A/N: Writing this story is more brain gymnastics than some of my previous ones because I have to make sure that the thriller part of the plot also works which means thinking ahead more than I usually do, and I want to change it from the one in Bodyguard because otherwise it would be no surprise (and I like surprises). Hope I will manage juggling that and mix with MD and CJ getting to know each other better. As always, grateful if you let me know what you think. I hope it is enjoyable even if you have not seen Bodyguard because that is my intention.

Chapter 7

Tuesday morning and my new PA, Trinny, briefed me about my schedule for the day. This time it seemed like Rob had manged to find me someone competent and already a few days in on the job she seemed to be on top of everything, making my life easier.

"First, you have a one-to-one with Stephen Hunter-Dunne."

Stephen Hunter-Dunne was the Director General of the Security Service, MI-5. As such, he was reporting to me and I was his superior, but he was a slippery sucker and I was not sure I trusted him not to go his own ways. Compared to the police, the Security Service was far less transparent. Lately, I had made sure to set up regular meetings with him to at least try to get a grip of what he was up to.

"Right after that you have a meeting with him again, plus Anne Sampson, Mike Travis and…"

Commander Anne Sampson was the Head of the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command, also reporting to me and today I expected we all would get a debrief about what news there was about the 1st October attack, as that investigation was on her table. In contrast to Hunter-Dunne, Anne Sampson was someone I trusted. We did not always see eye to eye, but my instincts told me the middle-aged red-head was immune to political intrigues and completely uncorrupted. I was not sure however that she had the same faith in me, just a feeling. I knew she was against the RIPA-18 and I think she thought I was behind it. Mike Travis was the Minister of State for Counter-Terrorism, trustworthy but somewhat old-fashioned if you asked me, he did not fancy the RIPA-18 either. Hunter-Dunne was the only one of them who was in favour of it, naturally as I would feed him more information but that was what worried me.

Trinny continued.

"… and this afternoon I have scheduled two hours for shopping."

"What?!"

This was highly irregular, I would never spend part of my working day shopping.

"I have seen that you're invited to the PMs birthday party next week. I assumed you would need something new to wear, something nice. Media will be there, so you will want to look your best."

It was official, this PA was a gem. My closet was filled to the brim with suits, blouses and pencil skirts but very few cocktail dresses or evening gowns. I was clearly high priority to spend two hours on this.

"…and I have booked a stylist to come fix you for that evening. She will come to your flat 5 pm next Friday."

She was a keeper. She now turned to Sergeant James.

"And I will need your measures."

"My measures for what?"

"I will get you a dinner jacket for that evening. Even if you're not a guest you will need to blend in."

She really thought about everything. He looked surprised, but then found himself.

"No need. I have one, I have been to Black Tie events before", he smirked.

Indeed. I suppose I should not have been surprised. After all he had told me came from the type of family that sent their children to boarding school. I could not help thinking that I was looking forward to seeing him dressed like that, but then I turned my focus to the meeting with Stephen who just arrived and the two of us moved into my office and closed the door.

Stephen had some worrying news.

"We have acquired intelligence about a possible terrorist attack on a London school"

"Oh, my God. Then you have to feed the report through to the police when Anne Sampson arrives."

"Ordinarily I would, but one of the schools which seem to be possible targets threw up a link to a serving police officer. His kid attends the school. It is a Charles James."

My heart sank. This would have been horrible news anyway, but now it might affect someone working close to me, someone I quite liked.

"It may be a coincidence?"

"Yes, it may. Or a terrorist cell obtained confidential information on the officer who foiled the 1st October attack, and this is their plan for revenge. In my experience, information leakage occurs for one of two reasons. Either police officers fail to communicate securely or an officer susceptible to bribery or blackmail is responsible for the disclosure."

"You mean to say that if there is a police leak, we should keep this to ourselves?"

"That would be my recommendation."

"Then we will."

"Thank you. And I want to point out that taking specific steps to protect the school in question may redirect the terrorists towards a different course of action, action we are unprepared for."

"We'll tighten security around the schools and hold back the reason why."

He nodded in agreement. With that, he thought the discussion ended, and it was but my mind was spinning. How could I not warn James that there might be an attack to his son's school? On the other hand, if I did it might put the whole counter terrorism operation in jeopardy, if the terrorists understood we were on to them and they modified their plan. I was out of balance when the next meeting started.

We all sat down around the table and Anne informed us on the latest development after the 1st October attack.

"The bomber herself claims to have been coerced by her husband and she remains too intimidated to reveal much."

"And who are their accomplices? Where did they get the bomb? What are their targets?"

I heard that my tone was harsh, and I knew it was not only the lack of information from Anne but the thought of Sam's school that disturbed me.

"Inquiries are ongoing."

"Clock's ticking, maybe my officers would have more success", Stephen chimed in.

"Come off it Stephen", Anne protested. "We're happy to receive intelligence but it's our investigation."

There was a clear power struggle between the two of them, but Mike calmed it down by pointing out that police jurisdiction was clear. I thought this was difficult. Anne was right, but on the other hand maybe Stephen's people would achieve results sooner.

Once the meeting was over, I had a gap before my next meeting and I just sat by my desk trying to digest what I had been told this morning. There might be an attack to a school. It might be Sam's school. He might even be the target because James had stopped the previous attack. I looked up and met his eyes through the large glass window separating my office from the open space outside. He was standing posted in his usual place, calm, composed, making sure I was safe. How could I ask of him to keep me safe, if I did not help him to keep his own son safe? A decision formed in my head and I got up.

"I need to go to the ladies." I told him as I walked past him, and he followed.

He followed the normal routine and checked all the cubicles as we came in. When we he had seen that they all were empty, I did not enter one but turned to him instead.

"I need to tell you something."

