Lucas North turned the collar of his coat up and hunched his shoulders. He supposed what he was experiencing could be termed April showers, but it felt considerably more than just a shower to him. He plodded along, scarcely noticing when he walked through one of the puddles which were slowly forming on the pavement. If the man they were after had any sense, he wouldn’t come out in this weather. Lucas looked across the road and spotted their man. He groaned. Now he would have to follow him, rather than getting on the first bus and escaping the rain.

***

Lucas grumbled and pulled the hood of his hoodie over his head. It was summer, surely there should be more sunshine and considerably less rain. He supposed if the sun did finally come out, he might dry off again fairly quickly, he would prefer not to arrive at the Grid still looking somewhat damp. It didn’t help he’d already lost two umbrellas that week, one on the bus when he’d forgotten it when talking to Adam, and the second when the man he was seeking had suddenly rushed up some steps and in the urgency to follow, he’d dropped it.

***

Lucas hated the autumn rain. He was walking across the park to the arranged drop point and his feet were starting to feel damp from the wet grass. There had been a strong wind in the night, which had caused many of the leaves to fall from the trees and now they were adding their sodden presence as well, making him wonder whether he had a hole in his shoe. It was generally murky. He looked up at the sky which showed no sign of clearing and shuddered, the sooner he could finish the job and go home the better.

***

Lucas shivered. The rain was icy and whichever direction he turned in, it seemed to blow directly into his face. If it had been snow, he wouldn’t have minded as much, snow was gentler and had the potential to look pretty when it settled. This rain did nothing except find its way inside his scarf, however tightly he wound it, and, if the temperature dropped any further, would make the pavements icy as well. He strode on, his dark thoughts matching the darkness of the sky. The sooner this job was finished the sooner he could get himself warm again.