Readingwise

<Session 2a>

14.05 : Tuesday: 21st October: 2020

The Master was waiting when the helicopter touched down on the roof of The Block.

His long coat flapped in the wind. He strode forward immediately. He held his long beard with one hand and reached with the other to help the doctor from the helicopter.

‘Doctor Thompson. Welcome to our humble concrete home. I trust you enjoyed your little escape.’

‘I did, Master. Though I must say,’ said the doctor, nodding at John Wong, ‘your man had me worried. I thought we were Crimson meat.’

‘Yes,’ said the Master. He stroked his beard and winked at John Wong. ‘John does like to leave things to the very last minute.’

‘Come,’ he said to the doctor. ‘We need to try and get to the bottom of why the Crimson Head Gang kidnapped you. I’m sure it will have something to do with the recently stolen Red Stone of Calcutta.

<Session 2b>

19.00: Tuesday: 21st October: 2020

That evening, John Wong returned to The Block. The Block is exactly as it sounds: a giant concrete block. It is the secret headquarters of the Masters of Peace, also known as the Organisation.

The Organisation is thousands of years old. It was set up by the Original Master. He came from Australia. He was known as the Master of Peace. He started the Organisation to try to stop war.

The Original Master built the Block especially for the Organisation. It has hundreds of secret rooms. It’s where the Organisation trains its agents. It’s where all the Organisation’s missions are planned.

When the Original Master died, his most outstanding agent took over as the new Master. The present Master comes from North Africa. He is the 342nd master of the Organisation. He is also, thinks John Wong, as he enters the block, one of the best.

19.05: Tuesday: 21st October: 2020

John Wong took the lift to the top of the building. He stepped into a giant room. The Master, the doctor and two women were sat at a large glass table.

‘Ah, John,’ said the Master. ‘Thank you for joining us. Please, sit. You know the doctor,’ he said. ‘And you know our dear Protector.’

John Wong nodded. The doctor looked in good shape. Fresh glasses, fresh suit, same old wise eyes. The Protector was wearing her trademark white, hair high, cool green eyes. She smiled.

‘But, John,’ continued the Master, ‘I don’t believe you’ve met your new partner, Special Agent Ambra El-Amin.’

If John Wong was surprised, he didn’t show it. He had heard of Ambra El-Amin. She was an elite agent. The Master had chosen well.

‘Ladies, gentlemen,’ said the Master twirling his beard, gazing around the table. ‘Let’s get to business.’

<Session 3b>

20.15: Tuesday: 21st October: 2020

The Master tapped the glass table with one of his long fingernails. A picture of the Red Stone of Calcutta appeared.

‘This,’ said the Master, twiddling his beard, ‘is the world’s most valuable diamond. It was stolen from the Swiss Super Bank by the Crimson Head Gang. It is also the world’s most powerful object. Doctor Thompson, can you tell us why, please.’

‘Certainly,’ said the Doctor. ‘In the wrong hands, the Red Stone of Calcutta becomes a force of evil. In the right hands, it becomes a force of good. You can only release the stone’s power if you know the magic word, and how to say it. Luckily, there are only three people in the world who can release the stone’s power.’

Thank you, Doctor,’ said the Master. ‘Those three are Maximus Weber, the Good Man of Mt Gonzo and our own Doctor Thompson.’

<Session 4a>

21.15: Tuesday: 21st October: 2020

‘I think you both know,’ said the Master, turning to the Protector, John Wong and Ambra El-Amin, ‘what this means.’

‘Yes, Master,’ said John Wong. ‘Anyone wishing to use the stone would need one of these three men. Weber is in solitary confinement in Texas, America. I freed the Doctor from the Crimsons before they had the chance to interrogate him…’

‘And so the only weakness,’ said Ambra El-Amin, ‘is the Good Man of Mount Gonzo. We need to get to him before the Crimsons do.’

‘Exactly,’ said the Master, flick flick flicking his beard. ‘‘Your mission, Special Agents: Find the Good Man. Find him, and you find the Crimson Head Gang. Find them, and you have the Red Stone of Calcutta.’

‘But not,’ said the Protector, ‘before coming to see me. The Armoury, tomorrow, 9 o’clock sharp, please.’ She grinned. ‘I have something very special for the pair of you.’

<Session 4b>

09.010: Wednesday: 22nd October: 2020

Special Agents John Wong and Ambra El-Amin arrived at exactly 9 o’clock.

