The team have rivals, only they're just fictional characters. Nobody's as good as the real thing, are they ? The TV programme 'Teen Spies' is going to film an episode at St. Hearts. Is fact going to mix with fiction ?
As usual, I do not own the characters from MI High, just borrowing them for a short story.
School assembly was as interesting as usual. That of course, was not interesting at all. Aneisha did her best to look vaguely interested. Tom was trying to complete his maths homework under the cover of his school blazer. Dan was trying to stay awake. He glanced across at Zoe who, as usual, was looking cheerful and entranced with everything that was going on. He wondered what kind of dull, tortured existence she had had before MI High which would make even Mr. Flatley seem exciting. He didn't have to ask that really. Years being locked up by SKUL and taught to behave in a way totally alien to her character could have easily sent her insane. Instead she was this magical creature.
"And finally, some exciting news !" announced Mr. Flatley, excitedly. "I'm sure you've all heard rumours about a new television programme called 'Teen Spies' ? Yes ? Excellent, well I'm delighted to say that St. Hearts has been chosen as the location for one of the latest episodes to be filmed !" he said. There was a hum of excitement around the room. Dan frowned and pulled himself up in his chair. He turned and looked at Aneisha sitting next to him. She also looked concerned. "Even more exciting, the film company will be looking for extras to appear in the episode, so watch this space !" said Mr. Flatley. "Erm, school dismissed !" he added vaguely.
"Wow ! What's that going to mean ?" Aneisha said, turning to Dan.
"I don't know. I wonder if Frank knows about it ?" wondered Dan.
"About what ?" asked Tom vaguely, putting the final answer down on his maths sheet.
"Were you listening to any of that ?" asked Aneisha. Tom looked at her puzzled. "Tom, have you heard of a TV programme called 'Teen Spies' ?" asked Aneisha sounding exasperated.
"Oh yeah ! Some daft thing about teenagers being top secret spies !" laughed Tom. "Hilarious !"
Dan and Aneisha stared at Tom. "What ?" he asked looking clueless.
"So the idea of a TV company making a programme about teenage spies in the school which is the secret location of a team of teenage spies, doesn't make you at all worried ?" asked Dan meaningfully.
"Erm, well, now that you mention it. I suppose that could be a bit dodgy," admitted Tom cautiously. "Do you think Frank knows about it ?" he asked. Dan and Aneisha groaned. "What ?" demanded Tom.
They all had lessons for the morning so there was no opportunity to quiz Frank about the proposed filming in the school. They had to wait until lunchtime. As soon as they reached their base, Frank held up his hands. "Alright team, I think I know what you've come to ask me about," he said, sighing. "Teen Spies ? Am I right ?"
"Frank, this is a real TV crew isn't it ?" asked Aneisha. "It's not some KORPS attempt to identify our headquarters or something ?" she asked.
"Look, we've looked into it in some detail believe me," said Frank firmly. "It appears to be completely above board. We have had another film made some years ago with my previous team at St. Hopes, but that was a deliberate attempt on our part to catch a notorious thief. This appears to have been a spontaneous choice on the part of the production company who wanted a typical looking school away from the metropolitan area."
"So what do we do while they're here ?" asked Dan.
"We carry on as normal," said Frank. "After all, the Janitor's Cupboard is apparently a janitor's cupboard. Our security measures have been sufficient to allow you to operate within the building undetected for this long with your school friends around you. I don't see why they shouldn't work for a week of filming by a group of outsiders. Who knows, it might even be fun !" he said, grinning happily at them. On getting no responding smiles, his disappeared. "Well, some of us might enjoy it," he said, sounding disappointed.
"Mr. Flatley said something about extras," said Zoe.
"Oh, strict instructions from MI9," said Frank. "On no account are any of you to take part in any of the filming," warned Frank. "It could blow your cover. Imagine if Zoe was spotted on film and KORPS looked up where they shot the programme !"
"Nuff said," agreed Dan. "We'll stay out of it, don't worry."
"Is there anyone famous in it ?" asked Aneisha.
Frank tweaked his tie. "Well, since you mention it, Jenny Pargetter is in it," he said smiling happily and bobbing up an down on his toes.
"Who ?" asked Tom.
"Jenny Pargetter ! Oh come on. You must have heard of her," complained Frank. "Why she was huge in the eighties ..." he trailed off. "Oh. I guess you were born in about, erm, yeah, never mind," he said glumly.
