johngardner.winloseordie-第40部分

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ute。　The　sink…rate　was　being　faster；　and　Bond　knew　there　was　only　one　thing　left。　He　would　have　to　punch　out。　and　pray　that　the　shells　from　the　other　Harrier　had　not　damaged　the　Martin　Baker　ejector　seat。
　He　wrestled　with　the　stick　and　rudder　bar。　desperately　trying　to　get　the　aircraft　closer　to　the　coast　before　getting　out。　The　voice　in　his　head　started　to　repeat　the　procedure　and　what　was　supposed　to　happen。
　The　Martin　Baker　was　a　Type　9A　Mark　2　and　the　firing　handle　was　between　his　legs；　at　the　Front　of　the　seat　pan。　One　pull　and。　provided　everything　worked；　the　canopy　would　blow　and　the　seat　would　begin　its　journey　upwards　at　minimum　velocity；　before　the　rocket…assist　tired　and　shot　the　pilot；　restrained　in　his　seat；　well　clear　of　the　aircraft。
　The　forting　words　of　some　instructor　at　Yeovitton　came　back　to　him。　'The　seat　will　save　you　even　at　zero　height；　and　with　a　very　high　sink　rate。'
　Well；　he　had　a　very　high　sink　rate　now。　down　to　about　1。000　feet　and　at　least　seven　miles　from　the　coast。　The　Harrier　wallowed；　down　to　around　800　feet。　His　port　wing　dropped　alarmingly；　and　he　realised　that　he　was　at　the　point　of　stalling。　Almost　at　that　moment　he　caught　the　glint　of　helicopter　blades；　and　realised　it　was　now　or　never。　Yet。　in　the　few　seconds　before　reaching　down　to　the　ejector　handle。　Bond　pushed　the　port　rudder　hard；　in　an　attempt　to　swing　the　aircraft　away　from　the　coast。　He　did　not　want　this　melal　brick；　still　carrying　dangerous　weaponry；　to　plough　into　the　land。　The　nose　swung　wildly；　then　dropped。
　He　knew　the　nose　would　never　e　up　again；　and　he　felt　the　lurch　forward　as　the　Harrier　began　what　could　only　be　a　death　dive。
Bond　pulled　on　the　ejector　lever。
　For　what　seemed　to　be　an　eternity　nothing　happened；　then　he　felt　the　slight　kick　in　his　backside；　saw　the　canopy　leap　upwards。　The　air　was　like　a　solid　wall　as　the　rocket　shot　him　clear　of　the　falling；　crippled　Harrier。　There　was　a　thump　and　the　sudden　slight　jar　as　the　parachute　opened　and　he　was　swinging　safe　and　free　below　the　canopy。
　Below　to　his　left　he　saw　the　white　churning　water　which　marked　the　spot　where　the　Harrier　had　gone　in。　Then　he　heard　die　forting　sound　of　the　US　rescue　chopper　nearby。
　He　was　now　separated　from　the　seal；　and　seemed　to　be　dropping　faster　towards　the　sea；　which　came　up　and　exploded　around　him。　The　buoyancy　gear　inflated　and　brought　him　to　the　surface　as　he　twisted　and　banged　down　on　（he　quick　release　lock　which　freed　him　from　any　parachute　drag。
The　helicopter　plucked　him　out　of　the　sea　five　minutes　later。
It　was　early　evening　and　the　weather　had　picked　up；　the　sun　red。　throwing　long　shadows　across　USNB　Rota。
　Bond　sat　in　a　small　room；　with　a　US　Marine　Corps　Major；　a　Royal　Marine　Special　Boat　Squadron　Major。　mander　Mike　Carter　and　Beat　rice。　On　the　table　in　frontof　them　lay　a　plete　set　of　plans；　showing　the　layout　of　Invincible。
　An　hour　before；　he　had　received　a　plete　briefing；　on　a　secure　line　from　London。　BAST　had　given　them　until　dawn；　around　six　in　the　morning。　Then　they　would　kill　the　first　of　the　VIP　hostages。　They　knew　the　message　had　been　relayed　to　London　from　Bassam　Baradj　in　his　suite　at　The　Rock　Hotel；　Gibraltar。