The Armoury is full of weapons. It’s full of agents training with weapons. It’s full of people in white coats building new weapons. It’s John Wong’s favourite room.

John Wong and Ambra El-Amin were met by the Protector. She was surrounded by her helpers. She was grinning more widely than John Wong had ever seen her grin.

‘This morning, my darlings,’ she said, ‘we’re uploading the new warrior-bike data. So, strip. To your underwear, please.’

John Wong and Ambra El-Amin took off their clothes. ‘Sunglasses, Special Agent Wong.’ John Wong took off his sunglasses.

‘Hook them up,’ said the Protector. The helper attached leads to Special Agent’s bodies. He plugged the leads into a massive computer. The screen was full of green writing.

‘Good,’ said the Protector to her helper. ‘Upload data now.’ She grinned.

<Session 5a>

06.30: Wednesday: 22nd October: 2020

‘Counting down for first jump,’ said the pilot. ‘Special Agent El-Amin, you have 10 seconds.., 9…, 8…, 7…’

Ambra El-Amin flipped lid on her helmet and checked her straps. She looked over at John Wong and the Master.

‘6…, 5… ‘, went the pilot’s voice. Ambra El-Amin gave John Wong and the Master a two fingered salute. ‘

‘4…, 3…’ Ambra El-Amin gunned her bike. ‘2…,1… You are gone, Special Agent El-Amin.’

The Master and John Wong watched as Ambra El-Amin rode her Warrior-bike out of the end of the plane. She disappeared from view.

The pilot counted another 10 seconds. John Wong put on his sunglasses. He gunned the bike’s motor. He followed Ambra El-Amin out of the plane.

The Master walked to the end of the plane. He looked down. The Special Agent’s parachutes had opened. The Master stroked his beard and smiled.

<Session 5b>

08.55: Wednesday: 22nd October: 2020

‘Master,’ said John Wong. He spoke into his in-helmet headset. ‘Are you receiving?’

‘Yes, John. Report, please.’ The Master was in the plane beside the pilot. They were high above the mountain. He could not see what was going on. The mountain was covered in fog.

‘The Crimson Head Gang is already here,’ said John Wong. ‘We have battled our way to the top of the mountain. We are in the monastery.’

‘Good work, Agents,’ said the Master. He reached into a coat pocket. He brought out his favourite comb. He began to comb is beard. He combed it fast. ‘Now, we don’t have much time. The Crimsons are bound to have backup. Find the Good Man and get out.’

‘Yes, Master,’ said John Wong.

John Wong and Ambra El-Amin rode their Warrior-bikes across a long and rickety bridge. They rode fast. They rode very fast.

<Session 6a>

10.53: Thursday: 23rd October: 2020

Special Agents John Wong and Ambra El-Amin had made it to the centre of the monastery. They had defeated many Crimsons.

John Wong had scratched his sunglasses. He was not pleased.

All that stood between John Wong and Ambra El-Amin and the Good Man of Mount Gonzo was the Door of Few Words.

‘Master,’ said John Wong. He spoke into his in-helmet headset. ‘Are you receiving?’

‘I am,’ said the Master. ‘To get through the Door of Few Words, you must speak the Few Words.’

‘What are they?’ asked John Wong

‘I don’t know,’ said the Master, tying his beard into a knot.

‘I do,’ said Ambra El-Amin. She took off her helmet. ‘Few Words,’ she said to the enormous stone door. It opened, silently.

A very small man sat floating in the middle of the room. ‘Welcome, John Wong and Ambra El-Amin,’ he said.

<Session 6b>

12: 00: Thursday: 23rd October: 2020

The monastery was surrounded by the Crimson Head Gang. It was full of Crimsons. There were Crimsons on the other side of the Door of Few Words.

John Wong, Ambra El-Amin and Good Man of Mount Gonzo were trapped.

‘Quick,’ said John Wong. ‘The ledge.’ The Good Man sat behind John Wong on his Warrior-bike. John Wong and Ambra El-Amin rode their bikes onto the ledge outside the room.

‘It’s our only way down,’ said John Wong. They looked over the edge. It was a sheer drop. They could not see the bottom.

‘It’s one side of the mountain,’ said the Good Man. ‘It’s a cliff. It goes thousands of feet down ’

Let’s go, John,’ said Ambra El-Amin. ‘We have the Good Man. He can’t fall into Crimson hands.’ John Wong nodded. They gunned their bikes. They drove off the edge.

