The Girl of Colours (Book TWO)

Dread

Mars, possibly my least favourite planet in the solar system because of the Flood, and we were watching the Mars Rover on Mr Smiths screen, as Luke was on the laptop. Oh, I missed him so much... "Oh boy, it's looking like a beautiful morning on Mars today. The dust storms have subsided. We've got a really clear view." One of the men from NASA was saying, but I was silently typing to Luke, pushing my glasses up my nose. Luke decided that I looked like a sexy librarian.

"Oh, you'll never guess what mum's done." Rani said as she came into the attic. "Hi, there. Guess what?"

Clyde shushed her, before Luke spotted her through the webcam. "Hey, Rani, how are you?"

Her face lit up as she saw him. "Luke! Great, thanks. How's Oxford?"

"Just so brilliant." He grinned.

"Can you two keep it down?" Sarah Jane asked, looking over. "We need to time this to the second."

The NASA man spoke again, and I moved closer to the screen, playing with my engagement ring. Oh, it was amazing... "Mars probe, systems operational. Continuing on programmed route."

Rani frowned at the screen. "Is that Mars?" No, it just said that because its going to the chocolate bar factory. That reminded me, I wanted to go to Cadbury world.

"It's the feed from the latest Mars robot probe." Clyde grinned at her. "Sarah Jane and Callie's about to upset NASA big time."

"The Mars rover will be in sight of target in twenty seconds."

Luke still wanted to know how we were all doing, because we rarely were all in the attic together. "So, how's everybody doing at school?"

Our best friend laughed, looking back at him. "Oh, you know. Clyde's still winding Dad up, Callie's still paving the way for the music revolution. How are those uni mates getting on?"

I rolled my eyes, smirking at her. "He says they live off baked beans and curry. Must be like living with the Slitheen." Then I saw where the probe was, right near where the Flood took over the Ice Warriors. "Get ready, Mister Smith."

"Approaching point of visibility." He replied. "Jamming signal now."

"Hey, where did the signal go?" NASA man asked, sounding freaked. "We've lost contact with the probe."

"Powering down NASA probe."

Just as it was about to approach the Pyramid of Mars. Beautiful, but deadly. "Well done, Mister Smith." Sarah Jane smiled at the computer, before looking back at us. I loved staying here, I really did.

Luke laughed through the screen, and I went back to sit by him, wanting to feel as close to him as possible. "Looks like NASA just lost yet another Mars probe."

"What was that, on the horizon?"

"An ancient civilisation." I replied, scrunching up my nose to get my glasses into the right place. They were annoying, but at least I could see now. "Ancient and terrible. Some of Mars' secrets are best left undiscovered. At least for another 50 years."

"You see, that's what Mum and Callie do now that I'm not around to keep an eye on them. Sabotages NASA probes."

Clyde grinned now, nudging my mother in law. "They're so out of control. I mean, Callie saved a whole load of old people in Marks and Spencers all on her own." River...

"Only the ones heading for trouble." Sarah clarified, before looking back at Rani. "So, guess what?"

It took a moment before she realised that she'd said something. "Oh! Where Mum's dragged my dad."