On Friday morning, the Lancia dealer brought the new motorcar to the Ambassador's residence and familiarised David with its operation. "Whenever the engine is running, it generates electricity to operate the systems and to keep the battery charged and ready to start the engine again. Always remember to switch off the driving lights, the overtaking light, the instrument lights, the heater fan, everything when you stop the engine. Otherwise, the battery will drain and won't be able to start it again."

"Is there a crank I could use if the battery is drained?"

"Oh, yes, certainly. I was coming to that. It's with the tool kit, tire irons, pump, jack and the wheel chocks. I'll show you that when we finish in here."

The agent continued to demonstrate, showing David how to check the engine and transmission oil levels and the radiator coolant. When he had completed all this, they got back in, he started the engine and then drove out toward the street. "Don't run the engine fast for the first few hundred kilometres. This is its sound when you should shift up to the next gear. Faster than this may strain the engine until it's settled in."

After a thorough demonstration, David took the wheel and drove the dealer to the Lancia garage, and once he had signed the acceptance papers, he drove to the Embassy. Ten forty, he thought as he glanced at his watch. Wonder how Franz and Hans are. What news of the rail lines.

David was quickly allowed through the side passage, then he walked to the Ambassador's open door and knocked. "Come in, come in. Please sit. We're waiting for Henry to return from the message centre." Evelyn pointed to the stack of paper on his desk. "The Germans radios have been flooded with this. They're talking now about it taking two months to get the Hell Valley back in operation, six weeks for the Black Forest line."

"What about the viaduct?"

"They're waiting until it's safe for the engineers to inspect. There were still random explosions in the wreckage the last report we intercepted."

"Still? That's more than twenty-four hours now."

The Ambassador shuffled through the sheath of papers. "That was quite a while ago, the report. But it mentioned the fire still burning. Henry will know. Regardless, they're in a big flap over this."

"Flap?"

"New slang back in Britain. Like a bird flapping and getting nowhere, it seems."

Colonel Picot knocked and entered, then strode across the room to shake David's hand. "Preliminary report from the engineers." He waved the papers in his hand, then leafed through. "An inspection from the approaches and from the rail deck. The pier will have to be replaced." He clenched his raised fist and shook it. "You got them all, David."

David blew out a loud breath and pressed his hands atop his head. "Preliminary. Let's hope it's confirmed."

"Here, you read this through. It explains it better than I can. There are several words the radio operator couldn't translate, but the gist of it is here."

David sat and read the original and the translation, then looked up and smiled. "He got most of the words right. The cross-braces are bent and the pillars are distorted. The pier appears barely able to support the rail deck and must be replaced."

"How complex a job is that," the Ambassador asked.

"The pier is about thirty metres high, Sir. I would think they'll have to build temporary piers, one on each side of the damaged one to support the deck while they dismantle..." David shook his head. "No, it may be simpler to remove the arched spans either side of the pier, dismantle the damaged structure and build a new one. Whichever; it will be many weeks, months more likely." He ran his hands over his face as his smile grew.

"The spans are fifty or more metres in length. It will be complex engineering even to get ready to begin dismantling the damage. Many months." He leaned back in the chair, closed his eyes and blew out another deep breath.

"It appears you thought you had failed."

"I missed two of my shots, and I fumbled the reloading, letting a brakeman go by before I was ready. I should have practised more."

"David, even if there had been no damage to the viaduct, you've succeeded far beyond our earlier hopes. This is..."

Evelyn was interrupted by a knock on the door. An aide stuck his head in. "Sir, here are two gentlemen you've been expecting."

David rose to greet Franz and Hans with handshakes and back-slapping hugs, then he composed himself. "Sorry, sir. Got carried away with..."

"Tut-tut. No need to apologise. None at all. You've all been through a lot of tension the past while."

David introduced everyone, then they all sat and debriefed. Smiles beamed from Franz and Hans' faces as they learned all three lines had been closed. "From the sounds of our explosions, we both knew we had done a lot of damage." Franz looked into David's eyes. "I paused for a few seconds to watch the huge slab shift and begin its lean toward the valley. Couldn't resist. From then, I was satisfied with the continuing racket as I climbed."

Hans butted in and continued. "We arrived at the gasthaus within minutes of each other, just before noon, had a beer and bratwürst, then headed onward. We were in Basel shortly past fifteen thirty."

"Did you see any sign of increased security?" Picot asked.

"Nothing, Sir."

"Probably too soon. They'd be scrambling to search the local areas and still putting information together that would show there were other sites involved."

David nodded. "That's why it's vital to get away from the area as quickly as possible. Radio and telegraph travel almost instantly, but they're still dependant on people to compose, send, receive and get the information to the leaders. Then it needs to be interpreted and linked together into a bigger picture before they can even begin to respond to it. Those are the slow parts. The people. They give us the time to escape the area."

The Ambassador rose. "Very well done, Gentlemen. You three go to the residence and relax for the remainder of the day. We'll see you at dinner this evening. We'll celebrate."