Slipping through the net.

At a small airfield in Assen in Holland an unremarkable passenger plane touched down after a long flight from Guangzhou, China. When the cabin door opened, two men stepped down and were met by another man that led them off to a waiting car. Once their baggage was stowed in the boot, the car sped off. The rest of the passengers didn't seem to care and headed for the small terminal for customs clearance.

Potter sat in his office trying to make a show of nothing being out of the ordinary, he was twisted in knots as he waited for the signal that the New England was in place and they could get out of the this God forsaken country. He had ordered the civilian workers sent home for the rest of the day, it was under the guise of an early finish to celebrate Lincolns Birthday, which wasn't for another six weeks, but they didn't know that, most were just happy to get an early paid day. The Marines were strategically placed around the Embassy to prevent any overt action on behalf of the conspirators, but he felt that it would be too open an action for even Harold to order. He was a sly, spineless type that would rather have others do his dirty work under the cover of darkness or similar circumstances.

A knock at his door made him jump, he had to calm down, and there was no reason to be this nervous.

"Come." He called out, and Colonel Martinez entered.

"Sir, we have just received a message from the New England, she is twenty minutes from the rendezvous point." Colonel Martinez informed him.

"Excellent, have you put all the preparations in place?" He asked.

"Yes Sir, everything is in place and our people are just awaiting the order."

"When do you think would be the best time to set everything in motion?" Potter asked nervously.

"The New England has dispatched the Frigate New Orleans to the Entrance Pier, it should be awaiting us in about fifty minutes." He explained. "It will take us about forty-five minutes to reach the pier, so I suggest we leave in fifteen minutes from now." Potter nodded and the Colonel left the Ambassador to his make work. This was going to be as hairy an experience as he had ever had, and he was scared, more scared than he expected to be, if things went wrong, it could get very messy.

Steiner entered Harold's office in the usual way, but this time Harold happened to be looking in that direction when he appeared.

"Have you set your trap, Steiner?"

"There is no point any more, Your Majesty." He replied.

"What, why not?" Harold blustered.

"The Americans have gotten wind of the contract and have made plans to quit the Embassy. I hear there is a Battleship off Dover and it has almost a full battle group in support." Steiner informed Harold. Harold's face grew a very ugly shade of purple as his temper reached boiling point.

"How did this happen?" He screamed. "Only you and I were privy to my orders. You have betrayed me."

"Don't be a fool, if this becomes known I lose my livelihood and I am sure that you will isolate yourself from the whole affair." Steiner snapped at the King. Harold was not used to being spoken to in such a manner, but Steiner was his best man and everything he said made perfect sense.

"Then how?"

"I would imagine that there is a listening device in here somewhere, and that is how whoever owns it got the information to the Americans." He explained to Harold. The Battle Mage who was indeed listening immediately shut off the recorder and sent an enchantment that made the device melt into thin air. There was no way that Harold could know that the Mages Academy was in fact bugging his private office. That would definitely cause more trouble than the Mages needed just now.

"I will send a platoon from the Palace Guard to intercept them before they reach the Frigate, under the guise of protecting them from a serious threat." Harold said confidently, his obsession with the Ambassador's daughter was out of control.

"Do you think that a prudent course of action? It may been seen as an act of aggression towards a foreign diplomat?" Steiner asked, he knew this was a very bad idea, but the King would not be denied.

"Of course it won't, it will look like we are protecting them, not abducting them." He said with a strange look in his eye. "I will have that little bitch and I will make her pay for trying to deny me, the rest of them can die in some accident or something." He said distractedly.

"I will take my leave now, Majesty." Steiner said as he backed away from the King and his madness. Harold simply waved his hand at Steiner and continued to stare off into nothingness. His mind finally finding the edge and leaping off like a lemming being chased by a predator. Harold picked up the phone and started ordering his Royal Guard to intercept and retrieve the Americans. He was already planning his reception for them in his deepest dungeon.

*****

Fifteen minutes to the second later, the Ambassador was speeding out of the Embassy front gates and headed to the Entrance Pier where the New Orleans and escape from this nightmare awaited. The car was travelling at high speed through the streets, and the other cars on the road were blaring their horns at the black limousine as it tore past them at very unsafe speeds. Potter looked out the window of the car and watched the city scream past. There was no way that he was going to let this mad man get a hold of his family, he would see them dead before they fell into his highly disturbed hands. He prayed that the mad dash for the Pier would be enough of a surprise to give him the time he needed to get to the New Orleans before the King sicked his dogs on them.

