Revenge (4 page)

Jason had arranged to meet Scott the following night at the park. It was planned for every third day at the same time. After he found out that the Triads had checked him out, he was concerned for Scott's safety. He was also concerned for the Bristows' safety. It may have been smart to use a real foster family for cover, but now they were in danger. He got to the park early and watched the direction he knew Scott would be coming in.

Jason sat on a swing and glanced at his watch—ten past six. They had arranged to meet at six. He wondered if Scott was still coming. He finally showed up and joined Jason on the swings. To anyone watching, it was just two boys rocking on the swings and talking. You would never guess they were passing information about murder plots.

“Your grandparents are down from Scotland and have flipped out. They gave Mrs. Beeton a hard time
and
they came around to my house. Your gran is really upset. I had to call George Young or she was going to call the police.”

“Oh, no, what did he do?”

“He told them it was a matter for SYUI and British security and that if they tried to make a fuss, they could be putting you in danger. They're staying at your house. Oh, and they called the admiralty and spoke to your father. As you can guess, he is pretty mad with George Young and you.”

“Jesus, what a mess. I will be in for it when this is over and he gets home. I feel sorry for Mrs. Beeton. Get a message to my grandparents. Tell them I'm fine and they are to apologize to Mrs. Beeton. She's just the housekeeper. It's not her fault, and let's face it, she couldn't have stopped me.”

Scott stopped his swing and stood and faced Jason, who had to drag his feet on the ground to stop before he knocked Scott over.

“You want
me
to go around to your house and face your grandparents? They'll skin me alive! Those Scottish people are weird.”

“Hey, my mum was Scottish. Take that back. Just tell Gran I sent my love and she'll be cool.”

“Oh, sorry, I didn't mean anything bad about your mum. Okay, I'll go and see them, but if you don't ever see me again, you'll know they cut me up and stuck me in a haggis.”

Jason grinned at Scott. They started walking over to the jungle gym, which was shaped like an igloo with metal bars. Jason jumped up and lifted his legs. Once he was hanging upside down by his legs, he continued, “Now down to work. On Saturday, Andrew Cho and I are going to kill a guy—the same guy he was assaulting when he was arrested and caught by the police. He wants to send a message that he's the big grown-up son of Lin Cho. How do I get out of it without breaking my cover? I can't kill a guy or watch it happen.”

“Dunno. I'll ask George Young and see what he says. What's your new school like?” Scott panted as he climbed up. He wasn't as brave as Jason and thought better of hanging upside down by just his legs.

“Easy, relaxed. They don't have a ‘Taffy' Griffiths. It's a coed school, so it's different having girls in the class. But no one is as pretty as Catherine. I wish I could call her.”

“As much as I like working at SYUI and being the messenger, I will be glad when this is over. A few guys at school have started pushing me around. You know, the usual stuff, calling me a nerd.”

“You are a nerd, Scott. That's what I like about you.” Jason laughed.

Scott cursed at Jason and punched his leg, almost causing Jason to fall. “I can't think why I like you. Probably because it makes me feel superior because of your lack of intelligence.”

“Probably.” Jason smiled. Scott looked back and smiled at his friend. They climbed off the frame and toward the grass when two smaller boys came to play on the bars.

“Well, actually, there is some news about school, but it's not good. Colin Wilkes hanged himself two days ago.”

“What? No way! Why?” Jason was shocked by the news. They had not been close friends but had often run track together after school.

“Probably because he was a junky and got kicked out of Man U.”

“Wilky wasn't a junky,” Jason said.

“Well, he failed the drug test and then he went into a deep depression. Sorry, mate, it's true.”

• • •

The following morning, Janice was arguing with her mother. She was upset that there were not any Coco-Bites left. First she blamed Jason for eating them until her mother reminded her that she had eaten them herself after school. She left for school early without saying good-bye and slammed the front door behind her.

“Did I cause that?” Jason asked.

“No, dear, she is at that age when she knows best. For some reason, she can't stop eating that cereal. I notice you don't eat it,” Mrs. Bristow said, trying to straighten Jason's school tie as he was putting his shoes on.

