Christmas Countdown (5 page)

EJ knew that they needed to be highly organised if they were going to search the entire Christmas Wonderland in time.

EJ and IJ had bought an all-day pass that came with a map of the park. As they looked at it they saw just how big it was. It took up the whole block next to Delia Stones. The size was great if you were coming to Christmas Wonderland for fun but not so great if you were trying to find something quite small very quickly. There were lots of places to hide.

‘We'll never be able to check all this out in time,' said EJ. ‘We need to split up.'

‘Good thinking,' said IJ. ‘I'll take the forest side and you take the other.'

‘Good plan. Let's activate our spy-talkers.'

The girls took out their headsets and put them on. They looked like normal mobile phone headsets but would allow EJ and IJ to keep in constant contact.

‘And don't forget your bauble charm, IJ. We need to leave cameras in as many places as we can.' EJ took her bauble charm and twisted it. A red bauble appeared. EJ hung it on one of the lower branches of the Christmas tree and pressed the little button on top. She then took out her phone and pressed the bauble-cam app. On screen was IJ, giving a little wave.

EJ grinned. ‘It's working. If we can leave these in enough areas, maybe we can pick up some clues. Let's go. We need to look for diamonds—and, like the girl in the vault room.

‘Roger, that,' said IJ. ‘We can do this.'

‘Yes we can,' said EJ, smiling at her buddy.

EJ watched as her friend headed back towards the Christmas tree forest. She loved her friend's optimism—she only hoped she was right.

EJ now looked across to her right. Where was
she
going to start? She saw the tall tower that looked like a long stretched-up chimney. She checked the map and saw it was Santa's Chimney Drop, a ride where you sat in an individual cage and were pulled all the way up to the top of the chimney, then held before being sent quickly back down again in sudden jolts, as if you were going to crash into the ground. EJ normally hated those kinds of rides but she knew there would be a great view of Christmas Wonderland from the top. She joined the queue and waited until it was her turn. Just as she was getting onto the ride, she saw two elves walk past the balloon stall. EJ went to turn back.

‘Don't be scared,' said the ride operator.

‘No, no,' started EJ. ‘I'm not scared, I just need to go …'

‘Come on,' said the woman. ‘You're holding up the queue.' She shut the safety bar over the singleperson capsule and EJ watched helplessly as the two elves made their way up the path and vanished into the crowd. She was so busy watching the elves she didn't notice the ride attendant making a phone call while looking straight at EJ.

There was a clunk and the capsules began to be pulled higher and higher up the Chimney Drop pole. They rose above the ticket booth, then above the large Christmas tree and then above even the Ferris wheel. EJ was now so high that she could see all over Christmas Wonderland. She looked out and then the ride, helpfully, began to slowly rotate, giving EJ a perfect 360-degree view of the park.

‘IJ, come in, this is EJ. Can you hear me?'

‘Rosemary that, EJ.'

‘Rosemary?' said EJ. ‘IJ, you say “Roger that”.'

‘I know,' giggled IJ. ‘I just thought I'd do the girls' version! Now what's happening?'

EJ smiled. Even OM, her friend had her sense of humour. ‘I'm on the Chimney Drop. I can see the whole park.'

‘That's great.'

‘It is but I can't see anything that looks suspicious. Although I can see elves. Their costumes really stand out.'

‘There are elves here in the forest too,' said IJ. ‘But they don't seem to be doing anything that isn't well, elf-like. They're smiling at children and waving.'

‘There has to be something here,' said EJ. ‘Otherwise why have the secret tunnel? I'll …'

Suddenly the capsule shook.

 

WOOOOOOOOOOOOSH!

 

‘EJ, what's wrong?' cried IJ.

‘Hold on!' yelled EJ. Then the capsule plummeted. ‘WHOOOA!' cried EJ.

‘EJ!'

‘I'm fine, IJ,' said EJ breathlessly as the capsule stopped halfway down. ‘It's the ride but it's stopped now—WHOOOA!'

Then everyone on the ride screamed with that funny mixture of fear and fun as the Chimney Drop capsules dropped all the way down to the ground. EJ felt the rush and was smiling as the safety bar lifted.

‘EJ?' It was IJ on the spy-talker.

‘Sorry,' said EJ. ‘I was just saying I was going to have a look from the ground! I think I'll try …'

 

Piinngg!

 

‘Hold on, IJ. It's
SHINE
. They've intercepted another cracker code.' EJ looked at her screen. ‘At least I think it's a code.'

That's not a code, that's a joke,
thought EJ.
A really bad joke. I know that Christmas cracker jokes aren't very funny but this one is hopeless. But if
SHADOW
sent it out of Wonderland it must mean something.

EJ studied the map and saw it. Next to Santa's Workshop was another ride, the Santa Express. It was over on the other side of the park—on the side IJ was checking out.

‘IJ, can you hear me?'

‘Go ahead, EJ.'

‘The message says the Santa Express, that's a ride …'

‘I know, EJ,' replied IJ. ‘I'm right opposite it now. I couldn't see anything at the Snow Slide so I came down here. I'll check it out now. I've left a bauble-cam on the ice-cream stand. It looks directly over the ride.'

‘Good work. Be careful. I'm going to check out Elf Village.'

‘Rosemary that. IJ out.'

EJ smiled at the thought of her nutty spy-buddy as she took the path back towards Elf Village, stopping briefly on the bench by the elf statue. ‘CC,' she whispered. ‘Seen anything?'

‘Maybe,' replied CC. ‘Two elves came past before. At least one of them was a
SHADOW
agent. They were talking about Santa Express. They were saying it was all ready.'

