johngardner.winloseordie-第29节

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　'I　really　shouldn't　worry　too　much　about　。　；　。'　The　telephone　buzzed　and　Bond　excused　himself　to　take　the　call。　It　was　Surgeon　mander　Grant。　'The　place　is　cleaned　up。　sir；　and　I　took　the　liberty　of　having　some　photographs　done　…　you　know　the　kind　of　thing：　body　ш　situ；　face；　wound；　all　that　stuff。　Seen　il　on　the　moving　pictures。　Can't　be　accurate　about　time　of　death；　but　I'd　say　it　was　within　an　hour　of　my　seeing　the　body。'
　'Mmm…huu。　It　wasn't　long　before　。〃saw　il。　Just　keep　everything　on　ice。　I'll　see　you　later。'　He　cradled　the　telephone　and　turned　back　to　Gudeon。　'Don'1　bother　yourself　too　much；　sir。　I'd　okay　Dancer　ing　in　on　schedule。'
'Easy　as　that？'
　'Just　as　easy。　I　think　I　know　what　he　wanted　checked　out。　I　think　it　was　why　he　got　chopped。'
'If　you　know；　then　it's　your　duty　to　share　it　with　me。'
'I　said　1　think　I　know；　sir；　and　that's　a　long　way　from　knowing。'
'And　you　won't　even　。　。　。？'
　'Sorry。　Admiral　Gudeon；　but。　no。　I　carry　this　ball　on　this　one。　I　think　I　know；　and　I'll　take　steps　to　make　certain　and　even　secure　matters　before　Dancer　gets　here。　Anything　strange；　and　I'll　have　Stewards〃　Meeting　waved　off。　In　the　meantime；　I'd　suggest　that　you　go　back　to　the　bridge　and　take　Mr　Israel　with　you。　Also；　I'd　be　grateful　if　you　don't　talk　to　anyone　else　about　this。　And　I　do　mean　anyone；　sir。'
'If　you　say　so。　Bond。'　Gudeon　did　not　look　happy；　but　007　wanted　to　leave　it　there。　There　was　a　lot　for　him　to　do　before　he　could　do　something　definite　about　the　operation　they　called　Stewards'　Meeting。　First；　he　had　to　do　his　Sherlock　Holmes　imitation；　and　see　everybody　concerned；　then　it　was　essential　for　him　to　get　his　own　people　to　check　on　the　names　Edgar　Morgan　had　listed　on　the　tape　…　even　the　Royal　Navy　people。　He　sat　back；　making　quick　decisions　on　whom　he　would　speak　to　next。　It　was　three　o'clock　in　the　morning。　Nobody　was　going　to　be　happy；　but　he　considered　it　best　for　him　to　stick　with　people　he　knew　were　awake。　He　called　the　bridge　and　asked　ю　see　Admiral　of　the　Fleet　Sir　Geoffrey　Gould　and　his　Flag　Lieutenant；　Mr　Brinkley。　They　were　with　him　in　five　minutes；　and　he　broke　the　news；　followed　by　the　standard　questions　…had　Brinkley　been　with　the　Admiral　since　dinner？　Had　they　parted　pany　at　any　time？　The　answers　were　yes；　and　no；　respectively。
　Gould　was　shaken。　〃You　do　not　get　murdered　on　one　of　HM's　ships；'　he　said；　echoing　Gudeon。
　'It　seems　that　we　are　the　exception　that　proves　the　rule。'　Bond　said　briskly。
〃Could　we　be　of　any　help；　James？'　Ted　Brinkley　asked。
　'Possibly；　but　not　yet。　I　gather　all　the　Russians　are　English　speakers。'
　'Yes。'　Brinkley　had　got　to　thut　information　very　quickly。　'First　thing　Moggy　and　I　did。　Try　out　their　English。　Bit　funny；　though。'
'How　funny？'
　The　leader　of　their　pack　…　Stura；　Yevgeny　Stura。　Fellow　with　the　scar　and　（he　vodka　nose。'
'What　about　him'…''
'He　tried　to　play　silly　buggers。　Pretended　he　had　no　English。'
'But　he　has？'
