get out of there. And above all,
do not try to make a stand against the White Knights
. You aren’t knights yet – you’re not ready. And as soon as they see you, we’ll have an army of them down on top of our heads in minutes. Do you understand?’
They all nodded. Seizing their weapons and shields, they got ready to jump.
‘If you can’t make it back here, I’ll pick you up over there!’ Salt pointed at a building shaped like a giant fist, not far from the edge of the funfair. ‘In the car park on the far side. Now, go! And remember – Stand Together . . .’
‘Battle as One!’ they all called back.
Then the three armoured cadets were leaping from the back of the shuttle, landing in the long grass. Rake looked around quickly and started to run towards the Ferris wheel with the others following. The android police were right behind Hoax. He was weaving through the crowd, but the White Knights just charged through, shoving people out of their way.
As they passed under the Ferris wheel, one of them reached out, nearly getting its fingers on Hoax’s collar. He twisted aside, kicked out at it and ducked back between its legs. It turned round, snatching at his tunic. But just at that moment, a large hammer smacked into the side of its head, sending it flying. Oddball jumped in between Hoax and the next android, ready to swing his hammer again. The White Knight paused, waiting for its two comrades to catch up. They never did.
It turned to see Rake drop from the Ferris wheel. The cadet crouched, ducking under one robot’s sword and deflecting it with his shield. He swiped the legs from under it with his sword. Then he used its head as a springboard, flying over the swinging sword of the fourth White Knight. His knee cracked into the android’s cheek, sending it sprawling to the ground.
‘Dunk, I’m good!’ Rake shouted as he landed, laughing with the thrill of it all.
The one he’d hit in the legs rose up behind him. It raised its sword over his head. Then its own head was cut off by a shield that came slicing through the air. The shield swooped away in a long curve and came spinning back into the hand of Snow, who stood several metres away. The robot’s head bounced across the ground, leaving a trail of sparks.
The White Knight that had stopped to wait for back-up was so surprised by the attack on its comrades that Snow and Oddball were able to finish it off easily. Snow swung her baton down alongside Oddball’s hammer.
Two of the androids were starting to get up again.
‘That’s it, we’re out of here!’ Rake shouted.
‘Who the clack are you?’ Hoax gasped. He couldn’t see their faces through the visors. ‘What are Gladiators doing out here? And since when did they let robots join the White Knights?’
‘Later!’ Rake snapped, looking back at the androids. ‘And we’re not Gladiators – we’re knights . . . sort of. Come on!’
They ran through the fairground, but all around them sirens started up. More White Knights appeared among the rides and stalls. The way back to the beach was blocked. They would have to make for the building Salt had showed them.
‘We need to go this way,’ Snow said suddenly, pointing off to the side.
‘What? Why?’ Rake asked.
‘I . . . I just think it’s the best way to go,’ she muttered.
Rake stared at her for a minute. The way she was pointing out wasn’t the most direct route. It would take longer. For reasons he didn’t understand, he nodded to her.
‘Over here!’ he called to the others, jumping onto a roller-coaster car as it passed them.
It was just starting to slow down as it hit an upward slope. They all leaped on board and it rolled up to the peak of the track. Rake used the height to take a good look around, noting the dozens of androids appearing in the park. They were blocking all the exits.
‘Where are they all coming from?’ he muttered.
Then the breath was taken out of his lungs as the car plunged down the
do not try to make a stand against the White Knights
. You aren’t knights yet – you’re not ready. And as soon as they see you, we’ll have an army of them down on top of our heads in minutes. Do you understand?’
They all nodded. Seizing their weapons and shields, they got ready to jump.
‘If you can’t make it back here, I’ll pick you up over there!’ Salt pointed at a building shaped like a giant fist, not far from the edge of the funfair. ‘In the car park on the far side. Now, go! And remember – Stand Together . . .’
‘Battle as One!’ they all called back.
Then the three armoured cadets were leaping from the back of the shuttle, landing in the long grass. Rake looked around quickly and started to run towards the Ferris wheel with the others following. The android police were right behind Hoax. He was weaving through the crowd, but the White Knights just charged through, shoving people out of their way.
As they passed under the Ferris wheel, one of them reached out, nearly getting its fingers on Hoax’s collar. He twisted aside, kicked out at it and ducked back between its legs. It turned round, snatching at his tunic. But just at that moment, a large hammer smacked into the side of its head, sending it flying. Oddball jumped in between Hoax and the next android, ready to swing his hammer again. The White Knight paused, waiting for its two comrades to catch up. They never did.
It turned to see Rake drop from the Ferris wheel. The cadet crouched, ducking under one robot’s sword and deflecting it with his shield. He swiped the legs from under it with his sword. Then he used its head as a springboard, flying over the swinging sword of the fourth White Knight. His knee cracked into the android’s cheek, sending it sprawling to the ground.
‘Dunk, I’m good!’ Rake shouted as he landed, laughing with the thrill of it all.
The one he’d hit in the legs rose up behind him. It raised its sword over his head. Then its own head was cut off by a shield that came slicing through the air. The shield swooped away in a long curve and came spinning back into the hand of Snow, who stood several metres away. The robot’s head bounced across the ground, leaving a trail of sparks.
The White Knight that had stopped to wait for back-up was so surprised by the attack on its comrades that Snow and Oddball were able to finish it off easily. Snow swung her baton down alongside Oddball’s hammer.
Two of the androids were starting to get up again.
‘That’s it, we’re out of here!’ Rake shouted.
‘Who the clack are you?’ Hoax gasped. He couldn’t see their faces through the visors. ‘What are Gladiators doing out here? And since when did they let robots join the White Knights?’
‘Later!’ Rake snapped, looking back at the androids. ‘And we’re not Gladiators – we’re knights . . . sort of. Come on!’
They ran through the fairground, but all around them sirens started up. More White Knights appeared among the rides and stalls. The way back to the beach was blocked. They would have to make for the building Salt had showed them.
‘We need to go this way,’ Snow said suddenly, pointing off to the side.
‘What? Why?’ Rake asked.
‘I . . . I just think it’s the best way to go,’ she muttered.
Rake stared at her for a minute. The way she was pointing out wasn’t the most direct route. It would take longer. For reasons he didn’t understand, he nodded to her.
‘Over here!’ he called to the others, jumping onto a roller-coaster car as it passed them.
It was just starting to slow down as it hit an upward slope. They all leaped on board and it rolled up to the peak of the track. Rake used the height to take a good look around, noting the dozens of androids appearing in the park. They were blocking all the exits.
‘Where are they all coming from?’ he muttered.
Then the breath was taken out of his lungs as the car plunged down the
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