CHERUB: The Killing - Robert Muchamore Page 0,91

three others relating to covering up the murder of Will Clarke. He was sentenced to twelve years in prison.

Michael Patel maintained his innocence. Following a three-week trial, an Old Bailey jury found him guilty of both the casino robbery and of murder. The judge described Will’s murder as ‘The most repugnant act committed by a serving police officer we are ever likely to encounter.’ She recommended that Michael not be considered for release until he had served at least eighteen years of his life sentence.

The recordings made during the CHERUB sting operation were used during the trial, but they were presented as evidence collected by Millie Kentner and the CIB team. The role CHERUB played in the operation was never revealed. Leon and Michael both suspected that they had been manipulated on the day of their arrest, but were unable to prove anything.

It was suspected, but never proven, that PATRICIA PATEL was an accomplice in the Golden Sun Casino robbery. She did face charges relating to the laundering of £220,000 in cash – her husband’s one-third share of the robbery proceeds. In the light of her young daughter and previous good character, Patricia received a two-year suspended prison sentence.

Her BMW miraculously returned to full working order while the police were questioning her and her husband.

PIOTR TARASOV (PETE), was briefly questioned about the robbery and released without charge. He decided not to go to university and now runs the Tarasov family businesses, with his Aunt Sacha.

The whereabouts of suspected third robber, ERIC CRISP, have not been traced. Police have issued a warrant for his arrest and are optimistic that they will eventually catch up with him.

The Rest

The bugs placed in GEORGE STEIN’s car and office by James Adams and Shakeel Dajani have provided some insight into the terrorist organisation known as Help Earth. It was a small part of an ongoing investigation involving dozens of intelligence agencies from around the world.

JAMES ADAMS’ return to campus marked the beginning of a thaw in his relationship with his friends. Kyle and Bruce – no strangers to being in trouble themselves – broke the ice. Most of the others started speaking to him again over the weeks that followed.

KERRY CHANG is back on good terms with James, but she’s decided that she doesn’t want him back as a boyfriend – at least for now.

READ ON FOR THE FIRST CHAPTER

OF THE NEXT CHERUB BOOK,

DIVINE MADNESS.

1. GAS

It was half-seven in the morning, but James had already been in the dojo for ninety minutes. Six pairs of kids were spread over the padded floor, wearing sweaty kit and a mass of protective padding.

Exhausted from a brutal twenty-minute sparring session, James bowed to his training partner Gabrielle, before grabbing a plastic bottle off the floor. He tipped back his head, opened his mouth wide and squeezed out a jet of high-energy glucose drink.

As he tried to swallow, a palm slammed into his back and he stumbled forwards, crashing into the springy blue floor with juice dribbling down his chin. Miss Takada ground James’ head against the mat, using a sixty-year-old foot with gnarled yellow nails and sandpaper tough skin.

‘Wa ru one?’ instructor Takada shouted. Her English was awful, but luckily she stuck to pet phrases that James knew by heart.

‘Rule one,’ James replied awkwardly, as the foot squished his lips out of shape. ‘Always be alert; an attack can come from any direction at any time.’

‘Be alert, stay alert,’ Takada tutted. ‘Drink quick, not glaring at ceiling like fool. Get off my floor. You dishonour my floor.’

James dragged himself up, keeping a wary eye on his teacher.

‘OK,’ Takada shouted, clapping her hands to get the attention of the whole class. ‘Final exercise. Speed test, little balls.’

A few of the shattered teenagers mustered enough energy to moan. There were only ten days of CHERUB’s six-week advanced combat course left, so everyone knew how to play: six students lined up against the wall at each end of the dojo, Miss Takada would throw out ten mini-soccer balls and the two who didn’t make it into the changing room with a ball had to forsake breakfast and run twenty laps around the outside of the dojo. It was a violent game and even wearing protective gear, broken bones weren’t out of the question.

Takada reached into a net filled with balls and threw out the first three. Twelve teenagers charged forwards, as they bobbled across the floor.

James sighted one rolling fortuitously towards him, but Gabrielle was faster and bundled him out of

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