while I was away and I was so scared that you’d ditch me.’
Dana whispered as her cool fingers slid under James’ T-shirt. ‘You’re fifteen, I’m sixteen, pretty soon we’re going to be doing more than kissing on this bed …’
‘How about now?’ James grinned.
Dana gathered the fat on James’ back and dug in her thumbnail. ‘I wouldn’t push your luck right now.’
‘I’m a pig,’ James admitted, holding up his hands as Dana pushed him away. ‘Sorry.’
‘Here’s the thing,’ Dana said seriously. ‘If this girl goes around jumping into baths with people she hardly knows, I’d say she’s probably slept with quite a few. She might have given you more than you bargained for.’
James shook his head. ‘I’m OK, she gave me a condom.’
‘Well it’s better than nothing,’ Dana said. ‘But condoms aren’t a hundred-per-cent effective and they don’t do anything to prevent crabs or lice. You’d better make an appointment and get yourself checked out.’
‘Dana, come off it. I mean, she’s our age and we only did it once—’
‘You only need to do it once.’
‘But I’m under sixteen,’ James protested. ‘If I go over to the medical unit I’ll get busted.’
‘It’s confidential,’ Dana said.
James groaned. ‘Fine, I’ll make an appointment in the morning.’
‘Good,’ Dana said. ‘But I’ll be going with you to make sure you don’t chicken out.’
‘Why would I chicken out? I’ve had blood tests before.’
‘I’m not talking about the blood test,’ Dana smirked. ‘Remember that video we watched in class? The big long cotton bud that they have to stick up your pee hole to take a swab?’
‘You what!’ James spluttered.
‘You probably didn’t see it,’ Dana continued. ‘Every boy in the room had their eyes shut for some reason …’
‘That looked really painful,’ James winced.
‘It’s up to you, dearest,’ Dana said. ‘But we’ve almost got carried away a couple of times and I’m not taking stupid risks, so you can have the test, or you can get yourself a new girlfriend.’
‘I guess,’ James nodded sheepishly. ‘It’s only pain, right? And I probably ought to anyway.’
‘It’s just a pity they don’t let people watch,’ Dana smiled. ‘I’d be able to make a mint selling tickets.’
EPILOGUE
Following his arrest, SASHA THOMPSON spent eleven days in hospital recovering from his gunshot wound. The body armour almost certainly saved his life. He later faced criminal charges for armed robbery, possession of firearms, stealing a motor vehicle, incitement to riot and criminal damage, and was sentenced to fourteen years in prison.
DAVID KEMP (AKA WHEELS) was captured whilst trying to board a ferry to France with a suitcase containing $250,000. He was charged with conspiracy to commit armed robbery, vehicle theft and using a false passport, and sentenced to four years in custody. He will serve the first part of his sentence in a young offenders’ institution.
SAVVAS THEOKELSIS suffered brain damage, caused by a lack of oxygen as he lay trapped in the door of the truck. The Crown Prosecution Service tried to bring charges, but a judge ruled that he was unfit to stand trial.
Savvas now has severly reduced mental capacity and is looked after by his mother and younger sister. They have launched a bid for financial compensation, claiming that police officers kept Savvas in an airport holding cell for four hours before he got proper medical attention.
KELVIN HOLMES was questioned in connection with the robbery of the hard front. Despite fingerprint and DNA evidence, all the charges were dropped when the dealers he’d held hostage refused to give evidence. Fearing reprisals from the Slasher Boys, Kelvin left the Luton area and is now believed to be living in South London.
Nine other members of the defunct Mad Dogs crew received prison sentences of between three and twelve years for offences relating to the airport robbery. ALAN ‘RIGGSY’ RIGGS received a nine-year sentence.
Police are still seeking four suspects, including the brothers TIM and TONY KRUGER, along with more than one million dollars belonging to the United States government.
The Crown Court threw the book at JUNIOR MOORE. He was charged with armed robbery, possession of a firearm, possession of cocaine, resisting arrest and violating parole. He got a seven-year sentence, the maximum that can be handed to someone under the age of sixteen.
The sentencing judge asked that Junior be given a priority placement on a treatment scheme for youngsters with drug and alcohol problems. Unfortunately, funding for these schemes is limited and priority is given to youngsters serving shorter sentences.
DeSHAWN ANDREWS (AKA MAJOR DEE) was questioned in the aftermath of the warehouse riot, but released without charge. Over the following months he masterminded an increasingly bloody gang war between the Slasher Boys and Runts. One casualty of the war was the Green Pepper café, which was gutted in an arson attack.
In mid 2007 several of Major Dee’s closest associates were arrested in connection with the murder of AARON REID and two other teenage boys. Fearing prosecution, Dee fled the country and is believed to have returned to his native Jamaica. He is currently wanted for questioning in connection with eleven murders.
SIMEON BENTINE is now believed to have masterminded the operation to steal the cocaine from the drums of cooking oil, under the noses of the police, Mad Dogs and Slasher Boys. He successfully sold on the cocaine and escaped Britain, but associates of Major Dee eventually caught up with him. His mutilated body was recovered by the Jamaican police.
NORMAN LARGE and his adopted daughter HAYLEY now live seventy kilometres from CHERUB campus. Norman has worked as a security guard and a shop assistant. His application to train as a prison officer was turned down due to his heart problems.
After his savage beating at the hands of Sasha Thompson, ill health forced CHRIS JONES to resign both from his council seat and from his day job as a science teacher. He continues to have difficulty with his vision and is partly paralysed down his left side.
CHIEF INSPECTOR MARK RUSH remains in charge of the Bedfordshire anti-gang taskforce. Despite the failure of the grand scheme to capture the Mad Dogs and Slasher Boys in one swoop, Rush regarded the demise of the Mad Dogs as an important step forward in the battle against gang violence.
An investigation into how Sasha Thompson learned of the police raid on the warehouse uncovered links between the Mad Dogs and two administrative staff within the anti-gang taskforce. Both were dismissed after a disciplinary hearing, but there was not enough evidence to bring criminal charges.
The CHERUB ethics committee wrote a lengthy report on the anti-gang mission. Although they praised the four young agents for their commitment and bravery, CHLOE BLAKE and MAUREEN EVANS were criticised for underestimating the dangers involved.
After leaving CHERUB campus, KYLE BLUEMAN spent seven weeks living with Meryl Spencer. He set off on a round-the-world holiday with his old friend Rod Nilsson. When he returns he will begin studying law at Cambridge University.
Zara Asker has forgiven Kyle for the incident with Norman Large and agreed that he can visit his old friends during the holidays and earn some money helping out around campus.
DANA SMITH made the clinic appointment for JAMES ADAMS. The examination was more embarassing than painful and the results were all clear.
LAUREN ADAMS is unhappy about being suspended from missions but gets on with most of the young red-shirts she has to look after each evening. However, there are a couple who she’d quite happily crack around the head.
GABRIELLE O’BRIEN’s fitness continues to improve. She is now jogging regularly and has begun non-contact combat training in the dojo. Her relationship with MICHAEL HENDRY remains as close as ever.
Chairwoman Zara Asker was impressed with the quick thinking BRUCE NORRIS showed to preserve the evidence inside the van and with the rest of his performance throughout the anti-gang mission. He was awarded the black CHERUB T-shirt.