Aurora

by Karen Page

Part 5

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Part 5

A week's staycation in November wasn't what some people would have regarded as exciting, but Tina had come to stay. It wasn't for security reasons, but she'd finished a project and was on her own. Luke was still away and would be for a while. Tina knew she could get sent away at short notice, but decided she might as well spend that time with her sister than on her own.

"What do you want to do?" asked Ashleigh. It was early Tuesday morning, and her sister had just arrived. She must have set off early to get there just before 9am.

"I'd like to do some walks in the area. It doesn't sound exciting, but it's something I've not been able to do while away."

"No problem. Where? Locally or further afield?"

"Locally if that's okay. You know, walks along the canal, up to some of the beacons. That kind of thing."

"Sure. Last time you stayed here you used to go for runs in the morning and evening. I'm not as fit as you."

"I'm not after hikes and pushing limits."

"Great, then dump your things in the spare room and get into your walking shoes and let's go. It's going to rain, but I've no issue with that. I have waterproofs you can borrow."

They decided on a walk along the canal. As with canals, it was flat and therefore would be easy. Evan dropped them off at Rea Bridge, so they had many options on how far they went. They'd come back on foot. It took them twenty minutes to walk from Rea Bridge to The Pilot, which was the next bridge along the canal. It had been a brisk walk, to warm themselves up, and it had been mostly in silence.

"Onto the next bridge?" Ashleigh asked, wondering if Tina was going to say what was playing on her mind.

"Sure," responded Tina, looking at some ducks swimming near the bridge. There were a few smaller ducklings following an adult.

As they walked on, Ashleigh said, "You're with me. You're not on a mission now, so no need to hide."

"Hide?"

"I don't need specifics, but you seem to be a million miles away. Something's eating at you."

"You don't need that in your head," responded Tina.

"I'm your sister. You listened to some of my issues. We work for the same person. We might be doing different things, but it doesn't mean I can't be there for you. I've had situations before in my old company that were pretty messed up."

"I'm okay. I've already talked with someone at work. When we come back from an investigation, we always have to have several chats with a psychiatrist."

"Good, but I'm still here if you need me. I'm sure Luke is someone you can be open with, but he is still away. Is this the first time you've been apart?"

"No. We sometimes have solo investigations and sometimes team ones. I've even been on a few without Luke but other people." Tina paused before saying, "It is the first time he's not been there after a shitty one."

Ashleigh hadn't heard Tina talk with loathing when she said shitty. Whatever had happened must have been bad. In some ways it wasn't a surprise. She knew they went undercover and the type of places that would be investigated were probably not ones to have tea and cake on a Friday.

Ashleigh gently slipped her hand into her sisters as they continued to walk towards the marina at Saul. She whispered to her sister, "I love you."

Tina didn't say anything but didn't remove her hand. Ashleigh had no idea what her sister had been through, and in some respects it didn't matter. Her sister was in pain and needed to be with her. That's all that counted.

They kept walking along the canal footpath for five miles until they got to Saul Junction. This was where two canals met and in such an important area there was a marina for narrowboats to moor. It was a cold November day. The rain had stopped, but it was still murky. There wasn't the public milling around admiring the narrowboats, but there was still activity. For some, the narrowboat was something they took out at the weekend or during the summer. For others, it was where they lived and there were always people around.

The canal wasn't generally used for shipping goods anymore, but there were still larger boats making their way towards Gloucester and beyond. Boats didn't navigate the Severn between Sharpness and Gloucester due to the bends and silt. They used this canal instead. Even the tall-ships made their way to Gloucester via the canal for the tall ship festival.

"You want to stop for a bite to eat?" Ashleigh enquired.

"An all-day breakfast?" Tina responded instantly, letting go of Ashleigh's hand. "That's if The Stables Café is still here."

"It is. Though can we sit inside?"

"I asked to sit outside in the cold once, and you never let me forget it."

"Of course not. There was snow on the ground, and you wanted to sit outside."

"I was eight. I can't even remember why I wanted to. I just remember the event because you and Caroline keep mentioning it."

"You tease Caroline and me too. It goes both ways."

It was quiet inside. During the summer, it was packed with visitors. They ordered their food and sat at a small table overlooking the canal.

"Have you spoken to Caroline recently?" Ashleigh asked her sister.

"Not since my last trip. Why?"

"She has some news for you."

"What? Is she pregnant?"

