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  A massive guy stopped a set of crunches and started mopping his bald head with a towel.

  ‘New fish?’ he asked, looking at James.

  James nodded. ‘I um …’

  The guy pointed his thumb. ‘You want the back room, with the other kids. Try not to tread on anyone.’

  James had to step over gym mats and bar-bells to get through. The back room was bigger, with twenty-odd boys aged between nine and fourteen working out. Two young coaches stood in a ring up the back, mucking about and taking punches off some little kids. James recognised Junior, Del and a couple of guys he’d seen around Thornton estate and at school.

  ‘You Junior’s new pal?’ a voice asked from behind.

  James turned. The guy sat in a plastic chair. He wore tracksuit bottoms and a stained vest. His shoulders were a mat of wiry grey hair. Even though the guy was thirty years past his prime, he still didn’t look like a man you wanted to mess with.

  ‘I’m Ken,’ the guy growled. ‘If you’re here for the night, it’s fifty pence.’

  ‘Junior said it’s cheaper if I get a monthly ticket,’ James said.

  ‘Fifty pence for tonight,’ Ken said. ‘I don’t want to rob you. This is too much like hard work for most kids. They don’t come through that door more than once or twice. If you’re one of the ones who sticks it, I’ll take what you’ve already paid off the monthly pass.’

  James nodded and dug some coins out of his shorts.

  ‘Go see your friend Junior and try to follow what he does,’ Ken said. ‘You’re here to train. That means you don’t stand around talking. You don’t mess around and you don’t make jokes. Any kid starts a fight without my say-so and I’ll give the nod to someone who’ll make them sorry. You got that?’

  James nodded. ‘Don’t I get coaching or something?’

  Ken laughed. ‘I sit here with my eyes open. Give it a week or so. Follow what the others do. When I think you’re ready, I’ll get one of the trainees to start you off with a little sparring.’

  James wandered over to Junior.

  ‘Enjoy the lecture?’ Junior asked, grinning.

  Junior, Del and a couple of other guys trained in a group. Everything was a competition: how many push-ups or crunches, how fast you could skip, how many times you could punch the hanging ball in thirty seconds. CHERUB training had made James fit. He could hold his own at everything except skipping, which he’d only ever tried in PE lessons years earlier. Everyone except James got a turn in the ring, either sparring with each other or getting coached by Kelvin and Marcus, the two brutal-looking seventeen-year-olds the club employed as apprentice coaches.

  When they were all half-dead, the group piled into the locker room, showered off the sweat and put on fresh clothes. On their way out, Ken blocked James’ way with his leg.

  ‘You coming back?’ Ken asked.

  ‘I’d like to,’ James nodded, still out of breath. ‘If that’s OK.’

  ‘You’ve done some kind of martial arts training, haven’t you?’

  ‘Yeah, Karate and judo. How could you tell?’

  ‘You’re in good shape and you can punch,’ Ken said, ‘but a boxer needs fast feet as well. You want to be able to skip a hundred and fifty times a minute. Take this home and practise half an hour a day.’

  James took hold of a frayed skipping rope. He stuck it in his carrier bag, on top of his damp kit.

  Junior slapped him on the back as they went down the staircase.

  ‘He must think you’ve got talent, James. I kept coming here for three weeks before he said a word and my dad practically owns the joint.’

  James couldn’t help smiling, though it was hardly surprising he showed promise after all the combat training he’d done at CHERUB.

  ‘You coming down the youth club with me and Del?’ Junior asked. ‘It’s packed out with girls, Friday night.’

  The youth club was on the ground floor, under the gym. It was supposed to be a disco, but the music wasn’t very loud and nobody was dancing. James sat with Junior and Del on some slashed-up seats in a dark corner. There were plenty of boys and plenty of girls, but everyone sat in single-sex groups.

  ‘So,’ Junior said, ‘which babes are us three studs gonna snap up tonight?’

  Del looked at his watch. ‘Not me. I’m off to work once I’ve drunk this.’

  Del always had money and James thought it probably came from delivering drugs. He straightened up in his seat, sensing an opportunity to get information, but trying not to make it obvious he was prying.

  ‘Work?’ he asked. ‘At this time of night?’

  Junior burst out laughing. ‘Ah … The voice of innocence.’

