johngardner.rollofhonor-第35部分

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！


oon　afterwards；　Geneva　came　into　view　at　the　western　end　of　the　lake；　a　misty　blur　of　buildings　with　a　toy　steamer　ploughing　a　lone　furrow　of　spray；　chugging　across　the　water。　　It　all　looked　as　peaceful　as　ever。
　They　also　met　the　first　police　checkpoint；　the　cars　slowing　almost　to　a　standstill　before　the　sharp…eyed　uniformed　men　waved　them　on。
　There　was　a　second　road　block　just　before　they　turned　inland。　　A　car　and　two　policemen　on　motorcycles　started　to　flag　them　down；　until　they　spotted　the　Goodyear　stickers。　　They　were　waved　on　with　smiles。
　As　Bond　looked　back；　he　saw　one　of　the　men　talking　into　a　radio。
　As　he　had　imagined；　the　police　were　assisting　innocently　in　the　events　planned　to　take　place　over　the　lake　in　a　few　hours'　time。
　The　great　cleft　in　the　mountains　seemed　to　widen　as　they　climbed　away。　The　sun　was　up　now；　and　you　could　clearly　see　tiny　farmhouses　on　the　slopes。　　Then　suddenly　the　valley　floor　and　the　tiny　landing　strip　appeared　just　below　them；　the　grass　a　painted　green；　the　control　tower；　hangar　and　one　other　building　as　neat　and　unreal　as　a　film　set。　　Out　on　the　grass；　two　mountain　rescue　aircraft　stood　like　stranded　birds。　　At　the　far　end　of　the　field　the　sausage　shape　of　the　Goodyear　airship　Europa　swung　lazily；　tethered　to　her　low　portable　masthead。
　Then　the　road　dipped；　the　airfield　disappeared；　and　they　were　twisting　through　the　S…bends　which　would　carry　them　to　the　final　destination。
　Before　the　two　cars　reached　the　valley　floor　and　the　airstrip　two　more　police　checkpoints　were　negotiated。
　The　Swiss　police　had　certainly　snapped　into　action。
　London；　Bond　decided；　would　feel　very　satisfied；　content　that　nothing　untoward　could　now　happen　by　the　peaceful　lakeside。
　There　were　no　less　than　three　police　cars　at　the　airstrip　entrance；　which　was　little　more　than　a　metal　gateway　set　into　an　eight…foot　chain…link　fence；　encircling　the　entire　area。　　In　the　distance；　a　police　car　patrolled　the　perimeter　slowly　and　as　thoroughly　as　only　the　Swiss　perform　their　official　duties。
　As　the　Audis　drew　up；　Bond　saw　two　more　faces　which　he　recognised　from　Erewhon。　　This　time；　though；　the　men　were　dressed　in　smart　suits　and　smiled　broad；　almost　ingratiating　smiles　as　the　two…vehicle　convoy　came　to　a　halt。　　They　exchanged　a　few　words　with　the　senior　policeman　on　the　gate；　and　the　cars　were　waved　forward。
　One　man　got　into　each　car。
　The　man　who　entered　Holy's　car　was　a　German；　fair…haired；　suspicious；　and　with　features　cut　from　a　solid　block　of　rough　stone。
　He　appeared　to　be　in　his　mid…twenties；　and　the　smart　suit　bulged　around　the　breast　pocket。　　Bond　did　not　like　the　look　of　him。　　He　liked　him　even　less　when　the　talking　started。
　Holy　confined　himself　to　the　most　pertinent　questions；　and　was　given　precise；　military　answers　in　an　American　accent。
　Posing　as　the　Goodyear　head　of　PR；　Rudi；　the　German；　had　taken　the　call　from　Bill　Tanner；　which　he　now　described　in　detail；　saying　the　man　was　certainly　English；　and　also　undoubtedly　represented　one　of　the　major　British　security　agencies。　　The　police；　he　said；　began　to　arrive　within　half　an　hour　of　his　call。
