"So we need to step it up?" asked Moira from the Inverness Team.
McTavish turned around, "So we need to be more careful."
The group was puzzled.
"An injured bear is the most dangerous."
He explained, "What will the Empire do when it realizes it's dying? Maybe compromise, or maybe a final act of madness, the Queen is calling for restraint, but will those politicians on Downing Street, the Hawk Faction in the military...will they listen?"
The satellite phone rang.
It was "Shaun McCormack"—Comac from Hydra.
"Did you hear the speech?" McCormack got straight to the point.
"I heard it."
"What do you think?"
"She's buying time."
"Smart."
There was a note of approval in Comac's voice, "But time is not on her side. The London Stock Exchange opened today, and British Pounds dropped three percentage points against the US Dollar. Societe Generale just announced a halt on short-term loans to the British government. Panic is spreading."
