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08:02 Friday 27 September 2069
Caitlin awoke to find a tray on the bedside cabinet, upon which was a cup of coffee and two croissants. In a vase next to the breakfast plate was a single rose. She would have thought it a charming romantic gesture that could well have melted her heart if she were still unaware of who Marcus really was.
Yes, they had had sex the previous night. Wonderful sex. Passionate sex. Sex that had left Marcus with scratches all down his back. It had been the best sex ever. It had also been the last sex that she would ever have with Marcus. That she was certain of.
Marcus ambled out of the ensuite bathroom dressed only in a white towel wrapped around his waist.
“Am I an Adonis, or what?”
“I have to admit that you look delicious, darling.”
“Good enough to eat?”
“Normally, yes. But you’ve organized this lovely breakfast for me. And I don’t want the coffee to go cold. There’s plenty of time for me to feast on you later.”
“OK. I’ll have to accept a rain check, I suppose. What do you want to do today?”
“I don’t know.”
An idea sprung into her mind.
“Oh, hang on. I’m intrigued to see where you work. How about you show me around your offices?”
“That’s not very exciting, Caitlin. I was thinking more of popping over to Paris or Rome for lunch.”
Caitlin fluttered her eyes at him, pleadingly.
“I’d really like to see where you spend your time when you’re not with me.”
Marcus knew that she was teasing him but gave in.
“OK. Eat your breakfast and then we’ll go. I do have something that I need to deal with at the office anyway.”
An hour later, the couple entered the lobby of NWO Stockbrokers Plc. It was an enormous building and lavishly decorated. The security guard saluted Marcus – an action that Caitlin thought a little archaic and over the top – and the two of them entered the pale blue security beam that scanned them to confirm their identities and that they weren’t concealing any weapons. Caitlin was relieved that they’d passed the security unscathed and that the toughened glass revolver that she had secreted inside her long leather boot had remained undiscovered. Marcus showed Caitlin the main administration room, explained a few processes to her and then guided her back to the lifts. In the elevator, he placed his two thumbs on two optical readers and offered up his iris to be scanned by another security reader.
“We’re going up to my penthouse offices now. The penthouse has probably one of the best views in the city. I’m sure you’ll like it.”
The view from the penthouse was truly incredible. Most of central London was visible. Caitlin was enchanted.
“This really is a magnificent view. It must look absolutely gorgeous at night.”
Marcus moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her, his hands resting on her belly.
He began kissing her neck and caressing her body. She let his hands roam up and down her body, enjoying what was going to be the last vestige of affection that she would allow him to give her. He drew his hands away, leaving his left hand resting on her hip. Caitlin could feel something hard pushing against the small of her back.
“Hmmm. Is that a gun in your pocket or are you just pleased to see me?”
“I’m sorry to disappoint you, Caitlin, but it is, indeed, a gun. Your gun.”
She went to turn round but Marcus’s free hand pushed her hard against the pane glass picture-window.
“Don’t worry Caitlin. It’s specially toughened glass. It won’t break.”
Caitlin started to panic. This wasn’t how it was supposed to happen. She was supposed to kill Marcus. That’s why she had hidden a glass gun on her person.
“What are you doing? Let me go.”
“What am I doing? I’m protecting myself, Caitlin. Did you really think that you could kill me and then get away with it?”
Marcus was right about one thing. Caitlin hadn’t thought things through properly. Even if she had been able to kill Marcus, how did she think she would be able to escape? Michelle would never have attempted something like this without having an exit plan.
“How did you know?”
“I had my suspicions and the security beam confirmed it. It doesn’t only pick up metallic objects. I knew about the glass revolver.”
“Why didn’t you stop me when you found it?”
“What? And spoil all the fun? Now, take a seat while we wait for security to come and fetch you.”
Caitlin made her way over to a plush armchair, under the watchful eye of Marcus and the revolver. Marcus leaned against the wall.
“You know, it was a stroke of genius finding a glass revolver. Glass bullets too, I assume?”
“Of course.”
“Excellent plan. If it had worked, of course. But I get the impression that you’re surprised that I was ready for something like this. You shouldn’t be. Truth be told, I’ve known who you are all along. I knew that you’re involved – well, your father and sister are involved – with One Life. I knew exactly who you were when we met at that coffee shop in Covent Garden. It was no coincidence that the coffee shop was full and the only available seat was at your table. You’d be surprised what people will do for money. They’ll even fill up a coffee shop.”
Eight security guards marched into the room. They looked very sinister, each wearing gunmetal grey helmets and body armour, dark grey fatigues and matching gas masks that denied any glimpse of the face behind them. Even the circular lenses that stood where their eyes should be, were darkened to protect the identity of the wearer. One of them handcuffed Caitlin, pulling her hands behind her back with no concern as to whether she was in pain or not, and then the eight guards left the office again, their prisoner helpless in the middle of the pack.