Full Speed

by Jacqueline Harvey

  ‘Max!’ Kensy shouted as Damon and Daniel flew over a rise and almost landed on top of them.

  The boy turned sharply, somehow managing to keep the machine upright. He spun around and took off back down the mountain again, with their pursuers right behind. Once again he made for the shelter of the trees, hoping to lose them. He wove in and out of the tall pines, but Daniel and Damon were still gaining. Kensy realised that whoever was at the rear was reaching inside his jacket.

  ‘I think he’s got a gun!’ the girl screamed, hoping she was wrong.

  But Max had already made a potentially fatal mistake. Ahead was a huge ramp of snow-covered rocks and he was gunning straight for them. The boy looked left and right but the trees were too close together to make an escape.

  ‘Hold on, Kensy!’ Max could feel his heart racing as they hit the obstacle and shot up into the sky.

  The snowmobile began to flip backwards, but Max pulled himself up as far as he could on the handlebars and Kensy clung to his back, their weight teetering the vehicle forward. They landed hard and deep, but in one piece. Except that the engine had cut out and the others would be on top of them if they didn’t get it started straightaway. Max turned the key – the motor churned and coughed.

  He leapt off and cleared snow from around the engine cowling while Kensy scooted forward and took the handlebars, trying again to start the machine. To their great relief the contraption fired. Kensy revved the engine and speared away to the right just in time to see Daniel and Damon hit the jump too.

  But the two men were much heavier than Kensy and Max. Their vehicle flung straight into the air and the pair slid off the back, landing heavily in the deep powder. Seconds later the riderless snowmobile crashed to the ground just beyond them.

  The twins turned to see Damon and Daniel almost buried and their machine poking out of the snow at a right angle.

  One of the men pushed himself up. ‘You rotten brats!’ he yelled as Kensy took off.

  She flew back to the open slope, but there was no sign of the Van Leers or Soren.

  ‘They should almost be at the bunker by now,’ the boy said, regaining his bearings. He looked around and grabbed Kensy’s arm. ‘There!’ he shouted, spying Fox and Heike.

  Soren was in front of his parents, but he was leading them away from the bunker not to it, which was a problem.

  ‘Kensy!’ Max yelled as suddenly the wall of snow in the distance ahead of them began to move. They could hardly believe their eyes as a hole opened up in the mountain and Soren whizzed through followed by his parents.

  For a second the girl hesitated as the entrance began to close. But she revved the engine and steered the machine through just in time before the mountain sealed up behind them.

  Kensy killed the engine as soon as they were inside. It was a cavern-like space – large enough to drive trucks inside if need be. A row of sconce lights lined the rock walls. The other two snowmobiles had disappeared down the long runway.

  ‘What is this place?’ Kensy breathed. ‘It doesn’t look anything like what Fitz described.’

  Max’s eyes were on stalks as he took it all in. There were pipes running along the roof and while some of it looked old there were obviously newer installations too.

  ‘Didn’t Dad say that the data storage place was somewhere in the Alps?’ Max said.

  Kensy nodded. ‘Whoa. I think we’ve just found Cornucopia’s HQ.’

  ‘Let’s go. We need to see what Soren’s up to and find Fox and Heike,’ Max said.

  The children kept close to the wall as they ran down the straight roadway. It curled around at the bottom and they soon realised why they hadn’t been able to hear the other snowmobiles any more. A huge metal door separated them from whatever was on the other side.

  But Max had it covered. Among the gadgets and gizmos that they’d been introduced to at their grandmother’s chalet was one that Kensy hadn’t seen. Max pulled a pen from his pocket and unclipped the lid. He pointed the device at the door, drawing a rectangle big enough for them to walk through and seconds later the metal literally vaporised before their eyes.

  ‘Where did you get that?’ Kensy gasped. ‘I might have been able to use it on Damon and Daniel if they’d got any closer.’

  ‘Sorry, you’re not the only one with cool toys, sis,’ the boy said as they peered inside.

  The Van Leers’ snowmobiles were parked together, but there was no sign of the family. The place was obviously an old army bunker too. But this one had undergone some serious modifications.

