johngardner.winloseordie-第33章

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　the　Soviet　Navy。　I　will　have　you　stripped　of　rank；　ground　to　dust；　for　speaking　like　this！'　he　ended。
　'Do　as　you　will。　Admiral；　but　as　1　am　in　charge　of　security　for　the　whole　of　Stewards'　Meeting；　I　can　also　make　demands；　and　T'm　not　putting　up　with　Mr　Stura's　games。　He　speaks　English　and　understands　it。　I　know　it；　he　knows　it。　We　all　know　it。　So；　no　more　games。'
　The　Russians　disappeared；　slightly　cowed；　and　Bond　sent　the　marine　guard　to　get　Mr　Camm。
　Moggy　Camm　bore　out　his　partner's　story；　and　answered　all　the　questions　quickly　and　with　no　hesitation。　They　had　agreed　that　Ted　Brinkley　would4ake　tonight's　duty　with　Gould。　Moggy　was　due　to　relieve　him　at　dawn。　He　had　seen　and　heard　nothing　out　of　the　ordinary　until　the　activity　outside　his　cabin；　then　the　marine　and　his　sergeant　wakening　him。
　There　were　other　obligatory　questions。　What　time　had　he　turned　in？　About　eleven。　Did　you　see　anyone　or　anything　before　then'。'　He　had　taken　a　drink　with　the　other　two　Russians；　and　Bruce　Trimble。　the　black　American。　They　had　a　special　little　messdeck；　with　alcohol　on　lap…one　of　the　small　CPO　messdecks　which　had　been　set　aside　for　iheir　relaxation。　They　had　all　retired　about　the　same　time。　You　all　e　down　together？　Yes。
　One　at　a　time　he　went　through　the　other　bodyguards。　Bruce　Trimble　backed　Moggy　and　the　two　Russians。　The　Russians　backed　everybody　else。
　The　other　American　Secret　Service　man；　Stanley　Hare；　had　turned　in　early。　'At　the　same　time　as　Ed。　We　talked　a　while；　Trimble　came　back　and　we　all　grabbed　a　few　Zs。'　No；　he　had　not　heard　Ed　leave　the　cabin。　In　spite　of　the　noise　from　the　Tannoy　system；　Stan　had　heard　nothing　until　the　marine　banged　on　the　door。　'In　our　job；　you　leam　to　sleep　on　a　clothes　line。'
　Everyone　was　exceptionally　helpful；　so　he　sent　for　the　marine　sergeant。
　Sergeant　Harvey　was　your　typical　Royal　Marines　sergeant　with　no　lime　for　messing　around　with　excuses。
Bond　put　it　to　him　straight；　and　he　answered　just　as　clearly。
　'1　understand　there　was　a　problem　over　who　was　doing　the　guard　duty　down　here。　Sam't　Harvey。'
'Considerable　problem；　yes；　sir；'
'How　considerable？'
　'When　the　balloon　went　up；　as　expected；　at　23。59；　all　marines　went　to　their　action　stations；　sir。　I；　as　duty　sergeant；　should　have　spotted　the　problem　at　once。　I　didn't；　sir。'
'Go　on。〃
　'Around　00。20　hours；　I　realised　we　had　nobody　down　here。　We're　stretched　as　it　is　…　42　mando　not　having　to　do　anything　unless　there's　a　real　flap　on　…　so　I　sent　two　marines　down　with　instructions　to　do　one　hour；　then　report　to　me。　I　had　meant　to　sort　out　a　couple　more；　but　I　didn't；　sir。　My　fault；　I　take　any　blame。　The　two　on　duty　down　here　were　authorised　to　go　back　to　their　normal　posts。　When　1　remembered；　I　gave　the　orders　on　the　bulkhead　telephone。　My　fault；　sir。　Easy　as　that。　I've　questioned　all　concerned。　Between　them　they　reckon　the　posts　were　left　without　guard　for　ten　minutes。　Me；　being　what　I　am；　would　add　another　five　for　luck。'
　'There's　no　blame；　sarn't。　One　of　those　things；　but　what　you're　saying　is　that　people　would　be　free　to　e　and　go　between　the　prohibited　areas　for　at　least　fifteen　minutes。　From　around　what？　01。〃5　and　01。30　hours？'
'About　that；　sir。'
'Right。　Thank　you。〃
　There　were　still　three　people　he　needed　to　talk　with。　Clover；　the　luscious　Nikki。　and　one　other　mentioned　in　the　disturbing　list　of　naval　personnel　the　late　Ed　Morgan　had　wanted　checking　out。　He　could　leave　getting　reports　back　on　the　Russians；　but　his　own　kind　would　have　to　be　looked　into　now。
He　was　dog…tired；　and　there　was　little　likelihood　of　getting　any　sleep　for　at　least　another　twenty…four　hours；　so　he　stretched；　jammed　his　cap　on　and　went　up　to　the　highly　secure　holy　of　holies；　the　munications　Room；　set　on　the　first　deck；　directly　below　Flight　Operations　and　the　bridge。　An　aggressive　marine　challenged　him　and　he　showed　the　pass　which　had　been　issued　to　him；　together　with　other　materials　on　joining　Invincible。　Apart　from　Sir　John　Walmsley；　the　munications　staff　would　probably　be　the　only　ones　who　realised　their　special　Security　Officer　was　really　a　disguised　'funny'。　The　Duty　munications　Officer　certainly　did。　you　could　tell　by　his　eyes；　and　the　quick　flick　of　his　head　when　Bond　showed　him　his　authority　for　using　the　Intelligence　puter　which　had　a　direct　satellite　link　with　GCHQ；　Cheltenham。
