Dangerous Reality (2 page)

Mum and Jack exchanged a look.

‘He asked you to come back to work at the power plant, didn’t he?’ Jack said drily.

‘Yeah, as always,’ Mum sighed.

‘I thought so from that emphatic “No, I don’t!”’ Jack nodded. ‘What was the rest of the conversation about?’

‘D’you remember when we had dinner with Rayner and Monica a couple of weeks ago and he was talking about the problems they’ve been having at the power plant? Well, he’s still having trouble with a section of their underground pipes and, as it would cost a fortune to dig down and try to find the problem, it occurred to me to suggest he use the VIMS unit to go through the tunnels. I’m sure it wouldn’t take VIMS long to find out what’s wrong.’

‘They’ve got their own machinery to sort out problems in their pipes,’ frowned Jack.

‘Yes, I know. But their devices can’t seem to find out what’s the matter.’ Mum shrugged. ‘Anyway, it’ll be a good road test for the VIMS unit.’

‘Which section?’ asked Jack.

‘Pardon?’

‘Which section of the plant has the problem?’

Mum frowned at him. ‘I can’t remember. A-17? A-19? Something like that.’

‘I see.’ Jack said the words so quietly, it was a strain to hear them. He had a sombre, thoughtful look on his face. I could almost see the wheels going round in his head.

‘Besides, does it matter?’ asked Mum.

‘No, I guess not,’ Jack said seriously. ‘But Carol,
I’d
be lying if I said I thought this was a good idea.’

‘Why not?’

‘VIMS needs a lot more testing before we submit it for such a serious workout. Suppose something goes wrong when the VIMS unit is so far underground? How would we get it back?’

‘But with all the safeties and backup systems we have in the unit, what could possibly go wrong?’ asked Mum.

‘Carol, I really don’t think we should do this. I think it’s more than a little premature.’

‘I don’t,’ Mum argued. ‘Besides, I promised Rayner that we’d help him.’

‘Then just unpromise him.’

‘Why are you so against the idea?’ Mum frowned.

Me? I was watching Mum and Jack argue, my head moving from side to side like a spectator at a tennis match.

‘What happens if VIMS doesn’t work or worse still it works in a way we haven’t anticipated?’

‘What? For goodness’ sake, Jack! VIMS will go down into the section of pipework that has the problem, it will wander up and down the pipes for a while taking photos and sending data back to our remote viewer and if it’s a cracked pipe then VIMS may even be able to fix it. What’s the big deal?’

‘What about our demo tomorrow morning?’ Jack said quietly.

‘Oh, that!’ Mum dismissed with a wave of her hand. ‘The demo will be a doddle. We’ll show off VIMS to the suits and uniforms, they’ll fork over more money for further research and development and we’ll still have time to load up the VIMS unit in the afternoon and take it over to Rayner at the power plant.’

‘Mum, who are the suits and uniforms you keep talking about?’ I couldn’t help asking.

‘Huh? Oh, that’s what I call business people and the military,’ Mum explained.

‘VIMS isn’t going to be used to hurt people, is it?’ I asked, appalled.

‘Of course not,’ Mum said at once. ‘Dominic, you should know better. The military are looking at it for disarming car bombs and detecting landmines and operating machinery and equipment in hazardous places, things like that. I wouldn’t let them use my invention in armed combat. I’d destroy the thing first.’

‘That’s all right then.’ I breathed a sigh of relief.

I looked from Jack to Mum and back again. Jack had a strange look on his face. A look I’d never seen before. Maybe he didn’t agree with Mum that VIMS should be used for non-violent military activities only?

Mum obviously agreed with me that Jack had a strange look on his face. ‘Is everything OK, dear?’

‘Yes. Yes,’ Jack replied immediately. ‘I’m just a bit
worried
about the demo tomorrow. I want everything to go perfectly.’

‘Don’t worry.’ Mum laughed. ‘With all the testing we’ve done on VIMS, it can’t fail.’

‘Can I go to work with you tomorrow to see the VIMS machine?’ I asked hopefully.

Mum looked at me as if I’d lost my mind. ‘Of course not.’

‘But tomorrow’s Saturday. I don’t have to go to school and I promise I won’t be any trouble,’ I persisted. ‘I’m dying to see it.’

‘No.’ Mum frowned.

I opened my mouth to argue some more but Mum wasn’t having it.

‘Dominic, which part of “no” don’t you understand? Is it the “n” or the “o” that’s giving you so much trouble? Jack, are you going to phone for the pizzas or shall I?’

And as far as Mum was concerned, our conversation was over.

