johngardner.winloseordie-第29章

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　〃Gentlemen；　Captain　Bond　is　to　meet　your　personal　staff；　as　soon　as　I've　introduced　him　to　you；'　Walmsiey　broke　in　quickly。　'I　must　stress　that　while　you　are　guests　aboard　my　flagship；　your　people　will　take　their　orders　directly　from　Captain　Bond。　This　is　essential　to　your　well…being；　and　the　safety　of　those　who　will；　eventually；　be　part　of　Stewards'　Meeting。〃
　'Sure；　if　that's　the　way　you　want　to　play　it。　But　I've　got　four　guys　with　me；'　Admiral　Gudeon's　voice　was　the　unpleasant　growl　of　a　cantankerous　man　who　always　liked　his　own　way；　and　was　never　wrong。　'I　guess　they'll　be　able　to　look　after　me　without　you　doin'　much　to　help　them。'　Bond　did　not　know　if　the　Admiral　meant　to　be　rude；　or　whether　it　was　merely　a　long…cultivated　manner。　'Bond？　。　。　。　Bond　。　。　。'。'〃　the　American　continued。　'1　knew　a　Bond；　way　back　at　Annapolis。　You　got　any　American　relatives？'
　'I　think　not。　sir。　Many　friends；　but　no　relatives　…　not　as　far　as　I　know；　anyway。'　Rear…Admiral　Walmsley　moved　a　foot；　kicking　Bond's　ankle　sharply。　But　Gudeon　seemed　oblivious　to　the　tongue…in…cheek　answer。
　'And；'　Walmsley　quickly　pushed　Bond　along　the　line；　'our　mosl　senior　officer　here。　Admiral　Sergei　Pauker；　mander…in…Chief　of　the　Soviel　Navy。'
　〃An　honour；　sir。'　Bond　looked　the　man　straight　in　the　eyes。　Pauker　had　the　rosy　cheeks　of　a　Mr　Pickwick；　but　there　the　likeness　ended。　The　eyes　were　grey　and　cold；　showing　no　emotion。　Dead　eyes；　overhung　by　frosty　eyebrows。　He　had　a　small　mouth；　but　it　did　form　itself　into　a　surprisingly　friendly　smile。　The　main　feature　of　the　face；　ruddy　cheeks　apart；　was　a　huge　aquiline　nose。
　'Bond。'　he　pronounced　it　'Bound'。　'I　think　somewhere　I　have　heard　the　name　before。　Have　you；　perhaps；　served　in　your　embassy　in　Moscow？'　He　spoke　excellent　English。
　'Not　exactly　in　the　embassy；　sir。'　Bond　gave　an　almost　imperceptible　smile。
'But　you　are　known　there。　I　think。　In　Moscow；　I　mean。'
'It　wouldn't　surprise　me。　sir。'
　？Good。　Good。'　The　humour　disappeared　from　his　face　and　the　eyes　g！a。〃ed　over。
　There　was　no　offer　of　a　drink；　and　Rear…Admiral　Walmsley　ushered　Bond　out　of　the　room；　like　a　farmer　getting　an　errant　sheep　into　a　van。　'The　security　people　are　in　Briefing　One；'　he　whispered。
　Briefing　One　was　the　primary　Air…Group　Briefing…Room　on　the　port　side；　amidships　and　two　decks　below　the　officers'　quarters。　It　had　been　cleared　for　an　hour；　so　that　the　security　teams　could　get　together；　and　Bond　entered　it　quickly；　going　straight　into　his　prepared　routine。　'My　name's　Bond。　James　Bond。　Captain。　Royal　Navy；'　he　began；　then　stopped　abruptly。　The　one　woman　among　the　ten　large　men。　was　enough　to　stop　anyone　or　anything。　She　also　spoke　before　anyone　else。　'Captain　Bond。　I　am　First　Naval　Attache　to　Admiral　Pauker。　My　name　is　Nikola　Ratnikov。　My　friends　call　me　Nikki。　I　hope　you　are　to　be　my　friend。'
You　could　feel　the　unsettling　tension　spark　through　the　room；　and　it　was　obvious　that　Nikola　Ratnikov　had　been　showing　the　cold…shoulder　to　the　rest　of　her　colleagues；　which　must　have　been　irritating　to　say　the　least。　rade　Attache　Ratnikov　would　have　given　a　tweak　to　the　loins　of　even　a　devout　monk；　and　it　would　not　matter　whether　the　monk　was　Roman　Catholic；　Protestant；　Buddhist；　or　Russian　Orthodox。　She　had　that　indefinable　quality　about　her　manner；　features　and　body　which　made　all　heterosexual　men　turn　to　look　twice；　and。　possibly　a　third　time；　if　they　had　the　energy　left。
　Nikki　Ratnikov　wore　a　well…tailored　Soviet　Naval　Woman　Officer's　uniform；　which　is　not　flattering　to　all。　There　again；　Nikki　could　have　made　sackcloth　and　ashes　look　like　Dior。　When　she　moved　towards　him。　hand　extended；　even　Bond　felt　his　knees　tremble　slightly。　She　had　short；　ash…blonde　hair；　cut　in　what　used　to　be　called　a　pageboy　style；　but；　from　where　he　stood；　it　looked　like　a　tempting　golden　helmet；　framing　a　face　of　classic　beauty。　It　was　not　the　kind　of　face　that　Bond　usually　went　for。　He　preferred　slightly　blemished　good　looks；　but　Nikki's　eyes　held　his　for　almost　a　minute；　and　it　was　longer　before　he　let　go　of　her　hand。
