AU Tag to The Experimental Job.
Usual rules apply I don't own anything to do with Leverage or the gang who produce it. Nothing short of winning the Lottery is going to help me out in this department….more's the pity!
I want to start by thanking you all again, I really can't believe all the really lovely messages I've had over the last few days. Those of you logged in will receive a reply within the next few days (if not already) and for those guests without logins or in particular the following people: Afykafy & Kim. THANK YOU, really and truly, from the bottom of my heart.
Finally, I would like to wish all my American site-friends and their families, all the very best for Thanksgiving and the remaining year.
On with the show…. (which will now be four parts, not three…she adds, ducking and sloping away, quietly…)
The remaining Team's audible gasps were barely perceptible across the comms, trailed by an eerie silence then a rapid volley of shouts for Eliot. Nate demanded silence once more, then summoned his inner calm, "Eliot," nothing "Eliot, can you hear me?" Through the silence Nate could hear a barely perceptible rasping noise, was this wheeze the only sign of life coming from their formidable enforcer? At least he was still alive, at least for the moment. Confirming who was nearest their downed hitter with the remaining team he dispatched War-Rocket Parker on Eliot retrieval duties. "Parker, you know what to do." Drawing his hand across his face Nate released a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. Squeezing through the seats into the driver seat he set Lucille in motion heading straight towards the Facility. Reflecting Nate argued with his conscience goddamnit, I knew I should have pulled him out before now, then more determined; we can't no, we won't lose him!
Switching up a gear the instant she heard things turn sour inside the Facility, Parker propelled herself towards Eliot as fast as her little legs could carry her. It was less than three minutes from the first sign of trouble followed by austere silence in her ear to her arrival outside the grim building. Somehow it hadn't seemed nearly so bad the previous night when she had visited with Eliot during one of his noise and icicle torture sessions. What a difference a day makes she thought despondently. Dropping her payload of blankets and jackets, bounty intended to keep the inmates warm that night, she shook lose her recently acquired policeman's rasp and steamed right through the first door straight to knock down lackey number one. Cheap guard force, shouldn't have used students! He went down easily, one strike upon his knee and once more across the shoulders as he fell to the floor. Satisfied that Eliot would approve of her use of force on this occasion she continued on her mission; after all she didn't need junior alerting any of the others. Adrenalin pumping hard and fast around her willowy frame she paused to check for obstacles between her and Eliot's chamber.
Traversing the next corridor, quietly sneaking along the wall, she spotted a man she knew to be Mason in one of the offices. He was stuffing documents into his briefcase, while simultaneously calling someone on his cell and grabbing his coat as he started for the door. Parker thought about taking him on, she would have liked to beat him with the rasp in her hand however now was not the time. Mason would have to wait. Eliot deserved to dole out his own form of punishment given all he'd been put through by this monster. Her sole purpose now was to retrieve Eliot, he was her target and although she would have happily taken Mason out, it would have to wait for a time when her handsome retrieval specialist was not in such dire straits.
"ELIOT!" Nate pleaded across his earpiece upon hearing a definite change in his already erratic breathing noise he was making. Please was the unspoken word despite how much Nate respected Eliot for his varying talents, he had finally shelved his own insecurities and allowed the man into his life, to become his friend. An offer he'd thrown back in the young southerner's face the first time Eliot broached the subject. Nate's inactive mind often wandered back to those early days of Leverage Consulting, when drink was his only friend, back when he thought he was above the likes of Eliot Spencer - wanted man whom he'd chased in his former life. Now, well now was a different matter entirely, Eliot Spencer was one of the most likable, kind-hearted and respectable men he'd had the privilege of calling his friend. Some time before he would have hoped that Sam would turn out to be such a good man and while he wouldn't choose the hitter's trade for his own son, he would be a proud man had his son turned out anything like Eliot Spencer.
Sophie felt tears fall before she realised she was actually crying, feeling unhelpful back at the apartment she had jumped in a cab upon hearing her friends breathing change for the worse. Meanwhile, Hardison, who was on campus and second closest to help out at the Facility, was endeavouring to get away from Travis. The youth had literally appeared in his dorm room seconds before the entire con went to Hell in a handcart, deciding of all the times to 'pop by for a little tête-à-tête' seemingly! Feeling his own heart rate pounding in his chest as it continued to elevate, it dawned on him that he was being detained deliberately, while a man close enough to be his brother was dying across the campus grounds. No way man, uh-uhn that ain't happenin' on my watch! Time to play it fast and loose Alec because you've got to help get Eliot outta there soon. Breathe, that's it, keep calm.
