Chapter One
The Slow Life
The school bell of Dunsire High School sounded its noise; the noise that all schoolchildren liked to hear. And one thousand five hundred pupils burst out of their classroom doors and into the playground. Stuart Steel, a fourteen year old in third year, tore the wrapper off a packed of Walkers Cheese and Onion crisps and started to munch happily at them. He walked quickly over to the swings to sit on his usual swing, but his long-time feared enemy Max Turmoil was sitting on it just to annoy him. Stuart was not afraid of this boy, but everyone else was. Two pretty girls were sitting next to him on the other swings grinning and kissing him.
“I got here first pee brain!” grinned Max. Stuart ignored this. The two girls giggled.
“Off you get Turmoil,” Stuart said in a calm and casual manner. “And take your birds with you.”
“What you gonna do we don’t?” challenged Max. He had a very large evil grin on his face that made Stuart want to punch his lights out a million times.
“This.” And Stuart grabbed Max by the shoulders and launched him head-first into one of the bars supporting the swings. “That’s better.” Stuart then sat down and started to eat his crisps again and was acting as if none of this had ever happened. Nearly everyone liked Stuart. He was very brave and loyal to people who helped him. He was not one of the bad guys, unlike Max.
The two girls dashed over to Max to see if he was injured. Max pushed them away then got up from the ground crying and holding his nose. His hands and face were covered in blood and lots of the kids were staring at him, and then the whole playground went incredibly silent.
“You bastard!” roared Max and pulled out a knife then charged at Stuart. Stuart then got up off the swing and ran towards Max. He grabbed the limb in Max’s arm and forced his arm right down his back, almost breaking his arm. Stuart then twisted his wrist and Max dropped the knife. Stuart kicked the knife away then forced Max’s arm ups his back. He whispered in Max’s ear, “Don’t push it. Don‘t push it or I will seriously lose it with you. I don‘t like hurting people, so cut it out, Max.” And he released Max’s arm and ran away to his bike. Two teachers came running out from the school. Mr Brooke and Mrs Stewart rushed over to Max and asked what happened to him. He said he didn‘t know what happened and he wanted to go home. Max didn’t dare tell on him because he was scared he might end up in the Thames.
Meanwhile, Stuart had unlocked his bike chain and removed his bike from the stand. He did this without anyone noticing. He then cycled out the school gates and turned left down the road. He always used his bike on the road but never wore a helmet. He flew down many roads on his bike till he came to Number Three Sedlescombe Road.
Stuart then pulled his breaks and parked his bike in the shed then went opened the door into his house.
“Mum! Dad! You in?” he called.
A man about five feet six came out of the kitchen dressed in a black suit wearing black sunglasses.
“Stuart!” the man said. “What on earth are you doing here?”
“I got into a fight and I didn’t want to get caught. They would end up punishing me for breaking that bastard Max Turmoil’s nose.”
“That’s enough of that language boy! Now get up to your room while I phone the school. I’m sick you using your martial arts. The school will ask where you learn it and I’ll get found out! Do you want that to happen?”
“No, Dad,” said Stuart.
“They’ll say to me:” and Stuart’s Dad put on a funny voice “Mr Steel, your son has been involved in another incident and we are very worried that the injuries that we are seeing might become serious. Could we please have a meeting with you and your wife tonight?”
Stuart’s Dad resumed his regular tone. “This is very serious, Stuart. If this happens again we will have to get a tutor in to teach you. You are a very nice boy and you know that. You have always been top of the class. But this nonsense has to stop. Do you understand?”
Stuart nodded.
“I can’t hear!” said James.
“Yes Dad.” Stuart was feeling very sorry for himself and he hated Max’s guts so much. He couldn’t understand where his life had gone wrong. He used to have lots of friends and he never used his martial arts. But since his Dad had been going away, Stuart had changed.
“Now go to your room and stay there until I say you can come out.” Stuart walked up the stairs and slammed his bedroom door. A voice called from downstairs. “Don’t slam that door!”
Stuart gave the door the finger and went over to his window. He had a clear view of his street. He had unbreakable glass on his window that was so strong, that it could be shot at twenty times at it and the glass wouldn’t even have the slightest crack. James had had the glass fitted when Stuart was born. James had told Stuart that it was to stop the wailing getting out of the house. Stuart didn’t believe that at all. He knew it was for protection.
