johngardner.rollofhonor-第29节

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　Flat　against　the　root；　his　body　pressing　down　as　if　to　merge　with　the　lead　surface；　Bond　lay　silent；　letting　his　eyes　adjust　to　the　darkness。　Then　he　froze；　hearing　first　the　sound　of　feet　on　gravel；　then　the　voices。　　There　were；　as　Cindy　had　said；　two　of　them；　speaking　in　heavily　accented　English。　　One　made　a　hushing　sound。
　〃What？〃
　〃The　roof。　　Didn't　you　hear　it？〃
　〃What？〃
　〃Sounded　like　someone　on　the　garage　roof。
　Bond　willed　his　body　into　the　flat　surface；　pressing　down；　his　head　turned　away；　pulses　thudding　in　his　ears。
　〃On　the　roof？　　No。〃
　〃Move　back。　　Take　a　look。　　You　know　what　he　said　…　no　second　chances。〃　The　sound　of　feet　on　the　gravel　again。
　〃I　can't　see　any　〃You　think　we　should　go　and　。　　。
　Bond's　hand　inched　towards　the　ASP。
　〃There's　nobody　there。　　Might　have　been　a　cat　…　Hey；　Hans；　look　at　that。〃　The　scuffle　of　feet　could　be　heard　moving　back　off　the　gravel。
　Bond　turned　his　head；　and　saw　the　clear　silhouettes　of　The　Balloon　Game　the　two　guards　below；　in　front　of　the　house。　　They　were　close　to　one　another；　looking　up　like　a　pair　of　astronomers　studying　a　new　planet；　eyes　fixed　on　the　windows；　out　of　sight　to　his　right。
　Carefully　he　started　to　move　towards　the　centre　of　the　roof　where　he　knew　the　skylight　lay。　　Then；　suddenly；　he　dropped　flat　again　as　the　guards　also　moved　…　his　own　breathing　sounding　so　loud　that　it　must　draw　them　to　him。　　But　the　two　men　were　now　backing　away　from　the　house；　heads　tilted；　trying　to　get　a　better　view　of　what　was　happening　just　inside　Cindy's　lighted　open　window。
　Again　Bond　edged　forward；　going　as　fast　as　safety　would　allow；　conscious　of　each　minute　slipping　away。
　Though　probably　less　than　a　minute；　it　seemed　to　take　an　eternity　to　reach　the　skylight；　which　moved　at　his　first　touch。　　Very　gently　he　slid　it　back；　staring　down　into　the　darkness　below。
　They　had　made　it　easier　for　him　by　parking　the　white　Mercedes　directly　underneath。　　One　Swing　and　he　was　down；　fret　on　the　car's　root；　head　less　than　a　foot　below　the　edge　of　the　skylight。
　Crouched　there；　Bond　slipped　the　ASP　from　its　holster。　　If　they　had　put　a　man　inside　the　garage；　plans　might　just　have　to　change。　　Once　more　he　waited；　stock　still；　letting　his　eyes　adjust　to　the　darkness。
　No　sound　could　be　heard　but　the　beating　of　his　own　heart。　　The　long　outline　of　the　Mulsanne　could　just　be　made　out　parked　to　his　right。
　He　dropped　to　the　floor；　padded　around　the　rear　of　the　Mercedes；　one　hand　still　grasping　the　ASP；　the　other　now　clutching　the　keys　to　the　Bentley。
　The　lock　thumped　open；　and　there　was　that　solid；　satisfying　sound　as　the　catch　gave　way　to　his　thumb　and　the　heavy　door　swung　back。
　The　Bentley's　interior　came　alive　with　light；　and　he　slid　into　the　driving　seat；　leaving　the　door　open　as　he　checked　the　connections　around　the　Super　1000　long　range　telephone；　which　munications　Control　Systems　had　provided　for　the　electronics　wizards　at　RollsRoyce　to　wire　in。　　Closing　the　door；　he　picked　up　the　handset；　letting　out　a　breath　of　relief　as　the　small　pin　of　red　light　came　on　to　show　the　telephone　was　active。　　His　main　fear　had　been　that　Holy's　men　had　cut　the　connections。　Now；　all　he　could　do　was　pray　that　nobody　was　monitoring　the　closed　waveband。
