‘They want you to tell them about the police down there.’

‘I’ll tell them,’ I said.

We walked inside and the group turned to face me.

Haslam, next to me, made a sudden movement. ‘For God’s sake, Bruno! Put out that goddamn cigarette.’

The young man looked at Haslam in surprise, a cigarette poised halfway to his lips. Haslam said, ‘You’re yards away from a plane full of avgas. What do you want to do? Blow us to hell? Aren’t we in enough trouble?’

Bruno shrugged, drew on the cigarette and then dropped it, putting his foot on the stub. He blew a long plume of smoke in Haslam’s direction.

Frank said, ‘How many police are there, Kemp?’

I took my time answering. ‘I counted sixty, police and soldiers. But those came in from the sea. I don’t know how many came through the gates. Maybe twice as many, maybe more. I’d say you can count on at least two hundred.’

‘Jesus!’ said Bruno. He looked at Frank. ‘And you want us to fight them?’

Frank ignored Bruno. ‘Those jets,’ he said. ‘Where did they come from?’

‘They’re American,’ I said.

‘That’s not what I asked. Where did they come from?’

I thought of Auerbacher’s remarks on his shortage of fuel and said, ‘How would I know? A carrier, maybe.’ I certainly wasn’t going to tell the truth about that. Haslam or Philips would be smart enough to figure out the likelihood of a fuel shortage. But a carrier could be anywhere.

Frank said, ‘I still say they wouldn’t shoot us down. They wouldn’t want that publicity.’

Terry, the one with the unlined young face, said, ‘They could follow us.’

‘All I get from you bastards is obstruction,’ snarled Frank. ‘If you want to say something, say something useful.’ He cocked his head on one side and listened.

The murmur of the cruising fighter jets had changed in quality and was becoming louder. Again the Phantoms slammed low across the airfield, deadening the brain by the sheer volume of noise. It was an awesome demonstration of raw power. I knew it was also the final demonstration. Auerbacher’s time was up and Hanna’s bluff could be called at any moment.

The jets faded into the distance and a bellow came up the hill from a loudspeaker. ‘This is Superintendent Hanna. You’ve got fifteen minutes to make up your minds. Then I take action. If you want to quit, then come down the road one at a time with your hands up. No guns. That’s all.’

‘I’m for quitting,’ said Philips. ‘We’re not going anywhere.’

Frank slapped him down quickly. ‘You’ll quit when I say you can.’

‘You want to know what I think?’ I said.

‘No,’ said Frank. ‘I don’t give a good goddamn what you think.’

‘I do,’ said Bruno.