CHERUB: Class A - Robert Muchamore Page 0,11

‘OHHHHHH crap,’ James said, startled. ‘If I don’t get this history report done by tomorrow, I’m dead meat. It’s a two-thousand-word essay and I haven’t even read the chapters in the textbook.’
‘Get a deferral,’ Kyle said.
‘I’ve had a deferral, Kyle. And I’ve had a deferral of the deferral. I’ve got extra laps to run before school and mowing after. There aren’t enough hours in the day. I spent all day Sunday doing homework and I still keep getting further behind.’
‘You should speak to your handler.’
‘I tried,’ James said. ‘You know what Meryl said?’
‘What?’
‘She said, if I was so snowed under with work, how come I had time to spend sitting in her office whinging.’
Kyle laughed.
‘I swear, they’re trying to kill me,’ James moaned.
‘No,’ Kyle said. ‘They’re trying to instil a sense of discipline in you. After a month of being worked like a dog, maybe you’ll think twice about ignoring the rules next time. It’s your own stupid fault. All you had to do on holiday was keep in half reasonable shape and study the briefing for the hostage training. Everybody warned you. Me, Kerry, Meryl, Amy. But you always reckon you know better.’
James angrily swept his arm across his desk, shooting his books and pens on to the floor.
‘Good idea,’ Kyle grinned. ‘That’ll solve your problems.’
‘Spare me another lecture,’ James shouted. ‘I’m so knackered I can hardly keep my eyes open and I’m sick of everyone saying I told you so.’
‘What’s that report you’re doing?’ Kyle asked.
‘Two thousand words on the foundation of the British Intelligence Service and its role in the First World War.’
‘Interesting stuff,’ Kyle said.
‘I’d rather eat a bowl of snot,’ James said.
‘I might just be able to help you out, kiddo. I did that course two years ago. I’ve got my old notes and an essay in my room.’
‘Cheers, Kyle,’ James grinned. ‘You’re a lifesaver.’
‘Ten quid,’ Kyle said.
‘What?’ James gasped. ‘Some friend you are, trying to make money out of me when I’m at my lowest ebb.’
‘This essay is a beauty, James. Grade A material. The girl I nicked it off is now studying history at Harvard University in the States.’
‘Fiver,’ James said. He reckoned the essay was easily worth a fiver. He’d have to swap bits around and rewrite in his own handwriting, but that would take about an hour, whereas doing the essay from scratch was a whole night’s work.
‘You’re bleeding me dry,’ Kyle said, twisting his mouth as if he couldn’t make up his mind. ‘But I’m a little low on funds. You can have it for a fiver, if you give us the money right now.’
James went in his desk and got a fiver out of his cash box. Kyle stuffed it in his pocket.
‘This better be a good essay,’ James said.
‘Anyway,’ Kyle said, ‘I didn’t come here to help with your homework. I’m the senior agent on a big mission that’s coming up. We need three other kids. Me and Ewart Asker discussed it and you’re on the team if you want the gig.’
James wasn’t that enthusiastic.
‘I don’t want to work with Ewart as my mission controller again. He’s a psychopath.’
‘Ewart raves about you,’ Kyle said. ‘He thinks you did a great job on that anti-terrorist mission. Plus, this is a big team. Ewart’s wife will be there as well. She keeps him under her thumb.’
‘Who else is going?’ James asked.
‘Me, of course,’ Kyle said. ‘And Kerry. She’s walking with a stick, but they reckon she’ll be healed up before blast-off. There’s a vacancy for another girl. It was going to be Gabrielle, but she’s being held back for something in South Africa.’
‘Nicole Eddison,’ James said.
‘Who?’ Kyle asked.
‘You know her,’ James said. ‘She was on my basic training and quit after one day. She got her grey shirt at the second attempt. I think she’s done a couple of missions, but nothing major.’
‘I think I know who you mean,’ Kyle said. ‘Is it that girl with the huge chest you’re always going on about?’
‘She is so stacked,’ James grinned.
‘James,’ Kyle said, indignantly, ‘you can’t pick a girl for a mission because she has big breasts.’
‘Why not?’
‘Well, for starters, it’s unbelievably sexist.’
‘Come on, Kyle. Nicole’s a really good laugh. She’s in my Russian class and she’s always getting chucked out for messing around. And as long as Kerry doesn’t find out and kick my butt, who cares if it’s sexist or not?’
‘I’ll ask Ewart to put her name on the list of candidates,’ Kyle said, reluctantly. ‘But he’ll only pick