There seems to be no pleasure in what they are doing, in the chanting. This is not like a football chant, or people singing along at a concert, or even when people sing hymns in church. This is weird, and I cannot tell if they are enjoying it or not.

Anticipating my question, Hellyan leans in to me and murmurs, ‘This is like applause. Someone important is arriving.’

As if on cue, the hoo … hoo … hoo chant resolves into a long hoooooooo … as a figure appears on the platform and I gasp in recognition.

It is the large Anthallan I saw in the cavern, who I think of as being called Dark Streak. She raises her arms and the hooos die down. She addresses the crowd and her voice is loud and clear. Everybody is silent, nodding and occasionally murmuring in what sounds like approving tones.

Dark Streak signals to another Anthallan standing at the side of the stage, and a large globe materialises – a 3D image like the one we saw in Mad Mick’s Mental Rentals, only this is bigger. It is an image of Earth. I recognise the landmasses of the Americas, and Africa …

Dark Streak revolves it, until it shows Australia, and it all becomes clear to me.

She is telling the story of Tammy’s capture!

There are a few sentences then Dark Streak leans forward to the crowd and points out her swollen eye, caused by being whacked by that guy who had stopped to change his tyre by the roadside.

The crowd goes: Hoooo!

Then the globe revolves and Dark Streak points to a little island. Britain, the scene of Dark Streak’s second attempt at capturing a human.

Hoo … hoo … hoo … hoo … hoo … hoo …

I know that something is about to happen. I don’t know what it is, but I have a feeling deep inside my stomach that I will not like it.

Hellyann leans in again. ‘Be warned, Ee-fan. You are about to see Ta-mee. The Anthallans up there are Assistant Advisors. They are a pit like your police. Do not give yourself away.’

I can feel my stomach turning over and I still don’t know what I’m going to do to get her back.

I’m supposed to be in charge.

I’m supposed to be doing my best!

And I have no idea what that might be. I do know, though, somewhere deep inside me, as I stand in a dusty street surrounded by stinking, hairy aliens and blank-faced cloned humans, that the next few minutes will decide whether or not we ever get our old life back again.