*
James Steel was right. The school did want to have a meeting with James and (his wife) Mary. Stuart was grounded for two weeks and was banned from using the phone or watching the TV.
The Steel Family had their dinner early and in silence. Stuart didn’t feel scared at all. He hated the school and if anyone picked on him, he would use his advanced martial art moves. James had taught Stuart everything he knew about martial arts. James said he had been born with a gift. When he was eight, he flipped his Dad over his shoulder and his Dad broke his ribs.
Stuart felt extremely sleepy after dinner and he was locked in his room while his parents went away. He just couldn’t keep his eyes open. Stuart then knew why he was feeling really tired. This had happened before. He had been drugged. His orange juice at dinner had tasted a bit funny, but he just thought it was because his mother had bought different orange juice.
Stuart then dropped down onto his bed and lay there.
*
Meanwhile, James and Mary had set off in James’ black Mercedes. It was brand new and it had air-conditioning, a CD playing that could hold up to twelve discs, newly furnished grey leather, satellite navigation and a built in TV.
“So what we gonna do with that boy?” said James, who was driving.
“I haven’t got a clue James. We can’t trust anyone. They’ll end up expelling him.” Mary answered.
“If he gets kicked out, we’ll have to get a tutor,” exclaimed James, taking the next turning on the right.
“But who will we get? He’d go nuts if we got one that he doesn’t like,” said Mary.
“Leave it to me. Anyway, Stuart might not get kicked out. We’ll just have to wait and see. But if he doesn’t be good, I’ll ram my boot right up his arse.”
James then put on ’The Monster is Loose’ by Meat Loaf.
“This is shite, James,” complained Mary.
“No it’s not!” grinned James, and turned the music up really load just to annoy Mary.
Mary tutted but then grinned. “You’re the most wonderful man in the world, you know.”
James smiled, making him look more handsome than ever. “You and Stuart are the most precious people in the world to me. If anything ever happened to you, I would never forgive myself.”
Mary then kissed him on the cheek. James pushed his foot down on the accelerator so the car jumped from forty miles an hour, to sixty miles an hour! Mary moaned again because she hated going fast. “James!”
The Mercedes then smashed into the side of a massive lorry. But when the car hit, it sliced right through the lorry, like smashing through glass. The lorry immediately stopped but the Mercedes drove away, undamaged. Many people got out of their cars to see what happened. They expected to see the Mercedes lying in a heap at the other side of the lorry, but no. They saw the black Mercedes driving away towards the end of the road, driving without any problems and the vehicle in perfect condition.
“Jesus, James!” panicked Mary. Her heart started beating a thousand times faster. “What the fuck happened?” She was taking deep breaths because she was telling herself that they should be dead.
“We smashed through a truck, that’s what happened,” James said, putting his indicator on and looking to see what was coming.
“But we should have been splattered!” Mary exclaimed.
“But we’re not, are we Mary?” said James. He was acting all calm and casual.
“But, but…” Mary was speechless. She knew James had a very important job that no one must know about, but this had gone too far.
“James, why didn’t we die back there?” she asked, still taking big deep breaths.
“Because God was protecting us,” he replied, still acting calm. The music had been turned down now and James had snapped out of his silly mood. “Here,” he said, taking out a packet of pain killers and handing them to Mary. Mary took a tablet out of the silver foil and put the tablet in her mouth and then took a drink of water from her bottle of water.
“You just stay here while I go in a see the headmaster, OK?” said James, turning right and driving through the school gates.
“Sure,” muttered Mary then she dozed off.
James parked the car and walked into the school. A woman sat at a desk typing into a computer. “Hello,” James said, “I have a meeting with Mr Brooke?” He had a question in his voice.
“I’ll check,” said the woman. She spent about five seconds clicking about on the computer when she answered. “Oh! Mr Steel! It’s always a pleasure to see you again. Just walked right through that door on you right. Mr Brooke’s expecting you.”
“Right,” said James, with a puzzled looked on his face. His tie was loose and his shirt was hanging out. He had just come back from his job as an MP for a party called UKIP.
James left the desk and walked over to the headmaster’s office and knocked on the door and entered.
In the room, there were pictures of school children on the walls, a large desk with a computer two seats and a stern-looking man in a grey suit with grey hair and thick black glasses.
“Mr Steel, sit down,” said the man, who was Mr Brooke.
“Thank you, sir,” said James and he sat down on one of the two chairs.
“Where is your wife tonight then, Mr Steel?”
