johngardner.winloseordie-第20节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


out　of　here；　sir。　Do　you　understand？　We　really　do　have　to　debrief　you　as　well。'
　Finally。　Bond　nodded；　slowly；　as　though　mon　sense　had　started　to　prevail。　In　his　head；　whenever　someone　made　a　noise；　dropped　something；　or　talked　too　loudly；　he　heard　the　deafening　double…crump　again；　and　clearly　saw　Beatrice　smiling　at　him；　pulling　open　the　car　door；　then　being　engulfed　by　the　explosion。　The　ringing　in　his　ears　had　turned　into　a　permanent　whine。　He　looked　up　at　Clover　Pennington。　'I　want　to　speak；　personally；　to　M；'　he　said；　coldly。
　'Not　yet。　James　…　er　sir。　Not　yet。　We　do　have　to　move　you　on。　And　we　have　to　be　very　careful。　M's　instructions　are　that　you　remain　in　deep　cover。　That's　essential。　We　have　to　drop　you　out　of　sight　again　so　that　you　can　re…emerge　when　you　join　Invincible；　in　just　over　a　week。'
　Bond　made　a　gesture　that　signified　he　understood。　Though　this　was　not　borne　out　by　his　ne〃（　question　…　〃If　she　was　BAST；　what　happened？　Did　they　kill　her　by　mistake'。''
　'Later；　sir。　Please。　I　really　think　it　would　be　dangerous　for　you　to　stay　on　here。　We　have　a　helicopter　ing　in　to　pick　you　up。　They'll　take　you　to　a　secure　base　on　the　mainland。　There's　a　debriefing　team　standing　by；　and　they　have　good　doctors；　in　case　you　need　medical　。　。　。'
'I'm　not　in　need　of　doctors。　First　Officer　Pennington。'
'With　respect；　sir；　you　need　them　to　give　you　the　once…over。〃
There　was　the　clattering　sound　of　a　helicopter；　getting　louder　as　it　swept　in　from　the　sea　Ui　circle　above　the　villa。
　〃I　take　the　pistol；　sir？'　from　one　of　the　thick…set　men　in　civilian　clothes。
　'Not　on　your　life。'　Bond　was　now　being　really　angry。　'I'm　not　a　child；　nor　am　I　about　to　do　anything　stupid。〃　He　glared　around　him。　'What're　we　waiting　for。　then？　Let's　go。'
　Outside；　hovering　directly　over　the　villa；　an　old　Agusta　chopper；　carrying　Italian　Naval　markings；　began　to　descend。
　One　of　Clover　Pennington's　men　gave　hand…signals　and　they　lowered　a　crewman　with　a　harness；　and　winched　Bond　into　the　chopper。　The　last　thing　he　looked　at；　as　the　helicopter　turned　away；　heading　for　the　coast；　was　the　black；　charred　and　twisted　remains　of　the　Fiat；　and　local　police　blockades　at　each　end　of　the　road。
　An　hour　later　he　was　inside　a　small　military　base。　near　Caserta。　Bond's　local　geographic　knowledge　was　enough　to　follow　the　route。　From　the　air；　the　base　looked　anything　but　military；　with　half　a　dozen　oblong　buildings；　and　a　triple　security　perimeter：　a　sandwich　of　heavy…duty　razor　wire　between　two　high　chain…link　fences。　The　guards　at　the　main　gates　were　armed　but　did　not　seem　to　be　uniformed。
