Tooth and Nail Read online

  About the Author

  Chris Bonnello is an author, speaker and special needs tutor based in Nottingham. Following a career in mainstream primary school teaching, since 2015 he has been an autism advocate through his website, Autistic Not Weird (https://autisticnotweird.com). He has won multiple awards for his work, and delivered speeches as far away as India and the Sydney Opera House. The Underdogs series, which began in 2019, is his first published venture as a novelist.

  Underdogs:

  Tooth and Nail

  Chris Bonnello

  This edition first published in 2020

  Unbound

  6th Floor Mutual House, 70 Conduit Street, London W1S 2GF

  www.unbound.com

  All rights reserved

  © Chris Bonnello, 2020

  The right of Chris Bonnello to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with Section 77 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior permission of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

  This book is a work of fiction and, except in the case of historical fact, any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  ISBN (eBook): 978-1-78965-096-9

  ISBN (Paperback): 978-1-78965-095-2

  Cover design by Mecob

  Printed and bound in Great Britain by Clays Ltd, Elcograf S.p.A.

  To the memory of my adopted godparents, Ted and Mary Ward, who taught an autistic child to lead people.

  And to my adopted godson Morgan, who I am eternally proud of.

  Contents

  About the Author

  Dedication

  Super Patrons

  The Underdogs of Spitfire’s Rise as of May 16th, Year One

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Sequel Extract

  Chapter 1

  Patrons

  Super Patrons

  Vicky Allen

  Saffron Allen Scott

  Samantha Allen-Turner

  Sarah Ashley

  Autistic Not Weird Patreon supporters collective

  Christopher Bates

  Jenny Bates

  Bradlei Binns

  Dionne Booth

  N Brannon

  Colin Broderick

  Fiona Broderick

  Ash Brooks

  Carrick Brooks

  Darren Brunton

  Richard Buck

  Suzy Burnett

  Ruth Byrne

  Kristen Callow

  Jaxon Campbell

  Megan Campbell

  Lyn Campos Navarro

  Bart Ceelen

  Beau Ceelen

  Daphne Ceelen

  Fleur Ceelen

  Tom Chappelle

  Rachel Chavez

  Valkyrie Childs

  Ysgol Cilgerran

  Billie Clarke

  Eliza Clarke

  Noah Clarke

  Nick Collins

  Tanja Collins

  Andrew Combs

  Lara Conner

  Sarah Cooper

  Anita Coulson

  Dawn Louise Cox

  Brendan Cueva

  Heather Cueva

  Sandra Cunningham

  Vic Cutting

  Jim Darby

  Tegan Davis

  Carly Day

  Robyn DeCourcy

  Alex Diviney

  Linda Dolman

  Sam Dooley

  Linda Douglas

  Ilja Drost

  Laurens Drost

  Lucca Drost

  Penelope J. Dugan

  Samuel R. Dugan

  Helen England

  Josh Erickson

  Sarah Erickson

  Finley Evans

  Simon Everaerts

  Elijah Farris

  Caitlin Ferrence

  Kirsty Finn

  Matthew Fleming

  Andie Fox

  Toby Fox

  Joel Francis

  Lewis James Fretwell-Smith

  Indie and Joshua Frost

  Jackie Giles

  Sam and Claire Giroux

  Benjamin Giroux #oddtoo

  Jess Gomersall

  Finley Greenfield

  Zoë Grey

  Clare Griffiths

  Christie Groves

  Miriam Gwynne

  Paul Hallybone

  Shona Hancock

  Carl Harding

  Ciara Harris

  Dylan Harris

  Robynn Harris

  Hartman

  Abi Harvey

  James Harvey

  Nicole Hastie

  Robynne Hawthorne

  Charlotte Hester-Chong

  Jaime Hodgson

  Harry Howarth

  Justin Howarth

  Kristiaana Humble

  Izzy

  Katie Jean-Louis

  Alexander Jenks

  Amanda Renee Johnson

  Kendra Johnson

  Theresa Johnson

  Bethan Jones

  Melina Kacoyannakis

  Belladonna Frida Kahlo

  Dorina Kasapi

  Keepa Family Angela Ren Jacob Dylan Keisha

  Charlotte-Ann Kelly

  Corwin Testarossa Kimberley

  Jennifer Knab

  Gabriel Knight Laurin

  Jessica Lambert

  Barbara Leaf

  Jemma Lee

  Julie Lehrman

  Claus Liberg Rasmussen

  Gary Lloyd

  LondonGaymers (A. Rider’s Second Family)

