"Sir David, I..." It was too much for me. I tried to spring to my feet, but without my arms to steady me, I'm afraid I tripped myself up. Anyway, I fell over, and gave myself a really good knock on the head. I saw stars. He stood aside to let someone past him. "Get those things off him. The anonymous someone did, and my hands were free, Of course, my nose had stopped itching. I tried again.

"Sir, I know how this must look, but if you'll give me a chance to explain... I know I can...."

"Yes."

"Oh, but please Sir. You don't understand. If I don't get back there with the. . did you say yes?"

The big man nodded curtly, absently toying with handcuffs. "Tell me, Arthur. Explain your actions and why I shouldn't invoke article thirty and have you terminated as an embarrassment to the Ministry and a risk to national security."

I suddenly recognised just how much trouble I was in. "Excuse me, Sir, but I didn't realise that being an embarrassment to the Ministry was a capital offence."

"Doctor!" He glared at me.

I sighed "It's a long story, Sir," I began.

"Come with me." He turned and I followed him out and down the corridor.

He stared at me long and hard after I'd finished my explanation. "You cannot be certain it was Jenny. They could have had you followed from here. Perhaps they picked you up at your hotel. There is no proof."

I shook my head. "That's true, Sir. I have no proof it was Jen, but I know I'm right. She was the one who was supposed to have arranged for the doctor. Tary's feelings are always..."

"You would ask me to condemn a member of my staff... a very close member, based on the 'feeling' of a self professed witch?" He closed his eyes, pursing his lips. "You ask too much, Doctor. This time, you ask too much."

"Just give me a chance, Sir, please. I know she'll trip herself up if you'll help me. I know I can prove it, but not without your co-operation. You know you've had a traitor in your midst for months now. I think it's Jen, and I'm offering you a chance to clear house." I lowered my voice to a whisper, "Tary is lost, otherwise."

It seemed like a very long time before he answered me. I sat quietly, desperately hoping for a miracle. The story sounded thin, even in my own ears. It was true; there was no real evidence at all to implicate Jenny of any culpability except that of helping me.

He spoke. "You truly love her, this witch."

I nodded. "I do Sir, with all my heart, Sir."

He grunted. "You are right about one thing, Doctor, there is a traitor, but Jenny..." He shook his head. "She has betrayed my trust by giving you access to restricted credentials against my direct order, but to say that she is actively working with The Order... I cannot. move without proof. Part of what I had hoped you would accomplish, was bringing me that proof, hard evidence. Only someone working outside the Institute, someone who'd been publicly discredited, might have had a chance. You've failed me, Arthur. You've brought me nothing but conjecture."

I met his eyes, suddenly everything made sense. I was too tired, too heart weary to be angry with Sir. He'd done what he thought would work, had placed all his eggs in one basket, me, and I had failed.

"Yes, Sir. What will you do now, Sir? If you don't release me they'll... Well, eventually, they will kill her, when they realise she will not give up. But before they do that she will be used, Sir David. Used in ways that will make even my most explicit reports pale by comparison. You must realise that I will do everything within my power to prevent that."

He knew what I meant. He knew that in order to keep me from doing what I had to do, he'd have to lock me up for years, perhaps for the rest of my life. Or he could simply have me eliminated.

"What will you do if I release you?"

Yes, what indeed would I do? "Try to find them somehow. Without the Book, I have no instructions to follow. Even so, I'm sure they are, or at least, were, having me watched. If you release me, please make certain that Jen knows. If I'm right, she'll report back to them, and they'll find me. If I'm wrong... well, I don't know."

"And what happens if you are right about Jenny and they do find you? You will not have the Grimoir. What do you suppose they will do then, Doctor? Have you thought about that?"

I shrugged, but didn't say anything. I had thought about that a little. I couldn't afford to think about it too much. If they got their hands on me, if I failed, I could still be of some use. Tary was the holder of the Key and the Crown. Both have a power of their own, even without the Grimoir. I wondered how long it would take before she broke down and gave in to them. Chances are, I wouldn't be much use after that, if I lived, but maybe she would be spared. It was all I had and I clung to it.

Sir David smiled mirthlessly. "Yes, I can see by your expression that you have. It is such a waste."

I stood. "Am I free to go?"

"Sit down, you fool. I haven't said that I wouldn't help you, have I?"

