Battle for Earth (17 page)

Wonderful, thought Johnny. Everyone and their dog would be at the game. He collected his shoes and the rest of his uniform from the bottom of the wardrobe and jogged down the stairs to the others, following Ash and Dave into the minibus.

“That place you live in is seriously weird,” said Dave, as Johnny sat down beside him. “They were telling us you weren't there.”

“I'd been grounded,” said Johnny, “after we were caught in the basement.” He knew neither Dave nor Ash were likely to have forgotten their talking-to from Mrs. Irvine. Besides, it was a better explanation than that he'd been saying goodbye to the Emperor of the Galaxy, visiting pyramids on Mars, narrowly escaped being eaten by a horrid alien bug, arrived home to be shot at by a futuristic submarine using alien technology and finally fought off an attack by giant squid.

“Even from school? Must have been really dull,” said Ashvin.

“Was,” Johnny replied.

“I was worried you'd gone missing like those other kids,” said Dave. Johnny didn't have the slightest idea what his friend was talking about, a fact that was clearly etched across his face. “Of course, you won't know,” Dave went on. “The whole tournament's been rejigged as some schools couldn't field a team. We're not playing Home Counties qualifiers anymore—it's East of England. And if we win, it's straight through into the final.”

“These kids—what happened to them?” asked Johnny.

“Who cares?” said Ash.

“Listen up, you lot,” shouted Mr. Davenport from the driver's seat. The coach began barking instructions as he drove the team north.

The tournament was taking place at Northampton Town's training complex, which was even less glamorous than it sounded. There were eight teams, divided into two mini-leagues of four. The league matches would each last half an hour, after which the winner of one group would play the runner-up of the other in hour-long semifinals. Johnny's Castle Dudbury Comprehensive team was representing Essex, having won the County Cup the previous year. Wearing white shirts and black shorts, they were first out of the changing rooms. Captain, Micky Elliot, and coach, Mr. Davenport, led them on a warm-up jog toward the fields, with a few stretching exercises along the way.

The sky was blue, but with clumps of white cloud racing each other across. As the wind howled over the exposed playing fields, Johnny huddled with his teammates between the two fields being used for their half of the draw. It was hard to concentrate on what Mr. Davenport was saying. Their first opponents, St. Edwards from Suffolk, had arrived and were warming up on the very far touchline, in front of a row of poplar trees where little Miss Harutunian was deep in conversation with the towering Dr. Carrington. Johnny wondered what they could possibly have to talk about that was so interesting, before realizing it was probably him.

Out from behind the trees came Clara, tugging at Bentley's lead. Not surprisingly, the sheepdog always struggled after folding. Johnny's sister walked to the edge of the far field,
quite close to Miss Harutunian, and looked to be scouring the playing fields for Johnny. He daren't wave with Mr. Davenport in full flow, telling them that this was what they'd trained so hard for. Failing to spot him, Clara turned to the couple by her side at the very instant that Dr. Carrington glanced over the head of Miss Harutunian directly at her.

Each froze, staring at the other. Then, bold as brass, in full view of anyone who might be watching, Clara opened a fold and stepped through, dragging Bentley behind her. Dr. Carrington jumped, clearly startled, and the social worker turned toward where he'd been looking, only to see nothing.

Throughout the time Clara had spent at the Proteus Institute for the Gifted, the Krun had employed Dr. Carrington to monitor her for evidence of unusual abilities. The doctor claimed he'd done his utmost to protect her, not experimenting on her and preventing at all cost the types of procedure that had been carried out on Louise's friend Peter. Even so, Johnny could understand his sister loathing the very sight of this strange man who appeared to have a finger in every alien pie, but that didn't excuse Clara folding in plain sight. She shouldn't have folded at all. He began rehearsing the argument he knew he'd have to have about it, when he was plucked from his imaginary row by Mr. Davenport saying, “Johnny, are you with us?”

“What? … Sorry,” said Johnny.

“I was just saying,” the coach went on, “that it's good to have our mascot here, but Bentley won't be much use if your mind's elsewhere … focus.”

Clara must have unfolded very nearby and was walking toward them, poor Bentley looking much the worse for wear. The Old English sheepdog barely acknowledged Johnny as he collapsed exhausted by the side of the field.

“What's
he
doing here?” demanded Clara as she reached Johnny.

“I don't know,” he hissed back, “but you shouldn't have done that—not in front of everyone.”

“I'm not letting that man near me ever again,” she said, loud enough for most of the team to hear.

Johnny noticed a couple of black patches beginning to form in her eyes. “Keep your voice down,” he hissed, “and stop folding—it's not safe for you.”

“I'm fed up with you telling me what I can and can't do,” she said, not even whispering. “You're just jealous.”

“OK, Castle Dudbury,” shouted Mr. Davenport, “we're on. Remember what we talked about—move the ball quickly, to feet.”

Johnny followed the coach and the rest of the team onto the field. When he turned around, Clara had vanished leaving Bentley alone by the touchline.

It was hard to concentrate on the match, which seemed to pass Johnny by, happening at a hundred miles an hour all around him. Even so, as half-time approached he managed to set up a goal for Dave with a lovely cross to the far post, picking his friend out in so much space that it would have been harder to miss. Dr. Carrington shouted, “Bravo, Jonathan … bravo,” from the touchline. There were only a couple of minutes for the turnaround, during which time Clara unfolded nearby. Miss Harutunian must have wandered off somewhere and, as soon as he saw Johnny's sister, Dr. Carrington began striding across the field toward her. She vanished again, reappearing the next moment in the spot the doctor had vacated. He turned and retraced his steps whereupon she did exactly the same thing again. Clara looked to be finding it very funny.

