Chapter 22 - Dangerous Developments

They were sat in geography, Jack didn't mind this lesson, it was something that he was pretty good at, they were working on their coursework on their own laptops, so Jack kept the CHERUB notices page open. There was nothing major going on at the campus, every so often he got a notification from the door locks, he could see what agent had entered what room, or when staff members sent emails, his seat was at the back of the class which meant no one was able to see over his shoulder and look at his screen. Ten minutes before the end of the double period, he got a notification about the end of the basic training, the plane would land at CHERUB in four days. Jack sprinted out of the class when they were dismissed, he ran into Frank as he turned the corridor coming off the stair case, "dad," he said looking down at his feet as he realised he had just stepped in Frank's mop bucket, "So we're sticking with dad then?" Frank asked, Jack nodded, "the planes scheduled to land at two Saturday afternoons, is everything set with the Russians?" Frank nodded, "They just need a time, you can work that out right?" Jack didn't answer, he realised Mrs King was stood behind them, "What on earth are you two doing setting meetings with Russians? Now I know Stoneybridge is the home to many weird events, and this school seems to be the centre of it, but we've never had mobsters!" she said, Jack laughed, "I don't think this is very funny London" Jack shook his head, "You've got it wrong Mrs King, I'm learning Russian, it's my pen friend coming over, we're going to London at the weekend" Mrs King nodded in shame and walked away, Jack and Frank laughed, "It's scary how well you can lie" Jack smiled, "I'll get you that time by the end of the day" he said as he took his foot out of the mop bucket, he looked up at staircase, "Hey Rhydian, wait up!" he shouted as he soggily ran away. Frank still felt out of his depth with Jack, he was used to looking out for the agents, but this was more than that, there was another element on top of that, Jack was a Wolfblood, and he felt underqualified, he felt underqualified just as a dad, never-mind a dad to a Wolfblood teenager. He pulled out his phone from his overalls, he kept a moon tracker on the home screen so he could try to understand Jack a little more when he realised that Saturday was a dark moon. He didn't want to call the Smith's, they had exchanged numbers the other week and they said they were more than happy to help Frank anyway he needed with Jack, he wanted badly to be able to do this by himself, he didn't want to ask for help, but he knew he needed it. Frank had never seen Jack at a dark moon, before Frank adopted him, Jack either called in sick or hid himself away with Maddy and Rhydian, and there hadn't been a dark moon since the adoption.

"Hello?" Emma said over the phone, Frank sighed, "Hi, I need some advice" he said, he felt guilty he needed to ask, "I'm currently at work, are you free tonight?" he asked her, Emma paused for a moment, "Yes, we're free" "If I text you our address, do you want to come for dinner?" Frank asked, it always seemed that Wolfblood issues were talked about or sorted at the Smith's, and he wanted Jack to make his house his home, he didn't want it to seem like wolfbloods issues couldn't be spoken about at home. "Yeah, that sounds good, should we bring anything?" Emma asked, "No, no" Frank said, "it's meat feast night, we've more than enough" "Sounds, good, well we'll see you tonight" Emma said and put the phone down, Frank quickly text the address over and began mopping up the footprints Jack had left.

Frank was sat on one of the tables in the yard waiting for Jack, he kept checking his watch, Jack was late, Mr Flatley came over to him, "ah Frank, you waiting for Jack?" he asked, Frank nodded, "He'll be awhile, he's in detention with Mrs King" Frank rolled his eyes and jumped off the table, he text Jack to meet him back at home, and walked to the car park with Mr Flatley, "Dare I ask what he did Mr F?" Frank asked the headmaster, "oh there's a group of them Frank, smashed a window, apparently they think they've got some kind of superpower, blindfolded tennis really, I mean whatever next?" Frank hit his head on the car roof, "Kids will be kids Frank, they do stupid things sometimes, I'll see you tomorrow" Frank got in the car and drove home, he found Stark waiting on his doorstep, "Where's the cub?" He asked, Frank was confused, "Is that what we're calling him now?" Stark laughed, "I think it's funny, anyway, where is he?" Frank rolled his eyes, "Detention" Frank unlocked the door, and they went inside and went straight for the kitchen, Frank threw his bag down on the counter and began pulling out meat from the fridge. "You got enough there?" Stark asked as the Frank added a fourth joint to the table. "We've got guests tonight" Stark nodded, "Give us a hand whilst you're here, grab the pans, middle cabinet" Frank said, "The Russians are on board, sent the time through Jack gave you, everything set your end? We need the others picked up at the same time so they don't tip off anyone" Frank nodded and began putting the meat into the pans, "can you get another agent on standby?" he asked, Stark raised an eyebrow to question Frank, "I don't know how Jack will be, it's a dark moon, no wolfy superpowers?" Stark was confused, "Superpowers?" Frank threw the pans into the ovens, "our cub can see the present and the past apparently." Stark laughed, "you're kidding" Frank shook his head, "I'll try to test it tomorrow," "Is that why you're annoyed?" Stark asked, "That he didn't tell you earlier?" Frank laughed, "he still hasn't told me, one of the others did, he used it at school today, accidentally smashed a window, blindfolded tennis." Stark and Frank continued to talk about Jack and the mission until the doorbell rang.

