Blackout by Andrew Cope Page B

assessed
the situation and there was only one solution. He noticed people pointing upwards, cameras flashing as the makeshift glider plunged towards the capital city.
We’re sure to get millions of hits on YouTube
, he thought.
Roads are full. People everywhere. There’s only one solution. Water isn’t my biggest fear. My biggest fear is losing the little girl I love the most in the entire world
. The River Thames sparkled below.
This calls for a splash landing!

    Sophie was squealing. The river was getting
closer and the winged wheelchair was descending too steeply. ‘Tower Bridge is getting closer and we’re nosediving straight for it. What are we going to doooo?’ yelled the little girl. ‘You can’t swim! And what about the old man? He’s strapped in. When this hits the water, it’ll sink, taking him with it.’
    Shakespeare felt calm.
The glider is going to hit the bridge. Guaranteed. If we’re aboard when it hits the bridge, we’ll all be dead. Guaranteed
.
    The old man’s eyes flickered open and his grip tightened round Sophie. ‘I’m so sorry, little girl,’ he said. ‘This wasn’t supposed to happen. We were just trying to slow the world down, so your generation could spend time playing outside.’
    ‘What, learning to swim!’ yelled Sophie, jabbing her finger at the grey Thames. ‘It’s a bit late for explanations. We need to get you out of this chair before we hit the …’
    Shakespeare knew about the word ‘sacrifice’ and he felt calm.
Lives left? Nil
. It was a now-or-never moment.
Rule number one!
    Sophie’s hands were raised in anticipation of hitting the bridge. He slammed a paw on the belt buckle and it sprang open. He stuck one
claw into the old man’s hand and one into Sophie’s and extended to full range, raking them across their skin.
Sorry, folks!
    Both passengers screamed and let go, falling from the wheelchair and plummeting into the river.

    Less
than a second later the wheelchair slammed against the bridge. A thousand camera phones clicked, recording the crunching and scraping of metal. There was an agonizing screech as the chair slid down the wall and splashed into the water.

17. A Viral Hit
    ‘One
million hits in less than a week! That, Agent Pusskins, is quite an achievement.’
    Shakespeare watched the video one more time, panic rising in his tummy. He watched the wobbly footage of the old man and his beloved little girl plunging into the water. Their heads bobbed up, Sophie cupping the old man’s chin in her hand, her bronze lifesaving skills coming into use. The footage continued, focusing on the humans. Whoever had recorded the video had thought it best to commentate rather than jump in and help. ‘Splash landing, dude,’ said an American voice.
    The camera phone quickly zoomed to the wreckage, the winged wheelchair sinking fast, and then back to the struggling swimmers. A boat had arrived and Sophie was being hauled
aboard. ‘Women and children first, man,’ noted the commentator. ‘And he must be her grand-pappy,’ he continued as the old man’s limp body was dragged from the water.
    Shakespeare swallowed his panic, allowing pride to surface.
I’m not on camera
, he purred. He remembered the moment – the water swallowing him up. He’d heard of doggy paddle.
I guess this must be pussy paddle
, he thought. His legs were kicking hard. His mission had been accomplished. As he hit the water, he knew Sophie was going to be OK.
If I could survive, it would be a bonus
.
    And, as a Spy Cat, I’ve learnt fast
. His body had hit the water with some force.
I had the wind knocked out of me, for sure. But I wasn’t going to give up
. He remembered Lara telling him a Spy Cat never gives up!
So I kicked harder than ever. But nobody saw a soggy cat. All the attention was on the people. The rescue boat made the water extra choppy
. Shakespeare gulped as he remembered going under again.
I thought it would be my final time
.
    The Internet movie continued and his