Jason Steed: Face-Off

  The heat started to become uncomfortable for Jason as he climbed to his feet and backed away. He walked to the compound exit and found a small guard hut. The guard inside was desperately trying to make a phone call to avail.

  “The phones won’t work,” Jason suggested in German.

  The guard came out and looked Jason up and down. He went back into his hut and came back out with a blanket and first aid kit. He gently wrapped the blanket around Jason’s bare shoulders and opened the first aid kit.

  He asked Jason where else he was cut. His gi bottoms were caked in dried blood from Wong Tong. Jason hadn’t noticed but the wound inflicted by Boudicea to his stomach had reopened.

  Jason stood in silence while the guard gently cleaned his cut and placed a large band- aid over it. He spoke gently to the boy. Jason studied the man; he looked to be in his forties. The way he treated and acted towards him, he suspected the man probably had children of his own.

  “What happened in there? I thought Boudicea wanted to get the planes up,” The guard asked.

  “Oh, they went up ok,” Jason boasted looking at his band-aid. “Thanks.”

  “I haven’t seen you before. Were your parents in the hangar?” The guard asked. “What happened to your shoes and clothes, and why are you in pajamas?”

  Jason sighed. Trying to speak German and lie at the same time wasn’t easy. “Maybe you should go and see if someone needs any help.”

  “I’m on strict orders from Boudicea herself not to leave my post.”

  “Well I suspect she’s extra crispy by now, but if she’s not she would probably like some help,” Jason suggested.

  The guard looked at the blazing building and nodded. Jason watched him run towards the building carrying a small fire extinguisher.

  “Trying to put that fire out with that thing would be like an ant trying to tow a truck,” Jason shouted.

  “No I don’t have a truck. I rode my bike here,” The guard called back.

  Jason screwed up his face; clearly he wasn’t as good with the German language as much as he thought he was. The guard’s bike was leaning against the hut.

  Knowing no telephone would be working here, Jason took the guard’s bike and set off to find a village or town with a working phone. The bike was really too big for him. He could just touch the floor with his toes if he sat on the crossbar, although once he got going he could sit on the saddle and pedal. Stopping might be a problem without being able to touch the ground but he would worry about that later.

  The cold wind cut into him; the blanket provided little protection as the wind forced it to flap around him. He had only been riding a short while, when his bare toes and feet soon became painful from the cold. It took over an hour to reach the village of Bramburg. Jason had passed several stranded motorists on the country roads but was relieved to see cars operating just fine in this village.

  The village had a small police station; it looked just like the houses. Jason guessed they probably didn’t have much crime here. As he entered a stern-looking police officer looked up from his desk over his glasses. He looked Jason up and down before taking a double look at his bare feet and blood-covered pants and bandaged stomach.

  Jason spoke in German to him. “Hello sir, I need to use the telephone please. It’s rather urgent. I’ll explain everything once I have made a call.”

  “Are you hurt?” The policeman asked climbing to his feet.

  “The telephone?” Jason asked raising his eyebrows in typical Steed fashion.

  He nodded and beckoned Jason to his phone.

  Jason dialed Infinity’s emergency number. It was picked up on the first ring. A woman Jason didn’t recognize greeted him.

  “This is Jason Steed, I’m in a village called...” Jason was interrupted.

  “Jason. Jason Steed. Thank God you called we have agents across the world looking for you. Where are you?” she questioned.

  “I was about to say before you interrupted me. A village called Bramburg. I’m at the police station. Is Dexter there?”

  The phone went quiet before Quentin Roosevelt picked it up and spoke calmly to Jason. It was a brief call, straight to the point keeping major details to a minimum. Within minutes Infinity agents in Germany and nearby countries were contacted with instructions to descend on the area.

  The policeman gave Jason a hot mug of tea. Local people started to arrive at the station with stories of a large explosion at nearby Wurzburg. Other stories came in saying cars and trucks were broken down on the roads. The local policeman was only experienced in dealing with illegal parking, a missing dog and maybe the odd occasion when a complaint came in regarding loud music. This was something he had no idea how to handle.

