johngardner.winloseordie-第10章

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！


hat。　Now；　if　you're　certain　about　the　missile　…　and　I'm　not　…what　did　you　e　to　talk　about'？'
　Bond　started　at　the　beginning　…　the　Sidewinder　doing　its　best　to　blow　him　out　of　the　sky。　then；　without　a　pause　he　went　on　with　the　story　of　First　Officer　Clover　Pennington。　'She　says　there　are　fifteen　Wrens　slated　for　attachment　in　invincible；　says　it's　mon　knowledge；　just　as　she　says　it's　mon　knowledge　that　I'm　going　to　be　there　as　well。　I　felt　it　vital　that　I　talk　directly　to　you。　sir。　This　is　a　security　matter；　and　1　don't　like　details　being　known　to　all　and　sundry。　Particularly　as　you　were　so　adamant　that　we　kept　to　strict　field　rules；　and　1　was　to　operate　under　deep　cover。　If　a　Wren　First　Officer's　blabbing　about　it；　how　do　we　know　these　BAST　people　haven't　got　everything　already？　Knowledge　lhat　the　three　admirals　are　going　to　be　in　Invincible；　knowing　I'm　their　Nanny；　responsible　for　their　safety？　Damn　it。　sir。　they　can　take　me　out　any　time　they　want。　For　all　we　know　that　Sidewinder　was　an　attempt　lo　remove　me。'
　M　remained　silent　for　a　full　minute；　then　cleared　his　throat。　'The　best　thing　would　be　lo　remove　young　First　Officer　Pennington　from　the　draft。'　he　growled。　'But；　if　she's　not　on　the　side　of　the　angels；　it　might　be　best　to　leave　her　in　play；　where　you　can　keep　an　eye　on　her。　It's　all　very　interesting　though；　especially　in　view　of　this。'　He　opened　a　plain　buff　tile　and　carefully　removed　two　stapled　pages；　handing　them　over　to　Bond。
　They　were　a　standard　maintenance　form；　dated　the　previous　day　and　referring　to　a　detailed　examination　of　the　Harrier　in　which　he　had　fiown　on　the　day　of　the　missile　incident。　Bond's　eyes　moved　down　the　pages；　taking　in　the　technical　detail　as　he　went。　Most　of　it　referred　to　a　pair　of　faulty　transponders；　part　of　the　internal　warning　system。　The　summary　and　conclusion　were　written　in　a　neat　hand　towards　the　bottom　of　the　second　page…
　
　'Nice　to　know　who's　on　your　side；　sir。　I　can　assure　you　there　was　no　transponder　failure。　That　was　a　missile；　and　First　Officer　Pennington　seems　to　be　doing　her　best　to　play　it　down。　To　cover　her　own　pretty　little　backside　do　you　think；　sir？'
　M　grunted；　took　back　the　report　then　looked　at　Bond　with　his　unflinching　damnably　clear　grey　eyes。　'You　are　absolutely；　one　hundred　per　cent　certain。　007。'
　〃Stake　my　life　on　it。　sir。'
　M　nodded　'In　the　circumstances；　while　it　would　appear　to　be　normal　security　to　have　this　young　woman　removed　from　the　draft　going　to　invincible；　I　prefer　to　leave　things　as　they　are。　At　least　you're　alerted。〃
　A　tap　at　the　door　brought　Davison　in　to　announce　that　luncheon　was　served。　'Nothing　much；　even　for　a　Sunday。〃　M　pulled　himself　from　his　chair。　'Kind　of　thing　you　like　though；　（H）7。　Cold　roast　beef；　new　potatoes　and　a　little　salad。　That　do　you？'
　'Make　a　change　from　wardroom　food；　sir。'
　'I'll　be　bound；'　M　gave　an　imitation　which　came　as　near　to　a　laugh　as　you　would　ever　get　from　him。　'Good　for　you。　Gel　all　the　more　unpleasant　chemicals　out　of　your　bloodstream。　Those　chi…chi　meals　you're　always　eating'll　be　the　death　of　you　yet。'
　Mrs　Davison　assisted　her　husband　to　serve　the　modest　meal　which　was　very　much　to　Bond's　taste　…　particularly　the　horseradish　sauce；　rough…cul　and　made　by　Mrs　Davison　herself。　'Calculated　to　clear　the　sinuses。〃　M　mented。　'Can't　do　with　that　namby…pamby　creamed　stuff　they're　always　serving　ihese　days。　Sans　taste；　sans　bite；　sans　everything　horseradish　should　be。〃
　When　they　were　alone　once　more。　Bond　slowly　introduced　the　question　that　had　been　most　on　his　mind　…　'Might　I　know；　sir；　exactly　why　we　have　to　put　up　with　fifteen　Wrens　in　Invincible'！　I'm　only　as　superstitious　as　the　next　sailor；　so　I　personally　think　of　it　as　bad　luck　…　women　on　a　naval　vessel。〃
　'Not　simply　superstitious；　but　a　solid　male　chauvinist　pig；　I'd　say。　Bond　…　whatever　male　chauvinist　pig　means；　dratted　bad　use　of　language　if　you　ask　me。　But　you've　asked　me　something　more　tricky。　Something　you　shouldn't　even　know；　and　I'm　not　sure　if　this　is　the　right　time　to　tell　you。　I　was　going　to　do　it　before　you　went　on　draft　to　Invincible；　of　course。〃　He　helped　himself　to　more　of　the　beef　and　a　large　spoonful　of　the　horseradish。　'My　story　was　going　to　be　that　the　Russkies're　bringing　at　least　one　female　Naval　Attache　with　them。　But　one　Russian　woman　does　not　equal　fifteen　Wrens；　does　it？〃
