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taken only seconds to establish the role he wished to establish…that of the cowardly nonentity who could be safely and contemptuously ignored。 Larsen； who was no mean hand at taking care of people himself； felt strangely forted。
Lord Worth said： 〃May I see my daughters？〃
Durand considered； then nodded。 〃Search him； Aaron。〃
Aaron； carefully avoiding Lord Worth's basilisk glare of icy outrage； duly searched。 〃He's clean； Mr。 Durand。〃
〃Across there。〃 Durand pointed through the gathering gloom。 〃By the side of the platform。〃
Lord Worth walked off without a word。 The others made their way toward the acmodation quarters。 As Lord Worth approached his daughters； Heffer barred his way。
〃Where do you think you're going； mister？〃
〃Lord Worth to you； peasant。〃
Heffer pulled out his walkie…talkie。 〃Mr。 Durand？ There's a guy here…〃
Durand's voice crackled over the receiver。 〃That's Lord Worth。 He's been searched and he's got my permission to speak to his daughters。〃
Lord Worth plucked the walkie…talkie from Heffer。 〃And would you please instruct this individual to remain outside listening range？〃
〃You heard； Heffer。〃 The walkie…talkie went dead。
The reunion between father and daughters was a tearful and impassioned one； at least on the daughters* side。 Lord Worth was all that a doting parent reunited with his kidnaped children should have been； but his effusiveness was kept well under control。 Marina was the first to notice this。
〃Aren't you glad to see us again； Daddy？〃
Lord Worth hugged them both and said simply： 〃You two are my whole life。 If you don't know that by this time； you will never know it。〃
〃You've never said that before。〃 Even in the deepening dusk it was possible to see the sheen of tears in Melinda's eyes。
〃I did not think it necessary。 I thought you always knew。 Perhaps I'm a remiss parent； perhaps still too much the reserved highlander。 But all my billions aren't worth a lock of your black hair； Marina； or a lock of your red hair； Me…linda。〃
〃Titian； Daddy； titian。 How often must I tell you？〃 Melinda was openly crying now。
It was Marina； always the more shrewd and perceptive of the two； who put her finger on it。 〃You aren't surprised to see us； Daddy； are you？ You knew we were here。〃
〃Of course I knew。〃
〃How？〃
〃My agents；〃 Lord Worth said loftily； 〃lie thick upon the ground。〃
〃And what is going to happen now？〃
Lord Worth was frank。 〃I'm damned if I know。〃
〃We saw three other men e off the helicopter。 Didn't recognize them…getting too dark。〃
〃One was a Dr。 Greenshaw。 Excellent surgeon。〃
Melinda said： 〃What do you want a surgeon for？〃
〃Don't be silly。 What does anyone want a surgeon for？ You think we're going to hand over the Seawitch on a platter？…〃
〃And the other two？〃
〃You don't know them。 You've never heard of them。 And if you do meet them you will give no indication that you recognize them or have ever seen them before。〃
Marina said： 〃Michael and John。〃
〃Yes。 Remember…you've never seen them before。〃
〃We'll remember；〃 the girls said almost in chorus。 Their faces were transformed。 Marina said： 〃But they'll be in great danger。 Why are they here？〃
〃Something to do； I understand； with then…stated intent of taking you back home。〃
〃How…are they going to do that？〃
Again Lord Worth was frank。 〃I don't know。 H they know； they wouldn't tell me。 They've bee bossy； very bossy。 Watch me like a hawk： Won't even let me near my own blasted phone。〃 The girls refrained from smiling； principally because Lord Worth didn't seem particularly perturbed。 〃Mitchell； especially； seems in a very tetchy mood。〃 Lord Worth spoke with some relish。 〃Near as a whisker killed Durand inside the first minute。 Would have； too； if you weren't being held hostage。 Well； let's go to my suite。 I've been to Washington and back。 Long tiring day。 I need refreshment。〃
Durand went into the radio room； told the regular operator that his services would not be required until further notice and that he was to return to his quarters and remain there。 The operator left。 Durand； himself an expert radio operator； raised the Georgia within a minute and was speaking to Cronkite thirty seconds later。
〃Everything under control on the Seawitch。 We have the two girls here and Lord Worth himself。〃
〃Excellent。〃 Cronkite was pleased。 Everything was going his way； but； then； he had expected nothing else。 〃Lord Worth bring anyone with him？〃
〃The pilot and three other people。 A doctor… surgeon； he says； and he seems on the level。 Worth seems to have expected some blood to be spilled。 I'll check his credentials in Florida in a few minutes。 Also； two technicians…seismologists； or something like them。 Genuine and harmless…the sight of a machine pistol gives them St。 Virus's Dance。 They're unarmed。〃
〃So no worries？〃
〃Well； three。 Worth has a squad of about twenty men aboard。 They look like trained killers and I'm pretty sure they're all ex…military。 They have to be because of my second worry…Worth has eight dual…purpose antiaircraft guns bolted to the platform。〃
〃The hell he has！〃
〃Yeah…also piles of mines on the sides of the platform。 Now we know who heisted the Mississippi naval arsenal last night。 And the third problem is that we're far too thin on the ground。 There's only me and four others to watch everybody。 Some of us have to sleep sometimes。 I need reinforcements and I need 'em fast。〃
〃You'll have over twenty arriving at dawn tomorrow morning。 The relief rig crew are due in then。 A man named Gregson…you'll recognize him by the biggest red beard you ever saw…will be in charge。〃
〃I can't wait that long。 I need reinforcements now。 You have your chopper on the Georgia。〃
〃What do you think I carry on the Georgia； an army of reinforcements？〃 Cronkite paused； then went on reluctantly： 〃I can spare eight men； no more。〃
〃They have radar aboard。〃
〃So they have radar。 What difference does it make？ You're hi mand。〃
〃Yeah； Mr。 Cronkite。 But your own golden rule…never take a chance。〃
〃When you hear our helicopter has taken off； neutralize it〃
〃Destroy the radar cabin？〃
