johngardner.rollofhonor-第27部分

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s　if　nothing　unusual　had　taken　place；　quiet　and　conversational；　making　it　all　the　more　bizarre。
　〃The　object　of　spending　this　time　with　you　was　to　hear　how　your　thoughts　were　shaping　up　…　regarding　your　part　in　the　operation。　　Tell　me；　if　you　happen　to　know　the　man　on　duty；　how　do　you　propose　to　get　the　frequency　from　him？〃　Bond　was　amazed　to　see　from　his　watch　that　it　was　eight　in　the　evening。　　He　began　to　tell　Holy　of　the　method　he　had　prepared。　　When　he　had　finished；　silence　stretched　out　…　the　hush　in　the　aftermath　of　a　battle　fought　with　counters　instead　of　men；　and　on　a　board　and　map　instead　of　ground。　　As　the　seconds　ticked　by；　Bond　thought　perhaps　there　had　been　a　miscalculation。　　Word　perfect；　he　sifted　through　his　mind。　Was　there　any　really　weak　point？　　Anything　that　Jay　Autem　Holy　could　grab　at　to　prove　the　whole　idea　an　insubstantial　fiction　…　which；　certainly；　it　was。
　Then　the　silence　ended；　and　a　laugh　began　to　rise　from　the　tall　man's　throat；　the　head　nodding　in　great　beaky　movements；　as　if　preparing　to　tear　his　prey　apart；　savaging　it　with　that　sharp　bill。
　〃Oh　yes；　James　Bond。　　I　told　them　you　were　the　only　possible　choice。　　If　you　can　pull　that　off　we'll　all　be　happy。〃　He　appeared　to　pull　himself　together；　eyes　darting　around；　as　though　he　had　been　on　the　brink　of　an　indiscretion。
　The　laughter　subsided；　and　Bond　was　aware　of　movement；　noises　off。
　People　were　entering　the　main　laboratory　area。
　〃We　have　been　down　here　too　long；'　Holy　snapped。　　〃I　took　the　trouble　to　ask　Cindy　to　make　up　a　tray　for　you。
　In　your　room。　　I　shall　eat　later。〃　Superman；　thought　Bond。　　He's　telling　me　that　he's　a　survivor。　　Go　without　food　and　drink　for　long　periods。
　〃In　the　desert；'　Bond　said　softly；　〃when　you　were　with　Zwingli　after　you　jumped　from　that　aeroplane　…　did　you　have　to　go　long　without　food　and　drink？〃　The　green　eyes　went　bitterly　cold；　all　sign　of　normal　human　life　ebbing　from　them。
　〃Clever；　Mr。　Bond。　　How　long　have　you　known？〃　Realising　that　he　might　have　overplayed　his　hand；　and　not　certain　why　he　had　done　it；　Bond　said　he　had　not　been　sure；　but　had　suspected　the　truth　from　their　first　meeting。　　〃It　just　happened　that　I'd　read　the　old　file：　they　resurrect　it　from　time　to　time；　you　know。　　I　thought　I　knew　your　face　the　moment　we　met　…　when　I　came　here　with　Freddie。　　During　the　evening；　I　became　more　convinced；　but　still　not　absolutely　certain。　　After　all；　if　you　are　Jay　Autem　Holy；　you've　been　dead　a　long　time。〃
　〃And　what　if　you　had　still　been　on　active　service；　Mr。　Bond？　　Would　you　have　gone　running　to　your　superiors？
　And　why；　incidentally；　is　the　file　resurrected　regularly？〃
　〃You　know　what　the　Colonial　Militia　is　like；'　Bond　tried　to　inject　humour　into　his　voice。　　〃Your　Colonial　Militia。　　They　jump　at　ghosts。
