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'About three months ago, I was motoring to a staff conference along the coast road in Camaguey Province, when the car skidded over the cliffs into the sea. I managed to get clear and tried to swim for the shore. There was a strong tide running and I was carried out to sea.'

'What happened then?'

'A fishing boat picked me up and brought me here. When Rojas got in touch with Havana and informed them I was still alive, they told him to keep quiet about it and to hang on to me.'

'But I don't understand?'

'I'm a missile engineer. A scientist in uniform. That's why they sent me to Cuba in the first place.'

'I get the idea,' Manning said. 'If they can't keep the missiles, at least they'll have an expert in constructing the damned things?'

'Exactly,' Orlov said. 'But I'm afraid Colonel Rojas and I don't see eye-to-eye on the matter.'

'You know, somehow I don't think Moscow would be very pleased about this,' Manning said.

'The understatement of the age.' Orlov sighed and shook his head. 'I shall never understand why we had to become involved with these miserable people in the first place. One of Nikita's more inspired blunders.'

'I'll second that.'

'And you?' Orlov asked. 'Why are you here?'

Under the circumstances there seemed no reason to make a secret of it and Manning told him the whole story.

When he had finished, Orlov shook his head. 'Rojas is obviously determined to have his way with both of us and I should imagine his methods leave a lot to be desired.'

Manning got to his feet, went to the door and peered out into the dark corridor. He could just see the iron-barred gate that led into the gallery and light splashed under the door of Cienaga's room.

'What's the chicken wire for?'

'A prisoner jumped into the hall a couple of months ago when he was being taken for questioning. Rojas wasn't too pleased. Flogged the soldiers concerned.'

'I noticed a similar gallery on the other side of the hall. There was no wire up there.'

'That's the officers' quarters. They kept me in a room there at first. Treated me quite well until I turned awkward.'

'And this is supposed to make you see the light?'

'That's the general idea, but I'm afraid he's picked on the wrong man. My parents were killed in the war and I was a partisan fighter at fifteen. Colonel Rojas may well break his teeth on me.'

'Ever thought of getting out?'

Orlov laughed softly. 'Frequently, but it's impossible. Even if one got out of the cell there are at least four more gates to pass through, each one locked and guarded.'

'But what if one could bypass the gates?'

'I don't understand.'

Manning moved back to the bed and sat down. 'The main roof out there is held up by huge beams which are supported by a stone ledge at either end and running the full width of the hall.'

'So?'

'An active man could cross that ledge to the officers' quarters.'

'A desperate man, you mean. The ledge is perhaps nine inches wide and it's eighty feet down to those flags.'

'Would you be willing to try?'

'Certainly, but you've forgotten one small point. It would first be necessary to get out of the cell and onto the gallery. How do you suggest we accomplish this?'

'By getting Cienaga in here and relieving him of his keys.'

'But I have already told you,' Orlov said patiently. 'Cienaga never enters the cells without an armed guard and at night he is on his own. Even if we created a disturbance or started a fight to attract him, he would simply stand outside the door enjoying himself.'

'What do you think would happen to him if one of his prisoners committed suicide? One of his special prisoners?'

'Rojas would have his hide?'

'Exactly.' Manning stood up, flicked on his lighter and held it to the ceiling. 'So what would Cienaga do if he looked through that grille and saw one of us hanging from a hook up there?'

'He would come in,' the Russian answered automatically and then the implication of his words seemed to hit him and he jumped to his feet excitedly. 'By God, you've got it, Manning. As long as