Pep Squad (2 page)

As soon as Jess got home she googled Theruse Abbey. The top hit was the school's official website, which looked a lot like the first brochure Mr Parry had shown her. There were also Wikipedia entries for the abbey itself and the school. She scrolled down the list further and found entries in the
Golden Pages
and even an entry for Theruse in the government listing of secondary schools. But there was nothing out of the ordinary.

Jess decided to try a different tack. She typed the address on the back of the brochure into Google Maps, which brought up an image of a headland on the south-west coast of Ireland. There was quite a narrow land bridge out to a cape which spread out to form a roughly triangular shape. Jess switched her view to satellite and zoomed in. There was a grouping of buildings and playing fields that could have belonged to a school at the mouth of the cape. Of course there was. Her parents had been there and seen it. The rest of the area was a mix of trees and open grassy areas, with what appeared to be rocky cliffs stretching down to the sea. She clicked on
Get Directions
and typed in her home address. The school was over four hours' drive from where she lived. Definitely too far for trips back and forth from Dublin every weekend, which was probably why Mr Parry was doing his recruiting in Dublin.

Next she logged on to Facebook and tried to set her secondary school to Theruse Abbey. Facebook came back with ‘No information has been provided … yet' and prompted her to
Create a Page
. She logged out.

She then typed P.E.P. Squad into the search engine. She got over three million hits but they were all related to American cheerleading, various bands or some low-rating horror movie from the nineties. No mention of a spy organisation.

Having run out of ideas for any other research, Jess decided to start studying for her History exam the next day. She opened her textbook and flipped to the chapter on the Easter Rising, but she couldn't concentrate and had a second look at the prospective students' brochure. Although almost any school would be better than Kilmaire, Jess was starting to get really excited about the idea of Theruse Abbey and a career as a secret agent.

The next morning, Jess left early for school. When she got to the end of her street a man stepped out in front of her.

‘Good morning, Jess,' said Mr Parry.

‘Oh, hello,' said Jess, a little surprised.

‘How did the research go?'

‘What research?' asked Jess.

Mr Parry gave her a look.

‘You hacked my computer?'

Mr Parry smiled.

‘If you didn't go home and immediately try to find out all you could about Theruse Abbey and P.E.P. Squad, then you wouldn't be P.E.P. Squad material.'

‘Oh,' said Jess.

‘So, have you made up your mind?' asked Mr Parry.

‘Yeah. I'd like to give it a go.'

‘Excellent,' said Mr Parry, walking to the driver's side of a car parked on the side of the road. ‘Hop in.'

Jess hesitated. Mr Parry was effectively a stranger – a taller, stronger stranger – and she wasn't sure hopping into a car with him was the best idea. Noticing her reluctance, he smiled.

‘Caution is a good trait to have in our line of business. Got a mobile phone?'

Jess nodded.

‘Know how to use the GPS?' he asked, reaching into the car and passing Jess a GPS unit. ‘Now, you can watch where we're going, and the police are just a phone call away. You can even sit in the back seat if you like.'

Jess opened the back door and checked to make sure the child safety lock wasn't engaged before hopping in and fastening her seat belt. Mr Parry started the engine and pulled out into the rush-hour traffic, not going noticeably faster than Jess could have walked. However, when they got to the turn off for Kilmaire College, Mr Parry drove straight ahead.

‘Uh, weren't we supposed to turn …?' began Jess, her thumb poised to dial 999. Then she noticed the smile on Mr Parry's face and relaxed. ‘You're not taking me to school, are you?' she said.

Mr Parry shook his head.

‘What about my History exam?' asked Jess.

‘You got 96 out of 100. Apparently your knowledge of Neolithic peoples leaves a bit to be desired,' said Mr Parry. ‘We've got a different type of test planned.'

Jess turned to look out the window and smiled. They were heading towards the city and traffic was becoming heavier. As they neared the centre, Mr Parry turned a corner into a narrow laneway. It was a dead end, with graffiti spray painted over the brick walls and nothing but an industrial bin and a steel door with no handle.

