[Scene opens with a university office, fairly spartan, containing a large table with some chairs pushed under. A few posters and A4 typed sheets on the wall.]
[A young woman (F) is standing at the left-hand end of the table, rummaging through a pile of papers on the desk in a suspiciously untidy manner.]
[Enter security officer (SO), stage right.]
SO: This is Professor Cranwick’s office, right?
F: looks up calmly from the papers, as though unsurprised at SO’s arrival]
F: Yeah
SO: Are you supposed to be here?
F: Well, I’m just helping him out with some papers.
SO: Uhuh... Do you have any sort of identification?
F: Yeah...
[F picks up a large bag from the floor and rummages inside]
F: I left it at home. [Smiles] I’m Julie Barker, I help Professor Cranwick with his research.
SO: Er yeah, that’s fine, but it’s late, and I need to see some form of identification.
F: I left it at home.
SO: Well surely you have something with your name on?
F: I don’t think so, I left home in a real hurry.
SO: You’re a student here, right?
F: Yeah. Look, I just help John with his work, he’s really stressed and
busy at the moment and I... look after his stuff... he wouldn’t want a
fuss. I was just collecting some papers for him.
SO: [to radio] Alpha-two to control.
Radio: Go ahead Alpha-two.
[F puts some papers in her bag and closes it]
SO: I’m in A220 here, female early twenties, claims to be Julie Barker, over.
Radio: Standby Alpha-two.
SO: [To F] We’re just running a check - it shouldn’t take a minute.
F: Well look you don’t need to - I was just leaving anyway.
[SO moves slightly to block F’s way out]
SO: I’d prefer you stayed.
F: Right.
Radio: Alpha-two.
SO [To radio] Go ahead.
Radio: There’s no Julie Barker, only a Rachael Barker.
F: Oh well look that’s me, Rachael Barker, my friends call me Julie.
SO: Look what are you studying here?
[A man (M) emerges (mid-stage) from hiding and addresses SO]
M: You don’t need to know what she’s studying.
SO [To radio] Alpha-two requesting immediate assistance - one other male present
SO [To M] Can I ask who you are sir?
M: All you need to know is that we’re leaving.
[F picks up bag, walks between M and SO and exits stage right. SO steps back. M exits stage right.]
SO: [To radio] Alpha-two, I need backup now.
[Fade]