“I prefer just milk for breakfast. I like to run to school, and I can't do that on a full stomach,” he said, picking up his schoolbag.

Jason started jogging to school along the road, and a man in running shorts came up alongside him.

“Hello, boyo. I'm with George Young. Take Wilkinson Avenue,” the man said with a broad Welsh accent. He then increased speed and ran on ahead.

As Jason turned into Wilkinson Avenue, he looked for George. The street was heavily lined with trees and full of parked cars. A black van drove alongside him. When Jason noticed it out of the corner of his eye, it slowed down to his speed.

It's got to be SYUI
.

Without even looking, he ran into the street and the side door opened. As it slowed, Jason jumped in and the door was closed behind him.

“Jason Steed, good morning, mate. How are ya? Your bleeding grandmother got in a right state over you, she did. She was gonna go and call the ‘Old Bill,'” George said happily. Jason smiled at George and shook his hand. George was overweight and always smelled of body odor and cigarettes.

“I take it you got my message about Saturday,” Jason panted.

“Yeah, a bit of a problem…that. Do you know what they're raising the money for yet?”

“No, but what do I do about Saturday?”

“You've gotta do it. I know you can kill with your bare hands. You proved yourself in Jakarta. How many did you kill then? Five or six? Although you shot some, so that don't count.”

Jason cursed under his breath. “You
are
joking? I can't kill some shopkeeper!”

“I don't want you to kill him—just make it look like it. Kick him around a bit. Behind the counter will be a ‘prop knife.' Stab him with it.” The van came to a stop.

“What's a prop knife?” Jason asked, concerned.

“It's what the actors use on films. It's telescopic, so it won't stab him. It will fold up, and a small capsule of animal blood will burst open. Makes a right bloody mess but looks like the real McCoy. Actors normally get a chance to practice. You don't. You got one shot. The shopkeeper is counting on you with his life. Although to be honest, he doesn't know about it.”

“What if it doesn't work and Andrew wants to kill him?”

“You'd better get out, Jason, or you'll be late for school.”

“You didn't answer my question.”

“There you go now. Remember, it will be behind the counter,” George said, opening the door, putting his hand on Jason's shoulder, and nudging him out. Jason pulled his arm away. “Come on. You'll be late for school.”

“I'm not getting out until you answer my question. What do I do? Andrew may even have a gun. Do I stop Andrew or let him murder someone?”

Again, George tried to push Jason out the van. This time, Jason caught George's hand and bent his fingers back hard. George slipped off his seat in pain and tried to free his fingers.

“Tell me what to do.”

“Okay, let me bloody fingers go,” George shouted. “Everyone, out. I need to talk to Jason.” The driver and man next to him in the front seat climbed out and shut the doors. George sat back and clenched his fingers. He pulled out a cigarette and lit it.

“Jason, I'm really sorry to put you in a spot like this, mate. At your age, you should be in school, thinking about girls and football. But we believe the Triads are up to something very big—so big it will go down in history. I can't answer your question. We
have
to have a lead. I am depending on you to get it for us. If someone gets hurt or killed, well, there are bigger things at stake. I've got your back.” George took out a tissue and wiped his forehead. Jason noticed how worried he looked. He had lost his cocky smile and arrogance. He was a man who looked terrified of the consequences.

• • •

Early Saturday morning, Andrew stood outside the Bristows', dressed in black. He had a pair of black leather gloves, and his jet-black hair shone in the morning sunlight.

“You look like Bruce Lee in
Enter
the
Dragon
,” Jason joked when he approached. Andrew said nothing as he walked past Jason. He knew his father would be watching today's events, and he was certain that Boudica would also hear about it. Today was business. He had to act responsibly and take care of his reputation. Jason followed close to his side.

After a short bus ride, Jason followed Andrew off the bus and down a small street. It was a poor neighborhood. Many of the homes were in need of repair. Old cars that had clearly seen better days were parked alongside the pavement. Andrew stopped and bent down. He was pretending to tie his shoelaces.

“That's it—there,” Andrew said, nodding toward the corner store. An elderly lady was coming out. She had a wicker basket on wheels, and they watched as she wrapped a scarf around her neck and slowly walked away. Andrew marched on toward the store.