<Session 7a>

12: 05: Thursday: 23rd October: 2020

‘John. Ambra. Can you hear me?’ said the Master.

‘Loud and clear,’ shouted John.

‘You are now travelling at 200 kilometres per hour,’ said the Master. ‘If you hit the ground at that speed, you’re ketchup.

‘We know,’ shouted Ambra.

‘Press your wings buttons,’ said the Master.

‘Master,’ shouted John. ‘We need to fall for as long as possible. We need to get away quickly. The Crimsons are still after us.’

John Wong was right. The Crimsons were sending skydivers off the top of the monastery. ‘Good thinking, John,’ said the Master. ‘I leave it with you,’

‘Thank you, Master,’ said John Wong. He took his sunglasses off. He folded them up. He put them in his pocket. Then he turned to Ambra El-Amin. ‘On me, Special Agent. One, two and… press.’

Suddenly, the bikes had wings. The Protector had done well. They were flying.

<Session 7b>

15.31: Thursday: 23rd October: 2020

Special Agents John Wong Ambra El-Ami raced their Warrior-bikes through the Valley of Mt Gonzo. The Good Man sat on the back of John Wong’s bike.

The Good Man was light. He was the lightest man John Wong had ever men. He probably weighed the same as a small dog. He was wearing an old tracksuit. He was not wearing any shoes.

John Wong could not believe the Good Man’s face. It was the kindest face he had ever seen. When the Good Man looked at you, you felt special. It was like the sun came out of his eyes.

The Good Man held onto John Wong’s waist. John Wong could feel his goodness. It was like the feeling you get when the best thing in the world has happened.

John Wong raised one eyebrow above his sunglasses. It was good to have the Good Man on the back of his bike.

<Session 8a>

17.30: Thursday: 23rd October: 2020

John Wong and Ambra El-Ami rode the warrior-bikes fast along the Valley of Gonzo. The Good Man sat on the back of John Wong’s bike.

They came to a hill. At the top of the hill was a red super tank and lots of Crimsons. It was a Crimson Head Gang.

John Wong and Ambra El-Ami stopped the bikes. John Wong took his sunglasses off. He gave them a clean. ‘This is it,’ he said. He put his sunglasses back on. ‘Agent El-Ami. Good Man. It’s time we finished this thing once and for all.’

Ambra El-Ami started her bike. John Wong started his bike. They revved their bikes. They shouted. They roared.

‘We’ll ride straight up the hill…’ said John Wong.

‘And we’ll take them out …’ said Ambra El-Ami.

‘And then you will never see the Red Stone again’ said the Good Man of Mount Gonzo.

<Session 8b>

18:00: Thursday: 23rd October: 2020

The Good Man of Gonzo, John Wong and Ambra El Ami walked slowly up the hill.

The Crimsons did not fire. They could not fire at the Good Man. The red tank started down the hill. The Crimsons charged down the hill.

The Good Man stopped. John Wong and Ambra El-Ami stopped. The Good Man raised his hands. He closed his eyes. He began to float. The Crimsons stopped coming down the hill.

The Good Man floated up. The Crimsons were shocked. They dropped their weapons. They sat down.

The Good Man hovered over the tank. The tank’s hatch door opened. The leader of the Crimson Head Gang came out. He had his hands up. In one hand was a white flag. In the other was the Red Stone of Calcutta.

The Good Man swooped down and took the Red Stone.

<Session 9>

09.00: Monday: 28th October: 2020

The Master was back at the Block. He was sat in a barber’s chair. He was in the Organisation’s Barbershop.

The Barber knew the Master’s beard well. He was giving the Master’s beard a well-earned end-of-mission trim.

‘Just a little off the bottom, please,’ said the Master to the Barber. ‘And I wonder whether you might give it a little shampoo.’

Everything, thought the Master, has gone to plan. The Good Man of Mount Gonzo is safe. The Red Stone of Calcutta is safe. The Good Man is its keeper. Many of the Crimson Head Gang were now in prison. The world is a much more peaceful place.

The Master crossed his legs. He smiled. He closed his eyes. He thought about nothing. He reached up. He gave his beard a little tug. He gave it another tug. He sighed. He fell asleep. He snored.

Helping struggling readers unlock literacy and reading