organization will be known as State Security. We are thinking you would make an excellent deputy commander.'
'Under whose control?' Tweed asked off-handedly.
He had listened to this revolutionary scheme with a placid expression. Paula, who was appalled, gasped under her breath. She felt sure Tweed would never agree.
'Under the control of a Cabinet Minister heading a new post in the Cabinet, as yet to be created: the Ministry of State Security.'
'Earlier,' Tweed remarked, 'you used the word "proposed". I am interested in what that means.'
'Well . . .' Still smiling, Macomber paused. 'At the moment a bill to establish this organization has been drafted, but not yet presented to Parliament.'
'All the Cabinet agree?' There was a sharper edge in Tweed's voice.
'Well. . .' Another pause. 'At the moment almost half the Cabinet do agree. It's only a matter of time before the slow coaches come on board.'
'Mr Macomber . . .' Tweed leaned forward over his desk.
'Please call me Nelson.'
'I have heard there are three junior ministers involved. You are one of them. Who are the others?'
'You may find this curious. The other two are brothers of mine. We are offspring of the famous General Lucius Macomber, known for his brilliance in the Gulf War.'
'Tell me about your brothers - and their roles.'
Tweed had folded his arms, leaning over them. His eyes had never left Nelson Macomber's, penetrating and the colour of lapis lazuli, which was rare.
'There is Noel, the youngest. We call him the Planner. Then there is Benton, a year younger than me. He acts as arbiter in the rare cases when there is disagreement on policy.'
'The three of you,' Tweed said thoughtfully.
'We do work closely together in the same room . . .'
'Communications?' Tweed interjected.
'Ah!' Macomber beamed. 'We have the most advanced system in the country. State Security will need to know what is going on everywhere. Phone-tapping, a CCTV system covering the entire country . . .'
'Already installed?' Tweed interjected again.
'In the process of being installed,' Macomber assured him. 'Should be completed within weeks.'
'On whose authority?'
Macomber laughed, glanced over at Paula. 'This is getting to be an interrogation.'
'Which is my job,' Tweed reminded him. 'On whose authority?' he repeated. 'Since the bill you spoke of has not gone anywhere near Parliament.'
'We must be prepared.' Macomber's tone became defensive. 'So, what is your reaction? I have hidden no secrets from you.'
'I'll have to think it over, won't I? All this comes as a surprise.'
No, it doesn't, you wily thing, Paula thought. You knew all about it before Nelson Macomber ever arrived.
'Tell you what,' Tweed continued. 'In the near future I'd like to visit your HQ, meet your brothers. I'd bring Paula with me.'
'Great!' Macomber jumped up. 'I appreciate the time you've given me. Do come and see us soon. Time is breathing down our necks. Needless to say all this is highly confidential.'
'Uniforms,' Tweed said suddenly. Macomber paused on his way to say goodbye to Paula. He looked taken aback. Tweed explained.
'I just wondered whether you proposed that after the merger of all these diverse organizations everyone would wear the same uniform?'
'Well. . .' He was close enough to Paula for her to notice he was clenching and unclenching the fingers of his right hand. 'Bit early to think of that,' he went on cheerfully. 'We had thought of a long black coat, black cap, an armlet identifying the wearer as State Security. But a bit early to decide,' he repeated.
'I see.'
'May I call you Paula?' Macomber asked, holding out a hand. 'I am Nelson.'
'If you wish,' she said quietly, clasping his hand which, again, he withdrew quickly.
'What do you think?' Tweed asked after Macomber had left.
Paula was peering out of the window. 'He does well for himself. He turned up in a whacking great Merc with chauffeur.' She sat down again. 'I'm flabbergasted,' she began. 'I'd expected you to roar at him,
'Under whose control?' Tweed asked off-handedly.
He had listened to this revolutionary scheme with a placid expression. Paula, who was appalled, gasped under her breath. She felt sure Tweed would never agree.
'Under the control of a Cabinet Minister heading a new post in the Cabinet, as yet to be created: the Ministry of State Security.'
'Earlier,' Tweed remarked, 'you used the word "proposed". I am interested in what that means.'
'Well . . .' Still smiling, Macomber paused. 'At the moment a bill to establish this organization has been drafted, but not yet presented to Parliament.'
'All the Cabinet agree?' There was a sharper edge in Tweed's voice.
'Well. . .' Another pause. 'At the moment almost half the Cabinet do agree. It's only a matter of time before the slow coaches come on board.'
'Mr Macomber . . .' Tweed leaned forward over his desk.
'Please call me Nelson.'
'I have heard there are three junior ministers involved. You are one of them. Who are the others?'
'You may find this curious. The other two are brothers of mine. We are offspring of the famous General Lucius Macomber, known for his brilliance in the Gulf War.'
'Tell me about your brothers - and their roles.'
Tweed had folded his arms, leaning over them. His eyes had never left Nelson Macomber's, penetrating and the colour of lapis lazuli, which was rare.
'There is Noel, the youngest. We call him the Planner. Then there is Benton, a year younger than me. He acts as arbiter in the rare cases when there is disagreement on policy.'
'The three of you,' Tweed said thoughtfully.
'We do work closely together in the same room . . .'
'Communications?' Tweed interjected.
'Ah!' Macomber beamed. 'We have the most advanced system in the country. State Security will need to know what is going on everywhere. Phone-tapping, a CCTV system covering the entire country . . .'
'Already installed?' Tweed interjected again.
'In the process of being installed,' Macomber assured him. 'Should be completed within weeks.'
'On whose authority?'
Macomber laughed, glanced over at Paula. 'This is getting to be an interrogation.'
'Which is my job,' Tweed reminded him. 'On whose authority?' he repeated. 'Since the bill you spoke of has not gone anywhere near Parliament.'
'We must be prepared.' Macomber's tone became defensive. 'So, what is your reaction? I have hidden no secrets from you.'
'I'll have to think it over, won't I? All this comes as a surprise.'
No, it doesn't, you wily thing, Paula thought. You knew all about it before Nelson Macomber ever arrived.
'Tell you what,' Tweed continued. 'In the near future I'd like to visit your HQ, meet your brothers. I'd bring Paula with me.'
'Great!' Macomber jumped up. 'I appreciate the time you've given me. Do come and see us soon. Time is breathing down our necks. Needless to say all this is highly confidential.'
'Uniforms,' Tweed said suddenly. Macomber paused on his way to say goodbye to Paula. He looked taken aback. Tweed explained.
'I just wondered whether you proposed that after the merger of all these diverse organizations everyone would wear the same uniform?'
'Well. . .' He was close enough to Paula for her to notice he was clenching and unclenching the fingers of his right hand. 'Bit early to think of that,' he went on cheerfully. 'We had thought of a long black coat, black cap, an armlet identifying the wearer as State Security. But a bit early to decide,' he repeated.
'I see.'
'May I call you Paula?' Macomber asked, holding out a hand. 'I am Nelson.'
'If you wish,' she said quietly, clasping his hand which, again, he withdrew quickly.
'What do you think?' Tweed asked after Macomber had left.
Paula was peering out of the window. 'He does well for himself. He turned up in a whacking great Merc with chauffeur.' She sat down again. 'I'm flabbergasted,' she began. 'I'd expected you to roar at him,
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