Breakfast brought two rather subdued, if not rested people to the table.
"Coffee?" Lady Penelope asked brightly.
"Yes, please." Was a chorus from both of the Americans.
"I suppose I shall never be able to teach you to appreciate tea..."Penny sighed dramatically as she took a sip from her bone china cup.
"I can appreciate tea." Marie began loading her plate with fried bacon, eggs, toast and marmalade.
"But coffee is necessary in the morning." Virgil continued shovelling fried tomatoes, sausages, eggs, toast and jam onto his plate.
Lady Penelope's eyes twinkled over the small piece of toast that she had chosen for her breakfast. "But you do like a good English breakfast."
Virgil stopped with his fork halfway to his mouth. He glanced at his fellow traveller and her just as full plate. "Always good."
"Most important meal of the day."Miss Ryker said attacking her bacon. She raised an eyebrow at Virgil in amusement and he found one of his own eyebrows lifting in reply.
They ate in companiable silence only making requests for more toast or marmalade. After the third cup of coffee things started to look more relaxed.
"I thank you for an excellent breakfast."Marie began, "But I am here on assignment. I have to deliver some papers and messages to the big man at the London office."
"Oh do say hello to Geoffrey from me." Penny said brightly as Parker came in.
"I'll tell His Grace. Now, if I can get a taxi." She smiled at Parker.
"A taxi?" Lady Penelope said in a mock horrified tone. "My dear, there is absolutely no need for a taxi."
"Well, I can't possibly borrow a car. You do drive on the wrong side of the road and I can't possibly adjust to that." Marie teased her hostess and Parker.
Virgil had to grin at Parker's mock horrified look.
"That hain't so Miss Ryker, you yanks drive on the wrong side." This was apparently an old argument they had before. "I'll not be trusting hany of her Ladyship's cars to your 'ands. You drive too fast. Kilometers 'ere, not miles."
"Details, Parker, mere details." Marie's imitation of Lady Penelope coerced an inelegant snort out of Virgil. The one time Gordon had tried to imitate Lady Penelope had earned him a box on the ears and the threat of a mouth washing with a bar of soap by the not amused Lady.
"Well, then I must throw myself on your mercy dear Parker. I'll buy the first drink on the pub crawl afterwards."Marie laughed. It was a honest laugh, not a social titter or smothered snicker.
"Sorry Marie dear." Lady Penelope said suddenly serious. Virgil shifted carefully, finally, they could get down to business. "Parker and I are quite busy this morning, but Virgil can drive you."
There was an empty silence for a moment. "You can take the Aston Martin." Penelope said over Parker's rather audible sigh. The Aston Martin was a prized possession and Virgil knew that permission to drive it was not given lightly. "You can pick up Brains at the airport at noon..."
"Oh?" Virgil's brow wrinkled slightly.
"We can't start work without him." Penelope said obliquely. "He has all the material."
Virgil relaxed marginally. He could be patient. He had a lot of practice lately.
Virgil tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. He was being patient. Miss Ryker had told him not to wait, that she could find her way back to Lady Penelope's, but Virgil was not prepared to incur the lady's wrath by having her guest dropped off by a cab, especially since he'd been given the Aston Martin as a bribe. He ran a finger lovingly on the burled walnut dashboard. This was such a beauty. He wondered idly where Lady Penelope had got the priceless antique. The initials JB were etched into the silver knob of the gear shift.
He had delivered Marie Ryker to a discrete Georgian style office building with only a brass plaque out front with the enigmatic acronym of ICPA etched in blunt capital letters. Since, the lady had the good sense not to pry about his work or reason for being in London, he didn't pry into hers.
"I don't know how long I'll be." She had looked at him questioningly.
"I'll be here until 11:00 then I have to go pick up a friend at the airport. But, we can come by afterwards, say about one?"
It was now about 10:30 and he felt more than ready to leave. He almost jumped when the passenger door opened and Marie Ryker practically fell into the low slung seat. She was fumbling with sunglasses and before she got them on he was sure he saw tears.
"Okay. Sorry I took so long." Her voice betrayed nothing, but her mouth was set in a firm white line, the same she'd looked on the flight over.
"Bad news?" He ventured.
"You are here to drive me around, not indulge your curiosity. I am not a freak." She spat out.
So much for Miss Nice Person he thought.
"Yes m'lady." Virgil shot back sarcastically and downshifted the small sports car rather roughly and unnecessarily. The gears shrieked.
The drive to the airport was in silence, the kind of silence that sizzled and snapped with unburnt energy. "I'll wait here." Marie said brusquely when he parked the car.
"Fine." Virgil said shortly.
Brains looked well rested as he stepped off the trim subsonic plane that had delivered him to London.
"V-virgil!" He waved.
Virgil slapped his friend on the shoulder, it was good to see a friendly face. "Brains! Nice to see you! Now tell me what's up."
"D-didn't Lady P-penelope tell you?" The young scientist looked surprised.
"She had an unexpected guest. She's with me now, so we can't talk in the car."
"Y-you always w-were a fast w-worker." Brains said with a playful nudge in Virgil's ribs. He frowned when he saw the man wince. "Th-those sh-should be b-better by n-now." A small line of worry was between his eyes.
"Now, Doc..." Virgil steered them through the luggage racks retrieving Brains' distinctive silver alloy case. While primarily a mechanical engineer and inventor, Brains also had a medical degree which made him invaluable in treating the injuries that had occurred among the members of International Rescue. "Anyway, she's not my type at all."
Brains absent mindedly waved away a porter who went to take his bag. The porter spoke briefly to his watch. "The package is on the way."
Virgil was relieved that after a brief introduction and a mild battle about who was going to sit in the cramped back seat, things seemed less tense with the enigmatic Miss Ryker. She even touched his arm lightly and apologized briefly. "Sorry Mr.Tracy, I took my bad mood out on you."
"That's all right." Virgil said roughly. The trip to Lady Penelope's was speedy once they got out of the city traffic. They were on a less travelled stretch of highway where Virgil could let the little car show it's 'legs', when he spotted something out of the ordinary.
"Looks like an accident." Virgil swung the sports car in a sharp arc to come to halt behind the van that was precariously perched on the side of the road. A shapely female was laid out in the middle of the road. A man was hunched over the hood moaning and holding a bloody hand to his head.
"Brains, you take a look at the fellow. I'll take the lady."
"R-right Virgil."
"I got the emergency call and will handle traffic." Marie was right behind the two men. She already had her pocket phone to her ear. To her surprise, a hand wrenched the instrument out of her hand and tossed it away. "I think not lady." He pressed a hypo spray to her neck and she collapsed, unconscious.
The two victims came suddenly to life. Neither man had a moment to react, but were drugged just as quickly and efficiently. The three were stuffed in the back of the van like so much old baggage. One drove away in the Aston Martin.
"We have them." The lady spoke enigmatically into a radio.
"Good. You know what to do." Even over the radio the hollow evil voice
caused the fake accident victim to shudder. She was glad she wasn't one
of the hapless souls piled in the back of the van.