The colonel continued, “The minehunter HMS Padstow arrived in Riga yesterday with the NATO Standing Mine Counter Measures Group. She’s been told to take you out. But she’s getting ready to leave in a couple of hours, so you’ll need to get your skates on. Head out to Riga International Airport and see what’s happening. We need hard evidence that the Russians are on the ground and that it’s an invasion, before we can properly protest what is happening. Then get back to Padstow.”

“We’ll do our best, Sir. I’ll report back once we’re on Padstow.”

Morland checked his watch: 0355. He thought quickly. The streets were empty so, if Krauja was prepared to drive them, it wouldn’t take more than 45 minutes to get into a place where they could observe the international airport. Then 25 minutes back to the quayside where Padstow was tied up. Add a fudge factor of 30 minutes . . . and round it up. He looked at Krauja inquiringly. He didn’t need to ask.

She nodded. “Of course I’ll drive you.”

Morland looked back at the screen. “Can you tell the Captain of Padstow we’ll aim to be with him by 0630 latest. Any later than that and something will have gone wrong. But don’t worry, we’ll stay out of trouble. We’re recce. We observe without being spotted.”

“Will do. Good luck.” The Baltic Team faded from the screen and the Inmarsat was quickly packed away.

“Come with me, guys.” Krauja was being as decisive as ever. “I’ve picked up a Land Cruiser from the office. There’s plenty of room for us all and our equipment. I know the back roads to the airport. We’ll take a look and I’ll get you to your ship . . . then I’ll need to get back to my office. Some of us will have a war to fight.”

Morland said nothing, stung by the barb. He would shortly be returning to safety in England, and despite his direct orders to the contrary, he felt that he would be deserting Krauja.

He suppressed a momentary, idiotic thought, that he could persuade her to join him on the ship and so keep her out of harm’s way. But one look at the determined tilt of her jaw and he knew that to even hint at such a suggestion would be deemed a grave insult. And in that moment, and contrary to all his training, he realized that he was thinking of her as a woman and no longer as a fellow professional.

“The ambassador . . . ,” he almost stammered in his confusion, needing something to say. “I’d . . . I’d better brief him.”