I’m just about to greet them when Stacey quickly puts her finger to her lips, telling me to be quiet. She points down to the couch beside her.
Emily is fast asleep on the right of Stacey with her head on Stacey’s lap. My heart lifts and a broad smile spreads across my face. Only a short time ago, I was seriously worried I may never see my little girl again.
“Hi, girls,” I whisper. “Are you okay? How have things been up here?”
Lindsay’s face turns quite serious. “It has been a bit frantic, to be honest, Andy,” she half-whispers. "Soon after you left, Sir Malcolm came out of his office, shouting and screaming, asking where you were, and pretty drunk. Catherine tried to calm him down, but he just shouted at her then went back into his office. It upset Emily.”
“Where is Catherine now?” I ask.
“She went to check on him just now, then came out and said she was just going to her office, but she wouldn’t be long.”
“Okay.”
Lindsay continues, “Not long after that episode, we heard all the gunfire start from downstairs and then the explosions. We were all worried obviously, but Emily was really quite distraught, wasn’t she, Stacey?”
“Yes, she was, she kept asking where you were and that she wanted to see you. She has only really just calmed down and then she fell asleep. We’ve only just put the news on because she’s asleep.”
“I’m sorry about that. I know it must have been bad up here, they just suddenly broke in through the windows and we had to fight them off.”
“Is everyone okay?” Lindsay asks and I tell her about Ian and Steve, which does upset her somewhat.
“How are things with you, Stacey? I’m sorry I wasn’t here. Have you managed to speak to your mum and dad?” I ask.
“I spoke to them about half an hour ago. They couldn’t speak for long, but they were alright and still hiding. But they said they can hear the things in the building.” A look of worry crosses Stacey’s face.
“Try not to worry too much, Stacey; if they are hiding, then with any luck, these things won’t even know they are there.” I try to reassure her whilst not being too confident myself.
I go around the front of the couch, lean in and give Emily a light kiss on her head. She sniffles a little bit but stays asleep, which is probably the best thing for her at the moment. As much as I’d love to pick her up and give her a big hug, I have things that need sorting.
“What is the news saying?” I ask.
“Well we haven’t had it on for long because of Emily,” Stacey starts, “but they have said that most of North London’s reporting infected cases and that the army is doing its best to stop the spread of it, whatever that means? That everyone should continue to stay indoors and lock all doors and windows. They haven’t said much about if there is a cure or anything.
“They do keep saying that there have been no reported cases outside the quarantine zone and life outside London’s carrying on as normal. They’ve just said the Government is still operating fully and is now setting up in Birmingham. The Symphony Hall there is going to be the new temporary Parliament. Apparently, the Prime Minister will be making a statement from Birmingham shortly,” Lindsay finishes.
“Oh, and the Royals are safe and at Balmoral. Well, lucky them,” She adds sarcastically.
Again, I try to reassure. “I am sure they are doing everything possible to stop this and get to the people still in London.” This time, I really am not confident, as the powers that be might have already written London off and there’s no telling what they might have planned for it.
“Will you two be alright here with Emily for a while? I’ve got some phone calls I have to make and I want to check on Catherine. I will only be in my office if you need me or if Emily wakes?”
“Yes, of course, we are Andy; you carry on. Emily is in the best place for her at the moment, asleep,” Lindsay says, and Stacey agrees.
“Thanks, if you need anything, let me know.” With that, I give Emily another small kiss.
The door to Catherine’s office is closed, but mine is open so I go in and straight over to the interconnecting door between Catherine’s office and mine. This door is usually open but it is closed now, so I knock and poke my head in. She looks up to me with the phone attached to her ear, gives me a big smile and waves me in. Lifting my M4 over my head, I collapse into one of the chairs opposite her.
“Yes, Mum, I will. Now, I have got to go; Andy has just arrived back, okay? I love you, yes Mum, bye.” Catherine finishes, gets up, and comes straight around the desk to sit in the chair next to me.
“Andy, you look drained; what on Earth happened down there?”
“It wasn’t good, they broke through the windows in the foyer. There were hundreds of them, and they came at us relentlessly. We lost Ian and Steve. I didn’t think I was going to get out of there myself for a minute.” Catherine reaches to put her hand on my shoulder, but I pull back. This shocks her.
“Sorry,” I say to her smiling. “It’s not you—I just need to have a shower and get a change of clothes; things got pretty messy down there.”
“Eew,” she laughs, “why don’t you go and do that now, and I’ll get you some clothes ready. It will make you feel better.”
“I will shortly. I need to call Colonel Reed first and try to get Josh again, but tell me what happened with Sir Malcolm?”
“I’m sure Josh is fine; he is
