A/N: Oh god, I'm sooooo sorryyyy this is so late, i don't know how late but i swear it's been months! I feel so bad! Excuses: skiing, mocks, general tiredness/laziness... SORRY! hopefully i'll get back into the habit! Got some more music to spur me on :)
21. TELEVISION
The downside of the Christmas holidays was that Ayla still had to have school, because she had missed out so much of the autumn term for her mission. Luckily most other people had lessons as well, but Rose didn't and she felt the need to rub this fact in Ayla's face whenever she could. The only benefit to this extra work was that Ayla had a feeling that a mission was imminent. She had spotted Zara watching her one evening at the track when she was running, but Zara had left before Ayla could approach her. She just hoped that this mission would come after New Year's Day, because according to Rose and Lydia there was a big party on New Year's Eve that would be bad to miss. With this logic, Ayla kept her distance from the Mission Building, and she didn't see Zara at all. And then, with two days to go until New Year's Eve, Robbie approached her when she was leaving a stressful Art class, her last lesson of the day.
'Can you guess what I'm going to say?' he asked, curly hair bouncing into his eyes as he grinned.
'Um…no!' Ayla said honestly and nervously.
'You, me, Rufus, Feenie. Mission.'
That was all he said before jogging off past her, saluting her as she called after him. Ayla decided to find Rufus, as he might be a more useful source of information than Robbie. But if she hadn't known, then what were the chances of Rufus knowing? It was worth a try. Ayla crossed the campus by the outside route in the crisp evening air, grass crunching with frost underneath her trainers. She entered her dormitory block and stamped her feet on the mat, her breath making clouds in the air. Up the stairs on her floor, Rufus was actually waiting for her outside her door. He spun around when he heard her footsteps.
'Oh! I just knocked!' he laughed. 'I have some news.'
Ayla nodded. 'Robbie told me already. The mission, right?'
'Yeah.' he said, obviously disappointed not to be the one imparting the news.
'So what's going on?' Ayla asked, leaning against the wall next to him.
'Didn't you wonder why it was us four chosen?'
'I dunno…I didn't really think about it.' she replied, confused.
'We're all runners, Ayla. And, jeez, we have the coolest mission EVER.' Rufus revealed.
'Just tell me what the mission is!' Ayla burst out.
'Can't. Been sworn to secrecy. But we're leaving on the 7th of January, and you're getting your briefing with Feenie tomorrow. Wait for the phone call.' he told her, and started walking away to his door.
'JUST TELL ME WHAT THE MISSION IS!' Ayla yelled.
Rufus tapped the side of his nose and slipped into his room with an infuriating grin plastered across his face. Ayla let out a sigh of frustration and entered her room, slamming the door behind her. Just as she dumped her school bag on the armchair, the silver phone on her bedside table began to ring. Ayla grinned and crossed the room to answer it.
'Hello?' she asked.
'Got you!' Rufus replied on the phone, and started laughing. Ayla slammed down the receiver and left her room to find Rose.
She answered the door on the first knock, and Ayla invited herself in.
'I have another mission.' she announced, plopping down on Rose's bed.
'Serious?!' Rose exclaimed, sitting down on the wheelie desk chair.
'Yep. I don't know what it is, though, it's to do with running, but Rufus and Robbie won't say. My briefing is tomorrow, hopefully.' Ayla explained.
'It's with Rufus?' Rose asked, and Ayla was immediately suspicious.
'Yeah…' she replied, watching her carefully. Rose shrugged.
'So what do you think it is?'
'No clue! It's with Feenie, as well.' Ayla said.
'Feenie Mears?'
'Yeah, is she nice?' she asked.
'She's really cool, yeah. And Robbie and Rufus too…that should be fun!' Rose smiled.
'Yeah, plus Rufus said it was the coolest mission ever.'
'Let's hope so. I hope I get a mission soon.' Rose said, biting her lip.
'I bet you will.' Ayla realised that Rose hadn't had a mission yet, and felt guilty. 'I can ask, if you want?'