I sat, practically falling through the chair. "Yes, Sir, I.. I mean, no Sir, you haven't said you wouldn't help."

"No, I haven't. I would never have suspected Jenny, but then, I would not have expected her to betray me, even to you, Doctor. I know there was something between the two of you once, but I trusted her implicitly." He paused for a moment, closing his eyes. "I will take a chance on your instinct. Perhaps she is capable of other, more formidable acts of treason. Until I know one way or another I can no longer count on her." He looked at me.

I stared, not believing my ears, afraid to speak lest I say something to make him change his mind.

"Stop ogling me, Doctor; we have work to do. First, I have to plant a believable story. Then, we have to think of a way to get you the Grimoir without making it look like we gave it to you...and I need a way to track you." He slammed his fist down on the table. "Well, Doctor? Do you think you can manage to escape?"

I smiled at him. "With all respect, Sir, do you have those handcuffs?"

"Are you certain you're all right? I'm really very sorry about all this, but, I think it's the best way really." I had just finished taping Sir David's mouth after handcuffing him to the chair. He was a little red in the face, and I worried that he might suffocate or have a heart attack... but he nodded, breathing evenly through his nose.

Just as I reached the end of the corridor, I heard the alarm klaxon go off. He must've had a foot control under the table that I hadn't noticed. At any rate, he wasn't making it easy for me. That was good. It would make the escape all the more convincing. If I did manage to escape, that is. Feet pounded along the hallway. I'm no stranger to these kinds of situations, as you've probably gathered. I ducked into a utility closet and pulled on a coverall and a cap. It was late evening by now, so a cleaning man wouldn't draw too much unwarranted attention, especially one who'd just been attacked by a fleeing prisoner!

Stepping from my concealment, I swung an aluminium bucket against the wall, making a racket. Then, I half reclined against the wall, most of my face hidden by the head of a mop and I started yelling!

"' ere, mates! 'e went into the lift shaft. 'oy you men, 'e went into the shaft, 'oyl Near knocked me bleeding nob off, too!" I got shakily to my feet, and leaned heavily on the mop, keeping it close to my face. I pointed down the hall.

One of the men paused, giving me a cursory glance and a tap on the shoulder "You okay mate?"

"Aye," I answered, thanking my stars it wasn't someone I knew. "You just get after 'im, yeah? Almost took me bleeding 'ead off, 'e done! Bloody dangerous bloke!"

"We'll get him." The security man took off.

That was one near miss, but I was still stuck. They were certain to seal off the building. I decided to push my luck and made my way to Sir David's office. It was the last place anyone would have expected me to head, so it was a perfect spot to pause and take a breath. Besides, if I was lucky, Jen would be there.

I was lucky. "Hello Jen."

She jumped, "0h Doctor. I thought you were.... I mean all that noise. Is it you they're looking for?"

"Yes, Jen, it is me. It should be some time before they get around to looking here, though. We ought to be alone for a while yet" After the way I'd totally misjudged Dr. Walden at the museum, I was a little leery about trying to charm my way around Jen. But, I had to try something. She turned and made a half-hearted grab for the phone. It was easy enough to counter.

"Stop it, you're hurting me," she cried, trying to twist her wrist free of my grip. She's a tiny thing, though well schooled in several variations of Aikido and karate. I had to be careful, or she could wind up breaking my neck. I was counting on her wanting me to succeed.

"Oh, come now Jen. You don't really want to call someone, do you? I just had a nice interview with Sir, in a small interrogation room on two C." I smiled. "He was very interested in finding out. where I'd gotten my new credentials, Jenny.

She stopped struggling and looked at me. "Did you tell him?"

"What! Me rat on you? And after all you've done for Tary and me? Really, Jen, what kind of a person do you think I am?"

"I used to know, once," she cooed, moving into my grip instead of away from it.

I pushed a lock of her hair behind one ear with my free hand. "If you were to call someone and I was caught now..." I shrugged. "He had only just asked politely, Jen, I don't know how I'll react under more... ah.. strenuous questioning? I mean, I would try, of course, to keep you out of it, but, you know they are professionals. They might use drugs. And I don't think Sir will be too pleased with me after I handcuffed him to his own chair and gagged him with packing tape." I shook my head. "I do hope I haven't killed him. He was getting very red in the face last time I saw him, and I am really quite fond of the old boy, in my own way." Jen had gone very pale. "You did that? To Sir David?"

