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great deal if Mobuto has his way. A team of four assassins, made up from the now disbanded Security Police, have vowed to kill Mobuto while he's here in America. It's a threat we've taken very seriously. I told Bernard to infiltrate the team so that he can keep us posted on their movements. He approached them with an offer to train them. Naturally they accepted, knowing how invaluable his expertise would be to them. They now trust him implicitly. He'll tip us off when he knows where and when the hit is due to take place so that it can be stopped in time. That's why Graham has to be found. If he gets to Bernard before we know the details of the hit it'll leave us totally in the dark. And if Mobuto was killed on American soil it would prove a severe embarrassment not only to us but to the President as well. After all, it's not as if we haven't been forewarned.'

'And I'm to babysit Mobuto?' Whitlock concluded.

Bailey nodded. 'You'll work with two of my men. He's bringing half-a-dozen bodyguards with him but they're all amateurs, made up of officers from the Zimbalan army. If anything does happen, it'll be up to the three of you to deal with it.'

'You'll be in charge,' Kolchinsky said, looking at Whitlock.

'The three of them will be in charge,' Bailey corrected him.

'C.W. will be in overall charge,' Kolchinsky re-

torted. 'It's important to have one leader. I've read the files on your men. They may be the best bullet catchers you've got but they don't have C.W.'s experience. And if you want to take the matter further I suggest you call the President. The Secretary-General spoke to him earlier today and he agreed that C.W. should be in charge.'

Til tell my men,' Bailey said tersely.

Til be in touch so that we can arrange for C.W. to meet your men before Mobuto arrives tonight,' Kolchinsky said then picked up the transmitter on the desk and activated the door.

Bailey left the room and Kolchinsky closed the door behind him.

'What a slimeball,' Sabrina said, staring at the closed door.

Kolchinsky smiled. 'He could have been sitting here instead of me.'

'What do you mean?' she asked.

'You never knew my predecessor, Gronskin, did you?'

She shook her head. 'He was before my time.'

'Well, when he was deported back to Russia for spying the CIA suggested Bailey as a possible replacement to take over as the Colonel's number two. The KGB put my name forward. The Secretary-General initially wanted Bailey, which I suppose was understandable under the circumstances, but the Colonel threatened to resign if Bailey got the job. As Bailey said, the two of them never saw eye to eye. It would have been catastrophic if Bailey had come here. So I got the job instead.'

'I never knew that,' Whitlock said.

'I'm sure glad the Colonel put his foot down,' Sabrina said, glancing at the door again.

Whitlock stood up and dug his hands into his pockets. He crossed to the far wall then turned to look at Kolchinsky. 'I was at university with Jamel Mobuto.'

'Why didn't you say something when Bailey was here?'

'Because we didn't get on,' Whitlock replied.

'Why not?' Kolchinsky asked.

Whitlock sighed deeply then returned to the sofa and sat down. 'He'd never set foot outside Zimbala before he came to Oxford. It must have been a bit of a culture shock for him. But instead of trying to adapt to the British way of life he rebelled against it and reverted to his African heritage. He wore African clothes, his room was an African shrine and he made no attempt to befriend any of the British students. He became a pariah although he did have an avid following amongst some of the more radical left-wing students who regarded him as something of a guru.'

'Was he a Communist?' Kolchinsky asked.

'No, strangely enough. He was just very pro-African and Africa's particular way of life. He had a younger brother who went to Oxford as well and he did become a Communist. But that was after I'd gone. I don't know anything about him.'

'His name's Remy,' Kolchinsky