‘I’m really sorry,’ he said, when he saw James.
‘What have you got to be sorry for?’
‘I screwed up the mission,’ Ryan said. ‘I’ll never get back in Craig’s good books.’
‘You can’t be certain,’ James said.
‘They’ll probably kick my arse if I show my face at The Hangout.’
‘They must have known the risks.’
As James said this a youthful doctor stepped into the cubicle.
‘Will he live, doc?’ James asked cheerfully.
‘He’ll live, but he’s taken a battering. Two or three days in bed resting those swollen ribs.’
‘Nothing broken?’
The doctor shook her head, then craned forward and tapped Ryan’s cheek. ‘Is it numb yet?’
‘Yeah,’ Ryan agreed.
The doctor placed a sterile pack on the table beside the bed. After telling Ryan to sit up straight she ripped the pack open and took out a needle, pre-threaded with sterile cord.
‘Unfortunately your lip is going to need five or six stitches.’
Ryan flinched and felt queasy as the doctor moved the needle towards him.
‘The more you fidget, the longer it’ll take,’ the doctor warned.
And while his face was numb, Ryan still felt like he was going to puke as the needle speared his bloody lip.
22. GATES
Two days later
Fitting in at a new school is one of the trickiest jobs for a CHERUB agent. Ning hadn’t formed a close bond with anyone and felt lonely as she joined the flow of kids streaming out of the school gates.
‘Ning!’
Ning recognised Fay’s voice coming from across the street.
‘Nice day at the office?’ Fay teased.
‘Why make me start a new school three weeks before summer holidays?’ Ning moaned.
‘Bunk it,’ Fay said. ‘I do.’
‘I just might,’ Ning said. ‘Although I’d get grounded if they found out at Nebraska House.’
‘So, ask me what I’ve been up to.’
‘What?’ Ning asked.
‘I tracked down that Shawn guy who works for Eli. The one you told me about.’
‘What for?’
‘I needed to know if Eli was up for buying some cheap product.’
‘And?’
‘He’s keen.’
‘And where’s this cheap product coming from?’ Ning asked.
‘I’ve been watching Hagar’s backup safe-house. Warren was right, it’s ripe for taking down.’
‘How can you be sure?’
‘There’s one guy living there,’ Fay explained. ‘Every so often his girlfriend comes over. Once or twice a week, he comes in or out with a big bag. And since there’s never anyone else there, he must have access to the safe, or wherever it is the drugs are being stored.’
‘So what’s the plan?’ Ning asked.
‘Nothing sophisticated,’ Fay said. ‘Masks and balaclavas, wait until about eleven p.m., then we knock on the front door and point a gun in the dude’s face.’
‘What about security?’
‘We know there’s CCTV, but I peeked through the window when the house was empty and there’s no sign of any gates.’
‘And when are we doing this?’
Fay cracked a smile. ‘No reason to wait. If you’re up to it we’ll go in as soon as it gets dark.’
*
Ryan had an egg on his forehead, stitched lower lip and a purple splotch under his right eye. He’d not gone back to school since the mugging, so he sat at the dining-table in cargo shorts and a Jack Wills polo.
‘You sure you’re OK with this?’ James asked, as he stood at the kitchen worktop setting up a radio which would give him a link to a minuscule transmitter that had been tweezered into Ryan’s ear.
Ryan sounded a touch irritated. ‘I’ll be right.’
‘I’m just playing it by the book,’ James said. ‘You took a beating. All CHERUB agents have the right to drop out of missions at any time.’
‘Blah, blah,’ Ryan said, as he cracked a smile.
‘OK,’ James said, as he flipped a switch on the little radio transceiver on the countertop. ‘Testing audio, one, two, three.’
Ryan heard James’ voice repeated inside his ear, then double-tapped his earlobe to activate the com unit and heard his own phrase repeated through the receiver unit.
‘I’ll be on the bench outside. If it gets hairy say bulldog and I’ll pile in and rescue you,’ James said.
