Jason was surprised Scott was able to climb over the fence so easily. “Not bad for a Ne.” He paused. “Um A new person to espionage.”
“Steed,” Scott warned. He always called him Steed when he was annoyed with him. “You were gonna call me a nerd again.”
“Yeah but I didn’t so it doesn’t count,” Jason grinned.
After jogging three blocks they had to stop for Scott to catch his breath. He bent over and held onto Jason’s arm.
“Scott you’re so unfit,” Jason jibed.
“No, you’re not human. Anyway I thought Infinity was watching you. How come we got out without being stopped?” Scott panted.
“They probably think I’m tucked up in bed and worn out after today’s competition. Come on or we will get seen.”
Getting into SYUI was easy. Scott had a level seven security pass, which was the highest you could have. He had been so helpful on cases before, they would give him anything he wanted. He took Jason to a main control room on the top floor and flicked a switch.
Over twenty monitors flashed to life, showing images of various streets and buildings around London.
“Downstairs some guy will be watching some of this with one eye. The other eye he will be reading the newspaper and listening to today’s football results. Now and again they scan the palace cameras. These are the new ones they installed after your last visit.”
Jason watched the cameras and positions while he worked out a route with Scott. If all went well, he would be drinking hot chocolate with the Queen and Princess Catherine in an hour.
On the corner of Buckingham Palace gardens was a public phone box. Jason dialed the number to the office where Scott was. He let it ring twice and replaced the receiver.
Jason strode with a purpose as if he was going home. A boy his age at night would bring unwanted attention. He kept his head down and walked fast, occasionally glancing at his watch.
The top wall was now fitted with not only the original barbed wire but with coils of razor wire. Unlike barbed wire, razor wire was lethal. It would cut through clothing gloves, blankets and was much tougher to cut. Jason cursed under his breath. He never suspected that. He paused for a moment considering his options.
He had considered giving up but at the last moment noticed a small gap on top of the wall. It was where one roll of razor wire had finished and another had started. The gap was no wider than three inches, hardly enough to go through but he had another idea.
After a quick glance up and down the street he ran at the wall. His left leg hit the wall and he pushed himself up and caught a small gap between the barbs on the barbed wire fence. Effortlessly he pulled himself up in a single move and swung his legs up.
Standing on his toes one foot rested in the three-inch gap. He raised himself up on his right leg. Who would have thought ballet dancing would come in so handy? He said to himself raising himself on his toes. His leg shook as his toes strained to support his body. He lifted his left leg up to his chest and out over the razor wire, slowly raising his arms up. For balance he held his hands perfectly straight, fingers pointing outwards. If anyone could see him they would think he was a ballerina.
It was a move he had never done before but he had seen others at the Royal academy perform it. He had to lower his toes slightly and spring off. Hoping for the best he jumped and pranced over the razor wire. His landing on the other side in a rhododendron bush wasn’t so graceful since he cut his finger. Considering what could have happened if he had fallen on the razor wire he felt relieved. Armand would be proud of him.
He glanced at his watch. If his timing was correct he had just seconds to move before Scott turned the camera back on in this section.
Jason raced towards the palace hoping Scott was temporarily turning off the security cameras on his route. He ran as fast as he could, hoping to avoid detection in the darkness. Scott would turn the cameras back on after twenty seconds.
He made it to the back steps and started around to one of the side doors. He had no plan from this point as he was hoping to find a way in. He had travelled past several closed windows and came up empty-handed when he noticed the ‘Corgi Door’.
Named Corgi Door by the staff, it was a single door that led to the hall just before the kitchens. This was where they would take the Queen’s corgis out to walk them in the palace grounds. He glanced at his watch again; any second and the cameras would be switched on where he was.
Jason squeezed behind a rose bush next to the palace and ducked down.
Back at SYUI Scott had turned on all the cameras again. He frantically searched looking for Jason; he gave a nervous smile when he couldn’t see his friend. All he could do now was wait.
Just over an hour had passed. Jason started to shiver from the cold. His clothing clung to him and had become damp by the misty rain that had started to fall. It was depressing waiting for something to happen. He was annoyed with himself that he hadn’t a plan to get in.
As he became slightly depressed a rattle of a door handle bought him back to his senses. Rays of light shone out from the opened door way lighting up the mist particles. Four corgis streamed out into the courtyard followed by a butler and to Jason’s horror a policeman.
Jason stayed crouched down. The policeman shone his flashlight around the gardens.
“I hate this weather. I wish it would make up its mind either rain or not. This depressing mist slowly soaks through and makes everything wet and thoroughly miserable,” the butler groaned.
“They give heavy rain later; this is just the warm up,” The policeman said in depressing deep voice.
A corgi broke away from the others and headed back to where Jason was hiding. He sniffed around the bush giving a low growl but that soon changed to an excited pant and he started wagging his tail.
“Winston. Come here lad,” the butler called.
The corgis would bark if they didn’t know someone. Winston was one of Catherine’s favorites and often Jason would give him a cookie and play with him. Winston pushed himself into the rose bush and licked Jason’s hand.