For the last year this was the main topic of conversation with Caroline. She'd so wanted a baby, but it never seemed to happen. Tina knew she couldn't carry a baby herself and with the job she did she didn't even contemplate adoption. That would be when they moved on from their current employment.

"Yes."

"That's great news," said Tina with some awe. "I'll have to go see her before I go away again. Wow, my biggest sister is pregnant. We're going to be aunties."

The meal arrived and they set about tackling the food. The contents on both plates disappeared rapidly. A rainy walk on a cold and dank day always made them hungry. Well, any walk made them hungry. The hot chocolate helped with the cold and dank bit.

"Do you want to carry on along the canal or head on home?"

"Home," said Tina and they went on their way out of the café.

"You think of where you live as home?" asked Tina as they made their way along the narrow lane.

"For now. I like the place."

"I was surprised how you it was. You seem to fit there perfectly."

"I didn't decorate it. It came like that. Hilda organized it as part of the refurbishment that happened on all the houses used for the project. It's almost—"

"Almost?"

Ashleigh was silent for a few seconds as she processed her thoughts. She didn't feel comfortable with the conclusion but what could she do?

"It's almost as if Hilda had me in mind when she did the work. I don't think Becky knows though. She was shocked when she saw me when I started. Was Hilda the third person who recommended me?"

"That's—" Tina trailed off. She didn't know what to say. Then a spark of inspiration. "You didn't have to accept the job, did you?"

"No. But it wasn't really a job I could turn down. I suppose I could have, but the way it was described made it so appealing."

"And has the job met what Miss T said it was?"

"Yes, and more. It is such an exciting job and so fulfilling. To be honest, I'm not sure what I'll do when the project finishes?"

"So, what are you worried about?"

"Did Hilda set me up as a replacement wife for Becky?"

"If she did recommend you, then it seems she brought you together. But anything that happened since you arrived is purely between you. When I was at music school, we were paired with another pupil. They were called our Study Partner. We were put together because we would be on the same wavelength. Some things at the school were stressful and our study partners were someone they knew we would be able to be open with. Someone they thought we would be able to trust. Someone who could hold us to drive away the fear. Not all Study Partners fell in love, but the majority did. We weren't forced together but we were highly compatible."

"So, it was like a dating app?"

"Not really. It was a lot more effective than that. But it wasn't there for romance, it was there for support and help. That we fell in love seemed to be a happy side effect. When I got to the school, I was worried that nobody would like me. Yet we all had a common thread, the music and a desire to learn. It became home."

Tina added almost contemplatively, "It was a family."

"I wish I could see the school."

"That's not going to happen," said Tina firmly.

"I know. I don't need to know. Just so you know, Jenny is still thoughtful about it. She is trying to find out more about her mum's past. I'm not aware she's found much. A few stories about concerts and how wonderful the orchestra is. That's about it. She knows the bits that Becky's been able to impart. But the bits before they met is a closed book."

Ashleigh suspected that Tina had transitioned at the school. She'd thought this since the Mix Up Monday comment. If they all cross dressed at the school, then it sounded like a way for other students to understand what the trans students were going through. There was no sign of an Adams Apple on her, nor any scar from surgery. It all pointed to Tina not having gone through a male puberty. From what she'd read, that was against all the rules the NHS had.

"I only know what I saw as a student. I didn't really know anything about her. The only people I would suggest is Miss T or Dr Rachel Ruiz at the school. She was my support contact there. I think she was the closest friend she had there. This was four months ago that Jenny told you about her aunt. Why are you asking now?"

"I hoped she would stop looking, but she hasn't. It has become a passion. I'm just nervous that she finds something she doesn't like."

Tina shrugged. "The Hilda I knew was compassionate and dedicated to her job. If there are skeletons, I doubt they would be big ones. But you never know how far someone will go in helping others."

The journey wasn't as pleasant back as the walk along the canal. Apart from the two villages they went through, most of the journey was on country lanes with no pavements. Both women were on constant watch to step into the verge out of the way of oncoming vehicles. The rain might have cleared, but the sodden earth made stepping off the road a muddy affair.

By the time they got back to Ashleigh's house, they were glad to be there. At the door they got out of their muddy boots and shed their coats. The cosy house made them feel glad to be back.

"Why don't you go grab a shower," suggested Ashleigh. "I'm going to put on some soup. Will tomato be good for you?"

