Thunderbot's Day of Doom Read online

  ‘Well?’ said Miss Marbles. ‘What do you make of it?’

  ‘That’s him all right,’ replied Minnie. ‘Dennis Trigg.’

  ‘Except now he’s a crackpot evil robot,’ said Miles.

  Miss Marbles shook her head – evil robots were the worst. She blamed herself for not keeping a closer eye on what Norris was up to in the science lab. Who would have thought that nice Dennis Trigg could turn out to be a maniac who’d threaten the nation?

  The snow had been falling for three days and nights. Miss Marbles had only managed to reach school on a pair of skis that she hadn’t used since she was nineteen.

  She took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes.

  ‘But why take Norris?’ she asked. ‘What does he want with him?’

  ‘Don’t forget it was Norris who made Albot,’ Stan pointed out. ‘He might be useful.’

  ‘In any case we don’t have much time,’ Minnie reminded them. ‘The message said he’ll strike at noon tomorrow.’

  ‘Unless the government pays up,’ said Stan.

  Miss Marbles shook her head.

  ‘One trillion pounds?’ she said. ‘I can’t even count that much.’

  ‘I can,’ claimed Miles. ‘One trillion is one thousand billion so if you multiply …’

  ‘Yes, Miles, we get the picture,’ said Stan.

  ‘The heart of the nation,’ Miss Marbles repeated to herself.

  ‘What does that mean?’

  Stan shrugged. He’d never been very good at solving riddles.

  ‘Surely London’s the heart of the nation?’ said Miles. ‘Isn’t it the capital?’

  ‘Yes, but London’s a very big place,’ said Miss Marbles.

  They all fell silent, trying to think.

  ‘Perhaps he’s going to attack the Houses of Parliament?’ suggested Minnie.

  ‘Or the Prime Minister?’ said Stan. ‘He said the “beating heart”, so maybe it’s a person.’

  Minnie shot out of her seat. ‘The QUEEN!’ she cried.

  ‘She’s the beating heart of the nation. He’s going to attack the queen!’

  Stan’s ears began to throb in alarm. If Minnie was right, then tomorrow Thunderbot would launch some kind of attack on Buckingham Palace. The queen might be in terrible danger and they were the only ones who knew it.

  ‘But this is dreadful!’ said Miss Marbles. ‘Good gracious, the queen! We have to do something!’

  ‘Shouldn’t we tell the police?’ asked Miles.

  ‘I very much doubt they’ll listen,’ said Miss Marbles. ‘Besides, they’ll say that Buckingham Palace is guarded day and night. No, someone must protect the queen and it has to be you.’

  ‘US?’ said Stan. ‘What can we do? London’s miles away!

  ‘And the roads will be impossible!’ added Minnie.

  Miles looked out of the window at the school bus, half buried in snow.

  ‘Miss Marbles,’ he said. ‘Can we borrow your skis a minute? I’ve got an idea.’

  Ask yourself, what do super-criminals want? World domination, naturally. Generally they start out small, say by stealing lunchboxes from little kids. But given time they will graduate to stealing deadly missiles or poisoning the oceans. At this point you can be pretty sure they will issue AN EVIL ULTIMATUM.

  Typically it goes like this:

  If you find yourself faced with an EVIL ULTIMATUM you have three choices:

  A)Ignore it

  B)Give in

  C)Find your enemy before the deadline is up

  A) is risky and B) expensive so C) is obviously your best option. In this case, you don’t have much time so why are you wasting precious minutes reading this book?

  Stay calm; remember no EVIL ULTIMATUM has ever resulted in the destruction of the earth – although there’s always a first time.

  The next morning the school bus finally reached London. It had been a long, hazardous journey, especially since Miss Marbles was wearing her reading glasses to drive. The Invincibles spilled out of the bus and waited for their legs to stop trembling.

  They looked around. The streets of London were eerily silent and empty of traffic. Snow lay on the ground as thick and cold as school rice pudding. The fountain in the square looked like a giant wedding cake hung with icicles.