　Varied　options　had　been　put　forward。　The　Rock　Hotel　was　well…covered。　They　had　members　of　the　SAS　and　local　plain…clothes　men。　plus　one　senior　Secret　Intelligence　Service　man；　watching　out　in　case　Baradj　made　a　move。　At　first　it　had　been　thought　they　should　make　a　full　frontal　and　pull　Baradj。　for　they　knew　he　had　a　helicopter　and　pilot　standing　by　at　the　airport。　Nobody　had　attempted　to　alert　Baradj　or　his　pilot；　and　the　final　consensus　of　opinion　was　that　trying　to　take　Baradj　alive　was　dangerous。
　'Remove　their　leader　and　those　women　will　almost　certainly　kill。'　That　was　M's　personal　view；　and　one　shared　by　Bond。
　Baradj　had　given　them　a　latitude　and　longitude；　a　precise　point　at　sea　where　the　money　had　to　be　dropped　and　marked。　If　anyone　approached　him　during　or　after　the　pick…up　…　which　was　to　be　by　helicopter；　all　three　hostages　would　be　killed。
　'Whatever　else。'　Bond　had　said；　'he's　thought　out　the　operation；　and　we　just　cannot　risk　taking　the　fellow　on　the　Rock。　If　we　couldn't　gel　him　alive；　it　would　be　curtains　for　Mrs　T。　Gorby　and　President　Bush/
　It　had　now　been　agreed　that　a　rescue　attempt　had　to　be　made　long　before　anyone　tried　to　gel　hold　of　Baradj。　'We　can　con　Baradj　that　we're　meeting　the　deadline；　let　him　relax；　then　make　a　bid　to　get　the　hostages　off/　Bond's　was　the　last　word。　The　Ministry　of　Defence。　SIS。　the　Pentagon　and　Ihe　Kremlin　had　agreed　to　a　last…ditch　rescue　attempt。　The　local　forces　had　also　agreed　that　the　planning　and　logistics　should　be　left　to　Bond。　'Has　anyone　figured　out　how　Baradj　is　municating　with　InvincibleT　he　asked。
　'He　isn't。'　Mike　Carter　had　said。　'I　suspect　he'll　flash　them　a　code　word。　A　one　time　break　in　silence。　Probably　on　a　short　wave　from　Gib。　It'll　mean　either　they're　to　stand　by　because　we've　agreed；　or　kill；　because　we've　not　agreed。　Then　there's　the　other　one　…　kill；　we've　double…crossed　him。'
　'All　we　can　do　is　listen　out/　Bond's　jaw　had　set；　and　his　eyes　turned　to　that　dangerous　stone…like　look　as　he　tried　to　gauge　how　many　things　could　go　wrong。
Now。　in　the　low　hut　on　the　USNB　Rota；　he　was　going　through　possible　strategy　and　tactics。　'It　has　to　be　a　small　force/　He　looked　around　the　room。　'I　took　out　one　of　these　harpies；　which　leaves　them　with　fourteen…fifteen　if　the　wretched　man　Speaker　is　active；　sixteen　if　Baradj's　side…kick；　Hamarik。　is　able　to　function；　which　1　very　much　doubt。　The　situation　will　almost　certainly　be　that　their　tame　psycho；　the　woman　posing　as　Leading　Wren　Deeley；　will　he　locked　in　with　Ihe　hostages　…　or。　at　least；　close　to　them；　with　orders　to　start　killing　on　a　given　signal。　So；　our　first　job　will　be　to　get　down　here/　His　ringer　moved　to　the　Briefing　Room　one　deck　down　from　the　main　deck。　This　we　must　do　without　being　detected　if　possible/　Then　he　gave　a　worried　sigh。　'I　want　you　all　to　realise　that　I'm　really　only　guessing。　That　Briefing　Room　is　the　place　where　they　were　having　the　conference　meetings。　I'd　stake　money　on　the　three　of　ihem　being　kept　in　（here；　possibly　wiih　a　guard　on　the　bulkhead　door。　But　it's　stilt　only　a　guess。　If　I'm　wrong　and　they're　being　held　somewhere　else；　then　it'll　go　wrong　and　I'll　lake　the　blame。'
　'But　you　believe　that's　our　main　target？〃　the　SBS　Major　nodded。
　'Yes。　We　have　to　take　the　risk。　The　quickest　way　down　is　through　the　Flight　Crew　Room　which　is　here。'　He　pointed　to　the　bulkhead　door　he　had　used　to　get　to　the　Harrier。　It　seemed　days　ago　now；　not　just　a　handful　of　hours。
