Zak nipped into the kitchen, and touched a spot on the worktop. The cupboard below slid out. It was still full of crockery – new plates would be cheap on Mars. Zak retrieved an object tucked away at the back.
‘Gran’s clock!’ said Mum. ‘What was it doing in there?’
‘I couldn’t stand the ticking,’ said Zak, stuffing it into his bag. ‘Let’s hope no-one thinks it’s a timebomb.’
Although it wouldn’t be inconvenient if he was detained out of suspicion, he thought. It would save him an escape attempt.
The family returned to the garage, leaving the house for good. They strapped themselves into the car – Zak and Skye in the back, Mum and Dad in the front, with Dad taking the seat at the control dashboard.
Much more spacious than a motor car, the jet-car was a haven of comfort. In the air, the width of lanes was no longer restricted by the historic placing of buildings, and so jet-cars were fifty percent wider than motor cars. Yet the jet-car travelled so fast that most journeys were only a matter of minutes.
‘Kids,’ said Dad, ‘it’s going to be a stop-start day today I’m afraid. It will be six hours before we get on board the ship, and most of that time will be spent waiting around. We’ll drive to Coventry Airport, but then we’ve got to catch a plane to the Florida Spaceport, take the shuttle to the Earth One Space Station, and then transfer onto the ship. I’d say you’re better off listening to music, than trying to watch TV or play a game.’
Zak sighed. Maybe it would be more relaxing if each part of the journey took several hours.
Dad started the car. A low but loud hum grew around them. The roof of the garage opened. Two doors separated and wheeled back to the side.
Zak looked out of the car window and through the open roof. The sky was a brilliant blue, with barely a wisp of cloud to spoil it. He was sure it was unusual to get such a clear day so early in the year, and wondered if scientists were being a bit hasty in concluding there was an Ice Age on the way.
