Barbara felt the stairs give way beneath her. The explosion rushed through the stairwell in a blast of fiery air that sapped the oxygen and turned her world into a kaleidoscope of red, black, and orange. Holding what was left of her breath, she forced herself to brace. When her feet crashed onto a surface far harder than timber, she allowed her knees to fold, absorbing the crushing weight of her fall. She looked around, frantically searching for an exit, but the colours all merged, worsened by the smoke filling her lungs and making her eyes water.

Beside her, Simon's arms and legs thrashed about. Fearing she would lose him in the maelstrom, Barbara pulled him higher, tucking him tightly under her armpit like a set of bagpipes. She swivelled, searching for an exit. A blast of heat hit her face. Despite vague pain in her left ankle, she turned and forced her legs to run from it.

Tommy rubbed his head then shook off the attention of one of the ambulance officers. "Have you got my sergeant?"

"Not yet. There's been no sign, Sir," one of the uniformed constables said. "But we'll keep looking."

Tommy tried to get to his feet but tumbled sideways. The men beside him helped him back to the ground. His head buzzed, and he felt like he was about to throw up. "I… I don't feel well."

The ambulance officer took his pulse and then shone a torch in each eye before running his hands over his scalp. Tommy felt disconnected from it, as if he had left his body.

"I think you've got a concussion, Inspector. Did you hit your head at all? Have you got a headache?"

Tommy frowned at him. "Yes, I think my head hurts, but the King of Spain needs new teeth."

"Righto, Inspector. We'll get him some." The man turned to the constable. "Keep him calm, and if he passes out, call me straight away."

The red and orange faded to black. Barbara kept running because the heat was still licking around her ears. She blinked, but there was nothing. With her free hand, she reached out to search for anything. She could see her fingers when they were a few inches from her face, but they faded as she moved them forward.

"I'm not blind," she said as a hot wave of relief spread through her.

She kept moving forward but slowed her pace, trying to listen for clues. Simon was limp in her arms. She shook him, and he let out a breath. He was still alive.

She kept moving, trying to count her paces, when something brushed her cheek. She waved her arm in front of her and felt the unmistakable texture of soft leaves. Gripping them, she pivoted. Behind her was an orange glow. Her face tingled from the pulsating heat. They weren't safe yet. She turned and jogged further into the woods.

Tommy lay down, but the world was spinning. Barbara was above him. No, no, Helen, not Barbara. She was speaking and beckoning to him, but he couldn't understand. He didn't want to speak to her. She'd left him. She'd foolishly sacrificed her life for… nothing. "Go away, Helen. I want Barbara. I should have married Barbara."

Helen moved backwards at rapid speed, her hand still outstretched towards him.

Barbara had lost track of her steps. She had no idea how far she had run, but she could now see the outlines of larger trees in the thinning smoke. It was still uncomfortable to breathe, so she pushed on until the air was clear. They tumbled into a meadow of high grass. The last remnants of the setting sun shone in her eyes. She knew that the forest was at least half a mile around the old house. Half a mile away. That should be safe. She lowered Simon to the ground. "Let's rest here for a few minutes."

The boy nodded. Barbara sat behind him and cradled him. The pup popped its head out of her coat under Barbara's chin and yapped. Barbara felt a strange warmth against her chest. That warmth trickled down to her stomach. She only hoped the pup had voided its bladder and not its bowels. What an afternoon!

"The King of Spain has lost his teeth... they fell out and rolled beneath… the old throne on which he sat… the queen should get him a new hat… oh… the King of Spain has lost his teeth… his country's dry and has no heath… his navy's fleet has no wind…"

"Inspector, it's okay. We're going to give you something to relax you."

Tommy jerked his arm away as the ambulance officer and the uniformed police sergeant tried to manhandle him, but the two of them were stronger. He felt a little prick near his elbow before he began to float. "The admiral found his ears pinned… oh… the Ki...ng… of… Spa…"

Barbara waited until the smoke had cleared and the orange glow had died down. It was getting too dark to stay out in the meadow where she was effectively lost. "Come on, Simon," she said, shaking the sleeping boy, "we need to start getting back so you can see your parents."

The boy stirred. "It's too dark."

"It's okay."

"I don't like the dark. Don't lock me in the box."

Barbara froze. Box? That's how Theodore must have smuggled him out of London. "No, Simon, there's no more boxes. Come on, your puppy's hungry, and your parents will be waiting."

"No."

Barbara pulled Simon to his feet as she stood. "Yes. I know you're tired. So am I, but we can't stay here."

