<strong>Tuesday 13th August 10:25 -&gt; 10:36<br/><br/>Back room of the King's Head Pub -&gt; Taxi -&gt; Toon<br/><br/>Bran</strong><br/><br/>There are muted "goodbyes" and "see you later, lad"s as you leave, but no conversation of substance.  However you quite accidentally don't close the door fully as you leave the back room and catch the start of a conversation they were clearly waiting for you to leave to start.  Alf had been studying a piece of paper and speaks up:<br/><br/>"As a canine to our Lord,<br/>or leg joints to the keen:<br/>So is that aged quidnunc<br/>to the source of that lad's teen"<br/><br/>"Aye.  I spotted it too.  Chances of that being a coincidence are fuck all, like."<br/><br/>You realise that if you stay much longer it'll be obvious and hurry out to the taxi.<br/><br/>The taxi is idling outside and beeps again just as you exit.  The driver, a tallish man with "NUFC" tattooed across the back of his neck gets out and opens a rear door for you, a level of chivalry and respect you've never had from a taxi driver before.<br/><br/><div class="floatleft">(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/Haymarket_Newcastle_May_2009.JPG)</div>He also manages to spare you the standard borderline racist taxi driver nonsense as well, just putting the car into gear and pulling off.  Apparently knowing where's he's heading even if you don't.<br/><br/>'John', you see no reason to assume that's not his real name but the day has been weird enough that it might not, answers with a clipped "John Anderson" in a cultured accent and sounds overjoyed to hear from you.  He quickly agrees to meet you at:<br/><br/>"Heading in to the toon, like.  You're headed to Maccy D's on Northumberland but I'm going to have to drop you off at Haymarket."  The pedestrianisation of Northumberland Street is a sore spot with taxi drivers even years later.  He gestures at his satnav (https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=northumberland+street+newcastle&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x487e70c9653ac699:0x166ac26f0a002e9f,Northumberland+St,+Newcastle+upon+Tyne+NE1+7AG&gl=uk&ei=FRBjUlupt9EFkr-B4As&ved=0CJgBELYD), as if he's not sure you'll know where to go.<br/><br/>'John' agrees and says he'll try to get 'the lass' to come along with him, then hangs up quickly.  'Short and sweet' is the best phrase to define his telephone manner - give the information, get off the line.<br/><br/>You head down Percy Street, doubtless a remnant of the same family Ronald claimed descent from and he pulls up in front of the Haymarket.  Once a great spot for local skaters now, thanks to Jean Nodshorns, not.  Although the rain would probably have kept them away today anyway.  Once again he gets out to open the door for you and apologises for not having an umbrella to offer you.  There's a slightly desperate note to his voice when he tries to confirm that "You'll let Ron know I got you here safe and sound, but".<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Bran</div><div class="spoiler_body">Feel free to post your arrival in the scene with Miyo, Norm, Chris and Patveer.  Patveer is wearing a McDonald's uniform and a turban and will abruptly stop talking and look up at you suspiciously when you arrive.  Miyo and Chris you recognise easily, Norm it takes you a moment to confirm its him - you'd forgotten what he looked like a little.  They're in an alleyway beside McDonalds, easily visible from the main pedestrian street.<br/><br/>Or, of course, feel free to talk to the taxi driver, go somewhere else, or whatever.  Don't want to railroad you too much.</div></div><br/><hr/><br/><br/><strong>Tuesday 13th August 10:38<br/><br/>Alley at the side of McDonalds, Northumberland Street<br/><br/>Miyo, Norm, Chris</strong><br/><br/>"Course they can, man!  Course they can."  His voice has dropped down to a whisper, a highly emphatic whisper granted, but a whisper nonetheless.  He looks around him suspiciously as if expecting to see someone listening in and all but jumps out of his skin when his pocket beeps again.  "Fucking thing" he curses, presumably at the mobile as opposed to anything else.<br/><br/>"That's what they do.  You seen that, ah fuck, Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones.  Men in Black!  You seen that?"  He mimes zapping Norm with one of the memory erasers (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osR1jctb47Y) "Poof, it's gone.  That's how they keep control, man.  Or one of the ways.  Honestly I thought at first you guys were part of them.  But I don't think you're lying to me, are you."  His pocket beeps once more and he takes out an iPhone, turning it off without glancing at it.<br/><br/>"So why not you?  A lot of options, a lot.  But you want the Patveer Patwel top three?"  He holds up three fingers.<br/><br/>"A new entry at number three with 'You guys are doing the memory removal thing for some reason of your own'"<br/><br/>Drops a finger.<br/><br/>"Holding steady at number two is 'There's something special about you guys that makes you resistant."<br/><br/>Drops a second and converts the remaining raised finger into a circular point encompassing the three of you.<br/><br/>"And for the third consecutive week at number one, put your hands together for 'You guys have a guardian angel'"<br/><br/>"Whether they're keeping you safe or fattening you up for Christmas I don't know.  But that's my guess."