WARMER James caught a glimpse as the mini-bus driven by Mr Large passed the window of his classroom. He leapt noisily out of his chair, making his maths teacher turn away from the whiteboard in mid-sentence. ‘They’re back from training,’ James explained excitedly, grabbing the olive-coloured combat coat off the back of his chair. ‘Can I go meet my sister?’ Luckily, maths was James’ best subject and he was on good terms with Mrs Brennan. She handed James his homework assignment, which he stuffed inside his backpack as he jogged down the corridor between the classrooms and out through a set of double doors into the cold. James stopped for a moment to zip up his coat and hook his backpack over both shoulders so it didn’t slide off as he ran. As James did this, Bethany’s eight-year-old brother burst out of the doors behind him. Jake was a cute kid, with big brown eyes and spiky hair. ‘You going over to meet them as they leave the training compound?’ Jake asked. ‘Course,’ James nodded.
