Minsky-the-Terrible was in the banya, having a steam bath, when he read the news headline on his smartphone.

Siberian Diamond returned to the Queen – by a corgi!

How did that happen? he wondered. How did the dog find it? As far as he knew, there had been no corgis at Tiger Towers that night. But what did it matter? He switched off his phone and sighed with pleasure. The steam was very pleasant. He was retired now; his days of being ferocious were over. If Russia wanted the diamond back, they would have to find someone else to do the job for them.

Then his gaze fell on the silver trophy sitting proudly on the steam-room shelf and he smiled contentedly. His team had won. But there was another competition coming up in Paris in the autumn. They had a lot of work to do. The French were not going to be as easy to beat as the English. He thought of Zeno and Laser, and laughed out loud. Those rabbits might be the most formidable fighters in England, but they hadn’t a clue about judo!

Not too far away in Hampstead, Amura was lying in bed, making her way through a bucket of deliciously light and fluffy powder-pink marshmallows with caviar, when the report came on to her television screen.

‘In what can only be described as a miracle,’ said the newsreader, ‘the Siberian Diamond has been returned to Buckingham Palace where it now sits in a high-security room in the museum. Buckingham Palace will not expand on their statement, which reads: “The Siberian Diamond made a surprise appearance today in Buckingham Palace — in the mouth of one of Her Majesty’s corgis. The Queen is delighted.” ’

Amura threw the bucket of pink marshmallows on to the carpet and yelled, ‘SAPPHIRE, COME HERE AT ONCE! THE QUEEN HAS STOLEN MY DIAMOND!’

At the very top of the Shard, Mavis and Flintskin stood before the Doctor. The Doctor was very excited: it had been a while since Papa Ratzi had ordered a punishment. But these two Ratzis who stood before him now had let Papa Ratzi down and that could not be tolerated. (They had both determinedly blamed each other for the fact that rabbits and minks had turned up at Tiger Towers, so Papa Ratzi had decided to punish them both.) The Siberian Diamond was back in the palace museum and Russia and Great Britain were still friends. There would be no fury, no jealousy, no war. The Big Ratzi was furious!

Flintskin stood with his head bowed and his shoulders sagging, feeling very sorry for himself. Mavis, who didn’t believe any of this was her fault, stood with her nose in the air and her arms folded over her flabby belly. Whatever Papa Ratzi chose to do, she would bear it bravely.

At last, the hologram of words rolled across the space right in front of them.

ONCE AGAIN YOU HAVE DISAPPOINTED ME! I EXPECT MORE FROM MY RATZIS. MUCH MORE!

The Doctor stepped forward. ‘Here, Papa. I’m ready to carry out their punishment.’ His narrow eyes gleamed and he grinned at Flintskin and Mavis.

Papa Ratzi continued to type.

I WILL NOT BE NEEDING YOUR SERVICES TODAY, DOCTOR.

The Doctor’s face fell in disappointment.

I HAVE DECIDED TO SENTENCE FLINTSKIN AND MAVIS TO FIVE HOURS’ TRAINING IN THE GYM!

Flintskin collapsed on to his knees and began to sob. ‘Not the gym!’ he wailed.

Mavis whacked him round the head. ‘Shut up! Don’t be so pathetic.’

Papa Ratzi continued:

AND A DIET OF CARROT AND CABBAGE FOR A WEEK.

Now Mavis sank to her knees and began to sob as well. ‘Carrot and cabbage!’ she cried. ‘Take an ear. Or a slice of tail. But not carrot and cabbage – for a WEEK! I BEG YOU!’

YOU WILL NOT LET ME DOWN AGAIN BECAUSE I WILL CHOOSE ANOTHER MORE WORTHY RAT FOR MY NEXT PLAN.

Mavis stuck out her lower lip. Was this the end of her dreams of being famous? Of having her own reality TV show?

Of course not. She was not going to give up so easily. She’d think of something . . .