James was ready for this. “She doesn’t feel very well. It was after we had dinner. She probably didn’t cook the bacon probably. My stomach isn’t really agreeing with me too. But I said I’d come, for Stuart’s sake.”
“Speaking about Stuart, I have some questions to ask you about him,” said Brooke.
“What is it you would like to know?”
“Well,” Brooke began, “He has been in several incidents these past few months. Today, a boy called Max Turmoil was assaulted by Stuart. Max’s nose was broken and he had to be taken to hospital. Max will be OK, of course, but this has gone too far. He has even dislocated girl’s shoulder when she slapped him.”
“Now come on Mr Brooke! Would you just sit there and let a girl slap you?” said James, fighting on Stuart’s side.
“He could have just pushed her away and told a teacher.” Brooke raised his voice. Brooke then spoke once more. “All the staff here is very curious about where Stuart has learned to do this. Mr Steel, where did Stuart learn to do this?”
“I don’t have to answer that question,” James answered.
“Oh but you do. If you don’t, Mr Steel, the authorities will be notified. We will have the Police involved if you don’t tell us what we want to know.” Mr Brooke thought James would get scared at this threat. But Mr Brooke was wrong.
“I am the bloody authorities!” shouted James.
“Mr Steel! Keep your voice down and don’t you dare speak to me like that! Do you understand?” he bellowed.
“Mr Brooke. Or should I call you Richard? How about Dick? Yeah, Dick should suit you .Well listening here Dick. If you question me about son’s abilities again, I’ll take him away from this school. You always picked on me when I was here. So don’t think you can pick on my son. Stuart says he was pushed into a classroom by you, and then you roared your head off at him for defending himself when a boy punched him. You left the other boy in the playground to play on his swing, but you didn’t do that with Stuart!”
“Now, look here!” Mr Brooke said. “If Stuart gets into another fight, I am excluding him from this school and I’ll notify all the other local schools not take him in”
“Good. At least he’ll get away from school. I’ll just hire a tutor. If you want to phone me to come up to a meeting again, you can just take that thought right out of your head. Goodbye. Dick.” And James went to the door and swung it open and banged into a woman that was carrying a silver tray with tea, cups, milk and sugar. All of the things on the tray fell onto the floor and smashed.
Mr Brooke then got the security camera images on his computer screen and watched James walk out the main doors and walk towards his car. “You won’t be getting out of here, James.” And Mr Brooke then pressed a button on his keyboard and the school gates closed quickly. “Now I’ve gottcha!” Brooke chuckled.
James had seen this and grinned to himself. He was sitting in his car with his sleeping wife sitting beside him. “You underestimated me, Dicky,” and James started up the car and put the hand break down. James then put his foot right down on the accelerator and headed right towards the school gates. The look on Mr Brooke’s face was incredible when he saw James speeding towards the gates and making them shatter like glass. The Mercedes then drove away, never to return.
Mr Brooke (A.K.A Dicky Boy) was very pissed off for the rest of the night. He phoned the Police after James had driven away. Two Police officers called Sergeant Pensive and PC Sycamore came over to the school and took notes down.
Mr Brooke when over to his computer to play back to video footage but it wasn’t there. The two Policemen weren’t impressed. “Mr Brooke, we can’t take him to court because we no evidence. We’ll pay him a visit and then we’ll get back to him.” That was what Sergeant Pensive said, but Mr Brooke was not having this.
“I swear the footage was there! I’m school head teacher. Why would you think I would tell lies?”
“Mr Brooke, have you ever had any difficulty with Mr Steel before? Was he at this school?” asked PC Sycamore.
“James Steel was at this school twenty years ago,” Brooke said, but then he told a lie. “We got on fine together! We were always talking and having jokes!”
The two Policemen knew that this was a lie. If Brooke had been great friends with James, why was he determined to get James into trouble?
“Thank you for your cooperation, Mr Brooke,” said Sergeant Pensive, “We’ll contact you if we need your help.”
And the Police left the school and got into their squad car.
“What a prick,” said PC Sycamore.
“Yeah, you’re right Danny,” said Sergeant Pensive. “Does he really think we’ll go to his door? He’s a dotty arsehole. He was our headmaster for Christ sake! Wonder how he didn’t recognize us.”
A mobile phone then rang and PC Sycamore pulled it out of his pocket.
“Hello?”
“That you Danny?” said James’ voice.
