johngardner.winloseordie-第40部分

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　it；　man。'
　'There　is　a　US　Naval　Base；　near　Cadiz；　and　within　a　few　hours'　sailing　time　Trom　here；　but　there　are　problems　about　this　place　。　。　。'
'You're　talking　about　Rota？'　the　PM　asked。
　'Precisely；　Prime　Minister。　Until　a　few　years　ago　Rota　was　a　base　for　US　ships。　In　particular　for　the　nuclear　submarine　fleets。　However；　this　was　discontinued　at　the　request　of　（he　Spanish　Government。　Now　it　is　solely　used　ior　Spanish　ships；　though　the　United　States　use　it　as　an　airfield　…　to　support　the　US　Navy；　as　a　staging　post　for　US　personnel　returning　home；　or　going　to　other　NATO　bases　in　Europe。　It　is　also；　I　am　told；　used　for　more　sensilive　matters。'
　'So　what　are　you　telling　us。　Captain　Bond？'　President　Bush　asked；　a　little　sharply。
　'Permission　has　been　given　for　Invincible　to　put　into　Rota。　In　fact　it　has　now　been　included　in　the　exercise　in　which　we　are　supposed　to　be　engaged。　Landsea　'89。　A　new　turbine　is　being　flown　out。　in　several　sections；　and　a　special　team　of　engineers　are　ing　in　from　Rolls…Royce。　The　problem　there　is　that　we　shall　he　called　upon　to　allow　more　civilians　on　board　。　。　。'
　〃Can　they　not　wait　for　the　four　days；　which；　I　must　remind　you。　Captain　Bond；　are　shrinking　fast？'　The　Prime　Minister　was　getting　more　irritated　and　Bond　already　knew　that　it　was　unlikely　they　would　budge　her　from　her　avowed　intention　of　spending　the　full　four　days　with　President　Bush　and　Secretary　Gorbachev。
'There　is　one　other　problem。〃　Bond　continued。　〃Yes；　I　expect　the　engineers　can　be　kept　at　bay；　bul　/　am　concerned　for　your　safety。　While　we　cannot　prove　the　gas…turbine　accident　was　an　act　of　sabotage；　we　have　had　two　incidents　since　we　menced　Landsea　'89。　Both；　we　suspect；　are　connected　to　a　little…known　terrorist　group　called　BAST。　One　took　place　before　you　joined　us　…　（hat　concerned　murder；　and　the　resultant　discovery　that　one　of　the　Wren　detachment　on　board　was　not　what　she　seemed。　She　was　a　very　definite　penetration　agent；　we　think　linked　to　BAST。　Also；　this　morning；　one　of　your　protectors。　Chairman　Gorbachev；　was　killed　while　we　were　trying　to　arrest　a　second　man　we　think　is　also　a　BAST　penetration。'
　The　Russian　leader　spoke　a　few　words　to　the　interpreter　who　said。　'Mr　Gorbachev　is　already　aware　that　Nikola　Ratnikov　has　given　her　life　for　his　persona！　protection。　She　is　to　be　posthumously　awarded　the　highest　honour　the　Soviet　Union　can　give　to　a　brave　soldier/
　Bond　acknowledged　the　statement；　then　continued。　'！　have　also　been　threatened　by　BAST。　Over　Christmas　1　was　personally　attacked；　and　my　car　was　bombed　on　the　island　of　Ischia。　This　was　definitely　a　BAST　operation；　which　seems　to　indicate　thai　the　whole　of　Stewards'　Meeting　is　known　to　them。
　'Our　only　option　is　to　limp　into　Rota　tonight…　and　gei　you　all　off　the　ship；　under　cover　of　darkness。　The　USNB　at　Rota　has　agreed　to　take　people　off　but；　as　yet。　they　do　not；　of　course；　know　who　you　are。'
　'Then　that　will　take　up　a　little　time。　Captain　Bond；'　Mrs　Thatchcr　said　frostily。　'1　would　suggest　that　you　get　on　with　moving　us　into　Rota；　and　arranging　for　us　to　fly　back　to　our　respective　countries　under　ihe　utmosi　secrecy。'