　'So。　before　we　decide　on　tactics；　how　many　people　do　you　think　we　need？'　The　SBS　Major　was　putting　on　a　little　pressure；　and　Bond　knew　il。　Behind　the　dedication　of　elite　forces；　there　was　always　a　desire　to　be　in　at　the　kill；　to　take　credit。　They　were　really　in　the　hands　of　the　United　States　Navy；　so　Bond　had　to　make　a　very　careful　choice。　He　also　had　to　make　it　with　confidence　and　speed。
　They're　fourteen；　maybe　fifteen。　I　don't　think　we　have　to　go　by　the　odds。'　He　locked　eyes；　first；　with　the　US　Marines　Major　and　then　with　the　Royal　Marines　Major　from　the　Special　Boat　Squadron。　Ч　lead。　We　draw　up　the　main　plan　together。　I　want　five　of　your　Marines；　Major；　and　five　SBS；　Major；〃　turning　to　each　man　as　he　spoke。　They　both　nodded　solemnly。　〃As　for　weapons；　well；　there's　likely　to　be　killing　…　regretful；　but　I　see　no　other　way　…　and　I　think　some　of　that　killing's　got　to　be　silent。　Have　we　any　hand…guns　with　silencers？'
　It　was　Mike　Carter　who　answered。　'We　can　provide　Brownings　and　H　&　Ks　with　modified　noise　reduction　units。'
　'Right；'　Bond　nodded。　'Everyone　will　carry　either　a　Browning　or　an　H　&　K。　I　want　one　man　from　each　unit　to　be　armed　with　a　sub…machine…gun。　Any　H　&　К　MP5s。　Mike？'
'MP5s；　5Ks；　Uzis；　you　name　it；　we　got　it。'
　〃K…Bar　knives　for　the　US　Marines；　usual　Sykes…Fairbaim　for　SBS。　Flash…bangs？'　he　asked　Carter；　meaning　stun　grenades。
'Whatever　you　need。'
　'Two　each；　and　some　tear…gas　grenades。　We'll　go　in　with　masks　on。　Now；　the　actual　tactics；　and　here　we're　going　to　have　to　guess　a　lot。　We　have　to　ask　where　we　would　put　people　on　that　ship　to　keep　watch。　I　know　the　girl　in　charge；　and　she's　no　fool。　But　she'll　probably　act　predictably。'
'Then　she'll　let　some　of　the　girls　rest　for　pan　of　the　time；'　the
SBS　officer　ssu'd。
　'Maybe。　They'll　be　highly　stressed；　whatever；　and；　therefore；　more　dangerous。　I'd　say　she'd　only　let　three　of　the　girls　rest　at　one　time。　That　gives　her　eleven　…　twelve　with　Mr　Speaker；　and　1　really　don't　know　how　good　he'll　be　in　a　tangle。'
　'She'll　stay　on　duty　all　the　time？'　the　US　Marine　Corps　officer　asked。
　Bond　nodded；　with　a　smile；　'Clover　is　probably　able　to　keep　going　without　sleep　for　another　forty…eight　hours。　So；　if　you　were　her；　where　would　you　put　your　troops？〃
　They　talked　it　out　carefully；　using　logic；　then　going　back　and　looking　at　it　in　the　most　perverse　manner。　In　the　end；　they　decided　that　Bond　had　been　right　about　the　psycho　being　with　the　VIPs；　plus　a　guard　outside。　They　put　two　more　on　the　main　deck；　one　patrolling　for'ard　and　one　aft。　Two　on　the　bridge；　probably　armed　with　sub…machine…guns；　and　two；　similarly　armed；　in　Flight　Operations。　This　way　they　would　have　the　whole　main　deck　covered；　fore　and　aft。
　There　were　a　total　of　five　panionways　leading　down　from　the　island　to　the　first　deck；　where　they　thought　the　VIPs　were　being　held。　'One　at　the　foot　of　each　panionway？'　Bond　asked。
　'Either　at　the　foot　or　nearby。'　the　SBS　officer　agreed。　The　USMC　Major　nodded。
　'We　can　probably　pinpoint　what　kind　of　defence　they've　got　on　the　main　deck；　even；　possibly　in　the　island　and　down　on　the　first　level。'　They　all　looked　up　as　Mike　Carter　suddenly　revealed　this　information。
　Bond　saw　it　at　once。　The　base；　he　suspected；　was　now　used　for　major　intelligence　gathering：　the　electronics　and　the　massive　golf…balls　had　told　him　that。　'You　can　scan　the　ship　for　us？'
　'We　can　try。'　Carter　tapped　a　pencil　against　the　table。　'We've　got　several　nice　four…fanned　P36s　here　stuffed　full　of　the　latest　reconnaissance　hardware。　We　can　do　a　recce　about　an　hour　before　you　go　in。　They　can　see　through　any　thing…and　it's　going　to　be　dark　t