"About ten minutes ago, I spoke to Colonel Reed and he gave me some other information," I tell the two of them.
I proceed to tell them about the information and request the Colonel gave me. This time, both look surprised and at least it has taken Catherine's mind off the other news I just shared with them, somewhat.
"Have you found any files?" Dan questions.
"No, but I believe there are only two places Sir Malcolm would keep such files, either on his computer which is password-protected or in his safe which is locked. That is as far as I had got when you two came in," I tell them.
“Well, maybe I can have a look at the computer, while you two see if you can do anything with the safe?” Catherine volunteers.
“It’s worth a try,” I reply.
We all get up, and Catherine goes over to Sir Malcolm’s desk while Dan and I start looking at the safe.
The safe is, of course, state of the art, requiring both a code and a thumbprint, and while we can get the thumbprint if we have to, the code could be any sequence of numbers and we don’t even know how many digits.
“How are your safe-cracking skills then, Boss?” Dan jokes.
Smiling, I reply, “I must have been ill on the day it was covered in training, to be honest. How are yours?”
“I’ve always found that a block of C4 usually does the trick, but it isn’t so clever with the contents, normally.”
“Okay, in all seriousness, we are not going to get it open. Let’s see if we can at least break it free from the floor so we can move it,” I suggest.
“Andy,” Lindsay’s voice comes from behind me. I get straight up, anticipating what she is going to say next. “Emily is starting to wake up.”
“Thanks, Lindsay,” I say as I start to leave the room.
Before I reach the door, I come to a stop. I didn’t get to have that shower, so I quickly pull the Velcro on the side of my body armour and whip it off, then unbutton my shirt and take that off too. This leaves me just wearing the white t-shirt I had on underneath, which is better. I then go out into the lounge area.
Emily is still lying on the couch with her head on Stacey’s lap, but she is definitely stirring and waking up and I am quite excited to be able to see her properly at last.
“Hey, sweetie, have you had a good nap?” I lean over and kiss her, and she makes some moaning noises which is quite normal for her as she wakes up. This moaning does not deter me, however, and I pick her up off Stacey and into my arms before sitting down next to Stacey on the couch. She snuggles into me, making more tired moaning noises; she is slightly damp with sleep sweat but it feels so good to have her in my arms.
Stacey looks like she has been napping too.
“Thanks for staying with her, Stacey, are you okay?”
“Yes thanks, I’m thirsty though.”
“Why don’t you go and get a drink and stretch your legs? Catherine and Lindsay are in the office over there if you fancy a change of scenery and they will fill you in with what’s been going on?”
“Yes, I think I will, do you want a drink?”
“Yes please, that would be good. Just a juice and could you just turn off the TV please?”
Stacey turns off the TV then goes into the kitchen. She is soon back with my drink and then goes through to Sir Malcolm’s office. Over the next ten minutes or so, Emily wakes up fully but stays snuggled into me. She asks me questions, her head resting on my shoulder as she asks about where I’ve been and what I’ve been doing. I answer her as fully as I can, leaving out the gory details whilst trying to let her understand what is going on.
Sitting with her, the closed blinds making the room dim, is quite relaxing; you could almost forget the horrors of the day. Josh is worrying me constantly though, and as Emily and I sit, a plan starts to form in my head.
Emily is soon saying that she is thirsty and as much as I’d like to sit with her for a while longer, I need to get up and carry on. I haven’t even been back to see Stan yet. The time is nearly three o’clock; I wonder if they have managed to get anywhere in Sir Malcolm’s office.
After getting Emily a drink, we walk into his office, Emily holding my one hand, while in the other is her glass of juice. Catherine gets up from the desk and makes a fuss of her, and the three of us join Stacey on the couches.
“Have you had any luck with the computer?” I ask Catherine.
“I’m afraid not, the password could be anything and I didn’t know Sir Malcolm that well. Have you any possible ideas?”
“Nothing that wouldn’t be a complete guess. Did you try things related to cricket and Lord’s?”
“Yes, everything the three of us could think of. I couldn't get any internet connection on my phone to Google more possibilities though.”
“How about you, Dan, is the safe moving?”
“No luck there either, Boss, that thing is solid. It will take C4 just to break it free from the floor to move it!”
“Right, we aren’t going to get into either right now, but I think I have a plan.”
Suddenly, all the lights and Sir Malcolm’s TV switch off.
“Dad, what’s happened?” Emily asks, afraid.
“I don’t know, it looks like a power cut, but don’t worry. It will be back on anytime now,” I tell her, expecting the building's generators to kick in quickly and restore the power.
A few moments pass and nothing happens, then I hear Stan shouting my name from outside and my radio also starts squawking for me. Trying not to look panicked,
