if.thunderball-第41章

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stion？　Yes；　we've　got　an　underwater　partment　on　the　Disco　。　We're　going　to　hunt　treasure　through　it。　Inspect　it？　Well；　if　you　must。　There　you　are　gentlemen…underwater　gear；　skids；　perhaps　even　a　small　bathyscaphe。　Underwater　sentry？　Of　course。　People　have　spent　six　months　trying　to　find　out　what　we're　after；　how　we're　going　to　get　it。　We're　professionals；　gentlemen。　We　like　to　keep　our　secrets。　And　anyway；　what　was　this　Mr。　Bond；　this　rich　gentleman　looking　for　a　property　in　Nassau；　doing　underneath　my　ship　in　the　middle　of　the　night？　Petacchi？　Never　heard　of　him。　Don't　care　what　Miss　Vitali's　family　name　was。　Always　known　her　as　Vitali　。　。　。〃　Bond　made　a　throwaway　gesture　with　one　hand。　〃See　what　I　mean？　This　treasure…hunting　cover　is　perfect。　It　explains　everything。　And　what　are　we　left　with？　Largo　pulls　himself　up　to　his　full　height　and　says；　‘Thanks　gentlemen。　So　I　may　go　now？　And　so　I　shall；　within　the　hour。　I　shall　find　another　base　for　my　work　and　you　will　be　hearing　from　my　lawyers　forthwith…wrongful　detention　and　trespass。　And　good　luck　to　your　tourist　trade；　gentlemen。'　〃　Bond　smiled　grimly。　〃See　what　I　mean？〃
　
　Leiter　said　impatiently；　〃So　what　do　we　do？　Limpet　mine？　Send　her　to　the　bottom…in　error；　so　to　speak？〃
　
　〃No。　We're　going　to　wait。〃　At　the　expression　on　Leiter's　face；　Bond　held　up　a　hand。　〃We're　going　to　send　our　report；　in　careful；　guarded　terms　so　we　don't　get　an　airborne　division　landing　on　Windsor　Field。　And　we're　going　to　say　the　Manta　is　all　we　need。　And　so　it　is。　With　her；　we　can　keep　tabs　on　the　Disco　just　as　we　please。　And　we'll　stay　under　cover；　keep　a　hidden　watch　on　the　yacht　and　see　what　happens。　At　present　we're　not　suspected。　Largo's　plan；　if　there　is　one；　that　is；　and　don't　forget　this　treasure…hunting　business　still　covers　everything　perfectly　well；　is　going　along　all　right。　All　he's　got　to　do　now　is　collect　the　bombs　and　make　for　Target　No。　1　ready　for　zero　hour　in　around　thirty　hours'　time。　We　can　do　absolutely　nothing　to　him　until　he's　got　one　or　both　of　those　bombs　on　board　or　we　catch　him　at　their　hiding　place。　Now；　that　can't　be　far　away。　Nor　can　the　Vindicator；　if　she's　hereabouts。　So　tomorrow　we　take　that　amphibian　they've　got　for　us　and　hunt　the　area　inside　a　radius　of　a　hundred　miles。　We'll　hunt　the　seas　and　not　the　land。　She　must　be　in　shoal　water　somewhere　and　damned　well　hidden。　With　this　calm　weather；　we　should　be　able　to　locate　her…if　she's　here。　Now；　e　on！　Let's　get　those　reports　off　and　get　some　sleep。　And　say　we're　out　of　munication　for　ten　hours。　And　disconnect　your　telephone　when　you　get　back　to　your　room。　However　careful　we　are；　this　signal　is　going　to　set　the　Potomac　on　fire　as　well　as　the　Thames。〃
　
　Six　hours　later；　in　the　crystal　light　of　early　morning；　they　were　out　at　Windsor　Field　and　the　ground　crew　was　hauling　the　little　Grumman　Amphibian　out　of　the　hangar　with　a　jeep。　They　had　climbed　on　board　and　Leiter　was　gunning　the　engines　when　a　uniformed　motorcycle　dispatch　rider　came　driving　uncertainly　toward　them　across　the　tarmac。
　
　Bond　said；　〃Get　going！　Quick！　Here　es　paper　work。〃
　
　Leiter　released　the　brakes　and　taxied　fast　toward　the　single　north…south　runway。　The　radio　crackled　angrily。　Leiter　took　a　careful　look　over　the　sky。　It　was　clear。　He　slowly　pushed　down　on　the　joystick　and　the　little　plane　snarled　its　way　faster　and　faster　down　the　concrete　and；　with　a　final　bump；　soared　off　over　the　low　bush。　The　radio　still　crackled。　Leiter　reached　up　and　switched　it　off。
　
　Bond　sat　with　the　Admiralty　chart　on　his　lap。　They　were　flying　north。　They　had　decided　to　start　with　the　Grand　Bahama　group　and　have　a　first　look　at　the　possible　area　of　Target　No。　1。　They　flew　at　a　thousand　feet。　Below　them　the　Berry　Islands　were　a　necklace　of　brown　spits　set　in　cream　and　emerald　and　turquoise。　〃See　what　I　mean？〃　said　Bond。　〃You　can　see　anything　big　through　that　water　down　to　fifty　feet。　Anything　as　big　as　the　Vindicator　would　have　been　spotted　anywhere　on　any　of　the　air　routes。　So　I've　marked　off　the　areas　where　there's　the　minimum　traffic。　They'd　have　ditched　somewhere　well　out　of　the　way。　Assuming；　and　it's　the　hell　of　an　assumption；　that；　when　the　Disco　made　off　to　the　southeast　on　the　night　of　the　third；　it　was　a　ruse；　it'll　be　reasonable　to　hunt　to　the　north　and　the　west。
