He now turned to everybody. “Right . . . the Phase is under way at this very moment, so the clock is ticking fast. We need some positive action to find it and put a stop to it. We need to move quickly!” “We do,” Drake agreed. “So let’s analyze what we know,” Parry said. “The Phase will be taking place on the surface, because that’s one of the preconditions. And it’s somewhere . . .” — he twisted to the map of the UK on the screen — “somewhere here, and probably at a single location.” “Yes, that’s correct,” Eddie confirmed. Parry tugged thoughtfully on his beard as he went closer to the screen and pointed with his walking stick. “But can we reasonably assume it’s in the London area? It might be in the home counties, or anywhere in the country for that matter. Would the Styx bother to venture farther than a hundred miles from London?” “London and its environs make sense,”
