that you existed. Your mum and your aunt are dead. You’ve got no real connection with anyone, and bullying and acting crazy are the only ways you know you’ll get attention.
‘In a couple of weeks’ time you’ll be released into a foster-home or a care facility. It probably won’t be very nice. But if you keep things straight you’ll gradually make friends, pass your exams and start to lead a normal teenage life.’
‘Who the hell are you?’ Fay screamed, as she stood up and placed her hands on her hips. ‘Don’t act like you know everything about me.’
‘You’re angry about what happened to your aunt and your mother,’ Schaeffer said. ‘I’m offering you a chance to take a walk around your old haunts, look at some photos in our suspect books and give us everything you know about Hagar and his crew. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll give us a sliver of information that will help us put some or all of them behind bars.’
‘I don’t want Hagar in prison, I want him to die,’ Fay said. ‘Preferably in the most painful way imaginable.’
Schaeffer shrugged. ‘I’m afraid we live in a society of laws. I can’t offer barbaric punishments, but if Hagar goes down, it will be for a very long time.’
‘I’ll sort Hagar out,’ Fay said, as she finished the McFlurry.
‘Oh come on,’ Schaeffer said, smiling slightly. ‘You’re a fifteen-year-old girl.’
‘And I’m no grass.’
‘You’re seriously telling me that you don’t want to spend a few hours helping the police arrest the people who killed your aunt and mother?’
Fay scowled. ‘I fight my own battles.’
‘Your aunt and mother were both older and more experienced than you are and Hagar got them in the end. His crew are probably more powerful now than when you went inside eighteen months ago. So I really hope you’re not foolish enough to mess with them.’
Fay shook her head. ‘I’d like you to leave now.’
Schaeffer took a business card out of his jacket. He held it out, but Fay refused to take it.
‘I’ll leave it on the window ledge,’ Schaeffer said. ‘Please give me a call before you try anything stupid.’
10. CONTROL
After years of leaks and repairs, CHERUB campus’ high-tech mission control building was finally free of out of order signs and drip buckets. Ryan Sharma was crunching along the gravel path leading to its main entrance when he heard someone jogging across the surrounding lawn towards him. Upon seeing that it was Ning, he threw down the backpack looped over his shoulder and dropped into a fighting stance.
‘Nervous, are we?’ Ning teased, raising her hands into a surrender gesture as she slowed up and stepped on to the gravel. ‘Don’t worry. I’m not gonna get you back right now.’
‘How about a free punch?’ Ryan offered. ‘Anywhere but my balls or nose.’
Ning grinned. ‘It’s way more fun keeping you in suspense.’
‘Playing dead wasn’t even my idea,’ Ryan said. ‘Theo thought of it.’
Ning laughed. ‘Oh you’re nice, blaming your nine-year-old brother. And I wouldn’t get Theo back, he’s too cute!’
‘Cute but deadly,’ Ryan said. ‘He starts basic training soon and I reckon he’ll ace it.’
‘Got my e-mail from the training department,’ Ning said. ‘I passed the exercise with no faults, so no extra training for me.’
Ryan looked a little nervous. ‘When did that come through?’
‘I just came out of French and it was on my e-mail.’
Ryan immediately pulled out his iPhone and opened the e-mail app. There was a new message from Mr Speaks in the training department and he read aloud nervously:
‘Performed reasonably . . . Fitness acceptable . . . Worked well with others . . . No requirement for remedial training. Ahh, thank god for that!’
‘Nice one,’ Ning said. ‘So you’re heading for mission control?’
Ryan nodded. ‘Usually that’s exciting, but it’s only James Adams.’
‘I’m seeing James too,’ Ning said, looking confused. ‘I thought he seemed OK when we did advanced driving.’
‘Yeah,’ Ryan agreed. ‘James is a decent guy, but he’s only just been promoted to mission controller. If we were being lined up for some big glamorous mission, it’d be John Jones or Ewart Asker sending for us rather than the new guy.’
‘So I’m not likely to get my black shirt out of this one?’ Ning said, still sounding cheerful. ‘I fancy a mission. I’ve been on campus for over four months.’
They’d reached the mission control building’s main door. Ning was ahead and stared into an iris scanner. After a couple of whirring sounds, the main door popped open and a little screen