55 A Victory

55 A Victory Circling the Spire as they descended, Peanut and Table Guy noticed that the Big Xs and the RAZERs had all stopped moving. It had worked! They'd deactivated the robots! Their bird's-eye view of the Resistance forces piling over the drawbridge and into the tower was an amazing sight to behold, and by the time they'd arrived at the bottom of the Spire, it was obvious that the battle was over. As they touched down amid the deactivated (and cheese- covered) RAZERs and Exocetia, three hovercraft pulled up alongside them. 'PEANUT!' shouted Mr and Mrs M, climbing out of their vehicles.

Peanut jumped from the table and ran over to join the Markmakers in a group hug. 'So much for staying away from the front line,' said Mrs M. 'What are we going to do with you?' Josephine Engelberger climbed out of her vehicle, walked over and held out her hand. ' Peanut Jones,' she said, as they shook. 'It has been a pleasure to serve alongside you and your friends.' 'Speaking of my friends, where are they? Are they OK?' Suddenly a loud cry came from over near the hole in the crayon fence. 'PEEEEEEEAAAANNUUUTTTTTT!'

Little-Bit came bursting through the crowd of Resistance operatives and leaped into her sister's arms. She was closely followed by Rockwell and Doodle, both looking slightly sheepish in their paint-spattered cheerleader outfits, and Jonathan Higginbottom, whose broad smile lit up the entire island. 'You did it, Peanut,' said Rockwell. 'You've saved the city!' 'We did it,' she replied, throwing her arms around him. 'I might have added the finishing touches, but it takes a whole box of paints to make a picture.' 'So, where's Mr White?' said Little-Bit. 'Have we captured him?' 'Our people are searching for him right now,' replied Mrs M. 'We'll find him, don't you worry.' 'I can't believe we've recaptured the Spire,' said Mr M, with tears in his eyes. ' After all these years, we've finally got our city back.' Peanut, meanwhile, had stepped away from the group and was scanning the crowd intently, looking for the face that she hoped to see more than any other. Are you OK, Peanut?' asked Mrs M, moving to stand alongside her. 'Yes, yes. I, er, don't suppose my dad has appeared, has he?' asked Peanut. 'It's just that now we've won the battle, I thought he might not need to stay hidden away any more.'

'Not yet, my girl, not yet,' said Mrs M. ' But I'm sure you'll be reunited very soon.' 'Pardon me for interrupting, citizens!' said a voice from behind them. 'But what do you want us to do with this one?' They all turned to see Table Guy and Hammerhead flanking a handcuffed and rather cheesy-looking Alan. ' Let's take him to Mission Control,' said Mr M. 'I have one or two questions for him.'