johngardner.rollofhonor-第30部分

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in　motion　the　destruction　of　all　arming　codes；　and　the　disarming　of　all　nuclear　weapons；　strategic　and　tactical。
　〃It's　been　reckoned　that　the　process　would　take　around　twenty…four　hours　in　the　U。S。A。　　I　should　imagine　it　would　be　a　little　longer　in　the　Soviet　Union。　　Just　as　there's　always　been　a　Doomsday　Machine；　we've　had　a　Swords　to　Ploughshare　Machine　for　the　last　three　decades。〃　M　pursed　his　lips　and　waited　for　this　to　sink　in　before　continuing。
　〃It's　there　in　case　of　some　catastrophe；　like　a　67　percent　paralysis　of　the　armed　forces　by　nerve　gas；　or　a　genuine　stalemate。　　Of　course　it's　always　been　hoped　that　if　the　Ploughshare　option　were　taken；　it　would　be　by　mutual　understanding。　　But　it's　there。　　And　it's　just　as　potentially　dangerous　as　blowing　two　great　nations　to　pieces；　because　using　it　would　be　the　easiest　way　to　destabilise　the　two　superpowers；　by　removing　their　nuclear　balance　at　a　stroke。　　Do　that；　and　the　stage　is　set　for　real　revolution；　economic　disaster　and　chaos。〃　Bond　was　right。　　Let　him　be　supplied　with　the　EPOC　frequency；　and　a　homing　device；　one　or　two　of　the　Armourer's　more　fancy　pieces　of　equipment；　and　a　good　surveillance　team。　〃You　can　then　go　back　from　whence　you　came；　007。　　Somewhere　along　the　way；　they'll　pick　you　up；　and　we'll　track　you　…　safe　enough　if　the　team　stays　well　back。〃　Without　further　ado　the　meeting　broke　up　and　they　took　Bond　off　into　a　side　room；　where　Major　Boothroyd　wired　three　homing　devices　into　his　clothes；　and　one　for　luck　into　the　heel　of　his　right　shoe。　　The　Armourer　then　handed　Bond　a　couple　of　small　weapons；　and　they　gave　him　five　minutes　with　Percy。
　She　clung　to　him；　kissed　him　and　told　him　to　take　care。
　There　would　be　time　enough　once　this　was　over；　Bond　said；　there　was　no　doubt　about　it；　and　the　haymaking　season　would　last　all　summer。
　Percy　smiled　the　knowing　smile　women　the　world　over　smile　when　they've　got　what　they　really　want。
　Back　in　the　conference　room；　they　gave　him　the　EPOC　frequency　that　had　e　into　effect　at　midnight。　　It　was　now　one　in　the　morning；　and　Bill　Tanner　gave　the　final　hasty　briefing。
　〃We've　already　got　your　homers　on　two　scanners'　he　said。　　〃Don't　worry；　James；　they've　a　range　of　almost　ten　miles。　　The　car　behind　will　stay　only　a　mile　or　so　away。
　The　one　riding　point　is　already　on　his　way。　　We　know　the　route；　so　as　soon　as　you　go　astray；　we'll　be　in　action。　　One　S。A。S。　　team　standing　by。　　They'll　be　anywhere　you　want　in　a　matter　of　minutes；　in　a　straight　line；　as　the　chopper　flies。　　Good　luck。〃　Even　the　centre　of　London　was　beginning　to　slow　down。　　Bond　had　the　Bentley　on　the　Hammersmith　Flyover；　heading　towards　the　M4；　in　less　than　twelve　minutes。　　They　had　calculated　that　Holy　and　Rahani　wouldn't　try　anything　until　he　was　well　off　the　motorway。
　It　happened　just　after　the　Heathrow　Airport　turnoff。
　First；　a　pair　of　cars；　travelling　very　fast；　forced　the　Bentley　to　give　up　the　outside　lane。　　Bond　cursed　them　for　a　couple　of　fools　and　pulled　into　the　middle　lane。　　Before　he　realised　what　was　happening　the　two　cars　reduced　speed；　riding　beside　him；　keeping　him　in　the　centre；　while　two　heavy　goods　lorries　came　up　in　the　slow　lane。
　Bond　increased　speed；　trying　to　slip　away　in　the　centre　lane；　but　both　cars　and　lorries　were　well　tuned；　and；　too　late；　he　realised　the　way　ahead　was　blocked　by　a　big；　slow…moving　refrigerated　truck。