As they entered, a bell rang. It was a small shop that sold prepackaged food, milk, tobacco products, and newspapers. Jason took in his surroundings: A counter was at the far end, with a cash register to the right. On the back wall, large jars of various colored candy and toffee filled a shelf. There was a small door opening behind the counter, and music was playing.

An old bald man came from behind the counter and smiled at Jason. He was stooped over and wore wire-framed glasses.

“Good morning, young man. How can I help you?” he asked.

It's now or never. Sorry, but this will save your life
.

Jason spun on one leg. His foot shot out in a perfectly timed full roundhouse kick that slammed into the soft flesh of the man's stomach. Jason changed feet and carried out a second attack, kicking him twice in the chest and pushing him back behind the counter. With all the wind knocked out of him, the shopkeeper collapsed behind the counter and gasped for air. Jason scanned frantically behind the counter, searching for the knife.

Where
is
it?

As the shopkeeper tried to get to his feet again, Jason kicked him. He lunged forward and thrust his knee onto the old man's chest, pinning his victim down. He saw the knife out of the corner of his eye and scooped it up. It was cold and heavy to the touch. Jason's fingers wrapped around the handle and brought the knife down hard onto the man's chest. The man cried out in pain, and blood spat back into Jason face. His hand was covered with blood as he climbed off his prey. Andrew looked over the counter. Jason bent down to feel a pulse on the man's neck. Nothing.

“I can't feel a pulse,” Jason announced in shock.

“Come on. We'd better go,” Andrew ordered.

“I can't feel a pulse,” Jason said again, panic now setting in.

“That's the whole idea, Jase. Good work. Now come on. Let's go.”

Jason followed Andrew out of the store. He was dazed, panting and sweating. Jason had killed before—an enemy on Jakarta—but that has been a war zone. This was an English civilian—just an old man like his grandfather. Andrew stopped and took off his jacket. He wiped Jason's face with his hand and placed his jacket around Jason. He could see Jason was in shock. This was one time Jason didn't need to act.

The bus ride back to Andrew's home was a hazy dream to Jason. When they got off the bus and started to walk, he kneeled down and threw up. Andrew helped him to his feet.

As they entered Andrew's home, Lin Cho was waiting in the hallway with his driver/bodyguard, Kotang. Kotang stood nearly seven feet tall; he was so wide that he had to turn his shoulders to get through most doors. He had once been a Japanese sumo wrestler, but after he had murdered a woman in Japan, he had fled to Great Britain. Cho looked at Andrew as they entered. He noticed that Jason was covered in blood.

“Is he all right? You should not have taken him. He is too small. I knew he would get hurt.”

“No, Father, he's fine. Jason killed him. It was his first kill, and he's just shaken up,” Andrew said as he took Jason to the kitchen. Cho and Kotang followed.

“
Jason
killed him? It seems you have found a worthy friend. A boy with his looks, a Westerner, could be very useful to us.” Cho grinned. Jason pulled off his shirt and stuck his head under the flow of cold water. He watched the water turn red as it washed the blood off his face. When he was clean, he dried off. He faced Andrew.

“Did I do all right, Andrew?”

“Yes and no. I never told you to kill him. You were supposed to keep watch. But, damn, you were so fast!”

“Boys, I am going to see Boudica in an hour, and I would like you two to join us.” This was the break Jason had been hoping to get—a chance to meet Boudica.

Andrew smiled at Jason. They both sat in the back of Lin Cho's Rolls-Royce on their way to see Boudica. Andrew told Jason to keep the black leather jacket because it suited him.

Jason didn't reply. He was still thinking about the shopkeeper. He couldn't feel a pulse! Maybe he had been feeling in the wrong place? He told himself that had to be it. The knife was there just as George had said. It must have been a fake knife with animal blood.

They eventually came to a large industrial park. At the far end was a huge, dirty building with many other buildings connected to it. Trucks drove in and out of the large, guarded gates. An eight-foot fence topped with barbed wire surrounded the entire compound. Security cameras were mounted every forty feet. Jason noticed security guards with guard dogs patrolling the perimeter inside and outside.

