If it failed, the Space Brigade would be in chains by nightfall.
Their plan was audacious, complicated, and possibly ridiculous. Nicola really had no idea if it was going to be a spectacular success or a spectacular failure.
"Here they come!" said Greta. "Right on time."
Nicola looked up just as Mrs. Mania's limousine was driving through the gates of the prison camp. It was the same one they'd seen on Volcomania.
"Didn't th
ey have to scuba dive? How do they get that car through the Underground Sea?" she asked.
"It converts to a submarine," answered Tyler.
"How do you know that?" asked Nicola.
"It was obvious," said Tyler. "The tires were wet, the windows were all foggy, and they left the periscope up on the roof."
"Right," said Nicola, who hadn't noticed any of that.
A few minutes later they saw Poppy, their waitress from the day before, walk into the camp pushing an enormous trolley piled high with covered plates of food. She was biting her lip and her eyes were darting all over the place.
"She looks nervous," said Shimlara. "So much for being a great actress!"
"They won't even notice; they'll be too busy looking at the food," Sean reassured her.
Poppy disappeared into the camp.Ten nail-biting minutes passed and suddenly she came running back out. Nicola's heart sank when she saw the terrified expression on her face. Something must have gone wrong.
"What is it?" asked Nicola fearfully. "What happened? Didn't it work?"
"It was all going beautifully," said Poppy. "They all got into the food right away and within a few minutes they were falling sound asleep!"
It had been Nicola's idea to grind rose petals into the food Poppy took into the camp. She had remembered how Henry Sweet's wife had said the rose petals were a cure for insomnia. Once the Volcomanian guards and Mrs. Mania were fast asleep, they would go into the camp and restrain them.
"So what's the problem?" asked Sean. "That's what we wanted!"
"Yes, but one person hasn't eaten anything at all. She's wide awake!"
Disaster. "It's not Mrs. Mania, is it?" asked Katie.
"No, she's sound asleep! It's worse! It's that really tall princess with the--" She stopped."Why are you all laughing? I'm telling you, this girl looks scary!"
"That's our friend, Princess Petronella," explained Nicola. "And she's not as scary as she looks. Don't worry--we'll take it from here. Thanks for all your help. Don't forget, we'll need you later!"
Poppy had two important roles to play in the execution of their plan.
"No problem," smiled Poppy and ran off.
"Let's get in there fast before they wake up," said Nicola to the others.
"This is so thrilling!" cried Henry Sweet as they ran in the prison gates. "The ups! The downs! The terror! The joy!" He tripped and nearly stumbled.
"Just concentrate on what you're doing, Henry," said Greta. "Instead of constantly thinking about how you're feeling."
For once, Nicola was in complete agreement with Greta.
It was strange entering into a prison camp, when Nicola's every instinct told her to run in the other direction. At first, the place seemed silent and deserted. There were no guards or prisoners in sight.
Then Nicola heard a familiar voice.