of them. He shot her a furious look. ‘God Bethany, I really wish you’d grow up.’
‘Did you beat her?’ Jake asked.
Lauren laughed, ‘James couldn’t beat Dana. He got nailed by Bethany and she’s ten.’
Jake nodded. ‘Yeah, James. You’re strong, but you’re really slow.’
‘Bethany didn’t pin me, I slipped,’ James huffed. He was anxious to steer the conversation away from humiliating reminders of losing a fight to a ten-year-old girl. ‘Anyhow, we’ve got less than fifteen minutes to plan our strategy.’
Bethany unrolled a map of the combat training area. Lauren and Jake held down the corners to stop it curling up. James swallowed his last couple of chips and rubbed his salty fingertips on his trousers as he tried to sound like leadership material.
‘OK, here’s what we’ll do …’ James said, walking his fingers across the map. ‘Um … there’s our drop point, so as soon as the mission starts we’ll head for this high ground here. We can station scouts here and here and pick off anyone who tries to come near us.’
‘Good plan,’ Lauren said. ‘Just one teensy problem.’
‘What?’
‘That particular piece of high ground is in the middle of a lake.’
‘Is it?’ James gasped.
Lauren nodded slowly. ‘As a rule, the blue bits on a map indicate water.’
‘Good point,’ James grinned weakly. ‘You passed my test.’
Jake thumped his palm against his forehead. ‘Why do I always get put on the rubbish team?’
*
The cherubs all gathered on the stretch of road outside the main building to find that twenty sets of appropriately sized kit had been laid out behind an army truck: body armour, weapons and a backpack for each trainee. The sun was starting to drop, but it was still warm.
‘The truck leaves in eight minutes,’ Mr Large shouted. ‘Let’s move it, muffins.’
James sat on the tarmac and pulled off his boots, before stepping into a chunky, Kevlar-lined overall. By the time he’d pulled on the heavy gloves, strapped on the helmet and pushed down the visor, he was boiling hot.
Jake was struggling to load his gun with his gloved hands, so James walked over to help him out.
‘Five minutes,’ Large shouted. ‘Fifty punishment laps for any kid who holds up the truck.’
James clipped the ammunition on to his gun, then looked at Jake. ‘Are you OK? You look like a ghost.’
Jake grinned uneasily. ‘How bad do you think it hurts when those bullets hit you?’
‘Pretty bad, but don’t worry, there’s four of us looking out for you.’
James held the loaded weapon out for Jake, but Jake backed away and scowled at the ground. ‘I don’t wanna go,’ he said anxiously, tugging at the chinstrap of his helmet to unbuckle it. ‘I changed my mind.’
James groaned with frustration. Until Jake turned ten and committed himself to becoming a CHERUB agent, he didn’t have to go on any training exercises if he didn’t want to; but James knew he’d catch hell from Mr Large if a member of his team dropped out minutes before the exercise was due to start.
James desperately tried to think up a way to talk Jake around. ‘You’re lucky you know, coming to CHERUB before you’re ten. I only got three weeks before they put me into basic training. I was unfit and I could barely even swim.’
‘I’m sorry, James,’ Jake sniffled. ‘I’m tired. I wanna go to bed.’
‘Don’t back out now. You’re a tough little guy.’
‘What’s the hold-up?’ Dana asked. ‘We need to get on that truck.’
James shrugged hopelessly. ‘Jake doesn’t want to go.’
‘Doesn’t he?’ Dana grinned. She flipped up her visor and pressed her beefy hands down on Jake’s shoulders. ‘What’s your dysfunction, brat? Are you chicken?’
‘No,’ Jake said defiantly.
‘Do you know how bad your mates are gonna flame you when they find out that you bottled it?’
Jake couldn’t think of an answer.
‘Do you really want to go back to the junior block?’ Dana asked. ‘They’ll laugh their socks off when you walk around that corner into the rec room.’
‘I just …’ Jake said meekly.
‘Don’t give me I just, brat,’ Dana said. ‘Take your gun from James and put your helmet back on. You’re gonna go out there and show everyone what you’re made of. I’ll cover your back, OK?’
Jake was a little scared of Dana, but the idea of this imposing girl looking out for him was reassuring. He nodded obediently at her, before taking his gun from James.
‘OK, soldier,’ Dana grinned, giving Jake a friendly pat on the back. ‘Grab your pack and go climb into the truck.’