  Theo Lote

  Jess Lupton

  Poppy Lupton

  Jodi Lynn

  Emma Maher

  Making Momentum

  Leo Marson

  Lucas Marson

  Emma Martin

  Paula Mathewson

  Alison Matthews

  Kayla Matthews

  Lindzi Mayann

  Sarah McCarthy

  Julie McCarvel

  Mary McCormick

  Christy McDonald

  Jasper McDonald

  B A McGilvray

  Blake McMahon

  Lauren McMahon

  Shilo McManus

  Wayne McManus

  Hoi Ming Lee McVey

  Paul Micallef

  Andy Milligan

  Fiona Moncur

  Artemis Moon

  Wendi Moore

  Wyatt Moore

  Kelly Morris

  Rachel Moseley

  Kris Mosqueda

  Scott Murdoch

  Colin Murphy

  Misty N

  National Autistic Society South Bucks

  Jodie Norman

  Alexandra Nudds

  Linda Nudds

  Sebastian Nuñez

  Adam Oliver

  Martin Ollier

>   Barbara Paier

  Aaron Parker

  Mary Parker

  James Craig Paterson

  Phillip Perry-Walden

  Melissa Phillips

  Dylan Phipps

  Stephanie Poole

  Cassandra Prucha

  Pukehohe High School

  Pukekohe High School Library

  Jayden Rafique

  Rebel Rebel

  Henry & Oscar Reid

  Angela Reynolds

  Cian Reynolds

  E C Rickett

  Alex Rider (The Aspie, Not A Spy)

  Brian Rodewald

  Lorraine Ross

  Luca Rossi

  Jean Sando

  Mary Anne Savage

  Dora Schmora

  Tara Segrave-Daly

  Clara Seow

  Callie Shackleton

  Ben Sharp

  Jo Sharp

  Oliver Sharp

  Zoe Sharp

  Nicola Sheldon

  Heather Sheppard

  Eilidh Skinner

  Bruce George Smith

  Chad Smith

  Morgan Smith

  Sophie Smith

  Charlie Smitsdorff

  Helen Souter

  Niav South

  Christel Ursula Sparks

  Tina St Ruth

  Ziggy Stardust

  Lucas Stephens

  Jennie Strong

  Victoria Strudwick

  Troy Stuart

  Arran Swinscoe

  Stephanie Tarnutzer

  Marcel V. Taylor

  Rachael Moon Taylor

  Zuzu Taylor

  Michael Teegarden

  Aidan Thornley

  J Toohey

  Su Underwood

  Irene Valdez

  Sheila van Nie

  Frank van Sebille

  Remedios Varo

  Martin Versteegen

  Will Versteegen

  Andrew Walden

  Barry John Walden

  Julie Walden

  Mark Walden

  Gavin Walker

  Kay Ward

  Juliana Watson

  Rosalind Weinstock

  Kristine Weiskopf

  Amanda Wheeler

  William Stephen White

  Sarah Whiting

  Sandy Wild

  Kat Williams

  Steven Wilson

  Vicki Wingrove

  John Wofford

  Susan Wolfe

  Ana Maria Young

  The Underdogs of Spitfire’s Rise as of May 16th, Year One

  First name Last name Age Notes

  Kate Arrowsmith 16 Secondary student, Oakenfold Special School, Harpenden. Diagnoses: Autism, Severe Anxiety.

  Charlie Coleman 15 Secondary student, Oakenfold Special School, Harpenden. Diagnosis: ADHD.

  Gracie Freeman 15 Secondary student, Oakenfold Special School, Harpenden. Diagnosis: Global Development Delay.

  Alex Ginelli 22 Deputy store manager, Fixit hardware store, Bancroft Road, Brighton.

  Mark Gunnarsson 18 Post-16 student, Oakenfold Special School, Harpenden. Diagnosis: unclear.

  Jack Hopper 17 Post-16 student, Oakenfold Special School, Harpenden. Diagnosis: Asperger Syndrome.

  Joseph McCormick 64 Lecturer in Mathematical Sciences, Greenwich University.

  First name Last name Age Notes

  Thomas Foster 9 Year 4 pupil, St David’s Primary School, St Alban’s.

  Lorraine Shepherd 52 Nurse, Queen’s Hospital stroke unit, Luton.

  Raj Singh 15 Secondary student, Oakenfold Special School, Harpenden. Diagnosis: Dyslexia.

  Ewan West 16 Secondary student, Oakenfold Special School, Harpenden. Diagnosis: Autism (PDA profile).

  Simon Young 14 Secondary student, Oakenfold Special School, Harpenden. Diagnosis: Down’s Syndrome.

  Shannon Grant 17 Daughter of Great Britain’s autocratic dictator, Nicholas Grant.

  And the highest-ranking staff of New London Citadel:

  First name Last name Age Notes

  Nicholas Grant 55 Undisputed ruler of Great Britain.

  Iain Marshall 43 Head of Military Division.

  Nathaniel Pearce 42 Chief of Scientific Research.

  Oliver Roth 14 Primary assassin.

  Prologue

  Oliver Roth never felt like words on a screen did him justice. He sat at his workstation, browsing the clone factory incident report, and wished it had been written with a little more flair – with him being recognised as more heroic. He had earned it.

  He grabbed his last slice of pizza and ate it in two mouthfuls. Life in New London’s upper floors, with literally only three people in the country who outranked him, came with its fair share of luxuries. Among them was the opportunity for pizza on demand, even for breakfast. Yes, as a growing boy and a professional assassin, healthy eating was important. But only when his bosses were looking.

