johngardner.winloseordie-第6部分

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　〃How　am　I　supposed　to　get　around；　sir？'　he　had　asked。
　'Oh；　take　something　upmarket　from　the　car　pool　…　they've　a　nice　litlle　BMW　520i。　in　an　unobtrusive　dark…blue；　free　al　（he　moment。　Use　that　as　your　runabout　until　you　set　sail　for　distant　shores。'　M。　Bond　would　have　sworn；　was　humming　'Drake's　Drum〃　as　he　left　the　office。
　So　it　was　that　the　dark…blue　BMW　pulled　up　in　front　of　the　officers'　Wrennery；　as　the　women's　quarters　were　known；　twenty　minutes　later。　To　Bond's　surprise　she　was　there；　waiting　outside　wearing　a　fetching　trench…coat　over　civilian　clothes。　The　coat　was　tightly　belted；　showing　off　the　neal　waist　and　adding　a　touch　of　sensuality。　She　slid　into　the　passenger　sea！　nexl　to　him。　her　skirt　riding　up　to　expose　around　four　inches　of　thigh。　As　Bond　swung　the　car　out　through　the　Wrennery　gates　he　noticed　lhat　she　did　not　even　bother　to　adjust　the　coat　and　skirt　as　she　pulled　on　the　obligatory　seat…belt。
　'So　where're　we　going。　Captain　Bond？'　（Did　he　imagine　the　throatiness　of　her　voice；　or　had　it　always　been　there？）
　'Little　puh　I　know。　Good　food。　The　owner's　wife　is　French　and　they　do　a　very　passable　boeuf　Beauceronne。　almost　like　the　real　thing。　Off　duty；　the　name's　James；　by　the　way。〃
　He　heard　the　smile　hi　her　voice。　'You　have　a　choice　…　James。　My　nickname's　〃Irish　Penny　〃。so　most　of　the　girls　call　me　Penny。　I　prefer　my　real　name。　Clover。'　'Clover　it　is。　then。　Nice　name。　Unusual。'　'My　father　always　used　to　say　（hat　mother　was　frightened　by　a　bull　in　a　clover　field　when　she　was　carrying　me。　but　I　prefer　the　more　romantic　version。'　'Which　was'。〃'
　Again；　the　smile　in　her　voice；　〃That　I　was　conceived　in　a　patch　of　clover…and　my　father　a　respectable　clergyman　at　that。'
　'Still　a　nice　name；'　Bond　paused　to　negotiate　a　long　bend。　'Only　heard　it　once　before；　and　。she　was　married　to　someone　very　big　in　intelligence　matters。'　The　reference　to　Mrs　Allan　Dulles　was　a　calculated　e…on：　almost　a　code　to　attract　Clover　into　the　light　in　case　they　were　both　in　the　same　business。　M　had　said　there　would　be　other　officers　around；　on　this　deep　cover　assignment。　But　Clover　Pennington　did　not　rise　to　the　bait。
　'Is　it　true　about　this　afternoon；　James？'
　'Is　what　true？〃
　'That　someone　tried　to　put　a　Sidewinder　up　your　six。'
　'Felt　that　way。　How　did　you　e　to　hear　about　it？　The　incident's　supposed　to　be　low…profile。'
　'Oh；　didn't　you　know？　I'm　in　charge　of　the　girls　who　maintain　the　Harriers。'　On　most　stone　frigates；　as　shore　stations　are　called　by　the　Royal　Navy；　maintenance　and　arming　was。　to　a　large　extent；　performed　by　Wrens。　'Bernie　…　Wings　lhat　is　…　passed　me　a　curt　little　memo。　He　writes　memos　rather　as　he　speaks；　words　of　one　syllabic；　especially　to　the　Wrens。　1　always　imagine　he　regards　us　as　having　very　limited　vocabularies。　We're　checking　on　all　your　aircraft's　electronics；　just　to　be　sure　you　weren't　getting　some　odd　feedback。'
　'It　was　a　missile。　Clover。　I've　been　at　the　receiving　end　of　those　bloody　things　before　today。　I　know　what　they　sound　like。'*1
　'We　have　to　check。　You　know　what　the　mander　（Air）　is　like：　always　accusing　us　of　infesting　his　precious　Harriers　with　Wrenlins。'　She　laughed。　Throaty　and　infectious。　Bond　thought；　something　he　would　not　really　mind　catching　himself。
