Past, Present, Future
I don't own CHERUB: Robert Muchamore does
Hi everyone! In case anyone was wondering, James Adams is 15 in this fic, three years from when he joined CHERUB, and for the purposes of the plot Mac is still chairman. I checked the website and it said that Zara took over in 2006, so I'm making it late 2006. Hope you like it!
"James!" James Adams spun around to face a small boy in the standard CHERUB uniform with his newly acquired grey shirt. He looked remarkably like James, with floppy blonde hair and bright blue eyes. "You're James Adams, aren't you?" he panted.
"That's me," James grinned. "And you are?"
"Finn McArthur, I used to be a red shirt."
"So Finn, you here for some girlfriend tips or something?"
"No, Mac wants to see you in his office," Finn said, noticing how the older agent's smug grin was wiped off his face and quickly replaced by a worried frown.
"Do you know what it's about?" James started to fret, wondering what he'd done this time. From memory, the last time he done something punishable was filling Bethany's pillow with baked beans two week before, but he still hadn't been found out. Was that it?
"He just said it was urgent." James swore and ran down the corridor towards the lift, shouting "thanks!" to Finn as he went. He arrived several minutes later outside Mac's office and skidded to a halt. The chairman's PA gave him a disapproving glare and told him to sit and wait. James did as he was told for once and tried to catch his breath. Reassuringly he was called into the office a few moments later, so he can't have been in much trouble, he reasoned.
The workplace of the chairman was pretty much as the black-shirt remembered it. There were a few photos littering the desk, behind which were many cardboard boxes. The bookshelves were empty and the window sill which had once held several rare species of flower was bare. In a cosy armchair, surrounded by files, and sitting behind the mahogany desk was Dr Terence McAfferty, a.k.a. Mac. He had his nose inside an orange file and didn't seem to acknowledge the entrance of the teenager.
"Um," James began.
"Sit down Mr Adams," was the reply. Mac sat up and looked straight at James, who squirmed. "Normally, missions would be up to the mission controllers. I have, this one time, decided to take this into my own hands." James sagged with relief – it wasn't that serious. "A situation has arisen near Nebraska House, the care home you used to live in. We have been asked to put several agents in who are familiar to the area, so we naturally chose you. Unfortunately Lauren is on a different mission that is at its climax, so we need to find another agent to go with you. They should be young enough to pose as your younger brother or sister who has just been discovered, and should bear some resemblance to you. Any ideas?" James started to shake his head until he remembered the kid who had told him to go to Mac's office. What was his name again? Finn something? Mac scratched his head thoughtfully when James mentioned his name.
"You mean Finn McArthur? The little grey shirt? I don't know, James, he's only just come out of basic. The mission's not exactly very challenging, but I don't know whether you'd need someone else watching your back as well. Finn's only ten, after all." Mac rummaged in one of the desk drawers. "How about..."
To be continued (if anyone wants me to?). Good, bad, did I waffle on too much? Please please please review!
-wolfergirl
Today's Bible verse: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes." Romans 1:16