johngardner.rollofhonor-第14部分

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　〃You　think　they're　using　it　now？　　Training　on　it？〃
　〃Positive。〃
　〃If　we　could　get　a　copy。
　〃Not　a　chance。　　Not　yet；　anyway。
　He　fell　silent；　finishing　off　the　job　in　hand。　　Presently　he　rattled　off　a　description　of　RollingJoe　Zwingli。　　〃Ever　see　anyone　like　him　around　Endor？〃　he　asked。
　〃General　Zwingli。　　I　recognise　the　description；　and　the　answer's　no。　　I　had　some　garbled　message　from　Percy　that　he's　alive。〃　She　paused；　adding　that　this　seemed　incredible。
　Bond　pleted　his　tasks　and　returned　the　original　disks　to　Cindy　and　asked　about　the　routine　at　the　house。
　Did　Jason　and　Dazzle　ever　go　out？　　Or　away？　　How　many　security　people　did　they　have　around？
　Yes；　he　went　away　for　a　couple　of　days　about　once　a　month。　　Always　left　and　returned　at　night。　　Never　left　the　house　during　the　day；　never　showed　his　face　in　the　village。　　Cindy　invariably　referred　to　Jay　Autem　as　the　Target；　or　Old　Bald　Eagle。
　〃Very　cagey；　our　Target。　　Dazzle's　out　and　about　a　great　deal　…　in　the　village；　over　to　Oxford；　London；　taking　trips　abroad。　　I　suspect　she's　the　liaison　officer。〃
　〃Where　abroad？〃
　〃Middle　East；　Europe。　　All　over。　　Percy's　got　the　list。　　I　try　to　keep　a　track；　mainly　from　hotel　book　matches　or　flight　labels。　　But　she's　cagey　as　well。　　Gets　rid　of　a　lot　of　stuff　before　she　es　home。〃　As　for　the　household；　there　was　one　Filipino　boy　and　four　security　men。　　〃He　has　six　genuine　sales　reps　who　wouldn't　suspect　a　thing。　　But　they're　on　the　outside。　　The　four　security　men　double　as　reps　and　staff。　　It's　very　good　cover。　　Would　have　had　me　fooled　if　I　hadn't　known　better。　　They're　all　quiet；　efficient　guys　…　two　cars　between　them；　out　and　about　a　lot；　managing　the　telephones；　taking　orders；　distributing　the　genuine　Gunfire　Simulations　packages。　　But　two　of　them　never　leave　the　house。　　They　work　on　the　security　in　a　strict　rota。　　The　electronics　are　highly　sophisticated。　　Breakable；　but　clever。　　I　mean；　you　have　to　know　the　system　to　fiddle　it。
　What's　more；　as　I've　already　told　you；　they　alter　the　codings　for　every　shift。　　You　can　only　get　in　and　out　if　you　know　the　numbers　for　a　particular　six…hour　period。　　Even　then；　the　machines　have　to　know　your　voice…print。〃
　〃Visual？〃　Bond　asked。
　〃Quite　a　lot　…　the　main　gates；　large　areas　of　the　walls；　front　and　rear　of　the　house。　　You　can　only　dodge　the　closed…circuit　stuff　at　the　back；　and　then　only　if　you　know　the　pattern。　　They　change　that　with　the　lock　codings；　so　you　really　do　need　to　know　your　six…hour　period　to　get　in　or　out　without　being　detected。　　An　intruder　wouldn't　last　three　minutes。〃
　〃Ever　had　any？〃
　〃Intruders？　　Only　a　tramp；　and　one　false　alarm　…　at　least　they　presume　it　was　a　false　alarm。〃
　〃Weapons？〃
　〃I　was　around　when　the　false　alarm　was　triggered。　　Yes；　one　of　the　guys　on　duty　had　a　hand　gun。　　So　I've　seen　one。
　There　are　probably　more。　　James；　can　I　get　going？　　I　can't　afford　to　get　caught　with　these　disks　on　me。　　There　are　blanks　in　the　cabinets　。
　〃On　your　way；　Cindy；　and　good　luck。　　I'll　see　you　tonight。　　I'm　ing　for　a　little　tournament　with　our　Target。　　By　the　way；　your　friend　Peter　tipped　me　off　about　Jason's　style　of　play　〃He　doesn't　like　to　lose；'　she　said　with　a　grin。　　〃Almost　pathological；　like　a　child。
