Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8 It was Saturday afternoon, at ten past two. Mohsen, Flora and Charlie were waiting round the corner from Van der Gruyne Industries, all with small rucksacks on their backs. Flora had instructed them to each bring a bag with sensible emergency supplies. Flora's bag contained a bottle of water, a torch, a compass, four apples and a whistle. Charlie's had a four-pack of Mars bars and a small collection of pebbles that he'd forgotten to take out. All Mohsen had in his bag was a half-empty sandwich box that he'd been munching through on the way. They were alternately looking at their watches and down the street. A few mangy-looking pigeons were pecking around them, hunting for crumbs. The wait for Saturday had seemed interminable for the friends. The closer they got to the day, the more nervous they had become. And now the moment had arrived and their nerves were jangling. 'I will absolutely LOSE my rag COMPLETELY if Wogan doesn't turn up VERY QUICKLY!' Flora

seethed. A moment or two later, Wogan tore round the corner, pedalling furiously on his bike. 'Sorry I'm late, guys,' he puffed. 'I… erm… forgot I had to… erm… help my mum with the gardening. So I came straight from doing that.' Flora eyed Wogan beadily. 'You're not late because you've been with Daisy all day then?' 'No! No way!' Wogan replied, looking indignant at the very suggestion. 'I told you! I've been gardening.' 'Wogan. Tell me. What's that you're wearing on your head?' Wogan looked blank for a moment, then his hand shot to his head. On his head was a headband, and sticking out of the headband was a huge sparkly silver unicorn horn. 'Ah,' said Wogan. 'Yes. I see.' 'Do you often do gardening dressed as a unicorn?' Flora asked. 'I… Yes. I do.' 'And remind me again. Does Daisy like unicorns?' 'Yes,' replied Wogan in a tiny voice just above a whisper. 'Hmm,' hmmed Flora. 'Did you hear that?' said Mohsen, nudging Charlie. 'That's a totally new type of hmm. It sounded to me like a furious hmm.'

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'Not now, Mohsen,' said Wogan, anxiously looking at Flora. 'And tell me,' continued Flora, 'does a sparkly unicorn horn count as dressing in dark clothes?' 'I guess not… Should I take it off then?' 'Yes! You should! We are trying to be inconspicuous!' 'Oh, Wogan,' said Mohsen, shaking his head sadly. 'This Daisy is really turning your head. You need to keep your eye on the game.' But Wogan, with a determined look on his face, folded his arms and kept the unicorn horn on his head. 'It is! Has anybody got any water? I'm pretty thirsty after that bike ride.' Flora handed him her bottle of emergency water. Wogan drained the bottle completely in three gulps and gasped with satisfaction. 'Well, anyway,' said Charlie, as the four friends began slowly walking towards the side entrance of Van der Gruyne Industries, 'at least he's here now. So, what's the plan, then?' They all turned to Flora. 'Why are you all looking at me? I've told you my plan. We come here, Charlie turns into an animal, helps us to break in, we steal back the gold, then leave.'

'You… er… haven't got any more detail than that?' Charlie asked cautiously. 'It's totally fine if you don't!' he added quickly, catching Flora's steely gaze. 'No,' Flora said, 'I don't.' 'You haven't planned beyond this moment?' asked Mohsen. 'Nope,' said Flora. 'So you have no idea what's going to happen and you are hoping it will just come to you as we go along?' 'That's right.' 'You don't think it's quite stressful getting to this point and having no idea what you're going to do next?' 'No!' replied Flora. 'It's actually quite liberating.' 'Well, I hope it all works out in the end,' said Mohsen uncertainly. 'Yes,' agreed Flora. 'So do I.' 'OK,' said Charlie. 'Well, let's look what we have in front of us, and then we can hopefully work out what on earth we are going to do.' What was in front of them was the towering bulk of Van der Gruyne Industries, a vast grey faceless building with a thousand blank windows staring out. Behind it, ink-black licks of clouds scudded across a darkening steely sky. There was a huge metal fence– so tall that if Wogan stood on Mohsen's shoulders, he would just about be able to reach the top. No good for climbing over, though, as it was topped with extra-sharp barbed wire. As it was a Saturday, the office was shut, but security guards were patrolling

the grounds. Two of them had dogs. Huge German shepherds. Dylan had been true to his word– there did appear to be more guards on duty.