Mastering the Virgin - Box Set Five

JamesCharlotte’s signals vanish from the screen and my gut twists. For brief endless seconds, the three of us; myself, Richard and Michael, sit silently. I stare at my screen, trying to will the signal back into existence. Jade…. What have you done? Richard won’t meet my eye…. It’s his wife she’s trying to rescue…. Recovering from my paralysis, I stand. “Time to go. We’ve done as much as we can from here.” Michael rises with me. “Yes. Which car?” “Yours. It’s more rugged than mine. We may need to go cross-country, or on poor trails.” “Okay. I’ll drive. You handle the computers and concentrate on finding the signal again. You’re better at the tech stuff than me.” “Fair enough… Francis…” I yell out for Richard’s PA, briefly glancing at Richard himself who simply waves his hands with a Get on with it… gesture. She must have been waiting outside the door, which opens almost as the words spill from my mouth. “Yes, James?” My mind racing as to the possibilities; what could happen, what equipment to take, “We need connectivity while we’re on the move… We could end up God-knows-where. I want you to get dongles for the laptops…” Grabbing the nearest piece of paper, I struggle to keep my handwriting legible in my haste to get the words down. “Here’s the spec,” I say, thrusting the sheet at her. “I want you to get all different types and networks. If one network doesn’t work in a given area, another might.” Francis is tapping into her mobile as I speak and write. “Does GPS need an internet connection?” asks Michael. “No,” I say, “but the mapping apps it works with, do. There’s no point having the signal, without the data to map it to.” Richard is throwing on a heavy overcoat. “I’m coming too. Francis, send out Ross, and whoever else is to hand, to get whatever James needs. Tell them I want them back here, with the equipment, within twenty minutes.” He pulls at his chin with thumb and forefinger. “Do you think we want the police in on this?” Do we? He has a point… I exchange a glance with Michael. “We should have them available,” he says, “But if the area is suddenly flooded with police vehicles, someone’s going to start asking how they know to look there. If Charlotte still has her tracers, we don’t want them being taken away from her.” “Fair point,” Richard nods. “I’ll have a word with Will and ask him to keep any police presence discreet for the moment.” Richard still won’t meet my eye, or I think, Michael’s…. Guilt? *****