1st September 1991, 7 pm
140 Gower Street, London
The man behind the desk is tall and lean, with short, dark, curly hair and piercing, blue eyes that give the impression that he can see straight through you into the back of your mind. In fact, over the years he's perfected his stare to such a degree that it has become legendary in MI-5. It has served him well both in suspect interrogation and in wheedling out information from assets and colleagues alike. There are few who can withstand 'The Stare' and Malcolm isn't one of them. Unfortunately for him, he's standing right in front of him – Russell Coolidge, the Head of Counter-Terrorism at MI-5. Coolidge is sitting behind his desk, staring at Malcolm, who squirms uncomfortably under his gaze.
"You're telling me," Coolidge demands in a deceptively calm and soft voice, "that Pearce hasn't checked in at his usual time and we have lost track of all the members of Bond's group?"
"Yes, Sir," Malcolm replies reluctantly, desperately trying not to flinch.
"That is unacceptable, Jones. Do you hear me? Un-a-ccept-a-ble!" His voice rises a little, but he's not yelling yet as he glares at Malcolm. "And since they have escaped our surveillance and Pearce has disappeared simultaneously, we must assume that he's been compromised and they're aware that we're onto them," he continues, then abruptly stands, taking long, swift strides round his desk and towards the door of his office. At the door, he spins round to face Malcolm again and barks, "Find them, Jones. I don't care what it takes. Just find them. Now! I have to brief the Home Secretary." And, with that, he sweeps through the Grid and exits through the pods without a backward glance.
Malcolm sighs in relief and rushes back to the safety of his computer. He doesn't need his boss to tell him how important it is to find these madmen and Harry, of course, quickly. He fervently hopes that his friend is alright.