‘This is us,' said Mr Parry, stopping the engine and getting out.

Jess followed as he walked up to the door. He looked around to make sure no one was watching and then placed all four fingertips of his right hand on the rightmost brick above the door. There was a click and the door swung outwards.

Mr Parry ushered Jess inside.

They were in a small, windowless booth, with an LED screen mounted high on the wall in front of them.

‘Agent Parry and prospective student Jessica Leclair,' announced Mr Parry.

A laser beam shot out from the wall in front of them, scanning their bodies down and up.

‘
Identity confirmed
,' sounded a metallic voice.

The wall in front of them slid open to reveal a grey, dimly lit foyer, empty apart from an attractive woman with dark hair swept back into a ponytail.

‘Hello, Marianna,' said Mr Parry.

‘Nice to see you, Wayne,' said the woman, clasping his hand in both of hers before turning her attention to Jess. ‘You must be Jessica. I'm Marianna Enigmistica,' she continued, rolling the r in her name the way Italians do.

‘But all the students call her Signora Enigmistica,' prompted Mr Parry.

‘Nice to meet you, Signora Enigmistica,' said Jess.

‘Welcome to P.E.P. Squad's Dublin branch office,' said Signora Enigmistica. ‘As well as our regular duties and research and development, we also do the final testing phase of enrolment here.'

‘Testing phase?' said Jess.

‘Well, we need to see if you really have what it takes. Lieutenant Parry's been known to get it wrong occasionally. Think of this as a practical exam for a language. Only this practical will be somewhat more energetic,' said Signora Enigmistica, winking at Lieutenant Parry.

‘Lieutenant?' said Jess.

‘I spent a little time in military intelligence,' said Lieutenant Parry vaguely.

‘And if he's wrong about me?' asked Jess, turning back to Signora Enigmistica.

‘Then we give you a glass of Memory Wipe, tell your parents that you have not been accepted for admission and all of this goes away.'

‘What's Memory Wipe?'

‘A special cocktail that erases a select portion of memory, depending on the concentration,' said Signora Enigmistica, matter-of-factly.

‘Don't worry, I hear it tastes quite fruity,' said Lieutenant Parry, noticing the look of alarm on Jess's face. ‘Besides, I know a good candidate when I see one.'

Jess didn't like the idea of ingesting a drink that could mess with her brain, especially in the middle of exams. She hoped she wouldn't need it.

‘Come with me now, Jess. You'll see Lieutenant Parry again after the test.' Signora Enigmistica strode through a doorway that had magically appeared in the foyer, and along a corridor. Jess hurried after her. They ended up in a room with a black cylindrical booth in the centre. The cylinder was about three metres high and four metres in diameter. To the side of the room was a single desk with a computer console and a Chinese room divider.

‘Take everything off – and by everything I also mean underwear – and put this on,' said Signora Enigmistica, pointing Jess in the direction of the room divider and passing her a black body suit, complete with gloves and little booties to cover her feet. It was made of an extremely lightweight fabric Jess had never come across before, which somehow seemed to feel both hot and cold at the same time.

First looking around for hidden cameras or secret doors that might slide open, Jess slid her shoes and socks and knickers off and pulled the bottom half of the jumpsuit up under her school uniform. She slid the bodice up under her dress so that it covered her chest, before pulling off her uniform. Then it was a simple matter of undoing her bra and slipping her arms into the sleeves of the suit. There was also a hood, which she pulled over her head, leaving the skin on her face the only part of her body that was exposed. The suit was very, very tight.

‘Um, excuse me,' said Jess, poking her head around the Chinese screen. ‘I think I might need the next size up.'

Signora Enigmistica walked over and gave Jess a once-over, saying, ‘Looks like it fits perfectly. Put these on.'

She tossed Jess a pair of trainers. The second the laces were tied, the teacher said, ‘Ready?'

Jess followed her towards the booth.

‘This is state of the art in virtual reality. No need for clumsy helmets and handsets,' said Signora Enigmistica, pressing a button on the outside of the booth to make a previously invisible door slide open.

