Cherub: Heart of Ice
Chapter 6: Arrival
Note: CHERUB is owned by Robert Muchamore. (Rob to his fans)
Chylo didn't need any time to make a decision. There was no way she was going to stay in a crappy home, and pass up the chance to make something of her life. There was no way she was gaining another roommate (the last one had ended up in a jail somewhere), who could potentially ruin her. She was going to CHERUB if it killed her, which she had reasoned it proberly would. Something that appetising couldn't be good for you. Expecting the worst had make the bad seem positively bright in Chylo's world, and it would be a long time before her cynical attitude disappeared; if ever.
The drive back was uneventful, and for the first half of the journey all she could see was the inside of an empty van. During those long hours nerves had over come her excited determination. What if she wasn't good enough to be in CHERUB? As these doubts kicked in her resolution faltered, but she had already given Mac her answer. At first he had insisted she take time to think, finally relenting. Now she wished that she had, but it was to late now. She had one last night to spend at the home, before she was whisked away to the alien surroundings of CHERUB campus.
It was the early hours of the morning when Chylo arrived back at her most recent lodgings. The entrance and the back were both locked; Chylo checked all the first floor windows as well, but with little luck. At long last she was forced to ring the doorbell. She waited for what seemed ages, before giving up, and climbing the tree around the back. She crawled onto the unstable wooden platform, across to her last hope. She knocked on the window and was rewarded with the sounds of movement.
"Where have you been Chylo?" The house parent Joshua waited for an answer. "Well?" He was rewarded with a shrug. "You've been gone for over twenty-four hours. Where?"
At long last Chylo realised that she had to answer. "Robbing banks." She yawned loudly.
"Get to bed Chylo. I don't have time for this at three-thirty in the morning. We'll deal with you tomorrow."
"Whatever." Normally Chylo would have grumbled, but she had a secret. She was leaving tomorrow.
It might have been kinder to let Chylo go to school, but Joshua was the senior member at the home, and he was keen to get to the bottom of Chylo's long disappearance. His logic was faultless. Chylo had disappeared for nearly thirty hours, turned up in the early hours of the morning, and was sporting a swollen lip, and tow black eyes. She was also dead on her feet, and thus in a bad state to attend school
Jenny shook Chylo awake.
"Get up Chylo. Joshua wants to see you in his office."
Chylo sat up and winced. Her body was a mass of bruises, and her head felt heavy. She was nursing a headache as well.
"OK."
"You've got five minutes." The disapproval rang strong in Jenny's tone. She obviously knew the full story.
"Eight." Chylo dragged herself from her bed, ignoring the pounding of her head. She pulled on some clothes, and staggered down the corridor. Her head rested on the door handle, before she shoved the door open and strode in. She had five hours to kill before pick y up. She had nothing to lose by speaking her mind.
Chylo waited outside Meryl Spencer's office, wearing a new CHEUB uniform, with a pale blue trainee T-shirt. Meryl was Chylo's handler at CHERUB, and she looked tough, but right now she was busy shouting at somebody named James. According to the odd work that drifted through, he had been a stupid idiot…again.
It wasn't very long before a boy in a navy shirt stepped out of the room. Blond hair across his head, and a black eye was prominent on his otherwise charming features. James flashed her a grin and nodded to her.
"Meryl's alright really. Names James."
"Chylo."
"Nice meeting you. Got to run."
Chylo shook her head at his retreating form and let herself into Meryl Spencer's office. She took a seat quickly not sure what to expect.
"Where did you get this?" Meryl held up a wad of money.
"Saved it."
"You saved up to three thousand? I don't think so Chylo. Try again."
Knowing she was defeated she had the grave to look embarrassed as she supplemented. "I stole it. Should have realised you'd know. Sorry about that." She smiled uneasily, wondering if this was yet another test.
"Chylo do you see that track outside my window? Next time you lie to me, I'll have you running laps till you're dizzy. I prefer it if you'd play it straight with me." She winked. "James still hasn't learnt." Chylo thought she could just make out James running the track.
"He said he had to run."
"Yes. Now onto business what you're new name going to be?"
"My new name? Oh right." Chylo caught on quickly. "Chylo Kathrin Brooks." She smiled to herself. She'd chosen Brooks after an author. Not original but she like it. She thought it sounded much better than Chylo Cheesewright. Much better.
"Brilliant. I'll get David to show you to your room. Training starts in one month."