"An outsider? Who is it?" Percival asked urgently. "Could it be that assistant general who came in at noon?"

Warrick frowned. "I've looked into that man. No background, no connections—just an old hand in the military. Been around forever, knows the ropes, but has no real pull."

"It's not him—it's someone connected to him." Huxley lowered his voice. "Remember what Sir Austin said at noon? When he summoned that assistant general, he specifically mentioned the Ballard family."

"The Ballard famil