　'He's　been　up　with　Admiral　Pauker　on　the　bridge　all　night。　Speaks　English　like　a　native。　Slight　American　accent；　but　he　speaks　and　understands。　Just　wouldn't　let　on　to　us　when　we　were　with　them。　The　Attache　with　all　the　honeypot　trappings；　aimed　at　you；　did　the　translating。　Rum。'
　'Not　really。〃　Bond　cocked　an　eyebrow。　'KGB　games。　They　often　try　that　kind　of　thing　on。　It's　almost　a　standard　drill。'
　He　asked　them　to　get　back　on　the　bridge；　talk　to　nobody　and　ask　the　Captain　if　he　would　request；　most　respectfully；　if　Admiral　Pauker　and　Yevgeny；　he　with　the　vodka　nose；　would　e　down　to　see　him。
They　arrived　a　few　minutes　later；　and　Bond　went　through　the　same　routine。　Oddly；　Yevgeny　Stura　wcni　through　the　charade　of　being　a　non…English　speaker　with　the　connivance　of　Pauker　until　Bond　reminded　them　forcibly　that　ihey　were　on　British　territory　and　he；　for　one。　would　see　to　it　that　the　most　important　part　of　Landsea　'89；　namely　Stewards'　Meeting；　would　be　called　off　if　they　were　not　honest　with　him。
　Admiral　Pauker　became　belligerent；　shouting　at　Bond；　telling　him　that　he　was　the　highest…ranking　officer　on　board　…　〃I　am　the　entire　head　of　the　Soviet　Navy。　I　will　have　you　stripped　of　rank；　ground　to　dust；　for　speaking　like　this！'　he　ended。
　'Do　as　you　will。　Admiral；　but　as　1　am　in　charge　of　security　for　the　whole　of　Stewards'　Meeting；　I　can　also　make　demands；　and　T'm　not　putting　up　with　Mr　Stura's　games。　He　speaks　English　and　understands　it。　I　know　it；　he　knows　it。　We　all　know　it。　So；　no　more　games。'
　The　Russians　disappeared；　slightly　cowed；　and　Bond　sent　the　marine　guard　to　get　Mr　Camm。
　Moggy　Camm　bore　out　his　partner's　story；　and　answered　all　the　questions　quickly　and　with　no　hesitation。　They　had　agreed　that　Ted　Brinkley　would4ake　tonight's　duty　with　Gould。　Moggy　was　due　to　relieve　him　at　dawn。　He　had　seen　and　heard　nothing　out　of　the　ordinary　until　the　activity　outside　his　cabin；　then　the　marine　and　his　sergeant　wakening　him。
　There　were　other　obligatory　questions。　What　time　had　he　turned　in？　About　eleven。　Did　you　see　anyone　or　anything　before　then'。'　He　had　taken　a　drink　with　the　other　two　Russians；　and　Bruce　Trimble。　the　black　American。　They　had　a　special　little　messdeck；　with　alcohol　on　lap…one　of　the　small　CPO　messdecks　which　had　been　set　aside　for　iheir　relaxation。　They　had　all　retired　about　the　same　time。　You　all　e　down　together？　Yes。
　One　at　a　time　he　went　through　the　other　bodyguards。　Bruce　Trimble　backed　Moggy　and　the　two　Russians。　The　Russians　backed　everybody　else。
　The　other　American　Secret　Service　man；　Stanley　Hare；　had　turned　in　early。　'At　the　same　time　as　Ed。　We　talked　a　while；　Trimble　came　back　and　we　all　grabbed　a　few　Zs。'　No；　he　had　not　heard　Ed　leave　the　cabin。　In　spite　of　the　noise　from　the　Tannoy　system；　Stan　had　heard　nothing　until　the　marine　banged　on　the　door。　'In　our　job；　you　leam　to　sleep　on　a　clothes　line。'
　Everyone　was　exceptionally　helpful；　so　he　sent　for　the　marine　sergeant。
　Sergeant　Harvey　was　your　typical　Royal　Marines　sergeant　with　no　lime　for　messing　around　with　excuses。
Bond　put　it　to　him　straight；　and　he　answered　just　as　clearly。
　'1　understand　there　was　a　problem　over　who　was　doing　the　guard　duty　down　here。　Sam't　Harvey。'
