condensed master

Will Bonner
before everyone leaves and they lock the doors."
"Will that be enough time?"
"Maybe not, we may have to come back next week. When the lecture finishes
I'll take you up to the third floor. The door to the office has a standard key lock.
Then you'll have to tackle the Chubb."
"That will be no problem, you show me the documents and I'll copy them. But
about the lecture."
"What about the lecture?"
"They won't ask me any technical questions, will they?" He had a serious look
on his face. Will burst out laughing.
"No, it's not that sort of lecture, do just as I do. Quite a few people will be
bringing a guest and they won't all be technical people." Alec breathed a
noticeable sigh of relief.
The small auditorium was packed which was a godsend, making it easy to get
lost in the crowd. Alec wriggled from side to side on his chair throughout the
lecture. Will looked at his watch, it would soon be over, and his stomach muscles
started to tighten. The works police would be patrolling the floors and he didn't
know how often. He leaned over and whispered to Alec. "Get ready, it's nearly
over. If we get stopped by the works police, let me do the talking."
Alec's face took on a startled look. "You never told me about any police!"
Loud clapping, indicating the end of the lecture, cut the conversation, and after
a very short question period, some of the engineers moved into an adjacent room
for the refreshments but others started to leave. Grasping the opportunity, they left
the room with them but immediately outside, Will grabbed Alec by the arm and
steered him through a door, into the stairwell.
The hollow sounds of their footsteps as they made their way upwards, echoed
around the walls, starting Will's heart pounding in his chest. He looked around at
Alec but he didn't seem perturbed, or in any hurry. The fact didn't subdue the
tension, but knowing that he had no need to look after his welfare, ironically
seemed a relief.
Looking through the glass window in the door, to the third floor, he waited for
Alec to catch up. Once in the corridor, it was only a short distance to the office
door, the ceiling was acoustically tiled and they were walking on lino, muting the
sound of their footsteps.
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