Frank opened the door and Emma and Daniel Smith entered, they gave Frank a bottle of wine and Frank showed them through to the kitchen, "Kids?" Daniel asked, "Detention, smashed a window" Emma shook her head, Daniel laughed, "How?" he asked, "Blindfolded tennis" Emma and Daniel looked at each other, "Eolas" Emma said sternly, Daniel nodded, "That's the present one right?" Frank asked, Emma laughed a little and nodded, "We have a lot to cover with you." Stark came out of the toilet and came back into the kitchen, "One more?" Emma asked, Stark dried his hands and then held one out to shake the Smiths hands, "Horatio Stark, we've met before, I was just leaving" Emma smiled and Stark picked up his bag and left the house.

Frank and the Smiths were in deep conversation about Eolas and The Dark Moon, when Jack and Maddy came through the door, "What time do you call this?" Frank shouted from the kitchen, Jack went straight into the living room to dump his rucksack, and then he took Maddy through to the kitchen where she said hello to her parents. "Detention" Jack said as he sat on one of the barstools next to Daniel Smith. "We know" Emma said smiling, Jack and Maddy looked at their parents, "Something about blindfolded tennis?" the two teenagers stared at the countertop, "How stupid are you?" Emma said raising her voice, "Eolas? At school? And what have I told you Madeline, no Eolas." Emma continued to tell the two teenagers off long enough that the food had finished, Jack helped Frank serve, and the mood became calmed over dinner."So," Daniel said pushing his plate away from him, "what do you do at Dark Moons Jack?" Jack shrugged as he finished his last mouthful of food, "Stay in bed when I can, the Vaughan's didn't let me stay off, so just hideaway in HQ or the darkroom." "Yeah," Maddy said, "you manage to sleep in the darkroom sometimes." Jack took the plates and put them in the dishwasher, Frank was deep in conversation with Emma, Daniel was on his phone and Maddy looked lost, "You wanna watch TV Mads? Do that history project?" He asked her, Maddy looked at her parents, she seemed to be out of her depth in someone else's house, Daniel nodded so Maddy got up and followed Jack into the living room, they got their textbooks out and Jack put on the documentary Jeffries wanted them to make notes on.

In the kitchen, Emma, Daniel and Frank kept talking about what Frank needed to know about raising a Wolfblood, "I just let him really do what he wants on the full moon," Emma nodded, "yeah, he spends it in the den with us, it's safe, no chance of being caught." "So, should I let him work Saturday with the dark moon?" Frank asked, that's what he really wanted to know, "What's happening?" Daniel asked, "if you can tell us" Emma laughed, "We need to do a handful of simultaneous arrests, some are round the corner, some elsewhere in the country, and we've got to pull someone off a plane" Emma thought for a moment, "no, no matter what he says, he's still a wild Wolfblood, they're worse at a dark moon, keep him in the loop, just don't put him in the field." Frank nodded and text Stark telling him Jack wouldn't be coming on Saturday, but he'd be working from HQ doing the coordination.

Two hours later, the Smith's had left, and Jack and Frank were discussing Saturday. "So, you'll be doing coordination at HQ, Stark's giving you his office." Jack nodded, "Can I please bring my duvet?" he begged, Frank agreed on the condition that he not fall asleep. Jack was curled up on the sofa when the doorbell rang, Jack was too tired, he sniffed with air and when he recognised the scent, he fell back asleep. Frank opened laughed a little before heading to the door, he realised he had his own guard dog, "Mr F? What brings you here?" he asked, he moved to the side to let the headteacher into the house, "well Frank, something rather strange has happened" Frank instinctively invited Mr Flatley into the living room, he opened the door and they both saw Jack asleep on the sofa, Mr Flatley put his finger to his lips and they crept through into the kitchen. "Drink?" Frank asked him, Mr Flatley nodded and sat down, "so what's happened Mr F?" "Well, I was just approached by a group of teens who tried to mug me" Frank tilted his head and poured the wine, "Did you call the police?" Frank asked, Mr Flatley took a drink and shook his head, "No it was strange Frank, they only wanted the school keys and alarm codes, they left me alone when I told them I didn't have them." "Strange indeed, do you remember what they looked like? I could put in a call to Burneywood if they weren't ours?" Frank asked, "I did better than that Frank, look here's what my dash cam caught." Mr Flatley slid his phone across the table and Frank saw the photo, he recognised them immediately, James and Lauren Adams, Kyle Blueman, and Kerry Chang. "Mind if I keep this Mr F? I'll see if anyone knows them" Mr Flatley finished his drink and nodded, "Go ahead Frank – you're a good problem solver." Jack stumbled into the kitchen, still half asleep, he had half heard the conversation, but realised that Frank had seen something in the photo that would be useful, otherwise he would have insisted that Mr Flatley call the police. Jack yawned his way into the kitchen, he half heartedly waved at the headmaster as he got a glass of orange juice from the fridge, he edged his way towards the table, "Bed" Frank said, Jack yawned and tried to protest, but he was tired and took himself to his room.

