johngardner.winloseordie-第31节

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　Bond　pulled　away；　holding　her　ai　arm's　length。　'Later；　Clover。　When　it's　all　over　we'll　talk。　Just　wait。'　He　went　to　the　cabin　door；　opened　it　and　spoke　ю　the　marine　on　duty。　While　they　waited；　the　Tannoy　blasted　out　…　the　Captain　saying　thai　they　had　now　cleared　the　English　Channel。　'There　are　slill　submarines　shadowing　us；〃　he　boomed；　'but　they　tell　me　they've　been　ordered　not　to　attack。　The　political　situation　is　that　both　sides　are　talking；　in　spite　of　the　fact　that　seven　NATO　air　bases　on　the　European　Continent　were　attacked；　with　varying　degrees　of　damage　and　success；　during　the　night。　I'm　going　to　stand　down　Red　Watch　for　two　hours；　but　you　are　all　on　an　immediate　response　alert。　1　shall　keep　you　informed　of　any　change　in　the　situation。'
　The　click　that　ended　the　message　coincided　with　the　knock　on　his　cabin　door。　It　was　the　marine　sergeant　Harvey。　The　man　was　tired；　like　everyone　else　on　board；　and　it　showed。　Bond　lost　no　time　asking　questions　and　then　issuing　orders　…　'Have　you　anywhere　we　can　stow　First　Officer　Pennington　while　I　make　a　couple　of　enquiries？'
　'Yes。　sir。　The　duty　marine　sergeant's　cabin。　I'm　still　there　for　the　next　hour　or　so。'
　〃Right；　take　her　there；　and　make　sure　she's　under　guard。　There's　the　possibility　she　could　be　attacked；　like　our　American　friend　last　night　…　at　least　until　I've　finished　my　job。'
　'If　you'll　e　with　me。　Ma'am；'　Sergeant　Harvey　appeared　to　be　very　considerate。　To　Bond　he　said。　Til　see　she's　guarded　every　minute；　sir。'
Clover　gave　Bond　a　weak　smile；　the　look　of　someone　with　a　lot　on　her　mind；　and　departed　with　the　sergeant。　Before　he　could　close　the　cabin　door；　a　ynung　midshipman　appeared　in　the　corridor；　which；　like　all　the　other　passageways　below　the　flight　deck；　was　only　wide　enough　for　two　people　to　pass　by　brushing　against　each　other。　In　the　US　Navy。　Bond　remembered；　they　called　them　'knee…touchers'。
　'Captain's　pliments；　sir。　Could　you　join　him　in　his　day　cabin　as　quickly　as　possible？'
　Tell　him　I'm　on　my　way。　I　wanted　to　see　him　in　any　case。'　Bond　turned　back　into　his　cabin；　opened　up　the　little　cupboard　which　stowed　away　a　small　handbasin　and　mirror。　He　looked　unshaven；　but　that　could　be　dealt　with　later。　For　now。　he　sloshed　cold　water　over　his　face；　cleaned　his　teeth　and　ran　a　b　through　his　hair。
？You　look　dog…rough。　Bond；　if　1　may　say　so。'　Rear…Admiral　Sir　John　Walmsley　did　not　look　too　hot　himself；　but　you　don't　tell　Rear…Admirab　thai　kind　of　thing　…　unless　you're　a　Vice…Admiral　or　above。　Walmsley　was　obviously　in　a　foul　mood。　'Well；　you　got　anything　to　tell　me？'
　Bond　wondered　why　a　man　of　Walmsley's　station　could　so　easily　murder　the　English　language。　'Such　as　what；　sir？'　He　bordered　on　that　armed　forces'　crime　called　dumb　insolence。
　〃Such　as　your　detective　work：　your　gumshoeing。　Such　as　｜r　whether　we　can　all　sleep　safely　in　our　bunks。　Whether　we　have　a　band　of　Thugees　aboard。　or　a　crew　of　cut…throat　pirates。　Have　you　caught　the　bastard　who　cut　the　American's　throat？'
