I cannot promise that all updates will arrive this promptly but I wanted the story to get started properly as quickly as possible. Thanks to those who have reviewed already.
Döm ej allt du ser, Tro ej allt du hör, Gör ej allt du kan, Säg ej allt du vet, Förtär ej allt du har, Låt ingen veta vad du har i hjärtat eller pungen.
(Do not judge all you see, do not believe all you hear, do not do all you can, do not say all you know, do not eat all you have, let no one know what you have in your heart or in your wallet.)
Waiting for the plane to take off Serena glanced at Hanssen sitting by the window. He looked extremely uncomfortable due to his height and the restricted leg room. He caught her looking at him and she plastered another smile on her face. She had a feeling she would be faking a lot of smiles over the next few days.
'Do you go back to Stockholm very often?' she asked.
'Not very.' Was the clipped reply. In fact it was almost exactly year since he had taken his sabbatical and gone to Sweden.
'Do you have a lot of family there?' she asked.
'No.'
Serena decided that was enough of an attempt at making conversation and turned away, glancing at the teenage boy sitting to her left in the aisle seat. He looked about 16 or 17, with longish blonde hair and was engrossed in some book she couldn't see the cover of.
'Did your daughter mind you going away for a few days?' Hanssen asked suddenly.
'Would it make any difference if she did?' Serena asked. Hanssen had given her less than a week's notice for this trip.
'You could have told me if it was too inconvenient for you.' He said.
She could have, she thought, but remembering his treatment of Cunningham it was clear Hanssen's mind had been made up before he even booked the tickets. Saying she didn't want to go would only have caused further tensions by upsetting his plans and they were both still treading on eggshells a little around each other. She still wasn't sure why he had been so adamant that she travel to Stockholm. It was not because he enjoyed her company that was certain.
'Why were you so dead against Cunningham making the trip?' she asked.
Hanssen quirked an eyebrow. 'What use would Mr Cunningham have been? I would have been better off going alone and saving the cost of the ticket than have Cunningham accompany me.'
Serena smirked slightly. It was no secret that there was no love lost between the two men. 'You could have gone alone.' She said.
Hanssen gave a slight twitch of his head.
'Or were you afraid if left behind I might stage a coup in your absence?' she asked roguishly.
Hanssen's lips twitched. 'I'll admit the thought did cross my mind but I ruled it out as unlikely given that you and dear Mr Cunningham do not appear to be on such good terms lately.' He replied and Serena smiled.
He doesn't miss much, she thought. It was true her patience with Mr Cunningham's simpleminded and bullish tactics had worn thin and she had begun distancing herself from the Chairman a few months ago.
Almost two hours into the flight Serena put down the journal she had been reading and stretched as much as she could given her confines. She glanced towards the window of the plane.
'Won't be much longer.' Hanssen told her. 'We passed over Malmo some time ago.'
Serena craned her neck to see a little out of the window. 'Is that snow?' she asked.
'Yes. Winter started earlier this year and there was heavy snowfall all over the country for the last week.' He informed her. 'I hope you have brought sufficiently warm clothing.'
'You could have told me this yesterday.' Serena replied wryly.
Perhaps I should have, Hanssen thought, mildly scolding himself for not thinking to do so.
'Stockholm itself didn't get as much snow, though temperatures have been very low.' He said. 'We seem to be making good progress,' he observed, 'those are some of the islands of Stockholm's archipelago.' He indicated out the window.
Serena leaned over him to get a better look. He watched her expression soften as she took in the sight of Sweden below them.
'It's quite something isn't it?' She murmured.
'Yes.' He replied softly.
The plane changed course and tilted, causing Serena to lurch forward and put her hand on Hanssen's leg to steady herself.
'Sorry.' She apologised immediately and straightened up, sitting back in her seat.
'It's alright.' He said gently and his lips almost reached a smile.
Serena followed Hanssen's brisk stride along the platform of the tunnelbana, Stockholm's underground. She herself couldn't see why they didn't just get a taxi but Hanssen insisted that this would be quicker.
The train arrived and the carriage they entered was packed so that they had to stand by the doors with their cases. Tired and squashed Serena struggled to keep her balance when the train came to the first stop and lurched to a halt.
'Two more stops.' Hanssen told her.
It was not long until it reached the second stop and again Serena's balance was almost lost until she became aware of an arm encircling her back. She grabbed hold of Hanssen's coat and threw him a thankful look.
For the next few minutes until they reached their destination they avoided each other's gaze. Both pretending that Hanssen's arm was not wrapped around her supportively and that she was not still clinging to his coat.
They emerged from the tunnelbana station into the sharp chill of the afternoon air and walked a few yards down the street before turning off onto a different street until Hanssen came to a halt outside what looked to be a residential building.
Serena wondered briefly when, if ever, they would get to the hotel. She followed Hanssen inside, surprised that he had a key.
'Uh where is this?' she asked.
'This is where we shall be staying.' He replied.
'We're not staying in a hotel?' her surprise was evident from her tone as she followed him into an old elevator.
'No.' he hesitated a moment. 'I didn't see the point in spending hospital money on a hotel when we could stay here free of charge.'
They emerged from the lift Hanssen lead her to another door which he unlocked.
'And who owns this place?' she asked as they entered the apartment.
'I do.'