johngardner.rollofhonor-第8节
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To the left and hardly moving； blocking most of the remaining space； was an old and decrepit lorry； wheezing as though about to suffer a plete collapse。 Bond yelled for Percy to hang on； jabbed hard at the brake； and slewed the Bentley first left； then right； in an attempt to slalom his way between the vehicles。
Halfway through the right…hand skid； it was plain they would not make it。 The Bentley's engine howled as he pushed the lever from automatic drive to low…range； taking the engine down to first。
They were both pressed hard against the restraining straps of their seatbelts as the heavy car came to a halt； the speed dropping from fifty…five almost to zero in the blink of an eye。 They were angled across the road； with the oning car jamming their right side and the elderly lorry backing slightly on the left。 Two men jumped down from the lorry； and another pair materialised from the shadows surrounding the parked car as the white Citron boxed them in neatly from behind。
〃Doors！〃 Bond shouted； slamming his hand against his door lock control； knowing his warning was more of a precaution than anything else； for the central locking system should be in operation。 At least three of the men now approaching the Bentley appeared to be armed with axes。
Bond realised as he reached for the hidden pistol partment catch that his action was only a reflex。 If he operated the electric window to use the weapon； they would have a route in。 In fact； they could get in anyway； for even a car built like his would eventually collapse under efficiently wielded axes。
The Bentley Mulsanne Turbo is a little over six and a half feet wide。 Bond's was not quite at right angles across the road。 The Citroen behind； he judged； was within a foot of his rear bumper； but the Bentley's weight would pensate for that。 Ahead； the car with its hazard lights blinking was a couple of inches from his door； the lorry some three inches from the bonnet。 Directly in front； eight feet or so away； the roadside reached up a sloping rock face。 The Bentley's engine had not stalled and still gave out its low grumble。
Holding his foot hard on the brake pedal； Bond adjusted the wheel and； as one of the assailants came abreast of his window； placing himself between the Mulsanne and the parked car； raising both hands to bring down the axe； Bond slid the gear lever into reverse； and lifted his foot smartly off the brake。
The Bentley slid backwards； fast。 There was a judder as they hit the Citroen； and a yelp of pain from the man about to try and force entry with his axe。 Thrown to one side； he had been crushed between the Bentley and the parked car。
With a quick movement of his right hand； Bond now slid the automatic gear into drive。 He had； maybe； an extra six inches to play with。 His foot bore gently down on the accelerator。 The car eased forward。 The screaming attacker on their right was once again crushed as the Bentley straightened up； then gathered speed and headed for the small gap。
The steering on the Mulsanne Turbo is so light and accurate that Bond did not have to wrench at the wheel。
Using a very light touch of his fingers； he eased the Bentley into the narrow gap between lorry and car。 More control to the left。
Straight。 Hard left。 A fraction to the right。 Then his foot went down； and they were hurtling forward； passing the front of the car； but with less than an inch to spare between the lorry on the left and the rock face to the right。
Quite suddenly； they were through； back on the empty road downhill into Monaco。
〃Hoods？〃 He could feel Percy quivering beside him though her voice betrayed no sign of fear。
〃You mean our kind？〃 She nodded； her mouth forming a small 〃Yes。〃
〃Don't think so。 Looked like a team out to take our money； and anything else they could grab。 There's always been plenty of that along this coast。 In the north of England they have a saying： where there's muck there's brass。 You can change that to where there's money there's lice。
Bond knew he was lying。 It was just possible that the axe men were a group of gangsters。 But the set…up had been deadly in its professionalism and sophistication。 He would report it as soon as he could get a safe line to London。 He told Percy that he would do just that。
〃So shall I。〃 They said nothing more until they got to her room。
After that； neither of them would ever be able to say what started it。
〃The'y were pros；' she said。
〃Yes。
