Lauren looked at Fahim as Jake knelt in front of the desk and began fitting the relay.
‘You holding up OK?’ she asked.
‘My heart’s racing,’ Fahim admitted. ‘But the way you guys work is amazing. You pull all this fancy equipment out and you know exactly how it works.’
‘Mac’s got the front gate covered,’ Lauren said reassuringly. ‘And we’ve got hiding places and escape routes worked out if your dad does turn up.’
‘Finished,’ Jake said, rubbing dirt off his gloved hands as he stood up. ‘Is there another document scanner, or maybe I could make a cup of tea?’
‘There’s only the two scanners,’ Lauren said, ‘but don’t worry. I reckon we’ll have filmed all the important stuff within an hour.’
Dave Moss clapped his hands. ‘I’m definitely up for a cuppa. Just make sure you don’t spill any on the carpet or you’ll give the game away.’
‘I know, Dave,’ Jake tutted. ‘I’m not stupid.’
‘Just cocky,’ Lauren said, before noisily clearing her throat.
Bethany, Dave and McEwen were mystified, but Jake knew he was being warned about his attitude.
‘Sorry,’ Jake said anxiously. ‘I’ll make sure all the cups are washed up and put back properly afterwards as well.’
‘It’s safest if we take a ten-minute break and drink it in the kitchen,’ McEwen said. ‘We’ve got bags of time.’
26. NITE
It was already dark and misty rain drifted on the wind. James had his arm around Dana’s waist as he walked up to the door of a second-storey flat and pressed the doorbell. Kerry walked a few paces behind. She’d invited Gabrielle and her boyfriend Michael, but they’d dropped out because Gabrielle wasn’t well.
‘Come in,’ Gemma said cheerfully, opening her front door, barefoot and dressed in a baggy cardigan. ‘Bloody hell, James, you look smart. And you must be Dana.’
‘Hey,’ Dana said. ‘Thanks for inviting us.’
James wore a Chunk T-shirt, Dana’s leather jacket and black chinos with weathered brown shoes. Dana wore scruffy CHERUB-issue combat trousers and a denim jacket, while Kerry had gone all out to impress with a red micro dress and white Converse pumps.
‘I’m not quite ready, as you can see,’ Gemma said apologetically. ‘Why don’t you go through to the living-room? My sister Mel will fix a drink.’
The trio followed Gemma down a hallway with loud carpet and Tonka toys parked along the skirting board. The
TV was playing a Charlie and Lola DVD when they got through to the living-room. Mel, who looked like a teenaged version of Gemma, sat on the couch, while two little boys mucked around behind it.
‘Mel’s babysitting for me,’ Gemma explained. ‘I’ve gotta go upstairs and find my shoes, but make yourselves at home. There’s a bottle of vodka in the cupboard. Get pissed ASAP, I say.’
Mel looked fifteen at the most, so James was stunned when she stood up, revealing that she was a good six months pregnant.
‘I know,’ Gemma said, when she saw James and the girls’ startled expressions. ‘She’s beaten my record for getting knocked up, the dirty little cow.’
Mel gave her big sister the finger as she pulled down the front of a drinks cabinet. As soon as the two kids heard the door open they belted out from behind the sofa in their pyjamas and demanded Coke.
‘Don’t start you two or I’ll tell Daddy,’ Gemma growled, from halfway up the stairs. ‘You should have been in bed an hour ago.’
‘Is Danny here?’ James asked, as Mel poured vodka and Cokes into plastic tumblers with Flintstones characters on the side.
‘Nah,’ Mel said. ‘He went over to open the club and help the DJ set up.’
Kerry and Dana were both fascinated by the sight of someone their own age who was pregnant, and they cooed over Mel’s bump and asked loads of questions. James let himself get swallowed in a leatherette recliner, holding his drink in one hand while putting a Cookie Monster hand puppet on the other and using it to play peek-a-boo with Gemma’s youngest.
‘You look nice,’ James said, when Gemma came back in a different dress and matching shoes.
‘Getting mashed, getting mashed, getting mashed,’ Gemma chanted to the tune of here we go, here we go, before slugging her vodka and Coke down in one. Then she kissed her kids goodnight and told them to behave for Auntie Mel.
