Maximum Security Robert Muchamore

[Athina Dollison]

MaximumSecurity is the third novel in the CHERUB series of books, written by Robert Muchamore. In this novel CHERUB agents James Adams and Dave Moss infiltrate a maximum security prison in Arizona to get to the son of an international arms dealer.[1]

The FBI discover that Curtis Key, a 14-year-old boy imprisoned in an Arizona maximum security prison for murder, is the son of Jane Oxford, an international arms dealer who has evaded capture for decades. After Oxford steals missiles intended for the British government, British intelligence becomes involved in the hunt for Oxford. It is proposed that CHERUB send agents undercover in the prison to help Curtis escape, in the hope that he will lead the FBI to his mother. James Adams is recruited for the mission, along with Dave Moss, a well-respected CHERUB agent with a reputation for womanising. A third agent is required to assist the escape; James suggests his sister Lauren, who has just passed basic training.

James and Dave go undercover, posing as brothers incarcerated for running over a homeless woman while fleeing a robbery. On their first night in prison, Dave is injured in an altercation with prison officers, leaving James with the sole responsibility of breaking Curtis out. James wins Curtis' trust and the duo escape by posing as prison guards. After meeting up with Lauren, who is posing as James and Dave's sister, and evading the police, the trio make their way to the Idaho ranch of Vaughn Little, a former weapons dealer and associate of Oxford, to hide out while Oxford makes further arrangements. During their stay, James strikes up a relationship with Little's daughter Becky, to Lauren's disgust, as he is still dating Kerry. From there they are taken to Boise, where two of Oxford's henchmen give the three new identities. The henchmen explain that Curtis will travel to Brazil while James and Lauren will be given a new life in Canada. However, Oxford has planned to kill James and Lauren as witnesses to Curtis' escape, and after Curtis leaves for the airport with one of the henchmen, the other one attempts to kill Lauren, who successfully incapacitates him. Mission controller John Jones and the FBI follow Curtis, but instead of going to the airport, Curtis goes to an Oregon motel. Oxford appears, having come for Curtis in person, and is promptly arrested.

James, Dave, and Lauren return home to CHERUB campus. In the epilogue, Oxford refuses to co-operate with authorities and is remanded in ADX Florence, and is expected to face life in prison, though the missiles remain unaccounted for[a]. Little is also incarcerated, while Oxford's henchmen are sentenced to death after their past as contract killers is exposed. Curtis' sentence is reduced to 7 years after it is found that a psychiatrist took a bribe to recommend Curtis to the military school where the incident that precipitated his killing spree occurred. Lauren earns her navy shirt for her performance on the mission, Dave fully recovers from his injuries, and James, Lauren and Dave are awarded the Intelligence Star for their service.

Maximum SecurityMain CharactersJames Adams, Dave MossMissionsArizona missionMain LocationsArizona MaxPublished2005Pages304Followed byThe KillingMaximum Security is the third novel in the CHERUB series of books, written by Robert Muchamore. In this novel CHERUB agents James Adams and Dave Moss infiltrate a maximum security prison in Arizona to get to the son of an international arms dealer.

James and his friends get into a brawl at a bowling alley with a group of chavs after one of them racially abuses Gabrielle. As punishment, James, Kyle, Gabrielle and twins Connor and Callum are each given a recruitment mission. Much to his delight, James is instead offered a role on a major mission. He is joined by Dave Moss, a well respected CHERUB agent with a reputation for womanising, and Lauren. The FBI have discovered that Curtis Key, a 14-year-old boy imprisoned in an Arizona maximum security prison for murder, is the son of Jane Oxford, an international arms dealer who has evaded capture for decades. Recently, she has stolen 35 PGSLM Missiles, which were supposed to be sent to the British Army. With the help of the FBI, James and Dave go undercover into the prison posing as brothers who accidentally ran over a homeless woman in their getaway car, with the intention of breaking Curtis out in the hope that he will lead the FBI to his mother.

James soon befriends Curtis and a gang of skinheads who are protecting him in prison, but within days of arriving Dave is injured in an altercation with prison officers, leaving James the responsibility of breaking Curtis out. The escape goes smoothly and Curtis and James are picked up by Lauren, posing as James and Dave's sister. The three are stopped by police officers and Curtis attempts to kill himself with an unloaded gun, but James and Lauren overpower the officers. They kidnap a woman and force her to drive them to Los Angeles. Upon arrival, Curtis contacts his father, a major breakthrough as the FBI did not know who he was previously. The trio are taken to a ranch in Idaho to stay with Vaughn Little, a former weapons dealer and associate of Jane Oxford. From there they are taken to Boise, Idaho, where two of Jane Oxford's henchmen give the three new identities. The henchmen explain that Curtis will travel to Brazil while James and Lauren will be given a new life in Canada. However, after Curtis leaves for the airport, Lauren is attacked by one of the henchmen, who tries to smother her with a pillow. She fights back and overpowers him by stabbing him in the neck with a Biro. The FBI follow Curtis, and discover Jane has come for him in person. They capture her, concluding the mission as a success.

James, Dave (still recovering from his injuries), and Lauren return home to CHERUB campus. James returns to his room after a day's lessons and discovers a box on his pillow, containing an Intelligence Star with his name engraved on the back.

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