〃I don't like it； James。 I'm pretty experienced； but I can still get frightened。〃 She moved closer to him； and in a second his arms were around her。 Their lips met as though each was trying to breathe fresh energy into the other。 Her mouth slid away from him and her cheek lay alongside his neck as she clung on； whispering his name。
So they became lovers； their needs and feelings erupting； adding urgency to every moment of the day and night。 With this new mental and physical intermingling came a fresh anxiety； so that they worked harder than ever towards the final goal of preparing Bond to meet Percy's former husband。
By the start of the third week； as he was really beginning to master the intricacies of micro programs； Percy suddenly called a halt。
〃I'm going to show you the kind of thing that Jay Autem could well be writing now；' she announced； switching off the Terror Twelve and removing the normal disk drives which Bond had just been using。
In their place she fitted a large； hard…disk laser drive and； powering up the system； booted a program into the puter … 〃booting' being the technical term for placing a program in the puter's memory。
If Bond had found the puter TEWT fascinating； it was as child's play to the program he was about to witness。 What appeared on the screen now was not the standard puter graphics he had bee used to； even in their highest form； but genuine pictures； real and in natural colour and texture； like a controllable movie。
〃Video；' Percy explained。 〃A camera interfaced with a hard laser puter disk。 Now watch。
She manipulated the joystick； and it was as though they were driving along a city street in heavy traffic。
Certainly the human forms she produced were less realistic than the background against which she made them move； run； fight and take action。 But there was a new and almost frightening conviction about this presentation。 It was more a simulation than a game。
〃I call it Bank Robbery；' she said； and there was no doubt about its effectiveness。 By the clever juxtaposition of real film and graphics you could play at robbing a real bank； dealing with every possible emergency that might arise。 Bond was more than impressed。
〃When I've taught you how to process and copy Jay Autem's work； you'll have the Terror Twelve and three types of drive to take with you； James。 Don't say I havn't provided you with all the essential creature forts。〃 Until later that evening； Bond applied himself to the work； but remained introspective； his mind hovering between the tasks on hand and the appalling potential for evil of the tool that Jay Autem Holy … or indeed anyone with the necessary knowledge … had at his disposal。
It should have been obvious； of course。 If there were programs to assist the military in learning strategy and tactics； there had to be the potential there for unscrupulous people to learn the best way to rob； cheat and even kill。
〃And you really believe training programs； like the one you showed me today； are being used by criminals？〃 he asked much later； when they were in bed。
〃I'd be very surprised if they weren't。〃 Percy's face was grave。
〃Just as I'd be amazed if Jay Autem were not training criminals； or even terrorists； in his nice Oxfordshire house。〃 She gave a humourless little laugh。 〃I doubt if it's called Endor by accident。
The Holy Terror has a dark sense of humour。〃 Bond knew that she was almost certainly right。 Every two days he received a report from England； via Bill Tanner： a digest of the information ing from the surveillance team that had been set up with exceptional discretion； officers being changed every forty…eight hours； in the village of Nun's Cross。 He asked Percy what she thought had actually happened on the night Dr Holy went missing。
〃Well； he certainly didn't go by himself。 Dear old Rolling Joe Zwingli must have gone with him； and that guy was as mad as a hatter。
They had a file as long as your arm on him at Langley。〃
〃Dealt with the poor pilot； then jumped； I suppose？〃 Bond was almost speaking to himself。 Percy nodded； then shrugged。 〃And did away with Zwingli when it suited him。〃 During the final days of study； Bond mastered the art of copying all types of program protected by every method Percy knew to be used by Dr Holy。 They saved the last two days for themselves。
〃You're an enchantress；' Bond told Percy。 〃I know of nobody else who could have taught me so much in such a short time。〃
〃You've given me a few wrinkles as well； and I don't mean on my face。〃 She put her head back on the pillow。
〃e on； James； darling； one more time； as the jazz men say； then we'll have a fabulous dinner and you can really show me how to play those tables in the Salles Privees。〃 It was midafternoon； an