The Outrage club was a ten-minute walk across a housing estate into a deserted industrial park. All the businesses were closed for the night and clubbers were ignoring the No Parking for Clubbers signs and hanging around their cars, getting loaded on supermarket booze before having to pay club prices inside.
The Outrage itself had once been a light industrial unit that made hi-fi loudspeakers, but its transformation into a nightclub had led to a redesign that included a trendy roof garden and fluorescent orange cladding.
‘Weird place to open a club,’ James said.
Gemma nodded. ‘Started off as a gay venue – still is on weekends. They put it out here ’cos there’s loads of chav palaces in town and all the gays used to get battered at chucking-out time.’
James hadn’t been to a club before and he’d imagined a velvet rope and crowds of glamorous people waiting to get in. But this was quarter to eleven on a Wednesday in a small town, so there was just Danny and a couple of hard-looking mates crowding the entrance.
‘James you big homo!’ Danny said affectionately, before slapping him on the back. ‘Good to see you.’
‘Kids won’t go to bed,’ Gemma moaned, after Danny gave her a kiss.
‘Another hour and they’ll crash,’ Danny grinned. ‘Don’t sweat. It’s Mel’s problem; I’m paying her enough.’
As they walked inside, Danny gave them flyers that included free entry and two drinks for the price of one before eleven o’clock. The interior was gloomy, with a floor made from railway sleepers and seventies style furniture. Much of the crowd was under age, mostly sixth-formers and students. James, Dana and Kerry were among the youngest, but far from out of place.
The teenaged DJ was letting a home-made mash-up CD of garage and seventies rock deafen the crowd while he sat on the steps leading up to the stage, drinking from a bottle of Volvic while girls in short skirts stood around lapping up every word he said. James looked on enviously, knowing that only a tin ear and a complete lack of talent stood between himself and a career at the turntables.
*
By midnight the club was heaving with students, twentysomethings and creepy older guys who seemed to think that Ben Sherman shirts were still fashionable. One of them got short shrift when he tried chatting up Kerry.
When the music got too much, the flat expanse of roof provided a quieter area where you could chill out. There weren’t enough seats, so most people stood around, their animated conversations fuelled by expensive booze and cheap drugs.
Dana, Kerry and James had found a table under a heated canopy in the VIP area. Maybe some minor local celebrities had graced it over the years, but on Wednesday nights VIP status belonged to anyone who knew the DJ or one of the bouncers.
James glanced drunkenly at his watch and saw that it was quarter to two in the morning. It wasn’t a particularly cold night, but he was sweaty from bopping downstairs and he got goosebumps every time the wind blew.
They’d all had a good time and James particularly liked the fact that he, Kerry and Dana were all getting along. He’d danced with Kerry and he was content to sit back while they had boring conversations about girl stuff.
‘What do you reckon?’ James asked. ‘Time to make a move?’
Dana’s blond hair was straggly from dancing in the heat downstairs and she’d teased James by letting some random guy write his mobile number on her neck. ‘It’s gonna take an hour to sort out a cab and get back to campus,’ she said, before smiling. ‘And I have a maths lesson in six and a half hours’ time.’
‘You’re screwed,’ James grinned. ‘We don’t have to be at Deluxe Chicken till half-ten,
but I’m not even gonna bust a gut to get there that early. It’s not like they’re paying us.’
Kerry giggled. ‘We’re gonna feel like absolute shit.’
‘Language, Kerry,’ Dana smiled.
Kerry slammed her hands on the table top. ‘You all make out like I’m such a princess,’ she slurred. ‘But I’m totally not.’
James found this hilarious. ‘When Gabriel touched your butt it’s like he opened a door into this whole new Kerry.’
‘Blah, blah, blah,’ Kerry mocked, swaying as she got out of her seat. ‘My name is James Adams and I talk utter crap twenty-four-seven. Arsenal, birds and motorbikes, blah, blah, boring, boring.’
‘You’re so wasted,’ James laughed. ‘I need a slash before we leave and we’d better say thanks to Gemma if we can find her.’
