"Hey, screw that, Father."

"It's important, boy. Might all wind up depending on that receiver before tonight's out. Gotta be done properly."

Jules looked away across the fields, anger showing in the set of his shoulders. Eleanor wondered if he was blaming her.

"Radio communications to the manor are out," Victor said. "There's a jammer blocking all frequencies."

"Yeah I know, a Grumman ECM788," Teddy said. "We got us a tactical message laser, nothing gonna interfere with that. Jules'll take the receiver up to the top of the valley; Son says we'll have direct line of sight from there to the manor."

"Christ," Victor muttered in an undertone. "Walshaw's going to kill somebody when this is over."

"Anything else?" Teddy asked. "OK. We'll ask the Lord for his blessing."

The Trinities bowed their heads. Eleanor saw Victor look round in surprise. She lowered her own head.

"Lord, we ask for your guidance and protection in our task ahead. We're going to see if we can help our lost brother and sister, and we believe our cause is right and just. If in your wisdom you could grant us success we will remain thankful for such mercy for the remainder of our mortal life. Amen."

"Amen," the Trinities whispered in chorus.

"Amen," Eleanor added.

"OK. Tool up. Move out."

The Rockwell was a wound monolattice-filament tube one and a half metres long and twenty centimetres wide. It had a broad leather strap so Eleanor could carry it across her back. She lifted it up and realised just how dependent she was going to be on the Trinities for protection from the sentinels. She was confident she could carry it to the manor, but the weight was going to slow her down.

After she'd settled the cannon into place, Suzi clipped a Braun laser pistol on to her belt. "Twenty-five shots, or a five-second continuous burn," Suzi said. "Don't fret yourself none about getting it wet, it's waterproof." Five power magazines were added. Eleanor felt like protesting about the extra weight, but held her tongue. Suzi's normally infallible barbed humour had evaporated.

The seven of them splashed into the middle of the stream. Teddy and Suzi paired at the front, Roddy took up station on Eleanor's right-hand side. On her left was Victor, who was carrying a couple of high-density power units for the Rockwell along with the message laser. Nicole was on his left, and Des brought up the rear.