johngardner.winloseordie-第41节

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re；　Beatrice；　my　darling。'
　'You　jusl　get　those　important　people　off　Invincible。　Then　we'll　go　for　Baradj　together。　I　want　another　Christmas　with　you。　James。'
？Maybe　a　lot　of　Christmases。'
　Carter　had　returned　and　coughed　delicately　by　the　door。　'You're　okay。　sir。　The　message　read。　〃Am　sending　boat　for　Songbird　stop　The　Tawny　Owl　is　waiting。〃
　〃Thank　God　for　that。'　Bond　kissed　her　again；　then　left　quickly；　not　looking　back。　He　rarely　looked　back　in　a　situation　like　this。　In　some　ways　he　thought　it　might　bring　bad　luck。
　The　little　boat；　with　its　engine　throbbing；　was　already　waiting　at　the　steps。　In　the　bow　a　Leading　Wren　waited　to　help　him　aboard。
The　Captain's　apologies；　sir。　He　couldn't　send　the　same　seaman　back　for　you。　The　man　has　had　to　go　to　the　Sick　Bay。　He　wasn't　too　well。'
　Bond　remembered。　'He　didn't　seem　all　that　brilliant　on　the　way　in。'　He　jumped　down　into　the　boat　and　waved　to　Carter；　who　waited　until　they　were　clear　of　the　jetty　and　then　walked　to　his　car。
　Ten　minutes　laler；　Carter　was　back　at　the　low　building　inside　the　base。　Beatrice　was　waiting　outside；　looking　frantic　and　agitated。
　'Oh。　my　God；　Mike。'　Her　voice　had　risen　to　an　almost　hysterical　pitch。
'What　in　God's　name　。　。　。？'　he　began。
'They've　got　them。'
'Who？'
　Thatcher。　Bush　and　Gorbachev。　The　Foreign　Office　in　London　received　a　telephone　call　ten　minutes　ago。　They've　been　told　to　pass　it　on　to　their　opposite　numbers　in　Washington　and　Moscow。　The　call　was　from　a　man。　They　think　from　London；　He　gave　them　a　code　word　…　Batsblood　and　said　that　the　three　heads　of　state　were　being　held　in　Invincible。　There　will　be　no　release　to　the　…Press　and　their　demand　is　six　hundred　billion　dollars：　two　hundred　billion　for　each　of　the　heads　of　state。'
　'Just　money？　Nothing　else？　No　prisoners　to　be　released？　Nothing　like　that？'
　She　shook　her　head；　biting　her　lip。　〃That's　it。　They　have　until　three　o'clock　our　time　to　agree。　Tf　nothing　by　then；　they'll　show　us　some　kind　of　firework　display。　If　the　Task　Force　makes　any　attempt　ю　approach　Invincible；　they'll　kill　one　of　ihc　three。'　She　drew　in　air。　'How？　How　could　they　have　。　。　。？'
？We　tried　to　contact　the　ship？'
　Again　the　little　nod。　'Absolutely　no　vocal　response。　Nothing　excepl　the　electronics。　Invincible's　already　signalled　to　the　other　ships；　ordering　them　to　keep　station。'
　The　little　boai　puttered　up　to　the　panionway　let　down　from　the　main　deck；　for'ard；　on　the　port　side。　The　Leading　Wren　held　the　craft　steady　with　a　boathook。　while　Bond　made　his　way　up　the　shaking　steps。
As　they　had　approached　Invincible　he　seemed　to　sense　something　eerie　about　it。　Something　wrong　that　he　couldn't　put　his　finger　on。　Now。　he　reached　the　main　deck　and　saw　it　was　descried；　except　for　the　aircraft　and　helicopters。
　His　intuition　was　either　correct；　or　playing　tricks　with　him。　In　any　case　he　reached　behind　him　for　the　Browning。　He　had　not　even　got　a　hand　on　the　butt　when　a　familiar　voice　said；　'I　wouldn't　do　that。　James。　Just　take　your　hand　away。'