"Oh hey man, bum timing 'cos I gotta fly, maybe later?" Hardison tested his theory on Zilgram as he headed for his door, "I scored a hot date with that feisty blonde chick from last night." Hating himself for sounding like a douche he would say whatever it took to get away right away.
"Nah, I don't think so HP, or Alec," Zilgram added self-assuredly as he entered the room completely, turning the lock on the door his monologue went on, "I can call you that, can't I Mr Alec Hardison, of Leverage Consulting." Glancing confidently at Hardison he saw a brief flash of panic, "If you're looking for your associate the filthy bum, well I can tell you he isn't faring so well right now. In fact I'd go so far to say that his situation gets considerably more perilous as each minute passes!" His foe's face morphed into a decidedly smug shape, glancing at his watch before sinisterly adding, "Don't worry HP you'll be joining your friend soon enough." The 'big Z' might have come across as daring and confident even though ultimately he was nervous at having to dispose of this particular fly in the ointment. Amazingly he remained remarkably reassured regarding his backers at the Order of the 206, confident they would cover up his misdemeanours, especially once they became aware of HP's betrayal. Surely this Machiavellian plot would require the attention of a senior Dust Man preferably raising some form of award for Travis because he had been the one to spot the deception after-all?
Believing his speech had intimidated suitably Travis headed straight for Alec, two rather churlish errors. Errantly misjudging HP to be a mere geek and nothing more was just plain ridiculous. Never more grateful for those self-defence scenarios that Eliot had insisted they all memorize and work upon, the typically tame Hacker swung his sack of books towards the weasel's body and took him out with one blow. Finally securing the unconscious sleaze ball to a heating pipe, Alec pulled each end of the torn pillow slip tighter as he enunciated each sentence. "….there's so much to teach you man," continuing as he grabbed hastily his last few bits and pieces, "Times tight man, it's been a blast, one I could have done without!" He needed to get out of the dorm room as a) Eliot needed help and b) with Eliot down, no one was coming to rescue him this time!
Hardison casually locked his former dorm room door for the last time, looking around to see if he was to encounter any more of the Order. While checking in with the team he ran off down the corridor. "I'm out, we're busted and I've locked up Zilgram." At the bottom of the stairs he checked the route was clear before heading towards his car. "Anything from Eliot?" he asked of the whole team in general. The silent reply was deafening.
Across campus inside the Facility Parker had grabbed keys from one of the guards and after what seemed like a lifetime she dived into Cell #13 and spotting the hitter slumped on the floor turned and locked herself inside with him. Now was not the time for unwanted interruptions. Dropping to her knees by Eliot she lifted long wet hair away from his face, tilting his head tenderly so she could check his reactions to her ministrations. She noticed a very slight, slow wheezing noise coming from his mouth and his chest was barely moving. He was drenched and freezing cold. Pulling out blankets while checking in with Nate, "He's barely breathing, ice-cold and soaking wet."
"I'm almost there Parker, what do we need?" Nate asked unsure of what Parker might reply.
"Paramedics Nate, there's a syringe on the floor and he's not doing well, those tiny wheezing breaths are getting tinier!" Rolling Eliot on to his side upon a couple of blankets she shoved him roughly into the recovery position. Checking his pulse she discovered a faint but rapid pulse. "Alright Eliot, we're here for you now." She whispered in his ear as she ran her hand over his hair to brush it back off his face. "Everything's going to be okay, you'll see, Nate is on his way." Parker took hold of his hand, feeling a slight tension as he held it back. He was still conscious, still here with her and the small comfort she was providing was being received and somehow welcomed. Had he been conscious Parker would never have considered taking the cowboys hand, this particular situation called for much more gentile actions on her behalf; when had she ever taken the time to worry about such sensitivities?
Resting his head upon her thigh, Parker gently pulled his hair completely off his face and used her free hand to rub some warmth into his arm. The chill coming off him was bitter and she tried to block out the scene before her by recalling the previous night when she'd sat next to Eliot while he kept her warm in this very room: A room that would forever hold much more sinister memories from now on.