"Sounds great," agreed Tina. "I won't be long."

Their afternoon relaxing was disturbed by the front doorbell ringing. Ashleigh wasn't expecting anybody and went to the door to investigate.

"Hi Jenny," said Ashleigh when she'd opened the door to discover the seven-year-old. "Do you want to come in?"

"Thanks," she replied entering the house. "I heard that Mrs Poop is here."

"I am," said Tina from the door to the lounge. "It's nice to see you again."

"Are you going to work at my school again?" ask Jenny, not bothering with any niceties.

"Not this time. I'm not here to work. I'm on holiday and visiting Ashleigh."

"Jenny," said Ashleigh gravely. "Remember what I'd mentioned about expected social behaviour."

"Oh yes. Hi Mrs Poop, how are you?"

Tina tried not to smile and responded, "I'm well thank you. I had a nice walk along the canal with Miss Thompson. How was school?"

"It was good. I'm in the next year now, and they are teaching us new things. We've been doing work on coastal erosion."

"Do you want some squash?" asked Ashleigh as they went into the lounge.

"Please," responded Jenny and Tina at the same time.

Ashleigh laughed and headed into the kitchen. Whilst there, she rang Rebecca to make sure she was aware where her daughter was.

"Thanks for ringing," said Rebecca. "But I knew where she was. When she got back from school, I mentioned Tina was visiting. She was out the door like a shot."

"I can feed her if you want?"

"That's great. We're in the middle of some delicate calculations, so we might be at it for another few hours."

"Come round when you're finished."

Ashleigh gathered the drinks and went into the lounge. Tina and Jenny were chatting away in French, but stopped and looked up as she came in. Ashleigh smiled; it was good practice for Jenny.

"Jenny, I asked your ma if you could stay for dinner. She said yes. Are you okay with that?"

"Yes. They are busy in the lab. I think they are trying for a big test on Friday."

"Are things going well then?" asked Tina.

"They are now," said Ashleigh. "There were a few issues. Thankfully there was only one fire."

"A fire?!" croaked Tina, aghast.

Jenny nodded solemnly. "Not a big one."

"It was more smoke than flame," said Ashleigh. "Anyway, they worked out what went wrong, and tests have been going well. Sorry, but we can't say much more than that."

"I'm not asking," laughed Tina.

"Anyway, why don't we all cook, and then we can have a nice game while we wait for your ma?"

"What're we going to make?" asked Jenny.

"How about something simple and quick? We have some mince in, so how about a cottage pie?"

"What's that?" asked Jenny.

"It's mince in a stock gravy with mash potatoes on top."

"I've never done mash before."

"That's 'never made mash before'. Not 'done mash before'," corrected Ashleigh.

"I'm up for cottage pie," said Tina to Ashleigh, then turned to Jenny. "Then an opportunity to learn, if you want."

"Yes please."

"Then cooking we will do. Let's go and wash our hands and make ourselves a delicious meal."

Jenny had a passion for learning and lapped it up, just like she did when she was listening in the lab.

"We have another big thing to do," said Ashleigh when they'd finished eating.

"What's that?" asked Jenny.

"We have to wash the dishes."

"I'll dry," said Tina quickly. "Jenny, do you want to wash or put away?"

"Put away."

There wasn't that much to do. Most went into the dishwasher. It was just the two pans and that didn't take them long. They then all settled down for some games. Tina seemed to have stopped brooding and Ashleigh hoped that things were working out.

* * *

The scream in the middle of the night woke Ashleigh. She'd lived on her own most of her life, and something like that was something she'd never encountered. On the few occasions she'd had guests in the spare room, they'd never disturbed her sleep.

"Tina," she thought and rushed out of bed to make sure her younger sister was okay.

The house was dark. This was the first time that she'd tried wandering around the house at night. She'd been used to streetlights causing some glow, but out in rural Gloucestershire there were no lights. She switched on her bedroom light and left her bedroom door open so she would be able to see her sister's room. Ashleigh tried to open the door quietly, but Tina looked around when she popped her head around the door.

"Are you okay?" asked Ashleigh. She then berated herself. Her sister wasn't okay. What as stupid question to ask someone who'd just woken up with a nightmare.

"Sorry I disturbed you," mumbled Tina, making no attempt to pretend she was okay.

Ashleigh came into her sister's room and perched on the side of the bed. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Gah, no. That's the last thing I want to do."

