johngardner.rollofhonor-第9章

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　〃Doors！〃　Bond　shouted；　slamming　his　hand　against　his　door　lock　control；　knowing　his　warning　was　more　of　a　precaution　than　anything　else；　for　the　central　locking　system　should　be　in　operation。　　At　least　three　of　the　men　now　approaching　the　Bentley　appeared　to　be　armed　with　axes。
　Bond　realised　as　he　reached　for　the　hidden　pistol　partment　catch　that　his　action　was　only　a　reflex。　　If　he　operated　the　electric　window　to　use　the　weapon；　they　would　have　a　route　in。　　In　fact；　they　could　get　in　anyway；　for　even　a　car　built　like　his　would　eventually　collapse　under　efficiently　wielded　axes。
　The　Bentley　Mulsanne　Turbo　is　a　little　over　six　and　a　half　feet　wide。　Bond's　was　not　quite　at　right　angles　across　the　road。　　The　Citroen　behind；　he　judged；　was　within　a　foot　of　his　rear　bumper；　but　the　Bentley's　weight　would　pensate　for　that。　　Ahead；　the　car　with　its　hazard　lights　blinking　was　a　couple　of　inches　from　his　door；　the　lorry　some　three　inches　from　the　bonnet。　　Directly　in　front；　eight　feet　or　so　away；　the　roadside　reached　up　a　sloping　rock　face。　　The　Bentley's　engine　had　not　stalled　and　still　gave　out　its　low　grumble。
　Holding　his　foot　hard　on　the　brake　pedal；　Bond　adjusted　the　wheel　and；　as　one　of　the　assailants　came　abreast　of　his　window；　placing　himself　between　the　Mulsanne　and　the　parked　car；　raising　both　hands　to　bring　down　the　axe；　Bond　slid　the　gear　lever　into　reverse；　and　lifted　his　foot　smartly　off　the　brake。
　The　Bentley　slid　backwards；　fast。　　There　was　a　judder　as　they　hit　the　Citroen；　and　a　yelp　of　pain　from　the　man　about　to　try　and　force　entry　with　his　axe。　　Thrown　to　one　side；　he　had　been　crushed　between　the　Bentley　and　the　parked　car。
　With　a　quick　movement　of　his　right　hand；　Bond　now　slid　the　automatic　gear　into　drive。　　He　had；　maybe；　an　extra　six　inches　to　play　with。　　His　foot　bore　gently　down　on　the　accelerator。　　The　car　eased　forward。　　The　screaming　attacker　on　their　right　was　once　again　crushed　as　the　Bentley　straightened　up；　then　gathered　speed　and　headed　for　the　small　gap。
　The　steering　on　the　Mulsanne　Turbo　is　so　light　and　accurate　that　Bond　did　not　have　to　wrench　at　the　wheel。
　Using　a　very　light　touch　of　his　fingers；　he　eased　the　Bentley　into　the　narrow　gap　between　lorry　and　car。　　More　control　to　the　left。
　Straight。　　Hard　left。　　A　fraction　to　the　right。　　Then　his　foot　went　down；　and　they　were　hurtling　forward；　passing　the　front　of　the　car；　but　with　less　than　an　inch　to　spare　between　the　lorry　on　the　left　and　the　rock　face　to　the　right。
　Quite　suddenly；　they　were　through；　back　on　the　empty　road　downhill　into　Monaco。
　〃Hoods？〃　He　could　feel　Percy　quivering　beside　him　though　her　voice　betrayed　no　sign　of　fear。
　〃You　mean　our　kind？〃　She　nodded；　her　mouth　forming　a　small　〃Yes。〃
　〃Don't　think　so。　　Looked　like　a　team　out　to　take　our　money；　and　anything　else　they　could　grab。　　There's　always　been　plenty　of　that　along　this　coast。　In　the　north　of　England　they　have　a　saying：　where　there's　muck　there's　brass。　　You　can　change　that　to　where　there's　money　there's　lice。
　Bond　knew　he　was　lying。　　It　was　just　possible　that　the　axe　men　were　a　group　of　gangsters。　　But　the　set…up　had　been　deadly　in　its　professionalism　and　sophistication。　　He　would　report　it　as　soon　as　he　could　get　a　safe　line　to　London。　　He　told　Percy　that　he　would　do　just　that。
　〃So　shall　I。〃　They　said　nothing　more　until　they　got　to　her　room。
　After　that；　neither　of　them　would　ever　be　able　to　say　what　started　it。
　〃The'y　were　pros；'　she　said。
　〃Yes。
　〃I　don't　like　it；　James。　　I'm　pretty　experienced；　but　I　can　still　get　frightened。〃　She　moved　closer　to　him；　and　in　a　second　his　arms　were　around　her。　　Their　lips　met　as　though　each　was　trying　to　breathe　fresh　energy　into　the　other。　　Her　mouth　slid　away　from　him　and　her　cheek　lay　alongside　his　neck　as　she　clung　on；　whispering　his　name。
　So　they　became　lovers；　their　needs　and　feelings　erupting；　adding　urgency　to　every　moment　of　the　day　and　night。　　With　this　new　mental　and　physical　intermingling　came　a　fresh　anxiety；　so　that　they　worked　harder　than　ever　towards　the　final　goal　of　preparing　Bond　to　meet　Percy's　former　husband。