  ‘I work for KMG,’ Del said.

  ‘KM what?’ James said.

  ‘Keith Moore’s Gang,’ Del explained. ‘I deliver coke for Junior’s daddy.’

  ‘Who wants Coke at this time on a Friday?’

  ‘Not Coca-Cola, you wazzock,’ Junior said. ‘Cocaine.’

  James acted like he was surprised. ‘Cocaine? Isn’t that seriously illegal? You told me your dad was in import export.’

  ‘He is,’ Junior said. ‘Imports drugs, exports cash.’

  ‘Hell,’ James grinned. ‘No wonder he’s loaded.’

  Del went into his backpack. He pulled out a small polythene bag filled with white powder.

  ‘Cocaine,’ he explained.

  James grinned as he took the packet and inspected it.

  ‘Don’t let everyone see it, you moron,’ Del gasped, knocking James’ hand out of the air.

  ‘Sorry,’ James said. ‘So how much is this?’

  ‘One gram in every bag. They give me ten grams at a time, then they ring me on my mobile and tell me where and when to deliver it.’

  ‘How much do you make?’

  ‘Fifteen per cent,’ Del said. ‘This is sixty a gram, so I get nine quid. If I work Friday and Saturday evenings, I can easily make a hundred quid. Sometimes though, like at Christmas, you get people loading up for office parties and stuff. I had this one guy who lived two streets away from me. He was buying ten grams at a time. Ninety quid for a ten-minute bike ride. It was beautiful.’

  ‘Do you blow all the money?’

  Del shook his head. ‘I used to, but you end up wasting it all on junk. Now I only spend twenty pounds a week. I stick the rest in my savings account and when I’m eighteen, I’m gonna buy a ticket and go off backpacking.’

  James looked at Junior. ‘So how come you’re always broke?’

  Del burst out laughing. ‘This baby’s not allowed to go anywhere near drugs.’

  Junior explained miserably. ‘My dad’s paranoid that he’ll get arrested. If I get caught with drugs, it gives the police an excuse to question Dad and search our house.’

  ‘That’s a shame,’ James said.

  ‘Tell me about it,’ Junior said bitterly. ‘My dad’s a millionaire and half my mates are making a packet selling coke. What have I got? Holes in my jeans and supermarket-brand football boots.’

  ‘Can’t you do it on the sly?’ James asked.

  ‘Won’t happen,’ Junior said. ‘The word is out. Anyone who gets me or Ringo involved in the drug business will be in serious trouble if my dad cops them.’

  ‘So you’re stuffed,’ James laughed. ‘You reckon there’s any chance I can get in on this delivery lark?’

  Del shrugged. ‘I’ll go upstairs and have a word with Kelvin if you like. I don’t know if he needs anyone right now, but I can try and get him to set you up with a few bags of coke and your own phone.’

  ‘I’ve already got a mobile,’ James said.

  Del shook his head. ‘You have to use the phone they give you, so the police can’t trace it.’

  ‘But there’s definitely a chance?’

  ‘I haven’t got a clue,’ Del said. ‘All I can do is put a word in.’

  ‘Thanks,’ James said.

  Del stood up. ‘Anyway, I’ve got a nine o’clock delivery, so I better dive home and
pick up my bike. I’ll see you two hard-up losers at school on Monday.’

  James smiled. ‘Yeah, see you.’

  ‘I’ll be thinking about you sweating away on your bike in a couple of hours,’ Junior said. ‘When I’ve got my hand up some girl’s shirt.’

  ‘In your dreams, Junior,’ Del shouted as he walked towards the exit.

  James shook his head, grinning in false disbelief. ‘I can’t believe your dad is a drug dealer.’

  ‘Who cares?’ Junior said. ‘Do you want to try and get off with someone?’

  They both glanced around.

  ‘Look at that bird sitting by the Coke machine,’ Junior gasped. ‘I’ve not seen her here before.’

  James turned around. He’d guessed it was Nicole before he even saw her.

  ‘She’s reserved for me,’ he said. ‘That’s my stepsister.’

  ‘You can’t get off with your sister, you pervert.’

  ‘Stepsister,’ James said. ‘We’re not blood relatives. Why don’t you go for the one sitting next to her? She looks like a right dog.’