Ashleigh moved across to be next to her sister. She thought for a few seconds about what to say. She hated seeing her sister like this. "Was it just a bad dream, or were you reliving what happened?"

There was no sound from Tina apart from the occasional sniffle. She eventually said, "A mixture. It was a bit of reliving what happened and the dreams about what I presume must have been happening."

"So how was this one different from your normal investigations?"

"It just was. I know you want to help, but I can't say more. Can you accept that?"

"Okay. Get back into bed. Do you mind if I keep you company? See if someone with you keeps the nightmares away?"

"You'd do that?"

"What are sisters for?"

The next morning, they woke to the sun streaming through the window. Ashleigh woke first, confused that there was someone snuggled in her arms. It wasn't long before Tina was waking up, caused by Ashleigh trying to ease away without waking her sister.

"Thank you," said Tina. "That really helped."

"Really?"

"Yes. I'm so glad I've come to stay. I would have hated being on my own at a time like this."

"Okay, so what do you want to do today?"

"What about Haresfield Beacon? I love the view from there. I'll buy us lunch at The Beacon Inn."

"It's not a long walk, unless we walk up from Haresfield."

"No way. It's too steep. Perhaps we can walk a bit more along The Cotswold Way?"

"Okay. Perhaps I can get Jenny to try it one day."

"I remember you conning Caroline to do that walk once. I've no idea how you walk up that hill so easily. She was supposed to be the fit one with all her sports, yet you seemed to waltz up it and everybody else just puffs along."

"I thought you were fitter now!"

"I am, but torture is illegal. Okay, I'm getting up before this conversation gets worse. Are you okay if I go for a run before breakfast?"

"Have fun!"

While Tina was exercising, Ashleigh knew she had time to find out what was happening. She decided to ring the one person she knew would be able to give answers. This was a call to their personal mobile, not their office.

"Ashleigh?" answered Laura Taylor.

"Hi. Sorry for ringing you, but I'm worried about Tina."

"How bad is she?" asked Laura, sounding concerned.

That was confirmation enough that what Tina had gone through was bad, but it sounded that Laura understood what was going on. She was also relieved that Laura hadn't tried pretending that there shouldn't be anything amiss.

"It's hard to know. She's brooding and cried out from a nightmare. She won't tell me what's happened. I presume you know. With Luke away, she came to stay with me. Yet I don't know how to help her as I don't know what's playing on her mind."

"Tina did everything right. She just encountered an issue she wasn't trained to deal with. Nobody on the investigation team is trained for what she had to deal with. Yet she didn't give up and managed to not only complete what she went out for but expose what else she found. From what we could tell, she didn't start getting issues until she was back. She saw the psychiatrist for several sessions, but he said it was going to be difficult for her to come to terms with what she encountered."

"Is she benched?"

"In theory, no. In practice, I've been advised she isn't ready for another investigation. I'm glad you let me know she was suffering. I'm going to come down this afternoon to see how the project is going. Is it okay if I come with a friend this evening for a meal?"

"Okay. Are there any dietary requirements?"

"Yes, she must make her stroganoff. She got the recipe from one of the pupils at the school and its rather special. I've yet to work out what her secret ingredient is."

"If she's up to it."

"It's the quiet time that gets her, not when she's busy."

Ashleigh felt a bit bewildered. "Okay, see you tonight."

She was sorting out a cooked breakfast when Tina came back. "Do I have time for a shower?"

"It will be ten minutes."

Tina pulled off her footwear and scarpered upstairs, leaving Ashleigh to continue making breakfast. Making a full English breakfast wasn't something she did often, but she had the ingredients in, and knew if they were hiking, they needed sustenance.

Tina didn't dawdle with her shower and was soon back, just in time to get out the cutlery.

"You seem less worried," said Tina as they ate their first meal of the day.

"Am I?" stalled Ashleigh, unsure if Tina was going to be angry.

"Yes. What did you do?" asked Tina, her eyes narrowing.

"We have two guests tonight. The only request was that you make stroganoff. Something about a secret ingredient."

"You rang Miss T." That wasn't a question, but an undeniable fact. "How could you?"

"You aren't authorised to tell me what's going on. You are suffering. She can tell me. I don't know who is coming with her."

Tina finished mopping up the remains of the egg yolk with the toast and went into the kitchen. She started looking in cupboards.

