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  Star League 8: Final Cut

  9781742754468

  A Random House book

  Published by Random House Australia Pty Ltd

  Level 3, 100 Pacific Highway, North Sydney NSW 2060

  www.randomhouse.com.au

  First published by Random House Australia in 2011

  Copyright © H.J. Harper 2011

  Illustration copyright © Nahum Ziersch 2011

  The moral right of the author has been asserted.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted by any person or entity, including internet search engines or retailers, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying (except under the statutory exceptions provisions of the Australian Copyright Act 1968), recording, scanning or by any information storage and retrieval system without the prior written permission of Random House Australia.

  Addresses for companies within the Random House Group can be found at

  www.randomhouse.com.au/offices.

  National Library of Australia

  Cataloguing-in-Publication Entry

  Author: Harper, H.J.

  Title: The final cut / H.J. Harper; Nahum Ziersch

  ISBN: 978 1 86471 873 7 (pbk.)

  Series: Harper, H.J. Star league; 8

  Target Audience: For children

  Other Authors/Contributors: Ziersch, Nahum

  Dewey Number: A823.4

  Cover illustration and design by Nahum Ziersch

  To Liz and Lisa.

  – N.Z.

  Contents

  Cover

  Copyright Page

  Imprint Page

  Dedication

  Title Page

  Meet the Star League

  Jay

  Connor

  Asuka

  Sam

  Leigh

  Roger

  Jay

  Connor

  Asuka

  Sam

  Leigh

  Roger

  Asuka

  Connor

  Jay

  Ben

  Collect them all

  About the author

  About the illustrator

  I stare up at the two people standing in front of me. I’ve only ever seen them in photographs, but I’d know their faces anywhere.

  ‘Mum? Dad?’ I always thought I’d be overjoyed to meet my parents, but now I feel nothing but dread. I can’t believe my parents are Professor Pestilence.

  ‘Hello, son! It’s so good to see you after all these years,’ croons my father.

  My mother nods. ‘Did you miss us? Of course, we’ve been watching over you all along, as we foiled the plans of the Star League.’

  ‘That’s right,’ says my father. ‘There is no such person as Professor Pestilence, just Prue and Peter Casey. Though you can call us Mum and Dad, Jay.’

  I can’t believe this is happening. I glance at Ben Beaumont, frozen in stone thanks to my parents and the power of the Shadow Shards. I think of all the horrible plans they’ve made to rule the world. This is all too much. I feel my energy drain away and I fall to my knees.

  At the same time I hear a small clattering sound.

  ‘Jay, NO!’ I’m only dimly aware of the Star League shouting at me. I glance down and see that I’ve dropped the seventh Shadow Shard. It hasn’t fallen far, but I can’t even muster the strength to reach out and grab it.

  Everything seems to move in slow motion as both the Star League and the Shadow Six rush for the seventh shard. I’m pushed out of the way in the struggle, and when I raise my head again I see someone raise the shard in victory.

  That someone is Cale. He smirks at me as he hands it over to my mother and father, who clutch it between them like they’ll never let it go.

  ‘At last! The final shard!’ shrieks my mother.

  ‘Now we can reunite the pieces of the Shadow Stone and use its powers to take over the world!’ cackles my father.

  ‘This isn’t over yet!’ yells Asuka. ‘We can still defeat you!’

  ‘I think our guests have outstayed their welcome.’ My mother glares at the Star League.

  ‘Right as usual, dear,’ my father agrees. ‘Let’s see how cocky they are sealed in the caves beneath this tower!’

  ‘And while we’re at it, let’s take their powers!’ adds my mother.

  Together they raise the seventh shard. It shoots out a blast of energy that surrounds the Star League. Their worried faces look to me for help, but I feel completely useless. Then, in the blink of an eye, my friends vanish.

  I want to scream at my parents to bring them back, but I just feel numb.

  ‘There are lots of monsters down in the underground caves,’ gloats my mother. ‘Without their powers, your friends don’t stand a chance!’ The seventh shard glows in her hand, swirling with the Star League’s stolen powers.

  ‘You know, Jay, as our son we’d like to have you by our side.’ My father rubs his chin. ‘We could give you their powers, but only if you decide to join us. You could lead the Shadow Six!’

  That wipes the nasty grin off Cale’s freckled mug. ‘Hey, what are you talking about? I’m the leader of the Shadow Six!’

  ‘And look at the mess you’ve made!’ roars my mother.

  ‘All we asked you to do was defeat the Star League and bring back the seventh shard, but we had to do it for you!’ My father looks furious. ‘We have no time for useless people!’

  My parents raise the seventh shard and point it at Cale. A beam of energy shoots out of it and strikes Cale in the chest. He falls to the ground, unconscious.

  ‘Looks like there’s a new opening in the Shadow Six.’ My mother smiles but there’s no warmth in it. ‘What do you think, Jay? If you cooperate, we might even let your little friends out from the dungeons in ten or twenty years!’

  ‘Join us, son,’ says my father. ‘Join us as we reunite the pieces of the Shadow Stone and take over the world!’

