Free CHERUB: The Recruit by Robert Muchamore Page A

the pool, queasy with fear.
    ‘I can’t do this one,’ James said. ‘I can’t even swim one width.’
    *
     
    James was back where he’d started, in front of the fire in Doctor McAfferty’s office.
    ‘So, after the tests, should we offer you a place here?’ Mac asked.
    ‘Probably not, I guess,’ James said.
    ‘You did well on the first test.’
    ‘But I didn’t get a single hit in,’ James said.
    ‘Bruce is a superb martial artist. You would have passed the test if you’d won, of course, but that was unlikely. You retired when you knew you couldn’t win and Bruce threatened you with a serious injury. That was important. There’s nothing heroic about getting seriously injured in the name of pride. Best of all, you didn’t ask to recover before you did the next test and you didn’t complain once about your injuries. That shows you have strength of character and a genuine desire to be a part of CHERUB.’
    ‘Bruce was toying with me, there was no point carrying on,’ James said.
    ‘That’s right, James. In a real fight Bruce could have used a choke-hold that would have left you unconscious or dead if he’d wanted to.
    ‘You also scored decently on the intelligence test. Exceptional on mathematical questions, about average on the verbal. How do you think you did on the third test?’
    ‘I killed the chicken,’ James said.
    ‘But does that mean you passed the test?’
    ‘I thought you asked me to kill it.’
    ‘The chicken is a test of your moral courage. You pass well if you grab the chicken and kill it straight away, or if you say you’re opposed to killing and eating animals and refuse to kill it. I thought you performed poorly. You clearly didn’t want to kill the chicken but you allowed me to bully you into doing it. I’m giving you a low pass because you eventually reached a decision and carried it through. You would have failed if you’d dithered or got upset.’
    James was pleased he’d passed the first three tests.
    ‘The fourth test was excellent. You were timid in places but you got your courage together and made it through the obstacle. Then the final test.’
    ‘I must have failed that,’ James said.
    ‘We knew you couldn’t swim. If you’d battled through and rescued the brick, we would have given you top marks. If you’d jumped in and had to be rescued, that would have shown poor judgement and you would have failed. But you decided the task was beyond your abilities and didn’t attempt it. That’s what we hoped you would do.
    ‘To conclude, James, you’ve done good. I’m happy to offer you a place at CHERUB. You’ll be driven back to Nebraska House and I’ll expect your final decision within two days.’

11. GO
     
    James was shut in the back of a van for the first part of the drive back to Nebraska House. Even though he was knackered and the driver wasn’t allowed to talk, he couldn’t sleep. After a couple of hours the driver stopped at motorway services. They both drank nasty tea and used the toilet. James was allowed in the cab for the rest of the journey. He read the first road sign he saw; they were near Birmingham, heading towards London. It wasn’t much of a clue about where CHERUB was. James reckoned they’d already gone more than a hundred kilometres.
    It was three in the morning when James arrived back at Nebraska. The entrance was locked. James rang the doorbell and waited ages. A house parent shone a torch in James’ face before unbolting the door.
    ‘Where on earth have you been?’
    It hadn’t occurred to James that CHERUB had taken him without telling anyone. He scrambled for an excuse.
    ‘I went for a walk,’ James said.
    ‘For twenty-six hours ?’
    ‘Well …’
    ‘Get to bed, James. We’ll deal with you in the morning.’
    Nebraska looked even dingier after CHERUB. James crept into his room, but Kyle woke up anyway.
    ‘Hey, Einstein,’ Kyle said. ‘Where’ve you been?’
    ‘Go back to sleep,’ James said.
    ‘I heard about your