I liked him for that. We're all so fond of euphemisms like eliminate, terminate, cut down, so forth, but this man said what he meant.

'Yes,' I told him.

He didn't look away. 'You mean you'd put your life higher than the success of the mission? Of a mission as important as you must realise this one is?'

I turned and took a step, looking at the oil-stained concrete, kicking a broken chip of it with the toe of my shoe, watching it skitter and come to a stop against a pillar.

'No,' I told him. It was the only answer. It's what we settle for when we sign up, and when we sign again at yearly intervals to confirm our commitment. It's on this one that most of the new recruits back out, and I don't blame them. I'd signed because this was the life I wanted, and I was ready to accept the death they might one day want of me.

At the Bureau we don't have a licence to kill; we have a licence to die. 'No, I wouldn't put my life higher than the success of the mission. But look — ' I turned back and met his eyes again '- all I'm asking is that you'll let me do it for myself, that's all. If — '

'There might not be time to ask you.'

'But you wouldn't have to. I'd know if — '

'Not necessarily.'

'Look, I'm seasoned, you know that. I've — '

'You're being impractical.'

'With my life on the line, surely I — '

'We can't let you tie our hands.'

'Oh for Christ's sake, I'd have a capsule on me, so what are we talking about? I just don't want to be stabbed in the — ' but I stopped right there because I could hear the tone in my voice, pitching a degree higher, showing my nerves, no better than bloody Elliott.

The sound of an engine came suddenly and headlights swung into the entrance, dipping as the car reached the ramp, and by this time we'd all turned and were standing with