‘My favourite Olympics is 1968 when Bob Beamon made a world record in the long jump of 8.90 metres. Robert Beamon jumps and makes sports history. The makers of the measuring instrument never foresaw a jump so staggering. Mr Branch says it was the most political of Olympics since 1936, when Jesse Owens got four gold medals and made Hitler leave the stadium. In 1968, Tommie Smith and John Carlos did the Black Power salute wearing black gloves on the medal podium and got suspended from the US team. Dick Fosbury raised his fist during his medal ceremony in solidarity with Black Power. Dick Fosbury was white and he invented a new way of doing the high jump called the Fosbury Flop,’ I say.

‘You really HAVE found your voice, Elle. Some speech. Pity I have to silence you.’

When he emphasises the word silence, I lose my concentration. He takes one step towards me. He holds up his Chronophone like his gun when he shot the rabbit that was a hare. And I know what he wants to do.

He’s going to shoot me.

Concentrate.

‘Someone will hear the shot.’

‘I have a silencer. And I’m going to silence you. When you wake up, you’ll see sense.’

Out of the corner of my eye, I see it. A flicker, a split-second outline of a body, a boy, a boy with clumps of hair coming out of his head like antennae, pointing a Chronophone at Le Temps. Before the outline is filled in, it says, in the voice of MC2:

‘Le Temps. Drop the phone. You’re under arrest.’

MC2 is pointing his Chronophone at Le Temps.

Millennia and Season appear from thin air.

Le Temps drops his phone onto the floor.

‘What in the name of Time is going on?’ says Millennia.

Her hair looks less spiky, like she’s just got out of bed. But she’s not wearing pyjamas or even a dressing-gown. She’s wearing her usual purple hooded cloak. Season looks like she’s still IN bed. Her hair’s all over the place, she’s wearing pyjamas with cars on them and her face is pale. MC2 blinks his whole body to the other side of the room, still holding his Chronophone.

‘Season, rest up. I can handle this. Text GMT.’

‘You will do nothing of the sort,’ says Millennia, ‘until someone explains this SOS.’

‘He tried to kill me because I wouldn’t work in his factory in 2100 where he mixes Leaplings with sheep to make sheap and sells the meat to people all over the world.’

‘Who tried to kill you? Mr E?’

‘NO. Le Temps. I mean, Mr T. With his Chronophone!’

‘Nonsense, Elle. Chronophones are not guns. Your imagination is quite remarkable. Mr E tells me you have a unique talent for storytelling. Do not confuse fact with fiction.’