Authors: Robert Muchamore
‘Just a
bit
,’ Kerry said. ‘It’s still the top story, even today.’
‘Oh, and you’ll never guess who we’re staying with.’
Kerry laughed. ‘Better tell me then.’
‘They didn’t want us going back to Brisbane in case we were recognised by Survivors collecting money in the street, so they flew us all up to Townsville. We’re staying with Amy Collins and her brother John.’
‘Cool,’ Kerry said. ‘I haven’t seen Amy since she retired from CHERUB. How’s she doing these days?’
‘Seems good, but she’s at university and I think they’re short of money. Amy’s gone bohemian: you know, beads in her hair and grubby jeans. She’s got this hippy boyfriend who’s like thirty-five, or something.’
‘Jealous, are we?’
‘You know I only have eyes for you, Kerry.’
‘
Riiiiight
,’ she sneered. ‘That reminds me, I think Gabrielle wants to kick your arse.’
‘Eh?’
‘Me and the girls got gossiping the other day and I
might
have let it slip that you said you only asked her out because you were drunk.’
James tutted. ‘Nice one, Kerry.’
‘So, when are you coming home?’
‘We’re staying out here for another couple of weeks, having a rest and a bit of a holiday. The doctor who examined us says we’re really run-down from living with the Survivors. They eat bad food and you only get six or seven hours’ sleep a night. My skin’s disgusting: I’ve got about twenty zits on my back.’
‘
Eww
,’ Kerry said. ‘I hope they’re gone by the time I see you.’
‘I wish you were here with us. I missed you every day.’
‘I missed you, James. I’m really looking forward to us being back together again.’
James giggled. ‘I’m looking forward to getting my hand up your top.’
‘Maybe I won’t be wearing a top.’
James’ eyeballs practically sprung out on stalks. ‘Are you
serious
?’
‘Might be,’ Kerry teased. ‘I’ve picked up loads of tricks from the guys I cheated on you with while you were away.’
‘Same here,’ James grinned. ‘This mission’s just been one hot religious babe after another.’
‘Anyway James, it’s great hearing from you, but it’s one in the morning and I’m helping Miss Takada coach some red shirts in the dojo at half-six. I’d better get to sleep.’
‘Right,’ James said. ‘I’ll call you again tomorrow, OK?’
‘Cool,’ Kerry said, as she blew a couple of kisses into the phone. ‘Have a good rest. Can’t wait to see you.’
‘Speak tomorrow,’ James said, blowing a few back before hitting the end call button.
He strolled through to the kitchen, imagining Kerry taking her top off and hoping that she wasn’t kidding. Amy stood at the counter mixing a giant bowl of salad.
‘Do you think this will be enough for everyone?’ she asked.
James smirked. ‘I think you could feed a small army with all that.’
‘You seem to be getting on well with Kerry these days.’
‘Yeah,’ James said. ‘I always miss her when I’m away. It’s a pity it never works as well when we’re both on the same continent.’
Amy grinned. ‘She’s worth the effort, James. I’ve always said you two complement each other.’
‘So, do you need a hand with anything here?’
‘Nah, I reckon it’s covered,’ Amy shrugged. ‘My brother John’s setting the barbecue up outside, and John Jones is supposed to be stopping off at the grog shop to pick up some booze.’
James noticed a car moving up the driveway outside. ‘That’s Dana and Chloe.’
He strolled out on to the drive with Amy and helped Dana out of the back of the car. Once she was standing on her crutches, James gave her a hug.
‘So, how you feeling?’ James asked. ‘I’m glad you made it in one piece.’
Dana smiled. ‘Minus the tip of my middle toe.’
‘Look on the bright side,’ James grinned. ‘You’ve shaved ten per cent off the time it takes to cut your toenails.’
‘Every cloud eh, James?’
‘Sorry I couldn’t visit you in the hospital with the others, but the doctor said it was best if I stayed away while I was sick.’
‘But you’re OK now?’ Dana asked, as she stepped towards the back door.
‘Pretty much.’
‘Lauren said your face was a real picture when the light came on in that sewer. Says you threatened to quit CHERUB and everything.’
James tutted. ‘She’s gonna tell
everyone
on campus. I’m never gonna hear the end of it.’
‘So you’re not quitting?’
James shook his head. ‘You know what missions are like: you don’t exactly enjoy it while you’re there, but as soon as you’ve recovered, you’re itching for another one.’
*
An hour later, the house was full of barbecue smells and the gathering was in full swing out on the patio. It was Saturday afternoon and Amy’s brother, John – another ex-cherub – manned the grill. Everyone else stood around, eating, chatting and holding drinks: John Jones, Chloe, Abigail, Dana, James, Amy and Lauren.
John Jones put his glass of wine on a plastic table and clapped his hands together. ‘I’m sorry everyone, but while you’re all gathered together like this, I’m going to have to inflict a speech on you – hang on, where’s Rat?’
All the heads on the patio turned around, mystified.
‘I’ll get him,’ Lauren groaned.
She put her paper plate down and stepped through the patio doors into the living-room. Rat sat on the couch, with a look of intense concentration on his face, scowling at James’ PSP.
‘Come on, you unsociable git,’ Lauren said. ‘You can’t sit here playing computer games when we’re having a party.’
Rat glanced up anxiously. ‘Let me finish this race. James says I get the Mitsubishi Evo if I win this track.’
Lauren tutted as she snatched the handheld and turned it off.
‘Hey,’ Rat gasped.
Lauren grabbed his arm and tugged him off the couch. Everyone smiled as Rat was dragged out into the sunlight.
‘Thank you, Lauren,’ John said, before resuming his speech. ‘I know that our memories of this mission will be tinged with sadness, because of the people who died in the Ark. But I don’t want that to detract from the outstanding work done by the people gathered here.’
