CHERUB: Shadow Wave by Robert Muchamore Read Free Book Online

bodyguard.’
    ‘Have either of you ever thought of coming back to work on campus?’ Kyle asked.
    ‘Too damned cold,’ Amy said, rubbing her arms and shivering at the prospect. ‘I love the hot weather. We’ve got a nice place by the beach, good clubs and restaurants nearby, surfing on the weekend. I can’t see myself trudging through the mud on campus in the middle of January.’
    ‘I’m thinking of going somewhere sunny when I leave campus,’ James said. ‘With my maths, I might be able to get a scholarship to a university in the States. California or Florida maybe.’
    ‘Where does that leave Kerry?’ Kyle asked.
    James shrugged awkwardly. ‘It’s tricky. Kerry’s a year younger than me. But American university courses are modular, so I can do one year, then drop out for a year and go travelling with Kerry.’
    ‘And Kerry likes the idea of going to America?’ Amy asked.
    James nodded.
    ‘If they’re still together,’ Kyle smirked. ‘How many break-ups is it now? Five or six?’
    James raised his hands. ‘Don’t talk like that! It’s different this time. We’re more mature. We’ve both had other partners and stuff. But we’ve come full circle and realised we’re best off with each other.’
    By this time they’d reached the station car park. James blipped the key fob to open the doors of the big Volkswagen and John loaded bags in the back. Two more people carriers, plus a Mercedes 4x4 were also taking wedding guests back to campus.
    ‘I’m really looking forward to this,’ Amy said enthusiastically. ‘Seeing all the old faces. Are there any new buildings or other changes on campus?’
    ‘There’s a library which is pretty cool,’ James said. ‘And they’ve refurbished the old gym.’
    ‘And they’ve finally got everything working properly in the mission control building,’ Kyle said.
    ‘Nah,’ James smirked. ‘The iris recognition system’s all gone wrong again and the roof leaks like a bugger.’
    James fired up the engine and dropped the handbrake, but as he started backing out of the parking bay a man tapped urgently on the window beside him.
    ‘Room for one more?’ Norman Large grinned.
    The disgraced training instructor appeared to have lost a lot of hair, but had compensated by growing his moustache into an enormous object that resembled a squirrel’s tail.
    ‘Ahh shit,’ Kyle said. ‘Who invited that wanker?’
    James was tempted to drive off, but he’d been charged with picking up guests from the station and might have his driving privileges revoked if he mucked around.
    Nobody liked Large and this fact hung in the air like a dog fart as James started the twenty-minute drive towards campus.
    It was Kyle who finally broke the silence. ‘So what does a retired CHERUB instructor do with himself?’
    ‘Security work,’ Mr Large revealed.
    ‘Right,’ Amy smiled. ‘I do something similar myself out in Brisbane. What is it, politicians, celebs, that sort of thing?’
    ‘Asda,’ Large said sheepishly. ‘It’s not glamorous, but it’s easy work, regular hours.’
    James couldn’t help laughing. ‘And woe betide any kid pilfering sweeties from your branch.’

7. CLOTHES
    By 11.25 excitement had turned to hysteria. James stood by his bedroom window dressed in black trainers, black tracksuit bottoms and a white polo shirt. He looked down at the girls milling about on the path between the chapel and the main building. It was a fine day and they all wore their sparkliest shoes and party dresses, a stark contrast with the combat trousers and boots girls usually wore around campus.
    Kerry’s room was jammed with barefoot girls who’d been almost ready for the best part of an hour: Gabrielle, Amy, Lauren, Bethany and at least three others. Deodorant hung in the air and there was a racket coming out of the bathroom as girls did their make-up in the mirror. Rat, Bruce, Andy Lagan and Dante Welsh all squatted on Kerry’s sofa, looking rather smart in jackets and