"My guess is that will make their move pretty soon. They've been hunting me ever since I escaped from the hospital. I've had to put down three agents on my tail since then."

"When you say 'put down'..."

"Don't get all squeamish, you killed that man on your driveway and you had a pretty good stab at doing the same to me, no pun intended."

"In self – defence and in defence of someone I loved."

"The point is that, you could do and did do what you had to, given the right circumstances."

"But you're a killer, you don't discriminate, didn't you say it was your job?" She edged towards the gun on the floor.

"Rather to facilitate than to carry out, but yes I can kill when the need arises with no hesitation which by the by makes us no different." She grasped the gun.

"We are completely different; I could never do what you do."

"Did. May I remind you that the very fact, that I no longer work for these people is what brings me here." he looked at the gun pointed in her hand. "I know that you don't trust me to leave you unharmed which is why I gave that to you. You can shoot me if you really want but I ask you to bear in mind that I can and will help you as long as you do the same. I cannot protect you if you kill me now."

"Thanks for permission." She raised the gun. "And why should I believe you?" He turned his pale gaze on her, his eye showcased a weariness both of body and spirit.

"You have the gun. But you made your decision when you put down the phone. Right now, I need sleep." Without asking for permission, he walked over to her sofa, not once looking at her and lay down, closing his eyes. She waited for the sound of rhythmic breathing yet she remained, still not sure that she felt safe even then. She considered pulling the trigger. No she wouldn't be like him. She put the thing down on the table with distaste. She paced over to the door and locked it, pulling across each bolt with a firm decisive push. She needed to think. She set the kettle boiling, remembering, with horror Rippner's speech on the plane about having watched her for weeks. She walked over to the curtains, pulling them across, disliking that it was now dark in the daytime. She flicked the switches one by one excepting those in the hall and bedroom/ living room.

She was startled by the click of the kettle as it rumbled its way to boiling point. The familiar automotive action of making tea calmed her and she began to think clearly as shock gave way to rational thought processes if he was telling the truth, her father was in danger. That would be the first move, to warn him, tell him to get away, after that she had to disappear, somehow.

She walked over to the bed and sat with him in the dark room, turning the situation over in her mind as she sipped her drink and watched him warily. A thought struck her. There was one sure way of making sure no-one died in this room. She pulled out the ammunition and dropped it back onto the pillow. It wasn't empty; he had literally placed his life in her hands. This surprised her. She let it drop onto the floor and kicked it under the bed. It wasn't going to be hurting anyone, any time soon. She reflected that she could always knock him over the head with it if he tried anything. Despite her attempts to fight her drooping eyelids as she sat for hours in the position of a rabbit locked in with a sleeping snake. Even if the rabbit had teeth and claws of its own. Finally, she slept. She would later marvel at how such an improbable event had occurred

Lisa jerked awake and reflexively felt for the weapon. Her eyes met Rippner's as he watched her from across the room. She realised with a start and a glance at clock on her bedside table that the both of them had been asleep for several hours. He had most likely probably been watching her for some time, unsure of what to do, though it still sent an unpleasant shiver through her body.

"It's a very unwise decision to let down your guard while a person you do not trust is in the same room, no matter how un-threatening they appear. I take this to mean that you trust me enough to help you and are not planning to shoot me."

"The jury is still out but you showed a gesture of good faith in giving me the gun, so yes. What is your plan?"