　Spooks。〃　Holy　made　a　growling　noise。　　〃Tamil　was　right。　　It's　a　pity　we　didn't　pull　you　in　sooner。　　His　people　tried；　against　my　advice。　　You　see；　I　did　not　wish　to　deal　with　yet　another　hostage；　another　woman。　You　had　some　woman　with　you；　didn't　you？　　Anyway；　the　job　was　bungled；　you　were　quick　and　cunning。〃　The　tense　atmosphere　changed　yet　again。　　There　were　no　warnings　with　Holy。　　〃Well；　I　have　work　to　do。　　You　stand　by；　James。　　I'm　glad　we　have　you　now。〃　Everyone　was　assembling　in　the　main　laboratory；　all　the　young　bronzed　soldiers　from　Erewhon。　　Bond　saw　that　Zwingli　was　still　in　deep　conversation　with　Tamil　Rahani；　as　though　they　had　not　stopped　since　lunch。
　〃Just　see　Mr。　Bond　up　the　stairs；'　Holy　said　to　Tigerbalm；　giving　Bond　a　small　pat　on　the　shoulder；　as　if　reassuring　himself　that　all　was　well。
　Tigerbalm　went　as　far　as　the　landing；　and　watched　as　Bond　walked　to　his　room。　　He　remembered　being　told　that　Jay　Autem　Holy　was　a　genius　of　sorts。　　Was　it　Percy　who　had　told　him？　　The　man　obviously　lived　in　that　odd　world　of　unreality。　　If　he　said　he　was　dead；　then　that　was　exactly　what　the　world　should　believe。　　Holy　had　been　genuinely　shaken　by　the　idea　that　others　may　not　be　convinced。　　Then　there　was　the　question　of　Percy：　〃You　had　some　woman　with　you；　didn't　you？〃　Well；　everyone　said　that　Holy　would　not　even　recognise　his　own　wife。
　He　opened　the　door；　and　there；　for　the　second　time　since　the　whole　intrigue　had　started；　was　Cindy　Chalmer；　a　hard　puter　disk　clutched　in　one　hand；　a　finger　to　her　lips。　　Bond　closed　the　door。　　〃More　greetings　from　Percy？〃　he　asked　softly。
　
　THE　BALLOON　GAME
　
　〃No；　THIS　ONE　S　on　me。　　She　saw　the　look　in　Bond's　eye；　and　followed　his　gaze；　for　he　had　suddenly　fallen　silent；　moving　quietly　around　the　room；　examining　every　inch。
　Softly　she　spoke　again。　　〃It's　okay；　James。　　They　have　visual　surveillance　and　all　the　military　detection　gear；　but　this　lot　don't　seem　to　have　caught　up　with　the　deadly　little　bug。〃
　〃You　certain？〃　he　mouthed。
　〃Swept　the　place　myself。　　In　my　first　week。　　And　I've　kept　abreast　of　all　the　security　developments　since。　　If　they've　put　any　sound　in；　I'll　turn　back　into　a　virgin。〃　The　cruel　lips　didn't　tilt　into　amusement。　There　was　nothing　to　be　amused　about　now。　　Even　though　he　appeared　satisfied；　throughout　the　time　they　were　together　in　the　room　all　conversation　was　conducted　in　a　low　murmur。　　Foolish；　he　thought；　for　that　would　be　as　audible　as　yelling　should　Cindy　be　proved　wrong。
　〃The　Balloon　Game。〃　She　held　out　the　hard　disk　to　him；　a　small　flat　square；　encased　in　plastic。
　So　she　had　got　it；　the　program　which　would　provide　a　clue　…　no；　more　than　a　clue　…　to　what　SPECTRE　had　proposed　to　Rahani　and　Holy。
　Stored　away　on　the　waler…thin　magnetic　disk　was　the　answer　to　all　Bond's　questions。　　Yet　he　did　not　move　to　take　it　from　her。
　〃Well；　don't　just　stand　there。　　At　least　say　thank　you。
　He　remained　silent；　wishing　to　draw　her　out。　　The　trick　was　as　old　as　the　trade　itself　practised　constantly　by　case　The　Balloon　Game　officers　and　agent　handlers　the　world　over。　　Remain　silent　and　let　them　e　to　you；　tell　you　all　there　is　to　tell。　　Only　then　should　you　try　to　fill　in　the　gaps。
　〃They've　got　four　back…up　copies；'　she　said　at　last；　〃and　I　just　hope　to　heaven　the　Old　Bald　Eagle　doesn't　need　to　run　the　fourth；　because　this　is　it。〃　Bond　remained　silent。　　He　did　not　smile。
