This is the seventh chapter in a book I am writing. The book (Undercover and Investigating) is the third book in a series, you can find the previous two books here: https://writeboy.blog/my-stories/ .
A Better Break Out.
“I just don’t understand why you didn’t contact me, or someone else in IMPS or even the entire SES.” McVallen sits in a briefing room of the MOD.
“Well, we didn’t know who to call because we were told you were doing something very important and special (or something like that) and O’Drice, well that was what we were trying to do.” I’m trying to dig myself out of a hole but I think I’m just continuing down.
“Also, we did contact people from IMPS. We called Jacob and Elijah.” Emily adds.
“Yes, that will be a separate discussion.” McVallen give me a stare as icy as the top of Ben Nevis in the winter.
“Sorry, Jack.”
“Anyway, for now we must focus on getting O’Drice back. I feel that we must bring some people in for this.” McVallen moves on.
“No.” Emily and I say in unison, “You can’t, c’mon we weren’t that bad, were we?” Emily continues.
“Yes, you were irresponsible and dangerous. We are bringing CAPS into this and we are going to work together for O’Drice, no question about it.” With that McVallen swiftly exits.
“Funny how those two words keep popping up around me.” I remark.
“What?”
“Irresponsible and dangerous, I can’t get away from them.”
“Yeah, well maybe we should change.” Emily says glumly.
“Nah, c’mon. Let’s go out.” I tap Emily on the shoulder.
“Where?” She looks up.
“I don’t know, wherever.”
“The Ritz.” Her frown melts into a grin.
“Well, how bad have you messed up this time?” Lizzie (the leader of CAPS the adult version of IMPS).
“It’s ‘badly.’” Jacob corrects.
“This time? You lot messed up majorly last year, do you remember that?” Elijah smugly brings up the time CAPS messed up and IMPS (us) bailed them out.
“You have to be sent on mission to mess them up which from what I’ve heard you haven’t been out for a while.” I finish triumphantly. All they can reply with is sneers. McVallen collects us back in the briefing room and goes over the plan, we (the IMPS) catch her after the briefing. “Colonel, we have proved many times how capable we are as a unit whereas CAPS just seek individual glory. Why aren’t you giving us point on the mission?” I try and persuade McVallen, having been nominated to do so by the rest of them.
“This is your mess and you will have to prove that you can be better before you get to be point.” McVallen says so that CAPS will hear. Then, out of their ear shot, she says, “I couldn’t very well cart them all down here to be back up to you lot. One more thing, when we get back to base, we will have a look at what happened in the crash (if you haven’t already looked at it it’s all over the internet).” With that she leaves us in our ever-increasing confusion.
“What do you think happened?” Emily slides into the seat next to me.
“I don’t know, what did you feel just before it happened?”
“Like a burning sensation, it just abruptly stopped when the light flashed though.”
“Exactly the same as me. This is really weird.” I rake my brain for anything unusual I did, then something comes to me. “What were you thinking?”
“Huh?”
“What were you thinking just before it happened?” I reiterate, nervously tapping a pencil on the table.
“Well, I guess…” she tucks her hair behind her ear and moves away in embarrassment, “I was just hoping you’d be alright.”
“Aww, you two are really cute.” Elijah sticks his head in between us.
“Shut up,” Emily shoves his head back.
“Ok, Mum and Dad,” Elijah calls over his shoulder as he runs out the door, I throw my pencil at his back.
“Anyway, I should probably go.” Emily gets up, using her hair as a barrier so I can’t see her face.
I catch her arm and she looks at me with longing eyes, “I was thinking the same thing.”
“Really, you were hoping you would be alright?” She frowns.
“Oh, no, I was hoping you would be alright.” I stress the ‘you’.
“Great.” She rushes out, a new smile on her face and spring in her step.
McVallen has tracked O’Drice to a building off Leicester Square, next to the cinema. CAPS wait below for the all clear to go in whilst we wait on the roof of the cinema, “Well, this is fun.” Elijah says, messing about with a pebble.
“Yeah well let’s just hope it’s not permanent.” I reply, pacing around.
“Captain, do you copy?” McVallen crackles over the radio.
“Yes, sir.”
“CAPS have done it again; I need you to go in through the roof.”
“Will do, sir.” I turn to Elijah, “Well, this is our chance, they’ve messed up again.” I drop down into a deserted corridor and beckon the others in, we move (as instructed) down two flights of stairs and to the opposite side of the building.
“Is it just me, or is this lighting and the corridor as a whole really stereotypical?” Emily looks around.
“What do you mean?” I turn to her.
“Well, it’s low light, there are random clunking sounds and the walls don’t have any paint on them.”
“I am sorry that you don’t like our decorations.” A deep booming voice calls from the end of the corridor we just came from. We all spin on our heels and I walk to the front of the group.
“Do you know where Nelson’s column is, we’re tourists and I think we are a bit lost.” I look around the corridor with disdain. The man only replies with a slight laugh. “What are you doing? Do you need a drink? Or, a pat on the back? You seem to have something stuck in your throat.”
“Very funny, but not as funny as this…” the man pulls out a gun and point it directly at my head, right in between my eyes.
“Jack!” Emily rushes up to me, but I hold her back with an outstretched arm.
In a matter of minutes, we are walked into a windowless room. “You too, eh?” Emily says to CAPS generally. Meanwhile, I catch Lizzie’s eye and nod my head towards the open side of the door. She nods and quietly darts over there, now it’s my turn to do what I can.
“Hi, I was wondering if (as we have all now been captured) if we could see O’Drice or even share a cell with him, if this is a cell.”
“Shut up you.” One of the man’s cockney henchmen leans menacingly towards me.
“Honestly, I have no idea where they get them from.” I say to Emily.
“Oi, I’m warnin’ you.”
“Alright, Mr. Kray.”
“Vat’s it.” He raises his fist.
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry.” I repeat, making him hesitate, “Dick Van Dyke.” I laugh. He chases me around the cell until we get back to the half-opened door, I dodge round it and swing it all the way open. He runs full tilt, head first, into it- he staggers back dazed. As the door swings shut, I see Lizzie slip out, Emily has realized what the plan is and melts away I assume following her. Now that my part is done, I’m in a sticky situation. The Cockney with a big red egg in the centre of his forehead and another unspeaking guard grab me and drag me away.
I’m sat in an empty corridor, restrained, for what feels like an eternity. After about 10 minutes, the man and his two henchmen walk out and grab hold of me. They dump me right in front of the door. My face is being mashed into the floor because both my wrists and ankles are bound. Then someone opens the door- hard. All I can feel is a piercing pain in the front of my head, I can feel warm blood running down my cheek.
After I am pushed out of the way, I see a full SWAT team rush in, detain the three men and rush off to clear the building. Unbound, with a big wad of tissue stuck onto my forehead and saturated with blood, I talk to O’Drice. “This is Mr. Kray.” I indicate the one without the lump, “And this is Dick Van Dyke.” I indicate the other (loathing) guard with a big lump on his forehead.
“Ahh, look who it is.” McVallen’s disdainful and confused expression transforms into pure joy- or as joyful as McVallen will ever get. Lizzie leads the rest of CAPS, IMPS and O’Drice down the stairs.
“Jack, what happened?” Emily rushes towards me and inspects my forehead. I wince and McVallen clears her throat.
“I think I can safely declare this operation a success. Debrief will be back in Scotland for now, enjoy London and Jack get that checked out (you might need to wear a hat).”
Writeboy 