　'Thank　you。　Prime　Minister。　That's　what　we　see　as　the　most　viable　course　。　。　。〃
　But　the　PM　had　not　finished。　'This　will；　of　course；　not　be　possible　to　acplish　in　the　next　four　days。　We　started　our　talks　this　morning。　We　will　leave；　secretly　from　Rota；　in　four　days。　I　am　sure　we'll　all　be　quite　safe　in　your　hands。　Thank　you。　Sir　John；　thank　you。　Captain　Bond。　Now　we　must　really　get　on　with　our　work。'
'It's　like　trying　to　argue　with　an　Exocet；'　Sir　John　Walmsley　said　angrily　once　they　were　outside。　'So　be　it。　We　make　for　Rota。　The　rest　of　the　Task　Force　will　have　to　stay　outside　the　harbour；　as　a　defensive　wall；　while　we。　Bond；　will　just　have　to　make　the　best　of　it。　How's　the　fellow　who　got　shot　this　morning？'
　'He'll　be　okay；　bul　we　can't　even　think　of　questioning　him　yet。'
　'e　up　to　the　bridge　with　me。'　The　Rear…Admiral　had　already　set　off　at　a　brisk　pace。'　When'll　you　be　able　to　interrogate　the　man？'
　'Probably　sometime　tomorrow。　I　have　an　armed　guard　on　him　…　round　the　clock。〃
　'You　going　to　leave　him　to　the　tender　mercies　of　the　inquisitor　you　had　flown　in　from　Gib？'
　Bond　sighed。　〃As　il　happens。　1　was　going　to　have　him　relieved　because　I　didn't　think　him　suitable　for　the　Deeley　girl。　He's　got　a　paranoid　personality；　and　jumps　at　every　shadow。　He's　not　the　most　pleasant　interrogator　I've　met。　and　he　sees　plots　behind　every　uniform　and　every　bulkhead；　though　I　think　he　might　just　be　the　type　to　deal　with　this　joker。〃
　〃Your　province。　Bond。　Your　province。　You　must　do　as　you　see　n't。'　They　had　reached　the　bridge。　'Oh。　merciful　heavens。　look　what　we　have　here！'　Walmsley　exploded。　Outside　the　weather　had　closed　in；　with　low　cloud　and　driving　rain。
　'It'll　take　me　until　tonight　to　get　into　Rota。　Maybe　late　tonight。　You　get　on　with　what　you　have　to　do。　Bond；　anti　I'll　try　and　make　it　in　the　shortest　possible　lime。　The　Task　Force　will　have　to　close　up；　and　that's　not　going　to　be　easy　in　the　circumstances。　We'll　talk　later。　Right？'
　'Aye…Aye；　sir。'　Bond　went　below；　found　the　sick　bay　and　spoke　to　Surgeon　mander　Grant。
　'He's　weak　and　unconscious。'　the　doctor　told　him；　'though　one　of　the　Flag　Lieutenants　guarding　Mrs　Т　came　down　and　shot　off　some　photographs　to　send　to　London　for　identification。　；；　The　marines　will　keep　an　eye　on　him；　and；　I　assure　you　that；　unless　he's　subject　to　a　miracle；　there's　no　way　he　can　get　out　of　here。　Lost　too　much　blood。'
　Next；　Bond　summoned　Donald　Speaker　to　his　cabin。　The　man　showed　no　sign　of　relaxing　his　near…paranoid　unpleasant　stance　and　arrived　late；　without　knocking　at　the　door。
　'Sit　down。'　Bond　knew　he　sounded　like　a　headmaster　who　had　summoned　a　recalcitrant　boy　to　his　study。
'What　is　it　now？　More　shadv　business？〃
important。　You　have　to　get　back　to　the　ship。　Even　now；　terrible　things　could　be　happening。　We　have　people　watching　but　we　don't　really　know　what　they're　going　to　do。　Or　how　they'll　do　it。　You　were　followed；　by　the　way　。　。　。'
'Followed　here？'