Ryan’s chair grated as he stood up. Bright sunlight made him squint as he cut across the dirt patch between his apartment and The Hangout. As Ryan sidestepped dog turds and broken glass, James followed him out, sat on a wooden bench overlooking the bunker-like youth club and opened a copy of Motorcycle News.
There were a dozen kids milling about inside The Hangout. Nobody noticed Ryan because there was some kind of ruckus going on around the pool table and a Mediterranean-looking kid was getting headlocked by an overweight thug almost twice his size.
‘Let him go,’ Youssef shouted, joining a chorus singing a similar theme. ‘You lost the game, fair and square.’
The victim’s face kept getting redder as Youssef approached Ryan.
Youssef smiled, but sounded alarmed. ‘You’ve got some balls showing your face here,’ he said, as he glanced furtively around.
‘You got my text about what happened?’ Ryan asked.
Youssef looked shifty. ‘No offence, but it’s not good to associate with you right now. I’m out on a limb because I like you, but you’d better get out of here before one of Hagar’s crew eyes you.’
Over at the pool table, the bully had finally released the headlock and his victim slumped against the pool table, gasping for breath.
‘He moved the black,’ the bully squawked angrily. Disapproving glances came at him from all sides as he grabbed his school bag and blazer off the floor.
Meantime, Youssef’s expression had turned deadly serious. ‘Craig’s here, Ryan. He breaks limbs with a baseball bat.’
Ryan had waited to make his move until he knew Craig was in the building, but he acted surprised.
‘My house is two hundred metres away,’ Ryan said. ‘They know where I’m at if they want to get me. I know I’m not gonna be in anyone’s good books, but they might at least respect me if I have the class to face up and apologise.’
Youssef didn’t agree. ‘Give it another week and talk to one of the younger lads. Going in when Craig’s here is not sensible.’
Ryan tried to sound all confident. ‘I’m not a pussy. I’m gonna stick my head in the lion’s mouth. Wish me luck?’
‘I’ve known these people longer than you,’ Youssef said.
But Ryan was determined. There were two offices out back. One belonged to Barry the centre manager. The other was primarily used by members of Hagar’s crew. Ryan caught the outlines of two bulky men behind frosted glass as he rapped on the office door.
The voices stopped. Craig stuck his head out into the hallway and put his pointing finger in Ryan’s face.
‘Wait,’ he ordered, pointing at a plastic chair before going back inside and closing the door.
The conversation between Craig and a spindly Asian guy kept going long enough for Ryan’s gut to turn somersaults. The guy sprinted off on some errand, leaving the office door open.
‘Let’s hear it then,’ Craig said, inviting Ryan in.
The office was small. The little desk was covered in tangerine peel. There was a fan running and a window open, but Craig’s aftershave dominated.
‘Got some balls showing up here,’ Craig said.
‘You deserve an explanation.’
‘Why
wait three days?’
‘I only got out of hospital yesterday evening.’
‘You could have called.’
‘I don’t have your number.’
Craig snorted. ‘The likes of you don’t get my number. But you could have called one of your pals. Abdi, Youssef or whoever.’
‘They nabbed my phone,’ Ryan explained. ‘It had all my numbers on it.’
‘So, what’s your cock-and-bull story?’
Ryan shook his head as Craig took an ominous step closer. ‘I’m not lying, I swear. Someone must have tipped them off. They were in the stairwell, like they knew I was coming or something.’
‘It’s funny,’ Craig said, before a dramatic pause.
‘What?’ Ryan asked.
‘I’ve been sending lads up to that place on deliveries for ten years. Some lads have made the trek a hundred times and not one of ’em has lost gear.’
‘I don’t know what to say,’ Ryan blurted. ‘They were waiting on the stairs, and there was nobody inside apartment F3.’
‘I run a tight ship,’ Craig said, as he thumped his chest and moved so that he was almost touching Ryan. ‘If they were waiting for you, it must have been you blabbing your mouth off to someone.’
‘No way,’ Ryan said. ‘I never spoke to anyone. Face to face, or on my phone.’
