‘You’ll find security tight at the space port,’ said Tom. ‘But to me it doesn’t sound like enough is being done. I’m worried that something bad could happen on the journey.’
‘Right!’ said Zak, irritably.
He wasn’t grateful for Tom’s warning. He had tried to hold firm, to believe in himself and his dream, despite his world turning upside down. But he could no longer keep up the bravado.
‘Well if it was up to me – I wouldn’t be going!’ he blurted.
*
2.30am GMT Monday 6 January 2085
Zak awoke to his alarm – the V-Commando theme tune. He jumped out of bed before touching his Mind Patch to turn it off. A single yawn was enough to get him wide awake. He was used to getting up at all hours to take part in a mission. With Tom in the USA, Van in Germany, Arnie in Iran, and competitors all over the world, he often had to ditch standard time.
After quickly throwing on a set of smart clothes he had laid out the night before, he opened his bedroom door.
There, lurching about the landing like an android on low battery was Skye. Rover sat in the corner, looking confused.
‘Uh! Remind me why this was a good idea?’ slurred Skye.
Dad popped his head round the bathroom door, and removed the teeth cleaner from his mouth.
‘Your Gran insists that we make it an early evening visit,’ he said miserably. ‘You’d think she’d be more accommodating given the effort on our part, but that’s your Gran for you.’
‘I wish she’d get a Mind Mat,’ said Skye. ‘Meeting someone in virtual space is just as good as the real thing. Travelling to Australia is such a drag.’
‘You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,’ muttered Dad.
Rover whined. Mum appeared from the main bedroom.
‘What was that?’ she asked.
