line and Iâve got a fair idea where itâs headed.â
âAre you saying that someoneâs being paid off?â asked Dexter.
âYou better believe it.â
âBut who?â asked Veejay.
Ron glanced over his left shoulder then swung a look right.
âIâve got a good nose for these things, fellas, and Iâm smelling something fishy down at the local council. Weâll start there, I think.â
âWhat do you mean, we?â
âI can help you with this, Veejay, itâs what I do.â
âYou mean, used to do?â
âCome on, fellas, Iâll go nuts if I donât get out of here and do something. What dâya say?â
âWeâll need a plan of course, Ron,â said Dexter.
âOf course.â
âVeejay, what about it?â
A huge smile flashed across his face.
âAre you, by any chance, familiar with the Commando Manual, Ron?â
âRusty, Iâm afraid.â
In all the excitement, the boys had forgotten Travis. They called him over and introduced him to Ron, then bunched up tight. A weathered hand covered in sun-spots hit the table. The others followed Ronâs lead, one on top of the other, palms down. They were more than buddies now. They were a team, preparing for combat, unafraid of the dangers that lay ahead. The boys waited while Ron licked his lips.
âWhite with one, please Travis, thereâs a good lad.â
FULL $16.95
TANDOORI CHICKEN .......... HALF $8.95
Spring chicken, marinated in yoghurt, ginger, garlic, lemon juice and fresh spices, cooked in the clay oven.
N ext morning, Dexter was up early chomping into a bowl of cereal. His older brother, Hugo, shuffled into the kitchen half asleep, all bed hair and bad breath.
âWho put the Cornflakes in the fridge?â he asked, wiping sleep from his eyes.
âSorry,â said Dexter.
âGeez, youâre acting weird lately. Whatâs got into you?â
School was over for Hugo â no more Longwood High. A long, cruisey summer lay ahead, then, hopefully, university. He wanted to be an architect or something. Whereas life always seemed to be a struggle for Dexter, Hugo seemed to breeze through it. Good at everything, he was. And girls! His latest girlfriend, Sally Bradthorn, was a stunner. âHorny Thornyâ he called her.
âHowâs Sal?â asked Dexter.
âSheâs good,â he replied. âWhy?â
âNo reason.â
Pouring some milk, Hugo twigged, then smiled. He was cluey, no question.
âYouâre tuning, arenât you?â
âTuning?â asked Dexter, confused.
âYeah. Tuning in on some girl. You know, like when youâre mucking around with the dial on a ghetto blaster, zeroing in on a radio station. Youâre tuning, am I right?â
âWell, um, not exactly. Iâd like to be though. Itâs just that Iâm not sure how to go about it.â
âBrother, have you come to the right place.â
Running through the dos and donâts of modern-day tuning, Hugo slid his chair in next to Dexter.
âDonât look so worried,â he said. âIâm giving you the simplified version. Itâll only get you in the front door. What you need now are some basic moves. Iâll let you in on a couple of my favourites. Donât be fancy, Dexter, just keep it simple, okay?â
âSimple, gotcha.â
Hugo moved closer still.
âNow, letâs pretend that Iâm you.â
Dexter winced. âDo we have to do this?â
âWe do, Iâm afraid ⦠And you are?â
âIndira?â replied Dexter.
âGood.â
Upstairs their mum and dad stirred.
âDonât you think weâre jumping the gun a bit here?â asked Dexter uncomfortably.
âSsshhh!â
Sipping his tea, Dexter felt something soft and sticky on his leg.
âSee that,â said Hugo proudly. âNice and subtle,