‘I’m a ditzy blond boy and I love myself ever so much,’ Kerry continued, as James got a little irritated. ‘But my penis is very, very tiny.’
Dana stifled her laughter because she had her mobile out and was trying to speak to a cab company.
‘Dispatcher said they’ll have a car out front for us in five to ten minutes,’ she said finally.
‘I’ll go to the gents and meet you both by that pink sculpture thingy,’ James said.
The spiral staircase that led up to the roof terrace was trendy, but less than ideal when you’re drunk and you have to negotiate people sitting on the carpeted steps. When James got to the bottom a tiny Goth stepped up to him and put her hand on his chest.
‘Lookin’ nice,’ she grinned.
She looked totally up for it, but with Dana and Kerry present he didn’t have a hope. ‘Sorry, I’m taken,’ he said.
‘Young but cute,’ the girl snorted, as she turned back towards friends who accused her of cradle snatching.
Having a random girl throw herself at you is always good for the ego, but James’ mood wilted as he headed into the toilets. They were quite swanky, but a centimetre deep in water from a flooded urinal. This didn’t seem to have discouraged a couple shagging in a cubicle and James couldn’t concentrate on peeing because the girl kept saying, ‘Ahhh big boy,’ with an accent that reminded him of Schwarzenegger.
It was as much as he could do not to burst out laughing and he finally cracked up as he emerged into the corridor. One direction led back to the club, but he noticed Gemma and Danny at the opposite end by a set of fire doors. He headed towards them and realised too late that they were having a row.
‘It’s not your money,’ Danny snarled, as he shook Gemma by her shoulders.
‘I lent you all my savings,’ Gemma shouted. ‘You never would have got this night started without me. I want my share.’
James wanted to turn and leave them to it, but Danny had spotted him.
‘Good night?’ he asked, acting like nothing was out of the ordinary.
James nodded awkwardly. ‘Really good, but we’ve got shit to do in the morning so Dana booked us a cab.’
‘Life goes on, I guess,’ Danny said. ‘We had our best crowd yet. It’s building all the time and that DJ is the dog’s! Be sure to tell your mates about us, yeah?’
‘Sure,’ James said. ‘And thanks for inviting us and letting us into the VIP and stuff. I’d never been to a proper club before.’
Gemma looked less tense and managed a smile. ‘Better than a youth club disco then?’
James grinned. ‘There’s more sex and drugs at a youth club, but this was classier.’
Gemma and Danny both laughed. ‘Have a safe trip home,’ Danny said, as James started walking away.
He made six steps before Gemma yelled, ‘Get your hands off me.’
James turned back and saw that Danny had grabbed Gemma’s wrist and shoved her against the wall. He thought about ignoring it, but Gemma was struggling and he didn’t feel he could leave her.
‘Come on, Danny,’ James said as he walked back. ‘Calm down, eh?’
Danny narrowed his eyes. ‘None of your business, kid.’
James shook his head. ‘You’re twice her size,’ he said indignantly. ‘Whatever you’re fighting about might not be my business, but I’m not gonna stand here and let you push her around.’
‘I’m OK,’ Gemma said shakily. ‘Just go back to the girls.’
James hesitated.
‘Sling your hook before I knock you into next week,’ Danny said.
James shook his head and reached out to Gemma. ‘Why don’t you walk back with me? We can get our cab to drop you off at the flat.’
Danny didn’t like this one bit. His eyes opened wide and he turned towards James. ‘You’re asking for a slap, you chunk of shit.’
Danny was a big man who’d been in his share of scraps, but he moved like a sack of potatoes. He tried shoving James back with his two massive hands, but even though he was quite drunk, James was too fast for him. He ducked down, then brought his knee up to slam Danny in the kidneys.
Danny groaned in pain but kept coming forward.
‘You’re getting it now, ya little bastard.’
‘Leave him alone,’ Gemma screamed, but she needn’t have worried.
Danny was going in slow-motion compared to the teenagers James met thrice weekly in combat training. As the big man waded in, James flattened his palm and slammed it against Danny’s right temple. Seeing stars, Danny collapsed sideways, hitting the corridor wall before sliding down and ending up slumped in the trail of water leaking from the gents’ toilet.