“Yeah, I did what you said to do. He was really pissed off!”
“Good. I’m sending Stuart to school tomorrow but I’m going to bug him. I’ve got a watch from HQ with a bug inside. I’ll listen in and I’ll have the dick prosecuted.”
“Good on ya!”
Danny chuckled. So did James.
“Well thanks for doing that boys. I’ll meet you at the pub tonight for drink,”
“On you?”
“On me!”
“Alright. I’ll see you later, James.”
“Bye.”
Chapter Two
The Changing Of the Ways
Breakfast in number three Sedlescombe Road was a bit livelier than dinner was the day before. James had told Stuart what had happened last night and the way he had had the argument. James hadn’t told Stuart about smashing through the school gates and about getting Danny Sycamore and Sergeant Pensive to do nothing about Brooke.
Mary looked at the clock while she was washing the dishes. “Stuart, you’d better be off or you’ll be late.”
Stuart finished his bit of toast and grabbed his school bag.
“Now, be good,” said his father and Stuart walked out of the house. He wheeled his bike out of the shed. It was a red mountain-BMX bike, which had twelve gears and leather handlebars. Attached, was a torch and mobile phone holder.
The seat was polished and the silver and red paint on the bike was in decorated in perfect detail. It had ‘Steel’ written on the frame. James said his friend at work had given it to him as a present. And Stuart was very grateful for this and tried to clean it everyday.
Stuart sat on the seat and clenched his crackling leather handle bars. He put one foot on one of the peddles and pushed it forward. He then put his other foot on the other peddle and dashed quickly out the driveway and along the road. Stuart then switched into fourth gear which made him go faster. He took a shortcut through the backstreet that is hidden behind the community centre, which takes you up to the back of the school. He always took the road, but he thought he might get to school early so he could sit on his swing. The backstreet was a secret and only Stuart knew about it.
Within three minutes, he came up behind the bins. There was a small gap, just big enough to get him and his bike through. Stuart looked at his watch. 08:30. He was going to be the first one there! He was so glad! Stuart pushed the bike and him out of the gap and pushed it to the left to where the school playground was. He expected to see the janitor sweeping up rubbish. Instead, he saw Max and his gang talking and laughing, all holding either a metal pole, baseball bat or a knife. Each of them had an axe at their feet, which looked blunt, and that is what made you think of the torture you would go through if they hit you.
All the school windows and doors were sealed. You could see the teachers looking at Max and his gang. Occasionally, Max and his gang would through a stone at the windows and the teachers about shat themselves.
Two Policemen came out one of the doors that led out into the playground.
“Right,” said one of the Policemen, “Give them here.”
“No,” said Max. “Unless you won’t me to give it to you the belly.”
“For goodness’ sake, son. This is serious. Hand them over!”
“OK,” said Max and stabbed the Policemen in their arm and kicked them.
Max’s gang laughed. They really were ruthless. “Take their stuff. We need those stuff more than they do.” And the gang started to take the Policemen’s equipment. Once they had taken all their equipment Max then told them to smash them up, and the gang started hitting them with baseball bats, metal poles, knives and axes. Once the Policemen were dead, Max spat on them. “Anymore Poalis come here, and we kill them understood?” The gang nodded. “And if you see Steel anywhere, I want you to kill him. Make those bodies look like a perfect Sunday Roast compared of what you do to Steel. Alright?”
*
Stuart had watched this from his corner. When the Policemen were stabbed, they massive ball of anger inside him, grew bigger. His Dad had trained him to defeat an armed gang of six, but there was about eighteen there. But he could do it. He had a mobile phone in his bag and he could call the Police, but he couldn’t risk lives here. The only thing Stuart had with him was a pen, rubber, sharpener and a book. Eureka!! Stuart could use the sharpener and a rock to create some sparks if he rubbed them together. Then he could use the paper in his book to catch a spark then pick up a long stick from the ground and he would have a torch!
*
Stuart walked out from his hiding place and towards the gang with his torch in his hand. Max and the gang saw he and Max’s grin appeared. Stuart put his grin on that made him look like the cutest guy in the world.
“So,” said Stuart. “You have the guts to kill two Policemen, but do you have the guts to take on me?” Moved his eyebrows up and down once, with his grin on his face.
“You’re going to die, Steel. You fucked my nose.” Max’s nose had had medical attention and looked like it had been smashed to bits.
