The Demon Headmaster and The Prime Minister’s Brain Read Online Free Page B

of her big, untidy cardigan and pulled out a long, heavy gold chain set with turquoises. ‘This is my nest-egg. It belonged to my grandmother. I’ve never worn it, but I knew I’d need it one day. And if I sell it, I should get enough to buy your S-7.’
    Dinah’s eyes prickled with tears. She didn’t deserve anyone to be so good to her. And she didn’t even want it any more. Not in the wild, desperate way she had wanted it downstairs. She couldn’t let Mum sell her chain for nothing.
    ‘Look—’ she began.
    Mrs Hunter put a hand over her mouth. ‘Not another word. We’re going to buy your S-7. We really want to. You just take care of this, in case you need it.’
    Reaching into the other pocket of her cardigan, she pulled out the card that Dinah had flung at them. The card from the Computer Director, with the octopus tentacles curling across it. Dinah looked down and saw the swirling patterns.
    Octopus -s-s-s-s!
    It was no good! She had to have the computer, because she had to go to the final in the Sentinel Tower. She had to, she had to, she had to …
    ‘Oh, Mum,’ she whispered, as she felt the panic starting again, ‘I’m scared.’
    ‘You funny girl.’ Mrs Hunter laughed. ‘What is there to be scared of?’
    She did not get an answer. Instead Dinah, who never showed her feelings, hugged her hard and buried her face in the big, untidy cardigan.

4
North Island
    Dinah looked round at the SPLAT meeting and took a deep breath. ‘I need help,’ she said quietly.
    ‘Help? You?’ Lloyd stared at her. He could never remember her asking for anything like that before.
    She wriggled awkwardly on her chair. ‘I’m sorry, but I do. It’s this competition. I feel—’
    ‘Not the competition !’ Ingrid gave a loud disgusted snort and rolled over on the floor, burying her head under a cushion. ‘I don’t want to hear anything about the creepy Computer Director and his smelly competition.’
    ‘Nor do I.’ Harvey put his fingers in his ears. ‘They’ve ruined enough of the holiday already.’
    Lloyd sighed. No one would think this was supposed to be a serious meeting! Ingrid and Harvey were behaving like three year olds; Mandy, who hated quarrelling, looked ready to burst into tears; and Dinah had turned very pale and stiff.
    ‘It doesn’t matter,’ she said in a small voice. ‘Forget it. I’m sorry I spoke.’
    ‘Of course it matters!’ spluttered Lloyd. ‘This is supposed to be a secret society, not a playgroup.’ He nodded to Ian. ‘Help me sort these two out.’
    There was a short scuffle, with grunts from Harvey and loud, dramatic shrieks from Ingrid. Two minutes later everyone was sitting very still and solemn, staring at Dinah.
    ‘Right ,’ said Lloyd. ‘Now, what is it?’
    Dinah looked even stiffer and more embarrassed. ‘It’s this final. I can’t explain why—I don’t know why—but I’m scared of it. There’s something wrong, something I can’t understand. And the nearer it gets, the more nervous I feel.’
    ‘What a stupid problem!’ Ingrid said loudly, before anyone else had a chance to speak. ‘It’s obvious what you’ve got to do. Just don’t go if you don’t want to. No one can force you to.’
    Dinah shook her head, looking miserable. ‘It’s not that simple. Mum and Dad have bought me this S-7 computer just so that I can go to the final. It was really expensive. I can’t suddenly turn round and tell them I’ve changed my mind. And anyway, I haven’t changed my mind. I still want to go to the final. Every time I look at that invitation card, I feel as though I’ll die if I don’t go. But—I’m scared. I want you all to come with me.’
    For a moment there was complete silence. Then three voices burst out at once.
    ‘No one would let us—’ said Lloyd.
    ‘Why should we want to—?’ shrieked Harvey.
    ‘I’m not going near the Computer Director —’ yelled Ingrid.
    Dinah looked even more miserable, and Mandy got up and put an arm round her