Shockwave

by Peter Jay Black

  The Shepherd was staring at the mirror and didn’t even look at Jack as he spoke. ‘It doesn’t matter anyway. Even if we did know where Hector is, we couldn’t do anything.’

  Jack couldn’t believe what he was hearing. ‘Are you kidding me?’ His voice rose. ‘People are going to die – of course it matters.’

  The Shepherd interlaced his fingers, rested them on the table and spoke in his usual calm voice. ‘Hector has been in contact. And he’s assured us that if we try to find him, or if anyone working for him is arrested, the antidote will be destroyed.’

  Jack snorted. ‘And you believe him?’

  ‘Hector and his father have taken the antidote already. They’re protected. They have nothing left to lose.’

  ‘Yes they do,’ Jack said, defiant. ‘The antidote is the only thing they have to bargain with.’

  ‘I’m afraid,’ the Shepherd continued, ‘that without knowing exactly where they’re hiding the antidote, we can’t take the risk.’

  Jack could not believe what he was hearing. ‘So you’re letting Hector hold you to ransom?’

  The Shepherd didn’t seem to appreciate this question. His eyes hardened. ‘For the time being. But he’ll slip up sooner or later. He’s just a child.’

  ‘You should know better than to let that fool you,’ Jack said, making sure the Shepherd didn’t forget their last encounter and the missions involving a diamond and a laptop. ‘Besides,’ Jack continued, ‘Hector’s dad has woken up – there’s double the trouble now. They’ll be working together.’ He stared at the door for a moment and imagined tearing it down with his bare hands and bursting outside. Instead, Jack took a calming breath and looked back at the Shepherd. ‘What do Hector and his dad want?’

  The Shepherd levelled his gaze. ‘First of all, they want the whole of London evacuated. Also, I have to send him proof that we have you in custody.’

  ‘Let me guess,’ Jack said, balling his fists as a new surge of anger tore through him. ‘Hector wants you to kill us.’

  ‘No,’ the Shepherd replied in a level tone. ‘He’s happy with you dying from the virus’s effects.’

  Jack rolled his eyes. ‘Nice.’ After a moment, he glanced around. ‘Why here though? Why do Hector and his dad want us locked up here in particular?’

  The Shepherd inclined his head. ‘This is the most secure facility in the world. No amount of resourcefulness and trickery will get you out. Hector is obviously wary of your skills and wants you locked up tight.’ He glanced at the mirror yet again. ‘I think you’re lucky to be locked up in here – we’re about to announce a state of emergency.’

  Jack’s eyebrows rose at that. ‘You’re not seriously going to evacuate London?’

  ‘Hector and his father have given us twenty-four hours.’

  Jack couldn’t believe this was really happening. It had to be a joke. There were millions of people living in London – it would be pandemonium.

  The Shepherd stood. ‘I thought you had the right to know the facts at least. I’ve given you all the information I can. My hands are tied now.’

  ‘Yeah,’ Jack muttered. ‘Thanks for nothing.’

  The Shepherd glanced from the camera to the mirror then to Jack, and he spoke in a quick, hushed tone. ‘Our resources are stretched thin trying to put plans into operation. We don’t have time to find Hector even if we could. The Del Sartos will be watching out for us and if we make any false moves, they’ll destroy the antidote. I don’t know what their ultimate plan is, but I’d like to find out.’

  ‘If someone got you the antidote, how long would it take you to copy it and make more?’ Jack asked.

  ‘We have the best scientists coming from all over the world,’ the Shepherd said. ‘I’m no expert, but if they had the exact formula, I’d say a day, a few days at most.’

  Jack nodded.

  The Shepherd straightened up, strode to the door, hesitated and turned back. ‘Oh, and here you are.’ He tossed Jack’s USB drive to him.

  Jack caught it and looked down at it. If it wasn’t for his stupid mistake of leaving the USB drive at the archives, he, Charlie, Slink and Wren wouldn’t be in this mess. They’d be free to try to stop Hector and his father.

  When Jack looked up again, the door was closed and the Shepherd was gone.

  Jack groaned, walked over to the bed and lay down.

  They’d been caught.

  Game over.

