New Guard (CHERUB) - Robert Muchamore Page 0,32

show you around the neighbourhood,’ Rhea said, as she stepped closer. ‘If you like, that is.’

‘For sure,’ Ryan said, smiling.

‘Wanker!’ Daniel said, as he barged through the door and gave his big brother a friendly shoulder punch. ‘Train OK?’

Leon came in behind and got a jolt. He was conscious that Rhea was a year older and stood the same height as him if she wore heels. Ryan was almost a head taller, making Rhea look like perfect girlfriend material for his older brother.

‘Missed you,’ Leon said, stepping past his brothers and marking territory by giving Rhea a kiss. She accepted it grudgingly, before taking a step back.

‘You missed me since breakfast?’ Rhea said disbelievingly, tutting. Then she smiled at Ryan. ‘So you guys are brothers? I totally see the resemblance now.’

‘I got the full share of brains and looks,’ Ryan explained. ‘The twins got half each.’

‘Kiss my ass,’ Daniel smirked, but Leon was too jealous to join the smiles.

‘I’ll leave you bros to catch up,’ Rhea said, enjoying Leon’s discomfort and giving Ryan a wink as she edged out.

‘You wanna go to my room?’ Leon asked, but Rhea didn’t bother answering.

‘Smooth,’ Ryan grinned, not wanting to cause trouble, but unable to resist teasing his little brother.

‘I saw her first,’ Leon said, once Rhea was way down the hallway.

‘Give over,’ Ryan said. ‘She just started flirting with me. How could I possibly know what was going on?’

‘If I looked like Leon I’d be worried,’ Daniel said.

‘Huh!’ Leon snorted. ‘When did you last make out with someone, stud?’

It had taken Ryan less than two minutes to be reminded that while he loved his twin brothers in theory, actual time in their presence was pretty irritating.

‘So I spoke to James before I came over here,’ Ryan said, trying to take charge. ‘I’ll unpack, grab some food. Then we’ll go see Trey.’

Ryan had been set up with a tatty Peugeot 208 and drove his brothers a couple of miles south, to Edgbaston. The house was detached, with a mossy paved drive. A BMW M3 Coupe sat next to a seven-seat Citroen with a pair of child seats in the back. It wasn’t luxury, but it was good digs for a guy whose only official job was as a part-time controller for his father’s taxi business.

The woman answering the door looked harassed. Two little kids running round half naked, bottles being sterilised in the microwave, washing machine running and something on the stove.

‘We don’t want overpriced cleaning products,’ the woman said wearily, pushing shut the door before she’d even finished opening. ‘Read the sign: No Cold Callers.’

‘We’re here to see your husband,’ Ryan explained politely. ‘You are Mrs Al-Zeid?’

‘He’s expecting us,’ Leon added.

The woman grunted, swiped the back of her hand against a greasy forehead and yelled up the stairs. ‘Trey, there’s three lads here.’

‘What lads?’ Trey shouted. ‘Tell ’em to sling their bloody hook.’

‘Say you’re expecting them.’

‘I’m not expecting—’

The rest of Trey’s sentence got drowned out because one of the kids slipped on the kitchen floor and started bawling.

‘Just get down here,’ the woman screamed, leaving the door ajar as she rushed in to comfort a distressed toddler. ‘Like I haven’t got enough on.’

The boys took the opportunity to step into the hallway. It smelled of bleach, and a toddler craned around a doorway to see who’d arrived. Daniel took the opportunity to stick a tiny listening device to the wall behind a radiator.

‘What the hell?’ Trey snapped, as he came around the top of the stairs in a Sonics basketball shirt and one hand holding his butt. ‘This is my home! I’m not a man to be messed with.’

Trey saw Ryan first as he began limping down the stairs. He’d not seen him before, but he recognised the twins and his eyebrows shot up furiously.

‘You’ve got some blasted nerve!’ Trey shouted. ‘This is my private home. How did you find out that I lived here?’

‘It’s not hard if you’re smart,’ Ryan said, but deliberately avoided details. ‘I thought it was better to corner you here than at the taxi office surrounded by your pals.’

As Ryan spoke, he took out the pocket revolver, keeping it pointed at the floor, with the barrel swung open so that it couldn’t be fired.

‘An expensive item,’ Ryan noted, as Trey snatched the outstretched gun.

‘Where are the bullets?’

‘That’s a gesture of goodwill,’ Ryan said. ‘But do I look stupid enough to hand a potential enemy a loaded gun?’

Trey grunted. ‘So, why are you here?’

‘I just moved into Nurtrust with