　'Wrenlins；'　he　repeated　half　aloud。　He　had　almost　forgotten　that　old　Fleet　Air…Arm　slang；　culled　and　altered　from　the　RAF's　〃gremlins〃。　Today's　young　people；　he　presumed；　would　take　for　granted　that　gremlins　were　creatures　conjured　from　Spielberg's　brain　for　a　popular；　if　zany；　movie。
　Fifteen　minutes　later；　they　were　sitting　at　a　table　in　the　quiet；　neat　restaurant　ordering　the　pate　and　the　boeuf　Beauceronne　…that　delightful　and　simple　dish　of　rump　steak　cooked　with　bacon；　potatoes　and　onions。　Within　an　hour　they　were　talking　like　old　friends；　and。　indeed　knew　people　in　mon；　for　it　turned　out　that；　while　Clover's　father　had　been　what　she　called　'a　humble　man　of　the　cloth'；　his　elder　brother　was　Sir　Arthur　Penninglon；　Sixth　Baronet　and　master　of　Pennington　Nab；　a　stately　home　which　Bond　had　enjoyed；　in　more　ways　than　one。　'Oh；　you'll　know　my　cousins。　Emma　and　Jane；　then？'　Clover　asked；　looking　up　sharply。
　'Intimately；'　Bond　replied　flatly；　and　with　a　pletely　straight　face。
　Clover　let　it　pass　and　they　discussed　everything　from　the　Hunt　Balls　at　Pennington　Nab；　to　life　in　the　Royal　Navy；　taking　in；　on　the　way；　jazz　…　〃My　bro〃。　Julian；　introduced　me　to　trad　jazz　when　he　was　up　at　Cambridge　and　I've　been　an　addict　ever　since'　…　fishing　in　the　Caribbean；　a　favourite　tor　both　of　them：　skiing；　and。　finally；　the　novels　of　Eric　Ambler　and　Graham　Greene…
　'I　feef　I've　known　you　for　a　lifetime；　James；'　she　said　as　they　drove　slowly　back　towards　the　RNAS；
　It　was。　Bond　thought；　a　somewhat　trite　remark；　but　possibly　one　of　invitation。　He　pulled　the　BMW　into　a　lay…by　and　cut　the　engine。
　〃The　feeling's　mutual。　Clover；　my　dear。'　He　reached　for　her　in　the　darkness　and　she　responded　to　his　first　rough　kiss；　though　pulled　away　when　he　began　to　move　in　closer。
　'No。　James。　No；　not　yet。　It　might　bee　difficult；　particularly　as　we're　going　to　be　shipmates。'
　'What　d'you　mean；　shipmates？'　Bond　nuzzled　her　hair。
　'Invincible；　of　course。〃
　'What　about　Invincibte　？〃　He　gently　backed　off。
　'Well；　we're　both　being　drafted　there　for　Landsea　'89；　aren't　we？'
　'First　I've　heard　of　it。'　Bond's　voice　remained　steady；　while　a　snake　of　worry　began　to　curl　around　his　stomach。　'First　I've　heard　of　Wrens　going　to　sea　as　well　…　particularly　during　an　exercise　like　Landsea　'89。'
　'Well；　it's　all　over　the　place。　In　fact　I've　been　told　officially。　Fifteen　of　us。　Me；　and　fourteen　ratings　…　apart　from　the　other　ladies　who'll　be　on　board。'
　'And　what　about　me？'　Deep　within　him。　Bond　was　more　than　concerned　now。　If　it　was　mon　knowledge　that　he　was　being　drafted　to　Invincible　it　would　not　take　much　intelligence　for　the　unscrupulous　to　put　two　and　two　together；　particularly　if　they　had　got　hold　of　the　information　that　three　senior　Admirals；　including　the　C…in…C　of　the　Russian　Navy；　were　going　to　be　aboard。　His　mind　jumped　back　to　the　near…miss　that　afternoon；　and　he　wondered　if　somebody　was　already　trying　to　take　evasive　action　and　cut　him　out　of　the　baby…sitting　business。
　Clover　continued　to　talk；　saying　that　she　wouldn't　have　said　anything　if　she　did　not　already　know　he　was　involved。　'Of　course　it's　classified。'　she　sounded　a　shade　defensive。　'But　security's　for　those　without　need…to…know；　surely。'
　'And　I　have　need…to…know？'
　'Your　name's　on　the　list。　James。　Of　course　you　have　clearance。'
　'And　these　other　women。　Who　are　they？'
　'We　haven't　been　told。　All　I　know　is　that　there　are　to　be　other　women。'
　'Okay；　from　the　top；　you　tell　me　all　you　know。　Clover。'
　Bond　listened；　and　became　more　concerned。　Concerned　enough　to　make　a　very　secure　call　for　a　crash　meeting　with　M　during　the　ing　weekend。
