B.A.S.E. Camp (8 page)

‘I'll be asking the questions from now on, Jones. My name isn't Dubois. I am Detective Inspector Robins.'

As Old Taffy sank to his knees, head in hands, his clone seemed to give up, too. He went and knelt by the man's side, as if to comfort him, but then burst into tears. He suddenly seemed like an ordinary, frightened little boy.

‘Keep both Taffys under armed guard back at the house while I call up some transport,' Robins told his two remaining officers. He bent over Gramps, who was beginning to stir. ‘And we'll also need an ambulance for this poor chap.'

‘Uuuggghhh!' grunted Tom with the effort of launching the metal ball into the air.

As it plopped into the grass, he was forced to accept defeat in the shot-put event. ‘Not good enough,' he admitted, shaking hands with the winner.

‘Can't win 'em all,' the boy grinned. ‘Don't be too greedy.'

Tom belched in response. He had celebrated his success in the discus by drinking a whole bottle of fruit juice in a single gulp, but he was now regretting that reckless act of bravado. ‘Soz!' he said, rubbing his belly. ‘Got a bit of gut-ache.'

The meeting with the local athletes had gone ahead, as planned, despite the drama by the lake. Gareth was absent from the high jump, having gone to the hospital with Gramps, but Adam reported for action in time to take part in the long-jump competition.

Still fired up with adrenalin after what had happened, Adam produced an enormous opening jump. He improved upon his personal best, and achieved his aim of breaking the B.A.S.E. Camp record. When the distance was announced, his raucous hoots of delight were heard right across the arena.

‘Sounds like Foxy's enjoying himself,' chuckled Eddie, as he warmed up for his own event on the track, the 1,500-metre race.

The first two laps were too slow for Eddie's liking, little more than jogging pace, and he surged to the front along the back straight, increasing his lead with almost every stride.

‘Go on, Wonder Boy!' Adam shouted as Eddie ran past the long-jump pit for the final time. ‘Burn 'em up!'

Eddie flashed him a grin and changed gear again, proving he still had enough energy left for a fast finish, to claim a comfortable victory.

Adam and Tom went over to congratulate him and were soon joined by D.I. Robins. ‘Well done to you all,' he said. ‘You've had quite a day, one way and another.'

‘Yeah, nobody's gonna beat my big jump,' Adam boasted.

‘Your best jump was the one that flattened Old Taffy!' laughed Eddie.

The inspector smiled. ‘All that remains to do now is something I've been looking forward to ever since I got here.'

‘What's that?' said Tom.

‘Arresting my ex-colleagues – including
Blackbeard
, as I believe you call him. He's the one who's really behind everything that goes on here.'

‘When are you going to make the arrests?' asked Adam.

‘Just as soon as the events are over and all the visitors have gone,' the inspector told them. ‘We don't want to spoil everyone's fun, do we?'

Gareth returned from the hospital to find his friends wandering around the athletics track in the evening sunshine. They had been joined by Jacko, as both training camps had now been closed down, pending further investigations by the police.

‘How's your gramps?' asked Eddie.

‘He's going to be OK, thanks,' said Gareth. ‘Still got a bit of a headache, though, so they're keeping him in overnight for observation.'

‘We're all goin' home tomorrow,' said Adam. ‘Most of the coaches were taken away in handcuffs this afternoon.'

‘Including Blondie,' sighed Eddie. ‘He's been really helpful to me. Good runner himself, too.'

‘Well, he wasn't quick enough to escape the long arm of the law!' Tom grinned.

‘Pity you missed seein' Blackbeard get bundled into the back of a van, GG,' Adam chuckled. ‘That made my day.'

‘Wonder what they'll do with the clone-kid?' said Tom, glancing at Jacko, who failed to react. He seemed almost in a state of shock at what had happened.

‘Don't much care,' Eddie muttered, and then attempted a joke. ‘YT might have to share another of Old Taffy's cells, if you get my meaning!'

