now. Say that we're staying in town with a mate or something.?
TEl call you Tuesday evening and tell you what to bring and where to meet us,?the woman said.
Look forward to it,?Kyle said. Bye.?
Kyle flipped his phone shut before handing it down to Lauren.
Do us a favour, Lauren. Call campus and tell them that the AFA operation is taking place between Wednesday and Friday and that me and James are definitely both involved.?
MK,?Lauren nodded. Tou know, I can't help wondering what they're planning. I mean, two major arson attacks and almost blowing up the chairman of Malarek, but apparently all this is just a warm-up 厭
Tell me about it,?Kyle nodded. Te came on this mission to catch a big fish, but I think were accidentally hooked ourselves a whale.?
28. REVEALED
One advantage of knowing that the AFA didn't need Kyle and James until Wednesday was that the kids could take a break while Zara went to her interview in Downing Street.
After the two and a half hour drive to London, the youngsters split from Zara and spent the morning cruising the shops in Oxford Street. Kyle got a couple of CDs her been after for ages, James got the latest FIFA game for his Playstation and Lauren got T-shirts and a couple of squeezy toys for Meatballt rapidly expanding collection.
Mac had booked a table in a swanky restaurant at Piccadilly Circus, but the kids arrived to find a message telling them not to wait around: the Prime Minister was running behind schedule and Zara and Mac were going to have lunch with him.
The crowd was mostly business people in suits and the kids got odd looks as the waiter took them past a spectacular waterfall bar to a window table well away from all the other diners. It looked down eight storeys on to the bustle of shoppers and tourists in the paved square below.
Alad I'll not paying,?James said, as he read down a list of main courses, the cheapest of which was twenty-one pounds.
In the end, James and Kyle both satisfied their meat cravings with thirty-five quidt worth of rib-eye steak and French fries, while Lauren ordered roast vegetables in peanut butter sauce.
Tou're really serious about this whole veggie deal, aren't you??James said, as the waiter put their meals down on the table. Tou're gonna end up pasty and thin, like all the other vegetarians.?
Ehut up and eat your dead cow,?Lauren tutted. Tf you think that a giant slab of red meat is going to be better for you than what I'll eating, you're even stupider than I thought.?
Ney,?Kyle said firmly. This is supposed to be our day off. So how about I get a day off from you two digging at each other and we change the subject??
Nowt your chest today??Lauren asked.
James shrugged. Bit stiff, thatt all. I told Zara it was nothing. Eight hours we sat around in that hospital and I ended up with a bottle of painkillers that she could have picked up in the village shop.?
Better safe than sorry though,?Lauren said.
T suppose,?James shrugged, as he watched a pigeon land on the window ledge outside.
T wonder how Zarat getting on,?Kyle said. Tt must be so weird meeting someone that important. Especially for a job interview.?
Tt sounded like she was hurling up in the toilet this morning,?James said.
Morning sickness,?Lauren giggled, as she bit a roast parsnip off her fork. Maybe shet pregnant as well.?
T always get the worst diarrhoea when I'll nervous about anything,?Kyle said.
James started to laugh. Tsn't this nice? We come to a swanky restaurant in the middle of London, we order a hundred quidt worth of food and drink and sit at the table talking about puking and crapping.?
Tou know what??Lauren said. T wish Ir bought those camouflage trousers now. Do you reckon weEl have time to go back??
So way,?James said firmly. T know what you're like. WeEl spend half an hour traipsing back to the shop and when we arrive youEl try them on and change your mind again.?
Then would I ever do that??Lauren said, grinning mischievously.
Besides, I don't want a camouflage-wearing vegetarian for a sister.?
Tf you don't shut it IEl dye my hair black again.?
T thought your hair looked nice when it was black,?Mac said.
The three youngsters had been looking out of the window and hadn't noticed Mac and Zara being led to their table. The waiter asked if they needed anything as they sat down.
TeEl wait for the kids to finish their main courses,?Zara said. Tould you mind fetching us some