  ‘That’s my twin, you cheeky git,’ Junior said. ‘And you better not call April a dog again, unless you want a slap.’

  April had her hair done differently from the surveillance photos. James hadn’t recognised her.

  ‘I tell you who else is good looking,’ Junior said. ‘Pity she’s already with someone.’

  ‘Who?’ James asked.

  ‘At the table behind our sisters. That Chinese-looking girl, with long black hair. She’s well tasty.’

  James peered over. All he could see was the back of the girl’s head. Then she turned and he saw her in profile.

  ‘That’s my other stepsister,’ James gasped. ‘That’s Kerry. Who’s that she’s with?’

  ‘Dinesh Singh. He lives up my road. His dad runs a firm that makes those microwave meals for supermarkets. So, you want to go over?’ Junior asked. ‘I’ll go for Nicole and you can have a run at April. She’s not too picky, to be honest with you, so even you might stand a chance.’

  ‘Jesus,’ James said, feeling like his head was going to burst with jealousy. ‘Dinesh just put his arm around her.’

  ‘What’s the problem? Do you fancy all your sisters, or something?’

  ‘It’s just, Kerry’s really young.’

  ‘How old is she?’ Junior asked.

  ‘Twelve.’

  Junior burst out laughing. ‘We’re twelve.’

  ‘Yeah,’ James said. ‘But we’re in Year Eight, she’s only a Year Seven.’

  ‘If you ask me,’ Junior said, ‘it’s none of your business what your stepsister is up to. But if it makes you feel better, Dinesh is a weed. Just go over there and slap him one.’

  ‘I’ve a good mind to,’ James said.

  This was a total lie. Kerry would break him into fifty million pieces if he even thought about it.

  ‘Anyway,’ Junior said, ‘I’m not sitting here all night. Are you gonna ask April out or not?’

  ‘You go,’ James shrugged. ‘I’m not in the mood.’

  April Moore was OK-looking and being friendly with her would be good for the mission, but James couldn’t get Kerry out of his head.

  Junior pulled up a chair next to Nicole and started chatting her up. James sat by himself and kept glancing over to see what Kerry was up to with Dinesh. He realised he couldn’t sit on his own all night being jealous of Dinesh and decided to go across to April, but company arrived before he got a chance.

  It was Kelvin and Marcus, the two coaches he’d seen at boxing club. They were both over six feet tall and solid muscle. They sat either side of James, squashing him even though there was plenty of room.

  ‘I’m Kelvin,’ the black one said. He pulled a mobile phone out of his pocket and stuck it on the table. ‘Del tells me you’re interested in doing deliveries.’

  James nodded. ‘I could do with the cash.’

  ‘Del said you’re a solid kid,’ Kelvin continued. ‘What you gonna say if the cops pick you up holding drugs?’

  ‘Nothing, of course.’

  Kelvin nodded. ‘That’s right. You don’t know us, you ain’t never seen us. Tell ’em you found the drugs in a bush and stick to that story no matter how they try to mess with you.

  You know what happens if you grass us up?’

  ‘I get beaten up?’

  ‘Cut up, more likely,’ Kelvin said. ‘And that’s just for starters. They’ll send people round your house and start on your family. Smash the furniture, batter your mum and dad. Del said you had two sisters, they won’t look so pretty after we finish with them. So you better understand, James, even if there’s some massive cop threatening to lock you up and throw away the key, you better keep your trap shut.’

  ‘Don’t worry,’ James said. ‘I’m no grass.’

  ‘You got a good bike?’

  ‘It’s pretty crap actually.’

  ‘Good,’ Kelvin said. ‘You don’t want nothing fancy or you’ll get mugged. How cool are your parents about you being out late?’

  ‘It’s OK until about half-ten.’

  ‘Marcus, set the kid up with three bags. I think we’ll give him a trial run.’

  Marcus got three bags of cocaine out of his tracksuit.

  ‘I want you on call school nights,’ Kelvin said. ‘Monday through Thursday. That means you keep your phone switched on and you’re always ready to go. We don’t want to hear that you’re grounded, or you’re busy doing something. Whenever they call, you jump to it.’

