Bionic Agent by Malcolm Rose Read Free Book Online Page B

Southend-on-Sea, pursued by the river police. That was when the chaos had
begun. Before both boats had sunk, the police were able to identify the vessel they were chasing and had radioed its name to their headquarters, but they hadn’t got close enough to identify
who was in it. When the investigations began, the Quickfall family were immediate suspects because that boat belonged to Henry Quickfall’s sister. Cara Quickfall was so closely related to the
animal rights and environmental campaigner that the police had questioned her and Henry at length. Both had alibis and denied any knowledge of the explosion. Cara had even reported the theft of her
motorboat the day before the bombs went off.
    The sinking of Cara Quickfall’s boat meant that Red Devil could be lying at the bottom of the river estuary. But almost everyone in the affected area had been accounted for. There was one
exception. Jordan caught his breath when he saw it. A schoolteacher called Salam Bool had never been traced after the explosion. After a year, his name was the only one left in the category of Missing . If the bomber had died that day, it was either Mr. Bool or an outsider.
    Jordan felt nervous as they entered Lower Stoke. He’d promised himself always to look to the future but this assignment was a step back into his past. He reminded himself
that it had been his own idea. He’d made the decision to return, and it felt good, after a year of being dependent on others, to be in control of something. Even so, he was uneasy.
    He wanted to take a look inside the sports centre because Mr. Goss’s heavies used to hang out there. If a new gang had moved into the area, he’d soon see the changes.
    Winter wouldn’t let him get out at Shepherds Way. That was where Ben Smith used to live and Winter didn’t want the residents to see a boy gawping at the houses. Instead, she agreed
to drive past slowly. Even so, Jordan’s jaw dropped. By the light of the streetlamps, he could see that it was all different. Ben’s home had gone. Totally. Number fourteen and the house
next door – number sixteen – were identical new properties. Most of the nearby sheds and garages had vanished. Many had been replaced. Number twelve was a mosaic of the original house
and new building. Further along, a terrace of houses with tiny gardens had been squeezed into the space where there had been three roomy homes. Jordan barely recognized the neighbourhood.
    Winter stopped the Audi just round the corner from the sports club and turned to Jordan. “Are you sure this is where you want to be?”
    He nodded. “Amy’s dad owns it. At least, he used to. It was full of kids, but Mr. Goss’s people were always there as well. They broke fights up. There’s a door in the
corner that’s always locked. Only Mr. Goss’s heavies went in. If someone new’s taken over, everything’ll be different and I might hear something.”
    “All right,” Winter said. “But remember it’s been rebuilt. Part of it anyway.”
    “Just like me,” Jordan replied.
    “I showed you the plans.”
    “Yeah.”
    “Remember your brief as well,” she said. “Avoid confrontation. If it looks like there’s going to be trouble, don’t get involved. Just leave.”
    “Sure.”
    “Tell me the first rule of Unit Red.”
    “Have you forgotten it?” Jordan said. Because he wasn’t really in the mood for joking, he wiped the forced smile from his face and answered properly, “We’re always
undercover. We never ever mention Unit Red.”
    Winter nodded, apparently satisfied. “I can’t stay here without raising suspicion. I’ll be round the corner in the car park.”
    “Okay.”
    “And I’ll be online.” She pointed at the laptop on the back seat. “You can log on any time.”
    “All right.” Jordan got out, closed the door, and took a deep breath of Lower Stoke air. It was surprisingly fresh. The oil refinery and gas terminal had gone. Their tall cylinders
were no longer