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〃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