  I frown, staring at the powerful seventh shard in their hands. I don’t want to see the bad guys restore the Shadow Stone, but how can I stop them myself? If it weren’t for me they wouldn’t even have the seventh shard. I’ve really messed up big this time.

  I stare miserably at the ground. As far as I can see, there’s only one thing I can do to save my friends.

  I take a step towards my parents.

  One moment I’m staring down Jay’s evil parents, the next everything goes dark. And I’m not just talking about the regular kind of dark with a moon and stars. I’m talking pitch black. It’s so dark I can’t even see my hands when I wiggle them in front of my face. I reach out and feel rough stone walls on either side of me, so I know I’m not in the tower any more.

  ‘Where do you guys think we are?’ My voice echoes around the stone walls. ‘Hey, do you hear THAT?’ There’s no answer other than my own voice bouncing back. ‘Guys?’

  I feel a stab of panic as I realise I’m alone somewhere in a dark cave. What if I’m stuck down here for the rest of my life? Or worse, what if I’m not actually alone down here? I keep my ears open for the sound of monsters creeping up behind me, but the only thing I can hear is my own rapid
breathing.

  ‘Okay, Connor, calm down. Don’t freak yourself out. Just transform into a werewolf and you’ll be able to see in the dark.’ I close my eyes and try to make the Change, but nothing happens. Then I remember Mrs Casey’s threat just before we were teleported out of the tower. ‘I can’t believe it, they actually took our powers!’

  I need to find the others. Together we can figure out a way to get our powers back, but right now I’m totally exposed. I freeze at the sound of footsteps behind me – quiet ones, as though someone is trying to sneak up on me.

  ‘Asuka?’ I ask, trying not to let my voice wobble. ‘Leigh? Sam?’ I frown. ‘Roger?’

  But there’s no answer. That’s when I really start to freak out. I spin around on the spot as I try to find a way out. Everything feels way too close in here, as though the walls are closing in. ‘Calm down, Connor, you’re imagining things!’ But the more I say it the more freaked out I get. ‘I can get out of here. I just need to find a path!’

  I calm down enough to put one foot shakily out in front of me and take a step forward. Immediately I imagine stepping off a cliff in the middle of the darkness. ‘That’s not helping!’ I order my overactive imagination to be quiet as I take another step forward and another. Soon I’m following a path through the dark cave, trailing my hand along one wall to guide me.

  After a while the air seems to grow lighter and warmer, as though I’m climbing higher. I start to hope that maybe I’ll find an exit out of this place, and then I can teach both Professors Pestilence a lesson in not kidnapping kids and stealing their powers. I’m feeling so good about this plan that I start taking bigger steps and soon I’m practically running along in the dark.

  I’m doing so well that it comes as a big shock when I run face-first into a wall.

  ‘Ouch,’ I mutter. ‘That hurt.’ I pause for a moment to rub my forehead and that’s when I hear a noise. It’s very quiet, but I definitely know I heard something. I stay as still as a statue as I try to pinpoint the sound – a kind of scuttling, like something scrabbling up a rock face. And it’s close. Very close.

  I stand in the spot where whatever is making that noise is about to pop out. Then I raise my hands to grab it. It climbs over the ledge and I leap forward, wrapping my arms around it.

  ‘YARRR! GOT YOU!’

  My arms ache from climbing up this cliff. Normally I could’ve climbed in seconds, but it feels like it’s taking me forever. I reach up with one hand and I realise I’ve finally arrived at the top. I groan as I drag myself over, hoping that now I can just relax for a while.

  But before I can, something barrels into me.

  ‘YARRR! GOT YOU!’

  I panic and aim a ninja chop at whatever is attacking me, but there’s no power behind my blow. Ever since Jay’s parents took my powers away from me I’ve felt as weak as a baby. I still remember all my training, but my strength has completely deserted me. So instead I duck and roll under the legs of my attacker.

  ‘Hey, where’d you go?’ asks a voice I’d know anywhere.

  ‘Connor?’ I ask. ‘Is that you?’

  There’s a moment of silence. ‘Asuka? Oh, am I glad to see you! Well, not really see, I guess. It’s too dark in here.’

  I squint. ‘I can see a little. My night vision was always good. Of course, it’s not as good as it normally is since …’ I trail off, thinking about my stolen powers. It hurts as much as a real wound.

  I can just make out Connor nodding in the dark. ‘They took my powers, too. I feel so useless. What if we get trapped down here forever?’

  Up until now I’d been thinking exactly the same thing. But hearing Connor say it makes me realise we can’t give up yet. ‘We shouldn’t talk like that. We’re going to get out of here and get our powers back. Then we’ll make Professor Pestilence … I mean Jay’s parents … well, whoever they are, we’ll make them pay!’

  ‘You’re right, Asuka,’ says Connor, rubbing his forehead. ‘We have to work on getting out of here, and that means finding the others.’

  We follow the path as it climbs higher and the darkness starts to lift. Soon it’s light enough for me to see Connor, and he looks as scared as I feel. I just keep hoping we don’t bump into anything nasty on this path because without our powers, we’re toast!

