smallhobbit

“I’ll do it,” Lucas offered.

Ros nodded her thanks but should have been suspicious at the alacrity with which Lucas volunteered to give their boss the bad news.

Lucas knocked on Harry’s door and went in. “I’m afraid to tell you we’ve discovered a leak,” he said.

“What!” Harry shot out of his chair. “Where?” He pushed past Lucas and strode into the middle of the Grid.

Lucas followed him. “There!” he said, pointing at a drip coming from a pipe. “But it’s okay, Jo’s phoned maintenance and Malcolm’s put a bucket underneath it for the moment.”

“There are times, Lucas,” Harry said, “when I could willingly throttle you.”

“I know,” Lucas grinned. “But look on the bright side, you thought information was being passed to the other side, whereas in fact it was just a little water escaping through a hole in a pipe.”

“The bright side would be if I didn’t have to see you for a week.”

“Now you come to mention in, can I give you my leave request?”

“After that stunt, I’m tempted to reject it, but the thought of a week’s peace is irresistible.”