The referee blew to restart the game and Johnny was forced to concentrate on his soccer. Quickly Castle Dudbury was on the defensive. Simon Bakewell in goal made two great saves and Johnny was hardly in the game at all. He couldn't bear that
every time he even went near the ball, Dr. Carrington shouted out—it was excruciating. For most of the remaining fifteen minutes it was all hands on deck as the Suffolk players surged forward with wave after wave of attacks. Johnny heard Mr. Davenport shouting at the referee to blow his whistle just as skipper Micky Elliot slipped, missing an easy header and allowing the opposition striker a straight run on goal.

Johnny set off in pursuit, gaining with every stride, but there was so much ground to make up. The forward was nearing the Castle Dudbury penalty area, but Johnny was closing in. The red-shirted striker bore down into the box nearing the penalty spot, pulling back his leg to shoot—it was now or never. Feeling a fraction too far away, Johnny slid into the challenge, stretching his leg further than he thought it could possibly go. He reached the ball a millisecond ahead of the center forward, nudging it away before the shot came in. Committed to the strike, the St. Edwards player kicked Johnny's foot where the ball had just been and fell over in a heap. There was a shrill blast on the whistle. There should have been three—time had to be up by now. Then the truth dawned—a penalty had been awarded.

Johnny couldn't believe it and lay on the ground in a daze, his calf cramping from stretching too far. Mr. Davenport was going berserk on the touchline. Things went from bad to worse as the Suffolk players surrounded the referee and demanded Johnny be sent off for denying a goal-scoring opportunity. As soon as he'd made the initial decision, the official had simply run to the far side of the goal near the touchline to be in position for the kick. Now, to break free from the ring of players around him, he escaped into the penalty area, came over to Johnny and brandished a red card.

Johnny had never so much as been booked before. He traipsed off the field toward where Clara was standing with Bentley.
As he looked over his shoulder, the penalty was converted and the whistle blew for full time. For his teammates, it was straight on to the next match, against Derby Grammar School, but Johnny wouldn't be able to play—his sending off meant he was suspended.

Johnny wanted to talk with his sister, but Miss Harutunian came around the side of the field, bent down to fuss Bentley and announced that, after the tournament, they would be having a meeting in Mrs. Irvine's office. She said she was quite happy to give Johnny a lift home so the school minibus didn't have to go out of its way.

“I think I should really stay with the team,” was his lame reply.

The social worker looked at him, as if thinking about arguing the point, only to say, “OK, but I'll be following right behind.” Then she turned to Johnny's sister and said, “You must be Clara—I've heard so much about you.”

Clara shot Johnny a filthy glance, which was really unfair as he'd never once mentioned her to his social worker. Her eyes were turning noticeably blacker.

“I think it might be appropriate,” Miss Harutunian went on while rubbing Bentley's fur, “if you came to the meeting too.”

“C'mon, Johnny—why aren't you watching the game?” Mr. Davenport appeared beside them on the edge of the field. “Cramp, is it?” he continued. Johnny nodded and the coach took hold of his foot and said, “Push,” while bending back Johnny's toes. The muscles began to relax. “Sorry, ladies,” said Mr. Davenport as Clara scowled at Miss Harutunian, “but I need this one for the last match. Come on, son.” Johnny was led away to where the game against Derby Grammar was taking place. As he walked he could feel his sister staring daggers at the back of his head.

Derby had beaten West Bridgford School from Notts in the
first round of games. Against Castle Dudbury they'd quickly gone two-nothing up and were now playing on the break. Without Johnny in the midfield to link defense and attack, Castle Dudbury were mainly hoofing long balls from anywhere on the field in the vague direction of their forward. Considering both Dave and his strike partner Joe Pennant were on the short side, though very nimble, it wasn't a very effective tactic and soon both their heads began to drop. It was well into the second half by now and, as the game wore on, it looked less and less likely that Castle Dudbury would ever score a goal. A couple of times they nearly went three behind.

Clara approached from close by. Judging from the way Bentley was teetering on his white paws, the sheepdog had only just unfolded again. “You must be Clara—I've heard so much about you,” she said, doing a very good impression of Miss Harutunian. “So what exactly have you been telling her?”

“Nothing,” Johnny replied, trying to look as innocent as he knew he was, but feeling himself beginning to blush.

“You expect me to believe that?” said Clara. “Well, there's no way I'm going to that meeting with your Mrs. Irvine.”

“Fine … great—I don't want to go either.”

“Fine,” said Clara.

The referee blew for the end of the match and the players trudged off the field toward them.

“Who's your friend, Johnny?” asked Joe Pennant, walking over.

“Oh, I'm Clara,” said Clara. “I thought everyone knew that.” She turned and walked away, leaving Joe looking very puzzled.

It was straight on to the final group match. The school from Derbyshire had six points and had already qualified. West Bridgford School from Notts had three points having beaten St. Edwards from Suffolk in the second game. Castle Dudbury had one point, the same as St. Edwards, and their
only chance to qualify for the semis was to beat the team from Notts.