Authors: H.J. Harper
Star League 7
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Star League 7: Box Office Smash
9781742754451
A Random House book
Published by Random House Australia Pty Ltd
Level 3, 100 Pacific Highway, North Sydney NSW 2060
www.randomhouse.com.au
First published by Random House Australia in 2011
Copyright © H.J. Harper 2011
Illustration copyright © Nahum Ziersch 2011
The moral right of the author has been asserted.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted by any person or entity, including internet search engines or retailers, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying (except under the statutory exceptions provisions of the Australian
Copyright Act 1968
), recording, scanning or by any information storage and retrieval system without the prior written permission of Random House Australia.
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www.randomhouse.com.au/offices
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National Library of Australia
Cataloguing-in-Publication Entry
Author: Harper, H.J.
Title: Box office smash / H.J. Harper; Nahum Ziersch
ISBN: 978 1 86471 872 0 (pbk.)
Series: Harper, H.J. Star league; 7
Target Audience: For children
Other Authors/Contributors: Ziersch, Nahum
Dewey Number: A823.4
Cover illustration and design by Nahum Ziersch
To my lovely Emma.
â N.Z.
The mood inside the limo is tense. I've been to so many film premieres that I've almost forgotten what it's like to get nervous. But when it comes to cameras and bright lights, Sam, Asuka, Connor, Leigh and Roger are still on their training wheels.
âDon't worry!' I glance from one anxious face to another. âReporters aren't that bad. They'll ask you a few questions, take a few photos â it will be a breeze! You've all faced much worse than this!'
Roger pulls at his collar like it's strangling him. âI can totally deal with evil professors trying to take over the world, but this is just terrifying!' He looks out of the tinted windows to the crowds gathered outside the movie theatre.
âBut don't you want to see the result of all our hard work?' I point to the words
Secret Agent Showdown
written in giant letters above the cinema. We've been making this movie for months, with the director, Ben Beaumont, cutting together filmed scenes with real footage of us fighting bad guys, like our arch-enemy Professor Pestilence.
The others nod, but they still look nervous.
Our limo finally pulls up to the red carpet and somebody opens the door. I step out and the crowd goes wild. I'm nearly blinded by all the flashing lights.
âJay! Jay! Over here! Just a few questions!' A reporter shoves a microphone at me. âWhat's it like to work with so many talented young actors?'
âIt's great,' I say with a grin. âWe really work well as a team. But why don't you ask them?' I turn back to the others, who look stunned and say nothing.
âCome on,' I say, trying not to laugh. We walk
down the carpet and into the safety of the movie theatre.
As we make our way into the cinema I catch a glimpse of a very welcome sight.
âJefferson!'
âJay! I was wondering when you'd show up!' My Uncle Jefferson is standing with the families of the other members of the Star League, who have all shown up tonight to wish us well. Everyone seems to relax as they head over to talk to their loved ones. The only one who doesn't have any family here tonight is Sam, though since he was created in Pestilence Labs, I guess it's probably a good thing his family didn't show up!
Sam seems a little bit uncomfortable and quickly excuses himself from the rest of us. I'm about to go after him when I feel someone tap me on the shoulder. I spin around and find myself face to face with Ben Beaumont.
The first time I met Ben I was really nervous. I
mean, it's not every day that you get to meet your all-time favourite film director, even if you are a movie star! Of course, I had no idea when I met him that he was a member of the General Anti-Lawbreaker Association Committed To Immobilising Criminals, a secret organisation better known as GALACTIC. He was the one responsible for bringing the Star League together, and because of us more than one evil villain has had their plans ruined.
âAnother film premiere, eh, Jay?' says Ben. âMakes a nice change from chasing down Professor Pestilence.'
âYeah, everyone looks really happy to see their families.' I don't mean to sound sad, but my voice comes out a bit funny. When I was a kid my parents disappeared while hiking in the mountains. My uncle raised me, and even though he's a great uncle, I can't help but wonder for a moment what my life would have been like if my parents hadn't gone missing.
Ben seems to know what I'm thinking. âI'm sorry your parents couldn't be here tonight, Jay.' He sighs. âI was going to wait until after tonight to tell you this, but I've been using GALACTIC resources to look into your parents' disappearance, all those years ago. Something always seemed fishy about it to me.'
My heart starts to pound. âDid you find something? Some clue about where they are?'
He shakes his head and my hopes come crashing down. âSorry, Jay, there were no new leads in the files. But this was taken as evidence from the place where they were last seen.'
He hands me a heavy gold object. âIt's a compass. It belonged to your parents and I think you should have it. Even if they can't be here tonight, at least a piece of them is.'
Speechless, I click the compass open. On one side is a photograph of the three of us, taken when I was just a baby. I can see I inherited my mother's
blonde hair and my father's blue eyes. I imagine my parents using this compass to navigate the icy mountains where they disappeared.
âThanks, Ben,' I say, trying not to let my voice waver. With the compass in my hands I somehow feel stronger. I take a deep breath and slip it into my pocket.
âSo what are we waiting for?' I ask with a grin. âLet's go and get a seat before the movie starts, or there won't be any left!'
