johngardner.winloseordie-第42部分

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e　girls　would　still　listen　out。　and　remain　very　alert；　for　had　he　not　（old　the　Americans；　Russians；　and　British；　that；　should　he　be　double…crossed；　or　if　anyone　showed　themselves　near　to　him；　he　would　have　Bush；　Gorbachev　and　Thatcher　exterminated　with　exceptionally　extreme　prejudice　immediately。
　He　stood　on　the　chill　balcony；　repeating　the　tiny　signal。　Scratch…Scralch…Scratch…Scratc。h　again　and　again。　They　would　have　it　by　now；　so　he　went　back　inside；　closed　the　balcony　windows；　pulled　the　curtains；　destroyed　the　Scratch　tape；　and　put　the　little　transceiver　into　its　imitation…leather　case；　then　made　certain　（he　other　two　tapes　were　there；　ready　for　use。
　He　placed　the　machine　back　on　his　bedside　table；　then　changed　his　mind；　opened　it　all　up　again　and　inserted　the　Desecrate　tape；　just　to　be　on　the　safe　side。　If　they　did　double…cross　him；　make　an　attempt　on　his　life；　try　to　arrest　him　on　the　way　to　the　airport；　or　e　thundering　down　on　him　with　jets　as　he　picked　up　（he　money；　he　would　at　least　have　time　to　press　the　button。　This　was　a　very　high　quality　machine；　and；　if　anything　went　wrong　…　even　though　the　thought　was　remote　…　he　would　be　able　to　see　things　through　to　the　end。
　But　how　could　anything　go　wrong？　They　had　agreed。　These　people　did　not　normally　agree；　but；　in　these　special　circumstances；　it　was　the　only　thing　they　could　do　…　give　in　lo　his　demands。　He　lay　down　on　the　bed；　but　only　dozed；　waking　again　at　six　in　such　a　state　of　elation　that　he　might　as　well　have　been　high　on　some　drug。
　He　calmed　down；　drifting　into　a　light　sleep；　waking　again　at　seven…thirty。　Outside；　the　sun　was　shining。　An　omen；　he　thought。
　Baradj　rang　down　for　breakfast；　which　came　within　twenty　minutes。　He　ale　heartily：　grapefruit　juice；　toast；　bread　rolls；　preserves　and　coffee。　Then　he　showered；　towelled　himself　off　and　looked　at　himself　in　trie　mirror；　turning　this　way　and　that　to　admire　his　physique。　He　was　not　a　vain　man；　nor　a　stupid　man。　Far　from　it。　But　he　had　e　a　long　way；　and　part　of　his　success　had　been　to　keep　fit。　He　might　lack　a　six…foot　stature；　but　his　muscle　tone；　and　high　degree　of　fitness　made　up　for　that。　Nobody　could　deny　that　Bassam　Baradj　…　who。　by　tonight。　would　have　the　name　and　identity　of　someone　else　…　was　very　fit　for　his　age。
　He　sat；　naked；　он　the　bed　and　put　a　call　through　to　Switzerland。　At　the　clinic；　high　in　the　mountains　above　Zurich；　they　confirmed　his　booking。　Even　the　timing　had　been　immaculate。　He　began　to　dress；　thinking　he　had　been　foolish　and　paranoid　yesterday。
　Yesterday；　when　he　had　gone　out　for　his　walk；　he　thought　they　were　watching　him。　There　was　a　man　in　the　foyer　who　followed　him　a　little　way；　then　another；　different　man　appeared　behind　him。　When　he　got　back　to　the　hotel　there　had　been　a　woman；　who　seemed　to　be　observing　him　with　almost　nonchalant　care。　Or　had　he　imagined　it？
　He　dressed；　the　light…weight　beige　suit　made　for　him　in　Savile　Row：　the　cream　shirt；　from　Jermyn　Street；　and　the　gold　cufflinks　he　had　bought　in　Asprey's；　the　British　Royal　Marine　tie。　He　laughed　as　he　knotted　the　tie。　This　was　the　supreme　two…fingered　gesture。