　'No；　after　the　bomb。　To　the　place　they　had　set　up　on　the　mainland。　We　managed　to　get　our　first　good　photograph　of　Bassam　Baradj；　who　we　think　is　the　〃Viper〃　of　BAST。　The　leader；　who　is　going　to　do　something　pretty　terrible　to　those　three　important　people　you　have　on　your　ship。'　She　pushed　a　photograph　across　the　table。　It　was　the　man　he　had　known　as　Toby　Lellenberg；　the　manding　Officer　of　Northangcr。
That's　Baradj？'
？Yes/
　'Well；　if　all　that　was　phoney；　why　in　heaven's　name　didn't　anyone　do　something　about　it？　Why　didn't　you　get　me　out？　e　to　that　you　could　have　scuppered　Baradj　at　the　same　time。　Why；　Beatrice？'
　She　gave　him　a　wan　smile。　'Why；　indeed？　I　tried；　James。　I　tried　very　hard。　To　me　it　seemed　the　obvious　thing　to　do。'
Then　why　didn't　you　。　。　。？'
　'M　overruled　it。　You　were　monitored　very　carefully。　The　whole　Northanger　set…up　was　kept　under　close　surveillance；　but　M　said　we　were　to　let　them　play　it　out。　His　argument　was　fairly　sound。　He　wanted　to　use　the　information　regarding　your　hijacking；　and；　e　to　that；　the　hijacking　of　ail　the　Northanger　staff；　as　a　lever。'
'What　kind　of　a　lever？'
　'He　thought　the　Prime　Minister；　the　US　President；　and　Gorby　would　abort　the　whole　thing　if　they　smelled　danger。　He　…　M；　that　is　…　laid　it　all　out　to　the　PM；　went　through　the　dangers；　and　the　diffieulties　we　might　have　with　security。　But　。　。　。'
'But　she　wouldn't　listen。'　Bond　supplied。
　Bentrice　nodded。　'She　waved　aside　everything。　Even　called　the　US　President　while　M　was　there。　Their　argument　was　that　this　was　urgent；　important；　and　couldn't　be　rescheduled。　I　rather　gather　that　she　just　waved　aside　the　danger；　and　the　others　followed　her；　like　sheep。〃
That　all　figures。　Do　we　know　where　Baradj　is　now？'
　？We're　not　sure。　Maybe　on　Gibraltar。　Maybe　even　nearer。　Now　you　know　＇his；　you　have　to　get　back。　You　also　have　to　get　Mrs　Thatcher。　the　President　of　the　United　States；　and　Mr　Gorbachev　off　the　ship　in　time。　Off　and　away　from　it。'
An　expletive　suddenly　burst　out　of　Bond's　mouth。
？What？'　Beatrice　asked。
'If　you're　not　the　〃Cat〃；　then　。　。　。'
　'Of　course。　Did　you　not　realise　that　before？　It's　one　of　the　reasons　you　have　to　get　back。　If　we　pinpoint　Baradj。　then　I'll　be　near　him。　Look　for　me　near　Baradj。'　She　had　risen　and　pressed　a　button　set　in　the　wall。　Mike　Carter　appeared　in　the　doorway。　'Time　to　go？'　he　asked；　almost　gratefully。
Ч　have　told　him　all　we　know；　Mike。〃
〃Your　boat　didn't　wait　for　you。'　Carter　looked　at　Bond。
　'No。　No。　I　have　a　code　sequence　with　Walmsley。　Are　you　in　touch　with　the　ship？'
'Sure。　No　speech；　just　the　electronics。'
　'Okay；　send　this　…　Songbird　requests　boat　to　e　aboard。　You　should　receive　a　response　with　the　words　Tawny　Owl　in　it。　If　they　don't　send　Tawny　Owl。　then　I　guess　we're　in　for　a　shooting　match。'
　He　rose；　and　she　came　around　the　table　to　him。　For　the　first　time。　Bond　noticed　that　she　was　wearing　the　gold　and　diamond　clasp；　shaped　likeascu/и/л。　that　he　had　given　her　for　Christmas。　He　held　her　close；　and　kissed　her　hair；　then　her　lips。　'If　you're　going　to　be　near　Baradj；　you　take　care；　Beatrice；　my　darling。'
　'You　jusl　get　those　important　people　off　Invincible。　Then　we'll　go　for