johngardner.rollofhonor-第24部分

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　〃Would　the　world　not　be　a　better　and　safer　place　if　the　real　strength　were　removed？〃　he　asked；　making　another　foray　into　the　bleak　Massachusetts　winter　scene。　　〃If　the　stings　were　drawn　from　the　superpowers'　tails？〃
　〃If　it　were　possible；　yes；'　Bond　agreed。　　〃It　would　be　better；　but　I　doubt　safer。　　The　world's　always　been　a　dangerous　place。〃　One　more　turn　and　he　would　have　to　declare　his　presence　in　the　hills。
　Holy　leaned　back；　temporarily　stopping　play。　　〃We're　involved　in　halting　the　race　to　the　holocaust　…　nuclear；　neutron　or　chemical。　　To　you　is　entrusted　the　task　of　getting　that　EPOC　frequency。　　Now；　do　you　yet　have　a　way？〃　As　though　he　did　not　expect　an　answer；　he　played　through　his　turn；　concentrating　on　bringing　men　well　into　the　British　firing　zone。
　〃I　have　the　makings　of　a　plan。　　It　will　require　certain　information　in　advance　〃What　kind　of　information？〃
　〃When　you　need　the　frequency；　I　shall　have　to　know；　a　little　ahead　of　time；　exactly　who　is　the　Duty　Security　Officer；　for　the　night　in　question；　at　the　Foreign　Office。
　〃That　presents　no　problem。　　One　man　does　the　job　for　a　whole　week；　yes？〃
　〃As　a　rule。〃
　〃And　he　is　a　senior　officer？〃　Bond　spread　the　fingers　of　his　right　hand；　making　a　rocking　movement。　　〃Let's　say　middle　management。
　〃But　you　are　likely　to　know　him？〃
　〃That's　why　I　have　to　get　a　name。　　If　you　can't　provide　it；　I　shall　have　to　telephone　〃We　can。
　〃Then；　if　I　know　him；　I　shall　still　have　to　make　a　call。
　If　he　is　unknown　to　me　…　an　unlikely　possibility　…　I'll　have　to　think　again。〃
　〃If　you　know　him？〃
　〃I　have　a　way　of　getting　in。　　I　should　need　an　hour　at　the　most　in　his　pany。〃　Bond　prayed　it　would　work。
　He　had　to　have　some　munication　with　the　outside　world。
　〃I　challenge　you　here。〃　Bond's　finger　hovered　around　the　upper　reaches　of　Breed's　Hill。
　〃But。　　。　　。　　〃　his　opponent　began；　then　realised　the　trap　which　Bond　had　sprung。
　A　few　minutes　later；　as　he　faced　slaughter　on　the　slopes　of　Bunker's　Hill；　having　lost　the　majority　of　his　men　and　arms　on　Dorchester　Heights　and　Breed's　Hill；Jay　Autem　angrily　told　Bond　that　he　would　have　plenty　of　warning。
　〃You'll　know　who　the　officer　is；　that　I　promise　you。〃　He　watched　as　Bond　revealed　two　more　cannon　to　counterattacking　militia　on　the　far　side　of　the　hill。　　〃This　is　the　wrong　way　round；'　he　said；　barely　controlling　his　rage。
　〃And　Bunker's　Hill　shouldn't　happen　until　June。　　It's　hardly　February！〃
　〃And　this　is　the　fiction；'　Bond　said。　　〃The　reality's　history　…　even　though　a　great　deal　of　history　happens　to　be　fiction　too。〃　He　was　quite　pleased　with　his　showing　on　this　simulation；　and　allowed　imagination　to　run　riot。　　The　weather　for　this　series　of　turns　was　heavy　rain；　with　a　cold　blustery　wind　running　up　from　the　sea。　　The　wind　raged　as　men　and　guns　were　locked　on　the　barren　hill；　their　cries　lost　in　the　cold；　while　the　rebels　still　in　Boston　were　at　the　mercy　of　British　guns　from　Dorchester　and　Breed's　Hill。
　Then；　suddenly；　the　storm　broke。　　Jay　Autem　Holy's　chest　seemed　to　swell；　and　his　cheeks　turned　from　red　to　crimson。
　〃You　。　　。　　。　　You　。　　。　　。　　You　。　　。　　。〃　The　voice　rose　to　a　scream。
　〃You've　beaten　me！　　ME！〃　One　huge　hand　swept　the　papers　from　his　playing　area；　then　came　down　in　a　fist。