　'Not　yet。　sir。　But　it　shouldn't　be　too　long。　Within　the　next　half…hour　or　so。　unless　I'm　being　led　up　the　garden　path。'
　'And；　when　you've　caught　this　fellow；　do　you　think　it's　safe　to　continue　with　Stewards'　Meeting？　Last　night；　early　this　morning　anyhow；　you　were　all　for　chucking　it　away。'
　'1　needed　to　lalk　to　you　about　that；　sir。　Might　I　ask　you　what　arrangements　were　made　with　the　US　Navy　about　munications？'
　The　Rear…Admiral　nodded；　and　repeated；　almost　word　for　word；　what　Admiral　Gudeon　had　told　him。
'And　the　Russians？'
　'Not　quite　as　cryptic。'　Walmsley　was　down　to　giving　shorthand　answers。
'Can　you　expand　on　that？'
　'Yes。　They　can　use　our　main　munications　Room；　but　not　with　much　freedom。　The　Americans　had　iheir　own　gear　on　board；　as　you　know。　The　Russians've　been　okayed　to　pass　en　clair　signals　through　our　transmitters。　I　suspect　their　signals　aren't　quite　as　straightforward　as　they　appear。　I　should　tell　you　they've　reported　Morgan's　death。'
　'What　Т　really　need　to　know；　sir；　is　how　long　have　we　got　before　there's　any　question　of　an　abort？'
　'At　the　moment　we're　in　a　readiness　state　for　Stewards'　Meeting；　Bond。　Things　are　going　ahead　exactly　as　planned。　It　all　starts　to　happen　at　around　ten　tonight；　if　I　remend　an　abort　after　six。　then　I'll　gel　a　right　old　rollicking　from　the　powers　that　be。　What's　worrying　you1。'　The　ihreat　by　these　BAST　hooligans？　There's　no　way　they　can　possibly　have　information　on　Stewards'　Meeting。'
　Bond　took　in　a　deep　breath。　'Surely；　sir；　you　must　know　they　have　some　intelligence。　I　was　nearly　taken　out；　there　was　some　loose　talk　at　the　RNAS　Yeovilton。　We've　had　a　very　serious　incidem　aboard。　I　rsally　don't　know　the　security　risks　。　。　。'
　Walmsley　ran　a　hand　across　his　brow。　'I　let　fly　at　you　after　the　incident。　Bond。　I'm　sorry　about　that；　but　1　don't　want　to　abort。　As　I　said　to　you　before；　this　is　of　great　political　importance。'　He　repeated　himself　with　a　stronger　accent。　〃Of　great　political　importance。　Now。　give　me　your　Sunday　punch。　If　you　gel　the　fellow　who　killed　Morgan；　do　you　reckon　we're　in　the　clear？'
　'It　might　be　just　that　little　bit　safer。〃　Bond　said；　allowing　his　tone　to　take　on　a　grave…side　seriousness。　'But　we　cannot　be　one　hundred　per　cent　sure。'
'Give　me　the　odds。'
　That　an　attempt　will　be　made　to　promise　Stewards'　Meeting？'
Walmsley　nodded。
　'Fifty…fifty。　If　I　get　the　killer　or　not。　sir；　it's　always　been　fifty…fifty。　We　don't　know　enough　about　this　damned　group　BAST。　We　never　have。　The　seriousness　of　a　threat　has　always　been　high。　I　mean；　if　our　people　arc　right；　BAST　lost　men；　and　spent　a　great　deal　of　money　organising　some　form　of　assault。　We've　assumed　it　was　aimed　at　Stewards〃　Meeting；　but　we　can't　be　sure。〃
　Sir　John　Walmsley　waited　for　a　minute　or　so。　'If　you　get　the　person　who　killed　Morgan；　and　if　he　can　be　interrogated；　it　will　help？'
　'If　it's　who　I　think；　then　I　would　imagine　interrogation　isn't　going　to　be　of　much　assistance。　If。　as　i　suspect；　it's　a　BAST　job；　done　to　protect　their　own；　on　board　this　ship；　then　the　culprit　will　be　highly　trained。　Won't　break　under　any　normal　interrogation。　。And　there　will　just　not　be　time　to　bring　in　any　specialists。　In　any　case。　sir。　I　would　suspect　that　the　killer　knows　very　little。　BAST　appears　to　be　well　drilled。　If　so。　they'll　work　in　the　usual　manner　of　terrorist　groups：　cells；　cut…outs；　all　that　kind　of　thing。　It'll　all　be　very　much　need…to…know。'