　Jay　Autem　then　asked　about　times；　and　you　could　tell　from　His　expression　he　had　already　worked　out　that　the　enquiries　had　begun　while　Bond　was　in　the　Foreign　Office　house　off　Northumberland　Avenue。
　〃James；　you　didn't　say　anything　indiscreet　when　you　were　with　your　friend　Anthony　Denton？〃　The　two　cars　were　heading　not　for　the　little　office　building　but　for　the　hangar；　with　its　two　slab…winged　observation…rescue　Pilatus　aircraft　sitting　outside。
　〃Me？〃　Bond　looked　surprised　and　startled；　as　though　he　had　not　been　paying　attention　to　the　conversation。
　〃Indiscreet？　　How？　　Why？〃　Holy　looked　at　him；　a　shadow　of　concern　crossing　his　face。
　〃You　see；　James；　Tamil's　people　took　over　this　airstrip；　and　the　whole　organisation　here；　in　the　early　hours　of　yesterday　morning。
　Nobody　suspected；　there　was　no　trouble。　　Not　until　last　night；　when　you　were　closeted　with　the　D。S。O。F。O　obtaining　the　EPOC　frequency　for　us。
　Why；　I　ask　myself；　should　the　authorities　begin　to　take　an　interest　at　that　time　of　night？〃　Bond　shrugged；　indicating　that　he　had　no　idea；　and；　in　any　case；　it　was　nothing　to　do　with　him。
　The　cars　came　to　a　halt。　　〃I　do　hope　you've　given　us　the　correct　frequency；　James。　　If　you　haven't　Well；　I've　already　warned　you　of　the　consequences；　consequences　for　the　entire　world；　my　friend　〃That's　the　current　EPOC　frequency。　　Have　no　doubt；　Dr　Holy；'　he　snapped　back。
　Holy　winced　at　the　sound　of　his　real　name；　then　nodded　as　he　leaned　forward　to　open　the　door。
　Bond　was　left　with　the　Arab　boy；　who　watched　him　with　alert　bright　eyes；　a　small　Walther　automatic　clutched　in　his　right　hand。　　The　safety　catch；　Bond　noticed；　was　off。
　Simon；　Holy　and　the　German；　Rudi；　were　joined　by　Rahani　and　General　Zwingli　…　a　little　procession　walking　spryly　towards　the　hangar。　Rahani's　men　were　everywhere；　Bond　now　saw；　spread　out；　half　concealed　by　what　cover　they　could　find；　with　a　full　armament　of　carbines　and　automatic　weapons。　　There　were　even　two　guards　on　the　small　door　inserted　in　one　of　the　great　sliding　doors　of　the　hangar。
　The　door　was　opened；　and　the　party　stepped　inside。
　Two　minutes　later；　Simon　came　out；　walking　quickly　to　the　car。
　〃Colonel　Rahani　wants　you　inside。〃　His　manner　was　one　of　indifference；　the　attitude　of　a　man　who　does　not　wish　to　bee　involved　with　anyone　outside　his　own　tight　radeship。　　Bond　recognised　the　psychology。　　He　had　studied　the　whole　subject　of　terrorist　mentality　and　he　knew　they　had　e　to　some　cut…off　point。
　Simon　was　not　willing　to　have　any　kind　of　relationship　with　Bond　now。
　It　could　be；　he　thought；　as　they　walked　the　few　paces　towards　the　hangar；　that　this　really　is　the　end。　　They've　decided　I've　talked；　and　there　can　be　no　trust　from　now　on。　　Curtain　time　…　the　fiction　meeting　the　reality。
　The　little　group　of　senior　men　stood　just　inside　the　door；　and　it　was　Tamil　Rahani　who　greeted　him。〃
　〃Ah；　mander　Bond。　　We　thought　you　should　see　this。〃　He　gestured　towards　the　centre　of　the　hangar。