'No, no, I want to get picked. I'm sure I'll get one soon.' she said with a shake of her head. 'Anyway, at least you're here for the New Year's Eve Party!'
* *CLASSIFIED* *
MISSION BRIEFING FOR AYLA ADRIAN
DO NOT REMOVE FROM ROOM 809
DO NOT COPY OR MAKE NOTES
(1) Anabolic Steroids
Anabolic steroids, technically known as anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS), are drugs that have similar effects to testosterone in the body. They increase protein within cells, especially in muscles.
Anabolic steroids were first made in the 1930s, and are now used therapeutically in medicine to stimulate bone growth and appetite, induce male puberty, and treat chronic wasting conditions, such as cancer and AIDS. The American College of Sports Medicine acknowledges that AAS, in the presence of adequate diet, can contribute to increases in body weight, often as lean mass increases, and that the gains in muscular strength achieved through high-intensity exercise and proper diet can be additionally increased by the use of AAS in some individuals.
Health risks can be produced by long-term use or excessive doses of anabolic steroids. These effects include harmful changes in cholesterol levels, acne, high blood pressure, liver damage, and dangerous changes in the structure of the left ventricle of the heart.
(2) Anabolic Steroids in Sport
Ergogenic uses for anabolic steroids in sports, racing, and bodybuilding are controversial because of their adverse effects and the potential to gain unfair advantage and considered cheating. Their use is referred to as doping and banned by all major sporting bodies. For many years, AAS have been by far the most detected doping substances in IOC-accredited laboratories.
(3) Smuggling Drugs
In countries where AAS are controlled substances, there is often a black market in which smuggled, clandestinely manufactured, or even counterfeit drugs are sold to users. This market is mainly used by professional sportspeople and/or their coaches.
(4) Alexis Jen Jr.
Alexis Jen Jr. is presumably the head of Blue Corp, the largest provider of drugs in sport on the black market. He is a Japanese multi-millionaire and although we have no rock-hard evidence that he is involved with the drugs black market, his movements have been tracked by CHERUB in case of any suspicious activity.
(5) No Limits
This is the name of the recent television programme set up by multi-millionaire Alexis Jen Jr. The programme is reality television and consists of 8 competitors at the age of 15 years old. The programme will last 8 weeks and trains the teenagers to be better long-distance runners, with one competitor being sent home each week.
(6) The Role of CHERUB
CHERUB have a contact who has ensured that 4 agents can audition at the trials on the 8th January 2013 in the USA. The aim is to get all 4 into the television programme, with a training week before leaving for the trial. Once all 4 agents are in the programme, some of the mission will have to be improvised in order to have safe communications with all agents. This will be difficult because of the almost constant filming.
(7) The Mission
The aim is to get the agents to the final 4 weeks of the programme. This is when the training is most intense, and a contact has revealed that this is when the runners will be given a new substance to 'increase performance legally'. CHERUB agents will need to steal a sample of the substance so that the Government are able to ensure that the new substance is not an illegal steroid that can be just consumed instead of injected into the body. CHERUB have reason to believe that Alexis Jen Jr. is using the programme as a way to both earn money and carry out the final testing phase of the drug. Agents should avoid actually having to consume the drug; hopefully the drug can be stolen and checked before this happens.
THE CHERUB ETHICS COMMITTEE UNANIMOUSLY ACCEPTED THIS MISSION BRIEFING. ALL MISSION CANDIDATES SHOULD CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING FACTORS:
(1) This mission has been classified MEDIUM RISK. Although the agents need to be precise and extremely careful because they are almost constantly being filmed, the level of danger towards them from should be very low as long as they follow orders and use their common sense.
(2) There is a risk of consuming steroids, although this should not be a problem as long as the mission goes to plan. The full plan will be mostly communicated during the mission.
(3) CHERUB agents will be showing their faces on international television, which means that they will have to dye their hair etc. before attending the trials. However, there is still a risk that the agents will be easily recognisable, and this could result in a withdrawal from future missions.
A/N: Please review :) Once again, sorry for the wait!