‘So have you got my money? I reckon about three-six should cover it.’
‘How could I get that?’ Ryan asked.
‘You live with your big brother?’
Ryan nodded warily.
‘He’s been seen on a motorbike,’ Craig said. ‘If he sold that he could pay us back.’
‘This has got nothing to do with my brother.’
Craig cracked a slow smile. ‘In my book, it’s got everything to do with anyone who doesn’t want to see you get your legs smashed.’
‘Look,’ Ryan said, putting on his most pleading expression. ‘I’m smart. I’m good in a fight and I swear I didn’t rip you off. You must have jobs I can do to earn my way back. Anything you like. I can carry stuff around, run errands. I’ll scrub toilets if that’s what you want.’
Craig looked thoughtful before he spoke. ‘Can you clean cars?’
Ryan smiled. ‘Sure . . . I mean, I’ve never actually washed a car, but I’m a fast learner.’
‘There’s an industrial estate near King’s Cross Station. You can’t miss the yellow sign for the Kalifornia car-wash. I want you there on the weekend and every day after school. If you work hard, I might eventually find it in my heart to forgive you.’
‘How long?’ Ryan asked, but went further when he saw the baffled look on Craig’s face. ‘I mean, how many hours before I pay off my debt.’
Craig turned his lips into a sneer. ‘You’ll work there until I say so.’
23. SAFE
Fay hadn’t forgotten any of the stuff her mother and aunt taught her. She made Ning bunch long hair under a baseball cap and wear a boob-squishing T-shirt and baggy hoodie. Cheap slip-on shoes a couple of sizes too big completed a look that would pass the pair off as young males to anyone who didn’t look too hard.
‘Only speak if you have to, and try to deepen your voice,’ Fay said. ‘If Hagar hears he got robbed by two women, I’ll probably be the first person he thinks of.’
Being July it was 10 p.m. before it got dark enough to leave Nebraska House. It was after Ning’s curfew, so the two girls nabbed a toddler’s ride-on fire truck from the outdoor play area and used it as a step-up before vaulting the back fence.
‘It’s like wearing clown shoes,’ Ning said, as she walked briskly. ‘I’d have put extra socks on if it wasn’t so warm.’
Both girls were sweating when they arrived. The moon was brighter than they’d have liked as Ning took a first glance at the shabby end-of-terrace house. The only hint that there might be something valuable inside were the bars over the front basement window.
‘First-floor windows open,’ Fay said. ‘Flickering light.’
‘TV?’ Ning asked.
Fay nodded. ‘If his girlfriend’s not around, he seems to go up to the bedroom early. I’ve had to be careful on lookout ’cos he sits by the window when he smokes.’
‘So how do we get inside?’ Ning asked.
‘Let me worry about that,’ Fay said. ‘How are your nerves?’
Breaking into a house with one guy inside was mild compared to many situations Ning had been in, both before and since joining CHERUB. But Fay didn’t know about that stuff so Ning made herself appear suitably wary.
‘I guess you know what you’re doing.’
‘For sure,’ Fay said, placing a reassuring hand on Ning’s shoulder before setting off towards the house.
The gate creaked, so Fay stepped over a low wall with Ning a couple of steps behind. Fay started down some uneven steps. Both girls pulled army-green balaclavas over their heads, as Fay took a lock gun from her pocket and approached the basement door.
A lock gun makes opening a lock easier than using a manual pick, but it still requires significant skill. Ning was impressed by how swiftly Fay managed to open a complex deadlock. Then she switched to a larger pick and effortlessly turned the main lock.
The door hadn’t moved in a while and it rained cobwebs and dust as Fay shoulder-barged it. After opening twenty centimetres, Fay felt a jolt as a thick chain pulled tight.
‘Damn,’ Fay said.
Ning thought Fay was lucky that the door had moved at all, because there might easily have been bolts on the inside.
‘Open my pack,’ Fay said.
Ning unbuckled the bag strapped to Fay’s back and pulled out a set of small bolt cutters. As Ning was stronger, she took charge of snapping the chain and led the way into a muggy basement with mildewed carpet and blistered plaster.
