37 Back in The Bunker

Chapter 37 Back in The Bunker The balloon landed with a jolt in the field just behind the red mill building. The three children jumped out and made their way to the hay wagon Bunker entrance in the middle of the river. They ran down the stairs and straight into the room marked 'Transport'. Peanut was immediately struck by the number of people that were in there. It was busy the first time they'd visited, but this was something else. Suddenly, a familiar bark rang through the air, shortly followed by a very excited Doodle, who ran to greet the children. ' Peanut! Rockwell! Little-Bit! There

you are!' shouted a cross-looking Mrs Markmaker, running towards them from behind an exquisitely drawn Chinook helicopter. 'What on earth happened? Where have you been? I've been worried sick!' 'I'm so sorry,' said Peanut. She'd never seen Mrs M looking angry before. 'I-I know we were reckless and what we did was dangerous. And I know you told us to stay where we were. The last thing we wanted was for you to worry, but I think it was a risk worth tak 'I need to find Malcolm and let him know that the three of you are safe,' interrupted Mrs M. ' He's been so worried.' She put her hands on Peanut's shoulders and squeezed them hard, before turning and heading out of the room. 'Where did all these extra Resistance people come from?' asked Rockwell, pushing a very licky Doodle away from his face. 'There are so many of them.' 'I was thinking the same thing,' replied Peanut, 'It's like...' Mrs M came running back in with her husband. Following them was a tall, statuesque woman with razor- sharp cheekbones and short, white hair. 'Children! said a breathless Mr M. 'What were you thinking? You've had us on pins and needles! You should have done as you were told and stayed in the Map Room. 'I know,' said Peanut, And I'm really sorry, but—'

'I think,' said Mrs M, 'that you need to tell us exactly where you've been. And we need to fill you in on one or two things that have happened here too.' The six of them sat at the round table in the Map Room, and Peanut told the Markmakers and the lady with the cheekbones everything. She explained how they'd snuck through the North Draw portal which led to the Louvre, and how they'd witnessed Mr White rubbing out the door in the plinth of the Venus de Milo. As we thought,' said Mr M, nodding. 'He's definitely shutting down the routes into and out of the city.' Peanut described following Mr White through the catacombs and explained how they'd found Conté's grave and realised that it too was a portal. The Markmakers shifted in their seats as she described arriving in the Mission Control room at the top of the Spire, and finding a trapdoor leading to a swimming pool full of rainbow-coloured water. She told them about the doors drawn on the wall, and how one of those doors led them to New York. Mr and Mrs M looked horrified when she described jumping from the top of the Empire State Building. how did you draw a jet-pack?' asked Mr M, 'But

frowning. 'Regular art equipment doesn't work like that in the real world. The only pencil with that power is...' His voice trailed off and his eyes narrowed behind his huge glasses. Peanut smiled. Slowly, she pulled Little Tail from her bandolier and held it out towards Mr M. The silver-haired man's frown instantly disappeared and was replaced by a wide smile. 'Pencil Number One? Peanut! This is amazing! How on earth...? I mean, what did you...? This is just. ' Well, I'll be said Mrs M. 'We were hoping,' said Peanut, looking at Rockwell and Little-Bit, 'that when you realised we'd managed to get Little Tail back, you'd agree that the risk we took when we went through the North Draw portal was one that was worth taking. And that you'd forgive us. The Markmakers smiled. 'The three of you really are quite remarkable children,' said Mrs M. Full of surprises.' 'Speaking of surprises,' said Rockwell, 'Do you know why those horrible robots have all stopped working? It's because of me! I turned them all off when we were in the Mission

Control room at the top of the Spire! OK, so I didn't do it on purpose, but I did it nevertheless. Pretty good, huh?' Ah, that explains it!' said Mrs M. 'We wondered how that had happened.' 'I think this might be an appropriate moment to introduce myself,' said the lady with the cheekbones in a deep voice. 'My name is Josephine Engelberger, and I am the person who designed and built the RAZERs.'