  A metal staircase led to a gantry with windows into another space. The twins tiptoed to the top and were stunned by what they saw on the other side. Rows and rows and rows of computer servers in an area the size of a football field at least.

  ‘This is insane,’ Max gasped.

  ‘No wonder they called it Cornucopia,’ Kensy said. ‘Abundance is right.’

  Max spotted Fox about twenty metres down one of the rows. He and Heike were standing over Soren who looked as if he was yelling at the pair.

  Kensy sighted a door down below and pointed. The pair leapt over the railing to the floor.

  Max tried the handle and happily found this one unlocked. The twins crept inside along the parallel row.

  ‘Why didn’t you tell me I was adopted?’ the boy shouted.

  ‘It was never the right time,’ Fox said.

  ‘And it was none of your concern, really,’ Heike said in a supercilious tone.

  ‘How can you say that?’ Soren’s voice broke. ‘You’ve lied to me my entire life.’

  ‘We didn’t lie. We just didn’t tell you the whole story. And so what. You have an amazing life with two amazing parents. You should think yourself lucky that we took you in. And we put up with you being less than the most intelligent child too,’ Fox said.

  ‘Are you kidding me?’ Soren bellowed. ‘I’m smarter than both of you. This, this empire you have built, I’ve destroyed it all.’

  ‘What are you talking about?’ Heike demanded.

  The twins found a gap in the servers a little way further along and peered back at the family. Kensy hit the recording device on her watch. She then relayed it straight to her grandmother’s phone, hoping that the woman would pick it up and listen.

  ‘You think I’m nothing, but I’m a better hacker than you are, Papa. I’ve sent messages to every legitimate company with data in this bunker to let them know what you do. How you cause trouble and find out their secrets and then you bring them down. And the only reason they come to you in the first place is because you hack them mostly using old-fashioned Trojans and USB sticks. You aren’t clever enough to get in from the outside. Then you make it seem like Cornucopia is the only safe place on earth for them to store their information. It’s all a lie. A clever lie but a lie nonetheless.’

  Heike’s jaw dropped. ‘Of course you did no such thing. That would make you a traitor to your family. And how did you get in here in the first place?’

  ‘I stole Helena’s pass. She’s not very careful with it. Anyway I don’t care what you think, Mama. I hated you before I found out I was adopted and now I hate you even more for what you have done. You’re nothing but common criminals,’ Soren spat.

  ‘How dare you! There is nothing common about the sort of criminals that we are,’ Heike declared. ‘We are clever – no one is as clever as your father and me.’

  ‘Right, you need to be taught a lesson, boy.’

  Fox raised his hand. But Max was faster. He sped from his hiding place and kicked Fox’s legs out from underneath him.

  ‘Where did you come from?’ Heike shouted, her blonde hair practically standing on end.

  Soren looked just as surprised as his parents.

  Fox crashed to the ground, clutching the back of his head. ‘Why, you little brat!’

  The man rolled over and pushed himself up, ready to take the boy on, but Kensy was there now too. She rushed towards him and smashed into his stomach, sending Fox backwards. />
  Soren couldn’t believe his eyes.

  ‘Tie him up!’ Kensy yelled at her brother who had produced some cable ties from his pocket.

  Kensy looked at him quizzically.

  ‘Not everything has to be high tech,’ he said, glad that he’d thought to swipe them from the kitchen that morning.

  Within seconds Max had Fox’s hands bound. Heike jumped from one foot to the other before she turned and ran down the aisle. But Kensy had her covered. The lasso shot from her bracelet, hitting her target. Kensy reined the woman back in, all the while Heike was screaming and cursing at the children. Some further swift manoeuvres saw the pair sitting back to back, bound together with gaffer tape.

  Soren looked at the twins, wondering who they really were.

  ‘Not exactly Superman now are you?’ Kensy sneered at Fox.

  ‘What?’ the man said.

  ‘I know you wear Superman long johns. Your wife told me all about them.’ Kensy tried hard not to smile.

  Heike blanched. ‘I did not. I would never tell anyone about your undergarments.’

  ‘And we know about the guns too,’ Max said.

  This time Fox and Heike looked genuinely surprised. Max even detected that one of Fox’s eyebrows moved, just the tiniest bit.

