Inspector Galla cut him off. 'The loss of a firearm due to negligence is
a very serious offence,' he said severely.
'There was no negligence on my part,' Nicholas denied.
'You left the firearm unguarded. You made no attempt to lock it in a
steel safe. That is negligence.'
'With respect,- Inspector, there is a notable dearth of steel safes in
the Abbay gorge.'
'Negligence,' Galla repeated. 'Criminal negligence.
How are we to know that the weapon has not fallen into the hands of
elements opposed to the government?'
'You mean some unknown person may overthrow the government with a 275
Rigby?'Nicholas smiled.
Inspector Galla ignored the sally, and produced two documents from the
drawer of his desk. 'It is my duty to ation orders on both you and Dr Al
serve these deport Simma. You have twenty-four hours to leave Ethiopia,
and thereafter you will be considered to be prohibited immigrants, both
of you.'
'Dr Al Simma has not lost any weapons,' Nicholas pointed out mildly. 'In
fact as far as I am aware, she has never been even mildly negligent in
her entire life.' And again his comment was ignored.
'Please sign here to acknowledge that you have received and understood
the orders.'
'I would like to speak to General Obeid, the Commissioner of Police,'
said Nicholas.
'General Obeid left this morning for an inspection tour of the northern
frontier districts. He will not return to Addis Ababa for some weeks.'
'By which time we will be safely back in England?'
'Exactly.' Inspector Galla smiled for the first time, a thin, wintry
smirk. 'Please sign here, and.here.'
'What happened?' Royan demanded, as the driver opened the door of the
Rolls for her and she settled into the seat beside Nicholas. 'It was all
so sudden and unexpected. One moment everybody loved us, and the next we
are being booted down the stairs.'
'Do you want my guess?' Nicholas asked, and then went on without waiting
for her reply. 'Nogo is not the only one in Pegasus's back pocket.
Overnight Obeid has been in contact with von Schiller, and received his
orders.'
'Do you realize what this means, Nicky? It means that we will not be
able to return to Ethiopia. That puts the tomb of Mamose beyond our
grasp.' She stared at him with large dark eyes full of dismay.
'When Duraid and I visited Iraq and Libya, neither of us had letters of
invitation from either Saddam or Gadaffi, as I recall.'
'You look delighted at the prospect of breaking the law,' she accused.
'You are smirking all over your face.'
'After all, it is only Ethiopian law,' he pointed out virtuously. 'Not
to be taken too seriously.'
'And it will be an Ethiopian prison they toss you into.
That you can take seriously.'
'You too,' he grinned, 'if they catch us.'