  Besides, they’d forced a fourteen-year-old out of his bed at half six in the morning. So him eating pizza for breakfast was their fault, really.

  Executive Summary Report: New London Clone Factory Destruction

  Roth huffed. Nicholas Grant, dictator and master of Great Britain, had chosen such a stale and wooden title for such an exciting few days.

  Updates in progress: May 16th, Year One On April 23rd, Shannon Grant fled New London with her associate, Lt Anthony Lambourne (deceased). They hid in a disused NHS health centre with a small group of Takeover Day escapees. There they were found and killed by Keith Tylor (deceased) within twenty-four hours, with the exception of Shannon. As commanded by Nicholas Grant, Shannon was transported by Tylor back towards New London. However, she was able to kill him and escape.

  Wow Nick, could you have made this sound any more boring? This is your estranged daughter you’re writing about !

  But Roth smiled. That was the great thing about being asked to proofread. He could make whatever edits he wanted.

  She was able to stab Tylor more than fifty times and leave him dead in somebody’s back garden,

  the edited sentence said. Roth had never liked Tylor anyway. Smiling, he read on.

  Before their escape, Shannon and Lambourne produced a computer virus which would shut down and destroy New London's clone factory, which ultimately made its way into the hands of Terrorist Faction 001 (known among themselves as the ‘Underdogs’). It is assumed that Shannon remains sheltered with them in their countryside hideout (which they have named ‘Spitfire's Rise’).

  O K , let ’ s make the next bits more interesting.

  The insurgents Underdogs invaded New London on April 25th, with a team comprised of Ewan West, Kate Arrowsmith, Jack Hopper, Alex Ginelli and Charlie Coleman (deceased). Their intention was to neutralise annihilate the clone factory, although they were forced to evacuate chased by Oliver Roth into the Inner City prison. The exception being Alex Ginelli, who was separated from his group (see also: The Ginelli Project).

  ‘Oliver,’ came the gruff voice of Iain Marshall through his radio.

  ‘Nearly done, calm yourself.’

  He knew his tone would annoy his boss. But Marshall was the kind of man who deserved to be annoyed whenever possible. Anyone who would willingly choose to be New London’s Head of Military Division was never going to be a barrel of laughs.

  ‘We’re waiting for you in the Experiment Chamber right now. You don’t want to miss the fireworks, do you?’

  ‘You perform the AME experiment without me and I’ll break your pretty little jaw. Now wait a second.’

  Marshall huffed and fell silent. Roth continued his edits.

  The insurgents Underdogs were able to utilise a weakness in the Inner City walls staff incompetence, and escaped the prison on the morning of April 28th. They were able to destroy the clone factory as planned (in addition to seizing intel on the AME project from an officers' sector), and escaped with Alex Ginelli. The exception being Charlie Coleman, who was apprehended and killed shot repeatedly in the chest by Oliver Roth, bringin
g his Underdog kill count to eight of the morons.

  Roth smiled. It was an improvement at the very least. He read the final paragraph as he rose to his feet.

  To date, the surviving Underdogs remain at Spitfire’s Rise. They are assumed to be planning their next move against the AME project. As a result of their raid, research regarding AME has been sped up dramatically.

  Talking of AME, it was time for those fireworks. Roth jogged towards the door: Grant, Marshall and Pearce would wait for him even if he walked, but he couldn’t wait to see the experiment for himself.

  *

  With a swipe of his keycard and the flicker of a green LED, Oliver Roth was granted access to the Experiment Chamber. The teenage assassin found himself in the same room as Iain Marshall, New London’s Head of Military, and Nathaniel Pearce, its Chief of Scientific Research. Only Grant himself was missing.

  ‘Evening, Oliver,’ said Nathaniel Pearce with shallow sarcasm. It was barely seven in the morning, but Pearce took every opportunity to point out his colleagues’ faults, including lateness.

  Roth smirked, and said nothing. Part of being fearsome meant knowing when not to step into arguments.

  ‘Is the subject ready?’ Roth asked, spotting the figure behind the glass.

  ‘He doesn’t look it,’ replied Pearce, taking a sip of coffee from a mug which read ‘smart-arse and proud of it’ in big bold letters. ‘Not that it matters.’

  Roth took a closer look at the clone inside the chamber. He may have been a manufactured collection of factory-grown flesh and organs, but the emotions on his face seemed very real. He showed signs of nervousness and suspicion, clueless as to why he was armed to the teeth with an assault rifle, holstered handguns, grenades and a belt full of hunting knives. Especially since the Experiment Chamber around him was almost empty, hosting little more than a pair of stone pillars that stretched to the ceiling, positioned a metre apart in the centre of the room.

  Roth glanced to his left. Iain Marshall was predictably impatient, his hands in his pockets and his top lip beginning to quiver. Nathaniel Pearce wore his usual creepy smile, perhaps a little too entertained by his own work.