　〃I　thought　they'd　buried　it；　locked　it　behind　steel　and　sprinkled　man…eating　spiders　in　the　vault。〃　She　stared　back　at　Bond；　who　did　not　move。
　〃All　five　disks　have　been　kept　in　the　chief's　safe　…　the　one　in　his　office　that　does　have　everything　except　the　man…eating　spiders。〃　Once　more　she　held　it　out。　　〃But　today　it's　all　systems　go；　and　they're　using　it　all　the　time。
　As　often　happens　Peter　and　I　have　been　banished　from　the　lab。　　But　the　guards　have　got　used　to　us　going　up　and　down。　　I　guess　you　beat　him　at　his　own　game？〃
　〃Yes；'　Bond　said　flatly；　as　though　there　had　been　no　pleasure　in　it。
　〃Heard　some　of　it。　　Now　perhaps　you'll　believe　he's　insane。　　Had　one　of　his　tantrums。　　I　heard　that　as　well。〃
　〃How　did　you　get　down？〃
　〃Looked　as　though　I　belonged。　　Clip…board　under　one　arm。　　I　just　walked　past　the　young　thugs　on　the　door。
　They've　seen　me　before。　　You　were　with　Bald　Eagle。　　Like　a　lot　of　people　who　bee　paranoid　about　security；　he　has　a　blind　spot。　　The　safe　was　left　open。　　I　did　a　swift　switch　and　tucked　this　up　my　shirt。〃　It　was　all　he　was　going　to　get。　　〃You　haven't　seen　it　run；　then？〃　She　shook　her　head。　　Her　negative　gestures；　he　noticed；　were　always　performed　with　the　head　tilted　slightly　to　the　right　…　a　distinctive　mannerism；　a　flourish；　like　the　way　some　people　curl　the　last　letter　of　their　signature；　underlining　the　name　to　give　it　more　importance。　　It　was　a　habit　they　should　have　caught　during　training；　where　the　mohair…suited　psychiatrists　note　and　eradicate　idiosyncracies。　　He　waited　again。
　〃There's　been　no　way；　James。　　Only'　the　inner　circle　have　seen　it；　played　with　it　…　if　that's　the　right　word。〃　At　last　Bond　took　the　disk。
　〃Trained　on　it；'　he　corrected　her。　　〃And　there's　little　chance　of　us　having　a　look…see。　　Where's　my　gear？〃
　〃In　the　garage；　under　a　pile　of　rubbish　…　tyres；　old　tins；　tools：　odds　and　ends。　　In　one　corner。　　I　had　to　improvise；　and　it　was　better　to　hide　it　there　than　let　them　find　it　in　the　car。　　It's　not　safe　by　any　means；　so　we　just　have　to　hope　nobody　goes　rooting　around。〃　He　seemed　to　give　the　situation　a　lot　of　thought。
　〃Well；　I　don't　fancy　trying　to　unlock　this；'　he　touched　the　disk。
　〃What's　on　it　is　big；　and　I　suspect　dangerous。　　I　just　hope　you're　right　…　that　the　disk　iSn't　missed；　and　that　nobody　goes　rooting　through　the　garage　and　tumbles　over　my　hoard　of　electronics。〃
　〃So　what　good's　it　going　to　do？　　You　want　me　to　try　and　get　it　out？〃　Bond　went　over　to　the　window；　where　the　chintz　curtains　had　been　drawn。　The　promised　supper　tray　was　on　a　table　near　by；　and　he　noticed　it　had　been　set　for　two　…　prawns　in　little　glasses；　cold　chicken　and　tongue；　salads；　bread　rolls；　a　bottle　of　wine。　　Did　anybody　get　hot　food　at　Endor　when　the　heat　was　on？　　he　wondered。　　He　still　clutched　the　disk　in　his　hand。　　Better　if　he　kept　it　close。　　Yet　there　were　so　few　hiding　places。　　In　the　end；　he　banked　on　there　being　no　search；　walked　over　to　the　wardrobe　and　pushed　it　among　his　clothes。　　The　whole　process　seemed　to　take　several　minutes　of　silence。
　〃There　are　friends；