  Jack’s body ached. He felt so exhausted that all he wanted to do was lie there and sleep. Instead, he stared at the ceiling and thought of Noble. Would Talya let him go when she had all the Del Sartos’ antiques in her hands? Jack doubted it.

  He thumped the bed with clenched fists. Talya. He hated her almost as much as Hector. If they’d never met, then Scarlett . . .

  Out of everything that had happened in Jack’s life, the thing he most wished he could change was him not stopping Scarlett going on that stupid mission.

  Jack closed his eyes and, despite not wanting to, he couldn’t help himself. His thoughts drifted back to that day . . .

  Jack sat next to Charlie at a bench in her workshop and watched as she screwed the battery case back together on a remote-controlled speedboat.

  ‘All the electronics have to be watertight,’ she said, rechecking each screw in turn and then running her finger around the rubber seal. ‘The slightest bit of moisture gets in and we’re done for. Not to mention having to make sure it doesn’t short itself out when we fire up the EMP.’

  The EMP was an Electromagnetic Pulse – a way to deliver a short burst of high energy, knocking out their target’s electronics. Jack looked at the front of the boat and the dome that housed the EMP generator. With Charlie’s help, they’d steer the remote-controlled speedboat up to a real, full-sized boat, hit the EMP and temporarily knock out their electronics, which would leave the boat dead in the water. The Outlaws would then use Stingray, their miniature submarine, to board the boat and retrieve the suitcase they were after. Then they’d slip away again.

  Well, that was the theory.

  Jack admired all the modifications Charlie had made to the remote-controlled speedboat. It had a low profile, sleek and angled like a stealth bomber, with matt black paint to help camouflage it at night, and a wireless camera was mounted just behind the EMP dome. Charlie had soundproofed the motor and made alterations to the hull in order to keep the boat’s wake to a minimum, and a small antenna stuck out of the top which sent the signals back to the modified control – a standard remote with several extra buttons and two screens mounted on either side. With all the extras, the remote control was now so heavy that Charlie had needed to add a strap that fixed in place over her shoulders just so she could hold it.

  Jack shook his head at the complexity and ingenuity of it all, as Charlie sealed the top back on. ‘You really are great at this stuff.’

  She smiled. ‘Thanks. I did have a couple of brilliant teachers though.’ She glanced at Jack. ‘You think Talya will go for this?’

  ‘I hope so,’ Jack said. ‘It’s better than her way – the brute force approach that’s likely to get people hurt.’

  The Outlaws owed Talya a favour and now, in turn, had got caught up in one of her crazy schemes. Jack had argued with Talya, saying that there were plenty of opportunities to carry out the mission over the next week and asking that she sit back and let the Outlaws take care of it, but Talya was anything except patient.

  Now he had to go back and convince her that this way would work. If only she’d just –

  Suddenly, the door to Charlie’s workshop burst open and Slink came running in. He looked pale and out of breath.

  Jack frowned. ‘What’s wrong?’

  ‘Talya.’

  Jack’s stomach sank. ‘What about her?’

  ‘She’s going ahead with that mission.’

  ‘You’re kidding,’ Charlie said, slamming the screwdriver down. ‘When?’

  ‘Now. Her gang are on their way.’

  Charlie
shook her head. ‘She’s crazy.’

  ‘I told Talya it was suicide,’ Jack said. ‘Why can’t she just listen to me?’

  ‘That’s not all,’ Slink said, looking uneasy. ‘Scarlett’s with them.’

  ‘What?’ Jack leapt to his feet.

  Slink nodded. ‘Wilf just called me. Said he saw her leaving.’

  ‘Where are they going?’ Jack asked urgently.

  ‘I told Wilf to follow them,’ Slink said. ‘He reckons they’re down by Waterloo Bridge.’

  Jack turned to Charlie. ‘I have to stop her. It’s too dangerous.’

  ‘It’s miles away,’ Slink said. ‘You won’t get there in time.’

  Charlie stood and looked at Jack. ‘Yes, we will.’

  ‘Thank you,’ he said, and they sprinted from the workshop.

  It was dark as Jack and Charlie ran down an alleyway and slid to a halt in front of a rusty metal skip.

