Ding dong

Returning her attention to her comrades, Molly made a completely natural-looking - but entirely contrived - expression that said, "now, where was I?"

It was something she did to help people keep up with what she was saying. Alice noticed it and smiled.

"Ladies," she said. "As I mentioned, it's now up to us to save Adam, and put a spoke in the wheel of these people. I believe that everything we need is right here, and if it's not we'll simply have to do without it. Alice, Margaret; here's a list of what we'll need."

"But Molly," said Margaret. "Surely we're not going to just march up there in broad daylight. Won't they see us coming?"

Molly smiled.

"No they won't," she replied. "And I'll explain why in a moment. But right now," she paused "I believe our friends are here."

Nobody - apart, perhaps from Armstrong - was surprised when, a second later, the doorbell rang.



Part three begins here.