“Well, I thought fucking your nose in would knock a bit of sense into you. But I was wrong. You’re still King of the Arseholes.” Stuart added a bit of paper to his the flame of his torch.
“Why didn’t you get the bloody SAS to come and get me? Since your Dad’s a spy, I thought he would send for Special Forces,” said Max.
“What the hell are you talking about? My Dad is the an MP!” Stuart exclaimed.
“Then how did James Steel make a weapons factory go up in flames in 1992?” Max said. Stuart was stuck in a maze with no way out.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about? My Dad would tell me if he was a spy!” Stuart shouted. His torch had gone out.
“You know what; I’m not in charge of Losson so let’s just kill you.”
Max and his gang made a circle around Stuart. Stuart’s plan hadn’t worked. He was going to die. They all then charge in at Stuart. Stuart then used his most painful martial arts on them. He tried to do half a hooking kick which would break someone’s collarbone. It worked. A girl came in with an axe over her head but Stuart attacked her and got the axe and axed her in the heart. She died instantly. He then axed several more boys and another girl. He kept killing them as they came. Then more of Max’s gang came running in the school gates with more weapons. There was about forty of them and Stuart was dead. He finished off the rest of the people next to him. Max ran away towards his other members of the gang. Stuart heard the Devil shout his name. This was truly the end. He was outnumbered and was guaranteed death. But Stuart would die fighting. He roared and ran towards the gang, with half his shirt torn off and was bloodstained. His face and hands were covered with blood and so was his axe.
Stuart charged at them. He was only about ten metres away when three men in suits holding guns appeared beside him and grabbed him back. The last thing he saw was a man injecting something into his leg. Then, everything went black.
*
Stuart lay on a hospital bed. He was dressed in a white patient’s shirt and had a drip going into him. A nurse was writing his notes at the end of the bed when she saw him wake up.
“Hello Stuart!” she said with delight. “I’m Nurse Duff. How are you feeling?”
“Kinda dodgy. Where am I?” Stuart mumbled.
“I can’t tell you that. I’m not authorized to tell you anything. She said, but without the cheer in her voice. “The only thing I am allowed to tell you is that you will get better and you will get out tonight.”
The curtain was opened and a man in a black suit, with a black shirt, black tie and black shoes walked to the chair beside Stuart and sat down.
“Good evening, Master Steel.” The man had an English accent, which was very quiet and soft. He had fare hair, that’s fringe was so straight, you would use it as a ruler.
“Good evening…er…”
“Just call me Sir Kevin. I think you need some explaining. Well, that’s why I’m here. You are in a secret military hospital in London. You had a shallow axe injury in your arm. We had to get that fixed in secret, because we couldn’t make anybody see you.”
“But why? I’m just an ordinary kid like everybody else! I’m not special!” Stuart bellowed. His leg didn’t feel sore at all.
“I can understand this, Master Steel, but----”
“Why do you call me Master Steel? I’m not some VIP!” shouted Stuart.
Sir Kevin didn’t flare up in a temper. He just sat in the chair and waited until Stuart had finished. Stuart was quite surprised at Sir Kevin’s attitude. He expected him to shout and roar at him, but Sir Kevin just sat there, motionless. Stuart looked into Sir Kevin’s eyes and they told a story of a deep, dark past. They sparkled and flashed at Stuart which made him shudder a little.
“Master Steel,” Sir Kevin began. “Your father, Mr James Steel, does not work for a party called UKIP. He is, well let’s say, a secret agent. He works for the British government. I am Sir Kevin Walter Kuff, his boss.”
“So your telling’ me he’s James Bond?” exclaimed Stuart.
Sir Kevin chuckled. But Stuart continued. “He works for MI6 and has a watch with a laser and drives Aston Martins and-----”
“No. MI6 and MI5 are separate from us. We work for the best Military Intelligence society in the world. It’s called Atticka. Atticka was created to keep allied countries safe from the most feared terrorist group in the world. It’s called Losson. It sounds French, but it was created in United Kingdom, forty years ago, by a man named Master Vincent Diblow. All the agents we’ve sent after him have never come back.
“Atticka is made up of adults and kids aged ten and over. Since, you are highly skilled in martial arts, scuba-driving, mountain-climbing, abseiling and many other things, we have all decided to make you an offer to join Atticka. So, do you want to join the most highly skilled and advanced Secret Service in the world?”
“Are there any risks of joining?” asked Stuart.