Back upstairs in school, the team walked slowly towards their first afternoon class. "Well, I guess we've found another of Frank's teenage crushes," said Aneisha. "I wonder what she was in ?"
"I expect Frank will tell us," said Tom sighing. "He always does."
Over the next few days excitement in the school built. Auditions were being held for extras for the TV programme. Melissa and her friends had all signed up and she was buzzing with excitement. "Dan ! Will you be going in for a part ?" Melissa asked him one breaktime.
"Nah. Not really my kind of thing," said Dan.
"But you're good at gymnastics. I bet they'd be really interested," suggested Melissa. "Maybe we could be in it together. That would be lovely wouldn't it ?" she asked coyly.
"Mmm," said Dan, backing away from her. "Don't think so," he said, looking around for an escape route. "Got a lot of er, homework and stuff, you know ?" he said. "Got to go !" he announced finally, before dashing out of the room, leaving Melissa gazing disappointedly after him.
Their final two hours that day were PE. Tom groaned when he realised they would be doing gymnastics. "Two whole hours of hell !" he groaned to Dan in the changing rooms.
Dan sniggered. "Well, you know how I feel when maths starts !" he said.
"Yeah, but it's just so embarrassing !" complained Tom. "At least you haven't got the whole class watching you get the wrong answers," he added.
"No I suppose not," agreed Dan. "Come on. At least it's only us and we already know you're rubbish at it," he said, grinning at his friend.
Tom looked up him annoyed, but couldn't help smiling in return.
They filed out into the hall to find the two PE teachers accompanied by a woman with a clipboard. "Alright boys, warm-ups !" ordered the PE teacher. He had them run round the room, do some stretching exercises and some press-ups, Tom and Roly bringing up the rear as usual. Next they were told to do hand-stands against the wall, climb the ropes and do simple forward rolls on the mats. Near the end they were lined up to leap over the vault. The teacher's gradually increased the difficulty until some of the boys were being asked to somersault over the vault. Only three of them managed this successfully, one of whom was Dan. "Are you ready for a challenge then boys ?" the teacher asked the three of them. They looked at each other apprehensively then nodded.
"Right, how about a vault and somersault ?" asked the teacher. "I think you could do it. Mrs. Aberfoyle and I will be here to support you if you struggle. How about it ?" They agreed and lined up at the end of the run-up.
The two boys in front of Dan almost made it. The first one only vaulted. The second was instructed to grab his ankles as he vaulted, then the two teachers spun him over so that he landed on his feet. All the boys gave him a round of applause. It came to Dan's turn and he felt excited. He worked out how to pace his run-up and set off, focussing on the vaulting horse. He touched his hands lightly to the vaulting horse, curled and spun in the air before landing on his feet. This got him an even bigger round of applause. "Good work Daniel," said the PE teacher smiling. "All right boys. Go and get changed. Well done all of you. You all did your best," he added.
Dan was still high on adrenaline as he strolled to the end of the mat breathing heavily. Tom walked up to him. "Hey, smarty-pants !" said Tom with a grin. Dan stopped suddenly, slipped on the mat and fell over backwards on to the landing mat. "Oops, sorry," said Tom.
Dan laughed. "No worries !" he said, put his hands behind his shoulders and jumped directly to his feet.
"Aw, now you're just showing off !" complained Tom.
The two boys strolled together to the changing rooms to get changed. As they left to collect their things from their lockers, Dan was stopped by the PE teacher. "Congratulations Dan !" said the teacher. Dan looked baffled. "You've got a part in the TV programme," said the teacher, smiling widely. He waved to the woman with the clipboard who had been watching their lesson. "This lady is one of the casting directors. She giving you a part in the programme. Well done Dan !" he said cheerily.
"Wait, but I," said Dan. He was cut off by the woman with the clipboard.
"That's Daniel Morgan isn't it ?" she asked efficiently. "I'll need this consent form signed by your parents," she said, giving him no chance to speak. She scribbled on the form and handed it to Dan. "Well done Daniel. We'll see you on Monday morning. The details are given in this letter. Goodbye !" she said, turning and walking off down the corridor.
"Uh oh ! Frank's not going to like this !" said Tom from behind Dan.
"What happened ?" asked Dan, confused.
"Sounds like you've been recruited," said Tom.
"How do I get out of it ?" asked Dan.
"Well, you could ask your parents not to sign the form," suggested Tom.
Dan clicked his fingers. "Brilliant !" he said.
