Jason Steed Royal Decree

by Mark A. Cooper

  Jason smiled back and shrugged his shoulders. “We all have secrets.” He wouldn’t admit it, but he liked Bradan.

  *

  Whenever there was a game or match or contest of any sort between the residents of Shankill and Dunmurry, the tensions were higher, the crowds were bigger, and things just seemed more important.

  The Shankill Sharks stood in a line on one side of the pool, while the Dunmurry Dolphins stood the other side. Cailin worked her way towards Jason and stood next to him. As expected, the Dunmurry Dolphins were winning most of the events. The total score was seventeen wins to the Dolphins and just two for the Sharks. Most of the Sharks along, with their parents and followers, were now depressed and acknowledged they had lost yet again.

  “Is there any point us racing? Even if we win our doubles race, our team has still lost and look who we are up against,” Cailin whispered to Jason. He looked over at the opposition, a boy aged about fifteen and a girl of similar age. “They have to be almost sixteen. How can we beat them?”

  “We will beat them, oh. Happy Birthday.” He smiled. “Just concentrate on the style. I want you to go first,” Jason said.

  “Coach said you had to swim the first two lengths as you are fastest to try and give us a lead. The swimmer against me will be in my wake,” Cailin said.

  “Cailin you go first, give it everything you have. I will take the last two lengths.”

  Maude and Shamus watched from the balcony. Shamus looked at the rest of the Shark spectators, and just a few seats away, he eyed the Reverend Ian Flanagan with hatred in his eyes. Flanagan too had noticed Shamus. If looks could kill, Shamus would now be a dead man.

  The mixed pairs’ butterfly stroke race was the last event. Both teams were called to the start line. Cailin did as Jason told her and went to the edge. The other team were clearly older than her and Jason. The older girl tied her hair up in her swimming cap and sneered at Cailin.

  The boy looked down at Jason. “Good luck, you’re gonna need it,” He said smugly. “You could save yourself the trouble of getting your long hair wet and just give up now.”

  Shankill Sharks coach looked annoyed. She had wanted Jason to swim the first two lengths and couldn’t understand why Cailin was going first.

  “On your mark,” a judge bellowed, raising his hand and holding a whistle inches from his mouth. Both the tall girl and Cailin approached the edge and bent forward into diving position with toes just curled over the edge.

  “It’s not fair. That pair is much bigger and older than our Jason and his partner,” Maude complained to Shamus.

  The whistle blew. The two girls dived long and deep into the pool, both performing a dolphin kick. It was clear by just over half way the Dunmurry Dolphin team were going to win. Cailin fought back, but by the time she turned her taller opponent was starting her final length.

  Rev Ian Flanagan stood and shouted. “Come on Sharks! Come on Cailin, you can catch her.”

  Jason had only used his ability to induce adrenaline into his system when he had to defend himself. Wong Tong, his karate master, taught him the ancient Chinese art. Jason could bring it on but only used it if he was in danger. The adrenaline rush would give him a burst of energy, power that can only come when you really needed it. The side effect was severe fatigue. His young body’s blood sugar was burnt, and he was often exhausted to the point of almost collapse.

  Taking deep breaths, Jason concentrated. The cheers and shouts of encouragement to the two girls were completely blocked out. Jason could hear just his heartbeat. His pupils dilated. His body trembled, adrenaline flushing through his body, his muscle fibers twitching as they recoiled, ready to spring into action.

  The opposing team had a huge lead. The taller girl hit the edge of the wall. It was the signal for her partner to go. He dived high and long, going deep, kicking hard. Moments later, Cailin gave a final burst and touched the side. Jason’s powerful legs forced his light body off the side in a perfect dive. His legs kicked and his arms took a stroke under water. The second kick and Jason broke the surface of the water.

  He sucked in a large breath of air, filling his lungs before going down again. Forcing himself faster and faster, his arms pounded the water’s surface and with perfect harmony with his powerful legs kicking forcing his body through the water. He approached the end of the pool and went down to turn. He pushed off from the side and broke though the water’s surface.