Nate summoned medics straight away then spoke with Detective Bonanno, this was definitely going to require police assistance. Pulling into the parking lot he disconnected the call before jumping out and abandoning the van close by. He headed straight towards the sheltered facility entrance as a rather dishevelled Hardison ran into this view. There were people pouring out, some looked shell-shocked while others were just grateful to have escaped the noise or solitary confinement of the trials.
"How far away are the police?" Hardison asked loudly as he got close enough to Nate for the burly man by the door to hear. Instead of attempting to stop them from entering the final guard lackey simply turned and walked away, choosing to meld in with the flowing crowd.
"Nice one Alec, Parker which room you in?" Simultaneously opening the door and ushering the hacker through in front of him.
"Cell #13, are the medics here yet?" Parker enquired more to keep her mind off what she was witnessing. Up until their arrival she had hummed the song she'd heard Eliot play in that bar, now, how did it go again, she thought (and begins to hum along with 'Thinking of You')
"Three minutes out at last call Parker. We're here, let us in please." Nate offered in reply, impressed to have found the thief had locked them in to fortify their position until help could get to them.
Getting up somehow bothered Parker more because it meant she needed to let Eliot's hand go. She had laid more blankets over him but kept her hand in place, hoping that he wouldn't mind and kinda assuming he wouldn't really remember once this was all over.
Letting Nate and Alec in, they took in her distraught look as they piled through the door. Hardison thought about speaking to Parker after their row the previous night, but graciously decided that now was not the time to even use it as a distraction for Parker. Glancing briefly at the downed hitter, Nate instructed Alec outside to Lucille, first to relay an ID name for Eliot, one complete with medical insurance. Also he was to escort in the paramedics when they arrived. The unnaturally quiet hacker turned and darted back out from whence he came leaving the door open.
Dipping down next to where Parker had resumed her place with a now unconscious Eliot, was that a humming noise coming from Parker? Nate thought before he spoke, choosing his next words very carefully. "Parker," slowing down his own breathing and slowly leaning across to touch her arm, "Hey Parker, we're here now and the medics are right behind us. Can you tell me what's been happening in here since you arrived?" Nate kept his voice soft but the tone left no room for misinterpretation.
"Shallow breathing, like panting," Taking a deep breath first to provide an untimely impersonation of Eliot's chest noises followed by spurting out the other symptoms she had noted, all in one swift report. Utterly unfazed by Nate's horrified glare at her panting, she continued. "I think he was conscious when I first arrived and his eyes kept twitching." Pausing for another deep breath, "He keeps moving his mouth but he hasn't said a word." Then it hit him, Nate realised Parker wasn't being nearly as odd as was entirely possible given how quirky she could be on any normal given day. Nope instead the thief hadn't taken her eyes or hands off the hitter throughout her entire report! She even sounded shaky and when Nate looked closer he noticed how much paler she was than usual. It was a rare thing indeed that threw the quirky thief off her game and there was definitely more to this than met the eye.
Muttering, he held a finger to his ear, "Sophie, where are you?" Nate enquired, guessing he was going to need her to help with Parker at the hospital, if not before.
"About five minutes out, I know you told me to wait but I couldn't just listen any longer Nate, I had to doing something useful." Sophie spoke through her comm hiding it by talking into her cell phone, holding it to her head with her delicate shoulder, meanwhile using both hands to retrieve a $50 note which she pushed forward into the taxi driver's tray, urging him to go faster. She had been expecting a stern word at her change of location given Nate's specific instruction for her to remain at the apartment. Instead she was slightly taken aback when she heard no reply to her rambling dialogue.
Spotting movement from the floor, a slight flicker at most, Nate's attention went straight back on the younger man, "Eliot, can you hear me?" Tenderly placing his hand upon the young mans head and leaning closer he heard a distinct gear change in the already too slow breathing, a split second prior to panic setting in thankfully the medics choose that moment to burst in. Fast filling up the cold and dingy cell with their gurney and portable air tank and followed swiftly by a flustered looking Hardison. Clearly Nate's instructions had been adhered with.