“Winston what have you got there? Sid point your flashlight in that bush,” the butler said while trying to watch the other corgis.
The policeman called Sid stepped out of the door and shone it into the bush. Jason sprang out and smashed his fist into Sid’s face. He followed up by spinning on one foot and elbowing Sid in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. Sid collapsed, holding his stomach and gasping for air.
Winston snapped at Sid and started growling at him. Jason guessed Winston must have thought he was a threat to Jason who he liked. Either way it was nice to have him on his side.
The butler raised his hands as Jason leapt towards him. He remembered seeing the man a few times before. Catherine liked him, although Jason couldn’t remember his name and he didn’t want to hurt the man.
Jason caught him by his collar and pulled him down with one hand the other. He caught his neck and felt for his carotid artery. After applying pressure for a few seconds the butler was unconscious. Winston was still growling at Sid the policeman.
Jason felt bad by what he was about to do but knew he had to make a point. He moved forward and threw a heavy kick, knocking Sid back onto his back. Jason pounced and landed with his knee in the man’s chest pinning him to the ground. Again the simple technique with pressure on the man’s neck rendered him unconscious.
He leapt to his feet and ran into the palace and down a corridor. As he rounded the corner he came face to face with two of the Queen’s guards and bumped into them.
Later Jason would regret his attack. Instinct took over; he threw his fist into the first mans throat. As he was falling back Jason sprang on his left leg and threw a vicious Mae Geri karate kick at the other. The blow broke three of the man’s ribs and sent him falling back into a large flower vase.
Both men were later treated in hospital. Jason sprinted up the stairs two at a time to the second
floor and was pleased not to come across any more staff. Hurting his own people wasn’t pleasant but if he was going to make a point he would. Jason consoled himself with the thought that if he were a real intruder their injuries could be much worse.
The rest of his route was uneventful. He burst into the main family room and startled Catherine, the Queen and the Duke.
“You’re all dead,” Jason stormed.
The room fell silent. Catherine turned the sound down on the TV and looked at her watch.
“Jason dear boy does one have an explanation?” The Duke asked in his upper crust voice.
“Hello sir, mam. I um. Well I was told to test the new security and as you can see it kinda sucks.” Jason panted. He wiped his wet bangs away from his eyes.
“Good grief you mean one just broke in again.” The queen said horrified. “That’s impossible; they spent a small fortune on new security. Ugly fencing, unsightly cameras on every corner and another twenty clod hopping policemen stomping around the palace and grounds.”
“Yes mam. I met a few of them. Sorry about that,” Jason said meekly.
“Why should you be sorry Jason?” Catherine asked as she passed him a can of coke. Her eyes widened, “Oh, how bad did you hurt them?”
They all looked at Jason and frowned.
“They’ll all live. Imagine if I were a real terrorist, they and you would all be dead. The security is better but still cr....” He paused keeping the word to himself. “Poor.”
Jason had drunk back half the coke before seven armed police burst into the family room. They looked puzzled to see the intruder was just a boy and was drinking coke with one hand while looking in the mirror trying to readjust his hair with the other.
“Wearing a hat always makes my hair stick up,” Jason frowned.
“Mam we have an intruder; he assaulted several of our men.” A white-faced police officer wearing a bulletproof vest and aiming his gun at Jason said.
“Yes we know,” the duke said. “And lucky for us it was just Catherine’s young man testing our security and how effective it is. It appears it failed rather dismally and do put your guns away. We are quite safe now thank you. Actually we are probably much safer now Jason is here.”
The following morning Ray and Brenda sat in the dinning room eating breakfast reading the Sunday papers. Ray was delighted to see Jason’s name in the sports section. After breakfast Ray knocked on Jason’s bedroom door. When no reply came he opened the door and peered in.
Jason was curled up asleep in his bed and Scott was hidden under the covers on the pull out mattress. Ray smiled and whispered to Brenda to take a peek.
“How come teenage boys need so much sleep? It’s almost ten,” Brenda whispered.
“They were probably up talking until late and Jason is probably still tired after the competition,” Ray said.
It was noon before they both slumped down the stairs in their pajamas, hair sticking up in all directions both with contagious yawns.
They helped themselves to cereal and flopped in front of the TV not watching anything particular. It would be another hour before Brenda was called by SYUI and given the news about the palace break-in. She told Ray she had been called into work. She was so angry with Jason that she was worried she might say something and hurt the relationship she had with him.
By the time she came home Scott was gone. Jason and Ray were playing chess. Brenda sighed when she came in and headed straight for Jason.
“Did you tell your father what happened last night?’ Brenda scowled.
Jason looked up at her; he picked up she was angry. “Um. No I was waiting for the right time.”
“Now is as good a time as any,” Brenda shouted.
Jason turned red. “Well. Dad you know I was asked to check the palace security,” Brenda interrupted him before he could finish.
“What he’s trying to say is last night he sneaked out of the house again and broke into the Palace. Only this time he put two police officers in hospital and assaulted two other people. He made a direct route to the family rooms and interrupted the royal family. I’m a laughing stock with SYUI and MI5.”