  A few people were about, but most were police on duty because the city was on full alert. Stan shivered. Miles had brought his Mega Gloves, insisting that they would come in useful.

  ‘Excuse me, madam, is that your bus?’ asked a police sergeant. ‘I’m afraid you can’t leave it there.’

  Miss Marbles took off her glasses.

  ‘Sergeant, we’ve driven a very long way and we don’t have much time,’ she said.

  ‘Maybe not, but you can’t park there,’ insisted the policeman.

  Minnie tried to explain. ‘Please, this is an emergency,’ she said. ‘The queen could be in danger!’

  The sergeant eyed their bright blue costumes and red capes. ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t recognise you,’ he said dryly. ‘You’d be superheroes, I suppose?’

  ‘That’s right,’ said Minnie. ‘We’re the Invincibles. I’m Frisbee Girl, this is Dangerboy and Brainiac.’

  ‘And I’m Batman,’ said the policeman. ‘But you’ll still have to move the bus.’

  Minnie was about to argue but Miss Marbles shook her head. They left her to deal with the policeman, while they set off in search of Buckingham Palace. They hurried through the snowbound streets, passing police on every corner.

  ‘Is this the right way? What’s her house look like?’ asked Miles.

  ‘Probably something like that,’ said Minnie, pointing ahead.

  At the end of the road was an enormous white palace. A royal standard fluttered in the courtyard, indicating that the queen was at home. The palace was protected by tall iron gates with soldiers in red uniforms standing on guard.

  ‘Wow!’ said Miles. ‘The queen lives there?’

  ‘Last time I heard,’ said Minnie. ‘Come on, we’ve got to get in.’

  It wasn’t going to be easy, especially as the two guards didn’t seem to want to talk.

  ‘We need to see the queen,’ Minnie told them.

  ‘Urgently,’ added Stan. ‘It’s a matter of life and death – and bad weather.’

  The guards stood like statues, staring straight ahead.

  ‘This is hopeless,’ sighed Stan. ‘We’ll never get in!’

  Just then, Pudding spotted a fat pigeon in the palace courtyard and wriggled under the gates to give chase.

  ‘HEY! STOP!’ cried one of the guards, springing to life.

  Within seconds, both the guards had left their posts and were chasing Pudding across the courtyard, trying to catch him. Stan looked at Minnie.

  ‘I guess we can go in, then,’ he said.

  With no one to stop them, they slipped through the front gates.

  ‘What now?’ asked Miles, looking up at the great palace. ‘Do we ring the doorbell and ask for the queen?’

  But Stan wasn’t listening, because his ears were suddenly on full alert. Snow whipped into the air as the wind picked up. Pudding came running back to Minnie and barked.

  ‘It’s starting!’ cried Stan. ‘Better take cover!’

  They looked around, but the courtyard didn’t offer any shelter apart from the tall flagpole. Now the wind was beginning to roar. Stan raised an arm, half blinded by snow. Miles was struggling with his gloves.

  ‘Hang on to me!’ he yelled.

  ‘What for?’ shouted Stan.

  ‘Don’t argue, just do it!’

  They leaned against the gale. Stan grabbed Miles round the waist while Minnie held on to Stan with one hand and Pudding with the other. Miles’s magnetic gloves clamped him to the metal flagpole. They hung on for dear life as the storm struck, lifting them off their feet.

  Trees bent in the gale, police cars were swept down the road like leaves and a soldier’s black busby shot past them at high speed. Stan shut his eyes and held
on grimly to Miles. Then, as suddenly as it had begun, the storm passed over and the wind died away.

  The Invincibles fell to earth with a thud.

  ‘That wasn’t so bad,’ gasped Miles. ‘I think we’re safe now.’

  ‘SORRY TO DISAPPOINT YOU,’ said a voice.

  Stan looked up. A menacing figure wearing a bad suit stood in the courtyard. Thunderbot had arrived.