　Walmsley　stood　up　and　paced　the　small　cabin。　'Will　you；　won't　you；　will　you；　won't　you；　will　you　join　the　dance？　I'll　tell　you。　Bond。　Unless　something　es　up　…　hard　intelligence；　I　mean　…　I　shall　go　ahead　with　Stewards'　Meeting　once　you　have　the　killer　under　lock　and　key。　I　can't　afford　to　abort。'
　'As　you　say。　sir。　But；　if　I　might　suggest　that　all　parties　are　given　some　kind　of　warning　。　；　。'
　'They've　already　had　the　main　warning。　Bond。　They　already　know　these　BAST　elowns　might　just　make　some　kind　of　attempt　to　promise　the　operation。　All　three　parties　have　stated　that　the　risk　is　calculated。　In　other　words；　they　all　want　Stewards'　Meeting　to　go　ahead　as　arranged。'
'They　know　about　Morgan？'
　Walmsley　gave　an　unspoken　'No'；　shaking　his　head　and　pursing　his　lips。
'Then　on　their　own　heads　be　it。'
　'Easy　to　say。　Bond。　But　people　like　that　tend　to　lash　out　if　something　does　happen。　And　if　your　worst　fears　are　realised；　then　it　will　be　our　balls　they'll　cut　off。　We　both　know　that/
Bond　grunted。
　'We're　on　a　hiding　to　nothing。　Captain　Bond。　Whatever　steps　we　take；　they'll　have　us　for　breakfast　…　fried；　with　a　little　tomato　and　bacon；　I　suspect。'
　〃Then　I'd　best　get　on　with　putting　my　one　suspect　away；　then　doing　some　grilling　of　my　own　…　without　bacon　and　tomato。'
　'Let　me　know。'　Walmsley's　tone　became　belligerent　again。　Must　let　me　know　the　results。　But；　after　five；　local；　this　afternoon　all　bets　are　off。　We　go　ahead。'
　'Aye…Aye；　sir。'　Bond　left　the　cabin。　Time　to　see　the　lovely　Nikki　Ratnikov；　and　the　Wren　who　was　not　a　Wren；　Sarah　Deeley。
'James；　can　call　you　James；　yes？'　Nikki　Ratnikov　shook　her　head。　The　shining　ash…blonde　hair　swirled　and　settled　naturally；　with　not　a　strand　out　of　place。　Bond　coutd　see　why　other　women　would　take　a　natural　dislike　to　Nikki。
'Yes。'　he　said。　'Yes；　call　me　James。'
　'I　am　a　Hide　…　detresse　。　。　。　distraite。　Oh；　that　is　French。　How　you　say　it　in　English？'
'Distressed？　Upset？'
　'Yes；　ihis　is　so。　1；　James；　have　seen　many　bad　things　in　my　time。　Many；　you　cannot　do　my　kind　of　work　and　avoid　these　things。　But　this　was　like　maniac。　This　was　like　your　old　English　Jim　the　Ripper；　is　right？'
？Jack。'　Bond　corrected。　'Jack　the　Ripper。'
　'Unnecessary　violence。　That　poor　man。　He　looked　as　though　head　had　been　removed；　decapitalised？　Yes？'
'Decapitated。'
　'So。　Decapitated。　And　the　blood；　it　was　all　so　sudden。　Frightening。'
'Right；　Nikki。　Tell　me。　Tell　me　exactly　what　happened。'
　In　spite　of　ihe　protestations　of　being　upset　and　distressed；　Nikki　Ratnikov　was　very　lucid：　matter…of…fact。　'So。　Yes。　I　wake　up。　I　do　not　look　at　the　lime。　I　just　wake　up。　Not　much　sleep　I　am　getting　with　the　noise。　But　I　wake　up　and　realise　I　need　to　go　to　。。。　I　need　the　bathroom；　yes？'
'Yes。'
　'Good。　I　put　on　my　robe　and　leave　my　cabin。　I　am　a　little　asleep　still；　James；　you　unders