I would bite into these, should I ever find myself in a position where it is necessary. I would not think twice about it.'
'For God's sake, that's you! They're not you; they're no part of you. They don't know you. Why should they pay with their lives?'
Holcroft's voice was startling in its quiet incisiveness. 'Priorities, McAuliff. I told you. For them... for us.'
'The accidents of war, Doctor. Combat's slaughter of innocents, perhaps.' Daniel spoke simply, denying the implication of his words. 'Things written and unwritten - '
'Bullshit!' screamed McAuliff. The driver removed a pistol from his belt; his action was obvious. Alexander looked rapidly back and forth between the Minister of the Halidon and the British Intelligence officer. 'Listen to me. You said on that phone for them to do what they can. You. Holcroft. You offered your... goddamned "best efforts." All right. Give me a chance!'
'How?' asked Daniel. 'There can be no Jamaican police, no Kingston troops.'
The words came back to Alexander. Words spoken by Sam Tucker in the glow of the campsite fire. A quiet statement made as Sam watched the figure of Charles Whitehall and the black giant, Lawrence, talking in the compound. They're our protection. They may hate each other...
They're our protection.
McAuliff whirled on Holcroft. 'How many defectors have you got here?'
'I brought six specialists from London - '
'All but one has sold out to Dunstone,' interrupted Daniel.
'That's five. How many others could they pick up?' McAuliff addressed the Halidonite.
'On such short notice, perhaps three or four; probably mercenaries. That is only a guess... They would be more concerned with speed than numbers. One automatic rifle in the hands of a single soldier - '
'When did they get the Dunstone orders?' asked Alex swiftly, breaking off Daniel's unnecessary observations.
'Within the hour is our estimate. Certainly no more than an hour.'
'Could they get a plane?'
'Yes. Ganga aircraft are always for hire. It would take a little time; ganga pilots are a suspicious breed, but it could be done.'
Alex turned to Holcroft. The agent was wiping his lips with his fingers... his goddamn fingers, as if dusting the pastry crumbs of his mouth during tea at the Savoy! 'Can you raise the people monitoring the signals from the campsite? With that radio?' McAuliff pointed to the panel under the dashboard. 'I have the frequency - '
'Does that mean yes?'
'Yes.'
'What is the point,' asked Daniel. 'To see if his goddamn specialists have reached them. To get the position - '
'You want our plane?' interrupted the Minister of the Halidon, knowing the answer to his question.
'Yes!'
Daniel signalled the driver to start the car. 'You don't need the position. There is only one place to land: the grassland two miles southwest of the campsite. We have the coordinates.'
The automobile lurched out of the parking area, careened off the primitive border, and sped into the darkness towards the highway.
Holcroft gave the frequency-band decimals to Daniel; the minister transmitted them, handing a microphone to the British agent.
There was no pickup.
No answer over the airwaves.
'It will take time to get a plane...' Daniel spoke quietly as the car roared over the wide roadway.
Alex suddenly put his hand on the minister's shoulder. 'Your runner, the one who used the name of "Marcus." Tell him to get word to Sam Tucker.'
'I have instructed our men to pull out,' answered Daniel icily. 'Please remember what I told you.'
'For Christ's sake, send him back. Give them a chance!'
'Don't you mean... give her a chance?'
McAuliff wanted - as he had never wanted anything before - to kill the man. 'You had to say it, didn't you?'
'Yes,' replied Daniel, turning in his seat to look Alexander in the eye. 'Because it is related to the condition on which you have use of the plane... If you fail, if the woman is killed, your life is taken also. You will be executed. Quite simply, with her death you could never be trusted.'
Alexander acknowledged the penetrating stare of Daniel the Halidonite. 'Quite simply,' he said, 'my answer is easy. I'll give the firing order myself.'
R. C. Holcroft leaned forward. His speech was measured precise as ever. 'I am going in with you, McAuliff.'
Both Daniel and Alex looked at the Englishman. Holcroft, in a few words, had quietly moved into a strangely defenceless position. It astonished both men.
'Thank you.' It was all McAuliff could say, but he meant it profoundly.
'I'm afraid that is not possible, Commander,' said Daniel. 'You and I... we have matters between us. If McAuliff