CHERUB: Class A - Robert Muchamore Page 0,56

in prison. We’re gonna try and flip a couple of those guys. We’re offering total immunity from prosecution. Given a choice between twenty years in prison and walking home to your wife and kids, we reckon a few people might start tattling on Keith Moore.’
‘So is there anything special we should be looking out for?’ Kyle asked.
‘I’d be amazed if you kids make another breakthrough to match the one you’ve made already,’ John said. ‘Just keep in with the bad guys and we’ll see if anything else turns up.’
‘Actually, kids,’ Zara said, ‘I had to phone Mac and explain what happened with Nicole. He seems to think we’ve achieved most of what we set out to do. He’s not impressed by what happened to Nicole and he wants the rest of you out of harm’s way. I expect we’ll be heading back to campus in a few weeks, so you might want to start dropping hints to your friends. Suggest that Ewart has gone for a job interview and there’s a chance you might be moving back to London.’
John Jones did his routine of shaking everyone’s hands before he left.
‘Of course,’ he said, holding on to Kerry’s hand after he’d shaken it, ‘this young lady is the biggest hero of the lot.’
Kerry still had an ear-to-ear grin five minutes after John Jones had driven away. James got sick of looking at it and chucked Joshua’s furry cement mixer at her head. Kerry chucked it back and they ended up chasing each other around the dining table, along the hallway and into the living-room.
‘I’m a hero,’ Kerry sang as she ran. ‘Hero, hero, hero. Hero, hero, hero.’
James chucked a couple of sofa cushions at her. Kerry bundled James on to the floor and pinned him down. She grabbed his ankle and started tickling the bottom of his foot. It was James’ weakest spot. Within thirty seconds she’d reduced him to a drooling wreck.
‘OK,’ James gasped. ‘You’re a hero. You’re a hero.’
Kerry stood up sharply and straightened her expression. Ewart and Nicole stood in the doorway, stone-faced. James got off the floor and wiped his lips on his sleeve.
‘They tested your samples at the hospital,’ Ewart said. ‘You two are both clean for drugs, though they found higher levels of alcohol than I’d like to have seen, especially you, James. I know you’re allowed to drink if you’re in a situation where the kids around you are drinking, but that’s not a licence to go crazy.’
‘So you’re glad you didn’t bet me fifty quid?’ James grinned.
Ewart gave James a vicious look. He definitely wasn’t in the mood for joking.
‘Go help Nicole pack and say your goodbyes,’ Ewart said. ‘I’m driving her back to campus in half an hour. Where’s Kyle?’
‘He’s in the kitchen,’ Kerry said.
‘Right,’ Ewart said angrily. ‘Let’s go and sort him out.’
Ewart stormed off and slammed the kitchen door.
‘What’s Kyle done?’ Kerry asked, looking at Nicole.
‘Don’t know, don’t care,’ Nicole said bitterly. ‘I suppose he failed his drug test.’
‘No way,’ James said.
‘He wasn’t doing coke with me and Junior,’ Nicole said. ‘But he’s been going to loads of parties. Who knows what he gets up to?’
‘Oh, my god,’ Kerry said, cupping her hands over her face. ‘This is so sad.’
Nicole started up the stairs. Kerry and James followed her.
‘How do you feel?’ Kerry asked.
‘Not bad, except my stomach’s agony and I feel like I’ve got an elephant standing on my head.’
‘I’m really sorry about what happened to you,’ James said, as they stepped into the girls’ bedroom. ‘It could have been any one of us.’
Nicole smiled, ‘By the skin of your teeth, James.’
‘How’s that?’ Kerry asked.
‘He was ready to snort a line,’ Nicole explained. ‘But he got distracted.’
‘You moron,’ Kerry said, giving James a shove. ‘You told me you tried to stop Nicole.’
‘That’s not what I said,’ James squirmed.
‘That’s exactly what you said, James.’
‘So, anyone who takes drugs is a moron?’ Nicole asked. ‘Eh, Kerry?’
‘Nicole,’ Kerry said angrily, ‘if you’d passed out when you were in bed instead of on the stairs, nobody would have realised until morning. You might have died.’
‘You’re so sly, Kerry,’ Nicole stormed. ‘You and your prissy I’m a good girl act.’
‘What do you want me to do?’ Kerry asked. ‘Congratulate you on getting expelled?’
‘I don’t care about any of this CHERUB stuff,’ Nicole said defiantly. ‘It’s just a bunch of dumb kids getting hot under the collar over who wears what colour T-shirt and what stupid missions they’ve been on. Who cares about any of