had noted this on a pad and rose with a steel measuring-tape in hand as Ian continued. "Finally, there's been a very tender sensation here—” and he indicated his chest -as if I had pulled a muscle and caught a cold there at the same time. I don't know what to make of it." The SMO continued taking measurements, poking and prodding and at length said "That will do for now. Put your clothes back on; your SC is waiting to see you. Don't worry you're in beautiful shape_" he added almost as an afterthought "-old boy."

Slightly miffed at what he considered the high-handed manner of the SMO, Ian threaded his way through the complex of buildings to his destination and went back through the routine of getting past Miss Pennythwaite. On an impulse, he asked her for a dinner date. With a look of genuine regret in her eyes, she offered several highly-unlikely excuses. Ian shrugged and noting the sudden glow of the green light, charged the door to the Chief's office.

"Sit down, 661." The Chief was actually smiling, faintly to be sure, but the expression was so rare on his countenance that it should have served as foreboding to any onlooker. “I've just been on the wire to the SMO you have a clean sheet. In fact, he even recommended you for service." The Chief swiveled about in his chair.

"You did such a good job in Liverpool, that I hated to think of los- ing you for medical reasons. Everyone, up to the PM knows about it —and we're given carte blanche to wrap it up.” The Chief swiveled his chair back. "Of course, when carte blanche comes from Whitehall, it becomes an imperative. We must have results. We must get the job done. At all cost."

Ian felt good again. “All of which is to say—I'm on assignment again. Right?” It seemed the day had brightened already.

"Yes and no. The situation calls for a very modified approach. We've been building up to this for sometime, however. Your particular evidence has knocked a few bricks about, but hasn't knocked any walls down. We've known this network must exist but we haven't been able to get the crucial links yet. You have handed us two-we need three more. We now know what, we know where, but we have to have who, how and when. And possibly, if. That's where you come in again. It is vital we know the whole structure before we close it down."

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