OVERDRIVE 009

Chapter One: The Beginning

10 years ago.

Kenya Secret Service Headquarters. 2245hrs

Benjamin Chege was done typing an email to tender his resignation as agent 009 at the Kenya Secret Service Headquarters. Time was running out and he needed to clear himself out of the facility before the terrorist organisation, the Black Forces discover his motives. The KSS finally had the laid out plan to assault them on their own territory and Benjamin was the front runner for the invasion. The perfect plan to eliminate the scathing terrorists once and for all.

As he grabbed his identity card to access the weapons vault, he suddenly discovered that a group of moles in the KSS had indeed locked him out. They had already posted his location to the Black Forces headquarters, giving Benjamin about 2 hours before they arrive. He rushed outside the door in the driving Nairobi rain and sped his Peugeot 508 towards his home.

He approached his wife Sarah with the idea of disappearing to another country, of which she welcomed it with earnest. He then took his son, a young Irvin Chege and made way to his aunt Martha's house in Buruburu Estate. He gave instructions to Martha and left her with custody of Irvin as the Chege parents drove to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, where a charter aircraft awaited them.

By sunrise, they were midway across the Sahara Desert, bound for somewhere in Stockholm, Sweden.

Benjamin was busy uploading the media file to a secret KSS safe house at an unknown location. Sarah was sensing they would not make it, but Benjamin reassured her.

"We're going to be fine, Sarah."

"He's just a little boy......" Sarah continued...

"We've been through this." Benjamin began. "Our life as we know it is over. We're going to spend the rest of our lives being safe, we can't do that to him."

Even a little convincing was not enough for Sarah to stomach so she excused herself to use the on-board toilets, then a certain Salaam Wallhoud came through the door leading to the cockpit. He wanted the sink to wash his hands while engaging Benjamin in conversation.

"So, what is it you're working on?" he said.

Benjamin was quick to notice his blood stained hands. Salaam was a Black Forces assassin, sent to get rid of him. He began experiencing waves of anxiety.

"Just checking in, do you think I can speak with the pilot?" Benjamin uttered.

"No need."Salaam reassured him. "Perhaps I could help."

"I just need to radio ahead and make sure everything's in place for when we land...."

As Benjamin made his move, Salaam grabbed open his drawer and pulled out a gun.

"I think we both know it's not an option, 009." he said with an unconvincing grin.

Meanwhile Sarah was vibrating hard on the door as Salaam initially locked it. She thought Benjamin locked him in.

"You're slick, Benjy."he continued, slamming down the face of his laptop. "But you're not slick enough to escape."

Suddenly Sarah forced the door opened and a fist fight ensued between the two men, with Salaam shooting Sarah's torso after she tried to overpower him. This only made Benjamin angrier as he got the better of him and pinned him to the floor.

He went to his dying wife who advised him to continue uploading the media file while there was still time. All while trying to stabilise her condition.

Salaam got back up, rolled Benjamin to the ground, the force acting upon the dead pilot who jerked forward the controller, sending the plane hurtling towards the Earth, losing almost 100 feet per second. This only made both their work more difficult, but Benjamin had the brilliant idea of shooting at the window to relieve the pressure. The aircraft's door crippled the engine and Salaam was desperately holding on to Benjamin's laptop before he fell off the aircraft to his death.