continued. ‘Still,’ he looked at King, ‘at least you can be assured that I will be doing all I can to ensure the safety of those who are.’
CHAPTER FOUR: THE AUDITION
a) Regent Street, London
The briefing dragged on for another half an hour or so, as things descended into laborious agreements over departmental minutiae. It often seemed to Toby that the biggest enemy in Intelligence was organisation, the constant battle between sections as to who held responsibility for what. Unsurprisingly, nobody was quite ready for Section 37 to be anything more than an adjunct to the whole affair. He and Shining were to be advisers, allowed to pursue their own line of investigation and offer suggestions as to security matters at Lufford Hall. It was clear, however, that King, reserved the right to dismiss whatever suggestions they might offer.
Toby found it hard not to be a little insulted, but Shining didn’t care.
‘Just knowing that I brought Sir Robin’s ulcers one step closer to erupting is joy enough,’ he said as they walked along Regent Street.
‘That certainly helped,’ Toby admitted.
‘You know what they’re like,’ said Shining, pausing to look at a shirt in the window of Hawes and Curtis, ‘it’s a wonder they wanted to talk to us at all. Anyway, we’re not in this to further our egos, we’re here to save lives.’
‘I know,’ Toby agreed, ‘but a little pandering to the ego wouldn’t hurt.’
Shining smiled. ‘You don’t need their validation, to hell with them, look at how far you’ve come in less than a year. Remember what you were like when you first appeared on my doorstep?’
Toby nodded, he had been at his lowest ebb at that point. Crippled by PTSD and panic attacks, uncertain of his place in the world, let alone the service. He had been sent to Section 37 as a punishment, a way of killing his career stone dead. In actuality, it had been the making of him.
As he thought about that first day, arriving on the doorstep of the Section 37 office, he thought of Tamar, who had originally opened the door to him and that soured his mood even further.
‘She’ll get there,’ said Shining. ‘Just give her time.’
Toby scowled at his superior. ‘Are my thoughts that obvious?’
‘Yes!’ Shining laughed and they continued their way along the street. ‘I can always tell when you’re thinking about Tamar.’
‘How?’
‘You take on a sort of beaten dog look.’
‘Lovely.’
‘I think it’s terribly sweet. Anyway, enough introspection.’ They cut past Piccadilly Circus. ‘What do you think about the matters in hand?’
‘The mobile phone is obviously some form of delivery mechanism, though God knows of what.’
‘Yes, the mobiles do seem key, don’t they? And the fact that they’re all destroyed afterwards is suggestive.’
‘Someone covering their tracks?’
‘Perhaps. Either that or it gives us an idea of the potency of whatever it is the mobiles are triggering.’
‘Some form of signal? Perhaps with a hallucinatory effect?’
‘I have no doubt that’s the line Fratfield is taking, the police too. Doesn’t explain the rain, though, does it?’
‘No. But then, what does?’
‘Brilliant isn’t it? About time we had something exciting to sink our teeth into.’
They entered Leicester Square, Toby tutting as he had to circumnavigate a group of tourists distracted by the questionable wonders of the M&M’s store. ‘Where are we going?’ he asked.
‘To consult an expert,’ Shining replied, ‘though I’m afraid we’ve come at a rather awkward time.’ He gestured towards Leicester Place. ‘She’s performing at the Leicester Square Theatre.’
‘She’s an actress?’
‘She wants to be,’ Shining sighed. ‘She’s appearing in an acting showcase. One of those awful things where a bunch of actors strut around performing little set pieces in front of audiences of agents and casting directors. I was invited but I was determined to be far too busy to
CHAPTER FOUR: THE AUDITION
a) Regent Street, London
The briefing dragged on for another half an hour or so, as things descended into laborious agreements over departmental minutiae. It often seemed to Toby that the biggest enemy in Intelligence was organisation, the constant battle between sections as to who held responsibility for what. Unsurprisingly, nobody was quite ready for Section 37 to be anything more than an adjunct to the whole affair. He and Shining were to be advisers, allowed to pursue their own line of investigation and offer suggestions as to security matters at Lufford Hall. It was clear, however, that King, reserved the right to dismiss whatever suggestions they might offer.
Toby found it hard not to be a little insulted, but Shining didn’t care.
‘Just knowing that I brought Sir Robin’s ulcers one step closer to erupting is joy enough,’ he said as they walked along Regent Street.
‘That certainly helped,’ Toby admitted.
‘You know what they’re like,’ said Shining, pausing to look at a shirt in the window of Hawes and Curtis, ‘it’s a wonder they wanted to talk to us at all. Anyway, we’re not in this to further our egos, we’re here to save lives.’
‘I know,’ Toby agreed, ‘but a little pandering to the ego wouldn’t hurt.’
Shining smiled. ‘You don’t need their validation, to hell with them, look at how far you’ve come in less than a year. Remember what you were like when you first appeared on my doorstep?’
Toby nodded, he had been at his lowest ebb at that point. Crippled by PTSD and panic attacks, uncertain of his place in the world, let alone the service. He had been sent to Section 37 as a punishment, a way of killing his career stone dead. In actuality, it had been the making of him.
As he thought about that first day, arriving on the doorstep of the Section 37 office, he thought of Tamar, who had originally opened the door to him and that soured his mood even further.
‘She’ll get there,’ said Shining. ‘Just give her time.’
Toby scowled at his superior. ‘Are my thoughts that obvious?’
‘Yes!’ Shining laughed and they continued their way along the street. ‘I can always tell when you’re thinking about Tamar.’
‘How?’
‘You take on a sort of beaten dog look.’
‘Lovely.’
‘I think it’s terribly sweet. Anyway, enough introspection.’ They cut past Piccadilly Circus. ‘What do you think about the matters in hand?’
‘The mobile phone is obviously some form of delivery mechanism, though God knows of what.’
‘Yes, the mobiles do seem key, don’t they? And the fact that they’re all destroyed afterwards is suggestive.’
‘Someone covering their tracks?’
‘Perhaps. Either that or it gives us an idea of the potency of whatever it is the mobiles are triggering.’
‘Some form of signal? Perhaps with a hallucinatory effect?’
‘I have no doubt that’s the line Fratfield is taking, the police too. Doesn’t explain the rain, though, does it?’
‘No. But then, what does?’
‘Brilliant isn’t it? About time we had something exciting to sink our teeth into.’
They entered Leicester Square, Toby tutting as he had to circumnavigate a group of tourists distracted by the questionable wonders of the M&M’s store. ‘Where are we going?’ he asked.
‘To consult an expert,’ Shining replied, ‘though I’m afraid we’ve come at a rather awkward time.’ He gestured towards Leicester Place. ‘She’s performing at the Leicester Square Theatre.’
‘She’s an actress?’
‘She wants to be,’ Shining sighed. ‘She’s appearing in an acting showcase. One of those awful things where a bunch of actors strut around performing little set pieces in front of audiences of agents and casting directors. I was invited but I was determined to be far too busy to
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