Nobody had lived down here for years, but the moonlight gave them a glimpse into a living-room populated with high-backed chairs and family photos from the 70s and 80s. The ground floor had a more modern vibe, but the occupant was a slob. There were mounds of dirty men’s clothes, a bin stuffed with takeaway boxes and a sink spewing dirty plates.
‘Mucky pup,’ Fay whispered.
All the doors were open because of the heat and Ning could hear the TV in the upstairs bedroom as Fay pulled out the Glock holstered to her belt and began creeping towards the flickering colours coming from the TV upstairs.
The last step made a loud creak as Fay lifted her foot, but there was no sign of movement in the bedroom. Gun poised, she craned her neck into the bedroom and was shocked to see nobody inside. She moved quickly to check under the bed, ripped open two wardrobes and looked out the window, instantly concluding that it was too high for Clay to have jumped.
‘Shit,’ Fay said, as Ning stood out on the landing, glancing behind at a couple of closed doors, then up at a loft hatch directly above her head.
Fay jumped when she heard a chirping noise, but it was a text message coming through on an HTC smartphone lying on the bed. The screen said Imelda.
‘Must have rushed out if he left his phone,’ Ning said, as Fay stepped out on to the landing.
Clay might not have had his phone, but Ning was scared because there was a chance he’d gone to grab a weapon and she’d be a dead duck if he shot through one of the closed doors. She backed up to the wall and reached nervously towards a door handle. It was another bedroom, with a dozen pairs of immaculate Nikes lined up along the back wall.
Fay went for the other door, but it moved before she got there. A muscular arm snatched Fay’s wrist and yanked her forward into a cramped bathroom. She tried aiming the gun, but the jerking motion knocked her off balance and her back slammed painfully against a towel rail inside the bathroom as her gun flailed out of control.
Ning remembered CHERUB teaching her to cr
eate as much space between herself and a loaded weapon as possible. But she was fond of Fay and acted on instinct, charging into the cramped bathroom, as Clay twisted the weapon out of Fay’s hand.
The handgun landed on a lemon bath mat, as Clay and Fay wrestled near the edge of the bathtub, getting tangled in a clingy shower curtain. Clay drove up with his legs, knocking Fay back towards the sink, then strained to grab the gun. But Ning got there first, hooking the pistol with her oversized shoe, sending it spinning between her legs and stopping when it reached the hallway carpet.
Fay lunged at Clay, but he pushed her off and shoved her through the tangled curtain and into the bottom of the bathtub. Clay stood up to charge at Ning, but she swiped him around the head with the butt of the pistol.
The blow sent Clay to his knees in front of the sink, blood welling around a cut as Fay sat up in the bathtub. Ning took a half-step forward and stuck the gun in Clay’s face as he thought about making another move.
‘You’re too young to die,’ Ning said firmly. ‘Put your hands on your head.’
Clay’s face stayed angry, but Ning eyeballed him until his palms rested flat against his shaved head.
Ning spoke to Fay, trying to sound manly by deepening her voice but not too sure if it just sounded idiotic. ‘Is there a phone around? Has he called anyone?’
The two girls both glanced around, looking for a handset. They didn’t find one, but Ning did spot a can of pepper spray standing between the bleach and the toilet brush.
‘This what you came in here for?’ Ning asked, as she inspected the packaging and flipped off the lid. Clay winced when she aimed the nozzle at his face, but she just laughed and handed it across to Fay, who seemed dazed as she stepped out of the bathtub, clutching ribs that had banged painfully against a handrail.
‘Thought Hagar might have managed a gun for his little brother,’ Fay scoffed.
‘There’s nothing here for you girls,’ Clay said.
Ning sighed inwardly: so much for passing themselves off as young men.
Fay had regained her composure, and held the pepper spray menacingly as she stood directly behind Clay.
‘I’ve been watching this place for a while,’ Fay said. ‘Plenty of comings and goings. And now you’re gonna show us to the safe.’