　He　turned　to　see　Clover　Pennington；　with　a　Wren　on　each　side；　ing　from　behind　one　of　the　Sea　Harriers。　All　three　girls　carried　automatic　pistols。
Stay　cool；　he　thought。　Stay　very　cool。
…Hello；　〃Cat〃。'He　smiled。
　
　17
　
　Operation　Sleeping　Beauty
　
One　of　the　girls　walked　forward；　reached　behind　him　and　removed　the　Browning。
　'Cuff　him；　while　you're　at　it；'　Clover　told　her。　'Well；　James；　did　Tawny　Owl　give　you　the　go…ahead？'
　'Yes；　how　did　you　manage　that？'　he　asked；　surprised　that　his　voice　appeared　to　be　steady。
　The　silly　old　fool　made　a　note　of　it　and　left　it　on　his　night　table；　II　was　so　easy；'
　Bond　felt　the　cuffs　go　on；　the　cold　steel　biting　into　his　wrists。　He　was　still　puzzled　by　Ihe　silence。　'How。　Clover？'　he　asked。
　'Bring　him　down　to　my　cabin；'　she　ordered　the　two　Wrens；　who　shoved　him　like　men；　leading　him　to　the　bulkhead　and　down　Ihe　panion…way；　along　the　knee…touching　passages　to　the　Captain's　day　cabin；　where　they　roughly　pushed　him　into　a　chair。
　Clover　told　the　two　girts　to　get　on　with　their　other　duties。　Til　call　for　you　in　about　five　minutes。　I　want　this　one　nicely　locked　away　in　the　cells；'　She　went　behind　the　Captain's　desk　and　sat。　looking　at　him。　'You　see　how　easy　it　is　for　women　to　do　the　job　of　men？'　The　smile　was　still　attractive；　without　menace；　or　phoney　evil。　The　snarl　and　leer　were　strictly　for　the　movies。　Clover　looked　like　any　other；　nice；　well…brought…up　girl　with　a　future。
　There's　nobody　around；　that's　obvious。'　Bond's　mind　hovered　between　thoughts　of　what　he　could　do；　and　how　in　heaven's　name　First　Officer　Pennington　had　managed　to　take　over　the　ship。　'There　are　over　two　thousand　people　on　this　ship。'　He　tried　a　winning　smile。　'How　do　fourteen　girls　manage　to　lake　over；　as　you　appear　to　have　done？'
Two　thousand　and　eighteen　to　be　correct。　Oh；　and　fifteen　girls。　We　sprang　Sarah　Decley。　She's　a　psycho；　of　course；　but　useful　if　it　es　to　any　really　distasteful　jobs。'
'How？'　he　asked　again。
　'Because　il　was　very　well　planned；　and　we　were　in　a　prime　position　to　pull　it　off。　My　girls　had　jobs　everywhere　…　including　plete　access　to　the　galleys。'
The　food？'
　She　nodded；　'And　drink。　You　should　not　really　have　got　off　the　ship。　James。　I　was　a　little　cross　about　that。　Didn't　you　feel　very　thirsty　this　morning？'
　He　remembered　chug…a…lugging　the　orange　juiee　on　the　base；　and　the　unusual　need　to　drink。　'Ah。'
　Again　the　nice…girl　smile。　'Ah。　indeed。　Every　morsel　of　food；　every　beverage；　yesterday　contained　a　substance　that　would　make　every　man　jack　feel　thirsty　this　morning。　A　craving　thirst。'
'And　this　morning？'
　This　morning　you　had　nothing　to　drink　before　you　went　off　to　Rota。　If　you　had　taken　a　swig　of　coffee　you　would　have　bee　disoriented　within　twenty　minutes；　and　dropped　asleep　within　the　half…hour。　We　called　it　Operation　Sleeping　Beauty。　There　were　minor　problems；　of　course　…　you　were　one　of　them　…　but　my　girls　had　ways　of　dealing　with　it　all。　Everyone；　but　you。　is　cosily　tucked　away。　Fast　asleep。'
'How　dangerous　is　this　stuff？'