Moving Parker away from Eliot was going to be another matter entirely. She had been holding his hand and keeping his wet hair back from his face. Tenderness that Nate hadn't previously been sure Parker was capable of, and not because she wasn't a nice person, she merely lacked finesse in that department. Where most children were taught these skills by their parents, a thing most adults naturally instilled in their offspring. He didn't know if Parker had ever even owned a pet as a child but he had formerly imagined that she would want to hug it so fiercely that it was squashed – again, not maliciously. She always poked Eliot's bruises, punched Hardison's arm and flung herself off buildings without much of a care in the world. A noise returning him to the room, Nate was further reminded of just how young she looked, somehow fragile today. Deciding he needed to do something to clear her out of the medics way, he stepped forward towards her.
"Parker, what say we let them help Eliot?" Nate said calmly as he put his arm around Parker's shoulder, levering her away simultaneously.
"He needs to know we're here, Ellie should have someone with him." She replied, quick as a flash. "What if he wakes up and no one is with him, won't he think we've left him?"
"We're only going to be over here, we won't be far I promise." Nate assured his young team-mate. "Agent Hagen you probably shouldn't go far, because these medics and the police will have some questions for you."
"I've got Hagen's badge here in the van," cut in Hardison, leaving Nate wondering when the hacker had even left the room. Alec had decided he was no use in the medics way and after taking one final glance at his wounded friend he retreated to the confines of Lucille, his trusty van. Hearing another car pull up, he looked out to check for Detective Bonanno. Instead he saw a cab with Sophie arriving and asked where Nate wanted her. All he muttered in reply was the word Lucille. Hardison took his cue and intercepted the grifter.
"Sir, do you know this man? What happened here? Do you know what he's taken?" rapid fire questions from a bewildered medic. Nate stepped straight into mentor mode rattling off the answers.
"His name is Eliot. I highly doubt he took anything voluntarily, the police should be here momentarily to take evidence but you should perhaps take that with you for some idea of what he was injected with." Indicating across the room by the bunk, he pointed out the syringe in order for the medic to bag up what had been used on Eliot.
"We saw it there when we found him. This is FBI Agent Hagen she has been working undercover here. She knew the ringleader had confronted him previously and was angry though there was no reason to believe he was in danger nor any prior evidence of him taking such actions. As you can see, she's very upset." Nate indicated towards the blonde. "So, can you help him?"
"Not here, but with this as evidence we should be able to do more at the hospital. We're leaving for the VA right away." Pointing to her partner strapping Eliot onto the gurney under a heating blanket, taking a closer look Nate noticed an IV had been started and he'd been intubated, all in the few short minutes he'd been distracted by Parker.
"We're looking at early stage hypothermia, diminished breath sounds on both sides, possible collapsed lung or pneumothorax though we won't know for sure until we get him back in the ER." She barely finished her sentence then excused herself as she and her partner raced out the door pushing Eliot's gurney. Parker looked forlorn, but that was nothing to how she was probably feeling. "Sophie, need you in here."
"Okay Nate, Detective Bonanno has just arrived." Acknowledging with thanks to the hacker, Nate followed Parker out the door and catching her up they walked together towards the entrance and that was where they encountered Sophie and the police Captain heading their way.
"Parker, come on let us head to the hospital." She looked from Parker to Nate, somewhat confused by the who shrugged his shoulders while passing off the thief in exchange for receiving the slightly bewildered policeman.
Back in the van, Hardison drove while Parker and Sophie sat in the back. The ladies removed their earpieces while the older woman talked with her younger friend.
"Parker, I know that was hard to see and you were very brave to stay with Eliot," Sophie spoke quietly to her friend, "the sounds of his breathing must have been hard to hear in reality, they were hard enough to hear across the comms." Parker remained oddly still and deathly quiet, two things she never was. Alec looked once more in the rearview mirror at his two friends, they were worried sick. He'd only taken a brief glance at the pale and battered hitter of course he'd heard the noises Eliot made while he was trying to take a single breath. He couldn't have sat in that room watching his friend slowly slip away. Thinking back to Eliot's pallor when he first entered that room and the sounds his body had made him want to be at the hospital even quicker, he put his foot down on the accelerator and returned his concentration to the traffic and his eyes back on the road. Pressing on towards the Veteran's Hospital as fast as he could in order to get all his family back together with a silent prayer to anyone who might be listening to ensure their brother make it through this.
