On Sunday the forth, they loaded two powerful computers, every conceivable piece of software they might need, all of the tapes and evidence from Hungary and their few personal needs into the Rover and in just two hours they had reached the house that had been chosen for the final negotiations.

They were not unoccupied on the journey, as Pat took them through his copious notes on strategy, bugs, Adams, Zyzzx, Russ and anything else that might come up in the next few days.

As they passed Ipswich before taking the road to Norwich, Pat agreed that they had finished and turned to his major worry. 'I know that you're worried about Russ, but I think, what with the Hungarian tapes, your Deep Throat messages and the contracts, that we can have him screwed, glued and tattooed.' He paused before continuing. 'But what about Adams?'

'My fears are the other way round.' He thought while he overtook a large truck. 'I wouldn't trust Adams fully, but he's very legalistic and he'll stick to the deal as laid down by Ms. Bowen from Boston. He's given me all sorts of powers for the next two weeks. So he must trust me!'

'Perhaps he wants you to take all the blame?'

'Stop being the cynical queen!' Pat blew him a kiss. 'That tough lawyer has put together a contract that appears absolutely watertight.'

'Do you trust her? She's a greedy American lawyer, after all!'

'I've never met her. She's pleasant and efficient on the phone.' He didn't add that he knew of her relationship to Lucinda and Cassie. That might not be to Pat's liking. 'Remember, she has created her own legal speciality that is distinctly non-greedy for other lawyers, where she's supposedly working for the good of all parties. Her fees depend on the deal's success. She wants a duff deal, even less than we do!'

***

'Are we being followed?' He had noticed a large and dark, four-wheel drive vehicle had tracked them as they had left to take the Norwich road. 'I think there's a Discovery with smoked windows behind us, Pat!'

Pat turned and checked for himself. 'It's only Angel.' He laughed. 'He's been behind us since we left London. You really haven't been very observant! What if he'd been some form of Hungarian computer terrorist?'

'I've got you to protect me!'

'Yes! That's why Angel's coming for the ride. He's to be our physical protection!' He smiled as he picked up the phone and tapped in Angel's mobile number. 'He wanted to know, when you spotted him and I want to give him the second copy of the Hungarian evidence, do he can drop it off somewhere very safe.'

***

Whoever had written the instructions had been very precise but slightly humorous in that typically Zyzzx way and it was just after mid-day that the Rover and its protection passed through the iron gates and crunched their way down the gravel drive to the front of the house.

An attractive blonde in a short blue suit came out to greet them, standing in the entrance like the doorman or receptionist at the best of hotels.

'She's beautiful enough to make me forget my sexuality!' Pat pinched his partner in the groin in a playful manner. 'Seems you quite fancy her yourself. Do you know her?'

'No!' He wasn't lying, as he was using the Biblical meaning of know. He would recognise Suzanne anywhere.

Copyright 1999 by Ewart Higgins