  ‘Can’t I do weekends?’ James asked. ‘Del reckons that’s when you make the real money.’

  ‘Everyone starts at the bottom with weekday deliveries and no regular customers. The powers that be will see how you do. If you’re reliable and you deliver fast, you get moved on to better paid work. Questions?’

  ‘I’ve only got three bags of coke, how do I get more?’ James asked.

  ‘There’s people at your school. We’ll arrange for you to meet up with them when you need to.’

  ‘What if someone tries to rob me or something?’ James asked.

  ‘If you lose the stuff or get mugged, that’s your problem and you owe us for what you lost. If the customer tries any funny business, don’t sweat it. Give the customer whatever they want and some of our muscle will show them the error of their ways.’

  Kelvin and his silent pal got up from the table.

  ‘One last thing,’ Kelvin said. ‘If you’re out late, you’ll get hassled sooner or later. Never carry more coke than you need to. A lot of kids carry knives, but if you ask me, you’re safer throwing the stuff on the ground and legging it.’

  11. KITCHEN

  James ended up walking home from the youth club with Nicole. He didn’t feel too good: a mix of nerves about his delivery job and seeing Kerry with Dinesh. They ended up in the kitchen, drinking glasses of milk. Zara and Ewart were already in bed.

  ‘Did Kerry say anything to you about this Indian guy?’ James asked.

  Nicole grinned. ‘Jealous, are we, James?’

  ‘No. It’s just we’re good friends and I like to look out for her.’

  ‘Can you smell something?’ Nicole asked.

  ‘No,’ James said, looking at the bottom of his trainers.

  ‘I can,’ Nicole sniffed. ‘You know what it is?’

  ‘What?’

  ‘Bullshit.’

  ‘Very funny, Nicole.’

  ‘James, you totally fancy Kerry,’ Nicole said. ‘Why don’t you just admit it and ask her out?’

  ‘Give us a break, we’re just friends. How did you get on with Junior?’

  ‘He’s not bad-looking,’ Nicole said. ‘But the kid could seriously use some mouthwash.’

  James laughed.

  ‘So,’ Nicole said, ‘if you’re not as keen on Kerry as everyone says, what do you think of me?’

  James looked uneasy. ‘You’re a nice person, Nicole.’

  ‘That wasn’t what I asked.’

&
nbsp; ‘Well …’ James squirmed. ‘Actually, yeah … You’ve got a nice body and that.’

  ‘You’re not so bad yourself,’ Nicole said, leaning against the kitchen cabinet. ‘Come over here.’

  ‘Why?’ James asked.

  ‘Kiss us.’

  James laughed. He leaned in and pecked Nicole on the cheek.

  ‘Is that all you’ve got?’ Nicole asked.

  The second time James moved in, Nicole wrapped her arms around his back and they started snogging.

  The door clicked open and they burst apart. James crashed into the kitchen table as Kerry stepped into the room.

  ‘Hello, hello,’ Kerry grinned. ‘Did I break something up?’

  ‘No,’ James gasped. ‘It’s nothing. We’re just drinking milk before we go up to bed. You want some?’

  ‘Cheers,’ Kerry said.

  James got a glass off the draining board and poured out some milk.

  ‘Anyway,’ he said, stretching into a yawn. ‘It’s gone eleven. I might as well go up to bed.’

  Kerry called him back.

  ‘What?’ he asked.

  ‘You better wash the lipstick off your face,’ she said. ‘Unless you want it all over your pillowcase.’

  James walked up the stairs in a confused state. He fancied Nicole, but he didn’t like Kerry knowing about it.

  Kyle was in the top bunk when James got to their room.

  ‘Some party animal you are,’ James said. ‘Home before eleven.’

  ‘Put the light on if you want,’ Kyle said, sitting up in bed. ‘I’m not tired. It was a decent party, but one of the neighbours complained and the cops came and broke it up. How was boxing?’

  James explained about everything that had happened. He tried to make it sound matter of fact, but the Kerry and Dinesh thing was getting to him and he blurted out something he’d never admitted to anyone.

  ‘Kerry kind of… Sometimes I lie awake at night thinking about her. She’s really, I mean … She’s not stunning … Not the sexiest girl in the world or anything, but there’s something about her that goes through me like a big warm whoosh.’