"What are you doing?" asked Ashleigh when Tina closed the third cupboard and opened the fridge.

"Checking what you've got in. What we need to purchase on the way back from our walk. You, interfering sister of mine, are going to make a Bakewell tart for dessert. We better make it for at least five people. I'm sure Jenny will want to eat with us. Should we do it for everybody?"

"We don't have the room! I'm sure it would be nice for Jenny to be here, but I think there might be things discussed that she really shouldn't hear. You seem to get on well with Jenny."

"As do you! Jenny has her own issues but seeing someone young like that keeps my feet on the ground. It reminds me no matter the things I come against; it is keeping them safer than they were."

They put the dishes to soak and grabbed their things for the days walk. At least the day would be dry, but certainly not warm. There had been some ground frost overnight, but it was gone by the time they ventured out.

"You know when you did that stint as a Teaching Assistant at Jenny's school? Were you really qualified for that?" asked Ashleigh. They'd just gone past Jenny's school, and it reminded her that thought she'd had since Tina had last visited.

"Of course," responded Tina indignantly. "I did the qualification course and passed with flying colours. I then spent two months at a school making sure I had the practical experience. This was two years ago."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did you do it then?"

"When we aren't investigating, we don't just sit on our backside waiting for the next assignment. We train so if we need to be in a certain situation we can blend in. You can only do something seamlessly if you are good enough at it. If you aren't you would look suspicious. At best, you'd get sacked from where you're investigating, or worse, if they're really bad, you could be killed."

"I suppose," mused Ashleigh out loud. "I'd never thought about it. What you do seems so alien to me."

"And working on a top-secret science project is beyond what I would be able to handle. Yet you seem to have fitted right in and got the scientists eating out of your hand."

"Be glad you weren't here several weeks ago. You would have a totally different opinion of my skill."

"Oh?"

"Evan and Liam had a nice trip down the rabbit hole. They worked for days without sleep or proper food. It was my job to make sure that didn't happen."

"I hope you aren't too angry with me," stated Ashleigh, afraid to look at her sister.

"I'm not angry. I'm nervous and scared. You did what you thought was right. I'm grateful you came and held me last night. It really helped."

"That's what sisters do for each other. Family. I'm sure that you and Luke give each other support."

"Yes."

"How long will he be away?"

"At least another few months."

"You're welcome to have Christmas here, if you like. I don't want you on your own."

"Thanks," Tina beamed. "I'll let you know. I might be on another investigation, or there might be someone else alone. We like to be there for each other for holidays."

"I don't have more room," said Ashleigh with a slight tinge of regret.

They were glad that they'd brought a change of footwear with them. The ground from the carpark to the beacon was soft with all the rain the previous day. The ground around the first style was beyond soft, it was a pool of mud. This didn't stop Ashleigh or Tina. They pressed on and were soon at the stone structure that was Haresfield Beacon. With the clearer weather, the view was just as they both remembered. They could see right down the valley where the River Severn flowed towards Sharpness.

"This is one of the best views in the area," stated Tina. "I love seeing it."

"Only the best in the area?"

Tina shrugged. "I've seen so many different views in this country and abroad. You can't really compare them. Something different catches my eye in each one. Mountain views, coastal views, even some cities can be spectacular, though I prefer the natural landscape."

"For me it's being on a boundary. We are looking over the valley, but if we turn, all we've got are hills. The wind in our hair, and the clean smell of the trees from the woods below. I've always lived in the city. When I lived with our parents, we were in the outskirts but still in a built-up area. Coming out to the country was always a break, but the clubs and shops were always a bigger pull. I've been where I am now for three months, and it's grown on me. I've not missed living in the city like I thought I would."

"I suppose having someone you're partial to is nothing to do with it."

"I don't know what you mean," retorted Ashleigh, blushing.

"Right," responded Tina sarcastically.

"We are colleagues. I don't want to do anything to interrupt the project. Anyway, her wife hasn't been dead long. She needs time."

"At least you aren't denying things. Life can be short. Don't let things just drift."

"Great, I'm getting relationship advice from someone who married their school friend."

"And I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Do you still want to have lunch out or get back to prepare for later."

"What time are they due?"

"Laura is visiting the project first. I've no idea when the other person's arriving, or who they are."

"Then let's go get the food we need, and we can start preparing. Mine doesn't take that long, but I know you will want to make the pastry for the tart yourself, rather than a shop bought one."

