Book Four: The Trap — 1.

Colin Wren smoothly lands a Gulfstream at Heathrow after a transatlantic flight with his young copilot, Ron. True to habit, Colin has already read Ron’s recent texts, confirming her interest in him and amusing himself at her friends’ teasing about his sexuality. He notes her plans to enjoy London and her hints about seeing him at the Savoy.

They pass through a VIP border-control checkpoint, and Ron continues to flirt, nervously revealing an old stammer. Colin plays it cool, promising to see how things look when he returns from business in the southwest of England. Her mood is buoyant as they exit customs.

In the arrivals area, Arthur awaits at Café Nero, dressed like a distracted academic. The men hug with easy, fraternal warmth. Arthur’s concern quickly surfaces: their next move is dangerous and could go wrong despite precautions. Colin answers with banter about Arthur’s weight and his own indispensability, asserting he solved in weeks what Arthur pursued for years, and accepts the risk.

Outside in spitting rain, Arthur suggests Colin sleep on the trip, but Colin, energized, jokes about finally meeting a real troll. Arthur, half-playful, half-serious, riffs on trolls online and in Siberia. Their camaraderie frames the stakes: arcane threats made literal.

They reach Arthur’s mustard-yellow Mini Metro—an absurd downgrade from Colin’s jet—and, despite Colin’s incredulity, load up. Committed to the plan, they leave Heathrow to drive south into danger, seeking a troll that is central to Arthur’s ongoing quest.