‘If Iain’s finished being offended,’ said Grant, ‘we need to discuss the tasks that need completing outside of New London. After that, I believe we’re done here. What needs doing, gentlemen?’

‘How about the external backups I’ve been requesting?’ asked Marshall. ‘The sooner this technology is sent to other Citadels, the safer we’ll be.’

‘You’ll have them,’ answered Grant, ‘but not tonight. And we’ve already been through why.’

‘Why?’ asked Roth, not content with being out of the loop.

‘Because you’re talking about whole chambers full of very large pieces of equipment, and data so complex it can’t simply be emailed. The sheer volume of it all can only be transported across two lanes of empty motorway, which we no longer have anywhere on this island, or via huge freight trains, which are no longer powered. We’ll be able to fit it all on the Sheila, but she won’t be ready for another few weeks.’

Roth smiled at the thought of the Sheila coming into use. It would be a long while after this day had ended, but it was sure to be beautiful once she embarked upon her maiden voyage.

‘In the meantime,’ said Pearce, ‘there are still resources from the test centre that need bringing here. Research papers, computers and the like.’

‘Sorry to break it to you,’ Roth said, his sympathy clearly limited, ‘but a quarter of the retard school was burnt to a crisp when I arrived. A bunch of that stuff will be gone. This guy must have started a fire before he killed himself,’ he finished, patting the top of Raj’s head and looking to Marshall for a reaction.

‘Then we’ll search through the other three quarters,’ answered Pearce.

‘The school’s safely trapped behind a shield,’ said Roth. ‘Why spend time and resources getting anything back?’

‘Because,’ Pearce said with an irritated sigh, ‘someone in their crew might only need to remove their metal earrings to have free access to any surviving research. Some of the paperwork may have been destroyed in the fire, but I want everything else brought back here.’

‘Fine,’ Marshall butted in, ‘I’ll send out some transport. I’ll need to bring the shield down though.’

‘You can do that remotely from the AME computer in your office,’ said Pearce. ‘I’ll tell you when.’

‘Sort it out between you,’ said Grant. ‘Anything else that needs doing outside these walls?’

Roth shrugged, and hoped his colleagues would do the same. There was a bed in his room not far away that awaited his attention.

‘There’s a weapons cache out towards Beaconsfield,’ said Marshall, ‘left over from the days of using quarries as drop-off points between Citadels. Better to bring those weapons inside so they don’t fall into rebel hands.’

‘Start right away.’

‘It’ll take until tomorrow evening, but I’ll start as soon as this meeting is over.’