Last；　he　took　the　soft　pigskin　shoulder…holster　out　of　the　drawer；　and　strapped　it　on；　adjusting　it　so　that　it　lay　fortably　just　under　his　left　arm。　He　put　on　his　jacket　and　picked　up　the　9mm　Beretta　93A。　slammed　a　magazine　into　the　butt　and　worked　the　slide　mechanism。　He　did　not　leave　it　on　safety。　Baradj　had　more　than　a　passing　acquaintance　with　pistols　and　he　knew　that；　as　long　as　you　were　safe；　careful　and　practised　often；　there　was　no　point　in　putting　the　weapon　on　safety。　A　man　could　lose　precious　seconds　by　using　the　safety　catch。　He　was　wrong；　of　course；　according　to　the　manuals　and　instructors；　but　he　always　played　things　his　way。
　The　Beretta　was　fortable　under　his　shoulder；　and　he　hummed　a　phrase　from　'My　Way〃　as　he　slipped　three　spare　magazines　into　the　specially　built　pockets　in　the　jacket。　He　picked　up　his　wallet　and　credit…card　folder；　dumping　them　in　the　pockets　he　always　used　for　them；　then　slung　the　transceiver's　thin　strap　over　one　shoulder；　and　his　camera　over　the　other。　He　was　ready。　The　maid　could　keep　the　pyjamas；　and　there　was　nothing　to　incriminate　him。　Another　pigskin　shaving…bag　would　cost　him　a　great　deal　less　than　the　hotel　bill；　so　why　pay　the　hotel　bill？
　It　was　hard　to　believe　this　was　February。　The　sun　shone　and　the　sky　was　blue。　A　faint　brce/。e　stirred　the　flowers。　But　all　was　well　with　the　world；　and　he　had　spotted　no　familiar　figures　in　the　hotel　foyer。　It　must　have　been　his　imagination。　So。　he　could　walk。　Walking　was　good。　and。　in　the　end。　faster　than　facing　the　crammed　Gibraltar　traffic。
　He　started　away　from　the　hotel；　with　the　sheer　rock　face　on　his　right。　Bassam　Baradj　was　less　than　three　minutes　into　his　stride　when　the　hair　at　the　nape　of　his　neck　began　to　prickle。　There　were　steady　footsteps　behind　him。　Not　just　the　footsteps　of　idle　tourists；　but　official　footsteps。
　He　glanced　over　his　shoulder　and　saw　them：　a　man　and　a　woman　in　jeans　about　ten　paces　from　him。　The　man　wore　a　leather　bomber…jacket；　the　woman　had　a　short　canvas　jacket。　Then　he　made　eye　contact　with　the　man。　it　was　a　face　he　knew。　A　face　from　the　files。　He　had　ordered　this　man　dead　on　at　least　three　occasions。　The　man　was　James　Bond。
Bond　saw　that　Baradj　had　made　him　so　he　acted　quickly；　his　hand　going　for　the　Browning　behind　his　right　hip；　covered　by　the　bomber…jacket；　his　legs　moving　apart　to　take　up　the　shooting　stance。　But　he　was　not　quick　enough。　By　the　time　the　pistol　was　out；　Baradj　had　leaped　up　the　low　rock　face　and　clambered　out　of　sight。
　If　I　am　to　lake　this　man。　Baradj　thought；　then　I　shall　do　it　on　my　own　terms。
　Back　on　the　narrow　road；　Beatrice　also　had　a　pistol　out　and　was　speaking　rapidly　into　a　walkie…talkie；　calling　up　the　police　and　SAS　reserves。　Bond　had　insisted　on　going　in　alone。　'I　want　to　bring　this　guy　back　alive；'　he　had　said。
　'Careful；　James！'　Beatrice　called　as　he　jumped　from　the　road　into　the　rocks。　Boulders　like　sculpture；　huge　and　rough；　were　strewn　everywhere　up　the　slope；　bui　he　could　see　no　sign　of　Baradj。
　Beatrice　joined　him　and　they　fanned　out；　watching　each　other's　backs。　In　this　terrain　it　would　be　relatively　simple　for　Baradj　to　outflank　them　and　take　a　shot　from　behind。　But；　when　the　shot　came；　it　was　from　high　up。　and　nothing　thumped　or　ricocheted　near　either　Bond　or　Beatrice。
　Still　spread　out；　they　moved　forward　until　they　came　to　a　wide…arched　opening；　like　a　man…made　cave　in　the　face　of　the　rock。　It　had　been　barred　by　a　large　iron　gate；　fastened　with　a　padlock。　The　padlock　had　been　shot　away；　and　one　of　the　gates　was　half　open。
　'The　tunnels！1　Beatrice　whispered；　and　Bond　nodded；　'Yes；　the　tunnels；　and　we　have　no　idea　how　well　he　knows　them。'
〃What　about　you？'
