‘The rogue elements are probably concealed among these. If we can find these bundles, then our problems are over, wouldn’t you agree?’ He looked at Quoit.

‘I would hope so.’

‘At least, provided everyone else can find theirs too. I have here a report from Admiralty House. Naturally they know nothing of what is going on. This is a standard weekly intelligence report. The NATO fleet has observed that the Russians have been clearing all their shipping, both military and commercial, from the Atlantic Ocean, English Channel and North Sea. It’s apparently causing some concern.’

‘Submarines too?’ I asked.

‘No, only surface vessels.’

‘Because they’re worried about fall-out?’

‘It must be. I can’t think of any other reason – and the Admiralty can’t think of any reason at all. If it was just military shipping, one might perhaps think there was a different reason, but civilian shipping as well – it all fits. Would you not agree, Isaac?’

‘Ships are as vulnerable to fall-out as anything else. Most modern warships do have air-tight hatches and a system for washing down their decks automatically in the event of being subjected to fall-out, but no commercial shipping does to my knowledge.’

‘Who have you informed of what we know, so far, sir?’ I asked Fifeshire.

‘Only the heads of the Atomic Energy authorities in the four countries. They are all instigating searches for B-marked fuel – I hope we’re right about it.’

‘So do I.’

‘They have all promised to let me know the moment they find anything – or the moment anything happens,’ he added ominously.

‘What about this country?’

Fifeshire shook his head. ‘If I tell the Home Secretary, he’ll get in one almighty flap, and rush off and tell the PM. The PM will get in a bigger flap still, summon an emergency cabinet meeting and discuss the matter for three hours. Having done that, they will then telephone me, and ask me to come and discuss it with them. I will tell them what I am doing, that in my opinion it is the only thing to do, and they will agree and tell me to continue; so there is not a lot of point in telling them in the first place. I did put everyone formally on notice back in October. You were both present at the meeting. Now I am getting on with the job. There is nothing further to tell them that will be of any use either to them or to us.’

‘If by Monday morning,’ said Quoit, ‘nothing has turned up, and there’s a westerly blowing, what are you going to do?’

‘Couldn’t all the power stations be shut down?’ I asked.