‘No, no. You and I will be joint leaders of this operation,’ insisted Topaz. ‘If it wasn’t for you, I’d still be lying in bed feeling sorry for myself.’

Nicola went up to the front and took the whiteboard marker that Topaz handed her.

‘Okay, what do you think we’ve forgotten?’ asked Topaz.

For a moment, Nicola’s mind went blank. FOCUS, she told herself. Katie’s encouraging face appeared in her mind, saying, ‘You can do it, Nic.’ Nicola realised how stupid it was to be worrying what people thought of her when Katie was being held hostage, for heaven’s sake! That was all that mattered. Rescuing Katie. Her mind became sharp and clear.

‘All right,’ she said. ‘We need to figure out a way to let as many people as possible know about the march. How do we do that?’

‘Newspaper,’ contributed Serena. ‘It would be great if we could get an article in the newspaper, telling everybody where and when to meet.’

‘Excellent!’ said Nicola and wrote the word newspaper up on the whiteboard. She managed to ignore Sean, who was making a cross-eyed face at her, and said, ‘So how do we get an article in the newspaper?’

‘Oh! Oh! Me, me! Pick me!’ Shimlara waved both arms around in the air as if Nicola was a teacher.

‘Shimlara?’ said Nicola, trying to keep a straight face.

‘Your pocket! Your pocket! Look in your pocket!’

‘My pocket?’

‘Your pocket! Your back pocket!’

Nicola didn’t know what she was talking about. She gave Topaz an apologetic look as if to say Sorry about the Space Brigade’s wacky behaviour and slid her hand into her pocket. She pulled out a small white card.

Nicola looked at it without recognition.

It said:

JENNY JENKINS

REPORTER

THE SHOBBLE TIMES

TIX NO: 993-98080891083409840983098340893091

48130043

Suddenly Nicola remembered the reporter at the gates of Enrico’s house. Jenny Jenkins. Wasn’t that the name of the person who had written the article about Katie? She was obviously prepared to stand up to Enrico. She would be perfect.

Nicola gave Shimlara a grateful look and handed the card to Topaz. ‘This reporter said to call if we needed anything. I’m pretty sure she’s on our side.’

‘Fantastic,’ said Topaz.

‘What’s a tix number?’ asked Nicola.

Topaz looked at her with surprise. ‘They haven’t invented the tix on Earth yet? It’s an apparatus where you talk to each other through wires.’

‘Wow,’ said Nicola, impressed, until Tyler said, ‘Um, Nic, I think we call that the telephone on Earth.’