“There is a high risk of death, but we have only had six agents killed since the society started thirty-five years ago.” Sir Kevin had answered the question perfectly.
Stuart thought about it for a minute. He had no life left at school. But life as a spy. Coooool!! Stuart thought for a few seconds and then answered.
“Alright then,” he said. “I’ll be a spy. But I bet I have to go through about fifty weeks of training before I get to go on missions.
“Actually, it is fifty weeks. We make sure our agents are highly trained. Your axe wound was very shallow. Mainly a large scratch, so I think we should send you off to Wales for your Special Forces training tomorrow morning.”
“Hold the phone! You’re sending me to a bloody SAS training camp for three hundred and fifty days!” said Stuart. He was quite taken back by this.
“Yeah. I’ll get you some clothes just now. I’ve got a Mercedes waiting outside to take you away from this life. So hurry up. Oh and one other thing, Max Turmoil is Diblow’s nephew.” And Sir Kevin walked out of the cubical. Stuart felt excitement burning inside him. He was going to be a spy! And be like James Bond! No kids at his school will have ever gotten this opportunity. Apart from his Dad and his two friends, Danny and Mr Pensive.
Sir Kevin came back in five minutes with a complete black suit like his own. Stuart quickly put it on. He felt something in the inside pocket of his coat. Stuart pulled out a comms device for his ear.
“Put that on,” ordered Sir Kevin. “It’s so you can speak to HQ and other agents, including me. It also has a tracker device inside. Don’t ever take that off unless I or your Captain tells you. Now come on!”
Sir Kevin and Stuart walked out of the main doors of the hospital and a black Mercedes, not as good as James’, was waiting. Parked up on the pavement. They both stepped into the car and sat down on the crunchy-sounding leather seats. The inside, I’ve got to say wasn’t as good at James’. There was a driver who also had a comms device on his ear.
“Take us to the Thistle Hotel, please,” commanded Sir Kevin.
*
The Thistle Hotel was the full five star. The floor was marble, the walls were marble and loads of other things!
Sir Kevin and Stuart shared a room on the ninth floor. Sir Kevin was telling Stuart all about the Special Forces Training Camp. He said that if you failed an exercise, you have to go on a twenty mile run. Stuart wasn’t surprised at all. He heard about this presenter on Blue Peter went on a thirty mile run with a Commando squadron. Stuart says he couldn’t get up for three days because he was so tired.
“We make you parachute and BASE jump. We swing you along ropes, forty feet high, with a freezing lake of water just waiting to gobble you up if you fall. If your squadron doesn’t like you, they treat you like dirt.
“But that’s enough for tonight. You need your sleep, for you have a long journey tomorrow.”
Stuart changed into his pyjamas and go into bed. He was very tired and couldn’t wait for tomorrow. He then became very tired and before he knew it he was fast asleep.
Chapter Three
Special Forces
Stuart Steel touched down at Cardiff International Airport. He had flown from Heathrow, London, to Cardiff in Wales.
“This is your captain speaking,” said a voice on the intercom. “We have touched down at Cardiff International Airport. Please gather any hand luggage you have and prepare to leave the plane. I hope you all had a safe and enjoyable journey. Thank you.”
Stuart was dressed like any other fourteen year would. He had a black T-shirt on, with Ben Sherman, a pair of white K-Swiss trainers and a red cardigan out of Zara. He had a rucksack on his back, containing combat clothes and details of the Special Forces camp, Brecon Beacons.
Stuart walked in the queue to get off the plane, when one of the sexy-looking airline ladies stopped him when he was about to leave the plane.
“I’m sorry sir,” she said, still smiling a little. “But I’ll have to check your rucksack. It looks like it could contain something illegal.”
“I can assure you that nothing on this plane is illegal. So could you please give me my bag back, ma’am?” Stuart went into his pocket and pulled out an ID card and gave it to the lady.
“Oh,” she said in surprise. “This changes everything. Sorry sir for my misunderstanding.”
Stuart gave her a quick smile then left the plane. There had been an extension put on so you just walk through it and into the airport.
A man holding a card saying ’Stuart Steel’. Stuart walked over to him and said: “I’m Stuart, by the way.”
“Where’s your comms?” asked the man. He had jet black hair, and badly needed a shave.
“Sorry and Stuart pulled out his comms and put it in his ear.
“Better,” said the man. “My name is Jock Tamson. Please follow me Stuart.”
Stuart was little confused. He could be getting set up by Losson right now! Stuart stayed still.