I sat back down on the sofa, but that wasn’t the end of it as far as I was concerned. I wanted to see the VIMS unit. I’d seen blueprints and schematics and I’d heard Mum and Jack talk of nothing else for the last umpteen months but I still hadn’t
seen
it. What was this thing that had kept Mum and Jack so busy over the last couple of years? Maybe if I had a proper look at it instead of just
seeing
drawings all the time, I wouldn’t mind Mum spending so much of her time with the thing. At least then, I’d know
why
. I’d know what the fascination was.

Besides, I was tired of raving on about it to my friends when I hadn’t even seen it. Well, all that was going to change. A secret smile crept across my face. My mind was made up. In that moment, I decided that rain, shine, sleet or snow, tomorrow I was going to see VIMS in action.

Chapter Three

Getting In

IT WAS YUKKY
weather. A blustery wind blew the rain every which way so that it didn’t matter which way I turned, I still got soaked. Typical late winter weather. I hate winter. It’s dismal and depressing and always makes my leg hurt worse.

I glanced at Liam. He looked nervous. ‘You OK?’

Liam nodded.

Who’s Liam? He’s my friend. A good friend. Probably my best friend actually.

‘Come on then.’ I opened one of the front doors of Desica International and we went inside.

‘Dominic? Your mum didn’t tell me she was expecting you today.’

‘Hi, Mike.’ I smiled wanly at the security guard behind the reception desk. For once I would’ve preferred it if Gareth, one of the other early morning security guards, was on the desk. He never took any notice of me, whereas Mike always chatted away. This
was
one occasion when I didn’t want to be noticed.

‘So what brings you to our neck of the woods?’ Mike smiled.

‘Mum forgot her key card.’

‘I know.’ Mike sighed. ‘I had to issue her with a temporary one for the day.’

‘She’d forget her teeth if she didn’t keep them in a glass by her bed,’ I told Mike. ‘She sees them as soon as she wakes up each morning and yet sometimes I still have to remind her that she’s about to leave the house with only her gums on show!’

Mike stared at me. ‘Your mum has false teeth?!’

I burst out laughing. ‘You won’t tell her I told you that, will you?’

Mike gave me a wry look, verging on disapproval. ‘I should’ve known this was another of your wind-ups!’

‘Had you going though, didn’t I?’ I grinned.

‘Yes, you did. OK. Pass the key card here then. I’ll make sure she gets it.’

‘Actually, I wanted to see Mum to talk to her about something else.’ As Mike’s smile faded, I added quickly, ‘It’s very important, otherwise I wouldn’t bother her. Not today of all days. I know how busy she is with the VIMS demo.’

Mike looked from me to Liam and back again. ‘OK. I’ll write out two passes, but once you’ve spoken to your mum, you’re to come right back down here. D’you understand?’

‘Yes, Mike. Thanks.’

I watched, holding my breath as Mike wrote us into the visitors book before writing out the passes. As he gave them to us, Mike said, ‘Wish your mum luck for me.’

‘I will,’ I said, and grabbing Liam’s arm, I made a bee-line for the lifts.

‘Dominic, this is nuts!’ Liam muttered. ‘If we get caught …’

‘This was your idea too, not just mine.’

‘My idea! It was not!’ Liam spluttered at me. ‘You’re the one who phoned me and said that we should try to sneak into the testing area to see your mum’s new project.’

‘You didn’t exactly tell me to hop on my bike!’ I reminded him. ‘You certainly didn’t say no – not until now at any rate.’

We stepped into the lift and I pressed the button for the first floor, even though Mum’s office was up on the fifth floor.

‘It’s just that … I’m sure the security guard will notice if we don’t give back our badges and leave soon.’ Liam didn’t look at all happy.

‘Yes, I know. I was thinking that as well,’ I admitted. ‘But hopefully we can see the VIMS unit in action then sneak out of one of the emergency doors and back up to reception without anyone seeing us and before Mike sends out a search party.’

‘What’ve I let myself in for?’ Liam shook his head as
we
stepped cautiously out of the lift. ‘Why do I always let you talk me into these things?’

I flashed my best ‘swashbuckler-on-an-adventure’ smile at him and we got going. You should’ve seen us then! We slunk, we skulked, we tip-toed, we ducked and dived and raced down the corridor like two people in a spy film. I glared down at my leg, ordering it not to give out on me. Oh, didn’t I mention? – I walk with a slight limp. I was born with one of my legs slightly shorter than the other and even though I spent months and months with my leg in plaster when I was a baby, it still didn’t cure the problem. My leg is better than it has been, but it’s by no means perfect. And occasionally it gives out on me altogether, although not as often now as it used to do.