〃No。 We're going to want to use it when we've pletely taken over。 The scanner will be on top of the drilling derrick。 Right？〃
〃Right。〃
〃It's a simple mechanical job to stop it from turning。 All you need is someone with a wrench and a head for heights。 Now tell me exactly where Worth's men are quartered。 Gregson will need this information。〃
Durand told him what he wanted to know and hung up。
The dispensary…sick bay and the laboratory were next to each other。 Mitchell and Roomer were helping Dr。 Greenshaw unpack his very considerable amount of medical equipment。 They were； understandably； not unguarded； but Aaron and his Schmeisser were on watch on the two outside doors； and Aaron was hardly in an alert or trigger…ready state of mind。 In fact； he regarded his vigil as being close to pointless。 He had been present when the three men disembarked from the helicopter and had formed the same opinion of them as Durand。
In the sick bay Dr。 Greenshaw up…ended and removed the false bottom of one of his medical supply boxes。 With a gingerly and patently nervous apprehension； he took out two belt holsters； two Smith & Wesson 。38s； two silencers and two spare magazines。 Wordlessly； Mitchell and Roomer buckled on the weaponry。 Dr。 Greenshaw； a man； as they were discovering； of a genuinely devout turn of mind； said： 〃I only hope no one discovers you wearing those pistols。〃
Roomer said： 〃We appreciate your concern； Doctor。 But don't worry about us。〃
〃I wasn't worrying about you。〃 Dr。 Greenshaw assumed his most somber expression。 〃A good Christian can also pray for the souls of the ungodly。〃
A long distance away the meeting of ten was again assembled at Lake Tahoe。 At the former meeting the atmosphere had been hopeful； forceful and determined； the participants confident that things would go their way； spuriously motivated by their expressed intent to avert a third world war。 On this evening the spirit…if that was the word…of the meeting had changed about by 180 degrees。 They were depressed； vacillating； uncertain and wholly lacking in confidence； especially in view of the fact that their allegedly humanitarian attempts to prevent the outbreak of war seemed to be having precisely the opposite effect。
Again； as it was his holiday home； Benson was hosting the meeting。 But this time Benson was also undoubtedly the man in charge。 Opening the discussion； he said： 〃Gentlemen； we are in trouble。 Not just simple； plain trouble； but enormous trouble that could bring us all down。 It stems from two facts…we underestimated Lord Worth's extraordinary power and we overestimated Cronkite's ability to handle the situation with a suitable degree of discretion and tact。 I admit I was responsible for introducing Cronkite to you； but on the other hand； you were unanimous in your belief that Cronkite was the only man to handle the job。 And we were not aware that Cronkite's detestation of Lord Worth ran to the extent of a virulent and irresponsible hatred。
〃I have friends in the Pentagon； not important ones but ones that matter。 The Pentagon； normally； like any other department of government； leaks secrets like a broken sieve。 This time I had to pay twenty thousand dollars to a stenographer and the same to a cipher clerk which； for a pair of paratively lowly paid government employees； represents a pretty fair return for a few hours' work。
〃First； everything is known about our previous meeting here； every word and sentiment that was expressed and the identities of all of us。〃 Benson paused and looked round the room； partly to allow time for the damning enormity of this information to sink in； partly to make it clear that he expected to be repensed for his very considerable outlay。
Mr。 A； one of the vastly powerful Arabian Gulf potentates； said： 〃I thought our security was one hundred per cent。 How could anyone have known of our presence？〃
〃No external agency was involved； I have good friends in California intelligence。 Their interest in us is zero。 Nor was the FBI involved。 For that to have happened we'd have had to mit some crime and then cross state lines。
Neither of those have we done。 And before we met last time I had an electronics expert in to check not only this room but the entire house for bugs。 There were none。〃
Mr。 A said： 'Terhaps he planted a bug？〃
〃Impossible。 Apart from the fact that he's an old friend of immaculate reputation； I was with him all the time； a fact that did not prevent me from calling in a second expert。〃
Patinos； the Venezuelan； said： 〃We give you full marks for security。 That leaves only one possibility。 One of us here is a traitor。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Who？〃
〃I have no idea。 We shall probably never know。〃
Mr。 A stroked his beard。 〃Mr。 Corral here lives very close to Lord Worth； no？〃
Corral said： 〃Thank you very much。〃
Benson said： 〃Intelligent men don't make so obvious a link。〃
〃As you said at our previous meeting； Fm the only person who had no declared interest in being here。〃 Borosoff seemed quietly relaxed。 〃I could be your man。〃
〃It's a point； but one which I don't accept。 Whether you are here to stir up trouble between the United States and Russia may or may not be the case。 Again it es down to the factor of intelligence。〃 Benson was being disarmingly frank。 〃You could be； and probably are； a Soviet agent But top agents are never caught in the role of agent provocateur。 I am not plimenting you on your unquestioned intelligence。 I prefer to rely on simple mon sense。〃 Benson； who appeared to have developed a new maturity and authority； looked around the pany。 〃Every word spoken here will doubtless be relayed to either Lord Worth or the State Department； It no longer matters。 We are here to set right any wrongs for which we may have been…however unwittingly； I may say…responsible。
〃We know that a Russian missile naval craft and a Russian…built Cuban submarine are closing in on the Seawitch。 We also know that a Venezuelan destroyer is doing the same。 What you don't know is that countermeasures are being taken。 My information…and the source is impeccable…is that Lord Worth was today closeted with Benton； the Secretary of State； in Washington。