　It's　a　matter　of　honour　with　him。〃　Bond　did　not　smile。　　〃And　me；'　he　said　softly。　　〃It's　a　matter　of　honour　with　me。〃　It　was　past　three…thirty　in　the　morning。　　Bond　packed　up　the　equipment　and　took　it　down　to　the　car；　locking　it　away　in　the　boot。　　Back　in　his　room；　he　put　the　cloned　programs　in　a　FloppiPak　disk　mailer；　smiling　wryly　at　the　frightful　nomenclature　of　the　trade。　　He　addressed　the　label　to　himself　at　a　Post　Office　box　number；　then　weighed　the　small；　flat　package　in　his　hand；　making　an　intelligent　guess　as　to　weight。　　He　stuck　on　what　he　estimated　to　be　sufficient　postage　from　a　folder　of　stamps　in　his　briefcase。　　He　would　have　liked　to　deliver　the　package　in　person；　but　he　was　not　going　to　leave　anything　to　chance。
　Sitting　at　the　small　dressing　table；　Bond　next　wrote　a　short　note　to　Freddie　on　hotel　paper。
　Gone　to　Oxford　for　the　morning。　　Didn't　want　to　wake　you；　but　will　be　back　for　lunch。　　How　about　a　return　match　this　afternoon？
　Stripping　off；　he　ran　a　cold　shower　and　stepped　under　it；　holding　his　face　against　the　stinging　needle　spray　and　gasping　at　the　initial　shock。　After　a　minute　or　so；　he　added　some　warm　water；　soaped　himself；　then　rubbed　himself　down；　towelling　his　body　briskly。　　Before　shaving　he　climbed　into　his　underwear；　a　pair　of　black　Ted　Lapidus　cords　and　a　black　cotton　rollneck。　　He　strapped　the　ASP　automatic；　in　its　holster；　so　that　it　lay　hard　against　his　right　hip。　　Last；　he　put　on　a　light　suede　jacket　and　pushed　his　feet　into　the　old　favourite　moccasins。
　It　was　just　getting　light；　the　dark　sky　changing　to　grey　and　then　that　cold…washed　pearl　which　heralds　unsettled　weather。　　With　the　detested　FloppiPak　in　his　briefcase　Bond　went　downstairs；　left　his　key　and　the　note　for　Freddie　at　the　deserted　reception　and　went　out　to　the　car。
　The　Bentley's　engine　growled　into　life　at　the　first　turn　of　the　key；　and　he　allowed　it　to　settle　to　its　normal；　gentle　purr；　fastening　the　seatbelt　and　watching　the　red　warning　lights　flick　off　one　by　one。
　Releasing　the　foot　brake；　he　slid　the　selector　into　Drive　and　let　the　car　roll　forward。　　If　he　took　the　Oxford　road；　turned　on　to　the　ring　road；　and　then　headed　for　the　M40　he　could　be　in　London　in　ninety　minutes。
　It　began　to　rain　as　he　reached　the　big　roundabout　on　the　periphery　of　the　ring　road　and　took　the　dual　carriageway；　heading　towards　London。
　He　was　a　mile　or　so　along　this　stretch　when　the　white　Mercedes　of　the　day　before　appeared　in　his　mirror。
　Bond　cursed　silently；　tightened　his　seatbelt　and　moved　his　foot　smoothly　down　on　the　accelerator。　　The　car　slid　forward；　gathering　power；　the　speedometer　rising　to　100；　then　120　miles　per　hour。
　There　was　little　traffic　as　he　slid　neatly　in　and　out　of　the　stray　cars　and　lorries；　mainly　keeping　to　the　fast　lane。
　The　white　Mercedes　held　back；　but　even　at　speed；　Bond　could　not　throw　it　off　altogether。　　Ahead　the　signs　came　up　for　an　exit。
　Flicking　the　indicator　at　the　last　moment；　he　left　the　dual　carriageway　still　well　in　excess　of　the　100　miles　per　hour　mark；　the　Bentley　responding　to　his　light　control；　holding　the　road　during　the　turn。　　The　Mercedes　seemed　to　have　disappeared。　　He　hoped　that　the　driver　had　not　been　able　to　reduce　speed　in　time　to　get　off　the　main　highway。
　Ahead　the　road　narrowed；　fir　trees　shadowing　either　side。　　A　lumbering　heavy　transporter　grumbled　along　at　fifty　behind　a　petrol　tanker。　　The　Bentley's　speed　dropped。　　As　he　rounded　the　next　bend；　Bond　caught　a　flash　of　headlights；　blinking　on　and　off　from　a　lay…by。
　The　next　time　he　looked　there　was　another　Mercedes　hooking　itself　on　to　his　tail。
