Station and the British Library and continued towards Euston Station. The two friends did not speak as they nervously walked along clutching their satchels, which they had slung over their shoulders. Instead they surveyed the peak hour traffic building up in central London as they strode purposefully along. Traffic was mainly electric powered buses, trucks, vans and black taxis at street level and, above the tall buildings, streams of air-cars zooming purposefully towards their place of work. Now and then they were curious to see the odd old petrol-driven or hybrid car running along Euston Road. Most of them were actually collector’s classics, almost too expensive to run these days. By about 2040 the price of oil had become so prohibitive that by then almost all new vehicles were fitted with super-efficient electric engines. This also had the effect of strangling the Middle East’s most powerful, and in particular the LOIN’s, most powerful economic weapon – crude oil. The dramatic fall in the demand for crude had also paradoxically helped to contribute to the long uneasy peace between the LOIN and the West. Basically, this had led to the stranglehold of the OPEC cartel totally collapsing and vastly diminishing the economic muscle of Iran and Iraq. This brought about the demise of the internal combustion engine and the end of the suffocating rise in surface-level traffic. The traffic jams had almost brought the great Western cities to a state of virtual gridlock. It also led to the invention of the air-car in 2052 and the subsequent development of the sky-level traffic flows.
Ewan turned his thoughts to their impending meeting as he tried to keep up with Gary’s quickening pace. Gary was excited, even in his nervousness, because he was planning the upcoming financial negotiation in his head. If truth be told he was actually planning how he was going to spend the cash. On the other hand, Ewan was apprehensive. He was trying to formulate the right words to put to Jill. Especially after the way she cut him off on the phone a few nights ago. Fortunately for Ewan, Jill had returned his call the following day and apologised for her outburst. She told Ewan that she thought it had been her boyfriend Khan calling her back. Ewan did not question Jill further, but he had thought that maybe she and Khan were going through a bad patch. Ewan wondered if there was still a half chance of him and Jill getting back together. They had enjoyed a short fling together when Jill was still working at the Glasgow Herald, although she had finished their relationship just before she got the job at the Times in London. Ewan had only met Khan al Ahmed once, at a party when Jill had invited him down from Edinburgh to her flat-warming at Kew. From the initial invite Ewan had misconstrued that he and Jill might have a chance of getting back together. When he arrived at the party, Jill immediately introduced Khan and Ewan took an instant and abiding dislike to the Arab. However, Ewan had to admit that Jill, with her long-blond hair, sparkling blue eyes and classic Nordic features, and Khan, tall, dark and swarthy with a powerfully-framed physique, looked a striking and handsome couple. Ewan thought he could never compete with someone like Khan and he told himself that getting back with Jill was a forlorn hope.
Ewan and Gary arrived just outside Euston Station. Gary pointed to the large three-storey block that had been built on the square in front of the station terminal building called the Euston iCafé.
“Is that the place, Ewan?”
“Yes, she said to meet her on the first floor.”
They entered the huge iCafé which was extremely busy already, even at this early hour, and they scaled the stairs to the first floor. Jill was busy checking her inbox on her laptop, so she did not see the Scottish duo enter the first floor café. Gary spotted her first and he dug his elbow into Ewan’s side and indicated where she was sitting with a knowing nod of
Ewan turned his thoughts to their impending meeting as he tried to keep up with Gary’s quickening pace. Gary was excited, even in his nervousness, because he was planning the upcoming financial negotiation in his head. If truth be told he was actually planning how he was going to spend the cash. On the other hand, Ewan was apprehensive. He was trying to formulate the right words to put to Jill. Especially after the way she cut him off on the phone a few nights ago. Fortunately for Ewan, Jill had returned his call the following day and apologised for her outburst. She told Ewan that she thought it had been her boyfriend Khan calling her back. Ewan did not question Jill further, but he had thought that maybe she and Khan were going through a bad patch. Ewan wondered if there was still a half chance of him and Jill getting back together. They had enjoyed a short fling together when Jill was still working at the Glasgow Herald, although she had finished their relationship just before she got the job at the Times in London. Ewan had only met Khan al Ahmed once, at a party when Jill had invited him down from Edinburgh to her flat-warming at Kew. From the initial invite Ewan had misconstrued that he and Jill might have a chance of getting back together. When he arrived at the party, Jill immediately introduced Khan and Ewan took an instant and abiding dislike to the Arab. However, Ewan had to admit that Jill, with her long-blond hair, sparkling blue eyes and classic Nordic features, and Khan, tall, dark and swarthy with a powerfully-framed physique, looked a striking and handsome couple. Ewan thought he could never compete with someone like Khan and he told himself that getting back with Jill was a forlorn hope.
Ewan and Gary arrived just outside Euston Station. Gary pointed to the large three-storey block that had been built on the square in front of the station terminal building called the Euston iCafé.
“Is that the place, Ewan?”
“Yes, she said to meet her on the first floor.”
They entered the huge iCafé which was extremely busy already, even at this early hour, and they scaled the stairs to the first floor. Jill was busy checking her inbox on her laptop, so she did not see the Scottish duo enter the first floor café. Gary spotted her first and he dug his elbow into Ewan’s side and indicated where she was sitting with a knowing nod of
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