2 The Component Parts

2 The Component Parts Peanuts turned to her father and smiled as they descended. 'So, you're definitely Conté's heir, then?' she asked. Nicolas-Jacques Conté was a famous French engineer credited with inventing the pencil in the late eighteenth century. His prototype, Pencil Number One, also known as Little Tail, was currently sitting snugly in Peanut's bandolier, the shoulder belt in which she kept her art materials.

It was this pencil's magical properties— the fact that whatever it draws becomes real— that had brought Peanut and her friends to Chroma in the first place when she had sketched a door in her bedroom and walked through it. This portal- creating ability was unique to the pencil, and therefore made it something that Mr White desperately wanted. He'd stolen it from Peanut during her first adventure in Chroma, but luckily she'd managed to get it back. She still couldn't quite believe that Dad, her free-spirited artist of a father, was Conté's heir. On the other hand, she totally believed it. He was something of an artistic genius, after all. ' Well, the Markmakers seem to think so,' replied Dad. Millicent and Malcolm Markmaker were the leaders of Chroma's Resistance army, the one that Peanut, Rockwell and Little-Bit had just helped to reclaim control of the city. And, apparently, so does Mr White. Our intelligence tells us that I've been his primary target ever since he discovered that Pencil Number One existed. It's probably because he thinks I'm the heir and he knows what the heir can do with the pencil. That's why I had to stay in hiding during the Battle for the Spire. So that White wasn't able to capture me.' 'If he had, we would have just rescued you,' said Little- Bit, confidently. 'I'm sure you would have tried your best,' said Dad with a smile, 'but, quite frankly, I don't think White would have kept

me rescuable for too long, if you know what I mean. I think he wants to see the back of Conté's heir once and for all. Peanut, Little-Bit and Leo went white at the thought. 'Oh, don't worry, kids,' said Dad quickly, seeing their frightened faces. 'I won't let him hurt me. And now that I have you guys here to protect me, I feel as safe as houses.' The colour began to return to their cheeks.

The lift came to an abrupt stop and Dad flicked a switch to the right of the door. A small screen lit up showing grainy black-and-white footage of another room, which appeared to be completely filled with water. He then flicked a second switch and the liquid began to drain away. 'Why's this Mr White bloke so worried about Conté's heir, anyway?' asked Leo. ' Well, if the Markmakers and all of those history books are right,' said Dad, 'when Conté's heir holds Pencil Number One in their hand, an unbelievably potent magic force is released. This force would immediately restore all of the creative power that the city once had, that which Mr White has spent so long trying to destroy. As such, the pencil— that pencil,' he nodded towards Peanut's bandolier, 'could well be the most powerful weapon we have against White and his plan to destroy Chroma. And now that you've got Little Tail back, it's even more important that I stay hidden. We're so close to ending this. We just need to keep both component parts of the

weapon safe until we have captured White. Those component parts being Pencil Number One and me.' 'Hang on,' said Rockwell. 'Why can't we just give you Little Tail now? Wouldn't that instantly sort everything out?' 'It's tempting,' said Dad. ' But it's too much of a risk. I want to make sure that White is captured and, more importantly, that Mum is safe before we do anything with the pencil. There's so much uncertainty right now. Peanut pulled Little Tail from its special slot in her bandolier and looked at it. It felt much heavier than an object of that size should feel. 'Such a small thing,' she whispered, 'but so important. Are you sure you don't want to take it now?' She held it out, offering it to her father. His eyes widened, and he swallowed loudly. He began to lift his hand, but quickly dropped it back to his side.

'No,' he said. 'Not until White is safely locked up. Nobody knows for sure how the magic works and, as the Markmakers are always saying, we might only have one shot at this. We have to make sure we do it properly.