Free New Guard (CHERUB) by Robert Muchamore Page A

dog got lucky when Daniel pulled it off.’
    Daniel shook his head. ‘You’d have been doggie chow if I didn’t come save your ass.’
    ‘That kick in the face was awesome,’ Oli said. ‘I didn’t realise you know martial arts. I used to do Muay Thai, could have got my black belt, but I got moved to a new foster placement before the grading.’
    Oli demonstrated his skills with a little jab.
    Leon laughed. ‘You make a fist like that you’ll break your thumb first time you hit someone.’
    ‘I know,’ Oli said defensively, as he dipped chips in brown sauce and filled his mouth.
    ‘So if we walk back into Nurtrust with a wheelie case filled with booty, chances are we’ll get busted in three seconds flat,’ Leon said.
    ‘School will still be open for homework club,’ Daniel said. ‘There’s nothing in my locker yet.’
    ‘Case won’t fit in.’
    Daniel shrugged. ‘Everything else will, though.’
    Oli was chomping to say something, but had to swallow his chips first. ‘I told you, man. I know this guy, Trey. I’ve nicked stuff before and he’ll pay us in cash. He’s a serious dude, like Islamic State terrorism.’
    The twins both laughed.
    ‘What’s your problem?’ Oli growled.
    Leon smirked. ‘No offence, man, but you’re a little colourful .’
    ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
    ‘Well, you’re almost a Muay Thai black belt, but you don’t know how to make a proper fist,’ Daniel said. ‘You’re the top goal scorer for your school team, but you run slow and get out of breath after two hundred metres. You owned a PS4 but you didn’t know where the L2 button was.’
    Oli started going bright red.
    ‘It’s OK, dude,’ Leon said. ‘We like you. But you don’t need to make crazy shit up to impress us.’
    Oli didn’t know what to say, but broke into a huge involuntary smile as Leon gave him a shoulder thump, hard enough to rock him off his plastic seat into the chicken shop’s front window.
    ‘I never had much in my life,’ Oli said. ‘I guess I trash-talk sometimes. But Trey is for real.’
    Leon smiled. ‘You’re sure we won’t get blown up by a USAF drone strike if we visit his flat?’
    ‘Screw you,’ Oli said, giving the finger with his muddy hand. ‘I’ve nicked stuff before and he buys it. And a few times I’ve done jobs for Trey, like bricks through windows and shit.’
    This sounded pretty far-fetched and Daniel snorted. ‘Why does Trey want you to put bricks through windows?’
    ‘He runs a protection racket,’ Oli said, folding his arms furiously when he saw the expressions on the twins’ faces. ‘That’s god’s honest truth, you assholes. If you don’t believe me, we’ll go see him.’
    Leon decided to call Oli’s bluff. ‘Now?’
    Oli scraped up the last few chips and stood up. ‘Number eighty-four bus. Ten-minute ride. You coming?’
    The trio kept a wary eye out for cops as they waited for the bus and got off by a stop under a railway arch. A cobbled alleyway took them past Asian taxi drivers standing in a noisy circle alongside their parked Priuses and into a cab office under a railway arch.
    The receptionist behind the Plexiglas screen looked suspicious when Oli asked to see Trey.
    ‘He knows me,’ Oli explained.
    ‘He’s in a meeting,’ the woman said, as a cynical eyebrow flickered beneath her headscarf. ‘Have a seat.’
    An old-fashioned bottled gas heater gave off a sweet smell as the boys squished together on a knackered sofa. Leon flicked through an ancient copy of FourFourTwo magazine, while Daniel played with his phone, texting James to let him know what was occurring.
    ‘Just in case there’s any argument,’ Oli said, as he slid a Samsung Galaxy with a pink cover out of his pocket. ‘Everything is split three ways, but the money from this is mine.’
    ‘Where’d you get that?’ Leon asked.
    ‘Remember that snivelling girl who I locked in the shower?’
    ‘Abigail,’ Leon said.
    Oli nodded. ‘Gotta pick a pocket or