‘IT’S GREEN ZAPPY LASER TIME!’ cackled Mr X as we tumbled on to the pavement outside X BURGER.

‘RELEASE ME THIS INSTANT!’ bleeped Wheelie, wriggling free from my grip and pulling himself up one of Mr X’s giant metal scorpion’s legs with his yellow washing up gloves.

‘Wheelie, come back!’ I cried, and I looked over at Jamjar. ‘I thought you said the explosion had reset his wiring!’

‘It must’ve been a temporary blip,’ said Jamjar. ‘Leave him Ratboy, let’s GO!’ she shouted, running off down Tinderbox Alley with Twoface and Splorg in the direction of Bunny Deli.

‘But I can’t!’ I wailed. ‘Wheelie’s my only hope for getting home!’

Wheelie had reached the scorpion’s cockpit and was banging one of his fists on its window. ‘LET ME IN, MASTER X!’ he bleeped.

‘THERE’S A GOOD WHEELIE!’ smiled Mr X, taking his finger off the scary-looking button and pressing a less scary-looking one. The cockpit window whooshed open and Wheelie flapped his lid.

‘BUUUURRRRRPPPPP!!!!’ he burped, straight into Mr X’s face.

‘GAAAAHHHH!!!!’ screamed Mr X as a cloud of bin breath seeped into the scorpion’s cockpit. ‘MY CONTROL PANEL! THE BIN BREATH IS MELTING ITS CIRCUIT BOARDS!’ he boomed.

Wheelie slid back down the scorpion’s leg and wheeled up to me. ‘ANYTHING ELSE I CAN DO FOR YOU TODAY, MR RATBOY, SIR?’ he bleeped.

‘Wheelie, you’re the keelest!’ I cried, giving him a hug.

Mr X turned round in his scorpion and scuttled off down the street. ‘THIS ISN’T THE LAST YOU’VE SEEN OF ME, RATBOY!’ he cackled, disappearing round the corner.