“Is this a prison?” Jason asked.

Cho and Kotang laughed at his remark.

“This is Boudica's factory. Have you heard of ‘B Food Company, Ltd.'?” Andrew asked.

Jason paused and thought as the car stopped at the front gates.

“I think so. Don't they make breakfast cereal?”

“Yes, the top selling brand is Coco-Bites. Boudica owns the company. She is the ‘B' in ‘B Food Company.'”

Jason looked confused.
If
she
was
head
of
the
Triads, why would she also own a children's breakfast company?

Kotang drove up to the large building. The once-red brickwork had turned black over the years with grime from London's smog and pollution. The tiny windows had bars across them. Inside was just as dark and gloomy. As they entered, Jason could taste sugar in the atmosphere and a strong, pleasant smell. It reminded him of his kitchen at home after Mrs. Beeton had been making his favorite food: carrot cake.

Large stainless steel containers of flour and sugar with connecting pipes filled the interior. Workers with white coats, gloves, and blue hard hats walked briskly and checked various dials and gauges.

Pallets of cereal boxes were stacked from floor to ceiling. Forklift trucks loaded with boxes and various supplies sped around. A conveyor belt carried what Jason could only describe as thousands of cereal boxes.

They walked up a large metal stairway and followed a walkway suspended from the ceiling to an office at the end.

“Boudica, how are you?” Cho smiled and bowed.

Behind a desk sat a figure. Jason looked and made eye contact. She stood and glanced at him. She was slender and tall, Chinese with blond hair. Her skin was white and looked pale compared to her bright red lips. She had dark, intelligent eyes and wore a tight-fitting purple silk dress cut above the knee. As she walked around the desk to shake Lin's hand, Jason watched her. She had a large slit on the side of her dress, and as she walked, it opened and slid so high that Jason was sure it would reveal her underwear. Her glossy black boots with large heels made her look even taller than she actually was.

She looked down at Cho. “I understand Andrew took care of a little problem with his new friend,” she spoke in Chinese.

“Yes, Andrew has gained his reputation back. This will make our clients think next time,” Lin answered in Chinese.

“There had better not be a next time. This pretty boy—I don't trust Westerners—why would you bring him here?” she said scornfully.

“He will be helpful to us.
He
actually killed the problem and helped Andrew in juvie. I've had him checked out. He's harmless. As you know, the police and SYUI are watching our every move. They would never suspect a boy like him to be working for us. Plus, he's now a killer.” Lin smiled.

“Come here, boy,” she ordered. Jason ignored the remark. As far as they were concerned, he didn't speak Chinese. Andrew looked at Jason and nodded his head toward Boudica.

“What?” asked Jason in English.

Boudica smiled at him, her eyes still showing no emotion. “Come here, boy,” she repeated in English.

“The name is Steed. Jason Steed, miss,” he said as he approached. “You must be Boudica.” He held out his hand.

“Are you not afraid of me,
boy
?” she asked. Jason pulled his hand away as she put hers out. She was standing with her hand outstretched, furious.

“My name is Jason Steed.”

Cho raised his eyes. Andrew held his breath. Boudica looked shocked. Clearly outraged, she turned and went back behind her desk.

“We are already at full production. My plant in the United States will open next month. Within a year, I shall be the richest woman in China and will never have to smell this rotten stench again. The money will go back to our homeland, and I will once and for all rid China of Chairman Mao. China will be a great country again, and
I
, Boudica, shall be its queen. The stupid Western children and their addiction will provide me with everything I need to overthrow him.” She admired her long red fingernails and continued, “I have a place for you, Lin Cho. You have done very well. You and your family will be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams.” She laughed.

Jason started to shake nervously. What he had heard did not make much sense, but it was important he let George know. His ability to speak Chinese had been invaluable. It now made sense why SYUI had chosen him.

“Jason Steed, it was…amusing to meet you. I have never met someone so small and yet so confident before. You are right to be proud of your name. I apologize for calling you
boy
.” She held out her hand. Jason walked forward and shook it. It felt cold and stiff.