　Quickly　he　punched　out　the　number；　and；　before　the　distant　end　had　time　to　say　〃Transworld　Exports；'　he　rasped　out；　〃Predator！　　Confuse！〃　hitting　the　small　blue　scramble　button　as　he　said　it；　then　counting　to　twenty；　waiting　for　the　distant　to　e　up　again。
　the　voice　of　the　Duty　Officer　at　the　Regent's　Park　Headquarters　said　clearly。
　〃I　say　this　once　only。　　Predator；　emergency　。　　。　　。　　and　Bond　launched　into　a　fast　two…minute　message　which　he　hoped　would　be　clearly　intelligible　if　Jay　Autem　Holy　really　intended　to　send　him　out　from　Endor　to　steal　the　United　States　EPOC　frequency　within　the　next　few　days。
　Putting　the　telephone　back　into　its　cradle　between　the　seats；　he　retrieved　the　ASP　which　had　rested　above　the　polished　wooden　dashboard　only　inches　from　his　hand；　and　returned　it　to　his　holster　Now　he　had　to　get　back　to　Cindy's　room　as　fast　as　possible。　　The　thought　of　the　girl　slowly　stripping；　singing　to　herself　was　highly　erotic　in　his　heightened　state　of　mind；　bringing　the　picture　of　Percy　Proud　to　him　quickly；　as　though　she　were　very　close。　　A　trick　of　the　subconscious　he　decided；　closing　the　Bentley's　door　as　quietly　as　its　weight　allowed　and　locking　the　car。
　The　interior　lights　remained　on　for　a　few　seconds；　then　the　garage　was　once　more　consigned　to　darkness。　　He　turned；　to　head　back　to　the　Mercedes；　when　a　sharp　double　metallic　click　brought　him　to　a　halt。
　There　was　an　old　game　…　remembered　from　his　training　back　in　the　Second　World　War　…　which　they　still　played　in　the　school。　　You　sat　in　darkness　while　tapes　of　noises　were　run。　　The　object　was　to　identify　each　noise。
　Often　they　ran　the　distinctive　cocking　action　of　an　automatic　pistol　with　the　sounds　of　door　handles；　toys；　even　metal　snap　fastenings。　　The　sharp　double　click　which　he　heard　now　came　from　the　far　side　of　the　Mercedes；　and　Bond　would　know　it　anywhere。　　It　was　that　of　an　automatic　pistol　being　cocked。
　He　had　the　ASP　in　his　hand　again；　like　a　master　conjurer　producing　a　wand　from　midair。　　But　as　the　gun　came　up；　a　spotlight　flashed　on　and　a　very　familiar　voice　spoke　softly。
　〃Put　that　nasty　thing　away；　dear。　　It's　not　really　worth　it；　and　neither　of　us　wants　to　get　hurt；　do　we？〃　…　1（3EPOC　BOND　COULD　SEE　him　quite　clearly；　outlined　against　the　lighter　colouring　of　the　wall。　　In　a　fraction　of　a　second；　his　brain　and　body　calculated　the　situation　and　made　a　decision。
　Normally；　with　all　his　training；　and　the　long　built…in　reflexes；　Bond　would　have　taken　him　out　with　one　shot；　probably　straight　from　the　hip。　But　several　factors　were　weighed　in　an　instant　and　stayed　his　hand。
　The　voice　was　not　aggressive；　indicating　room　for　negotiation；　the　words　had　been　plain；　simple　and　to　the　point　…　。　　。　　。　　neither　of　us　wants　to　get　hurt；　do　we？〃　More　important；　there　was　no　silencer　fitted　to　the　ASP。　　A　shot　from　either　side　would　bring　Holy's　people　into　the　garage。　Bond　reckoned　that　Peter　was　as　anxious　as　he　was　himself　to　keep　the　wolves　at　bay。
