Colin Meets an Emu Read Online Free PDF Page B

knees.
    â€œLie down! Now!” commanded Colin. Fearfully the big man did so. Sammy gave a growl as threatening as that of a lion and stood guard over him. “Don’t move,” Colin added.
    Turning to Mad Martha, he said calmly, “Now, madam, call off your robots.” For once Mad Martha was silent.
    â€œI said call off your robots. Release all these people and also that little boy, if he is still in the recycling bin.”
    â€œCertainly not!” replied Mad Martha, pretending to ignore him. She patted her hair to summon her robots. A ring of menacing black figures began to close in on Colin and his friends. Turning back to Colin, Mad Martha said, “Well, young man, whoever you are, you are now my second in command. You can replace that useless Harka.”
    Olivia stepped forward angrily towards Martha. Her dark eyes flashed. “Oh no, oh no, you don’t, you arrogant, fat toad! Leave him alone! Colin is mine. He’s my husband. Do you understand?”
    Mad Martha laughed mockingly. “My, my! I couldn’t care less! He’ll do as I say.”
    She patted her hair again. The robots moved closer, ever more sinister. Mad Martha was so self-assured and confident that she did not expect what happened next. It happened so fast.
    â€œYou conceited old cow!” snapped Olivia, pushing her on the chest just as M bent down invisibly behind her. As she fell over backwards, her enormous blond wig came off, revealing mousy, greasy hair underneath. Mad Martha made a grab for the wig, but she was too late. Swoosh! M had swallowed it, rather like an invisible hoover! Immediately all the robots stopped moving and their whirring noises stopped too.
    â€œIt looks like the crisis is over”, said Colin.
    Olivia was not so sure. “Why is she still grinning?” She pointed at Mad Martha clamped to the floor under M’s foot.
    â€œI’m not telling you, dearie, “ smirked Mad Martha. “I may be mad, but I know what I know, and that’s something you don’t know.” She gave a mad laugh.
    â€œWhat does she know then?” Olivia was still angry but also worried. Something was not quite right. What had they missed?
    â€œI think I know what it is,” whispered Sharon, and she drew Colin and Olivia to one side so that Mad Martha could not hear. “It’s that other guy, Harka’s brother. He’s still out there somewhere. They say he’s the most dangerous of the three and completely mad. The Prison Planet sent out an all galaxy alert, when he escaped. He’s probably the most wanted man in the universe. His name is Quark.”
    â€œOh.” Colin thought for a moment. Then he said, “We’d better get these two criminals well locked up. Do you have anything as old-fashioned as hand-cuffs?”
    Sharon smiled. Colin was making her feel calm and confident again. “Yes, I’ll get our hotel security staff right away. I’ll contact the Galactic Police as well. They’ll be here in about ten Earthminutes.”
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    In fact it was all done very quickly and efficiently, since M was able to give his invisible and expert help in subduing Harka and Mad Martha. The hotel’s guests stared and chatted excitedly, as the two convicts were hustled away with their thumbs gripped together behind their backs by a simple, futuristic tethering system made of plastic. Mad Martha uttered a constant stream of angry abuse, whereas Harka remained silent and glared around, still suffering from his wounded hand.
    The bookmark throbbed in Colin’s pocket. It seemed to be warning him. He took hold of Olivia’s arm and they stepped outside, followed by Sammy and M. They all looked around at this wondrous new planet.
    â€œWe haven’t got much time.”
    â€œHow do you know?” asked Olivia.
    â€œI think the bookmark knows.”
    â€œWhat can we do then?”
    â€œFind Quark. He’s highly dangerous. He