“Dinner at the 1789 in Georgetown says I’m right,” Herbert replied.

“Does everything have to be a war with you?” Coffey protested.

“Not a war. Call it a dispute with hair on its chest. You in or out?” Herbert pressed.

“I’m in,” Coffey said.

The men left the landing pad. They crossed damp grasses to where the others were standing. The group was brightly lighted in the glow of the footlights on the landing pad. Jelbart introduced them.

“I understand you’re the offsider running the team,” Leyland said as he shook Herbert’s hand.

Coffey noticed that the captain did not smile. Herbert did, however. From the side of his mouth, at Coffey.

“Actually, Officer Loh and I will be conducting activities jointly,” Herbert told him.

Both Jelbart and Loh looked at the intelligence chief. Loh was impassive. Jelbart seemed somewhat surprised. But he said nothing.

“I see,” Leyland said. “So which of you is going to tell me exactly what these activities are? And would you like to go to the cabin to do it?” He pointed toward a small structure near the base of the tower. “It’ll be getting pretty chilly out here in a few minutes. You might be more comfortable.”

“We’re a little squeezed for time,” Herbert said. “And we won’t be out here that long.”

“All right,” Leyland said. “What’s on your mind?”

“Discretion, for one thing,” Herbert said. “Nothing we are about to discuss can be repeated.”

“I can keep a secret,” Leyland said. “Just tell me one thing. Is what you want to do legal?”

“In theory, and if everything goes the way I hope,” Herbert replied.

Leyland looked at him strangely. “That’s like calling a match ‘safe’ until you strike it.”

“Captain Leyland, I’m a solicitor,” Coffey interjected. “The situation is equivalent to breaking down the door of a house that’s on fire. Technically, you are trespassing. But by every other measure, it’s the right thing to do.”

“You burble like a solicitor,” Leyland said. “So the answer is no?”

“The answer is that we are investigating a national security matter,” Jelbart said.

“An international security issue,” FNO Loh added.

“Correct,” Jelbart agreed. “We can bat around the fine points of ethical versus legal law if you like. Or we can try to save a couple of million lives. Which will it be?”

Leyland looked at the group. “I’m out here to save lives. I’m listening, people.”

“Thank you,” Jelbart said.

“Captain, do you have any kind of personal or professional relationship with Jervis Darling?” Herbert asked.

“We trapshoot twice a week,” Leyland said.

“That’s fantastic,” Coffey said.

“That was a joke,” Leyland told him. “No. I have no personal or professional relationship with Mr. Darling. In fact, the only part of him I have ever seen is the arse end of his helicopter.”

“What about firefighting?” Herbert asked.