Read Online CHERUB: The Recruit by Robert Muchamore - Free Book Online
Authors: Robert Muchamore
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trouble in the outside world are the sort of qualities we look for here.’
‘Sounds pretty cool,’ James said. ‘Is it dangerous?’
‘Most missions are fairly safe. CHERUB has been in operation for over fifty years. In that time four youngsters have been killed, a few others badly injured. It’s about the same as the number of children who would have died in road accidents in a typical inner city school, but it’s still four more than we would have liked. I’ve been Chairman for ten years. Luckily, all we’ve had in that time is one bad case of malaria and someone getting shot in the leg.
‘We never send you on a mission that could be done by an adult. All missions go to an ethics committee for approval. Everything is explained to you, and you have an absolute right to refuse to do a mission or to give it up at any point.’
‘What’s to stop me telling about you if I decide not to come here?’ James asked.
Mac sat back in his chair and looked slightly uncomfortable.
‘Nothing stays secret for ever, James, but what would you say?’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Imagine you’ve found the telephone number of a national newspaper. You’re speaking to the news desk. What do you say?’
‘Um … There’s this place where kids are spies and I’ve been there.’
‘Where is it?’
‘I don’t know … That’s why you drugged me up, isn’t it? So I didn’t know where I was.’
Mac nodded. ‘Exactly, James. Next question from the news desk: Did you bring anything back as evidence?’
‘Well …’
‘We search you before you leave, James.’
‘No then, I guess.’
‘Do you know anyone connected with this organisation?’
‘No.’
‘Do you have any evidence at all?’
‘No.’
‘Do you think the newspaper would print your story, James?’
‘No.’
‘If you told your closest friend what has happened this morning, would he believe you?’
‘OK, I get the point. Nobody will believe a word I say so I might as well shut my trap.’
Mac smiled.
‘James, I couldn’t have put it better. Do you have any more questions?’
‘I was wondering what CHERUB stood for?’
‘Interesting one, that. Our first chairman made up the initials. He had a batch of stationery printed. Unfortunately he had a stormy relationship with his wife. She shot him before he told anyone what the initials meant. It was wartime, and you couldn’t waste six thousand sheets of headed notepaper, so CHERUB stuck. If you ever think of anything the initials might stand for, please tell me. It gets quite embarrassing sometimes.’
‘I’m not sure I believe you,’ James said.
‘Maybe you shouldn’t,’ Mac said. ‘But why would I lie?’
‘Perhaps knowing the initials would give me a clue about where this place is, or somebody’s name or something.’
‘And you’re trying to convince me you wouldn’t make a good spy.’
James couldn’t help smiling.
‘Anyway, James, you can take the entrance exam if you wish. If you do well enough I’ll offer you a place and you can go back to Nebraska House for a couple of days to make up your mind. The exam is split into five parts and will last the rest of the day. Are you up for it?’
‘I guess,’ James said.
10. TESTS
Mac drove James across the CHERUB campus in a golf buggy. They stopped outside a traditional Japanese-style building with a single span roof made of giant sequoia logs. The surrounding area had a combed gravel garden and a pond stuffed with orange fish.
‘This building is new,’ Mac said. ‘One of our pupils uncovered a fraud involving fake medicine. She saved hundreds of lives and billions of yen for a Japanese drug company. The Japanese thanked us by paying for the new dojo.’
‘What’s a dojo?’ James asked.
‘A training hall for martial arts. It’s a Japanese word.’
James and Mac stepped inside. Thirty kids wearing white pyjamas tied with black or brown belts were sparring, twisting one another into painful positions,
‘Sounds pretty cool,’ James said. ‘Is it dangerous?’
‘Most missions are fairly safe. CHERUB has been in operation for over fifty years. In that time four youngsters have been killed, a few others badly injured. It’s about the same as the number of children who would have died in road accidents in a typical inner city school, but it’s still four more than we would have liked. I’ve been Chairman for ten years. Luckily, all we’ve had in that time is one bad case of malaria and someone getting shot in the leg.
‘We never send you on a mission that could be done by an adult. All missions go to an ethics committee for approval. Everything is explained to you, and you have an absolute right to refuse to do a mission or to give it up at any point.’
‘What’s to stop me telling about you if I decide not to come here?’ James asked.
Mac sat back in his chair and looked slightly uncomfortable.
‘Nothing stays secret for ever, James, but what would you say?’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Imagine you’ve found the telephone number of a national newspaper. You’re speaking to the news desk. What do you say?’
‘Um … There’s this place where kids are spies and I’ve been there.’
‘Where is it?’
‘I don’t know … That’s why you drugged me up, isn’t it? So I didn’t know where I was.’
Mac nodded. ‘Exactly, James. Next question from the news desk: Did you bring anything back as evidence?’
‘Well …’
‘We search you before you leave, James.’
‘No then, I guess.’
‘Do you know anyone connected with this organisation?’
‘No.’
‘Do you have any evidence at all?’
‘No.’
‘Do you think the newspaper would print your story, James?’
‘No.’
‘If you told your closest friend what has happened this morning, would he believe you?’
‘OK, I get the point. Nobody will believe a word I say so I might as well shut my trap.’
Mac smiled.
‘James, I couldn’t have put it better. Do you have any more questions?’
‘I was wondering what CHERUB stood for?’
‘Interesting one, that. Our first chairman made up the initials. He had a batch of stationery printed. Unfortunately he had a stormy relationship with his wife. She shot him before he told anyone what the initials meant. It was wartime, and you couldn’t waste six thousand sheets of headed notepaper, so CHERUB stuck. If you ever think of anything the initials might stand for, please tell me. It gets quite embarrassing sometimes.’
‘I’m not sure I believe you,’ James said.
‘Maybe you shouldn’t,’ Mac said. ‘But why would I lie?’
‘Perhaps knowing the initials would give me a clue about where this place is, or somebody’s name or something.’
‘And you’re trying to convince me you wouldn’t make a good spy.’
James couldn’t help smiling.
‘Anyway, James, you can take the entrance exam if you wish. If you do well enough I’ll offer you a place and you can go back to Nebraska House for a couple of days to make up your mind. The exam is split into five parts and will last the rest of the day. Are you up for it?’
‘I guess,’ James said.
10. TESTS
Mac drove James across the CHERUB campus in a golf buggy. They stopped outside a traditional Japanese-style building with a single span roof made of giant sequoia logs. The surrounding area had a combed gravel garden and a pond stuffed with orange fish.
‘This building is new,’ Mac said. ‘One of our pupils uncovered a fraud involving fake medicine. She saved hundreds of lives and billions of yen for a Japanese drug company. The Japanese thanked us by paying for the new dojo.’
‘What’s a dojo?’ James asked.
‘A training hall for martial arts. It’s a Japanese word.’
James and Mac stepped inside. Thirty kids wearing white pyjamas tied with black or brown belts were sparring, twisting one another into painful positions,
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