As Parker felt the van speed up, when had she got into the van? She looked around straight into the concerned face of her friend Sophie. Realising it had been her who was talking before, Parker suddenly felt the need to verbalise some of her thoughts. "He was so cold Sophie," shaking her head she glanced back out the window. "I've never seen Eliot so still and his breathing, the noises he was making sounded so strange, so painful. He must have been in such awful pain and I couldn't do a thing about it." Looking back at her hands it took her shoulders shuddering for the grifter to realise her young charge was silently crying. Sobbing in fact, how could anyone treat a young child so cruelly as to make them believe they needed to be silent when they cried. Sophie reached for Parker and pulled a very subdued blonde into her arms, talking softly "Oh Parker honey, I'm so sorry that you had to see Eliot like that, we know that his job can be the most dangerous of all the parts we play." Sophie's heart broke for her young friend, although Parker wasn't much younger than herself in reality, in some ways she was light years behind in social and familial skills. The British woman would never begin to question Parker's skill set as a safe cracker or thief, though initially she was very worried about her talents for even the smallest grifting part she might be required for. Especially after stabbing her Mark that one time, but this version of Parker was not how Sophie wanted her to learn about life and love; she would give anything to save her friend from this emotional pain.
"He was breathing Parker, Nate spoke to the paramedics and they put him on oxygen and while that was still getting to his brain and blood was pumping around his body, everything should be alright. Eliot is young, healthy and fit, he should be able to fight this Parker. You kept him going by talking to him, I heard you keeping him calm, I heard you Parker." The dark haired woman grasped the blonde's hands, primarily to keep them still though ensuring she remained grounded, something that usually Eliot would do with a joke or some good food, in his absence the others had some serious tasks to achieve. Prior to hearing Eliot being dumped back into the cell and then Mason confronting him about his real identity, they had all listened as Eliot was water boarded and beaten by Mason's goons and other Dust Men. They hadn't believed things would end well, even before things had gone awry, they all had their suspicions that this con would have a significant effect on their ex-military friend. They all had their suspicions about Eliot and his former life in the Military, though no facts were ever forthcoming be it from the man himself. Nate had searched when he was hunting him across the World and even he couldn't access Eliot Spencer's military files. One thing for sure was they would need to be strong and supportive for their friend while he recuperate. Assuming he could make it through this one last battle.
Pulling up at the hospital Alec stopped at the entrance and ushered the two quiet women out with assurance he'd find them inside, reminding Sophie of Eliot's alias. The waiting room several hours later found the whole team waiting on news of their friend. Nate who had arrived with Detective Bonanno, who in turn left after a brief chat with Hardison and his best wishes for Spencer's recovery. Parker and Sophie sat quietly next to each other. Parker was still pale, well paler than usual she sat staring at the entrance to the dourly decorated room. They waited like this for hours with Nate pacing up and down their chosen side of the waiting room Hardison spent time tapping on an i-thingy, only leaving it alone only to retrieve drinks and nourishment for them, all of which remained untouched next to a very worried Parker. After what seemed like an eternity, a doctor in a white lab coat appeared complete with clipboard, asking for family of Eliot Daniels.
Nate stepped forward and introduced himself as Eliot's brother, Michael and said the other members of the family would need to hear any update. So Nate cut to the chase.
"Doctor as you can appreciate we've waited for a long time to hear news on Eliot, can you tell us how he's doing please?"
"Your brother was taken hostage I hear," awaiting a confirmatory nod from Nate he continued, "when he arrived with us he was in full arrest. His pulmonary system was heavily compromised by the poison introduced into his body by his captors. He had been beaten and it appears repeatedly drown over several hours causing not only hypothermia but leaving his system so compromised he may be left open to other such infections as pneumonia. We've started him on a strong broad spectrum anti-biotic and steroid preparation to help keep that at bay."
"Doctor, do you know what was in the syringe?" Parker demanded, rather than asked, standing she continued, "Will he be alright?"
"I understand your concern Miss, but it's not quite that straight forward. Your friend was poisoned with a variation of snake venom." Taking a pause while the people before him took in some of the information he'd delivered before continuing. "Mr Daniels is responding to the anti-venin though it will be some time before we can fully comprehend the level of damage caused to his internal organs. His lungs were already compromised by his repeated drowning and several cracked ribs from the beatings haven't helped either."
"Will he be okay?" Parker was on her feet again, "Well, you must be able to do something…" shaking off Sophie's arm that had tried to hold her back.
