common: they’re all rich and they’re all miserable.’
‘OK,’ Mac said. ‘But I really want you to think carefully about this.’
‘Is there any chance I could join CHERUB like Lauren and Jake?’
Lauren had avoided telling Mac about Jake giving away the name and the retired chairman practically swallowed his false teeth. ‘Fahim, CHERUB is … There are very stringent criteria for entry.’
‘Lauren said that already, sir, but would I be allowed to try? Can’t I at least get an interview or something?’
‘I suppose,’ Mac said reluctantly. ‘But I’m not in any position to guarantee entry.’
Fahim broke into a big smile. ‘I understand,’ he said.
‘I’ll need a few hours to make arrangements and then I’d suggest that we meet somewhere and discuss your future properly. I don’t want you to rush into decisions that you’ll regret, but we do need to move quickly. How about I let you think of any questions you might have overnight and we’ll meet tomorrow morning, before school?’
‘That’s fine by me,’ Fahim said. ‘I can tell my dad that I’m going in early to play football in the playground or something. And I know you just want me to be sure, but I swear I won’t change my mind.’
‘I hope not,’ Mac said softly. ‘Could you put Lauren back on please?’
Fahim smiled as he handed the phone over.
‘Hey,’ Lauren said cheerfully. ‘Everything sorted?’
Mac growled, ‘How the hell does he know the name CHERUB? Don’t answer me while Fahim can overhear, but there’s going to be trouble later.’
Mac’s ire made Lauren’s heart skip, but she knew it wasn’t her fault. ‘I’m sure Jake will be glad to explain,’ she smiled, anticipating the way Mac would lay into him.
*
By the time Jake and Lauren got home, Jake’s chest was swollen and he was struggling to breathe. Mac took him straight back downstairs and drove to the nearest casualty unit for an X-ray. Lauren had changed out of uniform and was sitting in front of the TV when the pair returned holding boxes of take-out pizza and garlic bread.
Jake had his school shirt unbuttoned and bandages strapped tightly around his chest. Unfortunately for him, severely bruised ribs weren’t enough to earn him much sympathy.
‘I’m sorry,’ Jake said weakly, as he sat on the sofa chewing a slice of Hawaiian.
Mac shook his head. His voice was calm, but you could tell that he was really angry. ‘I know this is the first day of your first big mission, Jake. I could have excused one slip-up, but two smacks of carelessness.’
‘I only said CHERUB by mistake. It’s one little word.’
‘Easily done when you’re nervous,’ Mac acknowledged. ‘But it was a stupid thing to even mention and you’ve done enough role-playing exercises on campus to know better. However, it’s the incident outside the school that really troubles me. What in the name of god possessed you to start a fight against six boys so much bigger than yourself?’
‘You might have a black belt, but you’re not superman,’ Lauren added. ‘And the way you kicked that guy in the head, he could have ended up with brain damage.’
Jake made a sorry figure with his bandages and his crumpled school uniform. He was clearly shaken up, but Lauren thought Jake was too cocky for his own good and reckoned the dose of harsh reality would do him good.
‘You’re extremely lucky that Lauren arrived when she did,’ Mac said.
‘But she took ages getting there,’ Jake said. ‘I sent her a text.’
This was the one area where Lauren realised she was at fault. ‘I could have stayed by the gates instead of under the bus shelter,’ she admitted. ‘But I belted over there as soon as I got his message.’
‘And was I supposed to stand there and let Fahim get beaten up?’
‘You should have waited for Lauren,’ Mac said. ‘What do we teach you in training about fights getting out of control?’
‘OK,’ Jake said bitterly. ‘I know.’
‘What do we teach you?’ Mac insisted. ‘Say it.’
Jake shook his head, but he didn’t dare tut. ‘Gangs pose a much greater threat in a violent situation because the presence of other gang members means that they all egg each other on.’
‘I already pulled you off and told you not to butt in at nine o’clock this morning,’ Lauren added. ‘What if one of them had a knife? What state would you have ended up in if I’d arrived two minutes later?’
Jake stood up and shouted, ‘Lauren, piss off, OK? I know I messed up, but have you got to keep