  Screams echoed throughout the pool of encouragement. Jason had caught up with the taller boy who glanced across and noticed the younger smaller boy level with him. His pride was not going to let this little blond haired boy beat him. He fought back, his larger legs and powerful arms smashing through the water.

  Rev Ian Flanagan had stepped to the railings on the balcony and cheered. “Go Sharks, go sharks, go boy go.” A man stood next to him equally excited and screaming at the top of his lungs.

  “Jason go, go on boy keep going you got it, go on,” Shamus shouted, punching the air with his fist. A few spectators had to take a second look. Shamus O’Neill and Rev Ian Flanagan were side by side, leaning over the balcony and cheering for the same team.

  Jason was still level with his opponent. Who was winning was too close to call. Sharks. Jason imagined a shark in real life or the crocodile that almost ate him alive. It was chasing him, trying to get his feet. He imagined it chasing him. he had to get out of the water and quick. The last few strokes Jason stayed under. He never climbed to get a full breath. His final spurt of speed gave him a small lead.

  The screaming and cheers were deafening around the entire complex. Maude had tears in her eyes, her voice hoarse from shouting encouragement.

  “Go go go boy,” shouted Rev Flanagan.

  Jason’s hand hit the edge of the pool a second before the Dunmurry boy’s hand. The judge raised his hand. Jason and Cailin had won. Rev Flanagan and Shamus cheered and raised their hands. They both high fived each other and then realized who the other person was. They stopped and looked at each other; despite the deep hatred for each other, they couldn’t help but smile at one another before returning to their seats.

  Jason lost his grip on the side of the pool and went under. He fought back to catch the edge but missed and went under again. He kicked up and coughed trying to get air. Cailin noticed dropped her towel and jumped in and caught him, lifting his head out of the water. He has swallowed a mouthful of water. His body was exhausted, his oxygen level dangerously low. She held him and called for help.

  The judge, a heavy set man, bent down and pulled Jason out and lay him on the ground. Jason coughed up a mouthful of water. His lungs heaved, trying collect needed oxygen.

  “Jason,” Maude screamed. The other swimmers surrounded him. The coach lifted him to his feet. Jason’s eyes were still dark and unresponsive. Cailin was worried as she stroked his forehead.

  Shamus ran down the stairs and made his way to the scene. He was relieved to see Jason was up on his feet with a towel around him. He was nodding at the coach.

  “I’m fine, just over did it,” Jason panted.

  “Are you all right boy?” Shamus asked.

  Jason nodded.

  The Shankill Sharks still lost seventeen races and only won three, but because of the thrilling final race and the way Jason caught up, you could have been mistaken and thought they had won the entire competition.

  Jason and Cailin collected a small medal. Rev Flanagan took a picture of the pair together holding their medals.

  “My parents will drive you to our home, see you outside?” Cailin said. Jason nodded. He wasn’t fully recovered and unsteady on his feet.

  Shamus put his arm around him and walked him to the men’s locker rooms. “Are you sure you’re okay to go still?”

  “You said I could go,” Jason whined.

  “Yes you can son. I’m just worried about ya. You look spaced out.”

  Jason sighed. “That took a lot out of me. I will be okay when I have something to eat.” He leant agai
nst Shamus for support.

  Shamus helped Jason get dressed and waited while he fussed with his hair. “Okay laddie, lets go.”

  “My hair isn’t right. I should have washed it. The chlorine makes it look greasy.”

  “Are you a boy or a girl? Who bloody cares about your hair?” Shamus paused. “Okay of course you want to look handsome for that girl. Cailin is it?”

  “Yeah Cailin.” Jason smiled. “Her parents are going to give me a ride to her house.”

  “I see, then you won’t be needing me and Maude.”

  Jason looked and felt guilty.

  “Ha I’m only joking laddie. You go and have a good time. Besides, I have an important job to do tonight.” Shamus smiled.

  Jason waited outside the pool entrance for Cailin. He noticed her coming with her father and who he assumed was her mother. He greeted her with a smile.

