CHERUB: The Sleepwalker - Robert Muchamore Page 0,64

‘We need another relay in the office wing. I’ll get right on it.’

The office annexe was a hive of activity. Hassam and Asif Bin Hassam had three PCs and three laptops between them, plus two extra machines in the third office which was used when they hired a temporary secretary, or when Yasmin did the bookkeeping.

While Dave and McEwen copied hard disks and backup data tapes on to a laptop specially configured to rip data to a bank of high-speed hard-disk drives, Lauren and Bethany worked with the document scanners.

The latest scanners were based around ultra-high-definition video cameras. All you had to do was flash a document in front of the lens and it would be recorded legibly within a fiftieth of a second. The two girls worked meticulously through the filing cabinets, with the cameras mounted on tripods as they flicked through pages as fast as their hands allowed. But even with near instant scanning, filming every page in a filing cabinet would take hours, so they had to make educated guesses as to which documents were likely to prove valuable before replacing them exactly as they found them.

‘Anyone seen a good spot for a second audio relay?’ Jake asked.

Dave Moss pointed towards the drawer unit built into the side of Hassam’s desk. ‘Pull the drawer out and stick it on the back. Nobody will ever look there, and even if someone does, it’ll just look like a sticker.’

Lauren looked at Fahim as Jake knelt in front of the desk and began fitting the relay.

‘You holding up OK?’ she asked.

‘My heart’s racing,’ Fahim admitted. ‘But the way you guys work is amazing. You pull all this fancy equipment out and you know exactly how it works.’

‘Mac’s got the front gate covered,’ Lauren said reassuringly. ‘And we’ve got hiding places and escape routes worked out if your dad does turn up.’

‘Finished,’ Jake said, rubbing dirt off his gloved hands as he stood up. ‘Is there another document scanner, or maybe I could make a cup of tea?’

‘There’s only the two scanners,’ Lauren said, ‘but don’t worry. I reckon we’ll have filmed all the important stuff within an hour.’

Dave Moss clapped his hands. ‘I’m definitely up for a cuppa. Just make sure you don’t spill any on the carpet or you’ll give the game away.’

‘I know, Dave,’ Jake tutted. ‘I’m not stupid.’

‘Just cocky,’ Lauren said, before noisily clearing her throat.

Bethany, Dave and McEwen were mystified, but Jake knew he was being warned about his attitude.

‘Sorry,’ Jake said anxiously. ‘I’ll make sure all the cups are washed up and put back properly afterwards as well.’

‘It’s safest if we take a ten-minute break and drink it in the kitchen,’ McEwen said. ‘We’ve got bags of time.’

26. NITE

It was already dark and misty rain drifted on the wind. James had his arm around Dana’s waist as he walked up to the door of a second-storey flat and pressed the doorbell. Kerry walked a few paces behind. She’d invited Gabrielle and her boyfriend Michael, but they’d dropped out because Gabrielle wasn’t well.

‘Come in,’ Gemma said cheerfully, opening her front door, barefoot and dressed in a baggy cardigan. ‘Bloody hell, James, you look smart. And you must be Dana.’

‘Hey,’ Dana said. ‘Thanks for inviting us.’

James wore a Chunk T-shirt, Dana’s leather jacket and black chinos with weathered brown shoes. Dana wore scruffy CHERUB-issue combat trousers and a denim jacket, while Kerry had gone all out to impress with a red micro dress and white Converse pumps.

‘I’m not quite ready, as you can see,’ Gemma said apologetically. ‘Why don’t you go through to the living-room? My sister Mel will fix a drink.’

The trio followed Gemma down a hallway with loud carpet and Tonka toys parked along the skirting board. The

TV was playing a Charlie and Lola DVD when they got through to the living-room. Mel, who looked like a teenaged version of Gemma, sat on the couch, while two little boys mucked around behind it.

‘Mel’s babysitting for me,’ Gemma explained. ‘I’ve gotta go upstairs and find my shoes, but make yourselves at home. There’s a bottle of vodka in the cupboard. Get pissed ASAP, I say.’

Mel looked fifteen at the most, so James was stunned when she stood up, revealing that she was a good six months pregnant.

‘I know,’ Gemma said, when she saw James and the girls’ startled expressions. ‘She’s beaten my record for getting knocked up, the dirty little cow.’

Mel gave her big sister the finger as she pulled down the front of a drinks