johngardner.winloseordie-第39部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


tle　sliding　window　open。　'There's　a　mate　of　mine。　I'd　like　to　give　him　a　message。'
'Be　my　guest。'
　The　taxi　pulled　over　in　front　of　the　pedestrian；　and　the　cabbie　leaned　out　and　called；　'Nobby；　can　you　give　Di　a　message　for　me。　I've　got　to　go　out　to　G'atwick。　I'll　give　her　a　bell　from　there。'
The　man　came　abreast　of　the　cab；　as　though　straining　to　hear　the　driver。　Then；　as　he　reached　the　passenger　door；　he　yanked　it　open；　and　Dan　Woodward　found　himself　staring　into　the　wrong　end　of　a　Heckler　and　Koch　nine　millimetre；　modified　to　take　a　noise　reduction　assembly。
　'One　wrong　move　and　you're　dead。'　the　pedestrian　smiled　and　gol　into　the　cab　next　to　the　startled　Woodward；　and　the　cab　drew　smoothly　away。　By　the　time　they　reached　the　T…junction　which　led　them　onto　Park　Lane；　Woodward　was　unconscious。　He　had　not　even　felt　the　hypo　go　through　his　coat　and　into　his　arm。
　The　cab　headed　towards　Notting　Hill；　where　it　would　need　to　make　a　detour　to　get　onto　the　M25　and　on　to　Gatwick。　In　the　Bayswater　Road　it　turned　right　into　a　cul…de…sac；　and　pulled　up　in　front　of　one　of　those　quiet　little　mews　houses　that　now　cost　an　arm　and　two　legs　in　London。　The　cab　parked　very　close　to　the　door　and　the　driver　and　his　panion　got　out。　A　woman　in　the　uniform　of　a　nurse　was　already　waiting；　the　door　of　the　house　open。　Within　two　minutes　they　had　the　unconscious　Woodward　inside；　the　driver　ing　out　to　get　his　case　and　carry　it　indoors。
They　dumped　the　unconscious　man　on　a　sofa。
　〃He'll　be　out　for　twenty…four　hours。'　the　driver　said　to　the　woman；　as　he　went　through　Woodward's　pockets；　while　his　partner　worked　the　locks　on　the　case。　'We'll　help　you　get　him　into　the　secure　room。　I　need　him　quiet　for　around　four　or　five　days。　Ah　。　。　。'He　removed　a　hunch　of　papers　which　included　a　passport；　and　an　official…looking　batch　of　documents。
　He　sat　down　ai　ihe　foot　of　the　sofa　and　began　going　through　the　papers。　Frowning；　he　got　up；　went　to　the　telephone　and　dialled　the　Gibraltar　code　and　The　Rock　Hotel；　asking　to　be　put　through　to　Mr　Underwood's　room。　'Very　urgent；'　he　said。
　In　Gibraltar；　both　Baradj　and　Hamarik　were　waiting。　'Okay；〃　the　man　in　London　said。　'You'll　need　a　United　States　Diplomatic　Passport。　Is　that　difficult？'
That；　we　can　fix　here。　Just　read　off　ihe　details。'
　The　London　man　then　went　through　the　rest　of　the　information。　'We　have　one　problem。　They're　supposed　to　be　meeting　him　off　ВА4У8　which　gels　in　at　local　13。45。　They　actually　wrote　down　a　contact　procedure；　which　means　they　don't　know　him　al　that　end。'
'Is　there　a　contact　number？'
'Yes/
'Okay。　Give　it　to　me。'
　The　London　man　rattled　off　the　string　of　numbers；　and　Baradj　replied；　'Okay。　Are　the　documents　essential？'
　'Yes。　They're　his　orders；　and　there's　a　paper　he　has　to　show　to　the　guys　meeting　him。'
　'Right。　Use　your　own　passport；　but　check　in　as　Woodward。　They　never　know　the　difference　there。　As　long　as　the　number　of　passports　tallies　with　the　number　of　people：　and　it's　no　offence　to　travel　under　an　alias　…　unless　you're　up　to　something　criminal；　which；　of　course；　you're　not。　You　e　through　into　the　concourse；　it's　small　and　usually　busy。　On　the　right　side；　when　you　e　through　you'll　find　the　Men's　Room。　It's　poky　and　unpleasant；　but　my　man　will　be　wailing。　He'll　have　a　Woodward　passport。　He'll　take　the　papers　and　case　from　you；　e　out　and　run　through　the　contact　procedure。　Now；　Bob；　you　do　it。　Nobody　else。　1　trust　you　to　go　through　all　this。　Now；　you'll　have　to　get　a　move　on。　Go。'
Bond　had　been　correct；　the　girl　who　called　herself　Sarah　Deeley　simply　refused　to　answer　any　questions。　She　sat　in　the　cell；　restrained　by　whal　amounted　lo　a　strait…jacket；　and　looked　Bond　in　the　eyes；　unflinching；　as　he　poured　question　afler　question　at　her。　She　even　smiled　at　him　a　couple　of　times。　After　an　hour　of　this；　he　gave　up。　Best　leave　her　to　the　professionals　when　they　gol　lo　Gibraltar。
　The　Rear…Admiral　was　on　the　bridge　when　he　reported　his　lack　of　success。
'You　people　gol　any　specialists　in　Gib？'　Walmsley　asked。
'Why；　sir？'
