johngardner.rollofhonor-第33章

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　as　fast　as　possible。　　The　thought　of　the　girl　slowly　stripping；　singing　to　herself　was　highly　erotic　in　his　heightened　state　of　mind；　bringing　the　picture　of　Percy　Proud　to　him　quickly；　as　though　she　were　very　close。　　A　trick　of　the　subconscious　he　decided；　closing　the　Bentley's　door　as　quietly　as　its　weight　allowed　and　locking　the　car。
　The　interior　lights　remained　on　for　a　few　seconds；　then　the　garage　was　once　more　consigned　to　darkness。　　He　turned；　to　head　back　to　the　Mercedes；　when　a　sharp　double　metallic　click　brought　him　to　a　halt。
　There　was　an　old　game　…　remembered　from　his　training　back　in　the　Second　World　War　…　which　they　still　played　in　the　school。　　You　sat　in　darkness　while　tapes　of　noises　were　run。　　The　object　was　to　identify　each　noise。
　Often　they　ran　the　distinctive　cocking　action　of　an　automatic　pistol　with　the　sounds　of　door　handles；　toys；　even　metal　snap　fastenings。　　The　sharp　double　click　which　he　heard　now　came　from　the　far　side　of　the　Mercedes；　and　Bond　would　know　it　anywhere。　　It　was　that　of　an　automatic　pistol　being　cocked。
　He　had　the　ASP　in　his　hand　again；　like　a　master　conjurer　producing　a　wand　from　midair。　　But　as　the　gun　came　up；　a　spotlight　flashed　on　and　a　very　familiar　voice　spoke　softly。
　〃Put　that　nasty　thing　away；　dear。　　It's　not　really　worth　it；　and　neither　of　us　wants　to　get　hurt；　do　we？〃　…　1（3EPOC　BOND　COULD　SEE　him　quite　clearly；　outlined　against　the　lighter　colouring　of　the　wall。　　In　a　fraction　of　a　second；　his　brain　and　body　calculated　the　situation　and　made　a　decision。
　Normally；　with　all　his　training；　and　the　long　built…in　reflexes；　Bond　would　have　taken　him　out　with　one　shot；　probably　straight　from　the　hip。　But　several　factors　were　weighed　in　an　instant　and　stayed　his　hand。
　The　voice　was　not　aggressive；　indicating　room　for　negotiation；　the　words　had　been　plain；　simple　and　to　the　point　…　。　　。　　。　　neither　of　us　wants　to　get　hurt；　do　we？〃　More　important；　there　was　no　silencer　fitted　to　the　ASP。　　A　shot　from　either　side　would　bring　Holy's　people　into　the　garage。　Bond　reckoned　that　Peter　was　as　anxious　as　he　was　himself　to　keep　the　wolves　at　bay。
　〃Okay；　Peter。　　What's　the　score？〃　As　Peter　Amadeus　came　closer；　Bond　sensed　more　than　saw　that　the　small　pistol；　just　visible；　held　away　from　the　body；　was　waving　around　like　a　tree　in　a　gale。　　The　precise　little　man　was　clearly　very　nervous。
　〃The　score；　Mr。　Bond；　is　that　I　want　out。　　And　as　far　away　from　here　as　possible。　　I　gathered　from　your　conversation　that　you're　thinking　of　going　as　well。〃
　〃I'm　going　when　I'm　told　…　by　your　boss。
　Does　he　know　you're　out；　by　the　way？〃
　〃If　the　gods　happen　to　be　on　my　side；　nobody　will　notice。　　If　the　hue　and　cry　is　raised；　I　just　pray　they　won't　e　looking　here。〃
　〃Peter；　you　won't　get　out　at　all　unless　I　go　back　the　way　I　came　pretty　damned　quickly。　　Wouldn't　it　be　better　for　you　to　stay　put？〃　The　pistol　sagged　in　Amadeus's　hand；　and　his　voice　edged　one　more　note　towards　hysteria。　　〃I　can't；　Bond！　　I　can't　do　it。　　The　place；　those　people　…　particularly　Finnes　…　terrify　me。　　I　just　can't　stay　in　the　house　any　longer！〃
　〃Right；'　said　Bond　soothingly；　hoping　the　young　man's　voice　would　not　rise　too　high。　　〃If　we　can　think　of　a　way；　would　you　help？　　Give　evidence　if　necessary？〃
　〃I've　got　the　best　evidence　in　the　world；'　he　said　in　a　calmer　voice。　〃I've　seen　the　Balloon　Game　run。　　I　know　what　it's　about；　and　that's　enough　to　terrify　any　large　size　policeman；　let　alone　me。〃
　〃What's　in　it？　　Tell　me。〃
　〃It's　my　only　ace。　　You　get　me　out　and　I'll　give　any　help　you　might　need。　　Is　that　a　deal？〃
　〃I　can't　promise。〃　Bond　was　acutely　aware　that　time　was　slipping　by。　Cindy　would　not　be　able　to　distract　the　two　guards　much　longer。
　He　told　Peter　to　put　the　gun　away。　　〃If　they're　letting　me　out　to　do　a　bit　of　their　dirty　work；　it's　pretty　certain　they'll　go　through　the　Bentley　with　the　finest　of　toothbs。　　You've　also　got　to　realise　that　your　absence　puts　a　lot　of　people　at　risk。〃
　〃I　know；　but。　　。