  Two men wearing German army uniforms arrived; they looked at Jason and both studied a photograph they carried. They nodded to each other and called Jason’s name.

  “Who are you?” Jason asked in German.

  “Your German is good Jason. Dexter sent us; he will be arriving in a few hours. I’m Hector and this is...” He stopped before Jason interrupted him.

  “Let me guess. Hans?” Jason chortled.

  They both looked at each other and back at Jason. “Someone told you we were coming?” Hector asked looking puzzled.

  “Do I look like I was born yesterday?” Jason said climbing to his feet. “Okay maybe I do, but is that the best you could come up with? Hector and Hans.”

  “Those are our names,” Hans said.

  Jason studied both men. They were in their late twenties and both had short blond hair and blue eyes, square jaw lines and broad shoulders with arms that looked like their biceps were trying to escape through the jacket sleeves.

  Hans had a gruffer look about him; his eyes narrowed and his mouth turned down.

  Hector had the same square shoulders and jaw but he didn’t grin. He was a man in control, powerful and strong. Tougher in an odd way than the larger scowling Hans.

  “Forgive me if I seem a little paranoid. You are the stereotype of German agents I would expect and I would guess your names to be Hans, Hector or Adolf. So you won’t mind me asking, who is head of Infinity?” Jason quizzed.

  Hector smiled. “You are very smart; it’s wise to be careful Jason,” He turned to ensure he was out of earshot of the policeman. “Mr. Quentin Roosevelt always chooses his young agents well. Does that answer your question? Or maybe you should call him just to be safe.” He picked up the phone and offered it to Jason.

  Jason took it and called Infinity and asked to speak to Quentin. He was told to be on the look out for Hector and Hans. Jason could trust them as they were Infinities top agents in Germany and also worked for German secret service.

  “Seems you are who you should be,” Jason blushed.

  Jason followed them outside to a parked Mercedes. They took no chances and checked up and down the street to ensure their precious cargo would not be harmed.

  As soon as they sped off, Hector offered Jason some candy and he was happy to take it.

  “I take it that you guys get an expense account?” Jason asked.

  Hector turned and looked at Jason. “Sure of course we do. As much as we love our job we still have to eat and live somewhere.”

  “Good. Stop the car outside a department store.” Jason said as a matter of fact.

  “Our orders are to take you to a cafe. We hand you over to Dexter,” Hector said.

  “So you won’t want to draw attention to ourselves walking into a cafe?” Jason suggested.

  “No.”

  “Don’t you think people will think it strange if they see me, no shoes or socks, half naked in blood covered Karate Gi pants, and a bandaged stomach?”

  Hans and Hector looked at each other and nodded.

  “Very well but don’t go crazy, just basic shoes and clothing,” Hans said.

  An hour later they emerged out of the department store. Jason was sporting new Nike trainers, khaki pants, a blu
e sweater over a white shirt and a leather jacket flung over his shoulder. He decided to make the most of it and get some decent clothing. He figured Infinity owed him that at the very least.

  They met up with Dexter who seemed genuinely happy to see Jason. He had been debriefed by Dexter before; this was as he expected but much more serious. After his two- hour debrief in a small German cafe he was taken to a military hospital to have his stomach wound treated and dressed properly.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  The United States military went on amber alert. US nuclear submarines, some previously hidden in waters under the South China Sea emerged from below depths to make their presence known. In response the Chinese warships moved away from the US coastline. A major catastrophe had been prevented thanks to Jason.

  As they left the hospital Dexter sighed, sunk back in his seat and heavily laid his head back on the headrest. Hans and Hector sat up front.

  “Tired?” Jason asked Dexter.

  “Not exactly Jason. Your mission went far better than we could have expected. You possibly stopped World War Three. But yet again you blow up an entire building. The paperwork and investigations from various German authorities will consume days if not weeks of my time. What is it with you and blowing things up?”