　He　was　given　a　large；　airy　room；　functional；　with　minimal　fort；　a　small　bathroom　and　no　TV　or　distracting　pictures　on　the　wall。　Somehow　they　had　managed　to　pack　his　case　at　the　villa　and　it　now　stood　neatly　just　inside　the　door。　Bond　stretched　out　on　the　bed；　placing　the　Browning　within　reach。　At　least　they　had　not　disarmed　him。　There　were　a　dozen　or　so　paperbacks　in　a　pile　on　the　night　table；　a　couple　of　（hrillers；　one　Deighton；　a　Greene；　two　thick　Forsyths　and　a　little　assorted　bunch　which　included　Joyce's　Ulysses　and　a　copy　of　War　&　Peace。　He　knew　from　his　own　strung…out　state　that　he　needed　something　to　keep　his　mind　working；　but　this　was　a　bizarre　little　collection；　and　he　felt　very　tired；　too　fatigued　to　read；　but　not　enough　flaked　out　to　sleep。　Anyway；　he　had　read　the　lot；　apart　from　an　odd　little　thriller　masterpiece　by　some　unknown　author　boasting　the　title　Moonlight　and　Bruises。
　He　played　back　the　memory　which　blazed　in　his　head。　The　Fiat；　the　steps；　the　wrought　iron　gates；　Beatrice　smiling　and　opening　the　car　door；　then　being　blotted　out　by　the　ball　of　fire。
No。　was　it　his　memory　playing　tricks？　It　was　not　really　like　that。　She　waved　and　smiled。　What　next？　The　violence　of　the　explosion　throwing　him　back？　No。　something　else。　She　was　smiling　and　pulling　Ihe　car　door　open。　Smoke。　There　was　a　lot　of　smoke　wilh　the　fireball；　wind　and　crack…thump　of　the　explosion。　Whai　kind　of　explosive　could　they　have　used　that　made　so　much　smoke'。'　It　did　not　happen　with　Seintex　or　RDX。　This　was　something　he　would　have　10　report。　It　could　he　that　some　terrorist　organisations　were　using　a　new　type　of　explosive：　or　was　it　an　old　mixture　which；　wilh　age；　produced　more　smoke　than　usual？　Anyway；　it　had　wiped　out　an　unusually　cold…blooded　terrorist　princess。
　How　many　terrorist　princesses　does　it　take　to　wire　up　a　time…bomb？　Three：　one　to　get　the　wire；　one　10　get　the　gold　Rolex　and　one　to　call　the　expert。　There　was　a　tap　on　the　door　and　he　called　？e。'　with　one　hand　slipping　off　the　Browning's　safety　and　turning　！he　pistol　towards　the　door。
　The　man　was　tail；　dressed　casually　in　slacks　and　a　sweater。　He　had　the　dark　leathery　looks　of　the　Middle　East；　bul　his　voice　was　pure　Oxford　English。
　'Captain　Bond？'　he　queried；　though　Bond　got　the　distinct　impression　that　he　was　merely　adhering　to　some　kind　of　ritual。
He　nodded。
　'Name's　Farsee。'　He　was　in　his　forties；　carried　himself　in　an　alert　military　manner；　adjusting　everything　to　make　it　seem　as　though　he　was　pure　civilian　to　the　marrow。　His　laugh；　when　ii　came；　lacked　real　humour。　'Julian　Farsee；　though　my　friends　call　me　Tomato。　Play　on　words；　kind　of　thing；　y'see。　Tomato　Farsee。　Tomaies　Fames…the　old　French　stuffed　tomatoes。　See？'
　'What's　bloody　going　on？'　Bond　asked；　his　voice　brittle　and　with　undertones　of　violence。
　'The　quacks　want　to　give　you　a　bit　of　a　going　over。　I　just　dropped　in　to　see　if　you　were　feeling　okay；　and　ready　for　that　kind　of　thing；　right？'
　'And　who　exactly　are　you。　Julian？　Where　are　we；　what　are　you；　and　what's　going　on？'
'Well。　I'm　the　Two　I。〃C　actually。　Right？'　（Two　I。〃C　was　military　forSecond…in…mand；　just　like　Jimmie　The　One；　in　the　Royal　Navy；　stood　for　First　Lieutenant；　who　could　hold　the　rank　of　mander　or　even　Caplain；　depending　on　the　Captain's　rank；　which　could　even　be　Rear…Admiral。　Some　people　found　it　confusing。）
'You're　Second…in…mand　of　what；　exactly？'
'This。〃　Farsee　waved　a　hand　in　the　direction　of　the　window。
　It　was　like　prising　a　grape…pip　from　a　peach。　'And　what　is　this？'
'Nobody　told　you？'
