Free Big Brother by Susannah McFarlane

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    â€˜He doesn’t know anything, EJ,’ A1 reassured her. ‘Well, besides where you kept your midnight feast and about your truth and dare games.’
    EJ blushed. It was a little embarrassing A1 knowing her agents had midnight feasts and made up toilet dares.
    â€˜How do you know he doesn’t know anything about SHINE ?’ she asked.
    â€˜SJ45 did some gentle interrogation,’ explained A1. ‘Our secret is safe.’
    â€˜All the same, A1, can I keep one of these flies?’
    A1 smiled. ‘Okay, EJ, but it mustn’t leave your house.’
    â€˜Oh, it won’t,’ said EJ as she got out of the campervan. I have a little test of my own, she thought as she walked up the front steps of her house.

 
    When Emma got on the school bus the next morning, Elle, Isi and Hannah were already on, sitting together down the back. Emma smiled and joined her friends. Elle and Isi gave Em a big hug.
    â€˜WTG, Em!’ cried Isi. ‘Han’s been telling us all about it. And can you believe about Eve?’ she whispered. ‘WK?’
    â€˜Who knew?’ guessed Emma. She was getting good at this now. Then again, she’d had enough practice the last couple of days.
    â€˜I have to say, I was a bit suspicious,’ said Elle. ‘She has been away from school a bit.’
    â€˜Imagine what I thought when she got on the bus?’ said Han.
    As if on cue, Eve got on the school bus.
    â€˜Hi, Eve,’ called Hannah. ‘Come and sit with us.’
    Eve came down the aisle and sat down next to Hannah. The five girls couldn’t stop grinning.
    â€˜We have to have a giant sleepover,’ decided Emma. ‘Then we can talk properly. I’ve got a great secret language to teach you all. Yarpou warpill larpove arpit!’
    â€˜But what about Bob?’ asked Elle.
    Emma smiled. ‘Don’t worry, he won’t bother us.’
    â€˜Don’t be too hard on him,’ said Isi.
    â€˜Is!’ cried Emma. ‘Whose side are you on?’
    â€˜Yours, Em, but he was pretty cool standing up for you on the bus yesterday.’
    â€˜He was?’
    â€˜Everyone was talking about middle names and Nema started making fun of yours.’
    â€˜Again?’ groaned Emma. ‘She really needs to get new material.’
    â€˜Yeah, well apparently Nema has two middle names,’ said Isi.
    â€˜That figures,’ said Emma. ‘What are they?’
    â€˜The initials are D S but when we asked her what they stood for, she wouldn’t say—except, that they were SO much better than your middle name. Anyway, Bob must have heard because he walked right up to Nema and told her it was a family name and if she didn’t have anything nice to say, perhaps she should keep her mouth closed and stop being mean to you.’
    Emma blinked. ‘Bob said that?’ she asked. ‘To Nema?’
    â€˜Yep, and you should have seen Nema,’ said Isi. ‘She just stared at Bob. She didn’t say another word.’
    Emma had to admit that was pretty cool of Bob and, she remembered, if it wasn’t for him she might not have figured out what SHADOW was doing. Maybe brothers had some uses after all—not that she would ever tell Bob that.

    That evening, as the cool change finally came and a lovely breeze blew through all the open windows in the house, Emma was reading on the sofa in the living room with Beret sitting on her lap. The puppy barked as Bob walked in.
    â€˜Excellent warning skills,’ whispered Emma to her puppy. ‘Hey,’ she said to her brother.
    â€˜Yeah, hi,’ said Bob walking on to the kitchen, his favourite place in the house.
    â€˜Um, Isi saw you on the bus yesterday,’ said Emma.
    â€˜Oh yeah? Right,’ said Bob.
    â€˜Thanks,’ said Emma.
    â€˜For what?’ asked Bob, surprised.
    â€˜You know,’ said Emma. ‘Anyway, thanks.’
    Bob smiled a little as he headed into