  ‘What guns?’ Soren looked at the twins. ‘Don’t tell me this gets worse?’

  ‘Your parents have been heavily involved in arms dealing. That’s how they make the money to buy all the companies they have,’ Kensy explained.

  ‘We don’t know anything about arms dealing. That kind of behaviour is completely immoral,’ Heike said.

  ‘Exactly. We don’t need to sell guns to make money. Do you know how many huge companies I have infiltrated and brought to their knees before I have purchased them for next to nothing and built them back to their former glory? Arms deals are for amateurs.’ Fox made a pffing sound.

  Kensy laughed. ‘You two are the best. Of the worst. I have a feeling we’ll be studying you for years.’

  ‘Why is she laughing at us?’ Fox swivelled his head to try to see his wife.

  Max felt his phone ring in his pocket. He reached into his jacket and pulled it out.

  ‘We’re fine. We’ve got them covered,’ the boy said. There was a long pause. ‘Okay, we’re out of here.’

  The boy turned to his sister and Soren. ‘We need to go. Good job letting Granny listen in, Kensy. She called Dad and told him what was going on and lo and behold they’ve got Axel and his associates bailed up in the other bunker. Apparently Axel just showed Fitz a route between the two underground lairs – which Fitz was cross about. He might have found this place himself had he decided to use the shower.’

  ‘What are you blathering on about, you imbecilic child?’ Fox rolled his eyes. ‘You’re making no sense at all. What other bunkers? We have this one and no more and where is Axel? That man is completely unreliable.’

  ‘Axel and Helena and her brothers, Damon and Daniel, are in the hands of the Federal Intelligence Service,’ Max explained. ‘Dad said they’ve been double crossing you to do their own deals – arms deals with countries all around the world. Anyone who would pay, actually.’

  ‘So that’s what Axel meant yesterday when he said that Damon and Daniel needed to make sure where the fingers will point if things went badly,’ Kensy said.

  Max nodded. ‘Axel was leaving today. He can’t stand the sight of either of you.’

  ‘What?’ Heike’s bloated lip began to quiver.

  ‘Swiss Intelligence will be here soon, so you won’t have to wait long,’ Max said.

  ‘What about me?’ Soren whispered. ‘I didn’t mean to do anything wrong.’ He looked as if he was about to cry.

  ‘You need to come with us,’ Max said.

  ‘No, Soren don’t leave us. Mama and Papa love you. You are our baby,’ the woman wailed.

  Soren eyeballed her. ‘You don’t mean that, Mama.’

  ‘No, of course I don’t. You were such a clingy child. Thank goodness for Sylvie. She always knew exactly what you needed.’

  Soren swallowed hard and his eyes brimmed with tears.

  Kensy touched the boy’s arm. ‘Don’t worry, I have a good feeling that everything is going to work out.’

  Soren looked at her. ‘I hope so.’

  Max nodded. ‘You’re going to be fine, Soren.’

  The boy looked back at Fox and Heike who were wailing and shouting.

  ‘You’re right. Nothing could be worse than having those two for parents.’ He sighed and felt a weight lift from his shoulders.

  ‘A toast,’ Cordelia Spencer raised her glass in the air. ‘To my clever family.’

  There was a loud clinking of crystal glasses around the table.

  ‘This looks delicious, Sidney.’ Kensy smiled at the man who had just set a twice-baked cheese soufflé with walnuts and a creamy sauce down in front of her. ‘You must be easily as good a cook as your brother.’

  Sitting next to her, Song gave the girl a sneaky side eye. ‘Really, Miss Kensington, you want to go there?’ he whispered.

  Kensy giggled then whispered back. ‘You know I’m just teasing you, Song. You’re the best.’

  ‘Yes, Sidney is a wonderful cook,’ Cordelia said with a nod. ‘But so is Song – though he doesn’t get nearly as many opportunities to demonstrate his skills with Mrs Thornthwaite bossing him about at Alexandria. I suspect he rather enjoys the opportunity to stay with you at number thirteen.’

  ‘Yes, ma’am,’ the man said. ‘And thank you for having me to dinner this evening.’

  ‘Well, from what I hear, you and Anna rather saved the day,’ Cordelia said, smiling at her daughter-in-law.

