‘The Americans would understand the situation pretty quickly. All the big nations spy on other nations and steal stuff all the time.’

‘True. But the Chinese are less forgiving in Al’s case. He has the cold fusion tech and will market it where he wishes. They realise they may miss out because Zhang died a few years ago and his comprehension went with him. That leaves Al …’

Wombat took a folder from a suitcase and handed it to Cavalier.

‘That’s the file we have on Al at the moment. It’s expanded somewhat since you last chatted with him. He’s CEO of all the companies he sets up. He had a list of private set-ups as long as your arm. He’s exploring for just about everything down there, from molybdenum and magnesium to gold, oil and gas. He has a finger in every possible mineral pie in or under the island and into Bass Strait. No one knows the structure of the island better than him.’

‘Who wants the update on him?’

‘We do. And Big Brother too. As I told you, he is of interest if he can produce oil in the quantities he claims are there.’

*

Cavalier flew to Hobart and met Haut at his office, and was surprised to be introduced to a tall, bespectacled fifty-year-old Texan, William B. Donnelly the Third.

‘William is considering support for me when he sells up his oil business in about a year.’

‘“Considering” is not the word,’ Donnelly drawled. ‘I’m buying in as soon as I sell my company.’

‘Can I say what you do?’ Haut asked.

‘Sure,’ Donnelly said with a careless wave. ‘I’m the supplier of jet fuel to the American and Chinese militaries. I’m in Australia on business. Thought I would drop in on my good buddy here, Al, to see how he is progressin’.’ Donnelly paused and then added, ‘Perhaps we can tell you somethin’ else in confidence. I’m here to learn Al’s amazing methods since Potus has decreed he wants America to be a net oil producer by the first half of his presidency.’ He nodded to Haut.

‘I use special seismic techniques,’ Haut said, ‘to see through dolerite layers hiding oil reservoirs. That’s how I found the huge deposits in Tasmania. The structure is the same as in Texas. When we use it there, we’ll uncover a vast new source of oil for the US.’

‘So you advise the US government?’ Cavalier prompted Donnelly. ‘How did you and Al meet?’

‘Wombat introduced us,’ Donnelly said.

‘Oh, okay. You’re connected to the CIA?’ Cavalier asked, guessing.

Donnelly nodded. ‘Mind if I sit in on the interview?’ he asked.

‘Be my guest,’ Cavalier said, taking out a small tape recorder, phone and notepad.

‘How do you juggle time in the mines with running the business here in Hobart?’ Cavalier asked Haut.