Chapter 1

   The full moon shone through the glass sided SI5 building creating an eerie glow and casting shadows of the two figures as they walked along the corridor. As they reached the end a light suddenly came on, startling them.

   “S**t!”

   “What?”

   “I forgot to cover the sensor on this one”.

The light chased away the shadows revealing two females, one slightly older and taller than the other.

   The older of the two spoke quietly to the other, “One light won’t make a difference. They’ll think it’s the cleaners.”

   The younger woman took a deep breath, “OK, let’s do it!”

The other nodded and took a small bunch of keys from her jeans’ pocket and unlocked the wooden door in front of them.

   “Keep an eye on the corridor” she ordered.  

Once inside she took a small red torch from her pocket and shone it around the room. A small beam of light revealed an old fashioned style office with a large, old oak desk in the centre surrounded by filing cabinets. There was a gap in the cabinets to house a large wooden door through which she had to go.

   “Hurry up Fes” called her younger companion.

Ignoring her she tried the handle on the door. It was locked. She quickly found the right key from the bunch and unlocked it and slipped silently through the doorway.  Her companion waited nervously in the corridor, glancing occasionally through the glass to keep an eye on the approach to the building.

   Fes hurriedly rifled through papers on a desk with a manner that suggested she knew what she was looking for. Nothing!

   “Martha, you’ll have to come and help me look” She called to her friend in desperation.

   Martha was still watching the approach.

   “OK!  No, wait a minute.  There’s someone coming into the building.”

   “S**t!” Fes muttered under her breath. And then to Martha “Can you see who it is?”

   “Oh my God, it’s him! Hurry up Fes! You’ve got 5 minutes until he reaches the top floor.”

   At the entrance to the building a balding man in his mid-fifties took a white card out of his coat pocket and held it up against a scanner set into the wall beside the door. The glass door in front of him slid effortlessly aside and he stepped through.

   Fes started to panic and took time out to take a couple of deep breaths. After calming herself she surveyed the filing cabinets. One of them was labelled confidential.  She once again took her bunch of keys and tried each one in turn. Her hands were shaking. This was not just a disciplinary matter it would be instant dismissal if they were caught.

   “Two minutes!” Martha called from the door.

Fes had finally got the drawer open

   “Bingo!”

   “FES!”

Fes stared at an open file in front of her. So it was true!

   “OK, coming.” She put the paper back into the file and replaced the file in the cabinet.

Rejoining Martha at the door she whispered, “Let’s go!”

Both women ran back down the corridor towards the glass door that separated them from the main area where the lift was.

   “Bloody Hell, we’re too late!” hissed Martha.

On the other side of the glass they were horrified to see the bald headed man stepping out of the lift. He turned towards them.  Sweat started to break out on Martha’s forehead and Fes prayed for the ground to eat her. Suddenly the man stopped and hesitated.  And then he turned around and headed back towards the lift.

   “He’s going to the loo.” announced a relieved Fes.

The man walked on past the lift and disappeared around a corner. As soon as he was gone Fes and Martha burst through the door and made for the stairs.

 

   The two women took their coffee and sat down at a table in the corner. They had decided to regroup in the cinema cafe across from the SI5 building.  It was a popular haunt for SI5 employees during the day but at night they were relatively safe from prying eyes.

   “That was too bloody close.” said Martha.

   “One day we might not be so lucky, but it was worth it.” Fes looked both triumphant and worried.

   “So? Tell me!”

   “It’s true.  Every stinking word!”

   Martha stared at her in disbelief, “I was convinced it would be a windup.”

   Fes shook her head, “That’s what everyone thought about the wind farm. But there’s still time to nip it in the bud but we have to get more proof.”

   “How?”

   “I’ll have to go back and copy the document.”

Martha sighed and took a sip of coffee.  It was a cold night and a warm drink was a small consolation.

   “You should have just grabbed the paper there and then.” Her tone was accusatory.

   Fes looked across the table at her friend. “I wasn’t prepared for it to be there staring me in the face.  But nothing should surprise me anymore.”

   “They’ll know someone’s been in because the light sensors are still taped up.  It won’t be so easy next time.”

Fes warmed her hands on her cup.  She needed time to think.  It was the weekend and she had two days before she had to face the hypocrisy and lies again.

   “Let’s sleep on it” she said.