John paused to take a mouthful of wine. ‘I had a long conversation with our chairman, Dr McAfferty, this morning. You’ve all heard the news that Rathbone has been accepted as a CHERUB recruit.’
A splutter of clapping broke out and Rat smiled.
‘Mac also offered thanks to Abigail for her assistance. I’m sure we all wish her success in her ongoing ASIS career.
‘I’m afraid that Mac’s next piece of news makes me rather sad. It seems that young Chloe will no longer be my assistant. Dr McAfferty has offered her a position as a full mission controller. She’ll even be getting her own assistant to boss around. Congratulations, Chloe!’
Chloe looked happy as Amy gave her a rub on the back.
‘But this mission would never have got anywhere without the work of three brilliant youngsters. In fact, the first thing that Dr McAfferty said when I spoke to him this morning was that he was delighted finally to have an opportunity to promote Dana Smith to a navy shirt. We now know that over a hundred people would have died if Help Earth had successfully destroyed the Indonesian LNG facility. Each of them owes their life to Dana’s extraordinary bravery.’
Everyone clapped as Dana broke into an uncharacteristic smile and turned bright red.
‘Long overdue,’ James shouted and everyone murmured in agreement.
John smiled. ‘James, Mac also expressed his thanks for another solid performance from you.
‘However, the chairman singled out our youngest agent for the strongest praise of all. Despite being just eleven years of age, Lauren behaved almost immaculately over the space of two months under extremely difficult circumstances. Not only that, but when the mission reached its climax, she not only kept her cool, but instigated the rescue of five young children who would almost certainly have perished in the explosion.
‘Lauren Adams, I’m absolutely delighted to say that you have been awarded a black shirt. I’m told that this will make you the third youngest cherub ever to wear it.’
James was stunned as Lauren put her hands over her eyes and squealed, ‘Are you
kidding
me?’
Chloe stepped up behind Lauren and pulled her into a big hug. James was happy, but at the same time he resented it slightly. It
had
been Lauren’s idea to rescue the little kids, but he’d been through everything else with Lauren and hadn’t got anything.
Amy jabbed a finger in his back. ‘Go and congratulate your sister then.’
James stepped forward and got caught up in the happy mood as he hugged his sister, who had tears streaking down her face.
‘I don’t believe it,’ she sniffed happily. ‘None of my mates are even navy shirts. The other black shirts are all fifteen and sixteen. I – I just …’
John grinned at her. ‘It’s ability not age that counts at CHERUB.’
As James headed over to the barbecue to replenish his plate, he caught a sly glance from Dana.
‘What are you grinning at?’ James asked.
‘Oh,’ Dana said, shrugging casually, ‘I just think it’s going to be a hoot watching Lauren boss you around on training exercises and stuff. I mean, now that your little sister outranks you …’
Help Earth
The arrests of BRIAN EVANS, SUSIE REGAN, NINA RICHARDS and BARRY COX represented a huge step in the fight against the terrorist group Help Earth.
Although the four are initially expected to stand trial in Australia, they are also wanted for questioning in Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, America and Venezuela. It is expected that they will spend the rest of their lives in prison.
In the days after the Survivors’ Ark tragedy, several more arrests were made, including that of ARNOS LOMBORG, who is now believed to have been the financial mastermind behind Help Earth.
MIKE EVANS has not been sighted since his beachfront encounter with Dana Smith and remains at large.
Although these arrests struck a major blow against Help Earth, it is thought that the terrorist group has a decentralised structure made up of small cells located throughout the world. Many of these cells remain a threat, especially as much of the $400 million stolen from the Survivors by Susie Regan has not been traced.
The Survivors
Many commentators thought that the death of Joel Regan and the Ark tragedy would spell the end of the Survivor cult: this did not prove to be the case.
While the Survivors were bankrupted by the financial implications of the failed terrorist attack, the movement itself restructured. Most Survivors now believe that God will select a new messenger to lead them and build another Ark.
ELLIOT MOSS fully recovered from his stab wound. Together with WEEN he set up the
New Survivor Foundation
, known as the NSF. Using a mixture of bank loans and money raised by commune members, the NSF was able to purchase the Brisbane mall and the adjoining warehouse from creditors.
Although four Survivor communes around the world closed after the
fall of the first Ark
– as NSF members call it – nineteen others used the earning power and ingenuity of their residents to stay in business.
ERNIE CRAIG was arrested in the wake of the Ark tragedy and cautioned for various firearms offences. Other members of the NSF did not accept his repeated claims that he escaped the Ark with Rathbone Regan and that the boy will one day return to lead the Survivors. After a series of heated arguments he was forced to leave the Brisbane commune.
GEORGIE GOLDMAN was found among the dead inside a collapsed tunnel within the Ark.
The body of EVE STANNIS washed up on an Indonesian island. No trace was ever found of the dinghy or explosives. She was flown back to Brisbane and buried in a Survivor ceremony. Eve’s parents and two younger sisters are believed to have left the NSF shortly afterwards.
The Others
ABIGAIL SANDERS went back to her real family and her regular job with ASIS. She is currently working to identify the remaining Help Earth cells and trace the money stolen by Susie Regan.
MIRIAM LONGFORD attained brief celebrity in the aftermath of the Ark tragedy. As the preeminent expert on the Survivors, she appeared on more than a dozen TV shows and was quoted in hundreds of newspapers around the world. Once the attention died down, she resumed her work counselling former cult members and is currently writing a biography,
From Supermodel to Terrorist: The Sensational Life of Susie Regan
.
Following the Ark tragedy, EMILY WILDMAN changed her will again, this time leaving one quarter of her money to her son RONNIE and three quarters to the Australian Red Cross. She remains in reasonable health and recently celebrated her eighty-eighth birthday.