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g earth…shattering。
What was it that Rahani had said … 〃A unique and plete change in the course of world events'？ The dream of revolutionaries： to change history； to crush the status quo； to alter it in order to build a new society。
Well； Bond thought； it had been done before； but only within countries： Russia was the prime example； though Hitler's rise in Germany had been a revolution as well。
The problem with revolutions was that the ideal usually fell short because of human frailty。 M often expounded such theories。
Rahani had told him that he； Bond； or somebody like him； would be essential to whatever was about to take place。 They needed someone with the skills； the contacts and the knowledge of an experienced Secret Intelligence field officer。 What part of those skills； or what special knowledge was required？
He was still pondering on these things when somebody knocked at the door and a key turned in the lock。
Cindy Chalmer looked bright and crisp。 She wore a laboratory coat over jeans and shirt； and was carrying a large tray。
〃Breakfast； Mr。 Bond；' she said； beaming at him。
In the background； he could see a tall； muscular man。
Bond nodded towards him。 〃Someone to watch over me？〃
〃And me； I guess。 … She set the tray down on the end of the bed。 〃Can't be too careful with hot shots like you around。 Nobody knew what you'd like； so Dazzle did the full English breakfast … bacon； eggs； sausages； toast； coffee。〃 She lifted the silver cover from the steaming plate； holding the inside towards Bond。 There was a folded paper neatly taped to the inside。
〃That'll do fine。〃 He gave her a nod。 〃Do I call room service when I've finished？〃
〃Don't call us； we'll call you； she said brightly。
〃We shall； Mr。 Bond。 I gather the Professor wants to talk to you later。 Good to see you feeling better。 They said you had a nasty bump when you went off the road。 The Professor was genuinely worried； that's why he persuaded the hospital to let him bring you here。〃
〃Very good of him。〃 She lingered by the door。 〃Well； it's nice to know we'll all be working together。〃
〃Good to have a job in these difficult times；' Bond countered； not knowing how much Cindy knew or believed。
Had they told her he'd been in a motor accident？ That he was being given a job at Endor？ Well； presumably the latter was more or less true。
Bond waited until the key had been pushed home in the lock。 There was no other sound； no retreating footsteps； for the passage outside； like this room was overlaid with thick carpet。
The paper came away easily from the inside of the lid。
Cindy had filled it with small； neat writing and； in spite of the steam； the ink had not run。 The note started abruptly； without any salutation。
I don't know what's happened。 They say you've had a car smash； but I don't know whether to believe them。 They brought your Bentley back here； and there's been a lot of talk about you joining the team as a programmer。 I wondered if they knew you had puter equipment with you； and felt you would not want them to find it。 Very difficult； but 1 got hold of the Bentley's keys and cleaned out the boot。 All your private stuff is now hidden in the garage and not likely to be found； unless we're unlucky。 A good thing I did it straight away； because securitys been tightened for the weekend。 A lot of people are ing down； and from what I've heard； the game I told you about （remember the balloons？） is going to be in use。 It is possible that I may be able to get hold of it。 Do you wish to copy？ Or is that superfluous now that you are One of Us？
So； the place was going to be crowded； the Balloon Game to be used。 Bond was essential。 Therefore； if the Balloon Game was a training simulation for the operation； then Bond and the Game were closely connected。
He tore the message into tiny pieces； and ate them with the bacon and some toast。 He could not stomach the eggs or Sausage； but the coffee was good； and he drank four cupfuls； strong and black。
There was a small bathroom attached to his bedroom。
Set neatly on the glass shelf above the hand basin were his razor and his favourite cologne。 Already he had seen his weekend case beside the small wardrobe。 On examination he discovered his clothes had all been washed and neatly pressed。
Don't believe it all； he told himself。 On the face of it； he was trusted； his weapon； shaving kit and clothes were intact。 But they kept the door locked and there was no easy way out of the window。 It was possible that they only wanted him to believe he had been accepted。
He showered； shaved and changed； putting on fresh casual clothes that allowed him to move easily and fast。
Even the ASP was strapped to his right hip by the time a second knock and the turning of the key announced the arrival of two muscular men whose faces were familiar from Cindy's description … Tigerbalm Balmer and Happy Hopcraft。
〃Morning； Mr。 Bond。〃 Tigerbalm greeted him with a smile； his eyes not meeting Bond's but sliding around the room； as though measuring it up for a robbery。
〃Hallo； James； nice ter meecher。〃 Happy stuck out a hand； but Bond pretended not to notice。
〃Balmer and Hopcraft；' Tigerbalm said。 At your service。 The Professor wants a word。〃 C。 Behind the expensive mohair suits and the cheerful bonhomie lay a hint of menace。 Just by looking at them； you could see that this pair would have your head stuffed and mounted if it suited them； or they had instructions from anyone paying them enough。
〃Well； if the Professor calls； we must answer。 Bond looked at the key clutched in Tigerbalm's hand。 〃That really necessary？〃
〃Orders；' Happy said。
〃Let's go and see the Professor then。〃 They did not exactly crowd him as they went downstairs to the working area。 There was no pushing or frogmarching； but their presence had a certain intimidating effect。
Bond felt that one false move … any inclination to go in another direction … would bring about a fast； restraining action。 There was no sign of Cindy or Peter。
But St。 John…Finnes sat at his desk； the large puter keyboard in front of him and the V。D。U。 giving Out a glow of colour。
