CHERUB: The Sleepwalker - Robert Muchamore Page 0,95
calls.
‘Enter,’ Zara said, after Lauren knocked. You weren’t supposed to barge in on the chairwoman unless it was extremely important, so Lauren craned her head in the door sheepishly. ‘I couldn’t make an appointment; your secretary isn’t here yet.’
‘Come in,’ Zara said warmly.
As Lauren stepped in, she was surprised to see Mac sitting in one of the armchairs by the fireplace.
‘Did you get my e-mail?’ he asked.
‘Very good news,’ Lauren nodded. ‘If Fahim hadn’t made that phone call, another dodgy plane might have gone down before they worked it out.’
Zara smiled. ‘Nurse Beckett mentioned that you wanted to give a character reference for Fahim.’
Lauren nodded again. ‘I know he’ll need a lot of work on his fitness, but I genuinely think he’ll be great.’
‘Unfortunately …’ Zara began.
Lauren knew it wasn’t good news just from the tone. ‘Why not?’ she gasped. ‘He’ll be really good if he can shift some of that weight.’
‘Calm down and take a seat,’ Zara said, as she picked up a remote control and used it to rewind a VHS tape. ‘I was about to show the footage to Mac anyway.’
Lauren felt cold as she sat in a leather office chair and turned it around to face the TV.
‘My biggest concern with Fahim was the psychological reports on his temperament,’ Zara explained. ‘I’ve read a lot of guff written by educational psychologists about kids with behaviour problems. Usually they’re nothing more than symptoms of boredom and a bad home life, but the stories about Fahim’s panic attacks and sleepwalking concerned me.’
Zara pressed the play button and the LCD screen switched from static to greenish night-vision footage of Fahim under a duvet. He was tossing and turning, while muttering about blood and chickens. Then he kept asking for his mum and saying must do well, over and over.
‘Dr Rose has watched the whole video,’ she said. ‘Apparently Fahim talks like this for up to a third of the time he’s asleep.’
Lauren’s mouth dropped open. ‘He’s talking about everything he’s done.’
‘Most people mutter the odd word or three in their sleep,’ Mac explained. ‘But you can’t risk sending someone like that on an undercover mission.’
‘Fahim, you stupid boy,’ Lauren groaned. ‘What did you have to go and do that for?’
‘It’s totally subconscious,’ Zara said. ‘You can’t blame him for having an overactive imagination. Now if I just fast-forward a quarter of an hour there’s another interesting bit.’
It was Mac’s turn to look aghast as the screen showed Fahim climb out of bed and slide his feet into a pair of pool sandals. ‘Am I nuts or is he still fast asleep?’ Mac asked.
Lauren watched in disbelief as Fahim stood up and walked towards the door. He took three paces. They weren’t little zombie steps like sleepwalkers in the movies, but normal paces. On the fourth step, Fahim hit the wall and woke up with a start.
After looking around guiltily and taking a few seconds to work out where he was, Fahim rubbed his face before turning around and clambering back under the duvet.
‘I’m as sorry as you are,’ Zara said, as she stopped the tape and looked at Lauren. ‘At best, he’ll do himself an injury while sleeping in unfamiliar surroundings, at worst talking in his sleep could blow a mission and put lives in danger. We can’t take that risk.’
‘Isn’t there any kind of treatment?’ Lauren asked.
‘Dr Rose says there is, but it’s only partly effective and apparently this kind of behaviour is worst when you’re under a lot of stress, like when you’re on a mission.’
‘He’s gonna be so gutted,’ Lauren said sadly. ‘Hell, I’m gutted. He’s such a nice guy. What’s gonna happen to him?’
‘That’s why I called Mac in,’ Zara said. ‘There’s a possibility that Fahim will have to be a witness if his aunt and uncle are put on trial. I suspect that the aircraft parts scandal will go to the top of some serious criminal gangs, which means Fahim will need protection.’
Mac took over the story. ‘And down the road there’s a big house, with an old man who now lives all on his own.’
Lauren smiled. ‘That’s cool; if he lives with you we’ll still be able to see him sometimes.’
Mac nodded. ‘He won’t be allowed on campus, but you’d be more than welcome to visit him; and Jake too.’
‘Fahim’s sleeping up on the seventh floor,’ Zara said. ‘This isn’t my favourite part of the job, so if either of you fancies going up there and breaking his heart, feel free to volunteer.’