CHERUB: The Recruit (13 page)

James stepped into the corridor. A hand clamped his ankle. James shot about a metre in the air with fright.

‘Caught you in the girls’ changing room, pervert.’

James didn’t recognise the voice. Torch beams lit up his face. Amy and the girl who’d given him the love bite burst out laughing. They had changed out of party clothes into uniform.

‘Why are you hanging around the girls’ changing room, James?’ Amy asked.

James panicked. It was so embarrassing.

‘I couldn’t go back in the main building all muddy, so I came in here to clean up.’

‘We’re pulling your leg,’ Amy said. ‘I saw the light was on. We’ve been watching you for about five minutes. When I realised you didn’t make it back we came out looking.’

James smiled with relief. ‘I really thought you were going to tell everyone I was a pervert.’

‘We still might,’ the love bite girl giggled.

‘Next time you say only have one drink, Amy, I will. I swear.’

‘What makes you think I’ll invite you next time? I know a back way into the main building. Let’s not hang around here.’

‘You saved my life, Amy. Thanks.’

Amy laughed. ‘If you turned up drunk after half the school saw you at my party I’d be in as much trouble as you.’

James swore he’d never drink again. It was a rough night. Throwing up, head floating, dry mouth and a throat like sandpaper. Lucky it was only three steps to the bathroom. It was 3 a.m. before James settled into an uneasy sleep. He kept jerking awake from weird dreams where everything was spinning.

‘James,’ Kyle shouted.

It was 7 a.m., Saturday morning.

‘Wake up, man.’

James sat up in bed rubbing his eyes.

‘You got drunk, didn’t you?’ Kyle said.

‘Ugh.’

‘This room stinks of beer.’

‘I feel like I’m dying,’ James groaned. ‘How did you get in here?’

‘Picked the lock. I did knock first but you didn’t answer.’

‘Can’t you leave me to die?’

‘James, shut up and listen. There’s a mission in London tonight. Nine of us are spending the day up there hanging out. You’re not supposed to come, but it’s all been thrown together at the last minute and it’s a Dennis King production so we can smuggle you on to the train.’

‘What’s a Dennis King production?’

‘He’s one of the mission controllers,’ Kyle explained. ‘He’s a sweet old guy, but he’s a bit doddery and he’ll never notice an extra kid tagging along.’

‘I’ve got a hangover,’ James said. ‘And I’m sick of always getting in trouble.’

‘Don’t you want to visit your sister then?’

‘How will we do that?’ James asked, excitedly kicking off his duvet and swinging out of bed. ‘Ron won’t let me in the flat.’

‘If Lauren’s home, we’ll find a way. I wanted to help you visit her when we were at Nebraska House, but I couldn’t without breaking my cover. This is your only chance. Once you start basic training, you’re cut off from everything for three months.’

‘When are we leaving?’ James asked.

‘Twenty minutes. Have a quick shower, put on civilian clothes and get your butt downstairs.’

*

It was weird being back. London seemed dirty and noisy, even though James had lived here until a few weeks before. The kids all split up when they arrived at King’s Cross station. A bunch of girls were going shopping in Oxford Street. Most boys in the group were going to Namco Station, a big amusement arcade opposite Big Ben. They all had to meet outside Edgware Underground at 6 p.m. for the mission. Bruce wanted to go to Namco, but decided to stay with Kyle and James once he heard what they were doing.

‘You’ll get bored,’ Kyle said. ‘We’re just going to James’ old neighbourhood to visit his little sister.’

‘You might need me for protection,’ Bruce said.

Kyle laughed. ‘Protection from what, Bruce? Come if you want. Just don’t whine all day if you get bored.’

Bruce had never been on the Underground before. He looked at the map and counted how many stops like a five-year-old. Ron lived behind Kentish Town station, a couple of streets from the estate where James used to live with his mum.

‘What do we do?’ James asked when they reached the flat.

‘Ring the doorbell,’ Bruce said.

‘Ron won’t let me in, dummy,’ James said. ‘I wouldn’t need you guys if I could just ring the doorbell and get in.’