The group reached the high-jump area and flopped onto one of the large cushions.

‘Hope the camps will be opened up again some time,' said Adam. ‘Y'know, they could be used by people trainin' for the Olympics and that in the future.'

Tom smirked. ‘You mean people like you.'

‘Yeah, people like me,' grinned Adam, before adding, ‘and you lot as well!'

‘So long as it is done right,' said Eddie. ‘No drugs, no injections, no jungle-juices – and definitely no clones. What do you say, Jacko?'

He nodded in agreement. ‘I knew it was all wrong really,' he admitted.

‘Glad to hear you say that,' Eddie said with satisfaction.

Gareth bounced off the cushion, unable to keep the news to himself any longer. ‘Foxy's not the only one who's had that idea,' he told them excitedly. ‘Gramps is thinking about buying the Old Manor!'

‘What!' Adam exclaimed. ‘That bang on the head must be worse than they think. He's lost his marbles!'

Gareth grinned. ‘No, he hasn't. Didn't I tell you – he's rich!'

The others looked at one another blankly.

‘Think we might have remembered something like that,' said Tom.

‘Sorry, I suppose we do tend to keep it quiet,' Gareth conceded. ‘It can change the way people treat you, if they know.'

‘Maybe Old Taffy
did
know,' said Adam. ‘Perhaps he was gonna kidnap you and force Gramps to cough up loads of dosh.'

‘Doubt it,' said Gareth. ‘I mean, if that were the case, he wouldn't have tried to kill him, would he?'

‘Hmm, you might have a point there,' Adam conceded.

‘So is your gramps coming to live here?' asked Eddie.

Gareth shook his head. ‘Don't think so, but I suppose he might come and stay every now and again. Y'know, keep an eye on the place, for old times' sake.'

‘So what does he have planned?'

‘Well, it's early days yet, of course, but there's enough space for coaching all kinds of sports, not just athletics. Football, rugby, cricket, gymnastics, swimming – you name it,' Gareth said, then added, ‘and not just for boys.'

‘Girls!' Adam grinned. ‘Now that
would
be worth coming back here for!'

‘Doubt if Taffy would agree to sell it to him,' said Tom. ‘Not after what happened.'

‘Yeah – guess that might be a problem,' Gareth admitted.

‘What about YT?' Jacko put in. ‘I don't suppose
he
will get locked up – he's too young, and it wasn't really his fault. Perhaps he deserves another chance.'

‘Maybe that's how Gramps will persuade Old Taffy to sell up,' said Gareth. ‘Y'know, if YT were allowed to live here and prove he can change his ways.'

‘Hope so,' said Jacko. ‘He's not a bad kid, really, once you get to know him.'

Gareth had done enough talking. ‘Let's have a final jog around the track. Do a lap of honour!'

‘You've
got
to be joking,' Tom protested, as everyone else jumped to their feet. ‘I'm gonna turn in.'

‘Oh no, you're not, Tom-Tom,' laughed Adam, steering him towards the track. ‘I know what you've got in mind – sneakin' back inside for some more of that juice.'

‘Juice is banned from now on,' Eddie told him. ‘A bit of exercise will do you far more good.'

‘Dead right!' agreed Gareth, breaking into a trot. ‘You know, I reckon Gramps could be onto a great thing here – a real winner!'

‘C'mon, guys, run!' cried Adam. ‘Let's do it! Let's go for gold!'

First published 2008 by

A & C Black Publishers Ltd

38 Soho Square, London, W1D 3HB

www.acblack.com

Text copyright © 2008 Rob Childs

Illustrations copyright © 2008 Pam Smy

The rights of Rob Childs and Pam Smy to be identified as the author and illustrator of this work respectively have been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyrights, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

Print ISBN: 978-0-71368-962-4
Ebook ISBN: 978-1-40815-339-0

A CIP catalogue for this book is available from the British Library.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means – graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or information storage and retrieval systems – without the prior permission in writing of the publishers.