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ombs； but the effect of thousands of them exploding simultaneously； with fall…out ing like a raging blizzard！
The London Undergrounds would be packed with people。 Perhaps there was some way of filtering the ventilation shafts against fall…out。 He made a note to investigate this possibility further； then added another concerning the length of time it would be necessary for people； to remain below ground。 He envisaged a new rat…like population； human savages existing in tunnels of squalor。 There would be neither lighting nor sewage； nor any of the other amenities which had been taken for granted for years。
Finally； the main decision would have to be made by himself： release the build…up or chance an explosion？ Die above or below ground？
He drank yet another cold cup of tea； and put through a call to Dyne。 A slight sigh of relief。 The needle had risen only one more degree since the morning…the expected rate。 That still made Saturday D…Day； and the needle might decide to jump madly at any moment。
Hardly had he replaced the receiver when another call came through。 The Sabbath was over。 One day of respite； and now Saturday's madness had returned。 He jotted down the names of the places as he listened。 Notting Hill。 Birmingham。 Wolverhampton。 Leicester。 Coventry。 Nottingham。 Bradford。
'Alert all troops！' Canverdale's voice was weary。 The order was superfluous； but he could not think of anything better。
The riots had begun again！ It was the desperate rebellion of frightened people trapped on an island of death。
Canverdale knew that he would not have the chance of any sleep。 Anarchy had forestalled his predictions by some twenty…four hours。 How long before it spread to other countries； whole continents。 A worldwide holocaust was imminent！
Chapter 13
Monday。 Again Coyle and Anne had spent the night in the office； but they were up and dressed before Kent arrived。
'What's the programme for today？' Anne enquired as she adjusted her skirt。
'Same as for any normal Monday。' Coyle smiled wanly。 'I'm just wondering how many will turn up。 Doesn't matter really； but we've got to make a pretence of some kind of normality。 The copy I worked on yesterday can go to the type…setters。 The printers will be kept fully occupied for the next couple of days with the parish magazine。 I see there's a lot of forthing weddings in the next fortnight。'
'Poor sods。'
'Maybe a few will be brought forward。 Anyway； it's only a technicality。 A few words； a bit of paper。 Stupid really； but that's the society in which we live。'
'Bob'…she hesitated； met his gaze； dropped her eyes…'Bob 。。。 we are 。。。 you and I； I mean 。 。 。 we're married to each other； aren't we？ I mean 。 。 。 well； you know what I mean。 I'd just like to think that 。 。 。'
'Yes。' He slipped an arm around her slender waist； and drew her close to him。 'We're married。 I guess bits of paper； legal documents； have lost all their meaning now to just about everybody。 Morally； Jane has already divorced me。 Of course； I shall have to help her through tomorrow。 It will be a difficult day for all of us。 A funeral service always is； but this type of memorial service is worse。 People feel a lot better after it。 It's a sort of release。 Afterwards； you heave a sigh of relief； shed a few more tears； and life returns to normal。'
Anne fell silent。 A lot of things worried her。 After the church service on the morrow； would there be a reconciliation between Coyle and Jane？ Perhaps the marital ties were stronger than they appeared。 Perhaps Sarah would try to bring her parents back together。 And what if all this business up at the reprocessing centre turned out to be a damp squid？ No explosion； no radioactive release。 What then？ Had her own affair with Coyle escalated to such heights simply because there was so little time left？ Under normal conditions would they have simply remained clandestine mistress and lover until finally the affair petered out？ She； too； had prayed along with millions of others on the previous day。 She had asked God to grant her a pregnancy。 Whatever happened she would not give up her man without a fight。
Kent arrived shortly before ten o'clock。 A few minutes later a uniformed man in a chauffeur…driven car delivered a sealed envelope addressed to the London journalist。 Two checkpoint passes。 Coyle noted the date of expiry…the following Saturday。
'Maybe they don't want us around for the big blow on Monday。'
Kent pocketed both green cards； picked up the telephone； and was through to Dyne within a couple of minutes。 A meeting was arranged for two…thirty； no delay or excuses this time。
'Seems like we've got the world's most important press conference all to ourselves。' Kent laughed as he replaced the receiver。 'All those other silly buggers raced back to London with their red…hot stories； and now they're not allowed back into the valley。 I'm hoping Dyne will let me use his London line to speak to my editor。'
Coyle stared out of the window across the untidy yard。 Only two absentees this morning； and even they had taken the trouble to phone in with excuses。 Perhaps； here in this valley； life would continue more or less as normal for a day or two…a kind of isolated sanity； cut off from the violence which raged elsewhere。
He phoned Rollason。 The Superintendent promised to seek the help of the military in keeping the crowds away from the church during the twenty minutes whilst grief dominated a small disunited family。
The meeting with Dyne was a mere formality。 The head of Oxide Reprocessing did not reveal that the danger level had jumped an unexpected three degrees on the previous day。 It was a closely guarded secret。 If the public was to be warned of the advance of Doomsday； then that was up to the Prime Minister。
'The initial escape of radiation 。 。 。 ' Kent made an attempt to establish what he and Coyle had discussed earner。 'It seems quite clear to me； and surely to others too； that it has moved out of this valley。'
'Yes； it probably has moved away。' Dyne fidgeted uneasily。 'However； there have been no reports of contamination elsewhere in the country。'
'So we cross our fingers and hope that it has just evaporated；' Kent said； 'until there are reports of people breaking out in festering rashes； or birds and animals dying in great numbers in a particular area。'
'It may not happen like that。 Atmospheric conditions are capable of reducing its density。 Obviously the Square suffered its most concentrated form； before it had had a chance to disperse。 Fortunately； it happened at a time when the resident population was absent。'
'What other effects might it have on animals…or humans？'
'Who can say？ Mild skin irritations； blindness； deafness 。 。 。 madness。 We can only speculate。 It could take years for a person to succumb to it。'
'I'd like to phone my editor。'
Dyne nodded； but insisted on dialling the number himself。 He ascertained that he was in touch with the Chief Editor himsel