18. Tiger Understands
When we were finally let out after Dad's punishment we ended up going straight to the Mess Hall where we got as much food as possible. Polar Bear seemed to be glaring at me. Actually a lot of my comrades were. I realized when they directed the same animosity at Dad that they were angry at us Riders for out punishment although when shooting annoyed looks at Dad they did it when they thoughthe wasn't looking. Key word thought. I could see by Dad's amused, gloating look that he knew exactly how they were feeling.
Dad just didn't care. I had a feeling that I would get the stick for my father. Mainly because Dad as the legendary Cub, teenaged spy was pretty much untouchable whereas I was in the same boat as them so was easy to direct anger. I just hoped that they'd see that I had no more control over my father than anybody else. The meal ended soon and we all felt much like going back to bed. But unfortunately thanks to my earlier outburst – just another reason for my fellow trainees to hate me – we had counter terrorism.
Well at least it was inside and all we had to sit and listen although looking at the likes of Swan and Terrier they wouldn't be able to concentrate on Dad's lessons being so tired. Dad hated people not listening to him as Ian could attest to so many times. Ian always had his head in a book or programming computer or gaming (when he wasn't doing sporting activities) and often didn't pay attention to what Dad was saying. I remembered once that he hadn't listen to what Dad had said about not coming home after school.
The cab drew up after school that night as it always would if Dad, Uncle Ben and Aunt Tamara weren't around. I now guessed that the cab driver was an MI6 employee because Dad would never leave us with a normal cab driver. Dad had all told us that he wasn't going to be around because of work. It was his first work since mum had died. Understandable Ian was a little tearful at being left behind. Jackie and Helen were quiet which was unusual as they were both always fighting for their right to talk.
I had always thought it was a twin thing because they had to compete over everything. Jackie was the competitive tomboy twin who wanted to do what her older brother and younger brother were doing at all times. She fought, she played football, and she never wore dresses! Whilst Helen was the girl who (unless she was really upset) would always be talking about fashion and boys. I felt she had got much better when she neared her exams because now at least she spoke about school work instead.
Nelly was more slightly like Jackie but was closer in both age and friendship to Ian. As children they would do everything together especially after Mum had died. It was only Nelly that would make Ian leave his books and computer. For Nelly it was she who clung to Ian if Dad wasn't around. They kept the close friendship up until this day. I was sure that it was mainly Ian who had beat up Drake. But at that point the five year old had paled dramatically and looked like he was about to cry. Ian had then (for once) clutched at me in a gesture of trust.
"Where's Daddy?" whispered the six year old.
'"Didn't you listen for the last week?" I had asked slightly impatiently Ian had always annoyed me.
Eight year old Helen shot me an annoyed look, "Daddy's working."
"Like Mummy-" began Ian.
"No," I said sharply. "He'll be coming back."
"Misters and Misses Riders asked me to take you to Mr and Mrs Hadley's home. Please enter," came the voice of our driver.
We had entered the taxi. Ian rather reluctantly and ended up in Granny and Grandpa's house. None of us were very happy about being left by Dad but luckily it was only a few days before Dad came back. Dad's trips gradually grew longer until he wouldn't be seen for months. This was like what had happened before Mum had died. We gradually got used to it. Ian lost his inability to pay attention when I was fourteen and he was eleven. Dad had given the instructions for the map reading in the wild which he was teaching us but Ian managed to get lost.
Dad had somehow found him. I suspected he had some sort of tracker on him now. Would Dad do that? Of course he would, Dad was as obsessed about spying as he was protecting us. If he didn't have trackers on us he would have someone he trusted following behind us. The rest of us had found our way perfectly. Nelly had been the first. I knew that she was definitely Dad's daughter. Jackie second, I third and Helen fourth. Ian, however, didn't even complete. Dad had found him in tears.
"Ian," Dad had said softly. "You know with me here I'd never let anything happen to you?"
"Uh huh," Ian had replied.
"So there's nothing to be worried about just now," Dad said.
"Suppose," Ian didn't sound convinced.
"Ian," Dad said. "You're my son and I'd never, ever let anything happen to you. I promise. The only reason I'm teaching you this is so that if you ever get lost without me here I want you to be able to find your way back to the house or the police station or one of the families houses depending where you are at the time."
"Yes, Dad," Ian murmured.
"You know Ian if you had listened like the others you'd not have got lost," Dad said. "Books are all well and fine but there's a real world to explore as well. Try to use the knowledge you have gained in your books to work things out in the world."
"Yes, Dad," Ian said.
From that day on Ian had never ignored what he was told again. I knew that if any of the soldiers were too tired to listen Dad was likely to make them even more tired by doing press ups or making them going on anotherrun. I was just so glad it was hardwired into me to always listen to Dad. Finishing our meal we got up and went to the teaching room. Here Polar Bear and I got into an argument about where we should sit. Normally we were all for being at the front of the lesson at all times.
"I want to sit at the back," I said.
I know that sitting at the front makes a good impression and gains the attention of the instructor. But honestly I didn't want to sit at the front of my own father's lessons. I mean who would? But Polar Bear who was still kind of in awe of my father wanted to impress him despite the poor performance he showed in the run this morning. Bat looked like he agreed with me but was too frightened of Polar Bear to say anything. Dog was once again forced to play peace keeper with us but this time it was with Polar Bear and I.