‘Something is definitely happening there,' said EJ. ‘Let's see what IJ has found. IJ, can you hear me?'

There was no reply.

‘IJ12, this is EJ12. Come in, IJ.'

Still there was no reply.

‘IJ?' EJ looked at CC grimly. Where had she gone? Had something happened to IJ12?

EJ needed to find IJ. And quickly. That was
SHINE
's most important motto—“Spy-buddies first, mission second”. She took out her phone and tapped the bauble-cam vision app. IJ had said she had left one on the ice-cream stall opposite the Santa Express so EJ checked that one first. Perhaps IJ was still on the ride? EJ waited and watched as the Santa Express train slowed down and stopped and everyone got out. She watched another ride load up and then set off again. Still, there was no IJ. She flicked through other bauble cams: in the forest, on the Snow Slide, but there was no IJ.

‘CC, I'm going to the Santa Express.'

‘Okay,' said CC. ‘I'll update
SHINE
.'

EJ ran back past the Christmas tree, past the main gates and over to the Santa Express. Luckily, there was a lull in the queue and EJ didn't have to wait too long. As she approached the top of the line, she moved to get into one of the sleighs. One of the elf attendants stopped her. EJ looked up and showed her all-day wrist pass.

‘That's fine,' said the elf. ‘Take this sleigh.'

‘Why?' said EJ.

‘Because …' the elf started unconvincingly. ‘Because this one is much better. In you go, please.'

EJ didn't have time to protest as the elf almost pushed her into the sleigh. She also didn't notice the elf nodding at the other ride attendant who pulled a lever on the side of the Santa Express track.

The rest of sleighs filled up with people as a woman's voice came over the loudspeaker. ‘Hold on tight, the Santa Express is about to take-off. We've got to hurry if we are going to deliver all those presents on time so get ready for the ride of your lives!'

The sleigh jolted into motion and EJ felt it begin to climb as they entered an almost completely black tunnel. She looked around and lights flashed on images of a snow-covered forest. Then as the sleigh began to climb higher, there were flashes of the tops of trees as if the sleigh was lifting off and beginning to climb into the sky. The climb became steeper and sparkling lights began to flash like stars and then EJ felt the ride level. For a couple of seconds the sleigh stopped and then there was another jolt as the sleigh began to move again, this time downwards. It was picking up speed. EJ could hear people in the other sleighs, some laughing, some beginning to scream. EJ held on tight as the sleigh rushed downwards and then turned sharply as a lightning bolt flash appeared in front of them. The sleigh lurched and rushed forward again, twisting and turning. The screams of fun from the other sleighs became louder and louder. EJ's sleigh began climbing again and then, as it reached the top, it did a sharp turn before hurtling down again. It was fast, perhaps even faster than before. But this time, something was different.
That's odd
, thought EJ.
There's no screaming.

The ride was completely silent except for the wheels of EJ's sleigh grinding on the tracks. Suddenly EJ realised that her sleigh had been separated from the others. She looked ahead. A light flashed and all EJ could see was a wall, a wall with a fireplace painted on it and stockings hanging down. The sleigh was heading straight for the wall. EJ held on tight to the bar and waited for the turn she knew had to come. But it didn't. EJ closed her eyes.
It's going to hit the wall
, she thought.

Just as EJ thought her sleigh was going to slam into the wall, two doors opened and the sleigh rushed through before screeching to a halt. The doors behind her slammed shut again and EJ gasped, opening her eyes. She was in what looked like a storeroom. Looking around the room, she opened her eyes even wider.

‘IJ?!'

EJ's spy-buddy was sitting on a chair with her hands tied behind her back. She tilted her head to the left. EJ looked across but she could only make out a dim outline of a shadowy figure in the corner. She recognised the voice though.

‘Isn't this nice—IJ12 and EJ12. I've always thought that two
SHINE
agents are better than one.'

And with that, Tiffany Glass stepped out of the shadows and, before EJ could react, handcuffed her to the bar of the sleigh.

‘
SHINE
's standards seem to be slipping,' said Tiffany. ‘You two were caught much too easily. We've been watching you ever since you entered the park. In the forest, the Chimney Drop, at the ice-cream stall …

‘You have?' asked EJ.
Does
SHADOW
have cameras of its own?

‘I'm not one of your old-fashioned agents, that's why
SHADOW
was so pleased when I joined. I don't take risks. I like to know exactly what is happening all of the time. There are cameras all around the park. But now you're here and I can get on with my final preparations.'

‘And what are they?' asked EJ, hoping to lead Tiffany into telling her plan.

‘You'll have to work a lot harder than that,' snapped Tiffany. ‘I don't fall for baby beginners' tricks like that one. But I don't have time for you now. I have things to do, diamonds to wear.'

‘Ah, diamonds?' said IJ, winking at EJ.

‘So what?' snapped Tiffany. ‘How does knowing that I have the Aurora diamonds help you? You won't be able to escape and you know nothing about my plan. By the time
SHINE
finds you, the diamonds and I will be long gone.' And with that Tiffany Glass opened a door. EJ could hear the crowds of Christmas Wonderland. ‘Merry Christmas, children!' Tiffany's mean laugh could be heard even after she had slammed and locked the door.

‘Please tell me you have a plan, EJ,' said IJ.

EJ looked at her friend. This was a tough first mission and she needed to help her through it. If they were at school, it would be Isi who would be doing the cheering up but now EJ saw it was her turn.

‘Of course I do,' said EJ, who saw IJ's face soften immediately.
I just need to think of it,
she thought.