  “I stopped the plane taking off. It’s not my fault it veered off into the hangar,” Jason frowned.

  “Yes but it destroyed both EMPs and the small ones in the red cans. All the records and the scientists who made them were also wiped out,” Dexter concurred.

  “That’s a good thing surely?” Jason mused.

  “Not really. We had our best agent on the ground. It would have been nice for us to use that technology. It could stop a war.”

  Jason nodded in deep thought before asking. “Um. Who was your best agent on the ground? He didn’t get hurt in the explosion did he?”

  Dexter smiled at Jason. “No he rode away on a bicycle and contacted us.”

  A huge grin ran across Jason face. “Best agent you say, that’s wicked.”

  “Don’t let it go to your head. You are still a junior agent under my command and you’re still responsible for blowing up the hangar. And I have not forgotten you disobeyed orders and went to see Princess Catherine.”

  Jason was given a room next to Dexter’s at the Hilton International in Berlin. The following morning Dexter would accompany him back to England.

  Staying in a high-end hotel with room service and a snack bar was exciting for anyone. For a thirteen-year-old who was just told he was Infinity’s best agent it was a recipe for disaster.

  Jason kicked his shoes off and leapt on the kingsized bed and jumped up and down a few times to try it out. After a few bounces he found the remote control and turned on the TV. He found a music channel; the music was German but once he turned it up that didn’t matter. Next he raided the mini bar. He broke into Coke, chocolate covered peanuts and raisins followed by chewy mints.

  Five minutes later he was bored. Everything on the TV was in German. Although he could translate it, nothing seemed worth watching.

  He called Scott from his room. Mrs. Turner answered before passing the phone to Scott.

  “Jase.” Scott beamed.

  “Hey. I found Dr. Kemp.” Jason said. “Although I don’t know if he made it out the hangar alive or not.”

  “Yeah I heard. I guessed that part but still could not come up with where they would be holding you.” Scott noted.

  “I’ll forgive you this one time,” Jason said with a mouthful of mints.

  “Your mom and dad are furious about the academy and Infinity. Oh and she’s up-the- spout,” Scott stated.

  “Brenda’s not my mom,” Jason trailed off. “Okay I guess step-mother. Up-the-spout? Wow. It’ll be weird when the baby is here. It. I mean he or she will call her mom and I’ll be calling her Brenda.”

  “You could just call her mom as well,” Scott suggested. “Besides maybe they will go easier on you for lying to them about Infinity.”

  “I didn’t lie.” Jason shot, “I just never told them everything. Is my dad really mad?”

  “Yeah he’s pissed,” Scott laughed. “You are so grounded.”

  “But I stopped World war Three,” Jason protested. “That EMP was bad mate. It was bad enough here in the small village, if it had been blown up in the sky, an area the size of London would be without any power or machinery. Both in England and New York.”

  The two boys talked until Scott’s mother told him it was time to put the phone down. Jason declined Dexter’s invitation to join him for dinner. He was full of candy and chocolate and the mission finally caught up with him and he needed sleep.

  Jason missed breakfast. He over slept and barely had time to take a shower before meeting Dexter in the hotel lobby. He arrived with wet hair and shoelaces untied after Dexter repeatedly called his room telling him to hurry.

  “Did you have breakfast?” Dexter asked.

  “Let’s go. I thought you said we were late,” Jason grumbled.

  “Ah yes. I almost forgot that side of you,” Dexter taunted with a beaming smile that just made Jason angrier.

  “What side of me?” Jason snapped.

  “The angry morning teenager side. Here I got you a coffee anyway,” Dexter smiled, passing him a cup.

  “I don’t drink coffee. I drink tea. Let’s just go,” Jason sighed.

  “I’ll never understand teenagers. I don’t know why I put myself through this.”

  They sat together in the back of a taxi. Dexter passed Jason the coffee, who took it and sipped it.