“How do I know that you’re on my side?” questioned Stuart.
“Because I sent him there,” said Sir Kevin’s voice through the comms. Stuart was startled. “I’m watching your every move, Stuart,” said Sir Kevin. “If someone was following you, they’d be dead already. I’ve got four agents inside that airport and another thirteen watching every single exit. We have all the files of the people who boarded that plane, and Jock Tamson is a well-trusted agent of Atticka, so don’t shit yourself, alright?”
“Yes, sir,” said Stuart, as if a teacher had just gave him a row and he was feeling sorry for himself.
“Jock, you OK?” said Sir Kevin.
“Aye, am awrite,” answered Jock, in a Scottish accent. “A’ll git the boy oot of here right noo, sir,”
“Alright Jock,” said Sir Kevin. “I’ll see you later. Goodbye.”
And Sir Kevin went off the line.
*
Stuart was wearing camouflaged trousers, a dark green T-shirt and black army boots. He was sitting inside an army Land Rover, three boys. One looked about sixteen and the other two looked about twelve. They were dressed the same way as Stuart.
“I’m Stuart,” said Stuart, holding out his hand so the other boys could shake it.
“Jack,” said the older boy, shaking Stuart’s hand.
“Peter,” said one of the twelve year olds.
“William,” said the other.
“So,” said Jack. “Sir Kevin convinced you as well?”
“Yeah,” answered Stuart. “My Dad is in Atticka, so Sir Kevin made me an offer.”
“Cool!” exclaimed Peter. “If you ever have to go on a mission with an adult, you’ll get your Dad! By the way, what’s your Dad’s name?”
“James Steel,” answered Stuart, thinking why someone would ask this.
“James Steel! He’s the greatest hero of our time! He stopped Losson from destroying Paris, London, Berlin and New York! James Steel has killed more Losson members than any other.”
Stuart was quite taken back. His Dad was a hero! And he had also killed people. His father! Stuart just couldn’t get over it.
“So,” said Peter. “Has your Dad taught you anything cool?”
“Kinda. He has taught me advanced martial arts moves, to drive a car, fencing and I can speak French, Russian and Korean. He also taught me to abseil, scuba dive, and parachute and to fire a rifle and a pistol. And I think that’s about it.”
Jack, Peter and William just stared at Stuart with there mouths wide open. Suddenly there was the sound of a gun shot. There was the sound of the glass smashing and the driver’s head falling forward, making the horn sound.
“Get down!” shouted Stuart. He picked up an L86 machine gun and clicked the safety off. Stuart smashed one of the windows and pointed the gun outside.
There were just fields and fields off empty farms. There were tall stalks of corn everywhere, so someone could be hiding with a sniper.
James had trained Stuart about situations like this. If someone has a sniper and you haven’t the slightest clue where they are, take a quick look then get down. The enemy will come to you.
The Land Rover went silent. No one inside said, or did anything. The only thing they did was just sit and listens.
There was a rustle. It stopped. The rustle came again. Someone was coming through the grass! Stuart held his rifle tightly. The person was getting nearer and nearer.
Stuart couldn’t stand it anymore so he stood up and pulled the trigger. The rifle fired violently and hit a black figure in black Kevlar armour. The figure lay on the ground turning over and groaning. The figure tried to get up but Stuart shot it so it fell to the ground again.
“Who the fuck is you?” shouted Stuart.
The figure groaned and got to his feet.
“I’m Captain Owen Suitcase of Her Majesty’s SAS. This was a test to see if you are any good. The driver is still alive; the gun shot was a blank so it just made a noise.”
Stuart still pointed the gun at Captain Suitcase.
“ID?” Stuart demanded.
Captain Suitcase went into one of his belt patches and took out an ID card and gave it to Stuart. Stuart looked at the ID, still pointing the gun at him.
“OK then,” said Stuart handing Captain Suitcase his ID card back.
“Operation over Lewis,” said Captain Suitcase, and the driver got up from where he was lying.
Stuart gasped when he saw the driver. The driver had kept his army cap low so Stuart didn’t see his face.
“Lewis!” he gasped. “You’re a bloody policeman! Not a solider.” Lewis smiled.
“I had to keep my identity as something different. I’m not Special Forces. I’m in Atticka.” Lewis looked at his watch. “We better get going. Thank you, Captain.”
“Thank you, Lewis,” said Captain Suitcase.
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