€™

Max crossed her arms and looked out the window as they crossed the River Seine on their way to the airport.

â€˜Do you think that magic stuff would have worked?â€™ Max asked. â€˜Would Strangways have really been able to raise the level of the river and flood Paris?â€™

â€˜Not sure,â€™ Linden said. â€˜He did seem to heal himself. And witnesses on the news said the water in the parkâ€™s fountains shot higher and people ran from the riverside when it suddenly began to spill over the banks, but it was windy last night and a massive storm system was pushing through. Strangways thought it was him, but the weather bureau may have a better explanation.â€™

Max watched the houses and trees rush past.

â€˜Are we okay?â€™ Max asked.

â€˜Okay?â€™ Linden frowned.

â€˜You were angry at me before about how I was acting and â€¦â€™

â€˜Of course we are okay. Weâ€™ve always been okay.â€™ He paused. â€˜I think I got angry because hearing about Veronique losing her mum made me think of my mum. I was a bit protective of her, I guess.â€™ He smiled weakly. â€˜I got angry a lot when Mum died. I still can get the same way if I think about it. It was a pretty lonely time.â€™

â€˜I would have liked to have known you then,â€™ Max said. â€˜To make sure you werenâ€™t so lonely.â€™

â€˜That would have been nice.â€™ Linden smiled and turned to look out the window.

Max bit her lip and stared at her twisting fingers. â€˜Sheâ€™s pretty, isnâ€™t she?â€™

â€˜Who?â€™ Linden asked.

â€˜Veronique.â€™

â€˜I guess,â€™ Linden said. â€˜Yeah.â€™

As the streets of Paris swooped by in a blurred fuss of colour and style, Max slowly manoeuvred her head to get the best glimpse of her face in the polished silver armrest beside her. She stared, not sure if she liked what she saw.

â€˜You know what, Max?â€™ Linden asked.

Max was startled. â€˜What?â€™

Linden leant over and stared directly at her with a faint crease of a smile. â€˜I think youâ€™re pretty.â€™

Maxâ€™s heart felt like it flipped whole centimetres in her chest. â€˜You do?â€™ Her face wrinkled into a smudge of part fear, part scepticism.

Linden leant back. â€˜Yeah,â€™ he said. â€˜I do.â€™

â€˜But being pretty isnâ€™t what matters,â€™ Max said, shoving a beanie on her head. â€˜I hardly even give a thought to being pretty. Who would waste their time worrying about whether theyâ€™re pretty or not? Being smart is much more important than being pretty.â€™

â€˜I think youâ€™re smart,â€™ Linden said. â€˜But I think youâ€™re pretty, too.â€™

Max tried to breathe normally as she turned to look at the final glimpse of Parisâ€™s streets and boulevards. The shops were filled with designer clothes and whole window fronts were taken up with one single bag or coat. The strollers and shoppers completed the stylish look. Max smiled and turned to Linden.

â€˜Thanks,â€™ she whispered.

â€˜Youâ€™re welcome. And youâ€™re brave too. You went to save Veronique at the top of that tower and youâ€™re afraid of heights. I was really proud of you.â€™

Max couldnâ€™t stop the rising tide of red that flowed into her face like a bad case of sunstroke.

â€˜You know, Max Remy, I think you bring out the best in me. Just like that old Danish saying.â€™

â€˜Do I?â€™

â€˜Yeah.â€™ Lindenâ€™s smile melted away. â€˜I was really scared last night when you fell. It was the same feeling I had the second before Dad told me Mum had died. This panic that belted into my chest. If anything like that happened to you, Iâ€™d never get over it.â€™ He looked at Max. â€˜I just wouldnâ€™t. I donâ€™t think I could for a second time.â€™

There was a tear curling in the corner of his eye. It swelled and teetered on the edge of his lid until it spilled over his eyelash and left a splatter on his jeans.

â€˜So donâ€™t go and do anything silly.â€™ He blinked. â€˜I plan to know you for a very long time.â€™

Max went to open her mouth, but her throat tightened and she couldnâ€™t say anything.

â€˜Because, Max â€¦â€™ Linden said.

â€˜Yes?â€™ Max squeezed her backpack tight against her chest.

â€˜Because I â€¦ I â€¦â€™

The limousine swept into a sharp spin away from a truck that had lumbered into their lane. As the driverâ€™s and Tobyâ€™s muffled curses floated through the separating glass window, Max found herself face first in her backpack, with a small cloud of white powder around her head like a cloud-nestled angel.

â€˜Are you okay?â€™ Linden asked.

Max pulled herself upright. â€˜Yeah, good.â€™ She pushed her beanie out of her eyes and yawned. â€˜What were you going to say?â€™

â€˜That I â€¦ well, that â€¦â€™

Max struggled to keep her eyes open. â€˜Yes?â€™

â€˜That of all the people I know, youâ€™re the one that â€¦â€™

Max fell on to Lindenâ€™s lap in a deep and instant sleep.

â€˜Max?â€™ He gently shook her and smiled. â€˜That sleeping powder is strong stuff.â€™

He manoeuvred her into a more comfortable position. Max breathed deeply and cosied up so that her hands bunched against her cheeks.

â€˜Never mind,â€™ Linden rested his hand on her shoulder. â€˜Iâ€™ll tell you another time.â€™

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When Deborah Abela was a small child, she spent most of her time imagining she was on great adventures all over the world. When she grew older, she bought a backpack and a plane ticket and went on them for real. After three years she came home and then worked at Cheez TV for seven years, before leaving to write novels about a small girl who goes on lots of adventures all over the world.

Deborah grew up in Merrylands, a western suburb of Sydney, but now lives in inner-city Glebe with her partner Todd, who is almost as nice as Linden.

You can read more about Deborah Abela and the Max Remy Superspy series at www.maxremy.com.au

Photograph by Todd Decker

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Max Remy Superspy Part 10: The Final Curtain

â€˜The flickering sparks from a welder leapt into the darkened air of the VART. A worker in dark overalls, thick glasses and protective helmet concentrated on the last Vibratron tile to be laid in place. The worker stood, picked up his leather tool bag and walked to the exit. Behind him, beneath the final tile, a red glowing pulse beat silently, secretly, waiting for its moment of destruction.â€™

From Max Remy Superspy Part 8: Mission in Malta

Who is this mysterious worker? What has he placed under the Vibratron tile? And will it lead to the annihilation of Spyforce?

Donâ€™t miss the EXPLOSIVE final instalment in the MAX REMY SUPERSPY series!

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Donâ€™t miss Deborah Abela and soccer legend Johnny Warrenâ€™s exciting series about soccer, friendship, and kids who want to be their own legends!

1 See Max Remy Superspy Part 8: Mission in Malta

2 See Max Remy Superspy Part 5: The Amazon Experiment

3 See Max Remy Superspy Part 6: Blueâ€™s Revenge

4 See Max Remy Superspy Part 8: Mission in Malta

5 See Max Remy Superspy Part 2: Spyforce Revealed

6 See Max Remy Superspy Part 7: The Venice Job and Part 8: Mission in Malta

7 See Max Remy Part 8: Mission in Malta