CHERUB: The Sleepwalker - Robert Muchamore Page 0,75

got with you. We’ve got to get to that house.’

‘Hadn’t you better call Mac first?’ Rat asked, as he slid his feet into trainers. ‘Or even the cops?’

‘It’s less than ten minutes if we run,’ Lauren said. ‘Fahim already tried Mac. Their phones must be in a dead spot, but I’ll keep trying. If we ring the cops they’ll probably think we’re taking the piss and even if they do believe me it’ll take ages to explain.’

‘I thought MI5 were running surveillance,’ Rat said. ‘Why didn’t they pick it up?’

‘The operation was downgraded yesterday. They’ll have everything recorded, but nobody is monitoring the live recordings – remember?’

‘And what are we supposed to do when we get to the house?’ Rat asked.

‘Christ knows,’ Lauren said, as she grabbed her keys and a backpack with most of her espionage equipment inside it. ‘But there’s nothing we can do here, that’s for sure.’

*

After the call, Fahim edged on to the balcony that overlooked the hallway and was surprised to see his uncle Asif coming through the front door. He was a well-built man, ten years younger than Hassam.

‘What’s going on?’ Asif asked, as he opened the toilet door.

‘Bitch isn’t talking,’ Hassam said breathlessly.

‘They bugged us, that’s all that matters,’ Asif said, eyeing the walls suspiciously. ‘Someone’s on to us and we’ve got to disappear sharpish. There might be other bugs in the house and if the cops have overheard they could be closing in already.’

‘I think it was MI5, or Special Branch,’ Hassam said. ‘It looked very high tech.’

‘How did you find it?’ Asif asked, as the drenched cleaning woman continued sobbing inside the toilet.

‘I could hear this little humming noise: high pitched and going right through my head. I pulled out the drawer, reached behind and there it was.’

‘Are you set to leave?’ Hassam asked.

‘Three hours,’ Asif answered. ‘My wife’s already on her way to the safe-house.’

‘Fahim,’ Hassam shouted. ‘Get out here.’

‘Dad?’ Fahim said, as he looked down over the railings and pretended to be shocked by both Asif’s presence and Sylvia’s gasping.

‘Get down here now, put your trainers on. We’re leaving.’

‘Leaving where?’

Hassam roared. ‘For once in your life just do what I say.’

Fahim turned back, hoping to pocket his mobile.

‘Right now, Fahim. Don’t make me come up there.’

‘Won’t I need some stuff?’

Fahim glanced at his father’s expression and realised he’d be spitting out teeth if he pushed his luck. As he walked down the stairs and grabbed some Nikes from the shoe cupboard, Asif turned to look at the cleaning woman, who was sprawled over the toilet bowl gasping.

‘What about her?’

‘She won’t talk,’ Hassam said. ‘Did you bring the gun?’

Asif pulled a pistol from inside his jacket and handed it to his brother. Hassam clicked off the safety and the cleaner raised her hands in front of her bloody face.

‘Please,’ Sylvia begged, shaking her head desperately. ‘I don’t know what that thing was. I swear I don’t know a thing.’

Fahim looked on as he wriggled his foot into a trainer and found his lips moving. ‘She’s telling the truth,’ he shouted.

‘Leave her alone.’

‘Shut up,’ Asif ordered. ‘Wait in my car.’

But Hassam turned suspiciously towards his son. One shoe on and one off, Fahim stared his father down.

‘What do you know?’ Hassam growled.

‘It’s nothing to do with her,’ Fahim shouted. ‘They approached me after Mum disappeared and I let them in the house to install the bugs when you were at a meeting.’

Fahim screwed up his face as his father marched forward until the muzzle of his pistol was right between his eyes.

‘Bugs,’ Hassam shouted. ‘How many?’

Fahim shrugged. ‘Loads, they’re in every room.’

Hassam cursed, then shoved Fahim against the shoe cupboard. ‘Traitor,’ he screamed. ‘Tell me everything you know or I’ll kill you right now.’

But Asif glanced at his Rolex. ‘We need to leave now,’ he said. ‘Whatever Fahim knows, you can find out when we reach the safe-house, and if there’s more than one bug, someone will be coming for sure.’

Fahim trembled as his father squeezed his arm and shoved him towards the front door.

‘My apologies,’ Hassam said, smiling at the blood-drenched, shivering cleaner. ‘I guess you were telling the truth.’

But Hassam didn’t want her crawling out on to the patio and screaming for help, so he shot her in the thigh before striding out to the car.

30. RUN

Lauren’s phone vibrated as she ran with a small equipment pack slung over her shoulder; Rat was faster, but he didn’t know the way. She slowed down and grabbed her mobile out of