  Charlie quickly undid the padlock, released the clasp and hinged the entire side of the skip upwards, revealing her prized possession inside its protective cocoon – a customised MV Agusta motorbike.

  Ordinarily, climbing on the back of Charlie’s bike was an absolute last resort, but she was right – it was their only chance at getting to Waterloo Bridge in time.

  Jack grabbed two helmets as Charlie wheeled the bike from the skip, handed one to her and got on behind her.

  ‘No point me asking you to take it easy, is there?’ he said.

  ‘Nope.’

  The engine roared to life, and they were racing down the alleyway and across London.

  It was at least ten minutes before the bike slowed and Jack felt brave enough to open his eyes.

  He looked around.

  They were driving under Waterloo Bridge.

  ‘Where’s Wilf?’ he said into the intercom.

  ‘Ahead,’ Charlie replied.

  Jack peered over her shoulder. Sure enough, he could see Wilf standing by the lifeboat station.

  Charlie drew up alongside him.

  Jack jumped from the bike and pulled off his helmet. ‘Where are they?’

  Wilf pointed and, with trepidation, Jack turned to look.

  He saw the silhouettes of at least thirty kids standing on the bridge. Twenty or so had already climbed over the railing and were securing ropes and harnesses.

  Charlie took off her own helmet and rested it on the fuel tank. ‘Oh no,’ she breathed.

  Jack didn’t need to ask her what she’d seen, for in the centre of the group of kids was Scarlett, her unmistakable, long, wavy hair dancing in the breeze.

  ‘I’ve got to stop her,’ Jack said.

  ‘Too late.’ Charlie pointed at a luxury pleasure boat as it glided under the bridge.

  Its upper deck was filled with men in suits and women in elegant dresses, all holding glasses of champagne and chatting as a live band played. Towards the back of the boat, Jack could make out the Mayor of London. He was talking to a businessman wearing a turban.

  Jack looked on, helpless.

  As soon as the boat emerged from under the bridge, the kids dropped down, landing on the roof of the pleasure boat and catching the guests by surprise. In an instant, they were shouting and storming the boat, brandishing clubs and knives.

  Jack jogged along the bank of the river, watching as Scarlett and two other kids raced to the front of the boat and burst into the wheelhouse. One kid grabbed the captain, while the other took the wheel.

  Scarlett turned to a cupboard on the wall and started picking the lock.

  Charlie caught up to Jack. ‘Talya’s getting Scarlett to do it?’

  ‘Yeah,’ Jack said, balling his fists. ‘She’s the quickest.’

  Meanwhile, the rest of Talya’s gang were screaming and shouting, distracting the guests from what was happening at the bow.

  Scarlett opened the cupboard and pulled out a briefcase. She turned to the kid at the wheel and nodded.

  He yanked the wheel hard over, aiming for the shore.

  With his heart threatening to burst through his chest, Jack increased his pace, with Charlie running alongside him.

  When the boat was a couple of metres from the bank, kids started jumping.

  Scarlett left the wheelhouse, with the other two following.

  One kid on the bank gestured for the briefcase and she threw it to him. The kid snatched it out of the air and ran off into the night.

  As the boat continued towards the bank, the other two kids with Scarlett jumped.

  It was at that precise moment that she spotted Jack and her face dropped.

  Jack stared back at her, unsure what to do or say.

  Scarlett hesitated for a moment longer then, refocusing on the riverbank, she hunched down, ready to jump.

  Jack suddenly detected movement in the corner of his eye – the captain was grabbing the wheel and throwing it hard over to avoid a collision with the shore.

  As if in slow motion, Jack looked back at Scarlett.

  As the boat swung from the riverbank, she leapt. Scarlett didn’t stand a chance – the gap was now too great – and she hit the wall and toppled backwards, landing in the water with a heavy splash.

  Jack watched, frozen in horror, as the back end of the boat fishtailed towards the bank, its motors churning the water where Scarlett had just fallen.

  ‘No!’ he screamed.

  The boat moved away and Jack couldn’t see her anywhere.

  ‘Scarlett?’ he shouted.

  Charlie grabbed his arm and pointed, and her voice broke. ‘There.’