  The Invincibles got shakily to their feet. Pudding the Wonderdog whimpered and ran to hide behind Minnie’s legs.

  ‘So, what have we here?’ said Thunderbot. ‘School friends of yours, Norris?’

  Norris pulled a face. ‘Not really,’ he sneered. ‘They call themselves the Invincibles but actually they’re pretty useless.’

  ‘Oh yeah?’ said Stan. ‘At least we’re on the right side. What’s your excuse, Norris?’

  Norris shrugged. It wasn’t his fault if he’d created an Evil Robot who was trying to take over the world. It could have happened to anyone.

  Minnie drew her frisbee from her belt.

  ‘The game’s up,’ she said. ‘You won’t get near the queen. The streets are swarming with police.’

  ‘Really?’ The robot’s head swivelled round. ‘Funny, but I don’t see them anywhere,’ he said.

  Beyond the gates Stan saw that the streets were deserted. The hurricane had swept everything away. All that remained was a police car lodged in the branches of a tree. If there was going to be a fight, they were on their own.

  ‘Run along, kiddies,’ said Thunderbot. ‘This is your last warning.’

  ‘Better do as he says,’ nodded Norris.

  Minnie had other ideas. Suddenly her frisbee went skimming through the air and struck the robot right between the eyes.

  The robot shook his head as if a fly had just landed on him.

  ‘You shouldn’t have done that,’ he said. ‘And now I think it’s my turn.’

  Stan’s ears began to burn. He had a very bad feeling about this.

  ‘Ready to give in?’ demanded Thunderbot.

  Stan spoke through chattering teeth. ‘N– … n– … never.’

  ‘You are wasting my time,’ snorted the robot. ‘I didn’t come here to play games. Where is the queen?’

  ‘You missed her,’ replied Minnie. ‘She’s out er … walking the dogs.’

  ‘Do you take me for a fool?’ snapped Thunderbot. ‘She’s in there, hiding, but it won’t save her.’

  ‘You wouldn’t hurt the queen,’ said Stan.

  ‘Wouldn’t I?’ replied Thunderbot. ‘You forget, I’m not a weak-willed human like you. Tell me, have you ever seen a lightning storm?’

  ‘No,’ said Minnie.

  ‘What is it they say? “You never know where lightning will strike”,’ said Thunderbot, his eyes glinting. ‘Whole buildings can burst into flames, even royal palaces.’

  Stan looked up at the windows of Buckingham Palace. The queen was in there somewhere and she was in danger. They had to do something – but what? If only they could erect a force field around the palace but all they had was Miles’ magnetic gloves. Some help they were in a lightning storm! Wait a minute, thought Stan. He dimly remembered something he’d learned in a science lesson. It was their only chance.

  ‘Miles,’ he said in a loud whisper. ‘Don’t let him have the gloves!’

  ‘Gloves?’ Thunderbot’s head swivelled round to face them.

  Miles hid the Mega Gloves behind his back, but too late.

  ‘Give them to me!’ snapped Thunderbot, holding out his hand. ‘Ah yes, these gloves. Remind me, what do they do?’

  ‘All kinds of things,’ said Stan, thinking quickly. ‘For instance, whoever wears them is protected from danger.’

  ‘Are they?’ frowned Miles. It was certainly news to him. What in Zog’s name was Stan playing at? Anyone would think he wanted the robot to have the gloves.

  ‘Then I will keep them,’ said Thunderbot, trying them on. ‘Now, where was I?’

  ‘The lightning storm,’ Stan reminded him.

  ‘Of course,’ said Thunderbot. ‘They used to call me boring – boring Dennis Trigg, well how’s this for boring, hmm? Stand by for fireworks!’

  ‘But, master ...’ began Norris.

  ‘Silence, fool!’ snarled Thunderbot. He pointed to the heavens and instantly was answered by a low rumble of thunder. Pudding yelped and hid his eyes with his paws. Seconds later the first bolt of lightning lit up the sky.

  ‘HEH! HEH! HEH!’ cackled the Evil Robot, taking a step back to enjoy the show.