　〃Okay；　Peter。　　What's　the　score？〃　As　Peter　Amadeus　came　closer；　Bond　sensed　more　than　saw　that　the　small　pistol；　just　visible；　held　away　from　the　body；　was　waving　around　like　a　tree　in　a　gale。　　The　precise　little　man　was　clearly　very　nervous。
　〃The　score；　Mr。　Bond；　is　that　I　want　out。　　And　as　far　away　from　here　as　possible。　　I　gathered　from　your　conversation　that　you're　thinking　of　going　as　well。〃
　〃I'm　going　when　I'm　told　…　by　your　boss。
　Does　he　know　you're　out；　by　the　way？〃
　〃If　the　gods　happen　to　be　on　my　side；　nobody　will　notice。　　If　the　hue　and　cry　is　raised；　I　just　pray　they　won't　e　looking　here。〃
　〃Peter；　you　won't　get　out　at　all　unless　I　go　back　the　way　I　came　pretty　damned　quickly。　　Wouldn't　it　be　better　for　you　to　stay　put？〃　The　pistol　sagged　in　Amadeus's　hand；　and　his　voice　edged　one　more　note　towards　hysteria。　　〃I　can't；　Bond！　　I　can't　do　it。　　The　place；　those　people　…　particularly　Finnes　…　terrify　me。　　I　just　can't　stay　in　the　house　any　longer！〃
　〃Right；'　said　Bond　soothingly；　hoping　the　young　man's　voice　would　not　rise　too　high。　　〃If　we　can　think　of　a　way；　would　you　help？　　Give　evidence　if　necessary？〃
　〃I've　got　the　best　evidence　in　the　world；'　he　said　in　a　calmer　voice。　〃I've　seen　the　Balloon　Game　run。　　I　know　what　it's　about；　and　that's　enough　to　terrify　any　large　size　policeman；　let　alone　me。〃
　〃What's　in　it？　　Tell　me。〃
　〃It's　my　only　ace。　　You　get　me　out　and　I'll　give　any　help　you　might　need。　　Is　that　a　deal？〃
　〃I　can't　promise。〃　Bond　was　acutely　aware　that　time　was　slipping　by。　Cindy　would　not　be　able　to　distract　the　two　guards　much　longer。
　He　told　Peter　to　put　the　gun　away。　　〃If　they're　letting　me　out　to　do　a　bit　of　their　dirty　work；　it's　pretty　certain　they'll　go　through　the　Bentley　with　the　finest　of　toothbs。　　You've　also　got　to　realise　that　your　absence　puts　a　lot　of　people　at　risk。〃
　〃I　know；　but。　　。
　〃Okay；　it's　〃~ri；'　now。　　Listen；　and　listen　carefully　As　quickly　as　he　could；　Bond　told　Amadeus　the　best　way　to　hide　under　the　other　cars　in　the　garage。　　Then　he　pressed　the　keys　into　the　young　man's　hand。　　〃You　use　these　only　after　they've　played　around　with　the　Bentley。
　It's　a　risk。　　Anything　could　happen；　and　I　haven't　any　assurance　they'll　let　me　go　in　my　own　car。　　One　other　thing。　　If　you're　found　here；　you　get　no　help。　　I　pletely　deny　having　anything　to　do　with　you。　　Right？〃　Bond　told　Amadeus　he　should　hide　in　the　boot　after　the　car　had　been　examined　…　〃For　all　I　know　they'll　send　one　of　their　people　with　me；　armed　to　the　teeth。〃　Then　Bond　gave　him　a　final　instruction　should　all　else　fail；　or　if　Bond　himself　were　prevented　from　going。　　He　patted　the　little　programmer's　shoulder；　wishing　him　luck；　then　climbed　back　on　to　the　roof　of　the　Mercedes　and　hauled　himself　up　through　the　skylight。
　Lying　on　the　flat　roof　in　the　chill　night　air；　pressed　hard　against　the　lead；　he　realised　that　Cindy　had　exhausted　her　repertoire。
　The　guards　were　very　close；　just　below　the　garage　roof。　　He　could　hear　them　mutterIng；　menting　on　what　they　had　seen：　all　the