Home needed to be a place I felt happy to retreat to, not desperate to break free from. To keep the good life there, I needed a bad one here. To roar round my underground world, wreaking terror, stopping terror, calling the shots, firing the shots.

Fly high here and lay low at home.

*

I entered the meeting room and joined the rest of my unit awaiting Dugdale and the Six agent. I glanced around. This was the first time Platform Eight itself was under threat.

And we were the ones tasked with and trusted to save us all.

It was good to remember that when my instructions to behave were being ignored by a two-year-old pelting me with breadsticks.

Robin leaned over to Jake and me. ‘So when it all ends happily with us saving the Security Services, will you two finally sign off on me getting my own unit?’

Jake and I looked at each other. ‘We need to talk about it,’ said Jake.

Hattie had been running Whistle for over a year now but had stated he would defer to mine and Jake’s judgement about whether Robin was ready. Jake had reservations but I knew we needed to let Robin go. We had to remember that, just like us, he’d been through the Farm. Spent months being tested, prodded, pushed to the limit to wean out who was worthy of being a Rat. Eight’s elite training facility was situated in a remote part of West Scotland. ‘The Farm’ nickname was down to our on-site sleeping quarters in neat rows being tiny cage-like rooms, that lined the enormous warehouse and made us feel like battery hens. Graduating from the Farm into a trainee Rat position was always meant to be a short-term placement, and I knew the best end to his education would be not to have us to rely on.

Harry Dugdale strode into the room. He had been promoted since we worked together last. A feat I’m sure would’ve put a spring in his step if he wasn’t now having to battle the biggest threat the Security Services had ever faced.

Somehow, I wasn’t surprised by the fact I recognised the agent he was with. Somehow, I got up as he approached the table and calmly put out my hand.

He shook it.

And held it just a moment too long.

‘Hello, Lex.’

‘Hello, Frederick.’

We stood there staring at each other.

Hot Dad.

Just brilliant.

Hattie looked over at us and frowned.

‘You two know each other? Your records don’t mention your paths ever crossing before.’

‘They haven’t at work.’ I tilted my head.