　〃How　dare　you？　　How　dare　you　even　It　was　an　awesome　rage　as　he　spluttered；　stamping　his　feet；　kicking　the　table。　　Awesome；　and　yet　funny；　as　a　child's　tantrums　are　amusing　yet　distressing。　　He　went　on　spluttering；　blustering；　out　of　control　to　the　extent　that　Bond　thought　he　would　be　physically　attacked。　　The　man　was；　as　he　had　already　thought；　quite　unhinged；　with　a　dangerous；　deep…seated　madness。
　Then；　as　suddenly　as　the　rage　had　begun；　it　stopped。
　There　was　no　dusk；　no　twilight；　for　sanity　appeared　to　return；　and　he　stood；　looking　for　a　brief　moment　like　a　chastened　child。
　〃The　Militia　could　rally　yet。〃　The　voice　was　small；　throaty。　　〃But　we've　played　too　long。　　I　have　other　things　to　do。　　Better　things。
　He　stood；　as　though　winning　or　losing　a　game　were　now　of　little　consequence　to　him。　　When　he　spoke　again；　the　tone　was　pletely　normal；　as　if　nothing　unusual　had　taken　place；　quiet　and　conversational；　making　it　all　the　more　bizarre。
　〃The　object　of　spending　this　time　with　you　was　to　hear　how　your　thoughts　were　shaping　up　…　regarding　your　part　in　the　operation。　　Tell　me；　if　you　happen　to　know　the　man　on　duty；　how　do　you　propose　to　get　the　frequency　from　him？〃　Bond　was　amazed　to　see　from　his　watch　that　it　was　eight　in　the　evening。　　He　began　to　tell　Holy　of　the　method　he　had　prepared。　　When　he　had　finished；　silence　stretched　out　…　the　hush　in　the　aftermath　of　a　battle　fought　with　counters　instead　of　men；　and　on　a　board　and　map　instead　of　ground。　　As　the　seconds　ticked　by；　Bond　thought　perhaps　there　had　been　a　miscalculation。　　Word　perfect；　he　sifted　through　his　mind。　Was　there　any　really　weak　point？　　Anything　that　Jay　Autem　Holy　could　grab　at　to　prove　the　whole　idea　an　insubstantial　fiction　…　which；　certainly；　it　was。
　Then　the　silence　ended；　and　a　laugh　began　to　rise　from　the　tall　man's　throat；　the　head　nodding　in　great　beaky　movements；　as　if　preparing　to　tear　his　prey　apart；　savaging　it　with　that　sharp　bill。
　〃Oh　yes；　James　Bond。　　I　told　them　you　were　the　only　possible　choice。　　If　you　can　pull　that　off　we'll　all　be　happy。〃　He　appeared　to　pull　himself　together；　eyes　darting　around；　as　though　he　had　been　on　the　brink　of　an　indiscretion。
　The　laughter　subsided；　and　Bond　was　aware　of　movement；　noises　off。
　People　were　entering　the　main　laboratory　area。
　〃We　have　been　down　here　too　long；'　Holy　snapped。　　〃I　took　the　trouble　to　ask　Cindy　to　make　up　a　tray　for　you。
　In　your　room。　　I　shall　eat　later。〃　Superman；　thought　Bond。　　He's　telling　me　that　he's　a　survivor。　　Go　without　food　and　drink　for　long　periods。
　〃In　the　desert；'　Bond　said　softly；　〃when　you　were　with　Zwingli　after　you　jumped　from　that　aeroplane　…　did　you　have　to　go　long　without　food　and　drink？〃　The　green　eyes　went　bitterly　cold；　all　sign　of　normal　human　life　ebbing　from　them。
　〃Clever；　Mr。　Bond。　　How　long　have　you　known？〃　Realising　that　he　might　have　overplayed　his　hand；　and　not　certain　why　he　had　done　it；　Bond　said　he　had　not　been　sure；　but　had　suspected　the　truth　from　their　first　meeting。　　〃It　just　happened　that　I'd　read　the　old　file：　they　resurrect　it　from　time　to　time；　you　know。　　I　thought　I　knew　your　face　the　moment　we　met　…　when　I　came　here　with　Freddie。　　During　the　evening；　I　became　more　convinced；　but　still　not　absolutely　certain。　　After　all；　if　you　are　Jay　Autem　Holy；　you've　been　dead　a　long　time。〃
　〃And　what　if　you　had　still　been　on　active　service；　Mr。　Bond？　　Would　you　have　gone　running　to　your　superiors？
　And　why；　incidentally；　is　the　file　resurrected　regularly？〃