“Lin Cho, you and the boys have arrived just in time. We captured a spy and have him downstairs. They are interrogating him now. You must all come and meet him,” she said, pleased. They followed Boudica down the staircase, and the workers in the blue overalls bowed their heads. It sickened Jason.

They followed Boudica into a room that was like a hospital operating room. A man was strapped down to the bed, half-naked. Two Chinese men in white coats who looked like twins stood over him. Jason took in his surroundings.

“This is Officer Jim Kinver with SYUI. He has been spying on me. But now Jim has nothing to say. Well, Wing and Wong will get him chatting.”

Cho walked up to the bed and slapped Kinver across the face.

“Why are you watching us? What do you know?” Jim turned his head and looked away. He briefly made eye contact with Jason. Cho picked up a surgeon's knife and cut a line across Kinver's chest. He screamed out in pain. Jason and Andrew flinched at the bloody sight and sound of his screams. Kinver then had a gag put across his mouth by one of the twins to prevent him from screaming. Boudica walked across and picked up a pair of wire cutters.

“Are you ready to talk yet, Jimmy boy?” she asked.

He glared at her and struggled against the leather ties that held down his hands and feet. His body fought like a wild animal trying to free itself from a trap. Without a second thought, Boudica cut off the small finger on his right hand. Blood shot out across the floor. One of the twins lit a blowtorch and scorched the stub to prevent him from bleeding to death. His sweat-covered face was racked with pain. He screamed against the gag. Jason felt like throwing up. He wasn't sure he could watch any more.

“Tell us who else is involved or loose a toe!” Cho shouted.

Kinver again looked at Jason, who was trying to look away.

“I'm working alone,” Kinver protested. “I suspected that you are running a protection scheme. That's all!”

Cho laughed and said, “They don't send in SYUI for a small issue like a protection racket. You are lying. Good-bye, little toes.”

Kinver screamed as Cho removed a toe on his left foot. The pain from the blowtorch was worse. Jason's stomach churned as the room was consumed with the stench of burning flesh. Boudica looked at Jason. She tilted her head and studied him.

“How rude of us, Jason. We are having all the fun,” she said, licking a spot of Kinver's blood off her long white fingernail. “It's your turn now.”

“No, thanks. I've already killed once today. No need to be greedy. You carry on. I'll watch,” he said nervously, forcing a smile.

“It was an order, not a request,” Boudica snapped back. Jason paused. His brain was churning, trying to figure a way out.

I
could
take
Lin
and
Andrew. I'm certain Boudica would be easy, the two twins probably as well, but Kotang is outside. He would snap me in half! I can't risk fighting them all alone. If I lose, it'll be me strapped to the bed, and that won't help Kinver.

He walked up to the bed, desperately trying to think of something. Jason picked up a knife and put it back down. He then picked up a pillow off the floor.

“That won't hurt him enough to make him speak, Jase,” Andrew scoffed.

Jason pulled off the pillowcase, folded it up tight, and placed it over Kinver's face and nose. After thirty seconds, Kinver fought back, trying desperately to breathe, his face turning blue. Finally, Jason removed it.

“You'd better tell them what they want know. I'm new to this, and next time, I may do it too long,” Jason said quietly. Kinver's eyes glared at Jason in total disbelief.

“Come on, Jason. It's my turn,” Andrew said, trying to act tough in front of the others. Jason again pushed the pillowcase across his mouth and nose. The others in the room didn't notice Jason's fingers feeling Kinver's neck just below his right ear. Once Jason found the right pressure point, he pushed down, and this blocked the blood to the brain. After a few seconds, Kinver was unconscious. Jason pulled the pillowcase away.

“Oops. Looks like I've killed two today…sorry.”

Boudica gestured one of the twins to check Kinver.

“He is alive but fainted,” he told Boudica in Chinese.

“You killed him, Jason,” she lied. Jason decided to play along.

“Good. Anyone who is a threat to Andrew and his family deserves to be dead.” Jason frowned.

“He's not really dead. He's just fainted. You're a cold-hearted little brat. I like that.”