  ‘Your mother certainly hasn’t lost her touch,’ Ed said. ‘The way she brought down Daniel Meyer was insane. A sweeper kick then a choke hold and then she gave him an earful for having scared you so badly, Max. It was pure gold.’

  Anna bit her lip, but couldn’t help smiling just a little. ‘Song was right there with me.’

  ‘So, can I amend your PA status, dear?’ Cordelia asked.

  Anna shook her head. ‘No. Not yet.’

  ‘Well, not yet is better than never,’ Cordelia said.

  ‘I can’t believe how cruel Fox and Heike were to Soren,’ Max said. ‘But the fact that Sylvie is his birth mother was the best news ever.’

  ‘The poor woman – forced to give him away as a baby, but how wonderful that she tracked him down and took a job, basically being the Van Leers’ slave so all that time she could keep an eye on him. It must have been so hard not to tell him who she really was,’ Anna said. ‘But it’s understandable that she thought it was too risky. What if he didn’t believe her? And even if he did, they would never have got away from the Van Leers.’

  ‘I’m so glad we caught up to him that day,’ Kensy said. ‘He was planning to run away, but he went to the bunker because he knew that his father had a safe full of cash in there.’

  ‘Sylvie is practically a saint in my books,’ Cordelia said. ‘And Soren will be fine.’

  ‘Granny, what’s going to happen to James Strawbridge?’ Kensy asked.

  ‘Silly man. When I asked him to come in for a chat, he broke down in front of me – floods of tears. He said that he’d made a silly mistake as a young constable, and now he was being blackmailed into doing the bidding for a crime syndicate. They had evidence of payments to him as well, which is why he thought he was going to be at their beck and call forever. I had no idea why he was telling me. What could I do other than out his story in the media? I’d begun to wonder if he was on to Pharos, but it turns out he just likes me and felt that he had to tell someone,’ Cordelia explained.

  Max finished his soufflé and set the spoon down on the side of the plate. ‘What did he do?’

  Cordelia sipped her wine. ‘Early on in his career, he got drawn in by some fellows and ended up taking a bribe. Those chaps happened to be Daniel and Damon Meyer. The beastly pair had it all on tape – ap
parently they were plotting a big future in the underworld and decided that one day they might need a police officer to help them with a few things. They never counted on Strawbridge ending up as the head of Scotland Yard. Imagine their delight when they realised that they had the top man over a barrel. James was basically forced to look the other way when they were conducting their schemes, as well as helping them on occasions too. They paid him – and took photographs of the money drops. He promised me he’d never spent a cent – it was all buried in the back garden and one day if he ever escaped the brutes’ clutches, he was planning to donate it all anonymously to charity.’

  ‘Poor man,’ Fitz said. ‘We all make mistakes.’

  ‘Yes, and his have been erased,’ Cordelia said. ‘He has nothing to worry about any more – not that he knows how I did it, but I told him that he needed to lay off that poor son of his and stop pressuring him to be good at sport. The boy will find his own thing. And then I suggested he do something good with his ill-gotten gains.’

  Max grinned. He was glad that he’d finally come clean to his grandmother about his encounter with James and Nathaniel Strawbridge.

  Fox and Heike Van Leer were now in the custody of the Swiss authorities, as were the Meyer siblings and Axel. They were all facing lengthy prison terms.

  ‘Will Soren be left with anything?’ Kensy asked.

  Cordelia nodded. ‘Don’t fret about that. He and Sylvie are now the owners of a very beautiful chalet in Zermatt and he’s going to attend school there.’

  ‘That’s great,’ Kensy said, beaming.

  ‘Oh, you’ll get to see your boyfriend if we ever go skiing again,’ Max teased, earning himself a swift kick to the shins under the table.

  ‘Ow,’ he yelped, but Kensy just poked her tongue out at him.

  Sidney cleared the plates and Song stood up to help, but Cordelia insisted he sit back down. She then surprised everyone by helping Sidney herself.

  ‘What?’ She looked at the family who were all staring at her. ‘I didn’t grow up in the lap of luxury, my darlings. I can tell you now that Sidney doesn’t wait on me hand and foot every night.’