　Bond　shook　his　head；　whispering；　Tve　only　ever　been　in　the　galleries　open　to　the　public。　But。　where　he　goes　we'll　have　to　follow。'
　The　phrase　'As　Solid　as　the　Rock　of　Gibraltar'　is　a　misnomer；　for　the　great　Rock　is；　in　reality；　like　a　huge；　giant　ants'　nest　of　tunnels。　All　of　them　were　military　in　nature；　and　the　public　were　allowed　to　see　the　first　Irue　feats　of　engineering　…　the　Upper　and　Middle　Galleries；　built　under　the　instruction　of　Sergeant　Major　Ince　of　the　Sappers　in　the　178（》s。　These　faced　Spain；　were　installed　with　cannon；　and　were　largely　responsible　for　holding　the　Rock　during　the　Great　Siege。　Bul　thai　was　far　from　the　end　of　the　story。　Later　tunnelling　played　a　key　role　during　World　War　Two。　and　sections　of　the　tunnels　were　still　very　much　in　use　now。　Unless　you　knew　the　way；　you　could　get　lost　very　easily　inside　the　Rock　of　Gibraltar。
　Bond　and　Beatrice　edged　their　way　in。　trying　not　to　allow　their　bodies　to　be　highlighted　against　the　exterior。
　Inside；　the　lights；　drilled　into　the　ceiling；　were　on；　and　they　found　themselves　in　a　high；　curved　vault；　big　enough　to　take　a　Ihree…lane　highway。
　They　spread　out。　one　taking　each　side　of　the　rough…chiselled　wall；　their　eyes　straining　ahead　for　any　sign　of　movement。　There　was　none；　and　＇he　lights　seemed　lo　go　on　lor　ever。
　They　stopped　beside　two　curved　nissen　huts；　built　into　a　cavern　carved　from　the　rock…face。　Bul　they　were　locked　and　empty；　so　they　continued；　moving　slowly；　very　aware　of　the　fact　that；　should　Baradj　find　a　hiding…place　…　some　dug…out　in　the　rock　…　he　could　pick　them　off　as　easy　as　shooting　fish　in　a　barrel。
　The　lunnel　branched　off；　and　within　a　hundred　yards　Bond　and　Beatrice　found　themselves　in　the　remains　of　what　had　once　been　a　field　hospital。　Parts　of　tiled　operating　theatres　remained；　the　sluices　and　lavatories　were　intact。　Bul　ihe　hospilal　led　nowhere　and。　in　minutes；　they　were　back　in　the　wide　main　route。
　Bond　remembered　now。　that　these　tunnels　were　once　full　of　men。　tanks；　lorries；　field　guns；　and　jeeps。　Indeed；　they　had　been　used　as　one　of　the　main　staging　posts　for　Operation　Torch。　the　allied　invasion　of　French　North　Africa　in　1942。　the　force　manded　by　Eisenhower。　way　back　when　he　was　still　only　a　Lieutenant…Genera＇。　There　were　many　ghosts　in　this　dank　and　cold　place；　and　Bond　could　feel　them　all　closing　in　on　him　now　as　water　dripped　from　the　roof　of　this　incredible　stone　highway。
　'Over　here。〃　Beairice　whispered；　and　he　saw　that　there　was　another　lunnel　leading　off；　only　large　enough　to　drive　a　jeep　into；　and　possibly　reverse　out　again。　They　stopped；　listened　and　wem　down　the　branch　lunnel。　The　far　end　was　blanked　off　by　a　high　metal　wall；　into　which　a　door　had　been　set。　Bond　tried　the　door　and　it　swung　open　easily。　Beatrice　covered　him　while　he　leaped　inside　and　was　mel　by　such　an　incredible　sight　that　he　almost　forgot　to　follow　the　routine。　He　heard　Beatrice　gasp　as　she　passed　through　the　door；　then　the　shot；　echoing　through　this　incredible　place；　and　the　bullet　shattering　only　inches　from　Beatrice。　They　both　dived　for　cover；　and　there　was　plenty　of　that。
They　appeared　to　be　in　natural　light；　on　what　could　have　been　a　large　film　set；　only　the　place　as　it　appeared　was　so　real　it　would　be　easy　lo　imagine　you　were　dreaming。　There　were　streets；　houses；　shops；　even　a　church　in　the　distance。
　It　took　Bond　a　few　moments　to　realise　what　it　was。　for　he　had　heard　of　this　place；　though　never　seen　it　before。　Graffiti　was　daub