"Your friend is still very seriously ill Miss and his recovery is going to be slow and uncomfortable. Due to the heavy scarring in both his lungs already, he will most definitely need physiotherapy for his lungs to begin with in order to try and regain his full lung capacity. This all assuming his body manages to fight the venom and infections and he will more than likely require oxygen to begin with." Ensuring he had all their attention, clearly Mr Daniels was a close friend and family to these people and they were worried sick about his injuries. Hoping to convey the seriousness without scaring them witless he continued, "What I'm trying to say is that you're all going to need to be extremely patient with my patient, but with time, the proper care and environment he should make a full recovery." Looking down at his belt to see who had just paged him before continuing, "He's about to be moved into a deep pressure chamber, the likes of which used to help divers recover from the Bends. Being in there will make it easier for him to take in pure oxygen and to begin with that is what he needs. If you would like to see him, wait outside by the elevators and he'll be through in the next few minutes. I know you have lots more questions, let us get him through this next 24 hours and then we'll start talking about scenarios and recovery time etc. He really is in the best possible hands right now and we're doing everything we can for him."
"Thank you Doctor," Nate managed before the doctor excused himself and took his leave. The team spent from taking in all this information on their friend. It really was his least favourable side to his job. Eliot was going to be alright, he had to be. It would take time and hopefully if the venom can be counteracted then it was going to take time to get him back to full strength and speed, however the determination set on their faces told Nate that they would all be there for him. Hardison already had his search engines pounding, searching for information on possible snake venoms and their side effects, best possible care givers, best possible outcomes and scenarios for all rehabilitation. Nate glanced across at the ladies and saw Sophie holding Parker's hand. Personally, he never thought he would be back at a hospital hoping and praying for someone he cared for again so soon. Or rather, he'd have preferred people he cared for wouldn't get hurt but that's just not how their world worked, Eliot's especially. Firstly Nate hoped for Eliot to make a full recovery and secondly that the little thief lose that lost look once more and return to the giddy teenager she had become around the team.
Waiting by the elevators the team were shocked at the sight of their friend as his bed was wheeled into the corridor, for Parker it was almost too much to bear. Eliot was pale, even paler than before and certainly whiter than the sheet pulled up to his muscular chest. Thermal heating blankets under him were helping to warm his chilled body gently but at a pace. His handsome facial features were almost fully covered by a full-faced respirator which was provided 100% pure oxygen straight into their friend via a special ventilator. His arms were laden with IV ports and several different bags of fluids, some brighter than others, hung from two poles attached to the head of his bed. Each flowing into their friend, each providing different medication or nourishment directly into this veins. While not completely conscious his eyelids opened at one point and two cobalt blue eyes stood out, neither well focused, seeking out one person in particular and when he found her face he kept those eyes on her until she moved forward to touch his arm. His gurney was laden with equipment, ventilator, heart monitor, pulse ox attached to his index finger. Taking it all in, Sophie stepped forward beside Parker and planted a kiss on his forehead, smiling at the hitter from under her own heavily laden eyes, so full of unshed tears. On the other side of the gurney Alec bumped his shoulder with his clenched fist and told him to fight, get well soon as the place was full of sexy nurses. Nate found the experience harder than he would have ever believed. It was so hard to see the vibrant young cowboy so stationary and so thoroughly unwell. Choking down a lump in his throat Nate wished him a speedy recovery and assured him the team was clear from the job and they'd wait to see him when he was out of the chamber.
Nurses came forward to continue Eliot's journey towards the oxygen chamber yet Parker found it hardest to let the hitter be wheeled away, she didn't want to let go of this new warm version of him and she so desperately wanted to erase that awful memory from his cell. Tears dripping from her own bright blue eyes Parker leant forward and placed a kiss on his forehead, holding his fingertips gently, she whispered in his ear, "Come back to me Ellie, I need you here." Finally letting go of his hand, she turned and fell straight into Sophie's open arms for a motherly cuddle. Sophie's heart was breaking for her, Eliot must get well and come back to the team or she didn't hold out much hope for Parker keeping her wits about her.
As they wheeled him away, he raised a pulse ox weighted finger with which he managed a small wave.
Author's Note: I know that there are several inaccuracies from the actual episode; I have chosen to change a few things to keep it in line with my own version of events. I hope this hasn't spoiled your reading pleasure in any way and once more I'm grateful for your continued patience.
Any comments, laudatory or otherwise, please let me know x