Jason Steed Royal Decree by Mark A. Cooper
“Jason’s picture?” Brenda asked.
“Yes, with Flanagan’s daughter in swim suits.”
Scott went back to the van and watched the forensic team. He paced back fourth and looked at the notes over and over.
“What’s his deal?” Paddy asked. He nodded in Scott’s direction. Brenda stood and spoke quietly so Scott could not hear.
“I’ve read the notes. George Young was terrible with paperwork, but one thing he mentioned a few times and once in large letters underlined. Never doubt Scott again. I have not worked with these two boys before, and you know my feelings about having them even being here, but George Young was no fool. If he said not to doubt Scott Turner, then we have to let him do his thing. He has one of the highest IQ’s in Britain. He may be a little nerdy, but that kid is smart.”
“Smart ass if you ask me,” Paddy said.
“Well I’m not asking, and like you said, Jason was right earlier.”
*
Jason offered to help Maude cook dinner. He didn’t enjoy cooking, but it took his mind of what could be happening at Cailin’s home when her father met the man she called SS. He was hoping the SYUI team would be able to get some pictures and follow him.
Maude passed a saucepan of potatoes to Jason. “Add two large dobs of butter and a splash of milk and smash them up while I check the sausages,” she said.
He picked up the potato smasher and looked at her. “Two dobs of butter and how much is a dob?” He smiled.
“You can wipe that cheeky grin off your face young man.” She dug a knife into the butter and scooped some out. “Here, this is a dob of butter.”
The phone rang. Shamus and Braden were both on the couch watching football. Shamus sighed as he wearily hauled himself up and answered. Jason could hear the one-sided phone conversation.
“Hi, this is Shamus.”
“What, right now?” Shamus said.
“Calm down. Yes, we can, but you told us Thursday. We don’t have all the funds together yet,” Shamus argued.
“Give it here,” Bradan said, snatching the phone from his brother. “What the hell is the rush? You told our Shamus Thursday. What’s the hurry?”
“Who do you think it is? It’s Bradan,” Bradan snapped when he was asked who he was.
Braden went quiet for a few moments before speaking again. “Okay, at the back of the park. It’ll be me and Shamus. You’ll have to accept what we have, and we will have to owe you the rest, but we can be there in fifteen minutes.”
“You’re not going out. We’re having bangers and mash. Jason helped cook it,” Maude complained.
“We’ll have it later, Maude. Stick it in the oven. We have to meet someone,” Shamus said.
“Must be important to come before your dinner,” Maude snapped.
“It’s SS,” Shamus whispered. Jason overheard and tension coiled around in the pit of his stomach in a tightly cinched knot. Shamus ran up the stairs. Bradan took the lid of the flour jar and dug his fingers into the white fluffy powder. He pulled out a plastic bag covered in flour and rinsed it off. Jason could just make out it was a bundle of money.
Jason pretended to ignore them and continued to smash the potatoes. Shamus came thundering down the stairs and back into the back room. He held something behind his back.
“Jason, we need to talk some business. Can you go to your room a few minutes, please son?” Shamus said.
“Yes, sir,” Jason said. As he walked past Shamus, he could see the reflection of the back of Shamus on the TV screen. Shamus was holding two guns. Jason continued to his room and waited for them to leave. He planed to call SYUI and follow them.
*
Scott coughed to get Brenda’s attention. She sat down and looked at him. Paddy looked on.
“I think I have worked out who this guy ‘SS’ is, and if I’m right, Jason could be in danger. His cover is most certainly blown,” Scott said.
“How the hell did you work that out?” Paddy said.
“You Paddy actually gave me the tip I needed. You said that Flanagan lives like a king. Jason once said the same thing but about another person. This was over a year ago. He mentioned back then that this guy lives like a king,” Scott said.
“I’m lost Scott. So who do you think this guy is?” Paddy asked.
“First you have to raid Flanagan’s home. SS sold him something, probably guns or bomb making equipment. If you go now, you could probably find what he just bought.”
