been put together at the last minute. I guess John didnt have time.?
When Lauren was satisfied that everything she needed was packed, both kids put their in-flight packs over their backs and wheeled their suitcases along the corridor to the lift.
Downstairs in the canteen, John and Dave were at a table together. They had their luggage standing beside their chairs and their cooked breakfasts were already half eaten.
John glanced at his watch. Cutting it a bit fine, arent we??
Ly fault,?James said. Ilarm didnt go off.?
Lauren gave James a smile as they grabbed plates at the breakfast buffet. Thanks for taking the blame.?
*
According to the background story John had devised for the mission in conjunction with the FBI, James and Dave were presently being held in a Nebraska prison, awaiting transfer back to Arizona where they were about to be tried for murder. This ruled out flying into Arizona aboard a commercial jet, in case one of the four hundred other passengers had links with Arizona law enforcement or prisons.
They were flying from a Royal Air Force base fifteen minutes drive from campus. The CHERUB driver pulled up the mini-bus on a taxiway, beside the wingtip of a small passenger jet. The RAF pilot and co-pilot loaded the luggage into the cargo hold, while a customs official shook John Jones?hand and took a cursory glance at the four American passports.
John and the kids went up six metal steps. Everyone except Lauren had to duck as they passed through the door into the aircraft. The cabin was cramped, but luxuriously fitted out with deep pile carpet, a spray of fresh cut flowers, walnut trim and four leather armchairs down each side that faced each other so you could hold a meeting.
By the time James had done up his seatbelt and kicked off his trainers, the co-pilot had pulled the steps in and was shutting the cabin door. Thirty seconds later, the aircraft began taxiing towards the runway.
Cool,?James said to Lauren, who was sitting opposite. Beats arriving at the airport three hours before check-in.?
The co-pilot stood in the middle of the cabin, with his neck stooped to avoid the ceiling. Lelcome aboard the Royal Air Forcee high-speed taxi service,?he grinned. Lake sure your seatbelts are on for takeoff. Wete going to be flying higher and faster than the commercial jets you might be used to, so we should make it to Arizona in around seven and a half hours, including our refuelling stop. The toilet is in the back and theree a fridge stocked with sandwiches and things. Theree also a microwave and hot-drinks machine up there, so feel free to tuck in whenever you get the munchies.?
The co-pilot stumbled through the juddering aircraft to his seat in the cockpit and belted himself in as the plane stopped moving at the end of the runway. James noticed Laurene fingernails digging into the arms of her leather chair.
Ttill not keen on flying??James grinned.
Thut your face,?Lauren said stiffly.
The engines opened up and the pilote voice came over the intercom. Ill passengers, prepare for takeoff.?
These little planes crash all the time,?James shouted, as his body was pushed against the arm of his seat by the rapid acceleration. Theyte really dangerous.?
Lauren booted James in the shin as the nose-wheel lifted off the runway.
*
Once the plane levelled off, John Jones got everyone hot drinks and biscuits, including the two pilots. When theyt finished drinking, he closed the cockpit door so the pilots couldnt overhear.
Now are you all getting on with memorising your mission details and background stories for your characters??he asked.
it getting there,?Lauren said.
James and Dave didnt look so confident.
To lete test you out,?John said. ć…™auren first, what accent are you going to speak in??
Ly normal English accent.?
John nodded. Lood. Why is that??
Because ite impossible to keep up a false accent over a long mission, particularly when youte under stress.?
Ro, no,?John said. i wasnt asking why we try and avoid using accents generally. I mean how do you explain your English accent if someone asks why you speak that way during the mission??
Right, sorry,?Lauren said. Our father was Robert Rose, a businessman who worked in London. We grew up there, but moved back to live with our uncle in Arizona three years ago, after our father died of throat cancer.?
Excellent,?John said. Lames?turn. What was your first criminal offence??
i got picked up by Arizona police after Dave and me ram-raided a branch of PC Planet. We stole fifteen thousand dollars?worth of digital cameras and made a clean getaway, but