The Invisible Amateur by Amelia Price

them
wiping the computer hard drive clean, and an envelope was beside
it, about the right sort of size for this, on the way to the
bathroom. I took the Korean by surprise, and then the Russian. Once
I'd got the stick and switched in the small magnet they were using
to scramble the hard drive, I made a run for the window as if I'd
just been trying to get out of the house all along. They never even
noticed. Although they gave me a good beating for my trouble.”
    She ran her
fingers lightly over the right side of her face, feeling the
swollen area, and a few flecks of pain appeared in her eyes, eyes
that never left his face. Mycroft didn't know what to say. Somehow,
this girl had saved his job and completed his task, and she'd done
it all with the little they'd taught her.
    The earlier words
his brother had said came back to his mind. He had her loyalty, and
as of now he knew she had his respect.
    “I think we should
all get some rest and heal,” Mycroft said.
    “Some of Mrs
Wintern's tea would be very welcome.” Sherlock smiled and Amelia
nodded.
    “Yes, to Baker
Street.”
     
     

Chapter 10
    The midday sun
shone in Mycroft's eyes as he looked out the car window. Daniels
was taking him to Buckingham palace, where the butler would be
waiting for him in the same room as a week ago.
    He'd just left
Amelia and Sherlock in the living room at Baker Street filling Mrs
Wintern in on their night's adventure. Amelia hadn't broken
anything, but she'd sprained one wrist, both wrists were bloodied,
and there were bruises and swellings on her face, thighs and torso.
It would be painful for a few days but leave no lasting marks.
    The information
about the royal family was tucked in his pocket, and Amelia was
confident the terrorists hadn't got another copy in the house. No
one could be sure, but it would be surprising for the royal family
not to know if another copy was held somewhere by Mr Delra. It
would have been leaked to the papers already.
    An agent of his
had already been to the original informant and her brother to
ensure they were silenced on the matter, but it was yet another
worker for the palace who hadn't lived up to expectations. Mycroft
found himself wondering if he was going to need to read the CV of
every person who applied for a job. There seemed to be no other way
to keep the family safe, and Sherlock was unlikely to want the
task.
    Mycroft had also
sent a team to round up the terrorists. All but two of them had
been arrested and moved to a secure location for him to interrogate
later. The remaining two were suspected to have left London and be
on their way to Europe. Catching them would be difficult, given how
far they'd already managed to get, but not impossible. It depended
on the attitude of the royal family in response to the current
situation. He'd overstepped their opinion of his role too much to
do so again so soon.
    The same two men
were awaiting him in the courtyard of the palace as had brought him
there a week earlier, and they had similar expressions. Not
everything about this meeting was going to go well.
    He frowned as they
walked him to the same room, but forced his face into a more
neutral expression when he saw the butler already sitting there
with a steaming teapot. Tea was a positive sign.
    “Good morning, Mr
Holmes. Tea?” the butler asked, and motioned for him to sit
opposite. He nodded, knowing this meeting would be longer than the
last.
    As he came closer
to sit down, he saw the standard information folders and knew it
would contain his report of the night's events. His assistant had
typed it up already and filed it. Without waiting to be asked for
it, Mycroft retrieved the data stick and placed it on top of the
folder.
    “My recommendation
is that this is looked at to see the sources of the information,
and then both source and copy are destroyed,” Mycroft said.
    “I will pass it on
to Her Majesty.” The butler finished pouring them both tea and sat
back. “She wishes me to express her