Chapter 1

"I believe that this is just the start, he will get much better as he gets older. We need to make sure we treat him correctly and that he wants to help us in the future. We can't risk losing him or for some other power to get hold of him," Lieutenant Stevens said.

"OK his work is a breakthrough but it isn't really a massive one. Do you really think he is onto something, and this wasn't just luck," Lieutenant General Lewis asked, not believing that this sixteen year old could really be on the verge of doing something that the best minds in the world had been working on for so long.

"Yes Sir, I really do think he is likely to make further breakthroughs in the next few years, most likely even the big breakthroughs, which will change the world in ways we are only just starting to imagine," Gemma Stevens replied as she turned to face the General. She felt like her face was starting to blush and her heart nearly missed a beat, as she looked at him. Although she knew he was in his mid to late 40's, he looked more like he was in his 30's.

Since Gemma had first been assigned to his unit, she had found herself attracted to General Lewis. She could never really understand why though, maybe it was just the sense of power which he gave off whenever he walked into a room. Gemma knew that it would never lead anywhere, a General wouldn't risk his career just for some affair with a Lieutenant. Even if they weren't in the army and somehow something had of happened, there was still the age gap, which she didn't know if she would be able to handle. While she usually did date men older than herself, they were normally within 10 years of her age.

"So what is your suggestion?"

Gemma pushed her thoughts about the General to the back of her mind and turned her attention to the folder in front of her, reading through her notes for a moment before answering the question. "I think we not only have to buy the rights or at least some sort of exclusive license for a few years, to his current work. We also need to help him carry out his future work and research and to secure first options on that work, plus we need to start thinking about his protection, maybe as he is so young we can keep his work a secret for a year or so, any leaks we can discredit because of his age. No one is seriously going to believe rumours about a 16 year old making such a breakthrough without proof, sooner or later though, it will come out and then the world will want him to be working for them."

"We can't just pay him lots of money in cash though, if we want to keep the leaks down and him safe. So we need to talk to him and work out what he wants and then decide how we progress from there." Gemma continued. "Also from what I have heard about him, I don't think he is the kind of person who is going to accept us providing him with a body guard, so I suggest to start with, we put someone in undercover at his school with orders to get close to him but not let him know who they really are."

"So you suggest putting a member of the special forces into the school undercover? As what? A teacher?" the General asked.

"I was thinking of someone younger, who could fit in as a student. I also think a female would be a better choice. So maybe a young female MP," Gemma replied. "I don't really think there will be any serious risk to him for a while yet, so for now we just need to get someone close to him, who can be around just incase. I think a female could get closer to him than a male."

"So how do we pay him for his work if we can't give him money?" the General moved on to his next question, he didn't need her to go into detail of how she thought this female body guard should get close to him.

"I think we need to talk to him and see what he wants and if he has any ideas."

"Have you done a security check on him and his family and close friends?" the General asked as he closed the file in front of him.

"Yes Sir, no problems have shown up."

"Lets bring him in then."

"Yes Sir," Lieutenant Stevens answered, as she stood up and walked off to make the arrangements.

Gemma had decided to approach Joshua Lawson herself, rather than just send out a pick up team to bring him in. He was young and they needed to make sure he was comfortable with everything they did, they couldn't risk scaring him, she had decided.

"Mr Joshua Lawson?" Gemma said as she got out her car and walked towards the boy.

"Err yeah, who wants to know," Joshua replied, with a look on his face which was a cross between shock and bewilderment and fear.

"May I talk to you in private for a few minutes please?"

"What about? Who are you?"

"I think it's better if I explain all that in private."

Josh narrow his eyes and examined the women from head to toe, her shoulder length dark hair covered most of the sides of her face, just leaving a strip down the middle of her face, with her eyes, nose and mouth not covered by her hair. While her black suite seemed to suggest that she was either a business woman or a lawyer, though something told him that she was in fact neither. Being a normal sixteen year old boy, his eyes lingered on her breasts for slight longer than they did on other parts of her body.

He thought about if he should really let some woman into his house when she wouldn't even tell him who she was, or what it was about? Still he didn't really think she was going to harm him. Surely if someone wanted to harm him, they would send someone other than a 5 feet 4 inch woman to do it, and for that matter, why would anyone want to harm him?