Simon acquiesced then took her hand and walked with her. "Do you have a family, Babra?"

"I used to."

"Don't your parents love you anymore?"

"Yes. They… I don't live with them now."

"Do you live alone?"

"Yes, I do."

"Why?"

"Because… I work."

"Daddy works, but he has us. Haven't you got a daddyman?"

Barbara looked down at Simon, then smiled. "No, no daddyman."

"You should get one, Babra," he said with conviction. "I can ask Mummy to get one for you."

Barbara grinned. She could imagine Simon asking his mother, a successful barrister, to find her a man. "Thanks for the offer, but… I have someone in mind."

"Oh, I'm happy, Babra. He can bring lots of babies."

"Umm…" Barbara tried to hide her grin. "I don't think he'll do that."

"Hmmph," the boy said, "I'm going to tell him he has to."

Barbara had no idea how long they had walked or even if they had gone in a straight line, but eventually, she could see the outline of the building silhouetted by bright arc light that had been set up on the other side. As they emerged from the wood onto open ground, blackened grass crunched under her feet. "We're almost there, Simon."

"My feet hurt."

Barbara looked down. Simon had no shoes on, and blood oozed from a cut near his ankle. How had she not noticed? "Here, let me carry you."

"Piggyback rides?"

Barbara groaned inwardly. "Sure."

"Excellent!"

She knelt and allowed Simon to climb on her shoulders. Her knees ached and groaned as she stood, but the ordeal was almost over. She only hoped Tommy had caught Theodore.

Detective Constable Winston Nkata saw his boss sitting in the back of the ambulance. He was wrapped in a space blanket, had a bandage around his head that made him look like he had just played on a losing rugby team, and his coat, streaked with mud, was lying across his lap. Winston had never seen his boss look so… dishevelled.

"Sir, where's Havers?"

"The King of Spain has no teeth…"

"What?"

The ambulance officer stepped up to them. "He has a concussion. He's jabbering nonsense."

Winston flashed his badge. "DC Nkata. Who's in charge?"

The man pointed to a uniformed sergeant. "At the moment, it's him."

Winston walked over and introduced himself. "I believe you're in charge?"

"For my sins. We're waiting for the local DCI. She'll be here in about ten minutes with a busload of officers. She had to wait because the Prime Minister insisted on being here for the search."

Winston nodded. "Any sign of the boy?"

"One of your colleagues saw him in there," he jerked his thumb towards the smouldering building. "She went in, but the Bomb Squad's robot must've cut the wrong wire. The whole place went up like Guy Fawkes Night on steroids. I'm sorry, but there's no way anyone got out. They did a search behind the building after the fire brigade had the blaze under control, but… no sign, I'm afraid. I only hope it's not me who has to tell the PM."

Barbara was dead? Winston took a few seconds to process that. No. He wasn't going to believe that. She'd find a way. She would find a way. She had to. He turned back to the ambulance. "Has anyone told the Inspector?"

"Yeah, but then he fainted. They said he has a concussion. He's got a gash on his forehead. I don't think he's taken it in."

Winston sighed. "Okay, thanks. If there's nothing I can do, I'll wait with him."

"Sure. All hell will break loose here soon enough. Take it easy while you can."

Winston wandered back towards his boss. Barbara would want him to support him. Damned fools should have told each other how they felt years ago, now it's too bloody late.

The pup was doing somersaults inside her coat, and the weight on her shoulders felt heavier with every step, but Barbara was determined to push on. It took an eternity to pick her way through the fallen brickwork and burnt-out trees, but finally, she could see the arc light and a fleet of emergency vehicles. With renewed strength, she staggered forward. Every time she put weight on her right foot, pain shot up her leg and into her shoulder. She must have missed the biology class that connected shoulders to legs.

"Help," she called out. It was not what she had expected to say, but lights were beginning to flash at the sides of her eyes. "Can I get some help here?"

Winston heard the kerfuffle as men and women raced to the left. From the ambulance, he couldn't see what was happening.

"Barbara?" Tommy asked.

"I don't know, Sir. Let me see what's happening."

He climbed out of the ambulance and followed the running feet. Ahead he could see something emerging from the woods. He pushed his way forward to be greeted with the most incredulous sight he had seen. Barbara looked eight feet tall and was swaying on her feet. Winston blinked and could see more clearly as she staggered forward. On her shoulders was an almost naked boy, and under her chin was a… a puppy? Winston ran forward and caught Barbara just as the last of her strength gave way.