  “Jason, you look different. I guess I haven’t seen you with your clothes on before,” Cailin said. “Oh that didn’t come out right, did it?” She laughed.

  “I was going to say the same to you, but I assume this is your mom, so thought better of it. Pleased to meet you., Jason said shaking Cailin’s mum’s hand. She gave Jason a firm handshake. Her hair was unnaturally black. Jason noticed the roots were grey, but she had a welcoming smile and he took an instant liking to her.

  Jason climbed in the back of the Flanagan’s car with Cailin. He noticed her long brown hair. He had never seen it before. It was always hidden under her swim cap. “I never knew you had long hair.”

  “Do you like it?” Cailin asked.

  “Yes of course, you look…” He paused. He noticed Cailin’s father looking at him in the drivers mirror. It made him feel uneasy saying what was on his mind. “Um, nice with it.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Cailin’s party was nothing like he had expected. Her sixteen-year-old brother Niall was there. Cailin’s parents and her grandmother as well. Her mother had made sandwiches, cake, chicken wings, and sausages on sticks.

  They sat around a large table and waited for her father to join them. He sat and smiled at Jason.

  “Jason, as you’re our guest, please do us the honor and say grace,” Rev Flanagan asked. Immediately before Jason could answer or make an excuse, the family all bowed their heads.

  Jason turned bright red. He had never been taught to say grace. He had attended church with the Sea Cadets for special Sunday parades, but being raised by nannies in Hong Kong, religion was never pushed on him. He had heard some say grace while he was at the Military School in the United States and when at his grandparents though.

  “Um…” he stammered. “Em, well um. Thank you for bringing us together tonight for Cailin’s Birthday and um, thanks for the food we have here.” He paused again. “And most importantly, thank you for bringing my step father Shamus O’Neill and Reverend Flanagan together tonight. Amen.” Jason’s face was flushed. He hated speaking publicly, even a small group was hard for him. He instinctively pulled his blond bangs over his eyes.

  Cailin smiled at him and looked at her father. “Yes dad. I heard you and Shamus O’Neill shook hands tonight.”

  “Nothing of the sort. That man is a complete.” He stopped himself. “I will keep my feelings to myself. Tonight was not about the Irish Republicans or the Unionists; it was about you two at a sports event. Don’t read too much into it. We are as far apart on politics as the North Pole is away from the South Pole.”

  “Shamus O’Neill is your foster father?” Niall asked Jason. “No way.”

  “Yes.”

  “Are you trying to give dad a heart attack, Cailin, bringing his son home here?” Niall laughed.

  “I didn’t know who Jason lived with. Besides, Jason is my friend, and who he lives with has nothing to do with you.” Cailin screwed her eyes up at her brother and pulled a face.

  “Just thought you would have been more considerate,” Niall said smugly.

  “If you ever had a girlfriend I would never say anything, no matter if she was any color or religion, but no girl in her right mind would ever date an ugly Gobshite like you,” Cailin said.

  “Now, now you two. We have a guest, and he is very welcome here,” Rev Flanagan interrupted.

  After they had eaten and pretended to laugh at Niall’s jokes, Cailin asked if she could take Jason up to her room to play some music.

  Jason smiled when he entered her room. He took in his surroundings. She had a David Cassidy poster on one wall above her bed and a large poster of a cute looking lamb and calf. The message underneath read ‘Don’t Eat Me.’ Another of some cute piglets wearing bowties had the same message.

  “You don’t eat meat?” Jason asked.

  “No, I don’t. Why would I want to eat dead animal flesh?”

  “Em, so you never ate any of the chicken or sausages on sticks?” he asked.

  “No yuk, that’s nasty. I ate the cheese sandwiches and the cheese and pickle. It’s just me the rest of my family all eat dead animals.”

  “Are you trying to make me feel guilty for eating meat?”

  “Yep.” She smiled at him and sat on the bed.

  “If we’re not supposed to eat animals then why are they made of meat?” Jason grinned and joined her. He flicked his blond fringe away from his eyes and stared at her. Their eyes locked simultaneously their faces moved closer. She looked into his sapphire blue eyes. His blond eyebrows stood out against his lightly tanned face.

