Cooper gave a low whistle as he rounded the last bend in the path and emerged onto The Place's manicured lawn. It must have been some kind of fortress in medieval days, he reasoned, with a narrow and winding route from the gate that funneled attackers past a lethal rain of arrows and boiling oil. Or at least that's what he had been imagining - snarling men in chainmail rushing up the path, swords drawn, only to scream in despair as hot tar melted them down to nothing but a pair of smoking boots.<br/><br/>He slung his sea bag from one shoulder to the other - again - and stretched. Maybe bringing his own tools hadn't been such a hot idea, he reflected. Ah well. He was here now, and eager to get to work. He crossed the sward at an easy lope and bounded up the stairs two at a time into the reception area.<br/><br/>"Hi!" he called to Mel. "I'm Cooper Scott, the new building engineer?"