　They　had　radio　contact；　he　thought；　and　probably　five　or　six　cars　covering　him。　　Taking　the　next　left　turn；　he　picked　up　the　telephone　and；　without　allowing　his　eyes　to　leave　the　road；　punched　out　the　numbers　that　would　raise　the　Duty　Officer　at　the　Regent's　Park　Headquarters　on　a　scrambled　radio　line。
　The　road　narrowed。　　The　second　Mercedes　was　still　there　when　he　negotiated　the　next　turn　just　as　the　Duty　Officer　answered。
　〃Gamesman　flash　for　Dungeonmaster。〃　Bond　spoke　rapidly。　　〃Am　being　followed；　south　of　Oxford。　　Important　package　for　Dungeonmaster。　　Will　attempt　mail。
　Addressed　myself。　　The　Programmer　is　definitely　involved　all　illegal　actions　as　thought。　　Investigate　Balloon　Game。　　Speak　to　the　Goddess。〃
　〃Understood；'　the　Duty　Officer　said；　and　the　line　was　closed。
　As　he　took　the　next　bend；　Bond　saw　a　village　ing　up　and　realised　he　had　outdistanced　the　Mercedes。　　He　pumped　the　footbrake；　slowing　the　Bentley　dramatically；　looking　ahead　and　to　the　left。　　The　car　was　almost　out　of　the　village　before　he　spotted　the　wele　brilliant　red　of　a　post　box。　　The　Bentley　slid　to　a　halt　beside　it；　and　Bond　had　his　seatbelt　off　before　the　car　had　stopped　rolling。
　It　took　less　than　twenty　seconds　to　slip　the　package　into　the　box　and　return　to　the　driving　seat。　　He　did　not　rebuckle　the　belt　until　the　Bentley　was　already　gathering　speed　and　the　Mercedes　had　appeared　again　in　his　driving　mirror。　　He　passed　an　electric　milk　float　doing　the　early　rounds；　then　he　was　once　more　in　open　country。　　As　he　reached　a　wooded　stretch；　Bond　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　picnic　area　sign；　then　saw　two　other　cars　emerge　from　the　trees；　their　bonnets　ing　together　to　form　a　V；　blocking　his　path。
　〃They're　playing　for　keeps；'　he　muttered；　ramming　the　footbrake；　and　hauling　on　the　wheel　with　his　left　arm。
　As　the　Bentley　began　to　slew；　broadside　on；　he　was　conscious　of　the　white　Mercedes　close　behind　him。
　The　speedometer　was　touching　sixty　as　the　Bentley　left　the　road；　plunging　in　among　the　trees。　　Bond　desperately　guided　the　big　car　past　the　trunks；　over　bracken；　zigzagging　wildly　and　trying　to　negotiate　a　path　that　would　bring　him　back　to　the　road。
　The　first　bullet　made　a　grating；　gouging　sound　on　the　root；　and　Bond　could　think　only　of　the　damage　it　would　do　to　the　coach　work。　　The　second　hit　his　rear　offside　tyre；　sending　over　5000　lb　of　custom…built　motor　car　side　on　into　a　tangle　of　bushes。
　Slammed　against　the　seatbelt；　Bond　reached　simultaneously　for　the　automatic　pistol　and　the　electric　window　button。
　
　
　THE　ASP　9mm　is　a　small；　very　lethal　weapon。　　Essentially　a　scaled…down　version　of　the　Smith　&　Weston　Model　39；　it　has　been　in　use　with　United　States　Intelligence　Agencies　for　over　a　decade。　　With　a　recoil　no　greater　than　a　Walther　22；　it　has　the　look　of　a　target　automatic　rather　than　the　deadly　customised　hand　gun　it　really　is。
　Armaments　Systems　and　Procedures；　the　organisation　which　carried　out　the　conversion；　produced　the　weapon　to　exacting　specifications：　ease　of　concealment；　a　minimum　eight…round　capacity；　reliability；　an　ammunition　indicator　using　Lexon　see…through　butt　grips；　and　an　acceptance　of　all　known　9mm　ammunition。
　The　rounds　in　Bond's　magazine　were　particularly　unpleasant　Glaser　Safety　Slugs。　　A　Glaser　is　a　prefragmented　bullet　that　contains　several　hundred　No。　　12　shot　suspended　in　liquid　Teflon。　　The　velocity　of　these　slugs；　fired　from　the　ASP；　is　over　1700