Read Online CHERUB: Mad Dogs by Robert Muchamore - Free Book Online

Kevin began running on the spot again. ‘Kick Ronan.’
    This only served to remind James that he’d never make a good training instructor. Ronan had acted pretty nasty when he’d tied James up; he was also a bully who didn’t hesitate to drop the weaker trainees in it when an exercise went wrong. But he was still just a kid and James didn’t want to hurt him.
    Mr Kazakov wasn’t impressed. He shoved James aside before slamming his dilapidated boot into the soft flesh between Ronan’s hip bone and rib cage. It knocked the boy sideways with such force that he clattered into Kevin and both lads ended up back on the ground, with their limbs tangled and coughing as they breathed the dust kicked up by running on the spot.
    ‘Get up, stand still, rifles held high.’
    It took the two gasping boys half a minute to stop coughing and stand in line with their rifles above their heads.
    ‘OK,’ Kazakov grinned, as he looked at his watch. ‘It’s now sixteen minutes until one. Sunrise is at six-thirty. You will stand to attention with your rifles held high until then. If I see you move off the spot or stop or if the rifle drops I’ll come out and make both of you run till you either puke or pass out.’
    ‘Can I go to the toilet first?’ Kevin asked.
    Mr Kazakov shook his head. ‘You can hold it in, or piss your pants. I don’t care which, but if you move off that spot before morning you’ll be sorry.’
    Kevin glanced at James as if to say can you help us out , but James didn’t like appearing weak in front of Kazakov and he didn’t have the authority to help even if he tried.
    ‘A soldier is only as tough as the person who trains them,’ Kazakov said, as he and James started the short walk back to their tent.
    James tried to explain as he unzipped the tent and stepped inside. ‘It’s just – they’re not perfect but … They’re nice little kids. You know?’
    Kazakov grunted. ‘I’ve seen a lot of men die, James. Some of them weren’t much older than you and a lot of them would still be around if they’d been trained by someone like me instead of someone like you .’
    As Kazakov sat on the edge of his fold-up bed and began unlacing his boots, James realised that he needed to pee before going to bed and stepped back out of the tent.
    He couldn’t bear to look at the moonlit silhouettes of Kevin and Ronan, with their arms struggling to hold the rifles in the air. He cut through the gap between the command tent and his own as Dana’s torch suddenly lit up his face.
    ‘All right big man?’ she sneered. ‘Proud of yourself?’
    James tutted and shook his head. ‘You should have been there when they tied me up, Dana. It was basically high spirits with Kevin, but Ronan’s a nasty piece of work.’
    ‘Two wrongs never make a right,’ Dana said.
    ‘I hate helping out with training,’ James moaned. ‘I know why CHERUB does it, I know they have to, but I’m not cut out for it. Pushing little kids around is depressing. I’m starting to think about seeing Meryl and asking to take extra exams instead.’
    ‘At least you’re flying home in the morning.’
    James looked surprised. ‘You what?’
    ‘I guess Pike didn’t get a chance to tell you. There are only seven trainees now and Jo’s got a broken ankle so she needs someone to fly back to Britain with her.’
    ‘Sweet,’ James grinned. ‘I could kill for a proper shower and a dossy night in front of the telly.’
    Dana grinned back reluctantly. ‘Anyway, I’m shattered and we’ve all got to be up in five hours.’
    ‘Do I get a goodnight kiss?’
    Dana was almost as tall as James and she gave him a gentle peck. ‘Not that you deserve it after you snitched on little Kev.’
    ‘I reckon he’ll survive,’ James shrugged. ‘Pike clearly doesn’t want another trainee to fail.’
    James pecked Dana back then tried going for a full-on snog, but she wouldn’t have it.
    ‘I’m too tired.’
    ‘But we might not get another chance until