‘Oh,’ Bruce said. ‘I could kick the door down.’

‘Like his stepdad isn’t going to notice somebody kicking his front door down,’ Kyle said sarcastically. ‘What’s your sister likely to be doing if she’s inside?’

‘Either drawing in her room or watching TV,’ James said.

‘And Ron?’

‘He’ll have been out drinking last night. Probably won’t be out of bed for another hour.’

Kyle stuck his lock gun in the keyhole. He turned the lock but the door wouldn’t budge.

‘Bolt on the inside,’ Kyle explained.

‘Ring the doorbell,’ Bruce said again.

‘We can’t. I just told you,’ James said.

‘You and Kyle hide. I’ll ring the doorbell,’ Bruce said. ‘You said your stepdad is probably asleep, so I bet your sister answers. If she answers I’ll say what’s going on. If Ron answers I’ll tell him I’ve made a mistake.’

Kyle and James walked away. Bruce rang the bell. A few seconds later Lauren’s eyes appeared in the letterbox.

‘How many packets do you want?’ Lauren asked.

‘I’m a friend of your brother James. Is your dad awake?’

‘You don’t want cigarettes?’ Lauren asked.

Bruce waved for James to come to the door. James crouched at the letterbox.

‘Let us in,’ James said.

‘James,’ Lauren grinned. ‘You better not let Dad see you. Every time I mention your name he looks like his head’s gonna explode.’

Lauren undid a bolt on the bottom of the door.

‘Is Ron asleep?’ James asked.

‘Won’t get up until the horse-racing starts,’ Lauren said, opening the door.

‘Hide us in your room,’ James said.

Lauren led the boys into her bedroom. The room was divided by a curved wall built out of thousands of cigarette cartons.

‘What’s all this?’ James asked. ‘You started smoking?’

‘Dad buys them cheap in France,’ Lauren said. ‘He smuggles them in and sells them. He’s making loads of money.’

Bruce studied the wall of cartons. ‘Did you build this?’

‘Yeah,’ Lauren said. ‘I was bored so I started messing about with the cartons.’

Bruce laughed. ‘It’s brilliant.’

‘She always messes with stuff,’ James said. ‘When she had chicken pox she got every CD and video case in our flat and used it to make a pyramid.’

Lauren sat down on her bed.

‘So what are you up to?’ James asked.

‘I go round with the kids down the balcony a lot. Ron gives their mum money and she gets me from school and makes my dinner.’

‘So you’re doing OK?’

‘Could be worse,’ Lauren said. ‘You been in any more trouble?’

‘No,’ James said.

Kyle and Bruce both grinned.

‘Pants on fire,’ Kyle muttered under his breath.

‘So you want to go out or something?’ James asked. ‘Can you sneak out?’

‘Easy,’ Lauren said. ‘Dad doesn’t like me waking him up. I’ll do a note to say I’m round a mate’s house.’

*

James took Lauren shopping and got her some jeans she wanted in Gap Kids. They ate pizza and went ten pin bowling. James and Lauren versus Bruce and Kyle. It started getting dark, but they still had an hour to kill before they headed up to Edgware for the mission.

They ended up in the little swing park near James’ flat. James hadn’t been back there since he’d hidden in the tunnel the afternoon before his mum died. Kyle and Bruce mucked about trying to make each other dizzy on a roundabout. Lauren and James sat next to each other on the swings, swaying gently and dragging their trainers in the gravel. They both felt a bit sad, knowing that their day together was running out.

‘Mum used to take us here when we were little,’ James said.

Lauren nodded, ‘She was good fun when she wasn’t in a mood.’

‘Remember when you used to climb up the slide, but you could never work out how to sit your bum down and push yourself off the top. I always had to climb up and rescue you.’

‘No,’ Lauren said. ‘How old was I?’

‘Only two or three,’ James said. ‘You know, I can’t come back to London till after Christmas?’

‘Oh,’ Lauren said.