　Ч　shouldn't　go　blabbing　about　this　to　all　and　sundry。　Clover。'　he　admonished。　'Not　even　good　to　lalk　to　me　about　it。'　he　told　her　when　they　got　back　to　the　Wrcnnery。
　'Well；　kiss　me　goodnight；　at　least；　James；'　she　pouted。
　He　smiled　and　gave　her　a　peck　on　the　cheek。　'Not　just　yet；'　he　said　solemnly。　'Especially　if　we're　going　to　be　shipmates。'
　Though　he　laughed　as　he　drove　away；　the　entire　events　of　the　day　were　more　than　worrying。　Bond　made　his　crash　call　to　M　from　a　telephone　box　a　mile　up　the　road；　off　the　Base。　The　Duty　Officer；　using　a　scrambler；　arranged　the　meeting　for　Sunday。
　
　5
　A　Sunday　in　the　Country
　
　The　search　for　the　Spanish　pilot；　Felipe　Pantano；　and　his　missing　Sea　Harrier　had　been　called　off　ai　dusk；　hut　would　he　resumed　in　the　morning。　Yet。　long　before　the　S　and　R　helicopter　teams　had　clatlered　out　to　look　for　wreckage　and；　possibly；　a　signal…emitting　life　raft。　Captain　Pantano　was　sitting　fortably　in　the　captain's　eabin　of　a　small　freighter；　two　hundred　miles　off　the　coast　of　his　own　country；　Spain。
　The　freighter　was　registered　in　Oporto。　Portugal。　Indeed。　Oporto；　the　harbour　city　famous　for　thai　most　clubbable　of　wines；　was　where　she　was　headed；　and　she　sported　the　name　Estado　Novo　on　bows　and　stern。　Low　in　the　water；　the　Estado　Novu　obviously　carried　a　heavy　cargo　in　her　hold　and　a　large　container　secured　for'ard　taking　up　the　bulk　of　her　deck　space。　On　the　ship's　manifest；　（he　container　showed　as　engineering　equipment　destined　for　Gibraltar；　from　a　well…known　British　firm；　and　would　not　be　subject　to　any　customs　scrutiny　in　Oporto　where　they　would　only　stop　for　twenty…four　hours　to　refuel。
　Sitting　opposite　Pantano　in　the　cabin　was　not　the　captain　but　Abou　Hamarik。　the　strategist　of　BAST；　who　sat　smiling　and　nodding　as　the　swarthy　little　pilot　told　of　how　well　the　plan　had　gone。
　Tm　sure　nobody　noticed　that　I　had　gone　off　the　plot；'　Pantano　spoke　in　rapid　Spanish；　'and　your　people　were　waiting　right　on　time。　It　took　less　than　five　minutes。'　He　had　taken　off　as　number　two　in　the　quartet　of　Harriers；　climbed　to　the　correct　height　and　had　been　careful　to　continue　on　the　obligatory　course。　The　operation　had　been　set　up　only　ten　days　before；　even　though　there　was　already　a　plan　to　filch　the　Harrier：　in　fact　that　was　originally　the　reason　for　Pantano　being　sent　on　the　course。　For　weeks；　through　their　carefully　planted　penetration　agents　within　the　Spanish　Navy；　BAST　had　forced　Pantano　onto　the　Harrier　course　with　the　elegant　expertise　of　a　theatrical　magician　making　a　member　of　the　audience　take　the　Ace　of　Spades　from　a　clean　deck　of　cards。　The　unscheduled　addition；　to　destroy　Captain　Bond；　had　only　been　slipped　into　place　when　another　of　their　agents　had　confirmed　what　thai　officer's　role　was　to　be　during　the　all…important　Landsea　'X9　exercise。
　Just　north　of　Shrewsbury；　over　a　densely　wooded　area；　Pantano　had　literally　dropped　his　Harrier　from　the　sky；　using　the　vectored　thrust　of　his　engine　and　ing　down　vertically　like　an　express　lift。　No　pilot　would　have　faulted　his　skill；　for　the　Harrier　had　dropped　at　the　exact；　planned　point；　into　a　small　clearing　of　trees。　Pantano　had　only　to　make　minor　adjustments　…　moving　forward　and　sideways　…　to　slow　down　and　gently　bring　the　Harrier　to　rest　in　the　clearing。　There　was　a　Land　Rover　parked　nearhy。　and　four　men　waiting　for　him。　As　Pantano　had　already