“Okay, but if you are wrong…” Brenda stopped herself. “Never doubt Scott,” she said under her breath before continuing. “Consider it done. Who is SS?”
“We need to go back almost fourteen years. The IRA bomb that killed Jason’s grandparents, it was before Jason and I were born. I’ve been reading the files because George thought Shamus was too blame. The file says that Mr. & Mrs. Steed had been to the theatre and they had been mistaken for a member of parliament and his wife. They had the same car, a black Rover.” Scott paused before continuing. He started to pace up and down and waved his hands about as if he was conducting an orchestra while he spoke.
“So everyone thinks Raymond Steed’s parents, Jason’s grandparents were killed because of a case of mistaken identity,” Scott said.
“Yes, that’s correct. I read the file too. They had the same car,” Brenda said.
“No, they didn’t have the same car. Jason’s grandfather had a black Rover P4. According to the statements, it was in the repair shop having work done on it. So Mr. Steed borrowed his brother’s car, a newer Rover P5. That car was identical.” Scott came to a stop and smiled. He looked disappointed when both Paddy and Brenda had blank faces.
“I think the IRA got the right car, it just had the wrong Mr. Steed in it. The IRA was after Mr. Steed’s brother, the man Jason and his father call Uncle Stuart. Stuart Steed, his initials are SS. When Stuart Steed arrived at Flanagan’s home today to sell either weapons or explosives, he must have noticed the picture of Jason. And after seeing the news regarding George Young, Stuart Steed must have worked out Jason was here working undercover.”
“He went outside, and his suspicions where grounded when he noticed a van parked across the street with blacked out windows. He shot them and took the cameras because he knew he would be recognized.” Scott stopped and took a drink of water.
“This is guess work?” Paddy argued.
“Remember, you said he lives like a king? Well I remembered who Jason said that about a year ago, it was his uncle, Stewart. He is a retired army colonel, but has a very large home and drives around in a new Jaguar. He is loaded. No wonder, if he is supplying arms to all the different paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland.”
“Would he hurt Jason?” Brenda asked.
“No, he loves Jason. Last Christmas, he bought Jason a new bike, leather jacket, and gave him money. He does the same for Jason’s dad. He gave him the latest Omega divers watch. He’s always buying Jason stuff and pays for his school fees at St. Joseph’s. How can he afford that type of thing on an Army Pension? He will have plenty of old army contacts,” Scott said.
“If you’re right Scott, those same arms are used on our own troops. That’s sick.” Paddy cursed.
“Let’s go and raid Flanagan’s home. If Scott’s right, whatever he purchased will still be hidden in the home. Scott, stay here,” Brenda said.
Within minutes, Brenda and Paddy left with an armed SYUI team and met up with police outside the Flanagan home. Four police cars, some with sniffer dogs, arrived.
*
Jason returned back to the living room. Maude served up two plates of sausages and mash potatoes, with onion gravy.
“Come on, Jason, all the more for us. You can’t beat bangers and mash,” Maude said.
Jason smiled at her. His eyes glanced to the telephone and darted over to the mantel clock.
“I have to see Gobnait,” he said.
“That boy is trouble. You can see him Monday at school,” Maude said.
“Jason Norris, you get back here now. I’ll go with you after dinner,” Maude called after him. Jason ignored her. He continued and slammed the door shut behind him. He ran down the street towards the park.
As he turned the corner, he stopped at the phone box. A large lady was using it. He noticed she had a pile of two pence coins next to the receiver. He knew that meant she was going to be talking for a while. He opened the door.
“Get out, I’m on the phone.” Her voice had an edge of hysteria. She was in her fifties with a round face and tiny eyes that seemed too close together. She had odd colored curlers in her hair under a hair net.
“My mother fell down the stairs. I need to call an ambulance,” Jason said.
She repeated the message to the person on the other end of the line and said she would call back. She placed the phone back on the hook, disconnecting the call.
“Do you want me to call?” she asked.
“No, please let me do it,” Jason said, moving between her and the phone. He dialed a number SYUI had given. He would not need money for the call.