　'I've　got　a　Sea　King　going　off　to　Gib　in　twenty　minutes。　It'll　just　make　it　there　and　back；　if　they　juice　her　up　in　Gib。　They're　bringing　in　Morgan's　replacement。'
〃Desperate　Dan？'
　Walmsley　seemed　to　have　lost　any　humour　that　might　have　lurked　behind　his　cold　blue　eyes。　'I　believe　they　call　him　that。　You　gol　anyone　in　Gib？'
　'Let　me　check　it　out　sir。　If　the　answer's　yes；　I'll　see　he's　brought　back。'
'Let　me　know　before　take…off。　You　only　have　twenty　minutes。'
It　took　Bond　fifteen　minutes　to　make　contaci。　Yes；　they　had
an　interrogation　specialist　with　the　unlikely　name；　for　his　skills；　of　Donald　Speaker　who　would　be　delighted　со　have　a　go。
　So　it　was　that　when　Flight　BA498　landed；　slightly　lale；　al　two　o'clock　lhat　afternoon；　the　Sea　King　from　Invincible　was　sitting；　juiced　up。　on　the　helipad　away　from　the　terminal　building。　Its　crew　of　Ihree　were　aboard；　plus　Donald　Speaker；　a　red…bearded；　casually…dressed　little　man　with　the　sharp　look　of　a　bank　inspector　about　him。
　The　Lieutenant　mander　from　Invincible's　Executive　Officer's　staff　waited　in　the　arrivals'　terminal　…　which；　in　Gibraltar；　is　also　the　departure　terminal。　He　did　nol　notice　that　one　passenger　from　BA498　came　through　the　gates；　lugging　his　flight…bag；　and　made　slraight　for　the　Men's　Room：　while　a　few　seconds　later　another　man　came　out。　carrying　the　same　flight…bag；　and　with　his　passport　in　his　left　hand；　held　over　his　breast　pocket。　To　the　Lieutenanl　mander　this　was　simply　＇he　man　for　whom　he　had　been　waiting；　giving　all　the　signals　…bag　in　righl　hand；　passport　in　left　hand；　held　high　just　under　his　breast　pocket　where　his　boarding　card　stuck　out　almost　a　couple　of　inches。
　The　Lieutenant　mander　smiled　and　approached　the　civilian。　'Mr　Woodward？'
　'Yes；　I'm　Dan　Woodward；'　said　Abou　Hamarik。　'Want　to　see　the　ID？'
　'Better　take　a　quick　shufti。　My　name's　Hallam。　by　the　way。'　the　Lieutenant　mander　grinned。　'Your　diplomatic　status　stamp　looks　damned　impressive。　Well；　wele　aboard　Mr　Woodward。'
'Jusi　call　me　Dan。'
　They　crossed　the　metalled　apron；　walking　quickly　towards　the　Sea　King。　As　they　did　so　they　saw　the　stop　lights　e　on；　and　traffic　grind　to　a　halt　on　the　road　that　ran　straight　across　the　runway。　A　Royal　Air　Force　Tornado　came　hurtling　in　with　its　droops　and　spoilers　fully　extended。　Their　ears　sang　but　cleared　by　the　time　they　reached　the　Sea　King。　The　crewman　helped　them　up。　and　Hallam　introduced　him　to　everyone。　Speaker　just　gave　him　a　nod；　as　though　he　did　not　approve　of　Americans　being　given　free　rides　on　Royal　Navy　helicopters。
　'Great；'　Hallam　said；　just　before　the　rotors　began　to　turn。　'We'll　be　back　in　very　good　time　for　Stewards'　Meeting。'
　'What's　Stewards'　Meeting？'　Speaker　asked。　He　had　a　slight；　unidentifiable　acccnl；　and　a　suspicious　nasal　tone　in　his　voice。
　'I'm　sorry；'　Hallam　turned　to　him　with　a　smile。　〃If　you　don't　know　what　it　is；　you're　not　cleared　for　it。　Righl；　Dan？'
　'Most　definitely　right；'　Abou　Hamarik　said。　Soon；　he　though！；　ihe　whole　world　will　know　about　Stewards'　Meeting。　And　there　will　be　things　the　whole　world　will　not　wish　to　know。
　The　Sea　King　rose　from　the　pad；　lowered　its　nose；　turned　away　from　the　Spanish　mainland；　banked　and　set　course　out　to　sea　and　HMS　Invincible。
　
　
　14
　
Stewards'　Meeting
　
'D'you　hear　there！　D'you　hear　there！　This　is　the　Captain。'　Sir　John　Walmsley's　voice　rang　out　through　the　ship's　Tannoy　system；　and。　as　ever；　all　ranks　stopped　what　they　were　doing　and　raised　their　heads　to　listen。
　Invincible　had　slowed　down　to　a　point　where　she　was　hardly　moving　in　the　light　sea。　Outside；　at　22。00　hours；　it　was　black　as　pitch；　but　the　flight…deck　was　fully　lit　and　an　S　and　R　Sea　King　hovered　off　the　port　side。
　'I　want　all　ranks　to　listen　out；　and　listen　carefully。　We　still　have　the　submarine　wolf　pack　with　us。　though　I　am　assured　that　they　will　in　no　way　impede　our　progress　to　Gibraltar。　Regarding　Exercise　Landsea　'89　there　is　a　political　stalemate；　and　talks　between　various　countries　will　restart　tomorrow　morning。　So　far　no　further　incidents　have　been　reported　within　the　boundaries　of　the　European　continent；　though　our　forces　…　Red　Side　…　are　still　known　to　be　operating　behind　enemy　lines。　T