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on the ground? A straightforward kidnap job in the States?” Latymer opened his eyes. “On the face of it, yes,” he answered smoothly, “but it doesn’t necessarily follow, does it?”
    Shaw shrugged. “Well, there’s no FBI or CIA up there in orbit, certainly—”
    “Quite. It’s not so easy to smuggle a high-powered scientist out of the States. Any hostile Power, mentioning no names, could have other methods up its sleeve anyway—for instance, I’ve no doubt Danvers-Marshall could be nabbed on splashdown, before the recovery fleet reaches him. The same applies if in fact it’s the capsule and not any of the crew they’re after. These people could have submarines on station in the Caribbean easily enough. Even the US Navy can’t be one hundred percent certain of being able to keep tabs on all the submarines our hypothetical Power could send into the area—not even by using Aga Thermovision mounted in aircraft. It’s dicey, Shaw—very dicey.” Latymer drummed his fingers heavily on the desk. “We’ll have to act fast now. Since this thing has arisen here in London, it’s up to us at this stage. The Americans will expect a full report in double-quick time,
    including a complete breakdown on this Pole. I want you to drop everything and find out precisely what the threat is. I suggest you’re most likely to do that if you first find Rudolf Rencke. I’ll see the ports and airfields are watched for a start, but Rencke’s slippery—he’s been sliding through check-points for years. In the meantime, get cracking and dig up all you can on the dead man—that could lead to Rencke. Of course,” he added, “all our theorizing could be wildly off the beam. All the same, there’s something else . . . something that could link up. Don’t ask me how or where.” Latymer reached into a drawer and brought out a thin folder which he pushed across to Shaw. “This came in late yesterday from the FO for my personal attention.”
    Shaw took the folder, saw that on Page One it carried the Top Secret stamp followed by the somewhat rare instruction, FOR UK EYES ONLY. He recognized the various ‘twiddles’, as the cross-references to other relevant classified documents were known within the department. The information itself was brief and to the point: British agents working inside the Communist borders had reported greatly increased activity in the Russian space research establishments, and had reported also that certain new developments appeared to follow closely those recently evolved by the United States; the clear inference being that space-programme data could have been finding its way into Communist countries from the West. No details were given and there were no indications as to likely sources. But, as Latymer had suggested, there was at least some possible if tenuous affinity between these agents’ reports and the message, whatever it might have been, that the murdered Pole had intended to pass on. If the intelligence reports were accurate, and there was no prima facie reason why they should be doubted, then the East was already on the ball spywise. And there was a note in the Prime Minister’s own hand to the effect that, notwithstanding the FO instruction about the limited circulation of the document, the information was to be passed at once to Washington.
    Shaw closed the folder. “Has Washington been told yet?” he asked.
    “Yes. I don’t know the reaction yet, but I’ve no doubt they always expect a certain leakage and won’t be too worried.” This was true; no-one could ever be certain all staff had been one hundred percent investigated, however tough the screening procedure. “But this threat, vague as it all is, could be the crystalization of any previous leaks, if you follow.”
    Shaw nodded. “What’s your guess as to America’s likely action now—once they’ve heard about the threat, that is?”
    Latymer lifted his shoulders. “I’ve no idea. Ultimately they may order the