  They turned a corner and a large truck with a beer slogan on the side pulled across the road blocking the taxi’s path, forcing it to make a sudden stop. The taxi driver started shouting obscenities at the truck driver. Jason’s coffee fell on his lap.

  “Ouch that almost roasted my nuts,” Jason cursed. “What did you stop like that for?”

  Dexter noticed something. He pulled out his gun and opened his door. A shot rang out catching Dexter in his right shoulder. Jason crawled out of the car next to Dexter. An automatic machine gun sprayed the taxi with bullets.

  Dexter sat on the ground with his back against the taxi shielded by his open door. His left hand clung tight to his right shoulder, blood oozing between his fingers.

  “Keep down Jason,” Dexter grimaced.

  Jason picked up Dexter’s gun and took in his surroundings. They were completely cut off from safety. It was obvious this was a planned attack and the attackers had automatic weapons. Dexter was badly injured; between them they had one pistol. It was a battle he could not win.

  “They want me not you,” Jason said he placed Dexter’s gun in the waistband in the back of his pants and covered it with his jacket. Slowly he raised his hands.

  “No Jason. Stay here,” Dexter ordered.

  “I’m unarmed and coming out,” Jason shouted.

  He took a deep breath not knowing if it would be his last and slowly stood. Any second now he expected to hear a shot and die. Gingerly he walked around to the front of the taxi. It was deadly quiet, and not a sound could be heard.

  Jason’s eyes darted left to right looking for his attackers, expecting to be picked off at any moment.

  “Jason darling you disappoint me. I thought for sure you would try and fight your way out,” came the familiar slur from Boudicea.

  She walked from behind the truck with two armed guards either side of her. The left side of her face was badly burnt, her hair was burnt and her hands were wrapped in bandages.

  “You see what you have done. I was lucky to survive the hangar fire. And for what? A stupid little boy who now is so scared he gives himself up and pees himself.”

  Jason looked down at his pants. He had a large wet patch on his groin. “It’s coffee. I spilt it. You don’t scare me. But I must congratulate you.”

  Boudicea tilted her head to one side. Jason guessed she was probably confus
ed by his remark but her face was so badly burnt on one side and frost bitten on the other it was hard to say what facial expression she would be making if indeed she could.

  “You destroy my reputation not once but twice. You have disfigured my beautiful face. And now you wish to congratulate me?” Boudicea pondered.

  “Yeah. The last time I saw you, I felt for sure your face was so ugly nothing could be worse. Alas I was wrong, it’s now much worse,” Jason taunted.

  “Wound him and bring him to me alive,” Boudicea screeched.

  Her two armed guards glanced at each other wondering where to shoot the boy without killing him. If they both fired he could be killed. The hesitation was all Jason needed. He threw himself down on the ground and as he was going down he retrieved the pistol from his waistband.

  Infinity’s tough training schedule had paid off. He was no longer a poor shot with a gun. In rapid succession he fired two shots at one then the other guard. The instructor had taught Infinity students to shoot to kill. Aim for the heart or head. Jason chose the heart on both, their bodies thrown back by the force of the .38 rounds.

  Boudicea cursed at Jason and ran towards him. He took aim and at the last second something came at him from his right side. Luke, Boadicea’s leopard pounced out of nowhere at Jason and pinned him to the ground. Luke was fast, smart, strong and a stealthy predator. Jason hadn’t noticed it creep up on him. Luke gave an ear-shattering roar from down deep inside its body up to its throat.

  Luke remembered the last time it had met Jason. The boy stabbed him, this boy, the same scent and same blue eyes with large dilated pupils. Jason felt Luke’s hot breath as his jaw opened exposing the animal’s massive incisors that were about to rip Jason apart. Jason screamed in pain as Luke’s claws dug into his shoulders to hold him still while it could take a fatal bite of the boy’s soft neck.

  A single shot rung out; the bullet passed through the animal’s skull killing it instantly. The heavy beast collapsed on top of Jason.