〃James； it's nice to have you back。 He signalled with his head that Tigerbalm and Happy should leave； then gestured to an easy chair。
〃Well；' he went on brightly when they were settled。
〃I'm sorry you were put to some inconvenience。〃
〃I could have been killed quite easily。〃 Bond spoke in a level； calm manner。
〃Yes。 Yes； I'm sorry about that。 But in the event it was you who did the killing； I gather。〃
〃Only because I had to。 Habits take a long time to die。
I think my reactions are reasonably fast。〃 The narrow； bird like head moved up and down in prehension。 〃Yes； the reports all say you're rather good。 You must understand that we had to be sure of you。
I mean； one error and a great deal of money； and planning； would have been in jeopardy。〃 Bond said nothing。
〃Anyway； you passed with flying colours。 I'm glad； because we need you。 You're now aware of the connection between things here at Endor； and the training camp； Erewhon？〃
〃I understand you and your partner； Mr。 Tamil Rahani； run a rather strange enterprise； hiring mercenaries to terrorist and revolutionary groups；' Bond stated flatly。
〃Oh； a little more than that。〃 His manner was now benign； smiling and nodding。 〃We can offer plete packages。 A group es to us with an idea and we do everything else； from raising the money to performing the operation。 For instance； the job you have been recruited for has been on the drawing board some time now； and we stand to gain a great deal from it。〃 Bond said he realised that he had been vetted； and he knew there was a job for him within the organisation； and connected to an operation； 〃But I've no idea of the。
〃Details？ No； of course you haven't。 Just as in your old Service people work on a need…to…know basis； so we must be exceptionally careful； particularly with this current work。 No one person is in possession of the full picture； with the exception of Colonel Rahani and myself； of course。〃 He made a slight movement of the fingers and head； which was meant to convey modesty。 It was a curiously oriental gesture； as though he wished Bond to realise that he was really unworthy to be granted the honour of knowing such plans。 Bond also noted that it was now Colonel Rahani； and he wondered where that title came from。
especially careful concerning you； I fear；' St。 John…Finnes was saying。 〃Our principals were very much against giving you a situation of trust； but … since Erewhon … we have made them think twice。〃
〃This job？ The one you've recruited me for。 。 。 Bond started。 〃Has been in the making for a considerable time。 A large amount of money was needed； and our principals were； shall we say； short of funds。 This suited us。 We're packagers； Bond。 So we packaged some moneymaking projects to finance the main thrust。〃
〃Hence the Kruxator Collection and other high…tech robberies。〃 Jay Autem Holy； alias St。 John…Finnes； remained icy cold。 Only in his eyes could Bond detect a tiny wariness。
〃You e to interesting deductions； my dear Bond。 For one who knows nothing。
〃Stab in the dark。〃 Bond's face betrayed nothing。 〃After all； there have been several imaginative robberies lately all with the same handwriting。 A case of putting two and two together； and maybe ing in with the correct answer。
Holy made a nonmittal grunt。 〃I'll accept that you're clean； Bond。 But still my orders are to segregate you。 You possess knowledge and skill which we require you to use now。
〃Well？〃
〃Well； as a former field officer of the Secret Intelligence Service； you must have a working knowledge of the diplomatic and military munications network。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Tell me； then； do you know what an EPOC frequency is？〃
〃Yes。〃 He remained as bland as before； though the turn of the conversation was beginning to worry him。
The last time Bond had heard of EPOC frequencies was when he had had to guard against aggressive signal monitoring during a visit to europe by the President of the United States。
EPoc for Emergency Presidential Orders mand EPOC frequency was the cleared radio which emergency messages could be sent during an official tour outside the md of signal is sent over an EPOC 〃S though giving the matter some thought。 〃Only vital military instructions。
Sometimes a response to a military problem demanding the President's decision alone。 Sometimes action inaugurated by him。〃
〃And how are these orders transmitted？〃
〃Usual high…speed traffic； but on a line kept permanently clear； via one of the munications satellites。〃
〃No； I mean the nature of the transmissions。 The form they take。〃
〃Oh。
A simple group of digits。 Data； I suppose。 The orders that can be given through the EPOC frequency are very limited。 It's rarely used you know。〃
〃Quite。〃 Holy gave what could only be described as a knowing smile。 〃Rarely used； and very limited … but with the most far…reaching consequences？〃 Bond agreed。 〃The President would use the EPOC frequency only on strong remendation from his military advisers。
The messages are usually concerned with rapid deployment of conventional troops and weapons。。
〃The alteration in the Readiness State of nuclear strike capacity？〃
〃That's a priority； yes。〃
〃And tell me； would the instructions be obeyed？ Immediately； I mean。 Suppose the President were； for the sake of argument； in Venice and wished both to put NATO forces on the alert and prepare his nuclear strike forces for action。
Would it be done？ Without consultation？〃
〃Quite possibly。 The code for that kind of action is； in effect； a puter program。 Once it's fed into the system it works。 In the scenario you're suggesting； the British Prime Minister and the mander…in…Chief NATO would consult back。 But the Readiness State would continue。
〃And if the British Prime Minister and the C…in…C NATO forces were known to be with the President at the moment of transmission？〃 It was very dangerous ground。 Bond frit his stomach turn over。 Then he remembered Rahani's words … 〃No blackmail 。 。 。 no plots to kidnap the President； or hold the world to ransom 〃In those circumstances the instruct