Swift and Hawk: Undercover

Just a few short months ago, Caleb and Zen were recruited into the Möbius Programme, a secretive organisation that uses the unique skills of the ARC Institute’s pupils to solve high-tech spy problems.

When a cybersecurity breach occurs at a research facility in Cambridge, owned by American robotics company SolTec, Caleb and Zen (code named Swift and Hawk) are quickly sent in.

Dr Aidan Lennox, the director of the facility, is not impressed to discover that instead of the high tech team he asked for, he’s been sent two teenagers and a single old-school agent whose primary role is to keep the teens safe.

The trio arrive just in time. As they head into SolTec HQ, it quickly becomes clear that the software has taken over and their robots are about to become autonomous. They only just get out in time before the whole place blows.

When the team at ARC discover an organisation called the Spikers are behind the attack on SolTec, Zen goes undercover. The Spikers focus is on fighting the arms industry, and SolTec are far more involved in that industry than anybody else realised.

While Zen trains with the Spikers, Caleb faces an even bigger battle in the online world. Something very strange is happening in Terrorform, the game he and his dad built. With the help of Sam—his AI—he is determined to find out who is responsible.

Then Zen discovers the Spikers are going to hit the 02 Arena, where they will be holding the largest arms fair in the entire world. They must be stopped or hundreds of lives will be lost. But someone is backing the Spikers and they have a different goal entirely. While the authorities are distracted by what is happening at the 02, they steal a quantum computer from the Bank of England. And they’ve been using Terrorform to manipulate Caleb into setting his AI Sam free, purely so they could take him. With the Bank’s computer and Sam, nothing can stop them. But they haven’t counted on just how determined two teenagers can be…

A really enjoyable, fast-paced and very high-tech story of espionage, undercover work, friendship and courage. Highly recommended!

spying, robotics, artificial intelligence, gaming, teamwork, betrayal, arms industry, nanobots, high tech weaponry, undercover work, quantum computing, courage, determination, friendship

1. Josh—a Spiker—is badly beaten as a lesson on what will happen to him if he talks (p202-3). 2. Mild non-graphic violence. 3. ‘Jesus H. Christ’ x 1 (p307).