I nodded. "I did, which tells you just how desperate I am. Now, I need you to help me get out of here." She moved in closer. I released my hold on her wrist and gathered her into my arms.

"You and me, Jen, like it used to be, remember? Before you got bumped upstairs?"

For just a second she made a show of resistance, then acquiesced, turning her face to mine. "Yes. I remember."

I kissed her hard until she was breathless.

"Let me call a friend. I think I can get you out here, but you re going to need help leaving the area. I can arrange it." slowly, she pulled away and moved toward the telephone.

"How do I know I can trust you?" I said, grabbing her shoulder and turning her to face me.

Jen just smiled. "You don't have any other options, do you?" She leaned in and kissed me again, then made her call.

"You are a wonder at arranging things, aren't you Jenny dear," I said, embracing her. "I'm sorry it couldn't have worked out between us."

"Well, Arthur, it still may, someday." She stopped, and appeared to look embarrassed. "Oh, I'm sorry. I realise how that must've sounded, with Tary missing and all. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound so calculating."

I hadn't told her Tary was missing, only that we were in trouble. "No. I'm sure you didn't. Come on, let's get of here."

With Jenny leading the way, we actually had little trouble. I held a rag to my head and she explained how I'd been injured by the escaping Doctor. Security confirmed the story, and was actually able to get Sir David's okay to pass us through. Of course, I figured that Sir knew exactly who it was. I hoped he had men he could trust ready to pick up my trail at the museum.

Outside, there was a non-metered taxi waiting at the walk; Jen's contact. I got in. "Take me to the British Museum."

He dropped me round back. I'd worked for many years with the British Museum and was thoroughly familiar with every nook and cranny. Getting in through the side delivery entrance was no great feat. I still had my master key. Getting into the archives, though was going to be more difficult. They were locked by cipher, each vault different. At one time I'd been privy to all of them, but in light of my recent resignation and subsequent disgrace, I presumed they would all have been changed, well, I only needed one.

I found the most likely vault and, just on a whim, tried the old code. It didn't work, but it didn't set off the alarm either. That was a built in precaution. Recent changes wouldn't raise the alarm, otherwise it'd be going off all the time, until everyone got used to the new code, and stopped punching in the old one out of habit. That still left me only one more chance. If I blew it the alarms would bring the guards running. The code would be a four digit number. Usually, they weren't too hard to crack, since it had to be something easy to remember. Most times it was a famous date. I tried to think, then I tapped in the year that Hamlet was first performed. No good. Just as I tried my second guess, year of the Magna Carta, I heard the alarm sounding. The door clicked, and I went in. It took me about three minutes to locate the Grimoir and get back up to the side door.

There were security guards all over the place and I could hear the police coming.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out the parchment. In blood red cuneiform, the following words appeared: WALK OUT THE FRONT DOOR.

That was it!? Those were my instructions!? I didn't even think I had a chance of getting out the side door, never mind the front. By now, there would be men swarming all over the place. Still, there were men swarming all over the place here too. I walked slowly, inconspicuously slipping the Book under my arm, trying to look as if I belonged. I spotted an inventory clerk that I knew.

"Hey, Dan?" I called, taking a chance that not everyone on staff knew I was off. "What happened? What's going on?"

He stopped, surprised to see me. "Oh, Dr. Pendargroom. You working tonight?"

"Well, not with all this racket, I'm not. What's the fuss about?"

"Don't know yet. I've got to get down and check the vaults." He turned as a police inspector came up behind him.

"Oh, Inspector Ralens, Dr. Pendargroom was down here, maybe he saw something."

The Inspector looked at me wearily, his eyebrows raised in a question.

"Actually, no I didn't" I said.

"I suppose you didn't hear anything either?" he asked chewing on his pencil.

I shook my head, smiling. "No, I'm sorry, nothing at all."

Ralens grunted. "okay, go on then, we can reach you here tomorrow if we have any more questions,"

"Oh, absolutely!" I couldn't help grinning as I walked out the front door.

For a few minutes I stood and waited. I had followed the instructions, and walked out the front door. What next? I walked down to the street and stood barely a moment before I found out. A stunning blow to the back of my head, that's what.

I remember thinking, just before everything went black, that they hadn't been very original. I believe I was somewhat disappointed. That is, I'm afraid, all I remember.

©2000 by Trish Reynolds