　He　braked　and　saw　incredulously　the　rear　doors　open　and　a　ramp　slide　out；　its　end　riding　on　buffered　wheels；　fishtailing　to　the　road　surface；　the　whole　contraption　being　driven　with　great　precision。
　The　cars　to　the　right　and　lorries　on　the　left　crowded　him；　like　sheep　dogs　working　together　until　he　had　no　option　left。　　With　a　slight　jerk；　the　Bentley's　front　wheels　touched　the　ramp。　　With　the　steering　wheel　bucking　in　his　hands；　Bond　gave　the　engine　a　tweak　and　glided　into　the　great　white　moving　garage。
　The　doors　clanged　shut　behind　him。　　Lights　came　on；　and　the　door　was　opened。　　Simon　stood　beside　the　car；　an　Uzi　tucked　under　one　arm。
　〃Well　done；　James。　　Sorry　we　couldn't　give　you　any　warning。　　Now；　there's　not　much　time。　　Out　of　those　clothes。　　We've　brought　the　rest　of　your　gear。　　Everything　of　it；　shoes　as　well；　just　in　case　they　smelled　a　rat　and　bugged　you。
　Hands　grasped　at　his　clothing；　tearing　it　from　him；　handing　over　other　things　…　socks；　underwear；　grey　slacks；　white　shirt；　tie；　blazer；　and　soft　leather　moccasins。
　When　he　turned　round；　Simon　was　behind　him；　now　dressed　in　a　chauffeur's　uniform；　and　the　van　seemed　to　be　slowing　down　and　taking　one　of　the　exits。　　The　ASP　was　handed　back　to　him　…　a　sign　of　good　faith？　　He　wondered　if　it　was　loaded。
　The　team　had　worked　with　such　speed　and　proficiency　that　Bond　hardly　had　time　to　take　in　what　was　going　on。
　As　the　truck　shuddered　to　a　halt；　Simon　opened　the　Bentley's　rear　door；　half　pushing　Bond　into　the　back；　and　in　a　second　the　truck's　doors　were　again　open；　and　they　were　reversing　out。　　Simon　was　in　the　driving　seat。
　〃Well　done；　James。　　You　got　the　frequency；　I　presume？〃　Jay　Autem　Holy　said　from　beside　him。
　〃Yes。〃　His　voice　sounded　numb。
　〃I　knew　it。　　Good。　　Give　it　to　me　now。
　Bond　parroted　the　figures；　and　the　decimal　point。
　〃Where　are　we　going？〃　Holy　repeated　the　frequency；　asking　Bond　for　confirmation。　　By　now　they　were　moving　smoothly　back　on　to　the　motorway。
　〃Where　are　we　going；　James？　　Don't　worry。　　We're　going　to　live　through　an　important　moment　in　history。
　First；　Heathrow　Airport。　　All　the　formalities　have　been　taken　care　of。　As　we're　just　a　little　late；　we're　cleared　to　drive　straight　up　to　our　private　jet。　　We're　going　to　Switzerland。　　Be　there　in　a　couple　of　hours。　　Then　we　have　another　short　journey。　　Then　yet　another　kind　of　flight。　　I　shall　explain　it　all　later。　　You　see；　yesterday　morning；　long　before　you　woke　for　breakfast；　while　it　was　still　dark；　the　team　from　Erewhon　carried　out　a　very　successful　raid。　　They　stole　a　small　landing　strip　and　an　airship。　　In　the　morning；　James；　we're　all　going　for　an　airship　ride。
　To　change　history。
　A　mile　or　so　back　down　the　road；　the　observer　in　the　trail　car　had　noted　that　their　target　seemed　to　pull　off　the　motorway　for　a　few　minutes。　〃We're　closing　on　him。
　Can't　make　it　out。　　You　want　me　to　call　in？〃
　〃Give　it　a　couple　of　minutes。〃　The　driver　shifted　in　his　seat。
　〃Ah。　　No。〃　The　observer　stared　at　the　moving　blip　which　was　Bond's　homer。　　〃No；　it's　okay。　　Looks　as　though　they　were　right。　　He's　still　heading　west。　　Lay　you　odds　on　them　picking　him　up　between　Oxford　and　Banbury。〃　But　the　Bentley　had；　in　fact；just　passed　them；　going　in　the　opposite　direction；　hurling　itself　back　towards　Heathrow　and　a　waiting　executive　jet。
　
　THE　MAGIC　CARPET
　
　THE　EXECUTIVE　JET　had　Goodyear　symbols　all　over　it　a　smart　livery；　with　the　words　Good　Year　flanking　the　winged　sandal。　　It　also　had　a　British　registration。