“You told me to,” Jason argued.
“Yes but not last night. And not to hurt personnel and go directly to the family. I have been given a warning by the Prime Minister over this and it makes it worse that I live in the same house and never even knew you left and came back,” Brenda said her eyes filling with tears.
Ray stood and placed his arm around her.
“Jason you should have told us you were going to do that,” Ray suggested.
“Derrrr. That was the whole point,” Jason said.
Ray swung the back of his hand towards Jason’s face. Before it reached its target Jason instinctively blocked it with his forearm, knocking his father’s hand away.
“Sorry Dad,” Jason said meekly. “I shouldn’t have said that.” Jason took a deep breath before continuing. “Dad. Brenda. That is the whole point of my testing the security to see if I could break in; giving you notice defeats the whole idea. A terrorist or criminal isn’t going to make an appointment. The new security is a little better but I still got in.”
Brenda nodded. “He’s right Ray. Sorry Jason I’m glad it was you and not a terrorist, but boy have you made me look foolish and why not just break in and call me. Why go to the royal family?”
“I wanted to see Catherine.”
Brenda nodded. “I should have guessed. How did you get over the wall it has razor wire that is impenetrable and the cameras. They are all monitored.”
“Wire can be stepped over or cut and cameras can be switched off,” Jason said.
He kept Scott’s help to himself; he wanted to see if SYUI could improve security even more. He felt the tighter the security was the safer Catherine would be. The training he was getting at Infinity was paying off. He agreed to work with SYUI and come up with some other methods to strengthen security. It would be the start of something of new for Jason. Years later he would design the palace security system himself.
In preparation for the World under sixteen karate championship, Jason’s karate master Wong Tong agreed to fly to the UK and help train Jason. He stayed at Jason’s house and worked out with him daily.
Jason looked up to Wong Tong and loved having him at his house. It was the first time Wong Tong had ever left Hong Kong. England was a new experience for him. He was also looking forward to going to Germany with Jason for the competition.
The training was harder than anything Jason had done before. Wong Tong expected perfection with every move, every block, kick and strike. Jason never complained he did everything asked of him.
Mike gave them full use of his Dojo; he and others sparred with Jason under the watchful eye of Wong Tong. Most evenings Jason struggled to stay awake to eat dinner he was so tired.
Chapter Fifteen
“Why do I have to go?” Scott argued crossing his arms.
“Because Robert’s kids are upset over losing their father and having a younger person with me might help them,” Scott’s father said ruffling his son’s brown hair.
Scott dragged his feet as he followed his father to the car. Scott’s father visited the family of his friend and business partner Robert Kemp every day since he had been abducted. The longer he had been missing the prospect of him coming back alive grew bleaker.
Dr. Turner and Dr. Robert Kemp had met at medical school. They specialized in plastic surgery and had both written many papers on new procedures on plastic surgery. Once a month both doctors would volunteer their services for a day at the local burns unit to help burn victims. Together they owned Kemp & Turner medical practice where they performed cosmetic surgery for wealthy clients.
As they pulled up outside the Kemp home, Scott noticed a black Mercedes parked across the street with two men watching Dr. Kemp’s home.
Inside Mrs. Kemp, a slim woman with a face that showed no emotion greeted S
cott and his father. Scott guessed it was because she had too much plastic surgery and wore heavy make-up.
“How are you holding up, Martha?” Dr Turner asked placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.
Scott sat down on the couch next to Peter and Colin Kemp, the seven-year-old twins. They were watching a cartoon on TV and eating potato chips. He tried making small talk to the two boys to cheer them up but they seemed more interested in the TV than talking to a thirteen- year-old.
After a cup of tea Scott was relieved that it was time to leave. After giving Mrs. Kemp an awkward hug Scott said goodbye and followed his father back out to the car.
Scott glanced up and watched the two men in the black Mercedes. His father coughed before clipping his seat belt on.
“I never knew SYUI would be watching the house?” Scott said as if it was a question.
“I didn’t know they were,” Dr. Turner said starting the engine.
“Look in your mirror; there’s a black Mercedes a little ways behind us with two men in it,” Scott said without turning around.
His father glanced at his mirror and nodded. “It’s nice to see they are taking matters seriously but the longer Robert is missing the less likely it is we will see him again.”
“If he turns up dead does that mean you will own all the partnership?” Scott asked.
“No, half belongs to Robert so that half will belong to Martha and the twins. Besides I still have hope he will show up. It’s a shame that you and Jason with all your spy activities couldn’t help and find out who took him. Put all that spying stuff to good use for a change.”
Scott frowned at his father. “Jason prevented a nuclear missile being fired, together we prevented millions of people from being addicted to cocaine-laced cereals, rescued a UN team from Vietnam, stopped a human trafficking scheme and shut down the operation of some of the largest arms dealers, who sold arms to terrorist groups. I would call that a good use. The only thing we haven’t done is find a cure for cancer.”
Dr Turner looked at his son and smiled. “Yes Scott, you boys have done extremely well and I’m very proud of you. This is closer to home. I just wish we could do more.”