　'Hallo；　Captain　Bond；　we've　met　before。'　It　was　one　of　the　Special　Branch　men。　all　done　up　in　a　Lieutenant's　uniform；　plete　with　the　gold　trimmings　of　a　Flag　Officer。　'Brinkley。'　he　added。
'Yes；　of　course。　Yes。　I　remember　you。　Ted　Brinkley。　right？'
　'On　the　button；　sir。'　The　Special　Branch　man　looked　for　al！　the　world　like　a　Special　Branch　man　in　fancy　dress；　as　did　his　partner。　Martin　…　'My　friends　call　me　'Moggy〃　…Camm。
　He　did　the　rounds　of　the　other　security　men。　Few　had　resorted　to　the　bad　disguises　of　the　Branch　men；　and　they　looked　like　a　very　heavy　team。　The　Americans　introduced　themselves　as　Joe。　Stan；　Edgar　and　Bruce。　Bruce　was　a　very　tall　black　officer　with　an　exceptionally　bone…crushing　handshake；　and　looked　as　though　he　could　probably　stop　a　tank　with　his　chest。　。loe　and　Stan　seemed　to　be　made…to…measure；　off　the　peg；　standard　issue　'bullet　catchers'。　Edgar　…　'Call　me　Ed'　…　was　in　a　different　mould：　lean；　mean；　tense　with　obvious　staying　power　and　taut　muscles；　he　had　the　battered　good　looks　of　one　who　had　seen　plenty　of　action　in　his　time。　Bond　had　him　down　as　the　brains　of　the　outfit。
The　other　three　Russians　were　simply　Ivan。　Yevgeny　and　Gennady。　Three　nice　boys。　The　kind　of　nice　boys　you　saw　popping　in　and　out　of　KGB　facilities；　looking　after　more　senior　officers。　Bond　had　once　seen　a　trio　like　this　ing　out　of　a　building　after　six　men　had　died　…　none　of　them　through　natural　causes。
　He　tried　to　engage　all　of　them　in　polite　conversation；　unveiling　a　plan　that　had　been　set　up　on　an　easel；　showing　exactly　where　they　were　to　be　stationed；　in　relation　to　their　charges。　Outside；　three　Petty　Officers　stood　by　with　cards　giving　details　of　the　several　decks；　and　their　geographic　relationship　to　those　parts　of　Invincible　tagged　for　the　visiting　VTPs　and　the　bodyguards。　Bond　explained　this　to　them；　went　through　the　emergency　drills；　making　certain　the　Russian…speakers　understood；　then　wished　them　a　good　night's　rest；　and　began　to　hand　them　over　to　the　POs。
　A　light　hand　rested　on　his　sleeve。　'1　think；　me　you　lake　to　my　quarters。　Captain　Bond？'　Nikki　stood　beside　him；　close　enough　for　him　to　catch　the　him　of　Bal　de　Versailles　she　wore。
　'You。　I　think；　get　special　treatment。　rade　Attache　…Nikki。'
　She　gave　him　a　glittering　smile　and　he　noticed　her　perfect　teeth　and　the　inviting　mquth。　'Yes；　you're　quite　near　my　quarters　as　it　happens。　I　have　to　hand　you　over　to　one　of　the　lady　officers　we　have　on　board；　but　it's　a　nice　little　walk　up　to　my　cabin。'　He　turned。
　〃I'm　so　sorry　I'm　late；　sir。'　Clover　Pennington　stood　by　the　door；　her　face　looking　like　the　wrath　of　God。　Ч　have　instructions　to　escort　the　rade　Attache　lo　her　quarters。　Show　her　the　ropes；　sir。'
　'Which　ropes？'　Nikkfs　voice　sounded　as　though　she　was　genuinely　puzzled。
　'An　English　saying。　Means　she's　going　to　show　you　the　way　around　the　ship。　This　is　First　Officer　Pennington；　Nikki。　She'll　see　that　you're　well　looked　after。'
　'Oh。　but　Captain　Bond；　I　was　thinking　you　could　look　after　me。'
　'Not　in　a　million　years；'　muttered　Clover　so　thai　Bond　could　hear。
　'Best　go　with　her。　Nikki。　Protocol；　really。　Perhaps　we　can　talk　later　on。'
'I　also　would　like　that。　In　your　cabin；　maybe；　yes？'　Reluctantly；　she　allowed　Clover　to　guide　her　towards　the　panionway。　Nikki　looked　back　and　smiled　invitingly。　　First　Officer　Pennington　kepi　her　eyes　to　Ihe　front。
　Bond　had　just　turned　in　for　the　night　when　they　darkened　ship；　righi　on　23。59　hours。　Ten　minutes　later；　he　realised　few　people　were　going　to　get　much　sleep　while　the　exercise　was　running；　for　the　klaxon　began　to　blare　while　the　orders　came　blasting　out　of　the　Tannoy　system。　'All　hands　to　action　stations。　Close　up；　all　watches。'
　Shortly　after　ihis；　the　Captain　calmly　announced　that　the　whole　force　had　been　spread　into　their　approved　battle　formation；　a　huge；　rough　diamond　shape；　as　they　were　entering　Ihe　English　Channel　at　full　speed。　'Our　escorts　report　a　wolf…pack　of　submarines　trying　to　get　inside　the　screen。'　Walmsley's　voice　was　calm；　dispassionate；　and　Bond　imagined　it　would　be　just　the　same　if　this　were　the　real　thing。　'One　of　our　escorts　on　the　starboard　side　has　been　challenged　by　a　submarine；　an