　Bond　resisted　the　temptation　to　make　a　run　for　it；　try　to　attract　attention；　or　cause　a　motion。　　The　realisation　that　he　was　outnumbered；　outgunned　and　at　an　extreme　disadvantage　held　him　back。
　Whoever　had　laid　out　the　ground　plan　of　this　operation；　Holy；　Rahani；　or　the　inner　council　of　SPECTRE　itself；　had　done　so　with　admirable　attention　to　detail。　　For　all　he　knew；　the　whole　gang　on　board　could　have　a　genuine　affiliation　to　Goodyear。　　In　any　case；　he　did　not　even　know　whether　the　ASP　was　loaded。　　So　far　there　was　at　least　a　small　amount　of　trust　between　him　and　the　main　protagonists。
　Exploit　that　trust　to　the　full；　he　told　himself；　and　just　go　along　for　the　ride。
　After　takeoff　an　attractive　girl　served　drinks　and　coffee。　　Bond　took　the　coffee；　not　wishing　to　dull　any　of　his　senses。　　He　then　excused　himself　and　went　to　the　pocketsized　lavatory　at　the　rear　of　the　aircraft。
　The　ever…watchful　Simon　sat　near　the　door；　eyeing　him　with　wary　amusement。　　But　there　was　no　attempt　at　restraint。
　Inside　he　took　out　the　ASP　and　slipped　the　magazine　from　the　butt。
　It　was；　as　he　had　thought；　empty。
　Whatever　else　happened；　ammunition　or　another　weapon　was　a　priority。
　Back　in　his　seat；　Bond　took　stock。　　The　takeover　of　the　Goodyear　base；　together　with　the　airship　Europa；　had　already　taken　place　hours　before　Bill　Tanner　had　checked。　　True；　the　Swiss　police　were　now　alerted；　but　they　would　only　make　SPECTRE'　S　task　easier　by　keeping　out　any　unwanted　meddlers。　　The　only　possibility　of　the　Service　suspecting　anything　amiss　would　be　the　discovery　that　the　surveillance　cars　had　lost　him　…　but　heaven　knew　when　they　would　find　out。　　These　people　had　taken　no　chances。　　By　stripping　him；　they　had　effectively　cut　off　any　possible　pursuit。　　The　surveillance　teams　could　be　led　a　pretty　dance；　all　over　the　country；　following　the　constant　bleeps　of　the　homers　ing　from　a　pile　of　clothes　in　a　lorry　or　car。
　Not　for　the　first　time　in　his　career；　Bond　was　truly　alone；　with　no　way　of　warning　anyone　in　authority。　　On　the　face　of　it；　there　was　very　little　he　could　do　to　stop　the　airship's　scheduled　flight　over　Geneva；　or　prevent　use　of　the　Russian　and　American　ciphers。　　Even　the　high　security　classification　of　these　ciphers　would　work　against　them。
　If　M　was　correct　and　the　SPECTRE　plan　turned　on　the　operation　of　the　American　Ploughshare　cipher　or　its　Russian　equivalent；　there　would　be　no　worldwide　alert　while　Russian　and　American　leaders　were　locked　in　their　Summit　talks。　　The　damage　would　already　have　been　done　before　they　knew　there　was　a　crisis。
　Sitting　next　to　Jay　Autem　Holy；　he　reflected　on　the　ingenuity　of　the　plan；　which　would　denude　the　two　superpowers　of　their　one　true　weapon　in　the　power　balance。　　It　was；　of　course；　what　many　people　had　dreamed　of；　protested　for；　talked　and　argued　about　for　years。　　M　had　stressed　this　at　the　meeting　in　the　house　off　Northumberland　Avenue。
　He　was　convinced　that　a　〃phased　run…down　of　both　sides'　nuclear　armouries　was　a　reasonable　solution。　　For　the　two　superpowers　to　be　stripped　overnight　of　their　major　weapons　would　destroy　the　tenuous　stability　that　had　prevailed　since　the　Second　World　War。　　Operation　Down　Escalator　was；　Bond　thought；　an　appropriate　name；　borrowing　from　that　clumsy　term；　dc…escalation；　bandied　about　by　politicians　and　protesters　alike。
　He　dozed；　not　asleep；　but　conserving　his　energ