As strange and inexplicably bizarre as this may seem, this is an update! I can only apologise several hundred times for not updating sooner and hope you enjoy this chapter. And I promise I'll update a lot more now!

Anneena cleared her throat.
"Can you read for a bit? I've got a sore throat."
"Sure – hand it over."
Jane took the diary and found the right page.

"September the 24th,

Dear Diary,

Col invited me to tea today – which is weird, because he's been ignoring me for a while. Not that I should be surprised, he is so far out of my social group – if I have one. He didn't seem that interested in inviting me. We went back with Anneena, which was a little awkward – apparently she invited her sister Rupa to cover the story for the Hescombe Herald. Col is being so weird about this. She went off before we went home, thankfully - it was getting really tense there. But then on the way back we met a girl, Shirley Masterson, who is also part of the Society. I feel really jealous about this now – why can't I be a member? They're always going off riding and for picnics and stuff, it's so annoying that I'm being excluded from the only fun thing in Hescombe. Col asked me if anybody had mentioned assessors – I have no idea what he meant, but it sounds like it's something to do with the Society. Maybe I can ask about it again and see if I can get involved.

Tea with Col and his gran was weird; like Mrs. Clamworthy thinks I'm special or something, she kept giving me extra tea and cake. I hope she doesn't think we're a couple or anything, like she's trying to treat me nicely because she thinks I'm going out with Col… It was kind of strange, but I still got that feeling of energy from them both, like I did with the crowd. I wish I knew what it was about, it's really intriguing me now.

I got an email from Mum and Dad today, about Manila. I'm sort of jealous of them, it sounds amazing over there. But I suppose it's not so bad here, with Jane and Anneena and the gerbils. I sent them an email back about everything so they know I'm okay, I hope that means they won't ask too many questions about how my life is here. It's not bad here, but I miss Rain and the others. I wonder if they remember who I am now. I really hope so.

Signor Antonelli's singing was driving me mad earlier, so I went downstairs and there was a bit of a surprise waiting for me. Aunt Evelyn had a load of family photos to show me of my great-great-grandmother, my great-aunt, and some of the other historical Lionhearts. I could tell that they had eyes like mine – definitely odd, not necessarily the same colours as mine though. Great Aunt Sybil looked quite a lot like me, but apparently she was in the Society. Her husband died because of whatever the Society does…now I'm not so eager about it. I can't work out why Mrs. Clamworthy would let Col be in it if it's dangerous, but Aunt Evelyn kept talking about following your calling and how you can't deny it if you have the gift. Why do you have to be "chosen" to join some Society which does picnics for its members? And why is it so dangerous? I'm going to have to find out soon. Evelyn said that he died on Society business in Finland, which presumably means that it's international and not just a local thing. This is getting even more confusing.

Evelyn also said that not many people were killed in the Society, which made me feel a little better – maybe it was just an accident when Sybil's husband died. It's still strange, but lots of strange things seem to be happening around here…And then Evelyn said that I should be introduced to the Society, and started talking about a test on Sunday! I'm excited and terrified in equal parts – what's the test going to be about? How much I know about ecology and the environment? I'd better start looking up things about Greenpeace and the local environment, see what I can find out. I really hope I pass this test, I can't wait to find out more about the Society. And maybe that way I can get a bit closer to Col…but anyway, I'll have to give this some serious thought."

Jane looked up from the book, a surprised expression on her face. Anneena's face echoed her sentiments.

"Her Great Uncle died because of the Society?" she whispered, her face pale against her dark hair. "This is so strange!"

"I know!" responded Jane, frowning. "Poor Connie, she must have been so confused…"

"But does this mean that the Society is still dangerous? Maybe Connie could get hurt by it!"

"It's probably nothing, Annie. It was probably just an accident or something…it was in Finland, maybe they were having an ecological survey and there was an accident. It's quite dangerous geologically in the fjords if you're not careful," assured Jane.

"Well, yes, yes, but what if the Society is to do with something more dramatic?" continued Anneena, unabashed. "Maybe they're serious ecological warriors, like Greenpeace or something, and they got on the wrong side of the government and Sybil's husband got caught up in it!"

"Annie, seriously, you're over-reacting! I'm sure it's nothing like that."

"But we don't know, do we? It could be something more! There's only one way to find out, and that's to read the entire diary and find out what happening. I'm sure this is bigger than you think it is."

"Anneena-"

"No, no, Jane, come on. Think about this. Connie won't tell us anything about this Society of hers, Col and Rat won't either…it only follows that it's something illegal!"

Jane looked doubtful.

"And you really think Mrs. Clamworthy is involved in illegal activities? Do you think she chains herself routinely to trees that need saving and spends all her time in Greenpeace camps?"

"No. But Rat lived in a caravan with protestors and…and that thing with Merlin's Oak! Connie went missing for ages, and it turned out that she was in that tree, trying to save it from being chopped down!"

"Anneena, please, don't-"

"Jane, humour me! I know I'm on to something now. I'll take the diary, I want to see this first-hand."

Jane sighed, but handed the diary over. There was no stopping Anneena when she was in this kind of mood.

This is a post for Project PULL, set up by Bookaholic117. For more information visit my profile. Thanks!