Free The Killing by Robert Muchamore Page B

up.
    ‘I’m really sorry,’ he muttered as his anger deflated. ‘I don’t know what came over me. My girlfriend just dumped me and I went kind of mad …’
    Andy screamed out, ‘Don’t come   near   me, you moron.’
    James’ handler, Meryl Spencer, had an office down the hallway and she came out to investigate the noise. James saw Meryl storming towards the scene, as Kerry emerged from her room and barged him out of the way.
    Kerry crouched down and handed Andy a clean tissue to dab his face. She cast a furious backwards glance.
    ‘For god’s sake, James. What is the   matter   with you?’

10. UNPOPULAR
     
    Meryl spent the best part of an hour shouting at James, while James spent the best part of an hour wondering how one idiotic flash of anger had landed him in such deep trouble. When he finally got out of Meryl’s office, he headed down to the canteen for dinner.
    He got a creepy feeling that people were talking behind his back while he was in the queue and none of the gang looked happy when he set his tray down.
    James’ crowd was gathered around the two pushed-together tables where they always sat: Shak , Connor, Gabrielle, Kerry and Kyle. The only absentees were Bruce, who was on a mission, and Callum , who was on the toilet. James made a point of sitting as far away from Kerry as possible, in a seat opposite Kyle, who had a foam collar around his neck.
    James knew they weren’t exactly going to be falling over themselves to congratulate him on thumping an eleven-year-old, but he thought he’d be OK if he apologised and laid the severity of his punishment on thick.
    ‘I’m not allowed to go on holiday to the hostel this summer,’ he said solemnly. ‘I’m suspended from missions for a month and I’ve got to clean up the mission preparation building every night for three months … Oh, and I’ve got to start anger management sessions with a counsellor.’
    Kyle and the others carried on eating without making a response. James tried again.
    ‘I really messed up … I mean, I know what I did was bad – well, totally unacceptable really – but …’
    Gabrielle angrily cracked the wall of silence. ‘James, nobody at this table is interested. Why don’t you go and sit somewhere else?’
    James wasn’t expecting a warm welcome, but Gabrielle’s harshness shocked him.
    ‘You know how I fly off the handle sometimes,’ he said weakly, glancing at the faces around him and hoping for some sign of support.
    Kyle spoke firmly. ‘If you don’t move, then we all will. Do you know what Andy’s been through these past few months?
    Meryl had been through Andy’s life story, but that didn’t stop James from getting a reminder.
    ‘His grandma died in a fire,’ Shak said. ‘The police found out it was arson and accused Andy of killing her. The poor kid spent six months locked up in secure accommodation, until someone grassed up the kids who really did it.’
    Kyle nodded. ‘He tried to kill himself before he came to campus. He passed the introductory tests, but he didn’t go into basic training straight away because he’s still pretty messed up.’
    ‘And   you   beat him up,’ Connor said accusingly. ‘You’re scum.’ ‘Come on,’ James said in desperation. ‘I didn’t beat him up, it was one slap and a push. I’ll say sorry and give him a couple of my Playstation games to make it up. OK?’
    Gabrielle and Kyle slowly shook their heads. James realised he wasn’t going to talk anyone around.
    ‘Fine,’ James said, as he stood up briskly and grabbed his tray. He tried adding,   I’ve got other friends , but he found there was a lump in his throat.
    He looked for somewhere to sit. He thought about heading towards Lauren and Bethany, but sitting with a bunch of littler kids wasn’t cool and James doubted they’d be very welcoming. He spotted a few other friendly faces: kids he’d been on training with and kids who were in his classes, but they all had their own little groupings