‘Holy shit,’ Gemma gasped, leaning over Danny before raising her hands up to her face. ‘What did you knock him out for?’
‘Was I supposed to stand there and let him slap you about?’
Gemma was frightened. ‘There’s four other bouncers out there, James, and they’re all Danny’s mates. You’d better get out of here, because if they see this they’ll bloody murder you.’
‘Come with us,’ James begged. ‘Our cab should be here any second.’
Gemma sounded irritated. ‘Where am I going to go, James? I live in his house.’
‘Well …’ James said, feeling bad.
Gemma managed a slight smile as she placed a hand on James’ shoulder. ‘I know you meant well, but we’re a couple. You flooring him won’t do me any good.’
A couple of blokes were ambling towards the gents. They were surprised seeing the big man on the ground, but they didn’t want to get involved.
‘Do you want me to drag him somewhere out of harm’s way?’ James asked.
‘No,’ Gemma said anxiously. ‘Find Kerry and Dana and get in your cab, please.’
‘Guess I’ll see you at work tomorrow.’
Gemma shook her head. ‘Friday,’ she said. ‘Tomorrow’s my day off.’
James wasn’t sure what to feel as he walked off. He thought he’d done the right thing, but Gemma clearly didn’t agree and he was worried about what would happen to her when Danny came round.
‘Took you long enough,’ Kerry said, as they met up in the lobby. ‘Cab’s waiting.’
‘I met Gemma,’ James said – but he saved the rest of the explanation for the ride home.
‘What were you talking to that little Goth about?’ Dana asked.
James was drunk and distracted, so it took him a couple of seconds to remember the incident. ‘It was nothing,’ he tutted. ‘She just asked if I had a lighter … and you’re one to talk with a phone number written on your neck.’
He was pleased that Dana cared enough to be jealous, but he didn’t smile until they’d walked past the bouncers on the door and climbed into the waiting Nissan.
27. SQUAD
Once all the listening devices were in place, there wasn’t much for Lauren and Jake to do except go to school and stay friendly with Fahim. Lauren didn’t mind because Camden Central was slack and she had to do way less than on campus. Plus they were in London, so Bethany, Rat and a couple of Jake’s friends had visited on the weekend. Rat didn’t know London so they went on the Millennium Wheel and took in a couple of
other touristy places, but mostly they just wandered around the shops and then went to the cinema in the evening.
Mac was almost unbearably sad on Tuesday, when his wife of forty years, plus his daughter-in-law and grandchildren Angus and Megan, were cremated in a private service. Although Mac’s father was the founder of CHERUB and the organisation had been a huge part of his life, his family thought that he worked as a weapons evaluation specialist for the army. This explanation covered the fact that Mac worked on a military firing range as well as his regular meetings in London and occasional trips abroad.
Despite his obvious grief, Mac maintained a professional attitude towards the mission. After Lauren and Jake left for school he’d spend each morning looking for clues in the latest intelligence briefings and reports from the crash investigation team. In the afternoon he’d receive an e-mail report from the MI5 team who were monitoring the surveillance equipment inside Fahim’s house.
Lauren was always anxious for news of progress when she got in from school, whilst Mac enjoyed hearing the kids charging up the stairs to the apartment after spending the day on his own. It was now Friday, nine days after they’d planted the bugs.
‘You want cocoa?’ Mac yelled, as Lauren dumped her backpack and hooked up her blazer in the hallway before wandering through to the kitchen. ‘Cruelty-free organic milk, as per Madam’s instructions.’
‘Sounds lovely,’ Lauren said, as she grabbed her hot mug and let the steam rise up to her face. ‘It’s a right miserable day out there.’
With time on his hands, Mac took good care of the two young agents. There was always cooked breakfast and packed lunches prepared before they got out of bed, hot drinks and a snack when they came home from school and a good dinner after homework. Mac’s cooking was decent, but didn’t extend beyond roasts, fish and chips and other traditional British fare, so they’d also been out for a curry and visited an excellent Italian restaurant in the parade of shops directly below their apartment.
‘Where’s the little guy?’ Mac asked, as he sat at the opposite end of the small dining table, facing Lauren. ‘I made some for him too.’