johngardner.rollofhonor-第20节

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out　the　afternoon；　they　walked　around　the　well…equipped　training　area；　and　Bond　experienced　the　odd　sensation　of　having　seen　all　this　before。　　It　took　an　hour　or　so　to　work　out　exactly　what　was　wrong。　　These　men　and　women　were　being　trained　in　techniques　he　had　seen　used　by　the　S。A。S　Germany's　G。S。G。9；　the　French　G。I。G。N　and　several　other　elite　units　dealing　with　anti…terrorist　activities。　　There　was　one　difference；　however。　　The　trainees　at　Erewhon　were　receiving　expert　tuition　on　how　to　counter　anti…terrorist　action。
　Apart　from　classes　in　weaponry　of　all　kinds；　special　attention　was　paid　to　hijacking　and　takeover。　　They　even　had　two　flight　simulators　in　the　pound。　　One　building　was　devoted　solely　to　the　techniques　of　bargaining　with　authorities　while　holding　either　hostages　or　kidnap　victims。　　The　skills　were　being　taught　extremely　thoroughly。
　One　of　the　most　spectacular　training　aids　lay　around　the　gutted　buildings　Bond　had　noticed　earlier。　　Here　a　team　of　four　would　be　taught　how　to　fight　off　attempted　rescues　employing　all　the　known　counter…terrorist　techniques。　　It　was　disturbing　to　note　that　most　eventualities　appeared　to　be　covered。
　That　night　Bond　slept　again　in　the　same　sparsely　furnished　room　where　he　had　first　woken。　　On　the　following　day；　the　interrogation　began。　　It　was　conducted　on　a　classic　one…to…one　basis　…　Tamil　Rahani　and　James　Bond　…　with　Rahani　asking　seemingly　ordinary　questions　that　were；　in　fact；　attempts　to　ferret　out　highly　sensitive　information　about　Bond's　Service。
　Rahani　began　with　reasonably　harmless　stuff；　such　as　organisation　and　channels　of　mand。　　Soon；　detail　was　being　called　for；　and　Bond　had　to　use　all　his　native　ingenuity　to　give　the　appearance　of　telling　everything；　at　the　same　time　keeping　back　really　vital　information。
　Rahani　was　like　a　terrier。　　Just　when　Bond　thought　he　had　managed　to　avoid　giving　some　piece　of　information；　Rahani　would　change　tack；　going　in　a　circle　to　return　to　the　nub　of　the　question。　　It　became　all　too　obvious　that　once　they　had　milked　him　dry；　Bond　would　be　quietly　thrown　to　the　wolves。
　On　the　sixth　day　Rahani　was　still　hammering　away　at　the　same　questions　concerning　details　of　protection　for　heads　of　state；　the　Prime　Minister；　the　Queen　and　other　members　of　the　Royal　Family。　　This　was　no　part　of　Bond's　own　work；　or　the　work　of　his　Service；　but　Rahani　quite　rightly　assumed　that　Bond　would　know　a　great　deal　about　it。　　He　even　wanted　names；　possible　weaknesses　in　those　assigned　to　such　duties；　and　the　kind　of　schedules　they　worked。　　At　about　five　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　a　message　was　brought　in。　　Rahani　read　it；　then　slowly　folded　the　paper　and　looked　at　Bond。
　〃Well；　mander；　it　seems　your　days　here　are　numbered。　　There　is　a　job　for　you　back　in　England。　　Something　very　important　is　at　last　ing　to　fruition；　and　you　are　to　be　part　of　it。　　You　are　on　salary　as　from　now。
　He　picked　up　one　of　his　telephones　and　asked　for　Simon　to　e　over　as　quickly　as　possible。　　Bond　had　learnt　by　now　that　they　used　first　names　at　Erewhon　for　everyone　except　the　Officer　manding。