　
　She　was　away　eight　hours。　Two　of　those　would　have　been　at　anchor　doing　the　salvage　work。　That　leaves　six　hours'　sailing　at　around　thirty　knots。　Cut　an　hour　off　for　laying　the　false　trail；　and　that　leaves　five。　I've　marked　off　an　area　from　the　Grand　Bahamas　down　to　south　of　the　Bimini　group。　That　fits…if　anything　fits。〃
　
　〃Did　you　get　on　the　the　missioner？〃
　
　〃Yes。　He's　going　to　have　a　couple　of　good　men　with　day…and…night　glasses　keeping　an　eye　on　the　Disco　。　If　she　moves　from　her　Palmyra　anchorage　where　she's　due　back　at　midday；　and　if　we're　not　back　in　time；　he'll　have　her　shadowed　by　one　of　the　Bahama　Airways　charter　planes。　I　got　him　quite　worried　with　just　one　or　two　bits　of　information。　He　wanted　to　go　to　the　Governor　with　the　story。　I　said　not　yet。　He's　a　good　man。　Just　doesn't　want　too　much　responsibility　without　someone　else's　okay。　I　used　the　P。M。's　name　to　keep　him　quiet　until　we　get　back。　He'll　play　all　right。　When　do　you　think　the　Manta　could　be　here？〃
　
　〃S'evening；　I'd　say。〃　Leiter's　voice　was　uneasy。　〃I　must　have　been　drunk　last　night　to　have　sent　for　her。　Christ；　we're　creating　one　hell　of　a　flap；　James。　It　doesn't　look　too　good　in　the　cold　light　of　dawn。　Anyway；　what　the　hell？　There's　Grand　Bahama　ing　up　dead　ahead。　Want　me　to　give　the　rocket　base　a　buzz？　Prohibited　flying　area；　but　we　might　as　well　go　in　up　to　our　ears　while　we're　about　it。　Just　listen　to　the　bawling　out　we'll　be　getting　in　just　a　minute　or　two。〃　He　reached　up　and　switched　on　the　radio。
　
　They　flew　eastward　along　the　fifty　miles　of　beautiful　coast　toward　what　looked　like　a　small　city　of　aluminum　hutments　among　which　red　and　white　and　silver　structures　rose　like　small　skyscrapers　above　the　low　roofs。　〃That's　it；〃　said　Leiter。　〃See　the　yellow　warning　balloons　at　the　corners　of　the　base？　Warning　to　aircraft　and　fishermen。　There's　a　flight　test　on　this　morning。　Better　get　out　to　sea　a　bit　and　keep　south。　If　it's　a　full　test；　they'll　be　firing　toward　Ascension　Island…about　five　thousand　miles　east。　Off　the　African　coast。　Don't　want　to　get　an　Atlas　missile　up　our　backsides。　Look　over　there　to　the　left…sticking　up　like　a　pencil　beside　that　red　and　white　gantry！　Atlas　or　a　Titan…intercontinental。　Or　might　be　a　prototype　Polaris。　The　other　two　gantries'll　be　for　Matador　and　Snark　and　perhaps　your　Thunderbird。　That　big　gun　thing；　like　a　howitzer；　that's　the　camera　tracker。　The　two　saucer…shaped　reflectors　are　the　radar　screen。　Golly！　One　of　them's　turning　away　toward　us！　We're　going　to　get　hell　in　a　minute。　That　strip　of　concrete　down　the　middle　of　the　island。　That's　the　skid　strip　for　bringing　in　missiles　that　are　recallable。　Can't　see　the　central　control　for　telemetering　and　guidance　and　destruction　of　the　things　if　they　go　mad。　That'll　be　underground…one　of　those　squat　blockhouse　things。　Some　brass　hat'll　be　sitting　down　there　with　his　staff　getting　all　set　for　the　countdown　or　whatever's　going　to　happen　and　telling　someone　to　do　something　about　that　goddamn　little　plane　that's　fouling　up　the　works。〃
　
　Above　their　heads　the　radio　crackled。　A　metallic　voice　said；　〃N/AKOI；　N/AKOI。　You're　in　a　prohibited　area。　Can　you　hear　me。　Change　course　southwards　immediately。　N/AKOI。　This　is　Grand　Bahama　Rocket　Base。　Keep　clear。　Keep　clear。〃
　
　Leiter　said；　〃Oh；　hell！　No　use　interfering　with　world　progress。　Anyway；　we've　seen　all　we　want。　No　good　getting　on　the　Windsor　Field　report　to　add　to　our　troubles。〃　He　banked　the　little　plane　sharply。　〃But　you　see　what　I　mean？　If　that　little　heap　of　iron…mongery　isn't　worth　a　quarter　of　a　billion　dollars　my　name's　P。　Rick。　And　it's　just　about　a　hundred　miles　from　Nassau。　Perfect　for　the　Disco　。〃
　
　The　radio　started　again：　〃N/AKOI；　N/AKOI。　You　will　be　reported　for　entering　a　prohibited　area　and　for　failing　to　acknowledge。　Keep　flying　south　and　watch　out　for　sudden　turbulence。　Over。〃　The　radio　went　silent。
　
　Leiter　said；　〃That　means　they'r