‘How does it work?' asked Jess, stepping inside. Tiny green pinpoints of light appeared all over her jumpsuit.

‘The floor, walls and ceiling have special sensors. When you start to move, the software calculates where you should be in the programme matrix and moves the cell surfaces to compensate,' explained Signora Enigmistica. ‘Walk to the left.'

Jess walked to the left and the floor moved to keep her in the centre of the booth.

‘Faster,' said Signora Enigmistica.

Jess broke into a jog and the floor kept up with her.

‘What happens when I want to stop?' asked Jess.

‘Just slow down. The floor will follow,' said Signora Enigmistica.

Jess slowed down gently and still stayed in the centre of the booth. She stopped abruptly and the floor stopped with her.

‘This is cool,' she said.

‘Yes,' said Signora Enigmistica, with the slightly amused air of someone who has seen far more amazing things in her life. ‘The cell can simulate gradients and the suit itself can simulate obstacles, so if you're running straight towards something then you'll feel the impact when you crash into it.'

‘Good to know,' said Jess.

‘Now, we are going to run a simulation to test your physical and mental agility while under immense pressure. Try to complete the test in the shortest time possible. Ready?'

Jess nodded.

Signora Enigmistica closed the door.

It was pitch black in the booth. No light snaked in from the edges of the door. It was also soundproof. Jess was starting to feel decidedly uncomfortable when the wall in front of her brightened as though someone was turning up a dimmer switch. It was an image of Signora Enigmistica, so lifelike that for a second Jess thought the teacher had re-entered the booth.

‘How are you feeling, Jess?' Signora Enigmistica's voice echoed around the booth.

‘A little nervous but OK.'

‘Touch the inside of your left wrist with your right forefinger,' Signora Enigmistica instructed.

Jess did so and felt a small, hard lump.

‘That's a microdot that we've had sewn into the suit. Your mission is to deliver that microdot to this man,' said Signora Enigmistica, holding up a photo of Lieutenant Parry, ‘on the third floor of this building,' she continued, flashing a photo of the Dublin GPO. ‘Since you'd be sitting your Junior Certificate in History if you weren't here right now, I don't need to tell you the name of the building. Good luck.'

The image of Signora Enigmistica faded and was gradually replaced by a noisy cityscape.

Jess found herself next to an air-conditioning vent on top of a tall building on the southern bank of the Liffey. She guessed it was O'Connell Bridge House, as she could see O'Connell Bridge and Street stretching out in front of her with the GPO less than halfway up the street. Once she got to street level, it'd be only a five-minute walk. The task seemed straightforward. Too straightforward.

She headed for the only access point she could see, a door in the middle of the roof. Suddenly it opened. A man in a suit and tie stepped out onto the roof. He looked like an ordinary businessman, apart from the gun he was pointing at her.

The instant before the man opened fire, Jess rolled for cover behind the air-conditioning vent. A volley of bullets clattered against it. The gunfire ceased momentarily and she heard two sets of footsteps running towards her. That meant there were two gun-brandishing businessmen and they could split up and approach her from either side of the vent. She had to move, fast.

Jess scrambled towards the edge of the roof nearest her and stopped short. She was at the far edge of the building from O'Connell Bridge. Below her was a drop of at least seven storeys to the lower, adjoining part of the building she was on. Even with all her free-running training, there was no way she'd survive the jump. However, to the right she could see that the top few storeys of the main building narrowed in like steps. She could possibly jump down one tier at a time, if she could make it to the edge. But that would mean exposing herself to fire.

A sequence from one of her dad's favourite old-school martial-arts movies entered her head. Those guys never ran in a straight line – they always cartwheeled and flipped so as not to provide an easy target. Although Jess had only come second in the floor routine at the interschool gymnastics championships, she hoped her final tumbling run would be a winner today. She took the longest run up she dared. The instant she saw a gun-wielding arm in her peripheral vision, she launched into a series of back flips towards the edge of the building. Both men fired at her. Although their bullets missed, they flicked up chips of concrete into her legs and arms. And they
hurt
.