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"Then, you slip out my window, crawl along the battlements, pass the snoring windbag, and tap on Ol' Jack's glass like a sweet little angel brought down from heaven to relieve him from his solitude."
"You have a way with words," I said.
"But do I have a way with plans?"
"Not sure if it's a good one."
"Could be our only chance."
"But what do I do after I get there?"
"Princess, if you need me to tell you that, then Jack ain't treating you right."
I shook my head.
"We got a plan?" he pressed.
"The start of one, anyway," I admitted.
"We can flesh out the rest once we get to my bedroom."
"Never thought I'd like the sound of that."
He laughed and chucked me under the chin. "Come on, Mouse. Live life on the edge."
"I think I've been doing that ever since I got here."
"Then you're already an expert at it."
We set out toward the Surgeon's floor with a slight detour to the kitchens. Grabbing a picnic basket filled with all sorts of romantic treats, including a nice vintage red, we left with the chef's compliments; arm in arm toward Fawkes' bedroom.
If anyone thought it was strange that I had jumped ship from Jack to Bryan, no one said. We did get spotted more than once. Some of the witnesses also stared. But no one stopped us. No one dared to say a word. The mood was oppressive, everyone was out for themselves. It was clear that RATS was already fracturing, and it had nothing to do with the time slip.
If we didn't pull together and fight this, Sergei would win and it wouldn't matter what Parliament had planned, because RATS would be in Russia and none of us would be time travellers. If we were even still alive, that is.
The most precarious part of this first stage of the mission was getting past the guard on the Surgeons' floor. It was a Grumpy of a particular model I didn't care to check. I was too busy pretend-flirting with Dr Fawkes.
"Halt!" shouted the guard. "State your name, rank and reason for being here."
"Fawkes, Surgeon, and I'm about to get me some."
I gritted my teeth and said in a simpering tone of voice, "Is that all I am to you, Doctor?"
"Oh, no, sweetheart," Fawkes immediately said, running with the baton I'd just handed him. "You are the sun that shines on my mornings and the moon that lights up the dark. But you're also the sweet little thing I'm gonna tumble with in a few short minutes, so yeah, I am so gettin' me some."
I almost burst out laughing right in his face. If he hadn't chosen that moment to pinch my butt, I might have done it. Indignation replaced mortified humour, and I glowered at him.
"She's a spitfire, this one," he said to the guard. "Been wantin' to get her in my bed for weeks and finally I got my chance. Don't ruin it for me, man."
"Is she a Surgeon?" the Idiot asked.
"She's gonna have a whole lot of Surgeon in her before the night is done. Does that count?"
I closed my eyes briefly and smiled through a locked jaw. He was going to pay for that one.
"She don't look so keen, mate," the guard offered.
"You care about that?" Bryan asked, sounding shocked. "Didn't think you lot would give a rat's ass."