　〃mander　Bond　is　with　us；'　he　told　Simon。　　〃There's　work　for　him；　and　he　leaves　for　England　tomorrow。　　You　will　escort　him。〃　An　odd　look　passed　between　the　two　men　before　Rahani　continued。　　〃But；　Simon；　we　have　yet　to　see　the　gallant　mander　in　action。　　Would　it　be　a　good　idea　to　put　him　through　the　Charnel　House？〃
　〃He'd　like　that；　I'm　sure；　sir。
　The　Charnel　House　was　a　gallows…humour　nickname　for　the　gutted　buildings　they　used　for　training　against　counter…terrorist　forces。
　Simon　said　he　would　set　things　up；　and　they　walked　the　short　distance　to　the　area；　where　Simon　left　to　make　the　arrangements。　　Ten　minutes　later；　he　returned；　taking　Bond　inside　the　house。
　Though　the　place　was　gutted　and　bore　the　marks　of　many　simulated　battles；　it　had　been　remarkably　well　built。　　There　was　a　large　entrance　hall　inside　the　solid　main　door。　　Two　short　passages　to　left　and　right　led　to　large　rooms；　which　were　uncarpeted；　but　contained　one　or　two　pieces　of　furniture。　　At　the　top　of　a　solid　staircase　was　a　wide　landing　with　one　door。　　Through　this　a　long　passage　ran　the　length　of　the　house　with　doors　on　the　facing　wall　leading　into　two　rooms　built　directly　above　those　on　the　ground　floor。　　Simon　led　Bond　upstairs。
　〃There　will　be　a　team　of　four。　　Blank　ammunition；　of　course；　but　real　flash…bangs。〃　Flash…bangs　were　stun　grenades；　not　the　most　pleasant　thing　to　be　near　on　detonation。　　〃The　brief　is　that　they　know　you　are　somewhere　upstairs。〃　Simon　pulled　out　the　ASP　9mm。　　〃Nice　weapon；　James。　Very　nice。　　Who　would　think　it　has　the　power　of　a　。44
　Magnum？〃
　〃You've　been　playing　with　my　toys。
　〃Couldn't　resist　it。　　There　…　one　magazine　of　blanks；　and　one　spare。　Use　your　initiative；　James。　　Good　luck。〃　He　looked　at　his　watch。　　〃You　have　three　minutes。
　Bond　quickly　reconnoited　the　building　and　placed　himself　in　the　upper　corridor；　since　it　had　no　windows。
　He　stayed　close　to　the　door　which　opened　on　to　the　landing；　but　was　well　shielded　by　the　corridor　wall。　　He　was　crouched　against　the　wall　when　the　stun　grenades　exploded　in　the　hallway　below　…　two　ear…splitting　crumps；　followed　by　several　bursts　of　automatic　fire。
　Bullets　hacked　and　chipped　into　the　plaster　and　brickwork　on　the　other　side　of　the　wall；　while　another　burst　almost　took　the　door　beside　him　off　its　hinges。
　They　were　not　using　blanks。　　This　was　for　real；　and　he　knew　with　sudden　shock；　that　it　was　as　he　had　earlier　deduced。　　He　was　being　thrown　to　the　wolves。
　
　RETURN　TO　SENDER　
　
　Two
　
　　MORE　EXPLOSIONS　came　from　below；　followed　by　another　heavy　burst　of　fire。　　The　second　team　of　two　men　was　clearing　the　ground　floor。　　Bond　could　hear　the　feet　of　the　first　team　on　the　stairs。　　In　a　few　seconds　there　would　be　the　dance　of　death　on　the　landing　…　a　couple　of　stun　grenades　or　smoke　canisters　would　be　thrown　through　the　door　to　his　right；　then　lead　would　hose　down　the　passage；　taking　him　on　that　short　trip　into　eternity。
　Simon's　voice　kept　running　in　his　head　like　a　looped　tape：　〃Use　your　initiative　。　　。　　。　　Use　your　initiative　。
