As is often the case with inarticulates who have bottled everything up for far too long, a dam burst somewhere inside him. ‘It’s . . . everything. Everything is wrong. We don’t do things like we used to. There’s all these freaks and weirdos around the place. And . . . girls. And having to be nice to people. We’re the fucking Time Police, for heaven’s sake. We’re not supposed to be nice. We’re supposed to turn up, put the fear of God into people and push off again. Not hold their hands and listen to their problems. They’ll have us in pink next.’

He swallowed, pulled himself up with a visible effort and stared furiously out of her window at London going about its business for the day.

She gave him a moment to recover and then said, ‘You were one of Colonel Albay’s recruits, weren’t you?’

He nodded.

‘Gordon, Colonel Albay was the last of the old school. Most of us now recognise the need to change. We were formed for a purpose. That purpose is changing. We must change with it. We adapt to a changing situation. We do not adapt the situation to suit us.’

‘But you’re filling the place with women. There are people from St Mary’s taking over and we – the rest of us – are just being shoved aside to make room for them. That North – she’ll be running the place in ten years’ time.’

‘She’s a very capable officer, certainly. Wouldn’t you rather have her with you than against you?’

He took a deep breath and made another effort to calm down. ‘Ma’am, it’s just – there doesn’t seem to be a place for us here any longer. After all the work we’ve put in.’ His voice cracked. ‘For some of us . . . it’s our life. Or it was.’

She nodded. ‘I understand your point of view, but you must be aware that the days of brute force are gone. We’re not a blunt instrument any longer. The situation has evolved. And so must we.’

‘Yes, but the threat’s always out there and if we don’t keep on top of it . . .’

‘You’re right, Gordon. You’re absolutely right. But the threat has changed. It’s not nation versus nation, any longer. It’s devolved down to an individual level. Amateurs with their unstable pods, damaging the timeline everywhere they go. And now there’s big business moving in. Yes, some time ago we took down Atticus Wolfe and that was good work, but word has got out somehow that safety protocols can be bypassed. What we face today are well-financed and well-organised criminal gangs whose technology is very nearly equal to ours. The threat has changed and so must we.’

‘But what about respect?’

‘I think possibly you are confusing respect with fear. Remember, Gordon, those who hold power rarely need to use it.’

He appeared bewildered.