　'Stuff？　Oh；　the　Mickey　Finn　we　popped　into　the　food　and　drink。　Kick　like　a　mule；　James。　Knocks　people　out　cold。　There's　a　lot　of　that　old　stand…by；　chloral　hydrate；　in　it；　but　it's　been　refined；　（he　smell　removed；　also　the　after…effects　are　negative。　The　'Viper'　put　a　lot　of　money　into　having　the　stuff　made　to　the　highest　standards　…　Oh。　and　there's　little　or　no　danger。〃
The　〃Viper〃　sounds　a　right　little　charmer。'
　'He　is。　as　it　happens。　Anyway；　James；　the　whole　pany　of　this　ship　will　be　out　cold　for　at　least　three　days。'
'And　the　object　of　the　exercise？'
　'Money。　Money　to　continue　putting　the　world；　and　society　to　rights。'
〃A　lot　of　money？'
'Two　hundred　billion　for　each　of　the　VIPs　。　。　。'
Bond　started　to　laugh。　'Clover；　is　Bassam　Baradj　that　na'ivc？'
？What　d'you　mean？'
　'Doesn't　he　realise　that　this　isn't　the　ultimate　hostage　situation？'
'Why　not'。'　Three　of　the　world'smost　powerful　politicians　。　；　。'
　〃Quite。　You　wanl　money　for　them；　and　there's　no　way　you'll　get　it。　Sure；　the　countries　concerned　will　probably　chase　all　of　you　to　the　ends　of　the　earth　and　back；　but　nobody's　going　to　pay　that　kind　of　money　to　get　politicians　hack。　Don't　you　see　that？　Ii'll　be　Ei　in。　Brute？　time。　Nights　of　the　long　knives　time。　The　Russians　will　shrug　their　shoulders　and　the　anil…glasnost　team'll　be　in。　The　Americans　will　do　something　stupid；　like　letting　the　Vice…President　in　for　a　while　and　then　starting　the　circus　again。　The　British？　Well；　Mrs　Т　has　her　supporters；　but　。　。　。　well；　the　Cabinei　will　hold　little　crisis　meetings。　Then　they'll　just　announce　a　new　PM。　America　and　us　Brits　never　give　in　to　hostage　situations　anyway；　and　a　lot　of　powerful　people　will　see　it　as　a　God…sent　opportunity　for　a　change　in　leadership。'　Bond　（nought　for　a　moment　and　added。　'But　then；　perhaps　not/
　She　had　gone　a　little　pale；　he　thoughi。　Well；　he　was　only　lulling　her　the　truth。　'Eventually；　dcalh。　Yes。　We　have　a　few　aces　up　our　sleeves；　If…the　Governments　don't　meet　our　requirements　by　15。00　hours　this　afternoon；　our　time；　we'll　show　some　power。　If　anyone　tries　an　assauli　on　the　ship；　Sarah　wilt　deal　with　the　hostages。　One　at　a　time；　of　course。　So　far　it's　between　us　and　the　Governments；　but　Т　don't　see　that　lasting　if　they　miss　our　first　deadline。'　She　looked　at　her　watch。　'Three　hours　to　go。　I　don'l　know　what's　planned；　but　we've　all　been　（old　to　stay　off　the　main　deck　and　the　island。'
　'You　can't　win。　There's　no　way。　Clover；　how　in　God's　name；　did　someone　like　you　get　into　a　situation　like　this？'
　'Don't　talk　to　me　like　a　cleric　patronising　a　whore！'　she　shouted。　Then　very　quietly　she　said；　'Because　the　world's　a　rotten　place；　run　by　rotten　people。　Our　kind　of　anarchy　is　positive。　We　want　a　fair　and　open　society　throughout　the　globe　。　。　。'
'You're　just　like　all　those　pipe　dreamers。　Clover。　There'll　never　be　a　fair；　free　and　open　society　in　this　world。　You　see；　people　get　in　the　way。　Ideals　are　for　idealists；　and　all　idealists　fall　from　grace。　No　ideal　works；　simply　because　human　beings　cannot　cope　with　it。　The　man　said　it　all…Power　tends　to　corrupt；　and　absolute　power　corrupts　absolutely。　Lord　Acton；　wasn't　it？　Said　it　all。'
　'You　don't　think　。　。　。？'　she　began。　'No。　No；　yo