johngardner.winloseordie-第37章

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ssion　he　used　habitually　when　asking　questions。
'Murder。'　Bond　corrected。　　His　voice　seemed　a　long　way　off。　for　the　pain　in　his　groin　seemed　to　take　precedence　over
everything　else。
'Murder；　sir？　The　American？'
　Bond　nodded。　'Just　keep　her　well　under　restraint。　I　think　she's　some　kind　of　psycho；　and　well…trained　at　that。　A　killer；　who　would　obey　orders　and　lake　out　someone　with　about　as　much　emotion　as　any　of　us　would　feel　in　treading　on　a　bug。　I'll　be　down　to　see　her　shortly。　The　murder　charge　will；　eventually；　be　a　police　criminal　matter。'　As　the　Master…at…Arms　departed。　Bond　suddenly　though！　of　his　own　words；　just　uttered　…　'a　killer；　who　would　obey　orders　。　。　。'　Whose　orders？　he　wondered。　'Orders　from　outside；　or　some　given　to　her　on　board？'
　Someone　had　called　Surgeon　mander　Grant；　who　seemed　quite　amused　at　Bond's　pain。　'There'll　probably　be　some　swelling；'　he　said　examining　the　damaged　area。　'I'll　give　you　some　pills　to　reduce　the　pain　。　。　。'
　'As　long　as　they　don't　make　me　dopey/　In　spite　of　the　small　agony。　Bond　pul　his　job　first。
　'You'll　get　no　side　effects。　I　have　a　salve　as　well。　It'll　deaden　the　area　and　you　won't　feel　like　playing　with　the　ladies　for　an　hour　or　so；　but　maybe　that's　not　a　bad　thing。'
　Bond　realised　that　he　felt　a　little　embarrassed　about　the　whole　business。
　'You'd　be　surprised；'　the　doctor　continued；　'really　surprised　how　many　cases　of　（his　I　have　to　deal　with　these　days。　Lads　go　ashore；　won't　take　no　for　an　answer　and　gel　a　hefty　knee　in　the　gonads。　Serve　'em　right。　Bloody　MCPs。'
　'I　gol　this　defending　myself；'　Bond　muttered　grudgingly；　trying　to　son　his　mind　out。　deciding　what　had　to　be　done　next。
　Half　an　hour　later　he　stood　in　front　of　the　entire　section　of　personal　bodyguards　for　the　three　Admirals。　They　were　gathered　in　the　small　messdeck　that　had　been　put　aside　for　their　use　and　relaxation　…　the　one　in　which　Moggy　Camm；　two　of　the　Russians　and　Bruce　Trimble　had　joined　in　a　drink　before　turning　in　on　the　previous　night。　Now　the　place　seemed　crowded。　Nikki　Ratnikov　sat　apart　from　her　colleagues；　Ivan；　Yevgeny　and　Gennady：　Brinkley　and　Camm　sat　together；　still　in　their　fancy　dress；　among　Joe　Israel；　Bruce　Trimble　and　Stan　Hare。　Their　three　V1P　charges　were　in　the　cabins　set　aside　for　them；　each　with　an　armed　marine　at　the　door。
'Right。'　Bond　began。　'We　all　know　what　this　is　about。　Our
Captain；　the　Rear…Admiral。　is　determined　to　carry　on　with　Stewards'　Meeting。　My　job　is　to　co…ordinate　security；　and　1　want　to　get　your　feelings　on　the　matter　before　I　make　a　remendation　to　Sir　John　…　not　that　he'll　take　my　advice；　but　I'd　rather　we　worked　as　a　team；　and　a　team　has　to　be　one　hundred　per　cent　in　accord　on　a　business　like　this。　We've　had　one　death；　and　we　don't　want　any　more。'
　Nikki　spoke　up　for　the　Russians。　'James；　you　must　advise　us。　We　have　a　sacred　duty　here。　The　strain　will　be　on　us　as　from　tonight。　Do　you　think　Ihat　the　killing　of　the　American　agent　should　make　us　fear　for　the　lives　of　those　we　have　to　guard？'
　'It　certainly　means　that　this　little　terrorist　outfit　…　if　it　is　them　…　has　managed　to　penetrate　Invincible　with　at　least　one　person。　If　there　is　one；　can　there　be　others？　I　must　reveal　to　all　of　you　that　Edgar　Morgan　was　a　worried　man。　As　far　as　1　can　tell；　he　slipped　into　the　Wrens'　heads　to　record　a　series　of　names　…names　of　people　in　this　ship。　He　wanted　a　security　check　run　on　them。　Well。　I　ran　the　check　through　London。　The　only　one　that　came　out　badly　was　the　girl　we　arreste'd　this　morning。'
　Joe　Israel　looked　up。　with　interest。　'This　is　the　first　any　of　us　have　heard　of　Ed　having　doubts。　Can　you　be　sure　he　was　not　just　doing　a　random　lest？　A　sampling？　Or　was　he　in　possession　of　intelligence　not　revealed　to　any　of　us？'
　'I've　no　idea。'　There　was　no　point　in　Bond　not　being　open　and　candid。　'1　still　have　to　talk　with　the　girl　we　arrested。　She　was　what　some　people　would　call　a　〃Stone　Killer〃。　It's　not　an　expression　I'm　fond　of。　Bul　that's　what　she　was；　and　is。'
　'Can　you　give　us　the　other　names　Morgan　had　on　his　list？'　Ted　Brinkley　asked。