　By　the　start　of　the　third　week；　as　he　was　really　beginning　to　master　the　intricacies　of　micro　programs；　Percy　suddenly　called　a　halt。
　〃I'm　going　to　show　you　the　kind　of　thing　that　Jay　Autem　could　well　be　writing　now；'　she　announced；　switching　off　the　Terror　Twelve　and　removing　the　normal　disk　drives　which　Bond　had　just　been　using。
　In　their　place　she　fitted　a　large；　hard…disk　laser　drive　and；　powering　up　the　system；　booted　a　program　into　the　puter　…　〃booting'　being　the　technical　term　for　placing　a　program　in　the　puter's　memory。
　If　Bond　had　found　the　puter　TEWT　fascinating；　it　was　as　child's　play　to　the　program　he　was　about　to　witness。　　What　appeared　on　the　screen　now　was　not　the　standard　puter　graphics　he　had　bee　used　to；　even　in　their　highest　form；　but　genuine　pictures；　real　and　in　natural　colour　and　texture；　like　a　controllable　movie。
　〃Video；'　Percy　explained。　　〃A　camera　interfaced　with　a　hard　laser　puter　disk。　　Now　watch。
　She　manipulated　the　joystick；　and　it　was　as　though　they　were　driving　along　a　city　street　in　heavy　traffic。
　Certainly　the　human　forms　she　produced　were　less　realistic　than　the　background　against　which　she　made　them　move；　run；　fight　and　take　action。　But　there　was　a　new　and　almost　frightening　conviction　about　this　presentation。　　It　was　more　a　simulation　than　a　game。
　〃I　call　it　Bank　Robbery；'　she　said；　and　there　was　no　doubt　about　its　effectiveness。　　By　the　clever　juxtaposition　of　real　film　and　graphics　you　could　play　at　robbing　a　real　bank；　dealing　with　every　possible　emergency　that　might　arise。　　Bond　was　more　than　impressed。
　〃When　I've　taught　you　how　to　process　and　copy　Jay　Autem's　work；　you'll　have　the　Terror　Twelve　and　three　types　of　drive　to　take　with　you；　James。　Don't　say　I　havn't　provided　you　with　all　the　essential　creature　forts。〃　Until　later　that　evening；　Bond　applied　himself　to　the　work；　but　remained　introspective；　his　mind　hovering　between　the　tasks　on　hand　and　the　appalling　potential　for　evil　of　the　tool　that　Jay　Autem　Holy　…　or　indeed　anyone　with　the　necessary　knowledge　…　had　at　his　disposal。
　It　should　have　been　obvious；　of　course。　　If　there　were　programs　to　assist　the　military　in　learning　strategy　and　tactics；　there　had　to　be　the　potential　there　for　unscrupulous　people　to　learn　the　best　way　to　rob；　cheat　and　even　kill。
　〃And　you　really　believe　training　programs；　like　the　one　you　showed　me　today；　are　being　used　by　criminals？〃　he　asked　much　later；　when　they　were　in　bed。
　〃I'd　be　very　surprised　if　they　weren't。〃　Percy's　face　was　grave。
　〃Just　as　I'd　be　amazed　if　Jay　Autem　were　not　training　criminals；　or　even　terrorists；　in　his　nice　Oxfordshire　house。〃　She　gave　a　humourless　little　laugh。　　〃I　doubt　if　it's　called　Endor　by　accident。
　The　Holy　Terror　has　a　dark　sense　of　humour。〃　Bond　knew　that　she　was　almost　certainly　right。　　Every　two　days　he　received　a　report　from　England；　via　Bill　Tanner：　a　digest　of　the　information　ing　from　the　surveillance　team　that　had　been　set　up　with　exceptional　discretion；　officers　being　changed　every　forty…eight　hours；　in　the　village　of　Nun's　Cross。　　He　asked　Percy　what　she　thought　had　actually　happened　on　the　night　Dr　Holy　went　missing。
　〃Well；　he　certainly　didn't　go　by　himself。　　Dear　old　Rolling　Joe　Zwingli　must　have　gone　with　him；　and　that　guy　was　as　mad　as　a　hatter。
　They　had　a　file　as　long　as　your　arm　on　him　at　Langley。〃
　〃Dealt　with　the　poor　pilot；　then　jumped；　I　suppose？〃　Bond　was　almost　speaking　to　himself。　　Percy　nodded；　then　shrugged。　　〃And　did　away　with　Zwingli　when　it　suited　him。〃　During　the　final　days　of　study；　Bond　mastered　the　art　of　copying　all　types　of　program　protected　by　every　method　Percy　knew　to　be　used　by　Dr　Holy。　　They　saved　the　last　two　days　for　themselves。
　〃You're　an　enchantress；'　Bond　told　Percy。　　〃I　know　of　nobody　else　who　could　have　taught　me　so　much　in　such　a　short　time。〃
　〃You've　given　me　a　few　wrinkles　as　well；　and　I　don't　mean　on　my　face。〃　She　put　her　head　back　on　the　pillow。
　〃e　on；　James；　darling；　one　more　time；　as　the　jazz　men　say；　then　we'll　have　a　fabulous　dinner　and　you　can　really　show　me　how　to　play　those　tables　in　the　Salles　Privees。