He immediately looked vigilant, understanding something was going on. I hesitated, knowing I was breaking rules, but then spoke.

"I was informed by Stephen Hunter-Dunne that there might be a terrorist attack to a London school. The school your son goes to seems to be a possible target. It may be revenge for…"

"…for my intervention during the 1st October attack?"

"Yes. Your identity may have been leaked, and for that reason he does not want to share this information with the police. Security will be raised around all the schools that may be targets, but discreetly, we don't want to alert the terrorists, so they change plans. Then they may do something we cannot predict instead. I'm not allowed to tell you this, I would be in deep shit if anyone knew I do, but I can't keep this from you."

"Thank you."

His eyes were dark with concern. His whole body looking tense and alert, like he wanted to run off and do something about this, which was the natural reaction.

"You can't act in any way that would indicate that you got this information."

"I need to get Sam out of that school."

"I understand that, but you can't be seen there. Can you maybe call your ex-wife, tell her to get him? Say that he has called her because he felt unwell and she wants to take him home, then pretend he is sick for a while and keep him away from school until this blows over? Do you think she can do that without asking a lot of questions and without telling anyone?"

He thought for a moment.

"That might work."

"It has to, if the terrorists find out we know…Or if someone finds out about me telling you…"

"I get it. I'll see to that she does that and nothing else."

"You go find somewhere private and make that call."

He nodded, and we were about leave the toilet, when he touched my arm.

"Molly…"

I met his eyes, warm brown wells one could drown in.

"Thank you."

I gulped, suddenly feeling nervous not about what I just had done but about his presence.

"I'm just doing what my conscience tells me to do."

"Thank you anyway, you did not have to do this."

He let go of my arm but the feeling of his long fingers there remained.

An hour later he passed me a small note, which when I read it said:

Sam safe at home. Apparently, he has a killer head ache, seems like he has caught the flue and will be in bed for at least a week.

I exhaled in relief, now we only had to make sure that all other kids were also safe.

In the afternoon, I went for the shopping tour Trinny had arranged. I felt odd given the circumstances, but I had to carry on according to schedule. I asked that PS James had the watch outside the shops and his colleague Kim Knowles accompanied me inside instead. Somehow, I knew I would not be 100% comfortable having him so close when I got undressed, even if there was the curtain of the fitting room separating us. There was something increasingly unsettling about his presence. Not in an unpleasant way - yet unsettling. The shopping was a success though and I completed it within an hour, coming out of it as the owner of a new evening dress and high heels which I was very much looking forward to wearing. The happiness I felt about it was however interrupted shortly after we had returned to office when I was informed there had indeed been an attack on a school. To the Heath Bank Primary School, the very one that I knew that Sam was attending.

The police had identified and tracked a suspicious van, or large goods vehicle, heading towards the school. They had overtaken it and shot the driver before it reached the school. When teachers saw the vehicle approaching in full speed and police shooting at it, they had brought the kids that were out in the yard inside the school but unfortunately that seemed to have been part of the terrorist's plan. Not only the van exploded, but also and IED already placed inside the school. Two police officers were killed and more injured, but like a miracle there were no casualties among the pupils or teachers even if some had gotten milder injuries. So far, no organisation had claimed responsibility.

As I waited for the elevator, headed downstairs and on to a meeting to update the PM, I whispered to James who stood by my side.

"Have you heard?"

"Only over the radio. But as you know, I have nothing personal to worry about. I will never be able to thank you enough."

"I have to ask you to stay on for the rest of the day to avoid suspicion, sorry for that, but I hope you will give him a big hug tonight."

"I will, be sure of that."

This had been a long and exhausting day and I would have loved to go home directly from the meeting with the PM, but I had a dinner meeting scheduled with Rob, Indira and Sanjeev – two others from my closest team. Well, I had to eat anyway, and I knew that the restaurant Rob had chosen was great so there was at least an upside to it. When I arrived Rob was already there, waiting by the table. James and Kim Knowles sat down at a table of their own at some distance, that was the way it usually worked out when I went to a restaurant. The bodyguards would just sit there and keep an eye on the room and people, drinking water and not let food distract them. I hoped they had had a snack before, so they would not be too hungry before the end of it.

"This was a great choice", I told Rob. "I haven't been here in ages, but they have great food."

"I'm glad you like it. You have been under so much stress lately, you deserve a nice dinner", he smiled and poured me a glass of wine. I could not help feeling that it did not feel quite appropriate after the day's events, and also that he was a bit creepy.

"Should we wait for the others until we order? Not like them to be late. Should we give them a call, so they did not go to the wrong place?"

He cleared his throat and looked a bit embarrassed.

"I was afraid you would cancel…"

"What?"

"They're not coming. It's only you and me."

"The others are not coming?"

"Errrr…. No. I thought this could be nice, just you and me having dinner."

A date with Rob McDonald was not what I wanted any day, but today I was less in the mood for it than ever. Still, I thought for a moment I might just put up with it, have some nice food then call it a night, but then I looked past Rob and met Sergeant James' gaze and knew I could not do it. Sitting here on a date I did not want to be on, with him looking at me – it was just too awkward. I could not go through with it.

"I'm sorry Rob, this feels weird. We should re-schedule."

"Please stay. Have a couple of drinks, some good food"

"I really can't. I'm going home now. I'll see you at the office tomorrow, sleep well."

He looked utterly disappointed but made no further attempts to try to stop me from leaving.

I got to my feet, nodded to James and Knowles who swiftly adapted to the change of plans and took me home. As I went to bed, I was wondering to myself what exactly it was that had made me feel so uncomfortable about having James watch me while I had a dinner date. Kim Knowles would not have bothered me at all, but even if his eyes were kind I would not want to have them on me while I was on a date with another man.