　〃Hardly〃　Bond　followed　his　Chiefs　lead　and　took　some　more　beef。
　'Then　here　goes；　007。　and　remember；　this　really　is　high　security　stuff；　classified　possibly　as　nothing　has　ever　been　classified　before　…　not　in　time　of　peace　anyway〃
　He　talked　for　over　half　an　hour；　and　Bond's　initial　surprise　at　what　M　said；　turned　into　a　whole　world　of　churning　worries　which　were　to　haunt　him　for　many　weeks　to　e。
　At　six　o'clock　that　evening；　James　Bond　made　the　return　journey　to　the　RNAS　at　Yeovilton；　via　a　small　car…changing　charade　in　Cheddar。　Now　he　knew　the　entire　enterprise　and　could　see　that　the　covert　action　which　appeared　to　be　in　motion　via　BAST　had　pushed　him　into　one　of　the　most　difficult　and　dangerous　assignments　he　had　ever　been　forced　to　undertake。
　While　Bond　and　M　were　meeting　in　the　house　near　Windsor　Great　Park；　another　fortuitous　meeting　was　taking　place　in　Plymouth。　A　Petty　Officer　Engineer；　on　twenty…four…hour　leave；　spent　the　lunchtime　in　an　unfamiliar　public　house。　It　was　Sunday　and　drinking　men　often　go　over　the　limit　during　a　normal　pre…lunch　session；　but　this　particular　man　only　took　his　usual　number　of　pints。　When　it　was　lime　（o　leave；　he　was；　if　anything；　only　slightly　'merry'；　full　of　good　cheer；　and　not　given　to　making　an　exhibition　of　himself。
　He　had　also　made　two　new　friends。
　The　Petty　Officer　did　not　live　in　Plymouth；　but　knew　the　city　well；　like　many　a　sailor　before　him。　Plymouth　on　a　Sunday　can　often　be　lonely　for　a　sailor　without　a　girl　in　port　and　this　particular　man's　girl　was　his　wife　of　fifteen　years　who　lived　in　London　because　she　had　a　good　job　there。　The　new　friends　were　a　pair　of　civilians　who　started　to　make　conversation　with　him　at　the　bar　of　the　pub。　One；　called　Harry；　was　the　representative　for　a　firm　that　provided　some　essential　ponents　for　turbines；　so　he　had　something　in　mon　with　the　Petty　Officer；　the　other。　Bill；　was　also　a　rep　…　for　a　pany　that　specialised　in　fibre　optics。　Harry　and　Bill　were　old　friends；　for　they　often　met　at　the　same　hote｜　when　work　brought　them　to　Plymouth。
　The　Petty　Officer　was　glad　of　their　pany；　and　found　the　conversation；　mainly　of　wine；　women　and　ships；　exceptionally　stimulating。　So　much　so　that　he　invited　the　two　men　to　have　a　bite　to　eat　with　him。　'After　that；　me　old　mates。　I'm　going　to　find　a　good…looking　young　pusher。'　Freely　translated　a　〃pusher〃　had　nothing　to　do　with　drugs。　The　term　was　old　Navy　for　girl；　usually　one　of　easy　virtue　and　who　did　most　things　for　money。　Professional　or　amateur。
　'Now；　there　we　can　really　help　you；'　said　Harry。　'Bill　and　me；　we　stay　here　often。　And　guess　what　our　hobby　is？'
　They　lunched　well；　their　conversation　rarely　straying　from　matters　below　the　navel。　'What'd　your　wife　say　if　she　ever　caught　you　at　it？'　Bill　asked　the　Petty　Officer。
　'Give　me　bloody　'ell。　She'd　set　her　brothers　on　me。　that's　for　sure；　and　they're　big　bastards。'
　They　took　him　to　a　small　private　club　where　they　both　had　membership。　There；　the　Petty　Officer　was　shown　a　series　of　young　girls；　all　of　whom　were　highly　desirable。　So　much　so　that　the　PO　mented　on　the　fact　that　he　had　never　seen　'pushers'　like　that　in　clubs　or　on　the　streets　of　Plymouth　in　the　whole　of　his　life。
　'That's　because　you　don't　know　the　right　places　to　go；'　Harry　said　with　a　smile。　'Take　your　pick；　〃Blaekie〃。　Any　one　of　them　…　…　…'
　'Or　more　if　you're　feeling　greedy。　This　is　on　us；　mate。'　Bill　laughed。
　The　Petty　Officer　chose　a　blonde　who　looked　about　sixteen；　but　had　the　credentials　of　someone　far　more　experienced　than　any　teenager。
　The　cameras　were　hidden　behind　a　pair　of　two…way　mirrors；　often　used　in　this　particular　establishment。　The　PO　spent　nearly　two　hours　with　the　girl　and　left；　as　he　said；　'suitably　impressed'。
　Harry　and　Bill　invited　him　to　dinner　at　their　hotel。　Over　dinner　they　all　planned　to　spend　the　following　Sunday　together。　Then　the　conversation