Part 6 (1/2)

'You shut that filthy mouth in front of my son.'

'He's a baby,' James said. 'He can't understand a word.'

'But he'll learn,' Ewart snarled. 'Get over to the running track, now.'

Fifty laps of the track took two hours and left you for dead when you stiffened up the next morning. Zara intervened before James boiled over and told Ewart where to shove his laps.

'Ewart, darling,' Zara said gently. 'James needs to be here while we discuss the mission. I'm sure an apology will be sufficient.'

James, still suspended in mid-air, didn't think anyone deserved an apology, but it was better than running the laps.

'OK,' James said. 'I'm sorry.'

'For what?' Zara asked.

'I shouldn't have sworn in front of the baby.'

'Apology accepted, James,' Zara said. 'And Kyle, quit being smart. You're the senior agent on this mission. I expect you to help the less experienced agents, not keep stirring up trouble.'

After Ewart had put him down, James straightened his clothes, sat on the gra.s.s and started piling chicken drumsticks and sandwiches on to a paper plate. Nicole shuffled up beside him and pinched a couple of his crisps.

Zara began reading notes from a long list.

'OK, as you all know, we're leaving first thing the day after tomorrow. Pack light. There are seven of us and it's a small house. State schools start Tuesday, giving us a nearly a week to settle in before term starts. I've prepared a hundred and sixty page dossier on Keith Moore, his a.s.sociates and his family, I want all of you to read it and memorise as much as you can...'

7. MOVING.

It was pandemonium. They had a big moving van and a people carrier. The van was already stuffed, mostly with baby stuff like pushchairs and walkers. Kerry had five bags of clothes and junk, which James had to hump downstairs because her knee was still weak. Kyle, who was always ridiculously neat, wanted to take his clothes rail, eight pairs of shoes and his own ironing board. Ewart was going berserk, using language that would have earned James thousands of laps.

'I'm only making one trip,' Ewart shouted. 'So you lot better sort yourselves out.'

James was the only one who'd followed instructions to pack light. He had a backpack, with toiletries, spare trainers, a jacket and a few changes of clothes. His Playstation and TV had gone ahead the day before with the furniture.

Lauren came tearing around the corner towards them. She was in uniform and she was crying. It was the last thing James expected.

'What's the matter?' he asked, bundling his sister into his arms.

Her T-s.h.i.+rt was sweaty and the sobs made her whole body shudder.

'Just ...' Lauren sniffed.

James pulled her tighter and rubbed her back.

'Is someone bullying you, or something?'

'I'm ten in two weeks,' she explained. 'It's doing my head in thinking about basic training.'

Lauren acted tough most of the time, but she couldn't always keep the nine-year-old girl inside herself under control. Whenever there was a c.h.i.n.k in her armour, she came to James for comfort.

'Lauren, I pa.s.sed training,' James said, feeling a bit emotional himself. 'I'd never done Karate and I could barely swim. With all the fitness and combat exercises you've done, you're a million times better prepared than I was.'

Lauren dragged her wrist over her eyes. Kerry got Lauren a tissue.

'Come on, kids,' Zara shouted, as she climbed into the people carrier. 'I want most of this drive out of the way before Joshua wakes up and starts screaming.'

'I wish you weren't going away,' Lauren said.

'Bethany's going into training with you,' James said. 'She'll probably be your partner. You two will do great.'

Lauren stepped back from James. Kerry gave her a quick squeeze.

'Just think, Lauren,' Kerry said. 'In four months, basic training will be a memory and you'll be able to go on missions. I'll bet you, any money you like.'

Lauren smiled a bit. 'Yeah. I hope so.'

'If you want,' James said, 'I can probably arrange for you to visit us in Luton on your birthday. We can have a laugh.'

Lauren looked surprised. 'Will they let me?'

'They won't mind. It'll be good experience for you: getting a taste of what it's like being out on a mission and stuff.'

'You better go then,' Lauren sniffled, dabbing her eyes with the tissue. 'I don't know what made me start crying. It just ... Sorry ... I feel really dumb now.'

James pecked his sister on the cheek, before saying goodbye and climbing in the back of the people carrier.

Kyle leaned out of the side window. 'You'll make it through training, Lauren,' he shouted. 'Don't go losing any sleep.'

James pulled up the door and buckled his seatbelt.

'Sorry I shouted, James,' Zara said, from the driver's seat. 'I didn't realise Lauren was upset. Is she OK?'

'I think so,' James nodded.

Lauren waved as they drove away. James' eyes were a bit damp, but he wasn't worried. Lauren had a good brain and she was fit. A serious injury was the only thing likely to stop her getting through basic training.

Ewart and Nicole travelled in the moving van with the luggage. Zara drove the people carrier, with Kyle next to her in the front. James and Kerry sandwiched Joshua's baby seat in the back. The baby woke up an hour before they arrived. Kerry had a go at feeding him, but he screamed his head off. She pa.s.sed him over to James while she hunted round her feet for a bottle Joshua had batted on to the floor.

Joshua stopped screaming as soon as James took him. When Kerry tried to take Joshua back, he went nuts again. Kerry gave James the bottle and Joshua began drinking calmly.

'Looks like we've found James' job for this mission,' Zara said, grinning. 'He likes you for some reason.'

Kyle laughed. 'Kerry probably traumatised him with the funny faces she was pulling the other afternoon.'

James wasn't used to babies. He was terrified he might do something wrong and either hurt Joshua or get puked over. It turned out OK, apart from a few dribbles of milk. After feeding, Joshua lay quietly in James' lap playing with the laces on his shorts. Once James got used to it, he thought having the warm little body wriggling on his lap was quite cool.

A third of the houses on the Thornton estate were boarded up. The detached homes looked decent enough, but n.o.body wanted to live in them because of the airport a kilometre south. Every few minutes, a couple of hundred people thundered overhead, shaking the ground and filling the air with the sickly smell of jet fuel.