  ‘Just one step closer,’ muttered Stan.

  Stan, Minnie and Miles gathered round. Without his shattered robot helmet, Dennis Trigg looked as harmless as a pet hamster, though slightly burnt at the edges.

  ‘I learnt that in science,’ said Stan. ‘Never stand under a tree in a lightning storm – or a flagpole, for that matter.’

  A siren wailed in the distance, growing louder. As they stood waiting for the police to arrive, a small gate behind them creaked open. A grey-haired woman wearing a blue coat and a silver tiara stepped into the palace grounds, herding a bunch of excited corgis. She stopped to give them a little wave before disappearing through a door into the palace.

  The Invincibles stood for a moment, lost for words.

  ‘Was that … who I think it was?’ asked Minnie.

  Stan nodded. ‘And to think, she was out walking the dogs all the time!’

  The following Monday, Stan and his friends were called into Miss Marbles’ office. Outside, the sky was a perfect blue. Warm summer days had returned after the fog, ice and blizzards that had been playing havoc with the weather forecasts.

  ‘Well,’ said Miss Marbles. ‘It was a close thing, but thanks to you the country is safe and no one came to any harm.’

  ‘Well, apart from Dennis Trigg,’ Stan pointed out. ‘Is he going to be OK?’

  ‘Still in hospital, I gather,’ said Miss Marbles. ‘I’m sure his eyebrows will grow back in time. He claims he doesn’t remember anything at all.’

  ‘Norris was partly to blame,’ said Minnie. ‘Something happened when Dennis put on that robot helmet. He became power mad.’

  ‘I agree with you, Minnie,’ said Miss Marbles. ‘And I’ve warned Norris that there’ll be no more robots from now on. If he wants to experiment, he can help Mrs Sponge in the kitchen.’

  Stan raised his eyebrows. Norris helping in the kitchen? School dinners were bad enough as it was!

  ‘Was that why you wanted to see us?’ asked Minnie.

  ‘Oh no, I was forgetting,’ said Miss Marbles. ‘A letter arrived for you this morning.’

  She handed it over. Minnie stared at the envelope, which bore a royal coat of arms.

  ‘I think it’s from Buckingham Palace,’ said Miss Marbles.

  Minnie tore open the envelope and took out the letter. The others gathered round.

  Stan stared. ‘The queen!’ he said. ‘The queen wrote to us!’

  ‘Only because she wants a new flagpole,’ Miles pointed out.

  ‘Don’t be silly,’ said Miss Marbles. ‘It isn’t everyone who gets a personal letter of thanks from the queen – you should all be very proud.’

  Stan felt himself grow a little taller. The queen! His mum was never going to believe this!

  ‘By the way, Miles,’ said Miss Marbles. ‘How’s that invention of yours? Magic gloves, wasn’t it?’

  ‘Magnetic gloves,’ corrected Miles. ‘And they probably saved our lives.’

  ‘Really?’ said Miss Marbles. ‘May I see them?’

  Miles produced the shiny gloves and the head teacher tried them on.

  ‘So, what do I do exactly?’ she asked.

  ‘Point them at anything metal, but be careful – they’re pretty powerful,’ warned Miles.

  Miss Marbles cast around for a metal object and settled on the chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

  ‘How about that?’ she suggested.

  Stan looked alarmed. ‘Wait,’ h
e said. ‘Isn’t that a bit ...’

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  Bloomsbury Publishing, London, Oxford, New York, New Delhi and Sydney

  This electronic edition published in 2015 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

  First published in Great Britain in January 2016 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

  50 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3DP

  www.bloomsbury.com

  Bloomsbury is a registered trademark of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

  Text copyright © Alan MacDonald 2016

  Illustrations copyright © Nigel Baines 2016

  The moral rights of the author and illustrator have been asserted

  All rights reserved

  You may not copy, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means (including without limitation electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, printing, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

  A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

  eISBN 978 1 4088 2533 4