Rhinoceros

"D".'

At the top of the steps the Brig appeared, obviously on his way to the coffee lounge.

'1800 hours,' Tweed called out. 'On the dot.'

The Brig paused, glared, opened his mouth, closed it again, as though uncertain how to reply to this sally. He nodded, proceeded towards the lounge.

'So whose side is he on?' Newman mused.

'No idea. Yet.'

The phone was ringing when they entered Tweed's suite. He grabbed hold of it.

'Otto here. Want to say a thousand thanks for the pics -the first we've ever had of him.'

'Thank Paula sometime. She took them under risky circumstances.'

'Give her my love…'

'Oh, there's one other thing,' Newman reported. 'When I took Kent along to his room he glanced at the papers and the blue book. Said it could take up to a week to sort out the financial position – and that the book would be a great help.'

Paula poured three glasses of water from a fresh carafe that had been put in the suite. She sat down, drank the whole of her glass.

'This heat is getting ferocious. The forecast says it will continue, but get hotter. I'm off to my room in a minute for a shower.'

'So what is the next move?' Newman enquired.

'I think I can read Oskar Vernon now,' said Tweed, pacing between the balcony and his desk. 'I got a good look at his face when we were up in the Turm. Saw his reaction to his men being bashed about. I think he'll try and get us well outside the city to wipe us out.'

'From what we did to his troops I shouldn't think he has many of them left,' Newman commented.

'Don't count on it,' Tweed warned. 'He'll have reinforcements – either already here or brought in. I predict a battle royal which will make this morning's episode look like a mild punch-up. An extermination attack this time.'