But where was I? Oh yes! So there we were, skulking down the corridor, desperate not to be seen. Luckily, there were offices and partitions all over this floor and no one was taking too much notice of us. I wanted to get to the service lift but it was on the other side of the building. I reckoned this was the most dangerous part of my plan. If we got caught here, Liam and I would be out on our ears.

By the time we were both outside the service lift, my heart was charging like a rhino with the serious hump!

‘We did it!’ I exclaimed.

‘So far so good …’ came Liam’s cautious reply.

Honestly! Sometimes he can put a real damper on things. Like two weeks ago. Listen to this. We were at the cinema watching a really funny movie – at least, I thought it was funny. And there was one bit which had me laughing so hard, I thought I’d bring back up my popcorn and hot dogs. And it wasn’t just me. The whole cinema was on the floor. I glanced across at Liam and d’you know something? He was smiling. I mean,
smiling
. And only just at that! Afterwards, when I asked him about it, d’you know what he said?

‘I thought it was hilarious!’

‘Why didn’t you laugh then?’ I asked, exasperated.

‘I did. I was laughing inside,’ Liam told me.

‘Why don’t you laugh on the outside too, like most normal people?’ I said.

And then he gave me one of his smiles and didn’t answer. I hate it when he gives me one of his special smiles. It says, ‘I know something you don’t!’ all over it! It drives me nuts.

‘Come on then. What’re you waiting for?’ Liam asked impatiently.

Which stopped me daydreaming, I can tell you. I took out Mum’s key card and held it up in front of the security panel. The security doors leading out to the service lift clicked open. We practically threw ourselves past the doors and I pressed the button to call the lift.

‘Almost there.’ I tried to sound reassuring, but my
voice
was a bit shaky.

Telling myself to get a grip, I stepped into the lift to be followed by Liam. Once I pressed the button for the basement, I knew then that this was for real. I was going to see Mum’s top-secret project. At last. Finally. I’d
done
it!

In the basement, I eyed the main double doors which led to the testing area. Just beyond them …

‘I want to go,’ Liam said suddenly. ‘Let’s go – now.’

I couldn’t believe my ears. ‘You’re joking – right?’

Liam shook his head.

‘D’you really want to leave? I mean, we’re here now,’ I asked carefully. ‘All we have to do is go through that door and we’ll see VIMS in action. You’re the one who’s been pestering me for a look at VIMS.’

‘But I don’t want us to get into trouble.’

‘We won’t get into trouble because Mum and the others won’t be down here yet.’ I glanced at my watch. ‘We have a good ten minutes before anyone else appears.’

I could see that Liam was wavering. ‘Come on, Liam. We’ll just take a quick look at VIMS to see what all the fuss is about and then we’ll come out. OK?’

‘You’re sure we won’t get caught?’

I grinned. Liam wasn’t going to bail on me! ‘Don’t worry. I’ve got it all figured out. No one will even know we were in the room.’

And I did have it all figured out. It helps when your mum is one of the people chiefly responsible for the design of the testing area. The whole of the basement of the building was given over to the testing area – and it was huge. Bigger than a football pitch. There were a number of testing labs on one side of the basement. But at least half of the basement was given over to Testing Room One. And that was where the VIMS unit was. There were a number of fire exits all around the basement, some of which led into the corridors but some of which led directly to the outside of the building. I knew we couldn’t use those exits to sneak into the testing area from the road. They couldn’t be opened from outside, plus they were all alarmed.

‘Come on,’ I urged. ‘We don’t have long. We’ll go in, take a quick look around and then out again. The SAS would be proud of us.’

‘Well, OK. If you’re sure you know what you’re doing,’ Liam said doubtfully.

‘Don’t I always!’ I grinned.

‘No!’ Liam replied at once. ‘That’s the trouble.’

I huffed indignantly. Liam’s lack of confidence in me was totally underwhelming.

We entered the double doors. And it was like entering another world. It was more than I’d ever imagined it could be. It was vast for a start. Filing cabinets and shelves and desks and computers lined the walls. There
were
a number of exits all around the room and lots of fluorescent lights on the ceiling which looked like something out of an
Alien
film. I took in all these incidental, inconsequential things like someone who eats their veggies and the so-so stuff on their plate first before allowing themselves to get to the best bits. There was a medium-sized red car against the far wall. I vaguely wondered why it was there before turning to the thing I really wanted to see. In the middle of the testing area was the VIMS unit.