The journey was as harrowing as it was fast, the car constantly swerving to miss other traffic and pedestrians that didn't consider the speed of the massive black car. Fortunately, no one was injured and as they rounded the second to last corner before the Pier, Potter started to relax, and as he sat back in his seat, he wondered how the mad man was reacting. A sudden squeal of brakes and Potter was thrown forward as his car came to a screeching halt. Up ahead there were at least two squads of Royal Guards in the middle of the road pointing their weapons at the car. His driver had no option other than to slam on the brakes or there was a good chance the soldiers would open fire.

The car sat there idling as a man dressed in an officer's uniform approached the car. He walked slowly around the car as if to gage any threats that might be hidden on the vehicle. Satisfied that there were none he approached the Ambassadors window and knocked on the glass casually. Potter wound the window down and launched at the man.

"What is the meaning of this? I am the U.S. Ambassador and I demand to be given free passage to the Entrance Pier." He scolded the Officer.

"I'm sorry Mr. Ambassador, but I am going to need you to come with me, there is a credible threat against you and your family. The King has personally instructed me to take you into protective custardy." The Officer informed Potter arrogantly. Potter wanted to rip into the man and yell that it was his psychopath King that was the threat, but he held his tongue on that point.

"The U.S.S. New Orleans is not more than two hundred yards from where we are and I will be more than safe aboard her." He snapped.

"I'm afraid I can't allow that Sir, I have my orders and I must insist that you immediately exit the car and accompany me to the Palace. Orders, I'm sure you understand." Potter looked at the man and then at his driver, then Marine in the driver's seat was ready to ram the blockade and try and make a break for the frigate. Potter decided that he was not finished with the arrogant black clad Officer.

"I really don't care what your orders are, Major. I do not recognise your authority to detain me for any reason and if you do not step aside, I will consider this an act of war on your behalf and I will instruct the New Orleans to immediately open fire on this area and continue until I am given free passage. If you think I am bluffing, my driver has the Captain on the radio right this moment." The sudden threat of such an escalation caused the Major to flinch, he was sure that this was going to be an easy stop and pick up. Now this crazy American was threatening to open up with naval rifles on a vital transport hub.

"Sir, you have to understand that I cannot ignore the direct orders of the King, and should your ship open fire, it would be seen as you starting the conflict, not I. And as your chances of living through such a situation are indeed very slim, I have to believe you are bluffing." The Major was getting his confidence back now. Potter could see that his driver was softly talking on his communicator, then he nodded and turned to the Ambassador.

"The net has drawn closed Sir." He said. Potter smiled and turned back to the Major.

"Major, I have been quite patient with you, I'm sorry, but I just don't have any more time to spend chatting with. Good Day." Potter said, sitting back he closed the window and sat back.

Outside the car, Major William Harris stood there in shock, what was the American thinking. He reached for his holster, and as his hand reached the leather flap he felt the steel barrel of an assault rifle press against his neck.

"I must insist that you remove your hand from your holster, Sir." A gruff American voice whispered in his ear. Harris slowly turned and saw the Marine standing behind him with his rifle pointed at his head. Harris realised he had been played, and when he looked at his own troops he saw they were all held at gun point and they were all laying on the ground and had more Marines than Harris had ever seen standing over them. Harris watched the limousine drive off down the road completely unmolested. He had failed in his mission to prevent the Americans from accessing the Warship at the pier around the corner.

Potter sighed as his car rounded the last corner and the New Orleans came into view. Now all he needed to make his day complete was to see his wife and children on the deck of the warship. The car pulled up at the gangway and the driver exited the vehicle and open the door for Potter, he thanked the Marine and headed straight up the gangway. As he made the deck he saw the best sight he could imagine, his wife was standing on the bridge looking down as he entered the ship proper.

Harold stood in his office stunned, he couldn't believe what he was hearing. His carefully prepared plans had fallen in a massive heap, and now he was left with nothing to show it. Harold grabbed an ink well off the desk and hurled it across the office, shattering it on a massive portrait of his father. The ink slowly ran down his father's face, the eyes looking at Harold with an almost accusatory glare.

"How the fuck could they fail? It was four people, not a battalion of troops. Are they so incompetent that they can't carry out a simple task?" He screamed at the Colonel.

"They were heavily out-numbered and the Marines were waiting for them. I believe that they had no option, it would have served no purpose to be killed without any chance of success, Sire." He replied calmly. Harold stormed from the room and was heard smashing anything he could get his hands on. It was a tantrum for the ages, and in a matter of minutes, Harold had destroyed priceless art and furniture that had survived for hundreds of years.

The fact still remained, Harold had, in his madness put the entire country at risk to try and sate his sick desires. The move would prove to be the beginning of the end for his reign.