The phone rang the other end and was eventually picked up. “Hello,” a voice answered.
“This is Jason Steed. I need to speak to Brenda Hatchet or Paddy Murphy. It’s urgent.”
“Hello, Jason. I’m sorry they left. Scott is here,” the man said.
“Put him on please,” Jason said.
The woman opened the door to the phone booth. “Did you get through okay sonny?” she asked.
“Yes, I’m doing fine,” Jason snapped, pushing her back out.
“Jason?” Scott asked.
“Scott! Shamus and Bradan are meeting SS now at the back of the park. Where’s Battle Axe and Paddy?” Jason asked.
“They are in the middle of raiding the Flanagan’s home,” Scott said.
Jason paused. He thought about Cailin and hoped she was not there while the home was being raided by SYUI. “Um. Is anyone useful there?”
“Thanks, I’ll go back to being useless,” Scott said.
“No, I didn’t mean it like that. We need to catch this SS guy and catch Shamus and Bradan buying arms. I can’t do it alone. Shamus and Bradan are armed,” Jason said.
“Jason, there’s something you need to know about SS, but it’s kinda hard to tell you,” Scott said.
“Scott, I have to go. Contact Battle Axe or gather up any of the SYUI team and get to the park.”
“Okay, the SYUI forensic team is here. I’ll get some of them and radio Battle Axe. But Jason, you really shouldn’t go yourself. I need to tell you something about SS,” Scott said.
“It doesn’t sound like you are calling an ambulance. If you lied to me…” the woman shouted at Jason. She opened the door and forced her way in.
“Scott, I got to go.” Jason dropped the phone.
“Scott? Who is Scott? You lied to me. You cried wolf, you horrible little brat, and I was talking to my daughter who is eight months pregnant.” The woman spat. Jason darted out the phone booth and ran towards the park.
*
Just as Rev Flanagan was protesting for the fourth time regarding the raid and invasion of his privacy, SYUI found a box full of Gelignite in the closet hidden under the stairs.
“I haven’t seen that before. You must have planted it,” he said accusingly to Brenda, Paddy, and three SYUI agents.
“We know you met a known arms dealer today. If we find one fingerprint of yours on this box, you will be spending the rest of your life in prison,” Brenda said. “Take him.” Flanagan was arrested and handcuffed.
*
The main section of the park had a play area that included swings, a slide, and climbing frame. A mother pushed a toddler in a swing. A group of boys where kicking a football around on the large green. Jason noticed a couple of people walking dogs and a girl aged around nine and her father trying to get a kite up in the sky. He sprinted across the field through the football game to the wooded area at the back of the park. He was hoping it was not too late and he could catch SS and find out who he was.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
A black Jaguar was parked on the edge of the park. The radio played brass military band tunes. Stuart Steed licked his thumb and forefinger and twirled his moustache. He used his drivers mirror to get the handlebar shape he preferred. In front of him, two men walked towards his car. Stuart climbed out and walked to the front of his car. He paused, took out his white handkerchief, and polished the chrome Jaguar that pounced from the hood of his car.
“SS, this is unlike you to change your plans. Should we be concerned?” Bradan said. Both Bradan and Shamus faced him but left a twenty-foot gap between them.
“Nothing that will concern you. One has more business to attend to,” Stuart said in his upper class British accent. He walked back to the trunk of his car and opened it. After checking the coast was clear he pulled out a black leather sports bag. He noticed a movement behind a shrub. He looked again and it was gone. Whatever it was, it stayed hidden. He nodded and smiled to himself before walking back to the front of his car.
“You have the money?” he stiffened.
“I have what we had at such short notice. The rest won’t be available until next week,” Bradan said.
Stuart Steed walked forward a few paces and gently dropped the bag on the grass. Shamus met him and passed him a brown paper bag full of cash before picking up the bag. Both men walked back to their previous positions slowly, each one not losing eye contact with the other.
“It appears you got sloppy Bradan. You and Shamus have been infiltrated,” Stuart Steed said.
