Dressed in a white CHERUB T-shirt, Ryan waved to a couple of familiar faces in the control room as they set off for James’ office.

‘It’s healed,’ Ryan said. ‘Two more sessions with the physiotherapist.’

‘See this?’ James said, as he pointed to the door of one of the small offices along the hallway. The sign read Kerry Chang, Junior Mission Controller.

‘So you’re her boss,’ Ryan said, smiling.

‘I’m a full mission controller,’ James said. ‘So I’m senior to her, but I’m not her line manager or anything, thank god.’

‘Is she in?’

James shook his head. ‘Still in a leg brace. Had to go down to London to see her surgeon today.’

‘Ning said you set a date.’

James laughed. ‘Ning has a big mouth, it’s supposed to be on the QT … But yeah, I’ve got some leave booked for Easter time. So we’re getting hitched in Vegas, then we’re driving up Route 66 to Chicago for our honeymoon.’

‘Nice,’ Ryan said. ‘Motorbikes?’

‘I wish,’ James said. ‘Kerry does ride, but she’s not into bikes like I am.’

‘The way you ride, I’m not surprised,’ Ryan noted.

James tutted. ‘So I found a company that hires out old cars and we’re gonna do it in a vintage Ford Mustang. Plus, Lauren’s season will have started, so we’re going to see a couple of her races along the way.’

By this time they’d entered James’ office. Ning sat at James’ desk dealing with some admin and she cracked a big smile and jumped up to hug Ryan.

‘What are you doing here?’ Ning gasped, surprised. ‘I’ve not seen you since Christmas.’

‘You’re always busy whenever I want to meet up in town,’ Ryan explained. ‘But I had to come back to campus today to pick up some new identity papers and consolidated exam certificates for my uni applications.’

‘And for this,’ James said, pulling an envelope out of his desk drawer. ‘It’s all on paper because I don’t want an electronic trail.’

Ning looked curious as Ryan took the envelope. ‘Really appreciate this, James.’

‘You’d bloody better,’ James said. ‘I had to go into follow-up files from the Aramov mission. I could totally get my ass kicked off campus for doing this.’

Now Ning was practically bursting. ‘What are you two up to?’

James smirked. ‘Think Ning can keep a secret? The way I keep quiet about the twenty-four-year-old boyfriend she’s got stashed away in Thailand?’

Ning covered her face with embarrassment. ‘James,’ she squirmed.

‘That’s still a thing?’ Ryan asked.

‘Bruce just set me up with a gap year in Thailand,’ Ning protested. ‘That’s all it is.’

James shook his head. ‘Every time I walk into this office, she’s on Facebook Messenger with Bruce.’