Normally Polar Bear and I got on really well. Certainly I was the only one who seemed to remain on Polar Bear's good side – well better side. Usually it was Bat who annoyed Polar Bear. The two of them were always arguing, well, more Polar Bear was growling at Bat for being an idiot whilst Bat cowered. Dog seemed to get on with everyone so had to keep Polar Bear from killing Bat. But this time it was Polar Bear and I who were arguing and because I wasn't frightened of Polar Bear like Bat I was giving as good as I got.
"We always sit at the front," growled Polar Bear.
"Why don't we sit in the middle," suggested Dog reasonably.
"Not in Dad's lessons," I hissed back ignoring Dog.
"What are you, twelve?" Polar Bear demanded harshly.
"How would you like it?" I demanded.
Something flashed in Polar Bear's eyes at that comment. Polar Bear then stormed off parting the crowd easily. He slammed his things down on the front desk. I was stubborn as hell and refused to budge from the back. Bat and Dog looked at each other. Bat decided I was a safer bet and sat down beside me. Dog decided to attemptto make peace with Polar Bear – not that it would do any good – and sat down beside Polar Bear at the front. The rugged Cat of N Unit sat down beside Bat. Terrier of M Unit sat down beside him.
"Terrier," he introduced himself with a stupid grin.
"Bat," Bat said.
"Tig-" I began.
"Oh, I know who you are," grinned Terrier.
"So who are you?" asked Terrier.
"Who's asking?" demanded Cat.
"He's Cat," I said.
"Who told you that?" demanded Cat.
"I listen to the instructors," I said.
"So do I," added Bat. "But I didn't notice that."
"Must be your father rubbing off on you," Terrier said a bit bitterly.
Then we all fell silent as Dad entered and went up to the stage to stand. He looked completely calmly out at the thirty six of us. He didn't pay me anymore attention than the rest of us. Well he was very professionally. I had already come to realist that. He flicked on the screen where we could all see a picture of Venice. Venice? I realized I was going to understand why Dad, Uncle Ben and Aunt Tamara refused to let Jake, Nelly, Ian, Helen, Jackie, and I anywhere near Venice. I looked at Dad who didn't so much as look at me.
"Okay Venice, the city of the romance," Dad said. "Harmless right?" he paused dramatically. "Wrong, just off the cost of Venice is home to one of the most ruthless terrorist organizations in the world."
Well that certainly explained a lot, I thought. It was no wonder that Dad didn't want us anywhere near Venice if he had a lot of enemies there. I no longer wanted to go to Venice. The other school children would probably be okay considering they had no connections to the criminal underworld. He probably was frightened that if we went there we would meet the same fate as Mum. That must be Dad's greatest fear. I thought I understood Dad more than I did before. Dad clicked and another image came up one of a silver scorpion.
"SCORPIA," Dad said, "standing for Sabotage, CORruPtion, Intelligence and Assassination. Thirty years ago they were pretty much wiped out but now the children and grandchildren of the original board members are restarting it. People have forgotten the mess of their reputation that was thirty years ago. I tell you now that SCORPIA are not people to be messed around with. What I have seen them do and try to do is horrific. I am one of their greatest enemies. Remember their motto "SCORPIA never forgives and SCORPIA never forgets". If you piss off SCORPIA, they will kill you and those you care about. They will torture you for information so be careful never to let them know who you are. SCORPIA was originally made up of ex-intelligence agents."
I had a feeling that Dad had angered SCORPIA. How else could he know so much? I had seen the look when he had spoke about killing your family. I knew that he meant Mum. And then there was the fact that SCORPIA had been diminished thirty years ago which was the time that Dad had begun his career in intelligence. I thought about what he had said about his once guardian Jack Starbright being murdered in front of his eyes. Could it be SCORPIA's doing? There was a silence and Dad moved onto his next topic.
"The greatest threat facing intelligence companies all over the world is the Black Market Trade of Uranium," Dad said. "It is much too easy to get your hand on for the right price. It is our job to find the Uranium before bombs are made but it's often not until the bomb is made that we get to it. Then it becomes a matter of diffusing the bombs. You will be taught how soon enough. But considering your SAS it is most likely that your job will be as back up and will be fighting the henchmen and private armies of those with the bomb. You can't go in all hard footed. The wrong move can cause the bomb to go off beforehand. You have to get building plans. Planning is the best way to defeat terrorist threats because you can bet they'll have plans and back up plans and escape plans. If you are unsure what to do with a particular bomb don't try to diffuse it. Get it to someone who actually knows what they are doing."
There were more talks on plans and how to do this and that. But I got the fact that Dad thought that spying was much better than SAS. I could tell this made a lot of my colleagues mad. But nobody said anything – not to Dad. But, I mean, who would Dad was a terrifically terrifying man when he wanted to be.
We were let out and finally allowed to go to our beds. I fell asleep almost at once exhausted by the revelations of the day. It may have made a lot of sense but that didn't mean it was any less shocking.