　〃You　know　what　the　Colonial　Militia　is　like；'　Bond　tried　to　inject　humour　into　his　voice。　　〃Your　Colonial　Militia。　　They　jump　at　ghosts。
　Spooks。〃　Holy　made　a　growling　noise。　　〃Tamil　was　right。　　It's　a　pity　we　didn't　pull　you　in　sooner。　　His　people　tried；　against　my　advice。　　You　see；　I　did　not　wish　to　deal　with　yet　another　hostage；　another　woman。　You　had　some　woman　with　you；　didn't　you？　　Anyway；　the　job　was　bungled；　you　were　quick　and　cunning。〃　The　tense　atmosphere　changed　yet　again。　　There　were　no　warnings　with　Holy。　　〃Well；　I　have　work　to　do。　　You　stand　by；　James。　　I'm　glad　we　have　you　now。〃　Everyone　was　assembling　in　the　main　laboratory；　all　the　young　bronzed　soldiers　from　Erewhon。　　Bond　saw　that　Zwingli　was　still　in　deep　conversation　with　Tamil　Rahani；　as　though　they　had　not　stopped　since　lunch。
　〃Just　see　Mr。　Bond　up　the　stairs；'　Holy　said　to　Tigerbalm；　giving　Bond　a　small　pat　on　the　shoulder；　as　if　reassuring　himself　that　all　was　well。
　Tigerbalm　went　as　far　as　the　landing；　and　watched　as　Bond　walked　to　his　room。　　He　remembered　being　told　that　Jay　Autem　Holy　was　a　genius　of　sorts。　　Was　it　Percy　who　had　told　him？　　The　man　obviously　lived　in　that　odd　world　of　unreality。　　If　he　said　he　was　dead；　then　that　was　exactly　what　the　world　should　believe。　　Holy　had　been　genuinely　shaken　by　the　idea　that　others　may　not　be　convinced。　　Then　there　was　the　question　of　Percy：　〃You　had　some　woman　with　you；　didn't　you？〃　Well；　everyone　said　that　Holy　would　not　even　recognise　his　own　wife。
　He　opened　the　door；　and　there；　for　the　second　time　since　the　whole　intrigue　had　started；　was　Cindy　Chalmer；　a　hard　puter　disk　clutched　in　one　hand；　a　finger　to　her　lips。　　Bond　closed　the　door。　　〃More　greetings　from　Percy？〃　he　asked　softly。
　
　THE　BALLOON　GAME
　
　〃No；　THIS　ONE　S　on　me。　　She　saw　the　look　in　Bond's　eye；　and　followed　his　gaze；　for　he　had　suddenly　fallen　silent；　moving　quietly　around　the　room；　examining　every　inch。
　Softly　she　spoke　again。　　〃It's　okay；　James。　　They　have　visual　surveillance　and　all　the　military　detection　gear；　but　this　lot　don't　seem　to　have　caught　up　with　the　deadly　little　bug。〃
　〃You　certain？〃　he　mouthed。
　〃Swept　the　place　myself。　　In　my　first　week。　　And　I've　kept　abreast　of　all　the　security　developments　since。　　If　they've　put　any　sound　in；　I'll　turn　back　into　a　virgin。〃　The　cruel　lips　didn't　tilt　into　amusement。　There　was　nothing　to　be　amused　about　now。　　Even　though　he　appeared　satisfied；　throughout　the　time　they　were　together　in　the　room　all　conversation　was　conducted　in　a　low　murmur。　　Foolish；　he　thought；　for　that　would　be　as　audible　as　yelling　should　Cindy　be　proved　wrong。
　〃The　Balloon　Game。〃　She　held　out　the　hard　disk　to　him；　a　small　flat　square；　encased　in　plastic。
　So　she　had　got　it；　the　program　which　would　provide　a　clue　…　no；　more　than　a　clue　…　to　what　SPECTRE　had　proposed　to　Rahani　and　Holy。
　Stored　away　on　the　waler…thin　magnetic　disk　was　the　answer　to　all　Bond's　questions。　　Yet　he　did　not　move　to　take　it　from　her。
　〃Well；　don't　just　stand　there。　　At　least　say　thank　you。
　He　remained　silent；　wishing　to　draw　her　out。　　The　trick　was　as　old　as　the　trade　itself　practised　constantly　by　case　The　Balloon　Game　officers　and　agent　handlers　the　world　over。　　Remain　silent　and　let　them　e　to　you；　tell　you　all　there　is　to　tell。　　Only　then　should　you　try　to　fill　in　the　gaps。
　〃They've　got　four　back…up　copies；'　she　said　at　last；　〃and　I　just　hope　to　heaven　the　Old　Bald　Eagle　doesn't　need　to　run　the　fourth；　because　this　is　it。〃　Bond　remai