　They　exchanged　code　words；　and　a　few　heads　were　raised　as　the　munications　Officer　took　him　across　the　busy　room　（o　the　little　sealed…off　area；　opening　the　door　and　following　him　in　to　boot　up　the　big　Cray　puter。　Once　done；　the　DCO　tactfully　left　him　alone。
　The　beast's　screen　shimmered　green；　and　Bond　typed　in　the　first　set　of　digits　that　would　wake　up　the　lads　in　Cheltenham。
STATE　AUTHORITY　the　puter　asked　him　in　large　black
letters。
Bond　typed　in　MERRY…GO…ROUND。
GIVE　BACK…UP　flashed　on　to　the　puter。
26980。〃8　Bond　typed。
TYPE　OF　INFORMATION　REQUIRED？　queried　the　silent
machine；
DATA　　　ON　　　ROYAL　　NAVY　　　PERSONNEL　　SERVING
NOW　filRDSNEST　TWO　he　told　it。
WHAT　OPS？　it　asked。
LANDSEA　'89　AND　POSSIBLY　STEWARDS'　MEETING。
SPECIFICS：　STATE　FULL　DOSSIERS　OR　RELEVANT
SECURITY　CLEARANCE
BOTH　INPUT　NAMES　…　SURNAME　FOLLOWED　BY
GIVEN　NAME　AND　RANK。　IF　KNOWN
　Bond　methodically　typed　in　the　list　recalled　from　Ed　Morgan's　last　words　on　earth；
　In　a　matter　of　seconds；　the　machine　began　to　throw　dossiers　at　him　on　the　screen。　One　at　a　time　they　came；　and　he　could　scroll　up　and　down　them；　reading　the　official　lives　of　all　those　Morgan　had　requested。　He　went　through　six　dossiers　and　selected　the　*OK'　on　each　when　he　had　finished。　
The　seventh　was　LEADING　WREN　DEELEY；　SARAH。
The　response　came　up；　fast　and　flashing　…
　NO　LEADING　WREN　DEELEY。　SARAH　ATTACHED　TO　BIRDSNEST　TWO　PLEASE　WAIT
He　waited。　Then　…
　NO　LEADING　WREN　DEELEY；　SARAH　SHOWS　ON　RECORD。　PLEASE　REPORT　YOUR　SUPERIOR　OFFICER　IMMEDIATELY
　The　name　had　rung　a　bell。　Yes；　he　recalled　the　pyjamad　figure　as　he　hurried　towards　the　heads　with　Clover。　Clover　had　sharply　told　her　to　get　back　into　her　cabin。
　So；　he　would　now　see　Clover　and　Nikki。　Then；　last　of　all；　the　non…existent　Leading　Wren　Sarah　Deeiey。　There　was　no　way　he　could　report　anything　to　his　superior　officer。
　Bond　went　back　to　his　cabin　and　sent　a　message　out　that　he　required　to　see　First　Officer　Pennington　WRNS。　Immediately。
　
　12
　
　Will　you　Join　the　Dance
　
He　had　sent　for　coffee；　and　now　sat　sipping　the　strong；　black　brew。　Across　the　desk。　Clover　Pennington；　looking　nervous；　picked　up　her　cup　…　white；　no　sugar。
　'Clover；　the　situation　is　quite　simple。　The　guards　were　off　for　about　ten　minutes。　I　know　that。　Then　one　of　them；　with　you　in　tow；　came　banging　at　my　door　just　after　twenty…five　past　one。　So；　in　those　ten　minutes　two　things　happened。　First　Ed　Morgan　left　the　cabin　he　was　sharing　with　two　other　American　bodyguards　and　went　to　the　Wrens'　heads。　We　don't　know　why。　Maybe　he　had　a　date。　Maybe　he　wanted　to　be　somewhere　he　was　unlikely　to　be　disturbed；　the　Wrens'　heads　was　the　most　likely　place　he　could　be　alone。'　The　second　choice；　Bond　knew；　was　the　most　probable　truth。
　'While　he　was　there；　someone　came　in　behind　him　and　slit　his　throat。　Quickly；　quietly；　and　very　efficiently。　It　could　have　been　one　of　his　buddies；　or　one　of　the　Russians；　even　Moggy　Camm。　one　of　Admiral　Sir　Geoffrey　Gould's　Flag　Lieueys。　On　the　other　hand；　it　could　have　been　the　Russian　lady　。　。　。'
'Nikki　the　Rat？'　she　said　it　with　no　＇race　of　humour。
　'Nikki。　yes。　Or；　First　Officer　Pennington。　it　could　have　been　you；　or　one　of　your　girls。　We　still　have　to　discuss　the　question　of　how　Morgan's　body　was　found。　You　said　it　was　one　of　your　Wrens。　Which　one？'
　'Leading　Wren　Deeley。'　Her　hand　shook；　lifting　the　cup。　So　much　so　lhat　she　had　to　put　her　other　hand　up　to　steady　it。
　'Okay。　Clover。　We　both　know　whose　side　you're　on。　because　you　came　storming　into　the　villa　on　Ischia。　having　almost　had　me　killed　。　。　。'
She　suddenly　appeared　to　steady　herself。　'I　saved　your　life　as　it　happens。　We　blew　the　BAST　girl　to　hell　and　gone。　You　were　there。　We　triggered　that　explosion　before　you　could　get　close。　It　was；　as　they　say；　a　button　job。'
　'Right；　Clover。　After　spending　time　with　me　at　Northanger　you　went　back　io　Yeovilton　and　collected　your　gi