“What are you talking about man? We have not. Our cover is safe and secure,” Shamus argued.
“You really are quite dumb. You were even followed here and as we speak we are being watched,” Stuart said.
Bradan and Shamus quickly looked around, not wanting to take their eyes off Stuart Steed and could see nothing. This area of the park was deserted apart from a few trees and shrubs.
“You’re getting old and paranoid. We’re alone,” Bradan said.
Stuart Steed smiled and shook his head from side to side. “Okay Jason, you can come out now.” Bradan and Shamus looked around. From behind a blackberry bush, Jason stood up.
“What the hell are you doing here, laddie? Get home,” Shamus barked and looked at Stuart, his eyes almost popping out of his head. He looked back at Stuart Steed. “How’d ya know his name?”
Jason stepped closer, his sapphire blue eyes opened wide, looking at his uncle in disbelief.
“Uncle Stuart? What are you doing here? What are…” Jason said. He paused, his mind trying to piece everything together.
“Uncle Stuart?” Shamus asked. He looked at Bradan and back at Jason.
“Get home? You mean he actually lives with you?” Stuart laughed. “Like I said you got sloppy. This is Jason Steed. He works undercover for SYUI and you have him in your home.”
“Steed? He’s called Jason Norris,” Bradan said. “He’s just a kid. SYUI wouldn’t use a kid.”
“He’s not a normal kid. He took out two armed British soldiers who were kicking the shite out of me. I was drunk and kept thinking I must have imagined it, but it happened,” Shamus said.
Jason took another step forward. He was still in shock of seeing his uncle dealing in explosives with Shamus.
“You little brat.” Bradan cursed. “You come into my home and inform on me?” He pulled out a revolver from his back pocket and aimed it at Jason.
Two shots rang out. Jason dived to the ground. He expected to be shot but could feel no pain. He turned and saw Bradan falling backwards. Shamus shouted something and bent down to help his brother. Stuart Steed had drawn his gun and had killed Bradan to save Jason.
Jas
“Bradan!” Shamus screamed, trying to shake life into his brother. He turned and glared at Stuart. “You will die for this.” Shamus put his hand on his revolver. Stuart took aim and spoke.
“Shamus, we have done business for years. I don’t wish to kill you. If you touch your gun, I will be forced to shoot,” Stuart ordered. “I couldn’t let Bradan shoot my nephew. Now put your hands up above your head.” He gestured with his revolver.
Shamus froze. Slowly, he raised his hands and stood.
“Jason, fetch Bradan and Shamus’s guns. Slowly son,” Stuart said.
“Um.” Jason paused. “You know SYUI will find out about this.”
“We will talk later. Safety first. Get the guns,” Stuart said.
Shamus glared at Jason as he approached and looked back at Stuart. “Why did you have to shoot Bradan?”
“My dear man, he was going to shoot Jason. One can’t have that. After all, blood is thicker than water, and I‘m rather fond of the little chap.”
Jason picked up Bradan’s revolver and took the revolver out of Shamus’s back pocket.
“Good boy, Jason, bring them here,” Stuart ordered.
Jason thought about keeping them and pointing one at his uncle until SYUI arrived. He considered it, but after seeing his uncle draw his gun and kill Bradan so easily, he doubted he would win a gunfight. Jason knew his own weaknesses. He was not a good shot with a gun. He didn’t have time to study the gun. Maybe they had a safety on and would not shoot anyway. No, he would wait. His uncle just saved his life. He would not hurt his only nephew.
Holding the two revolvers by the barrels, Jason carried them back to his uncle.
“So you planted him on Maude and me, why?” Shamus asked. Jason thought Shamus looked just as confused as he was.
“Nothing of the kind Shamus. We would have continued to do business until Scotland Yard Undercover Intelligence’s finest, George Young, started sniffing around and sent in his secret weapon, young Jason here.”
“So how do you know the little brat?”
“He’s my nephew’s son. Now, that’s enough talking. Jason place them on the seat,” Stuart said, pointing at the revolvers he was carrying.