'If　they　had；　1　wouldn't　be　asking　you；　Julian。〃
'Oh；　ya；　right。　We're　slightly　irregular　actually。〃
'How　irregular？'
　'es　under　NATO　installations；　right？　Highly　classified；　you　mighl　say。　Very　highly　classified。　We're　not　even　in　the　book；　as　they　say。　right？'
　'More！'　Bond　almost　shouted。　He　could　stand　Yuppies　up　to　a　point；　but　not　Yuppie　military。
'CO's　American；　right？'
'CO　of　what？'
　'We　sort　of　handle　things。　Hide　folk　away　when　we　don't　want　the　world　to　see　them　…　or　I　should　say　when　some　of　the　intelligence　people　don't　want　the　world　to　sec　them。〃
'Such　as　myself？'
　'Ya。　Oh。　ya。　Right；　Captain　Bond。　Look；　you　ready　for　the　medical　wallahs；　eh？'
Bond　gave　a　long　sigh；　then　nodded。　'Lead　me　to　them。〃
　The　doctors　spent　over　three　hours　going　over　him。　There　was　a　general　examination；　and　a　few　tests。　The　ENT　specialist　said　he　was　lucky。　'Eardrums're　intact。　Miracle　from　whal　I　hear。〃　This　particular　specialist　was　very　much　in　the　military　mould。
　Bond　only　became　angry　when　they　took　him　to　a　room　in　the　hospital　block　that　smelled　strongly　of　psychiatrist。　You　could　tell；　first；　by　the　pictures　on　the　wall；　light…grey　skies　and　calm　landscapes。　Then　there　was　the　abundance　of　plant　life。　You　could　have　been　in　Kew　Gardens；　and　the　young；　very　laid…back　young　man　leaning　in　his　adjustable　Draberl　chair；　had　about　him　an　air　of　calm；　laced　heavily　with　deep　anxiety。　But　it　was　the　Rorschach　lest　that　clinched　it。　In　his　day。　Bond　had　seen　experts　play　with　psychiatrists　when　（hey　brought　out　the　ink　blots。　He　also　knew　the　crazy　and　clever　answers　that　gave　an　analyst　the　Rorschach　protocol。
　'Just　look　at　each　one；　and　tell　me　what　you　see。〃　The　young　man　laid　（he　ink　blots　on　the　desk　one　at　a　time。　A　butterfly　lhat　could　be　a　praying　mantis　if　you　were　dangerous　enough；　a　kissing　couple；　which　might　just　be　a　nasty　weapon。　Each　time　Bond　told　him　the　blot　looked　like　a　woman's　breasts；　so　when　they　finished　the　psychiatrist　smiled　…　'You're　extracting　the　urine；　aren't　you。　Captain　Bond？'
　'In　；i　word…yes。　Look；　doc；　I've　been　through　worse　traumas　than　this　in　my　time。　Yes；　I　feel　as　most　men　do；　after　the　sudden；　destructive　loss　of　a　woman　I'd　e　to　care　about。　But　I　do　know　that　it　was　all　quick。　Too　quick。　Immediately　afterwards　there　was　sorrow；　and　a　little　self…pity。　Shock；　if　you　like。　Now　I　just　feel　very　angry。　Angry　with　myself　for　being　such　u　prat。　Angry　with　them；　for　setting　me　up。　Natural；　isn't　it？'
　The　psychiatrist　smiled　and　nodded。　'On　your　way。　Captain　Bond。　Anger's　the　healthiest　reaction；　so　let's　not　waste　each　other's　time。'
　Bond　did　not　reveal　that　he　had　a　sneaking　suspicion　that　another　few　strands　of　。wool　were　being　pulled　over　his　eyes。　That　would　e　out　in　time。　Give　them　enough　rope；　or　wool　for　that　matier。
　Julian　was　waiting　for　him。　〃CO　would　like　a　word；　1　think；　sir。'
'A　word；　or　several　sentences？'
Julian　whinnied；　'Oh。　ya；　jolly　good。　Right。　Ya。'
　The　buildings　were　quite　long；　brick　structures；　set　as　though　some　designer　had　just　thrown　six　models　at　random　inside　the　perimeter　fencing。　They　were　sing