was no light now. It was deserted.
There was nothing else to do but wait.
An hour passed, and the only sounds were those of the Jamaican night: the predators foraging, victims taken, unending struggles - immaterial to all but the combatants.
It was nearly the end of the second hour when they heard it.
Another sound.
An automobile. Driving slowly, its low-geared, muted engine signalling its apprehension. An intruder very much aware of its transgression.
Minutes later, in the dim light of a moon sheeted with clouds, they watched a long figure run across the field, first to the north end, where a single torch was ignited, then to the south - perhaps four hundred yards - where the action was repeated. Then the figure dashed once more to the opposite end.
Another sound. Another intruder. Also muted - this from the darkness of the sky.
An aeroplane, its engine idling, was descending rapidly.
It touched the ground, and simultaneously the torch at the north end was extinguished. Seconds later the aircraft came to a stop by the flame at the south end. A man jumped out of the small cabin; the fire was put out instantly.
'Let's go!' said McAuliff to the British agent. Together the two men started across the field.
They were no more than fifty yards into the grass when it happened.
The impact was so startling, the shock so complete, that Alex screamed involuntarily and threw himself to the ground, his pistol raised, prepared to fire.
Holcroft remained standing.
For two immensely powerful searchlights had caught them in the blinding convergence of the cross-beams.
'Put down your weapon, McAuliff,' came the words from beyond the blinding glare.
And Daniel, Minister of Council for the Tribe of Acquaba, walked through the light.
Chapter Thirty-Two
THIRTY TWO
'When you came into the area you tripped the photoelectric alarms. Nothing mysterious.'
They were in the automobile, Daniel in front with the driver, Holcroft and Alexander in the back seat. They had driven away from the field, out of Unity Hall, along the coast into Lucea Harbour. They parked on a deserted section of a dirt road overlooking the water. The road was one of those native offshoots on the coastal highway unspoiled by trespassing tourists. The moon was brighter by the ocean's edge, reflecting off the rippling surface, washing soft yellow light over their faces.
As they were driving, McAuliff had a chance to study the car they were in. From the outside it looked like an ordinary, not-very-distinguished automobile of indeterminate make and vintage - like hundreds of island vehicles, made from the parts of other cars. Yet inside the fundamental difference was obvious: It was a precision-tooled mobile fortress... and communications centre. The windows were of thick, bullet-proof glass; rubber slots were evident in the rear and side sections - slots that were for the high-blasting, short barrelled shotguns clamped below the back of the front seat. Under the dashboard was a long panel with dials and switches; a telephone was locked into a recess between two microphones. The engine, from the sound of it, was one of the most powerful Alex had ever heard.
The Halidon went first class in the outside world.
Daniel was in the process of dismissing McAuliffs astonishment at the events of the past two hours. It seemed important to the minister that he convey the reality of the situation. The crisis was sufficiently desperate for Daniel to leave the community; to risk his life to be in command.
It was as though he wanted very much for R. C. Holcroft to realize he was about to deal with an extremely sensible and hard-nosed adversary.
'We had to make sure you were alone... the two of you, of course. That you were not somehow followed. There were tense moments this afternoon. You handled yourselves expertly, apparently. We could not help you. Congratulations.'
'What happened to Malcolm?' asked Alex.
Daniel paused, then spoke quietly, sadly. 'We do not know yet. We are looking... He is safe - or dead. There is no middle ground.' Daniel looked at Holcroft. 'Malcolm is the man you know as Joseph Myers, Commander Holcroft.'
McAuliff shifted his gaze to the agent. So Holcroft the manipulator was a Commander. Commander Holcroft, liar, manipulator... and risker-of-life to save another's.
Holcroft reacted to Daniel's words by closing his eyes for precisely two seconds. The information was a professional burden he did not care for; the manipulator was outflanked again.
'Do I have a single black man working for me? For the Service?'
The minister smiled gently. 'By our count, seven. Three, however, are quite ineffectual.'
'Thank you for enlightening me.