"Too right," said Ashleigh as they made their way back to the car. "Making your own pastry doesn't take long to do, and it tastes so much better."

Having called at a supermarket for the missing ingredients and a few extra days of provisions, they went back to Ashleigh's. As they turned into the driveway, they spotted a different car in the old pub's carpark.

"It looks like Miss T is there," said Tina as she grabbed one of the shopping bags.

"Why do you call her that?" asked Ashleigh unlocking the front door.

"No idea, we all do. We called her mum Mrs T. I suppose it is something a bit different, but also respectful."

"Do you think she minds that I call her Laura?" asked Ashleigh, a bit concerned.

"I doubt it. She cares more about results. I presume she introduced herself as Laura to you?"

"Yes."

"Then to you she's Laura. Look, why don't you go see how the project update is going. I can see to the shopping."

"Are you sure?"

"I think I can manage. It's night times which seem to get me. I survived on my own before I came to stay with you."

Ashleigh paused and looked her sister over. Tina wasn't her cheerful self, but there didn't appear to be any large warning signs. "Okay, but if you need me, you know where I am."

"Do you want me to do the pastry?"

"If I'm not back in an hour."

* * *

"Aren't you supposed to be on holiday," remarked Laura Taylor as Ashleigh tried to sneak into the discussion room. The bodyguard stationed outside knew who she was and just let her through.

"I'm just seeing if all was okay."

"I've had an impressive demonstration and look forward to seeing how Friday's bigger test goes. They've been doing some very impressive work. If Friday's test goes to plan, then I will be back next week to discuss with them how they want to progress with the next phase. Now, let's go up to your office and discuss what you've been doing."

Laura led the way with Ashleigh following behind. As Ashleigh was about to leave the room, she turned round and saw the four other project members watching. Ashleigh gave two thumbs up and mouthed, 'Good job'. She was rewarded by big smiles.

When they got to Ashleigh's office, Laura stepped to one side so Ashleigh could go in first. Laura followed Ashleigh inside and shut the door behind them.

"How's Tina?" Laura asked, taking the visitor seat. Ashleigh had long stopped thinking of it as Julie's. They talked often via the phone or instant messenger, but she rarely visited anymore.

"Broody. She is worse at night. Can you tell me what happened? Is there anything I can do to help her?"

"You're doing it. You're giving her love and kindness. For now, that is all we can do. She didn't do anything wrong. She just came into a situation she wasn't prepared for. I'm not sure anybody could be prepared for it. How quickly did it take her to realise you'd called me?"

"As soon as she came back from her run. I've no idea how, but she seemed to sense I wasn't as stressed as earlier. As soon as I mentioned about her cooking a stroganoff, she knew I'd called you."

"Smart girl," smiled Laura. "Was she upset?"

"She didn't seem to be. I think she's relieved or resigned. I take it Luke can't come back at the moment?"

"We'll discuss that option later, when we're with Tina. I don't want her to think we've been going behind her back. Now, let's discuss this project."

The discussion didn't take long. Laura didn't seem to have any issues with the work Ashleigh was doing, and she had frequent reports anyway. It was just finding out what hadn't been said rather than the day-to-day.

"What's the next stage?" asked Ashleigh as Laura had finished her questions.

"The power for the ship. Henry now has a good idea on the power requirements. They've come a long way with it already, but it needs finalising. Since you are now using the technology to power this site, I'm hoping that part won't take too long."

"I ordered the parts for the power source. They're in storage across the road, in one of the old industrial units."

"Great, that tallies with what Evan said."

"Are you going to commercialise the power work?"

Laura smiled. "Of course. It's good that you're thinking on those lines. However, that is secondary to the project."

"What happened to the people that broke into the lab? I heard trackers were put on them, but then nothing."

"A group got excited about this project. It seems the people they work for wasn't pleased they broke in. For some reason, they want this project to succeed. Its concerning that they want that, but until we find out why, there isn't anything you should worry about. It just means you won't need to have security upgraded more than it currently is."

"Are you watching us?"

"No, but we are keeping an eye on the perimeter, and I have people listening out just in case you get attention you don't want. You have my number if there is anything else untoward. Now, why don't you get back to your break, while I have some more fun in the lab."

"Am I needed for Friday's test?"

"No, you are on holiday. There isn't anything you need to do. Relax. You will be very busy post test."