Sorry (again!)! I know it's been ages since I updated but unfortunately school got in the way (options, gcses, sats... you get the idea right?) but now I'm free for 2 weeks so I've finally got chance to write (if you don't count the stackloads of practice papers shoved in my bag...)! But look on the bright side you get two updates!!! See I'm not all cruel – but how many of you would kill me if I killed someone off?

Ldf x

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18 CHERUBs in a variety of tracksuits made their way off the plane as it touched down in Ukraine all with tight faces and determined eyes, following them was a balding man with the exact same look on his face as he watched the 18 teenagers who were trying to do what MI5 could not – find one James Adams, now missing for over a week. Holding the man's hand was a younger blonde haired teen who wasn't supposed to be there but had raided her savings and come anyway, a long sleeved shirt hiding the still healing gashes on her arms.

All 18 CHERUBs along with John and Lauren were rushed through security with a quick flash of the man's security clearance, all remaining distinctly separate if there was any chance of them getting in then they couldn't be seen together at all. Kerry and Kyle stuck close both with wallet size pictures of James hidden in the soles of their trainers. An image they weren't sure if they'd ever see in the flesh again.

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James' face had never been so pale, not that he could see it, the 16 year old was unconscious slumped on the floor in one of Dasjam's killing houses, blood still flowing from a bullet wound in his leg and showing no signs of stopping. 6 muscular men, 2 holding guns and the other 4 with knives, around 18 or 19 stood around him laughing placing bets on how long he'd last before giving in and spilling everything he knew about MI5's plans for Ukraine and their gang world. If it collapsed then all of these men would end up with no family, friends, money or life – either behind bars or destroyed by the crippling of their income generator – crime.

"I'm giving him another hour."

"If he wakes up – seriously man, did you have to shoot him? We won't get a thing out of him now, he won't be able to think straight let alone talk."

"You do what you have to do when it comes to your life, never mind what happens to the other guy – anyway you've seen him fight; he could be out of her in 5 minutes if he wanted to. I wasn't taking any chances."

"You still didn't have to shoot him! You could have wasted the only source of information we have!"

A weak groan interrupted the two men's arguing causing all 6 to snap their heads around to stare at the blonde haired teen.

"Right then let's see what he knows, who are you working for?"

Though he still remained silent James seriously started considering telling them, the only problem being that it could jeopardise all the other agents out in the field, but then no one would know it was him, he'd be dead, and death would be such a welcome release from the spasms of pain continually wracking his body, no one was looking for him anyway, it had been at least a week and he'd heard nothing from anyone regarding people sniffing around in the Ukrainian underworld. Did CHERUB actually care that he was missing or had they just left him for dead? Maybe he should tell all after all.

A swift kick brought him back to reality and he managed to grind out the start of a sentence before lapsing back into unconsciousness.

"Cher? What the hell? Wasn't she a singer? What on Earth is he on about?" One of the men with a gun spat. "He's just playing us!"

"Well what do you expect? He's not gonna be stupid enough to tell us anything is he? If MI5 have a 16 year old working for them he's gonna be bloody smart isn't he? It's hardly likely he'll let anything important slip, you need him way more out of it before that'll happen! Jeez, and I thought you were smart!"

"I am! How was I supposed to know he'd hold out this well? He's 16! I figured he'd give in after a sound beating! Didn't think it would take more than one bullet wound!"

"Whatever, you just better hope we get something out of him before someone comes looking." As he spoke the man walked off leaving the 5 others and an unconscious James behind.

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"Meryl, have you seen Lauren?" Zara asked worriedly, despite Ewart's protests she'd still barely slept, only catching a few minutes every now and again before getting back to trying to find James. "She's not in her room and no one knows where she is. Oh God, do you think she's tried to kill herself again? Maybe she's at the bottom of the lake, or unconscious out in the woods or, or..."

"Zara calm down!" Meryl said pulling Zara's hands back down. "She'll be fine, ring John, knowing Lauren she'll have gone with them to Ukraine, you know how much she hates not being involved."

"But what if she's not?" Zara yelled desperately. By now a group of CHERUBs had gathered around watching, unfortunately Meryl had no free hands to send them away.

"Ring John before you start tearing campus apart, if she's not with him then you can worry, not before. Ok?"

Meekly Zara complied allowing Meryl to steer her towards her office and away from the group of ogling 10 year olds many of whom were looking at their chairwoman in shock – Zara had never broken down so openly before, or let anyone know about it

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"Amy, can you hear me?" Kerry whispered as she and Kyle sat on a wall by a McDonalds, (A/N Do they even exist in Ukraine? Well I'm saying they do!) Amy and Max were the two agents running the operation from the apartment whilst the others went around pushing themselves into the gangs to get info on James and the turf war that was bound to spring up now that so many of the top guys were getting arrested – well they had to come up with a reason for being there in case the ethics committee found out didn't they?

"Yeah." Kerry heard Amy's voice in her ear. "Are you all in position?"

"Yep. Sean got us all set up we're all in our gang's territory. Ready to go when you are."

"Go ahead, as far as I know everything here is fine and you can get going."

"Great." She slid off the wall. "Let's go."

Kyle complied following the slightly more confident younger teen hoping and praying that they heard something soon.

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"Sean! Listen to me! You need to pull out! There's no way you're going to find him! He's been missing for a week! Even if you do find him he'll most likely be dead!" Sean just shot Dean a death glare shutting the younger man up.

"Listen to me Dean, I have told all of you 5 times now that I am not going to pull out of here till I'm forced to. Anyway given that you now know about CHERUB you might be interested to know that 18 of them have come over here. I believe Zara said something about blackmail and damn kids when I spoke to her. Now I'm pretty sure you'll want to meet them...especially Kyle." Sean smirked.

"What's so special about Kyle?" Dean asked.

"Wait and see."

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Ta dah! Look another update! In only 2 days! I very nearly posted last night (tonight when I wrote this but hey...) but I wanted to work on it a little bit more...you know what screw it I'll update tonight"

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Ldf x