ButTZ66 happens to be run by the strictest Zonemaster on the Net – the dreaded NASCARBALONE TRINTH!!

Lucia the Tracboat dipped her bow, and the front of the big boat fell forward, as if it was going to sink.

Only, she wasn’t of course.

Lucia was just heading down to the Net-plain that stretched out as far as the eye could see – like a great world beneath them.

Which is what it really is, of course!

“Oops!” said Wiz. “I hope Lucia knows what she’s doing!”

Lucia gave a little up and down wiggle as if she were nodding to say yes.

But now they were gathering speed, with the wind rushing past their ears – a cool wind with a kind of sighing sound, “DAA-dee, DEE-da” – which, strangely, made you feel relaxed and unafraid – as if you just knew everything was going to be all right.

Still, Dot held her breath. Because now they were going faster and faster – straight down to the net plain!

But the TricTrucTrackers didn’t look worried – they were just lounging about.

Katzilow was reading a book called ‘How To Succeed in Net-Tracking Without Even Seeming To Try’.

Hombellyton was brushing out his fur with long, sweeping movements, humming a little tune. It was already starting to look very shiny!

Eldenbeam had obviously got a bit of his last snack stuck in his beak somewhere – he was poking around inside his mouth with a silver toothpick (or beak-pick, really!)

Carmeramalita was painting her claws, frowning as she made sure she got it right – which she had to do, because each one was a different colour: red, silver, aquamarine, gold and white.

Dot thought all those colours were a bit over the top actually, but she didn’t like to say.

Only Walpurgis was concentrating, his beak nearly touching the Tracmapper as a bewildering blizzard of shapes and colours flashed across it.

Then he spoke.

“Entering Tzonecard, Lucia!” he said, carefully putting the card Wiz had found into a little machine on the side of the Tracmapper. It looked just like one of those card readers your mum and dad use at the supermarket!

Lucia gave a little “Yes” dip – up-down.

Now, with just a few metres left before they hit the floor of the net-plain, Lucia levelled out.

Now, they were flying just above all the many features of the net-plain: portals, gateways, USB hubs (much bigger than the ones you see on your computer but just the same), router stations – all the gizmos that make the net and your computer work.

“Wow!” said Dot.

Because it was scary stuff – the Tracboat was flying very fast, or perhaps it seemed faster now they were so low. Sometimes it looked like they were going to hit a hub, or run into a router – but always at the last minute she lifted up, or swerved to one side, and sped on, the “DAA-dee, DEE-da” sound of the internet wind still in all their ears.

Dot had sat down at one of the compute desks – it was a very comfy chair, and it felt safer. Wizzie had jumped up in her lap and she was giving him a cuddle.

Fromage joined them too – going straight to exactly the same place as Mr Mouse: the little hidey-hole he always made for himself under the left shoulder of her T- shirt.

He snuggled himself in and looked up at her with his whiskers quivering.

“Vairy queek!” he said in a trembly little voice. “Like the Le Mans motor race we ‘ave in France!”

But it was about to get quicker!

“Safety sets, everyone!” called Walpurgis, turning round to his fellow TricTrucTrackers.

Without a word – no arguments for once! – Eldenbeam, Katzilow, Carmeramlita and Hombellyton all slid into seats just like Dot’s.

As they did so, a little pinpoint of light appeared over all their heads – and Dot’s too.

Down from the light came beam after beam of silver strands of light – forming a kind of cage around each of them. And Dot. The same was happening to Walpurgis.

Inside the “cage” it was very quiet – and Dot felt herself floating upwards, just a little bit above the seat she was sitting in, so that she was hovering over the chair and the computer screen in front of her.

She couldn’t hear the “DAA-dee, DEE-da” sound anymore, It was very quiet and peaceful, even though Lucia was going faster than ever.

She looked back at the TricTrucTrackers behind her. Katzilow gave her a little wave.

In front of her, Walpurgis was in a cage too – but this one was golden. For the leader!

But that didn’t catch her eye. What did was a greeny-grey building straight in front of them. It had strong stone walls round it like a castle, and the door set in the middle of it looked completely solid – not a crack in it. You could only guess that it was a door because it had some kind of a sign on it.

And they were heading straight for it!

Close and CLOSER!

Oh NO! Dot closed her eyes.

But not before she could make out the sign.

TZ66!