'Considerable　problem；　yes；　sir；'
'How　considerable？'
　'When　the　balloon　went　up；　as　expected；　at　23。59；　all　marines　went　to　their　action　stations；　sir。　I；　as　duty　sergeant；　should　have　spotted　the　problem　at　once。　I　didn't；　sir。'
'Go　on。〃
　'Around　00。20　hours；　I　realised　we　had　nobody　down　here。　We're　stretched　as　it　is　…　42　mando　not　having　to　do　anything　unless　there's　a　real　flap　on　…　so　I　sent　two　marines　down　with　instructions　to　do　one　hour；　then　report　to　me。　I　had　meant　to　sort　out　a　couple　more；　but　I　didn't；　sir。　My　fault；　I　take　any　blame。　The　two　on　duty　down　here　were　authorised　to　go　back　to　their　normal　posts。　When　1　remembered；　I　gave　the　orders　on　the　bulkhead　telephone。　My　fault；　sir。　Easy　as　that。　I've　questioned　all　concerned。　Between　them　they　reckon　the　posts　were　left　without　guard　for　ten　minutes。　Me；　being　what　I　am；　would　add　another　five　for　luck。'
　'There's　no　blame；　sarn't。　One　of　those　things；　but　what　you're　saying　is　that　people　would　be　free　to　e　and　go　between　the　prohibited　areas　for　at　least　fifteen　minutes。　From　around　what？　01。〃5　and　01。30　hours？'
'About　that；　sir。'
'Right。　Thank　you。〃
　There　were　still　three　people　he　needed　to　talk　with。　Clover；　the　luscious　Nikki。　and　one　other　mentioned　in　the　disturbing　list　of　naval　personnel　the　late　Ed　Morgan　had　wanted　checking　out。　He　could　leave　getting　reports　back　on　the　Russians；　but　his　own　kind　would　have　to　be　looked　into　now。
He　was　dog…tired；　and　there　was　little　likelihood　of　getting　any　sleep　for　at　least　another　twenty…four　hours；　so　he　stretched；　jammed　his　cap　on　and　went　up　to　the　highly　secure　holy　of　holies；　the　munications　Room；　set　on　the　first　deck；　directly　below　Flight　Operations　and　the　bridge。　An　aggressive　marine　challenged　him　and　he　showed　the　pass　which　had　been　issued　to　him；　together　with　other　materials　on　joining　Invincible。　Apart　from　Sir　John　Walmsley；　the　munications　staff　would　probably　be　the　only　ones　who　realised　their　special　Security　Officer　was　really　a　disguised　'funny'。　The　Duty　munications　Officer　certainly　did。　you　could　tell　by　his　eyes；　and　the　quick　flick　of　his　head　when　Bond　showed　him　his　authority　for　using　the　Intelligence　puter　which　had　a　direct　satellite　link　with　GCHQ；　Cheltenham。
　They　exchanged　code　words；　and　a　few　heads　were　raised　as　the　munications　Officer　took　him　across　the　busy　room　（o　the　little　sealed…off　area；　opening　the　door　and　following　him　in　to　boot　up　the　big　Cray　puter。　Once　done；　the　DCO　tactfully　left　him　alone。
　The　beast's　screen　shimmered　green；　and　Bond　typed　in　the　first　set　of　digits　that　would　wake　up　the　lads　in　Cheltenham。
STATE　AUTHORITY　the　puter　asked　him　in　large　black
letters。
Bond　typed　in　MERRY…GO…ROUND。
GIVE　BACK…UP　flashed　on　to　the　puter。
26980。〃8　Bond　typed。
TYPE　OF　INFORMATION　REQUIRED？　queried　the　silent
machine；
DATA　　　ON　　　ROYAL　　NAVY　　　PERSONNEL　　SERVING
NOW　filRDSNEST　TWO　he　told　it。
WHAT　OPS？　it　asked。
LANDSEA　'89　AND　POSSIBLY　STEWARDS'　MEETING。
SPECIFICS：　STATE　FULL　DOSSIERS　OR　RELEVANT
SECURITY　CLEARANCE
BOTH　INPUT　NAMES　…　SURNAME　FOLLOWED　BY