The footsteps were getting louder and now that they were closer EJ could hear that there were two people approaching.

‘Step back, IJ,’ whispered EJ, swiping the card again.

The glass walls shot back up to the roof, there was a beep and the red lasers switched on. The security was now reset.

‘Where are we going to hide?’ whispered IJ desperately.

EJ grabbed her spy buddy’s hand and rushed for the door that was built into the side wall of the vault. She had spotted it even though it was hard to see, being the same colour and material as the wall. She tried the handle. The door opened to reveal a cupboard that was large but, rather oddly, empty. EJ didn’t think about that. She only saw that the cupboard was just large enough for the both of them to fit.

‘Quick,’ she said to IJ. ‘In here. Don’t make a noise.’

The girls squeezed in and EJ shut the door behind them. As she did, the door to the vault opened. Silently, EJ took out her spy-pad charm and activated it. The pad was like a digital notebook and had an X-ray vision app; EJ wanted to see who had entered the vault. She held the pad to the door of the cupboard and pressed the X-ray button. The app also cast a dull glow so EJ and IJ could just see each other’s faces. EJ held her finger to her lips. It was critical that they were completely silent. They looked out through the spy pad and could now see two women, one tall and one short, standing with their backs towards the cupboard, facing the diamond display. Or was it a woman and a girl? The tall woman had long, wavy red hair and was wearing a white coat with a black skirt and black stiletto shoes. The other person was much shorter and had black hair in a ponytail. She was wearing red stockings with pointy black shoes with a little bell on each toe, green shorts and a red and gold tunic. On her head was a Santa hat with a gold bell on the end—she seemed to be dressed as a Christmas elf. EJ also noticed that the girl flicked her fringe back a lot while the taller woman talked.

‘Aha, you see,’ cried the taller woman. ‘My inspired plan has worked perfectly. This is the last diamond to be replaced. Oh, I am sorry—I mean cleaned.’

EJ and IJ exchanged glances as the tall woman held a single, large glittering diamond up and out in front of her. It was exactly like the last real one on top of the diamond collection. EJ could also now see that she was wearing a ring with an enormous cluster of diamonds set into it.

‘I am,’ the woman continued, ‘I think it is fair to say, a genius. Yes, Tiffany Glass, Diamond Polisher and Genius. I may get a business card with that on it. Now, Agent N, deactivate the security alarm.’

EJ and IJ watched as the elf-girl took a swipe card, just like the one EJ had, from a little pouch on her belt and swiped it in the slot under the display box. Again, the lasers turned off and the glass case retracted.

‘Display case deactivated, Ms Glass,’ said the elf girl.

EJ and IJ looked at each other again. The voice seemed very familiar. EJ was sure now it was a girl as her voice was much higher but EJ was also positive that she knew that voice. She wished the girl would turn around so she could see her face.

‘Excellent,’ said Tiffany. ‘You’re new aren’t you, Agent N?’

‘Yes, I’m still in training,’ said the girl.

‘Well keep going and you just might make a fine agent like me. Now let’s make the final swap.’

The girls watched as Tiffany took the diamond from the top of the display and replaced it with the diamond in her hand.

‘There,’ she said, ‘no one will ever know.’

‘Will I be using the tunnel to deliver it?’ asked Agent N.

‘No, this one I will take myself,’ said Tiffany. ‘In fact I may even have it added to my ring. I have been thinking it is a little on the small side. Now reactivate the security alarm while I lock the cupboard—we won’t be needing it anymore.’ Tiffany then took out a remote from her pocket and clicked it.

EJ and IJ heard a lock click in the cupboard door in front of them. Ms Glass clicked again and EJ and IJ heard the same click but this time behind them.

‘Right,’ said Tiffany. ‘Let’s get back to work. We have a lot to do to be ready for the parade. We’re nearly done—and not a sign of SHINE. Those idiots! They can’t even see what’s in front of them—it’s like taking candy from a baby!’

And with that, Tiffany burst into a cackle of a laugh as she and Agent N walked to the door. She was still laughing as she opened the door and they both left, all without turning around once. EJ and IJ still didn’t know who they were. But they did know one thing: they were trapped, locked inside the cupboard.

EJ waited until they could no longer hear the footsteps and then tried to push the cupboard door open but it didn’t budge.

‘What do we do now?’ asked IJ.

‘We need to get out somehow,’ said EJ. ‘Tiffany has been replacing the real diamonds with fake ones and we need to find where she’s keeping them. I should be able to use my skeleton key charm but I can’t see a lock on this door.’

‘That’s because it’s a not a key lock,’ said IJ glumly. ‘The remote Tiffany used released small bar-locks all along the door. A key won’t open it.’

‘But hold on,’ said EJ. ‘What was it they said? When she locked the cupboards?’

‘“We won’t be needing that anymore”?’ remembered IJ.

‘Well what did they use this cupboard for?’ Asked EJ. ‘Look, there’s nothing in it.’

‘A tunnel?’ suggested IJ. ‘Remember, Agent N talked about a tunnel.’

‘She did!’ said EJ excitedly. ‘And then Tiffany talked about locking the cupboard. There has to be a link. And, we heard a click at the front and the back, so what’s behind us?’

EJ took the X-ray app and this time held it up against the back of the cupboard. Sure enough, they could see a corridor.

‘Good work, EJ,’ cried IJ, impressed. ‘But how do we get through? This wall is made of metal.’

‘I have just the CHARM for that,’ said EJ taking the diamond charm. She twisted it and a sparkling ring with a pointy, sharp tip appeared. EJ twisted the diamond and a sparkling blade appeared.

‘Of course,’ said IJ. ‘A diamond ring, a diamond-cutter ring. Diamonds can cut through anything and that point will make it super-sharp.’

EJ put on the ring and pushed it hard against the wall of the cupboard and pulled down. As she dragged the ring down the metal back, there was a ripping sound as the diamond cut through.

‘It’s working,’ said IJ.

And it was. EJ worked the ring around in a big circle and then pushed in the centre of the cupboard. The circle she had cut fell out on to the other side into the corridor.

‘Let’s get out of here, IJ,’ said EJ.

‘But where does the tunnel lead?’ asked IJ.

‘We’re about to find out but it’s somewhere someone didn’t want us to find. Turn on your torch,’ said EJ, smiling as she climbed over the edge of the hole and out into the narrow corridor.