Page 61 - double revenge 3.

Now there were people standing around the car, lots of them. Just standing and watching. Nobody
was helping me. All I could see was a wall of faces that started to spin around me.

‘You ghouls. Don’t just stand there help me get her out.’

Now a nurse was bandaging my hands and a fireman was talking to me but I couldn’t hear him over
the noise of the flames.

I tried to get back to the car but hands were holding me back.

‘Mister Bryant! Mister Bryant! Mister Bryant.’ Someone was shouting at me and shaking me by the
shoulders.

‘Mister Bryant. Mister Bryant. You’ve been dreaming, you have been having a nightmare.’ It was
the security guard. ‘Are you OK. ?’

‘Yes I’m fine, thanks. Been a bit of an eventful week I am afraid. Sorry about that.’

‘It’s alright. Would you like a cup of coffee, there’s a machine just outside.’

‘Yes I would, thanks.’

My hands were shaking so much I could barely press the print button. When the report was
finished printing, I looked at my watch, I wouldn’t have time to drink my coffee so I made my way
out towards the lift just as the guard was returning with two steaming cups of coffee. Suddenly a
hooter sounded.

‘What’s that?’ I asked.

‘We’re in lockdown’ he replied. ‘Time to check every one who’s in the building is allowed to be.’

‘Damn! Damn!’ I looked at my watch; lockdown should not have been for a couple more minutes.
He looked at his watch too.

‘They’ve started a bit early; someone obviously wants to get home.’

If I had to wait for the security check to finish then my security upgrade would have vanished and I
would be whisked up to ground floor to be arrested. There seemed nothing I could do.

‘Is the lift the only way out?’ I asked.

‘There is a staircase but it has numerous security doors which your security card won’t be able to
open while we are in lockdown. Are you in a hurry because this is the second lockdown of two and
takes longer than normal, about half an hour?’

‘Yes, I am supposed to be meeting a Russian contact five minutes ago. Will your security pass be
able to open the doors if we used the staircase? It really is imperative I see this Russian while he is
not under surveillance.’

He thought about it for a moment. ‘Well no one will be able to come down here during lockdown
so, come on.’
As I emerged into the fresh London air, I deposited the rest of my breakfast on the Albert
Embankment.