　Was　that　a　hint？　　A　clue？　　There　was　certainly　something　of　a　nudge　in　the　tone　he　had　adopted。
　Move。　　Bond　was　off　down　the　corridor；　making　for　the　room　to　his　left。　He　had　some　vague　idea　that　he　might　leap　from　the　window。
　Anything　to　remove　himself　from　the　vicious　hailstorm　of　bullets。
　He　took　rapid　strides　into　the　room　and；　trying　to　make　as　little　noise　as　possible；　closed　the　door；　automatically　sliding　a　small　bolt　above　the　handle。　　He　started　to　cross　the　floor；　heading　for　the　windows；　clutching　the　useless　ASP　as　though　his　life　depended　on　it。
　As　he　sidestepped　a　chair；　he　saw　them　…　two　ASP　magazines；　cutaway　matt　black　oblongs；　lying　on　a　rickety　table　between　the　high　windows。
　Grabbing　at　the　first；　he　saw　immediately　that　they　were　his　own　reserves；　both　full；　loaded　with　Glasers。
　There　is　a　fast　routine　for　reloading　the　ASP；　a　fluent　movement　that　quickly　jettisons　an　empty　magazine；　replacing　it　with　a　full　one。
　Bond　went　through　the　reload　procedure　in　a　matter　of　five　seconds；　including　dropping　his　eyes　to　check　that　a　live　round　had　entered　the　chamber。
　He　performed　the　reloading　on　the　move；　finally　positioning　himself　hard　against　the　wall　to　the　left　of　the　door。　　The　team　would　leap　in　after　the　grenades　had　acplished　their　disorientating　effect；　one　to　the　left　and　one　right。　　They　would　be　firing　as　they　came；　but　Bond　gambled　on　their　first　bursts　going　wide　across　the　room。
　Flattening　himself　against　the　wall；　he　held　the　powerful　little　weapon　at　arm's　length　in　the　two…handed　grip；　at　the　same　time　clutching　the　spare　magazine　almost　as　an　extension　to　the　butt。
　They　were　making　straight　for　this　room。　　As　he　reloaded；　Bond　had　been　conscious　of　the　bangs　and　rattle　of　their　textbook　assault　through　the　landing　door。
　Bullets　spat　and　splintered　the　woodwork　to　his　right。　　A　boot　smashed　in　the　handle　and　broke　the　flimsy　bolt；　while　a　pair　of　stun　grenades　hit　the　bare　boards；　making　a　heavy　clunk；　one　of　them　rolling　for　a　split　second　before　detonation。
　He　closed　his　eyes；　head　turning　slightly　to　avoid　the　worst　effect　…　the　flash　that　temporarily　blinds　…　though　nothing　could　stop　the　noise　which　seemed　to　explode　from　within　his　own　cranium；　putting　his　head　in　a　vice；　and　ringing　in　his　ears　like　a　magnified　bell。　　It　blotted　out　all　external　sounds；　even　that　of　his　own　pistol　as　he　fired；　and　the　death…rattle　of　the　submachine　guns　as　the　two…man　team　stepped　through　the　lingering　smoke。
　Bond　acted　purely　by　intuition。　　At　the　first　movement　through　the　door　he　sighted　the　three　little　yellow　triangles　on　the　dark　moving　shape。　He　squeezed　the　trigger　twice；　resighted　and　squeezed　again。
　In　all　the　four　bullets　were　off　in　less　than　three　seconds　…　though　the　whole　business　appeared　to　be　frozen　in　time；　slowed　down　like　a　cinematic　trick　so　that　everything　happened　with　a　ponderous；　even　clumsy；　brutality。
　The　man　nearest　Bond　came　through；　leaping　to　his　left；　the　wicked　little　automatic　weapon　tucked　between　upper　arm　and　ribcage；　the　muzzle　already　spitting　fire　as　he　identified　and　turned　towards