Nothing Like Motivation

The plane lands in Dubai. The flat pack is unloaded.

Three hours later a plane leaves Dubai for Düsseldorf.

The plane lands in Düsseldorf.

The flat pack is again unloaded, picked up by a courier, and delivered to the Max Brown hotel.

(Just thought I should speed up the action).

Gaius comes downstairs.

Your flat pack is here, says Freddie.

Ageless wakes up. He was only half asleep anyway.

Gaius prises open the flat pack.

Freddie, a spanner!

Freddie looks for a spanner. There should be one under the desk.

Ageless spies the cloth bag.

He loosens the drawstring with his dominant claw.

Out tumble Baby Pierre, Ouvert and Third Sister.

Welcome to Düsseldorf, says Ageless. Croaakkkk! What happened!

Nothing, says Baby Pierre.

There's a black hole in your head, says Ageless.

Ouvert jumps up and down.

Yes! Yes! It's the secret weapon!

Ageless kicks him. Shut your mouths, Ouvert. Both of them. Other teams may be listening.

Black hole? cries Baby Pierre.

Let me see, says Third Sister. Oh dear. It's your Sign of the Claw. But it's still the right shape though.

How was your journey? asks Ageless, realising he has not greeted Third Sister.

Good, and bad, says Third Sister. I ate the head of my Freddo. It was smiling. I felt really bad. But Baby Pierre said to think of it inside me, smiling. Like, you know, motivation.

Good for Baby Pierre, says Ageless. I won't point out that the Freddo can no longer be smiling.

You did! says Ouvert.

Reverse psychology, says Ageless.

Muh! says Ouvert.

My light doesn't work, says Gaius. Belle must have left the light on. How annoying.

Where are our team bikes? asks Ageless.

In the lunch box, says Baby Pierre.

Ageless pulls out the three tiny bicycles, one by one. It looks as though parts of them are missing.

Ageless groans.

No, says Baby Pierre It's just ... we had a paint spill.

Ageless is learning that being a manager is not all plain sailing.

Gaius is still bending over his bicycle, muttering, when Sweezus and Arthur wheel their bikes in.

Cool hotel! says Sweezus.

Knew you'd like it, says Arthur.

Arthur! says Gaius. At last! I'm in a bit of a pickle. My light's not working.

You probably won't need it, says Arthur.

Gaius beams with relief. No doubt Arthur will also be able to lay his hands on a spanner.

Training session this afternoon? asks Gaius. We need to talk about tactics.

Yeah, okay, says Sweezus. We've been working on some pretty awesome tactics. Remember Bruce Lee?

No, says Gaius. Wait, yes, the kung fu man?

Yep, Bruce Lee, says Sweezus. Be like water. Nothing will alter its way. Brilliant.

Doesn't Sweezus realise he has revealed his new tactic to Ageless, and the whole of Team Claw?

Team Claw and Ageless retire to the social space to discuss how being like water might help them with their paint spill.

Be like water? says Gaius. I have a few questions.

Then something distracts him. What's this?

He has found the heroic co-Freddo, melted into an unsmiling lump inside its wrapper.

Anyone want this old chocolate? asks Gaius.

I'll have it, says Sweezus.