"Jack let's go!" Frank shouted as he put his coat on, Jack ran down the stairs with one shoe on and his shirt buttoned up wrong, "I forgot to wake you" Frank said, Jack nodded, "Can you sort your shirt out? Just put your shoes on in the car, and I'll get Stark to buy lunch before he comes over, we're late" Jack nodded again, he had his tie in his mouth and couldn't speak, he was trying to re-button his shirt up right, once he had got it right, he followed Frank out the door. "Frank, something's not right" "Yes I know we're late" Frank said from the car, Jack shook his head and went back in the house, Frank was concerned, his phone buzzed, he thought it would be a message from Mrs King telling him that they are late, but it was from Jack – Stay There. It said. Frank called him, "Jack what is going on? We need to get going." "No, we're not, I'm going to call the Head of MI9, it stinks of explosives by the car, so don't shut the door or turn it on, the lock on the door isn't right either. I bet Flatley showed you the photo of the CHERUBs, I bet they followed him here." Jack could see Frank step away from the car, "You make that phone call, I phone the school, the second the boss gets here, you get to school, don't make contact with the others, phones could be bugged." Frank came back into the house, it seemed Jack was right, as the second he steps foot in the door, the car exploded. "Frank was that an explosion? Mrs King asked, "Ummm Yeah Mrs K, we're going to be late, our car exploded" Frank turned the phone around, he was on video call with Mrs King and she saw the burning remains of Frank's car. "Oh my word!" she said, "What happened? Well Mrs K, I think something's going on, Mr F was approached by people wanting keys and codes to the school, you had anything boss?" Mrs King paused, "Well, I did get a very strange vase of flowers this morning, the water smelled terrible, completely blocked the sink when I tried to change it." Frank looked at Jack, who looked worried, "Maddy" Frank said to Jack, "What Frank, Maddy Smith is fine why?" Frank brushed off the question. They all heard the sirens pulling into the street, "I've got to go, the fire departments here Mrs K, I'll send Jack in shortly" Frank said as he put the phone down, he and Jack pulled their MI9 ID badges out of their pockets and met the emergency services. Luckily, they didn't have to talk much as the Head of MI9 arrived shortly after.

"Officer Patel!" The Head of MI9 shouted, a young police officer came running over, "Take my colleagues son to school please, and can you interview the staff, the Headmaster reported a mugging, and a liquidated bomb was delivered to the Deputy Headmistress." The young officer nodded, and led Jack to his patrol car. unfortunately the school was on break when they arrived, and everyone saw Jack step out of the police car, he put his head down and showed Officer Patel to the Headmaster's office, where Mr Flatley was more that happy to speak to the officer about the attempted mugging. Jack left the office and headed to find Maddy when he was cornered by Mrs King, "In" She said sternly pointing to an empty classroom, Jack sat on one of the desks anxiously, Mrs King closed the door, "Are you okay?" she asked him, it was clear to Jack that she didn't want to be seen to have emotions, inside she was terrified at what was happening. Jack nodded, "been better, but there's emergency services all over my house, so Frank said I'd be better off here, they sent that police officer to speak to you guys." Mrs King nodded, "Anything you need, you come and find me alright?" She told him. Jack left the classroom and found Maddy on the way to drama, he pulled her into the toilets, "What is going on?" she said, "we're going to be late" Jack checked the cubicles were empty by kicking the doors in one by one, "Someone put a bomb in our car, it went off this morning, Frank's with the emergency services now, I wanted to check you were okay?" he asked her, She nodded, "I'll call mum and dad" "Anything happens that's out of the ordinary, you let me know" Maddy smiled and Jack went to drama.

After school had finished for the day, the MI High team hid out in HQ and waited for the school to clear out of students and teachers, before doing a full security sweep and adding extra precautionary measures around the campus. "This has to be CHERUB, its sophisticated, it's targeting everything, Frank had a car bomb, I checked the drains, and found liquid Dugranite, that must have been in the water in the flowers Mrs King received" Rose said, "But Flatley only got mugged, well they didn't even mug him" Carrie said. "That's it Carrie, you're a genius!" Rose said, Carrie looked quite proud of herself, but she was unsure what she had just discovered, "Come on, we need to research Flatley's office, I bet the mugging was just a ruse" "You're thinking listening device?" Oscar asked, Rose nodded, "they know that we're here, there has to be devices around the school

They started to pull Flatley's office apart, "Wait!" Jack said, as Oscar pulled out one of the desk draws, "You guys here that?" he asked, the others shook their heads, "its like a high pitched hum" Oscar shut the draw, "open that draw again?" Jack asked, he went over to the draw and pulled it all the way out, he looked on the back of the draw and saw a round sticker, "got it" He pulled the sticker off and saw a serial number on the back, "okay, there's 250 at least of these to find," The split off and started to re search the rest of the school, "This is hopeless" Oscar said as they met up again after a few hours, "We've found three" Oscar said, "lets call it in, get a team here, we need more people." Rose suggested

MI9 sent a group of 10 agents and the 14 of them worked all night, and finally they had found them all. The other MI9 team took them away to destroy them, as the bell rang for the start of the day. Jack yawned and headed to form.