  A few metres out, a body bobbed to the surface, face down.

  Without thinking, Jack climbed on to the wall and jumped.

  The icy water hit him like a sledgehammer, knocking the air from his lungs. Jack clawed his way back to the surface, and as soon as his head broke into the open air he was swimming towards her.

  Jack reached Scarlett, rolled her over, cupped a hand under her chin and, with his free hand, scrabbled back to the riverbank.

  ‘Here,’ Charlie said, racing down a set of steps.

  Jack swam to her and together they lifted Scarlett’s body from the river and up to the bank, where they laid her down. Frantically, Charlie checked for a pulse, then turned her ear to Scarlett’s mouth.

  ‘Jack, she’s not breathing!’

  Jack shook her. ‘Scarlett? Can you hear me? Wake up!’ he screamed.

  Hurried footfalls made Jack turn around.

  Wilf was running towards them with two men in RNLI uniforms, both of them carrying medical bags.

  Jack and Charlie backed away as the men set to work performing CPR, blowing in Scarlett’s mouth and pumping her chest.

  ‘Thanks,’ Jack said to Wilf.

  Wilf gave a curt nod and stared down at Scarlett.

  Charlie grabbed Jack’s arm as they watched, numb.

  The last time Jack had seen Scarlett, she’d laughed at one of Obi’s terrible stories. He could still see the dimples in her cheeks and the glint of mischief in her eyes.

  But this story didn’t have a happy ending.

  Because Scarlett never did wake up.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Jack wasn’t sure how long he’d been lying on the bed staring at the ceiling, but he guessed a few hours had passed at least.

  His body ached and a small part of him was glad of the short rest.

  The virus was taking a stronger hold of him and he wondered how long it would be before he didn’t have the energy to move any more. Days? Hours?

  He was so tired but couldn’t sleep – his mind was ablaze, an unfocused blur of thoughts and images.

  A guy wearing a full hazmat suit brought him dinner: half a roast chicken with chips and a side salad, a two-litre bottle of water and chocolate sponge for dessert.

  At first, Jack was going to refuse to eat it, out of protest. Besides, his throat was sore anyway. But he needed to keep his strength up.

  Jack was taking several long gulps of water when the lock on
the door clicked. He looked over at it – the red light had gone out.

  He waited for whoever it was to enter the room, but no one came in.

  A full minute passed and the light still remained off with the door unlocked.

  Frowning, Jack stood and quietly approached the door, his senses on high alert.

  He listened, but couldn’t hear any sounds coming from outside.

  Something didn’t feel right.

  Jack glanced at the camera in the corner of the room and was surprised to see it was now pointing up at the ceiling.

  He remained still for a moment.

  What’s going on?

  After a few more seconds, Jack took a breath, turned the handle and opened the door.

  Before him was a long hallway lined with other steel doors. Jack was about to step out, when the door opposite his opened. He quickly pulled his door to, leaving a gap of a few millimetres to peer through.

  Charlie stuck her head out and looked left and right.

  ‘Charlie.’ Jack opened his door fully. ‘Are you OK?’

  She nodded. ‘You?’

  ‘Yeah, I’m fine.’

  Charlie glanced up and down the hallway again. ‘This is creepy,’ she whispered, her voice sounding croaky.

  Two other doors opened, and Slink and Wren emerged.

  Wren ran over to Charlie and hugged her. ‘This place is horrible.’

  ‘I don’t think much of it either,’ Slink said, joining them. ‘I mean, who paints walls yellow with green floors?’

  ‘What’s going on?’ Wren said, looking up at the camera in the hallway – it too was pointed at the ceiling.

  ‘I think the Shepherd’s letting us out,’ Jack said slowly. ‘But I don’t know why.’

  Charlie sniffed and looked at Jack. ‘What do we do?’

  Jack hesitated a moment, thinking. He looked at the camera, at the black door at the far end of the hallway, then back to the others. ‘If we stay, there’s a chance they might find a cure for us.’

  Slink laughed, which promptly turned into a raspy cough. He bent over, hacking for a moment, then straightened up. ‘Since when were you happy sitting around and waiting for someone else to maybe fix things, Jack?’