CHERUB: The Recruit by Robert Muchamore Read Free Book Online Page B

don’t want to see you here again, James. Will I?’
    ‘I hope not,’ James said.
    ‘You don’t sound sure. Do you know what sentence you would have got for what you did if you were an adult?’
    ‘No,’ James said.
    ‘A young girl with stitches in her face, you’d be looking at two years in prison. That’s not funny, is it?’
    ‘No,’ James said.
    *
     
    James was pleased the caution was out the way. Everyone was right; it was no worse than getting told off at school. He’d taken some money out of his locker and thought he’d buy himself a birthday present. He got a new game for the Playstation and a Nike tracksuit. Then he stuffed himself at the buffet in Pizza Hut. He made sure he didn’t get back to Nebraska House until it was too late to go to afternoon lessons.
    *
     
    James put his new game on and lost track of time. Kyle came in and sat on the edge of his bed, the same as he did every day. Kyle felt something under the covers. He pulled them back and found James’ Arsenal shirt.
    ‘Why’s your stinking football shirt in my bed?’
    James knew he’d be furious. Kyle was a total girl when it came to cleanliness. When Kyle moved the shirt a new CD Walkman slid out on to the bed.
    ‘James man, did you steal it?’
    ‘I knew you’d say that,’ James replied. ‘Receipt’s in the box.’
    ‘This is mine?’ Kyle asked.
    ‘You’ve been whining about your old one since I got here.’
    ‘Where’d you get the money, James?’
    James liked Kyle, but he didn’t trust him enough to say about the cash in his locker.
    ‘Tied an old lady to a tree, beat her mercilessly and stole her pension,’ James said.
    ‘Yeah right, James. Seriously, where did you get sixty quid?’
    ‘Do you want it? Or do you want to ask me stupid questions about it?’ James said.
    ‘This is sweet. I hope you didn’t get yourself in any trouble. When I get my pocket money on Friday I’ll buy you that deodorant you need.’
    ‘Thanks, I think,’ James said.
    ‘So you want to do something tonight for your birthday? We could go to the cinema or something?’
    ‘No,’ James said. ‘I said I’d go out with Rob and the gang tonight.’
    ‘I wish you’d stop hanging around with those freaks.’
    James sounded annoyed, ‘You give me the same lecture every time.’
    *
     
    It was freezing cold sitting on the wall at the back of the industrial estate. After the first night all they’d done was hang around smoking. Big Paul had punched a public schoolboy’s tooth out and taken his mobile and wallet, but James hadn’t been with them.
    The gang congratulated James on his first criminal offence. Vince said he’d been arrested fifteen times. He had half a dozen court cases coming up and was facing a year in a young offenders’ prison.
    ‘I don’t care,’ Vince said. ‘Brother’s in young offenders. Dad’s in prison. Granddad’s in prison.’
    ‘Nice family,’ James said.
    Rob and Big Paul laughed. The look James got from Vince was scary.
    ‘You say anything about my family again, James, you’re dead.’
    ‘Sorry,’ James said. ‘I was out of order.’
    ‘Kiss the floor,’ Vince said.
    ‘What?’ James asked. ‘Come on, I said sorry.’
    ‘He said sorry,’ Rob said. ‘It was only a joke.’
    ‘Kiss the floor, James,’ Vince repeated. ‘I’m not saying it a third time.’
    Fighting Vince would be suicide. James slid off the wall. He was worried Vince would jump on his back or kick him in the head when he crouched down. But what choice was there? James put his palms on the pavement and kissed the cold stone. He wiped his lips on his sleeve and stood up, hoping Vince was satisfied.
    ‘You know what keeps out the cold?’ Rob said. ‘Beer.’
    ‘Nobody will serve us round here,’ Little Paul said. ‘Got no cash either.’
    ‘That off-licence up the road keeps the trays of twenty-four cans stacked up in the middle of the shop,’ Rob said. ‘You could run in, grab one and be halfway up the street