The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike, est. 2007) Part 2371 by Angharad Copyright© 2014 Angharad All Rights Reserved.

The thumping of my heart echoing through my head was deafening, worse even than when I try to cycle up Portsdown hill. The door was knocked again, I stayed silent sweat breaking out on my forehead and top lip, a little rivulet ran down my back coursing under my bra strap. It felt cold as it soaked into the waistband of my panties. The handle of the door was tried, why I’d locked it I wasn’t sure, but I was glad I had.

I heard footsteps walk away from my door and my breathing began to return to normal. I wasn’t sure what emotion I was feeling, surprise and trepidation because I wasn’t expecting them. I wasn’t scared in the sense of run for your life stuff, but I was very uneasy about things, I still didn’t know what they wanted.

I listened for several minutes, difficult because my heart was still bouncing round in the cavity under my bra and booming in the hearing devices we keep on the sides of our heads. I couldn’t hear anything but my cardiac output. With great tension I almost managed to unlock the door in silence, just a small click announced the lock mechanism working. My hands now felt as sweaty as the rest of me. I drew opn the door and thankfully there was no one around. I locked my iPad in the cupboard and dashed out of my office locking the door behind me.

Below me were the labs up the other end of the corridor was admin with Tom’s office and so on. The decision of which way to go was made for me as footsteps and voices echoed from the admin end. I picked up my handbag and ran down towards the labs, my trainers almost silent on the ceramic tiles which adorned the floors. I used my smart card and entered the main biology lab, shutting the door quietly behind me.

There was a fire door here but that would activate the alarms and security and the fire service would be all over the place. At this stage I didn’t want anyone to know where I was or what I was doing.

If they entered the lab behind me they’d have to know the door code or use a card. There is no way they should have access to either unless they’re students or work here. If they did, they had inside information or someone had loaned them a card—unless they stole it.

I heard noises at the door and with little alternative in places to hide I dived under the base of the dormouse activity pen, the dormice would have fed earlier and either now be rested or be resting.

Footsteps walked down towards me and I was sure the thunder of my heart beat would betray me. It didn’t and I stayed absolutely still barely daring to breathe as the two pairs of shoes went past, the women’s ones with heels clicking on the tiled floors. They walked around a man’s voice declaring I wasn’t here and a moment later the shoes and their wearers went out of the door again, the door closing with a bang.

What was going on? How could they wander about at will? The whole site was supposed to be secure. Escaping from under the dormouse unit was harder than my dive to get in as my jacket had caught on something and it took ten minutes of wriggling and fiddling to get free. I was now hot and bothered to add to my anxiety. I risked a call to Jim.

“Where are you?”

“In my car in the car park, watching their car. Where are you?”

“In one of the labs. I’m going to call security, they seem to be wandering at will.”

“Okay, let me know if you need help.”

“I will, don’t worry.”

I went to one of the internal phones and dialled the number for campus security. “Hello, security.”

“Hi, It’s Dr Watts in biology lab 2A, I’m sure I just saw two people walking about who I don’t recognise.”

“Okay, Dr Watts, we’ll check it out.”

I helped myself to a bottle of water to replace the wet stuff my skin was losing at a rather rapid rate. I’d drunk half of it when there was a tap on the door and it opened with one of the women security people standing in the entrance.

“Been all round, can’t see any sign of them.”

“Okay, Bridget, I’ve finished here, I’ll walk up with you.” We parted at the staff entrance and I walked briskly to my car. I got in and set off for home feeling exhausted and damp. I saw a car follow me from the car park, a Toyota of some sort. Once we got clear it flashed me and I knew it was Jim. I drove home easier and he followed me.

He parked his behind the garage so it wouldn’t be seen from the road unlike mine which was left in full view. Walking into the house with me he told me he’d picked off two bugs which he’d placed on different buses. I hadn’t even thought of that, being simply happy that I’d escaped without them seeing me.

I asked him what was going on. He wasn’t sure, but he was quite convinced it wasn’t just a human interest story. “Why did the young chap dress up like a girl?”

“I have no idea unless it was as a disguise to throw you for a moment, and you’d be less inclined to manhandle her out of you office.”

“Why would I?”

“People generally treat women more gently than they do men. She’d also blend into your classes more easily.”

That concerned me, I was teaching tomorrow—a revision class on basic mammalian biology. I’d been asked to do it for the non science students who were struggling with biochemistry or taxonomy. They had their final end of year exam next week and had pleaded for someone to do the revision—guess who got volunteered. I couldn’t cancel it, there was no time to reschedule or anyone else available. That would mean I would be in the university and although I’d have students around, I’d still be potentially vulnerable.

Jim offered to watch my back and intervene if it looked nasty. Simon came home and we brought him up to date. He wasn’t sure that I wasn’t overreacting to a misunderstanding. He couldn’t explain why one of the men changed into women’s clothes before coming to the university. Nothing made sense.

Jim stayed overnight which made me feel a little safer. Simon did offer to stay home the next day but I told him that Jim and I would do what was necessary to keep us both safe.

Jim tapped his jacket. “You’re not carrying a gun are you?” gasped Simon.

“No, that’s my wallet—I was just checking I hadn’t left it in the car.”

Wallet my arse, he’s packing a gun, is there something he’s not telling me?