　About　forty　men　sat　close　together　on　the　floor；　held　in　a　tight　knot　by　three　tripod…mounted　machine　guns　trained　on　them；　each　with　a　crew　of　four。
　〃These　are　the　good　men　from　Goodyear。〃　He　split　the　Good…year；　as　though　trying　a　pun。　　〃They　will　remain　here　until　our　mission　is　pleted。　　They　will　be　quickly　dispatched　…　all　of　them　…　if　one　person　makes　an　attempt　to　break　out。　　They　are　being　fed　and　looked　after　by　the　other　team。〃　He　indicated　four　men　placed　between　the　guns。　〃It　is　unfortable　for　them。　　But　if　all　goes　well；　they　will　be　released　unharmed。　　You　will　notice　there　is　one　lady。〃　From　the　middle　of　the　group；　Cindy　Chalmer　gave　Bond　a　wan　smile；　and　Tamil　Rahani　lowered　his　voice。
　〃Between　ourselves；　mander　Bond；　I　think　the　delightful　Miss　Chalmer　does　not　have　much　chance　of　surviving。　　But　we　want　no　bloodshed　yet；　not　even　your　blood。　　You　see；　it　was　SPECTRE'S　intention　that　you　should　be　put　with　this　group　of　prisoners　once　you'd　fulfilled　your　mission。　　The　representative　from　SPECTRE　did　not　trust　you　from　the　start；　and　is　not　at　all　happy　with　you　now。
　However。　　。　　。〃　His　lips　drew　back；　not　into　a　smile；　but　rather　in　a　straight　thin　slash　across　his　face。
　〃However；　I　think　you　can　be　of　use　in　the　airship。　　You　can　fly；　can't　you？　　You　have　a　pilot's　licence？〃　Bond　nodded；　adding　that　he　had　no　experience　of　airships。
　〃You'll　only　be　the　copilot。　　The　one　who　sees　to　it　that　the　pilot　does　as　he's　told。　　There'll　be　a　nice　irony　in　it；　if　by　any　chance　you　have　doubled　on　us；　mander　Bond。　　e！〃　They　returned　to　the　cars　and　drove　swiftly　over　the　few　hundred　yards　to　the　office　building。　Inside；　around　forty　of　Rahani's　trained　men　from　Erewhon　were　sitting　around；　smoking　and　drinking　coffee。
　〃Our　handling　team；　mander　Bond。　　They　have　learned　by　simulation。　At　Erewbon。　　It　was　something　we　did　not　show　you；　but　they　are　very　necessary　when　we　weigh　out　the　airship　before　takeoff　and；　to　a　great　extent；　when　we　get　back　from　our　short　excursion。〃　The　only　man　who　was　out　of　place　sat　at　a　table　just　inside　the　door。　　He　wore　a　navy　blue　pilot's　uniform；　and　his　peaked　cap　lay　on　the　table　in　front　of　him。　One　of　Rahani's　men　sat　opposite；　well　clear　of　the　table；　with　an　Uzi　machine　pistol　ready　to　blow　the　man's　stomach　out　should　he　make　a　fuss。
　〃You　are　our　pilot；　I　presume？〃　Rahani　smiled　politely　at　the　man；　who　looked　at　him　coldly　and　said　he　was　a　pilot；　but　he　would　not　fly　under　duress。
　〃I　think　you　will；'　Rahani　said　confidently。　　〃What　do　we　call　you？〃
　〃You　call　me　Captain；'　the　pilot　replied。
　〃No。　　We're　all　friends　here。　　Informal。〃　Rahani　added　in　a　manding　snap：　Your　first　name。
　The　pilot　realised　it　would　be　foolhardy　to　remain　too　stubborn。
　He　cocked　his　head　on　one　side。
　〃Okay；　you　can　call　me　Nick。〃
　〃Right；　Nick　。　　。　　。　　〃　Tamil　Rahani　carefully　explained　what　was　going　to　happen。　　Nick　was　to　fly　the　airship；　just　as　he　would　have　done　under　normal　circumstances。
　Up　to　Geneva　and　along　the　lake　front。　　After　that　he　would　change　course；　cutting　straight　over　Le　Richemond　Hotel　…　〃Where　the　Summit　Conference