I shall take advantage of some free time before everything is rolling at full speed once again... cheers!

Prologue

It was a particularly cold night in London, and Harry stamped his feet trying to keep warm. He glanced at his watch: 12 minutes late. It didn't fill him with confidence. He watched while a vendor sold another bag of roasted chestnuts to a tourist, and he couldn't help but think the meeting location odd, but his place in this situation wasn't to question, but to follow. He watched another bag being sold and thought about buying one, if for no other reason than to keep warm, but two quid for a bag of roasted chestnuts seemed a bit extravagant.

He heard the jovial voice from behind, and he started slightly. "Walk with me, Harry."

He shook hands and then fell in step with the home secretary, the man's security detail following discreetly behind.

"No disrespect intended, home secretary, but isn't Covent Garden a rather odd place for a meeting of this type?"

"Not really, Harry, if you think about it. Most of these people here wouldn't recognize me in a crowd of one – they're all from somewhere else!"

"Ah, yes, hiding in plain sight," the spook in him smiled.

"I just wanted to make sure that you were on track with Oil Rigger, Harry?"

"Yes sir. I will begin to implement the protocol tonight."

"Very well. I know this is going to be difficult on you, and for that, I'm sorry."

"Yes, home secretary."

The home secretary stopped their walk with a light hand on Harry's arm. "You're the only one who can make this happen, Harry, and no matter what the cost, we cannot afford to lose these assets. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir."

The home secretary could see the apprehension and anguish in Pearce's eyes. "What is it, Harry? Don't tell me you're scared…"

"For me, no…"

"Ah, your team."

"Yes."

The home secretary patted him on the shoulder. "It's going to be fine, old son. There's going to be a little pain in the short term, but if all goes according to plan, it'll be all right in the end." He could easily see Harry was struggling, and he squeezed the shoulder underneath his hand. "It all comes down to you, Harry…"

"I'll do whatever it takes to end the threat to Oil Rigger, home secretary, you know that."

"Yes, Harry, yes I do." He smiled at his ally. "I just wish there was something I could say to make it easier on you."

"There isn't, sir."

"I know."

And with that the home secretary and his detail departed, and Harry, feeling the need to clear his head, began to walk aimlessly through the streets of London. It had been a long time since he had taken a walking tour of the West End…

TBC