The Hollywood Mission by Deborah Abela

the palm computer and pushed her rose-shaped glasses along her nose. ‘Oh, you’ve made contact already. Hello, everyone.’
    â€˜Hello, Frond,’ breathed Eleanor, relieved that Steinberger’s heart wasn’t giving out on him after all. At least not in the way she thought.
    Unable to speak, Steinberger stared at Frond as her long, red lab coat swirled beside him and her hair rose above him like a miniature Tower of Pisa.
    Ben whispered to Linden, ‘Hasn’t he told Frond how he feels about her yet?’
    â€˜Not yet.’ He shrugged.
    Ben’s eyes widened. ‘We used to take bets on when he was going to tell her. Looks like I lost by about five years.’
    â€˜We’ll get started straightaway,’ Max told a breathless Steinberger.
    â€˜Bye, everyone,’ Frond answered.
    Eleanor shut down the palm computer.
    â€˜What should we do about Aspen?’ Max asked.
    â€˜Your dad told me about that. It’s very important that we do nothing that seems unusual,’ Eleanor instructed. ‘Which means going skiing as planned. While you’re there, listen out for anything about the industry that may give you clues as to what is happening.’
    â€˜What should we do first?’ Linden moved to the edge of the lounge excited about the idea of another mission.
    â€˜The pact,’ Ben said decisively.
    â€˜The what?’ Max asked incredulously.
    â€˜The pact,’ Ben repeated. ‘You know, where we all hold —’
    â€˜Hands. I know,’ Max sighed.
    â€˜Linden told us how you do it before every mission,’ Eleanor added.
    â€˜Did he?’
    Linden smiled broadly as he took Max’s handand one by one they each swore to look out for each other always.
    A sound from the wardrobe sent Eleanor’s head turning in that direction. Max’s brain was alive with a million excuses she could use to get out of the questions that were about to flow, but all Eleanor asked was, ‘How’s Toby?’
    Max frowned. ‘Sorry?’
    â€˜Toby? Your friend from school?’
    â€˜Good.’ Max had been ready for almost any question except that one.
    â€˜Good,’ said Eleanor, but Max could tell she knew more than she was letting on.
    â€˜Have a great trip and we’ll see you when you get back.’ Eleanor kissed them goodbye and Ben gave both their heads a rub before they left Max’s bedroom.
    When the door closed, Toby leapt out of the wardrobe wearing a long, oversized gown. ‘A mission? How great will that be?’
    â€˜It’s for us, not you,’ Max said abruptly.
    â€˜You know, anyone would think you didn’t like me, Max Remy.’
    â€˜Would they now?’ she fumed.
    â€˜Yeah. Lucky we know otherwise.’
    He noticed a piece of fluff on his gown. ‘Hey,Max, I think you’ve dropped your brain.’
    â€˜Why don’t you —’
    â€˜Oh, Max?’
    It was Eleanor. Max booted Toby under the bed with a firm shove just as the door swung open and Eleanor walked in.
    â€˜I also wanted to —’
    â€˜Yes?’ Max asked a little too eagerly.
    Eleanor stopped. ‘I wanted to let you know Quimby is getting a mission pack ready for you both for when you return from the snow.’
    Quimby was the Spyforce inventor who equipped spies with special devices for each mission.
    â€˜Excellent. Quimby’s great, isn’t she? Always one step ahead.’ Max knew she was rambling but found it hard to stop. ‘Spyforce sure is lucky to have her. In fact, I don’t know what they would do if —’
    â€˜We’ll be ready to start the mission the moment we get back,’ Linden stepped in.
    A moment passed.
    â€˜There’s nothing going on that we need to know about, is there?’ Eleanor asked.
    Linden thought fast. ‘From what Steinberger told us, I think there probably is. We’ll do our best to find out all we can while we’re