  Jason’s eyes lowered to her lips. He could feel her breath on his face. Is it too soon to kiss her? he asked himself. His body leaned forward, forcing his face closer. He needed to kiss her. She was beautiful. He tilted his face slightly and moved forward. He closed his eyes.

  “Cailin, Mum asked what time Jason has to be home?” Niall asked, standing at the doorway. Jason and Cailin turned and faced him. “Oh sorry, did I interrupt something?”

  Jason sprung to his feet. “No we were just talking. As it’s a school night, I have to be home by nine,” he said, turning bright red.

  “Mum will drive you home. I’ll let her know.” Niall grinned at his sister. “Carry on, Sis.”

  Cailin and Jason both blushed at each other and said nothing for a few minutes. Jason spotted a notepad on her dresser. It had the word “Jason” written on it in large letters. Each letter was colored in a different color. A large heart was drawn below his name. It gave him the courage to ask “Do you want to go to the movies Saturday afternoon?” There was a charming nervousness in his voice.

  “Is that like we are going on a date?” Cailin asked.

  The question was not what he expected. Of course it’s a date, he thought to himself, but had second thoughts. “Um, I normally hang out with a mate Saturday’s, he’s called Gober, well Gobnait, but we call him Gober. If you have a friend maybe the four of us could go. Oh there is one small problem.”

  “Yes, I will ask Megan she’s my best friend. What’s the small problem?” Cailin asked.

  “I don’t have any money, I can see if Maude, she’s my foster mum, will let me have some but not enough for everyone, sorry.”

  “That’s not a problem Jason. You just bring Gober and we will have a good time. I will find out what they are showing,” Cailin said. They both walked down the stairs together.

  *

  “George, it’s no wonder you’re fat. Look at what you just ate.” Scott laughed.

  George burped and stared at Scott. “For someone with so many IQ points, what is it 168—?”

  “174 now,” Scott interrupted.

  “For someone with so much brains, you say the stupidest of things sometimes. ‘Ere we are on a Saturday night, just had a good dinner at one of Belfast’s finest restaurants, good conversation with someone I considered a friend, and you go and spoil it. You have no tact.” George burped again. “Now Jason has a little more tact than you. He just has a temper that I fear will get him into serious trouble one day.”

  “I’m just honest. Besides, it’s a known
fact men over forty-five who are overweight have fifty four point three percent more chance of having a heart attack,” Scott said.

  “See there you bloody go again. You almost put me off ordering desert,” George said, shaking his head.

  “Almost, you’re not seriously going to eat more?” Scott laughed.

  “I hear the Irish cream chocolate cake they do here is the best in the land. Gotta try it now we are here,” George said. Scott smiled back at him. The two had been staying at the army barracks for weeks while Jason was undercover. Most evenings George took Scott out to dinner at various eating establishments. It gave them both a break from the barracks and a chance to discover Belfast. George was also allowed to put it on expenses, so that helped.

  “I’ll be glad to get back to England. This has to be the most boring mission ever. I thought helping out as a spy would be exciting,” Scott said.

  “It’s not like James Bond,” George said. Besides, you’ve been out and met up with Jason a few times and collected some information under the eyes of our suspects.”

  “Hardly cloak and dagger stuff. Once in a library and we both got told off by a librarian and the other time in the men’s locker rooms surrounded by naked wet guys while Jason dressed,” Scott said faking a yawn. “But if it makes you feel better, George, I won’t call you fat again. You’re not fat, just easier to see than most.” Scott grinned.

  *

  After the birthday party, Cailin’s mum drove Jason back to the O’Neill’s house. Cailin came for the ride. The young couple sat in the back of the car together. When the car took a turn, Cailin put her hand down to stop herself sliding in the seat. Her hand landed on Jason’s. She left it there for a moment. When she took it away, Jason took it and held it. They looked at each other and smiled.

  “This is it here, the house with the red door and all the empty milk bottles outside,” Jason said.

  “Oh my you do get through a lot of milk,” Cailins mum said.