Enrico sat back down at the end of the table and sighed as if he'd just finished doing something exhausting.
'Well done, darling,' said Carmelita, stroking his hand. 'This is so stressful for you and you're handling it beautifully. Isn't your daddy clever, children?'
'Very clever!' piped up Josie and Joseph.
'Thank you, sweeties,' said Enrico pathetically. 'I think I'm going to be sick,' murmured Sean.
'Now,' said Enrico. 'I assume you're ready to listen, Nicola?'
Nicola knew she had no choice but to pretend they were accepting the mission. Then they could work out a way to rescue Katie and somehow get off this planet.
Shimlara's voice spoke up again in Nicola's head. We're going to have to pretend to agree to take on the mission and then we'll work out a way to rescue Katie and somehow . . .
'Yes, yes, I know,' answered Nicola irritably, forgetting that she shouldn't be speaking out loud.
'Well, good,' said Enrico, looking a bit surprised at her tone. 'I'm glad you're finally seeing sense. I have prepared dossiers for each of you with all the information you need.'
He handed each member of the Space Brigade a thin grey folder stamped with the words TOP SECRET.
Nicola opened hers curiously.
The first thing she saw was a snapshot of a teenage girl. It was labelled TOPAZ. She had the typical Shobbling round face, creamy white skin, dark freckles like a dusting of chocolate, and very messy, curly red-gold hair. It was even curlier and crazier than Nicola's. She didn't seem to know she was being photographed and was in the middle of talking angrily to someone, or perhaps she was addressing a crowd. One fist was raised passionately above her head. Her mouth was open as if she was shouting something. Although she was scowling, you could see she had two dimples in her cheeks that would deepen when she smiled.
She seemed strong, vibrant, beautiful and . . . very nice.
'She's disgustingly ugly,' said Josie, who was leaning over Tyler's shoulder to look in his folder.
Nicola put aside the photo and picked up a typewritten sheet of paper. It said:
THE TARGET:
NAME: TOPAZ SILVERBELL
AGE: 15
KNOWN ASSOCIATES: JOSHUA SILVERBELL (YOUNGER BROTHER); SERENA GOLDDUST (BEST FRIEND).
CRIMES: STIRRING UP NEEDLESS TROUBLE BY WRITING STRONGLY WORDED LETTERS TO NEWSPAPERS, ENCOURAGING WORKERS TO DEMAND WAGES, SABOTAGE OF PERFECTLY GOOD MINING EQUIPMENT. ALL OF THE ABOVE = TREASON.
YOUR MISSION: ELIMINATE TOPAZ SILVERBELL. NOTE: MAKE IT APPEAR TO BE AN ACCIDENT (E.G. PUSH HER OFF A CLIFF - MAKE IT LOOK LIKE SHE SLIPPED? A FIRE OF SOME SORT? BUT YOU ARE THE EXPERTS.) THERE MUST BE NO SUSPICION OF INVOLVEMENT BY THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF. BONUS PAYMENT WILL BE AWARDED IF ASSOCIATES ARE ALSO ELIMINATED.
A MAP INDICATING TOPAZ'S BELIEVED CURRENT WHEREABOUTS IS ATTACHED.
The map had two small crosses. Next to one were the words YOU ARE HERE and a tiny picture of Enrico's mansion. Next to the other cross was written TOPAZ IS HERE. The Topaz cross appeared to be right on top of a mountain called the Cloud-Capped Mountain. It looked like they would have to cross a river, a forest and an ocean to get there.
Sean looked up from his folder and said, 'Can I ask a question?'
'Please do,' said Enrico graciously.
'Well, why do you need us to do this? You've got all those tough-looking guys who took Katie away. Why don't you just get them to do it?'
'Well, I would have thought that was obvious,' said Enrico. 'We are the nicest people in the galaxy. We just don't do that sort of thing! Whereas I hear that you Earthlings are always doing dreadful things to each other. Of course, I don't approve, but it must be convenient at times, when someone is causing you a problem. I often wish I wasn't cursed with such a nice nature.'
'But you've taken Katie hostage - that's not exactly nice!' protested Sean.
'You left me no choice,' said Enrico. 'Desperate times call for desperate measures. People are actually listening to this dreadful Topaz. There could be a revolution. I could be overthrown! Can you imagine anything more dreadful or wrong?'
'No, darling, I couldn't.' Carmelita pressed a trembling hand to her throat, overcome by the thought.