  Suddenly Connor comes to a stop.

  ‘What’s wrong?’ I ask, but Connor just puts his finger to his lips.

  I stand still and listen, and sure enough I hear footsteps echoing around the cave.

  ‘Is it one of the others?’ I whisper, but Connor shakes his head.

  ‘I don’t think so. I heard footsteps when I was first teleported here. I think there’s someone else in these caves with us.’

  We follow the sound of the footsteps but we don’t see anyone. Eventually the path leads through a doorway into a dimly lit room. Flickering torches line the walls of what appears to be a huge circular stadium. We walk to the centre and look around.

  ‘I’ve got a bad feeling about this,’ mutters Connor.

  I nod. I can feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, which is a sure sign something is wrong. Right on cue the doors slam shut behind us, locking us in.

  ‘Uh oh,’ mutters Connor. ‘What is THAT?’

  I spin around and find myself face to face with a monster. It looks like a huge, ferocious dog, and when it opens its mouth I can see three rows of razor sharp teeth. It screeches and a long, thin tongue whips out towards us.

  I gulp. ‘Something tells me that’s not a good dog!’

  I watch as the enormous dog-like monster stalks towards Asuka and Connor below. I try to judge the distance between the balcony I’m standing on and the ground. Normally it wouldn’t be a problem – my processors would kick in and I’d be able to not only judge the distance, but figure out the best angle of impact to take out that dog monster. But the seventh shard knocked out my data processors and I can’t figure out even the simplest of quadratic equations.

  Connor and Asuka need my help now. There’s no time for calculations. I close my eyes and jump.

  Even though it looked like a long jump from the balcony, it’s over in a second. I land right on top of the dog monster, and it squeals in surprise. I scramble off the dog monster, then turn to face the others.

  ‘Sam!’ cries Asuka. ‘Are we glad to see you!’

  ‘Yeah, we always love it when you drop in for a visit,’ says Connor.

  ‘No time for reunions,’ I say, glancing over my shoulder as the dog monster gets to its feet. ‘We need to RUN!’

  The three of us race towards one of the stadium doors. It’s shut tight, but if I can remember enough to override the circuits we might be able to get out.

  I close my eyes and put my hand on the access panel. I concentrate as hard as I can, given there’s a gigantic dog monster racing towards me, but nothing happens. The Caseys have well and truly stolen my powers.

  ‘Quick, it’s almost on us!’ yells Connor.

  ‘We’re going to have to manually override the control panel,’ I say.

  ‘What does that mean?’ asks Asuka.

  ‘Grab hold and pull!’ I lunge for the edge of the door, scrabbling to get my fingers into the crack. The others do the same and we start to heave the door back. A tiny gap appears, but it’s nowhere near big enough for us to fit through.

  The dog monster is so close I can smell its horrible breath. It screeches in triumph, no doubt excited about its next meal – us!

  ‘One last try,’ I gasp. ‘HEAVE!’

  We give the door a giant tug and it slides open enough for us to squeeze through. We try to slide the door closed after us but it won’t shut all the way.

  ‘Well, that was close,’ I mutter. We jump as the dog monster slams into the door, but thankfully the gap is nowhere near wide enough for it to get through.

  ‘Uh, I don’t think it’s over yet, guys,’ says Asuka. ‘This is a dead end!’ We glance around and groan in disappointment. She’s right – there are
no other doors besides the one we came through.

  ‘So we’ve got to go back out there?’ asks Connor. The dog monster snaps its jaws and lashes out with its long tongue. ‘That thing is going to eat us alive!’

  Over the sound of the dog monster’s growling I can hear another noise – a kind of chirping.

  ‘Oh great, and now there are rats in here!’ says Connor.

  I glance up and spot the opening of a tunnel above our heads. ‘Look, an exit! We should be able to escape by climbing through there.’

  Connor looks doubtful. ‘What if the room above is infested with rats? After all, if this place has dog monsters who knows what the rats are like?’

  The chirping gets louder. ‘Oh no, the rats are coming in here!’ says Asuka.

  ‘Wait,’ I say, holding out a hand to silence the others. ‘That’s not a rat. Listen!’

  A familiar furry face pops up over the edge of the tunnel followed by three equally familiar faces, though with less fur.

  ‘Chu! You found Asuka, Connor and Sam!’

  Chu chirps his monkey sounds and I feel my heart twist. For the first time in my life, I can’t understand him. Chu rubs his head against my chin to comfort me, which cheers me up a bit but it’s not the same as hearing his voice.

  The others climb out of the tunnel looking pale and a bit dirty, but otherwise fine.

  ‘It’s great to see you three,’ I say. ‘I bet the Caseys separated us on purpose, hoping we’d be lost down here forever.’

  Connor growls. ‘They might have taken our powers away, but that can’t stop us from working together to find a way out of here!’

  ‘That is sound reasoning,’ says Sam. ‘But which way is out?’

  I point towards one end of the tunnel. ‘I think we should go down there. The ground slopes up, and if we’re underground the only way to go is up!’