　〃Okay；　it's　〃~ri；'　now。　　Listen；　and　listen　carefully　As　quickly　as　he　could；　Bond　told　Amadeus　the　best　way　to　hide　under　the　other　cars　in　the　garage。　　Then　he　pressed　the　keys　into　the　young　man's　hand。　　〃You　use　these　only　after　they've　played　around　with　the　Bentley。
　It's　a　risk。　　Anything　could　happen；　and　I　haven't　any　assurance　they'll　let　me　go　in　my　own　car。　　One　other　thing。　　If　you're　found　here；　you　get　no　help。　　I　pletely　deny　having　anything　to　do　with　you。　　Right？〃　Bond　told　Amadeus　he　should　hide　in　the　boot　after　the　car　had　been　examined　…　〃For　all　I　know　they'll　send　one　of　their　people　with　me；　armed　to　the　teeth。〃　Then　Bond　gave　him　a　final　instruction　should　all　else　fail；　or　if　Bond　himself　were　prevented　from　going。　　He　patted　the　little　programmer's　shoulder；　wishing　him　luck；　then　climbed　back　on　to　the　roof　of　the　Mercedes　and　hauled　himself　up　through　the　skylight。
　Lying　on　the　flat　roof　in　the　chill　night　air；　pressed　hard　against　the　lead；　he　realised　that　Cindy　had　exhausted　her　repertoire。
　The　guards　were　very　close；　just　below　the　garage　roof。　　He　could　hear　them　mutterIng；　menting　on　what　they　had　seen：　all　the　usual　soldiers'　innuendoes。
　He　lay　tense；　listening；　for　about　five　minutes；　until　they　moved　away；　following　their　routine　pattern；　covering　the　front　of　the　house　from　all　angles。
　It　took　a　further　ten　minutes　for　Bond　to　snake　his　way　back　to　the　window。　　After　each　move　he　stopped；　lying　still；　ears　strained　for　sounds　of　the　returning　guards；　who　passed　under　the　garage　twice　during　his　unfortable　crawl。　　At　last　he　negotiated　the　sill；　climbing　back　into　Cindy's　room。
　〃You　took　your　time。〃　She　was　stretched　out　on　the　bed；　her　dark　body　glistening；　the　gorgeous　long　legs　moving　as　she　rubbed　thigh　against　thigh。　　Cindy　was　quit　n。t'd；　and　Bond；　with　the　tension　released；　went　to　her。
　〃Thank　you。　　I've　done　all　I　can　。　　。　　。〃　He　was　going　to　say　something　about　Amadeus；　but　changed　his　mind；　sufficient　unto　the　day。
　Cindy　lifted　her　arms　to　his　shoulders；　and　Bond　found　himself　with　no　power　to　resist。
　Only　once；　as　he　entered　her；　did　Percy's　face　and　body　flash　before　him　…　a　picture　so　vivid　that　he　thought　he　could　smell　her　scent　on　Cindy。
　was　almost　dawn　when　he　crept　back　to　his　own　room。　　The　house　was　still　silent；　as　though　sleeping　in　preparation　for　action。　　He　ate　some　of　the　food；　threw　the　rest　down　the　lavatory　and　flushed　it　three　times　to　clear　it　away。　　Only　when　that　was　done　did　Bond　lie　down　on　his　own　bed；　still　fully　dressed；　and　drop　into　a　refreshing　sleep。
　At　the　first　noise　he　was　awake；　his　right　hand　going　for　the　ASP。
　It　was　Cindy；　looking　as　though　even　hard…boiled　sweets　would　dissolve　at　the　touch　of　her　tongue。　　She　carried　a　breakfast　tray　and　was　followed　by　Tigerbalm；　who　produced　his　inane　grin；　saying　that　Professor　St。　John…Finnes　wished　to　see　him　at　noon。　　〃That's　midday　sharp；'　he　added。　　〃I'll　e　and　fetch　yer。
　〃Please　do。〃　He　moved　on　the　bed；　but　Cindy　was　already　halfway　out　of　the　door。
　〃Cindy；'　he　called。
　She　did　not　even　look　back。　　〃Have　a　nice　day'　was　flung　sharply　over　her　shoulder。
　Bond　shrugged；　a　little　worried；　and　then　began　to　help　himself　to　black　coffee　and　toast。　　It　was　ten…thirty　by　his　watch。　　By　eleven　forty…five　he　was　showered；　shaved　and　changed；　feeling　better　than　the　day　before；　and　reflecting　that　even　M　could　not　leave　it　much　longer　before　making　a　move　against　Endor。
　At　three　minutes　to　twelve；　Tigerbalm　reappeared。
　They　went　downstairs　to　the　rear　of　the　house；　where　Jay　Autem　Holy　was　waiting　for　him　in　a　small　room　Bond　had　never　seen　before。
　There　was　a　table；　two　chairs　and　a　telephone；　no　pictures；　windows　or　any　other　furnishing。　　The　room　was　lit　by　two　long　neon　strips；　and　Bond　saw　immediately　that　the　chairs　and　table　were　bolted　to　the　floor。　It　was　familiar　ground：　an　interrogation　room。
　〃e　in；　friend　Bond。〃　The　head　came　up　in　a　swooping　movement；　the　green　eyes　piercing；　hostile　as　laser　gun　sights。　　He　told　Tigerbalm　to　leave；　motioning　for　Bond　to　sit　down。　　Holy　wasted　no　time。
　〃The　plan　you　outlined　to　me　…　the　way　to　get　your　eyes　on　the　current　Epoc　frequency　〃Yes。〃
　〃It　is　imperat