ted him； and the fact that his grandfather had passed away and that there really was no other place to go； Liam decided that soldiering was the profession for him。' Mather's face wrinkled with pleasure。 'Damn good at it； too； by all accounts。 Oh； he was still somewhat reckless； never quite losing that touch of Irish wildness； but the army has ways of channelling that kind of spirit。 Liam took to that way of life as if ordained for it； and was good enough to make the SAS。
'Unfortunately； he was involved in an incident in 1972 that I believe was the root cause of Liam's later cynicism。 Still not into his twenties； he was stationed with a small British Army training team at Mirbat in Oman…about ten of 'em in all。 A civil war was going on between the monarchy of Oman and its left…wing opponents； and the SAS unit had spent three months in that dreary little town of Mirbat attempting to drill some kind of order into the loyalists。 They held two forts； thirty Askaris in one； around twenty…five Dhofar Gendarmerie in the other； with an unruly bunch of counter…guerrilla irregulars billeted in the town itself。 The only artillery of any real weight they had was a Second World War 25…pounder； a 。50…inch Browning and an 81mm mortar。
'One morning； just after dawn； they were attacked by nearly three hundred rebels armed with machine guns； mortars； anti…tank rifles and a Russian rocket…launcher。 It should have been an outright massacre； but the SAS manding officer； an absolutely fearless individual； and only a few years older than Liam himself； organised his own men and their Arab allies into a fighting force to be reckoned with。
'I won't bore you with all the battle details； m'dear； but the officer； a captain； was here； there and everywhere； screaming orders； directing what meagre artillery they had； shaping his defence so that the attackers couldn't take a hold。 Under enemy fire； he crossed four hundred yards of open ground with a medical orderly to reach the fort where the Gendarmerie was holed up。 He'd already radioed his HQ for a helicopter to evacuate casualties； but enemy fire…power was so fierce the damn thing couldn't even land。 The captain took over the second fort's gun position； the guerrillas no more than thirty yards away； and nearly had his head chopped off by machine…gun fire。 Men were being cut down around him； but not for one moment did the captain consider giving the order for surrender。 No； no chance of that。 From his position； he was able to site targets for two Strikemaster jets that had arrived to lend support； but still the battle raged。
'At last； a relief squadron flew in from Salalah to assist； and the rebels； already stopped in their tracks and their numbers considerably depleted； gave up the ghost and fled。 A quite remarkable resistance by the manding officer and his men； and the rebel forces never really recovered from the defeat； although it took another four years for the war to end。
'I believe that battle affected Liam in two ways； the first being that he was involved in a carnage of mindless ferocity； and he； himself； had dealt out much of it； and the second was that he was shown an example of outstanding courage by his manding officer…a captain； don't forget…which I'm sure he imagined his own father had been capable of。 Yet the battle was never 〃officially〃 recognised by his own government； even though he was awarded a Military Medal for his actions； and the captain a DSO。 That and the fact that he was unclear in his own mind as to whether he was on the side of the 〃goodies〃 or the 〃baddies〃 made him rather cynical about war itself。 Worse was to follow。
'Seven years later； that same captain； a man he had e to admire and respect； by then promoted to major； died from exposure during an SAS exercise on the Brecon Beacons。 A totally wasteful death which so filled Liam with disgust that he resigned from the army shortly after。
'He became a mercenary； using conflict for his own ends； which were purely financial； rather than allowing it to use him。 I observed from a great distance； learning of his activities through contacts I had in various countries and； it must be confessed； I was saddened； appalled even； by what I heard。 Although it was never said that he killed indiscriminately； or ever used violence when it could be avoided； he had a reputation for being utterly ruthless as far as his enemies were concerned…and enemies were defined as those being on the side of those not paying his wages。' Mather noticed that Cora did not appear shocked； nor even surprised； it was as though he had merely confirmed her own suspicions about Halloran。
'A few years ago I began recruiting for Achilles' Shield；' he went on。 'Ex…SAS officers make extremely good operatives； so they were my prime targets。 I'd lost all contact with Liam by then…it may be that I was afraid of what he'd bee…but something inside urged me to seek him out； a niggling guilt perhaps； a feeling that it was I who had let him down。 It may possibly have been nothing more than a nagging curiosity。
'I eventually located him in Moshupa； a small township in Botswana； very close to the border of South Africa。 lie was training ANC guerrillas for incursions into their homeland where they would wreak as much destruction as possible before stealing back across the border to the neighbouring state。 But Liam was a far different person from the young man I had e to know。 He seemed 。 。 。 empty。 As though what he was doing； the killers and saboteurs he was training； the awful conditions he was living in； meant nothing at all to him。 He didn't even register surprise when I turned up； only a chilly kind of amusement。 When I spoke with Liam it was like talking to someone drained of emotion； but gradually I began to realise he possessed an inner seething that frightened me more than anything else about him。 God knows what he'd been involved in after resigning from the British Army； but its mark had been left。 No； he hadn't been brutalised； it was as though he'd bee immunised against outrage； wickedness； against caring。 As I said； that was on the surface： inside； emotions were being stifled； held so firmly in check that I suspect even he was unaware they were there。 Or perhaps he glimpsed them now and again； yet refused to let them rise； refused to be influenced by them。 I was sure I'd e at exactly the right time； couldn't help but feel I'd been nudged by some inner instinct of my own； because I could tell that Liam had had enough； he was ready to break。 Those suppressed emotions…his own selfhatred…were about to erupt。
'He wouldn't admit it； not even to himself； but I think he saw me as some kind of lifeline； a means of dragging himself from that moral squalor he'd sunk into。 As for me； I was only too happy to throw down the rope。
'Liam told me he had discovered there were no absolutes。 No absolute right or wrong； no absolute good or evil。 There were degrees of everything。 Once you accepted that…truly accepted it； he insisted…you were able to set your own balance； you understood the bounds within which you could function without guilt clawing at you； tainting your thoughts and so hindering your actions。 And he said that virtue； righteousness； whatever you like to call it； often held little sway over evil； because its own rules inhibited。 Sometimes only evil could defeat another evil。 Degrees； he kept repeating； the lesser against the greater。
'None of it made much sense to me； but it indicated the slough of despair he was wallowing in。 No； perhaps despair suggests self…pity； and the man I spoke to was too hardened for that。 Pessimism might be a more appropriate word； cynicism even better。 Anyway； he agreed to return to England with me and work for Achilles' Shield； protecting lives instead of the opposite。
In my opinion； that change was vital for Liam； because it pulled him back from the brink。' Cora； who had been listening quietly throughout； finally ；poke。 'He was that close 。 。 。 ？'
'In my opinion；' Mather reasserted。 'It may be an oldfashioned notion on my part； but when all probity is lost； total degradation is swift to follow。 It seemed to me at the time that Liam had almost lost all reasonable values。' The girl look