　'I　don't　think　that　would　be　fair　at　this　stage。　They　all　came　out　ultra…clean　from　London。'
　Brinkley　conferred　with　his　partner　for　a　minute；　in　urgent　whispers。　Then　Brinkley　said　thai；　as　far　as　they　were　concerned；　things　could　go　ahead。　'It　would　have　been　very　difficult　for　any　terrorist　organisation　to　infiltrate　a　Royal　Navy　ship。　That　they　gol　one　in　is　a　kind　of　miracle。　Barring　any　outside　attack；　we　consider　it　ninety…nine　per　cent　safe。　We　vote　that　things　go　ahead　as　planned。'
　Bond　nodded。　In　his　head　he　still　remained　unhappy。　They　had　though！　of　BAST　as　a　bit　of　a　tinpot　outfit；　yet　they　certainly　had　resources；　and　even　one　penetration　worried　him。　He　looked　over　at　Joe　Israel。　'What　about　our　United　States　contingent？'
　'I　guess　we　go　along　with　you　Brits。　Sure　there's　danger；　but　that　es　with　the　job。　We　vote　in。'
'You're　one　man　short。'
　〃I　gather　that's　being　（aken　care　of。　Admiral　Gudeon's　been　active　and　we've　got　another　guy　on　the　way。'
　Bond　made　a　menial　note　that　he　should　speak　with　the　Captain　about　this　turn　of　events。　Now　he　looked　at　Nikki。　'You're　senior　officer　of　our　Russian　rades。　Nikki。　What　do　you　say？'
'Our　people　are　the　best　in　the　world。　We　say　go　ahead。'
'Then　we're　all　agreed？'
Around　the　little　messdcck　there　were　murmurs　of　consent。
　So　be　it。　Bond　thought。　They　all　seemed　to　be　good；　tried　and　tested　people。　Now。　he　had　to　speak　with　Sir　John　Walmsley。　After　that　there　was　the　girl；　Deeley；　though　he　did　not　have　any　high　hopes　of　breaking　her　down。
'So；　you've　decided　not　to　fight　me　on　this？'　Sir　John　Walmsley　looked　pleased；　like　a　man　who　had　won　a　great　battle。
　'It's　not　a　question　of　fighting　you；　sir。'　Bond　spoke　with　almost　exaggerated　calmness。　'We　weighed　up　the　chances　of　this　being　a　one…off　incident。　We're　not　entirely　convinced；　but　everyone　here　in　the　three　bodyguard　sections　seems　to　think　the　risk　is　even。'
　'A　sensible　decision；'　growled　Walmsley；　who　knew　he　would　have　overridden　any　attempt　to　abor！　Stewards　Meeting。
　'I　need　answers　to　a　couple　of　questions　before　I　talk　to　the　girl。　Deeley　。　。　。'　Bond　began。
　'Yes？'　the　Rear…Admiral　snapped。　'If　I'm　allowed　to　answer；　I'll　co…operate。　Go　ahead。'
'First；　there's　one　thing　I　have　to　know　about　Edgar　Morgan。'
　'He　wasn't　US　Secret　Service；　but　I　presume　you　know　that　already。'
'Yes；　I　realise　he　wasn't　just　part　of　the　normal　bodyguard　service。　I'm　pretty　certain　he　was　Naval　Intelligence；　and　came　aboard　with　a　special　brief。'　Bond　had　not　shown　all　his　cards。
'That's　true。'
'Can　you　tell　me　anything　about　the　special　brief？1
　Walmsley　pretended　to　think　for　a　moment。　'Well；　he　had　authority　to　go　through　the　records　of　everyone　aboard　this　ship。'
'Was　there　time　for　him　to　do　that？'
　'Mmmm/　It　was　non…mittal；　but　the　Rear…Admiral　was　playing　Bond。　Walmsley　was　the　kind　of　man　who　liked　showing　his　authority　and；　had　the　truth　been　known；　he　looked　forward　to　a　very　rapid　promotion　if　the　Operation　called　Stewards'　Meeting　went　off　without　a　hitch。　Finally；　he　decided　it　would　be　safer　to　tell　the　truth。　'He　came　aboard　two　days　before　Landsea　'89　started。'
'Two　days？'
　Walmsley　nodded。　'He　left　the　ship　shortly　before　you　arrived。　Then　came　on　with　Gudeon　and　the　others。　But。　in　those　two　days；　he　went　through　all　the　files。　He　was　very　interested　in　you。　Captain　Bond。　Very　interested。'
　'And　he　carried　on　looking　through　the　individual　dossiers　on　his　return？'
'He　did。　Now；　anything　else？'
　'Yes；　sir。　I've　been　told　that　the　Americans　are　sending　a　replacement。　True　or　false？'
True。　He'll　be　here　before　Stewards'　Meeting/
'We　have　a　name？'
　'Dan　Woodward。　US　Naval　Intelligence。　As　you　would　expect；　he's　known　to　his　friends　and　colleagues　as　Desperate　Dan。　Now；　Captain　Bond；　anything　eise？'
'Only　a　minor　point。　The　Wren　detachment　aboard。〃
'Damned　women　in　the　ship；　1　didn't　approve　of　it。'
　'Sir；　we　both　know　why　they're　here。　We　know　it'll　make　things　easier　when　Stewards'　Meeting　gets　under　way。　Until　then；　could　I　ask　you。　sir；　what　duties　have　been　assigned　to　them？'
'This　because　one　of　them　turned　out　to　be　a　dummy？'
'Partly。'
　'Why　no