After telling Steed that Rydercroft, Controller of the Ministry of Ecology, is dued to die at noon that day, Merton's body is found in coma and from the wreckage of his crashed car Purdey plucks a feather. Steed and his colleagues are in attendance as the plane due to take Rydercroft to Switzerland . At 11.56 o'clock the plane is airborne and at 12 o'clock the plane disappears from the radar screen.