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
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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.
Tooth and Nail Page 1