They tried not to make eye contact in case they made each other upset.

‘That doesn’t get you out of buying me a present,’ Lauren said.

James smiled. ‘Are you getting me one?’

‘You can have a box of cigarettes if you want.’

‘Well, well, well,’ someone said. ‘Haven’t seen you round here much lately, James. Been hiding from me?’

It was Greg Jennings and two of his mates.

‘I’ve been looking everywhere for you,’ Greg said. ‘I knew you couldn’t hide that nasty little face for ever.’

The three boys squared up to James, all of them about twice his size. Greg put the toe of his trainer on the swing between James’ legs.

‘My sister has a scar on her face thanks to you. The only thing that cheered her up was finding out that your pig mother dropped dead.’

‘Leave her out of this,’ James said angrily, bunching up his fist.

‘Oh no,’ Greg said, putting on a high pitched voice. ‘The little faggot’s gonna hit me. I’m so scared!’

A small rock bounced off Greg’s head.

‘Hey turd,’ Bruce shouted. ‘Why don’t you pick on someone your own size, like me.’

Greg turned round and couldn’t believe such a skinny little kid was being so brave.

‘Get out of here,’ Greg said, pointing at Bruce. ‘Unless you want your legs smashed.’

Bruce tossed another rock at Greg’s head. James laughed. Greg gave James a slap then spoke to his two sidekicks.

‘Snap that little idiot in half.’

James knew Bruce was a good fighter, but he was only eleven and the two guys sizing up to him were massive. Kyle was nowhere to be seen.

Bruce backed into the roundabout, holding his hands out meekly, acting scared. He grabbed the rails on the roundabout and sprung his whole body behind a two footed kick. One of the thugs crumpled up. Kyle jumped out from behind the roundabout and barged the thug over, then smashed him with an elbow that burst his nose and left him unconscious.

Meanwhile, Bruce had taken on the other one. The kid plucked Bruce off the ground. Bruce kicked him in the balls then put a sharp pinch on his neck. He’d been trained to target the main vein running up the side of the neck. It caused an instant build-up of blood in the thug’s head. He passed out and hit the ground like a falling tree, with Bruce holding on. Bruce clambered out from under his victim and ran towards Greg Jennings.

Greg still had his trainer pressed in James’ crotch. There was a weird look on Greg’s face; like his brain wasn’t believing what his eyes were seeing. Greg reached inside his coat. James realised he was going for a knife. He dived backwards off the swing and grabbed Lauren.

Greg pulled the knife. Bruce faced him off.

‘I’ll stick that knife in you if you don’t put it down,’ Bruce said.

Greg lunged forward with the blade. Bruce stepped backwards. Greg lunged again, Bruce sidestepped. Bruce reached into his pocket and pulled out a coin. The next time Greg moved, Bruce threw the coin in Greg’s face. Greg didn’t know what was coming towards him and blocked the coin with his free hand. Bruce used the distraction to grab Greg’s wrist, twist his thumb into a lock and slide out the knife. Now they were back facing each other, only Bruce was holding the knife.

‘I’ll stick this knife in you if you don’t start running,’ Bruce said.

Greg was too proud to run, but he walked off fast. Lauren ran over to Bruce.

‘That was like something out of Jackie Chan,’ she said. ‘You’re the best fighter ever.’

‘I like to think so,’ Bruce said casually, tucking his coin back in his pocket. ‘At least for my age.’

James was amazed. First Kyle had set the whole day up for him. Now Bruce had saved him from a beating.

‘You guys are great,’ James said. ‘I owe both of you.’

‘I’ll settle for cash,’ Kyle said, looking at the dirt on his trousers. ‘These are Billabong trousers. Sixty quid they cost and they’re filthy.’

‘You know what I really want?’ Bruce said. ‘Some business cards with
Bruce Norris Kicked Your Arse
printed on them. I can stick them in people’s mouths when I knock them unconscious, just in case they don’t remember me when they come round.’

‘Bruce, what you
need
,’ Kyle said, ‘is some serious time with a psychiatrist.’