按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
to run the fourth； because this is it。〃 Bond remained silent。 He did not smile。
〃I thought they'd buried it； locked it behind steel and sprinkled man…eating spiders in the vault。〃 She stared back at Bond； who did not move。
〃All five disks have been kept in the chief's safe … the one in his office that does have everything except the man…eating spiders。〃 Once more she held it out。 〃But today it's all systems go； and they're using it all the time。
As often happens Peter and I have been banished from the lab。 But the guards have got used to us going up and down。 I guess you beat him at his own game？〃
〃Yes；' Bond said flatly； as though there had been no pleasure in it。
〃Heard some of it。 Now perhaps you'll believe he's insane。 Had one of his tantrums。 I heard that as well。〃
〃How did you get down？〃
〃Looked as though I belonged。 Clip…board under one arm。 I just walked past the young thugs on the door。
They've seen me before。 You were with Bald Eagle。 Like a lot of people who bee paranoid about security； he has a blind spot。 The safe was left open。 I did a swift switch and tucked this up my shirt。〃 It was all he was going to get。 〃You haven't seen it run； then？〃 She shook her head。 Her negative gestures； he noticed； were always performed with the head tilted slightly to the right … a distinctive mannerism； a flourish； like the way some people curl the last letter of their signature； underlining the name to give it more importance。 It was a habit they should have caught during training； where the mohair…suited psychiatrists note and eradicate idiosyncracies。 He waited again。
〃There's been no way； James。 Only' the inner circle have seen it； played with it … if that's the right word。〃 At last Bond took the disk。
〃Trained on it；' he corrected her。 〃And there's little chance of us having a look…see。 Where's my gear？〃
〃In the garage； under a pile of rubbish … tyres； old tins； tools： odds and ends。 In one corner。 I had to improvise； and it was better to hide it there than let them find it in the car。 It's not safe by any means； so we just have to hope nobody goes rooting around。〃 He seemed to give the situation a lot of thought。
〃Well； I don't fancy trying to unlock this；' he touched the disk。
〃What's on it is big； and I suspect dangerous。 I just hope you're right … that the disk iSn't missed； and that nobody goes rooting through the garage and tumbles over my hoard of electronics。〃
〃So what good's it going to do？ You want me to try and get it out？〃 Bond went over to the window； where the chintz curtains had been drawn。 The promised supper tray was on a table near by； and he noticed it had been set for two … prawns in little glasses； cold chicken and tongue； salads； bread rolls； a bottle of wine。 Did anybody get hot food at Endor when the heat was on？ he wondered。 He still clutched the disk in his hand。 Better if he kept it close。 Yet there were so few hiding places。 In the end； he banked on there being no search； walked over to the wardrobe and pushed it among his clothes。 The whole process seemed to take several minutes of silence。
〃There are friends；' he confided at last。 〃Quite near。 I would have thought that by now No； you don't move from the house。 Nobody tries to get out except me。〃 Bond turned； and dropped quietly into a chair； signalling she should also sit。 He nodded towards the wardrobe。
not taking any risks； not with that。 It's like a time bomb。
〃We just sit； and wait until the cavalry arrive？〃 Cindy was perched on the end of the bed； her skirt riding up to show a slice of smooth； tantalising thigh。
〃Something like that。〃 Bond was trying to reckon how much time they might have； whether the team with their cameras； log books and directional microphones had advised M that something important was happening at Endor。 Would M let them sweat it out？ Possibly。 The cautious； diplomatic intriguer had waited before； almost until the last moment。
〃I want an educated guess from you； Cindy。 You've been here before … I mean when they've prepared for some caper。
She had been at Endor before； when the hard men had e and spent hours training down in the converted cellars。
〃This is the biggest gathering yet？〃 Since she had been here； it was。
〃In your estimation； Cindy； what's the timing？ How long have we got before things start to roll？〃 In his mind the question was really； how long have I got before they ask me to filch the EPOC frequency？
〃It can only be a guess； but I'd say forty…eight hours maximum。〃
〃And your little playmate； Peter？〃 She sprang to Peter's defence like a sister； often at loggerheads with her brother； but always ready to stand up for him。 〃Peter's okay。 He's a brilliant worker； dedicated 。
〃Would you trust him？ Really trust him； when the chips are down； as they say？〃 She gnawed her upper lip。 〃Only in a real emergency。
Nothing against him。 He can't stand St。 John…Finnes or Dazzle。
He's been looking for a different job。 Says this place is too claustrophobic for him。〃
〃I expect it'll be even more claustrophobic soon；' Bond said。 〃I'd say you； Peter and myself are destined for oblivion … particularly you and Peter。 Anybody who isn't pletely in their confidence。〃 Once more he fell silent； his mind slicing through every morsel of information。 Jay Autem Holy had indicated that SPECTRE'S current ploy was destined to change history。 Afterwards； they would not want anybody around who could name names or draw faces。
Certainly not in the immediate wake of whatever they planned。
〃My car；' he snapped suddenly。
〃The Bentley？ Yes？〃
〃You took my gear from the boot。 How？〃
〃It was just before the present crowd arrived。 I had been through the kitchens and spotted a whole lot of food being loaded into the two big deep freezes。 I also heard Old Bald Eagle on the telephone。 I knew they were bringing you back。 What did happen by the way？ They said you were in hospital Bond brusquely told her to get on with it。
She knew the car had been driven back and put into the garage； and she wondered about the micro and drives he had used in the hotel。 The Bentley's keys were left in a security cabinet where they kept all the car keys。 She had been in and out of that one since she first arrived … and she chose her moment。
〃It was a risk； but I only had the keys out for five minutes。
Everyone was busy； so I took the keys； unloaded the boot； and stashed the stuff in the garage。 It's not really safe； but it seemed to be the only way。 Bad enough doing that； and far too risky to attempt getting it any further away。
〃And the car itself？ Have they done anything with it？
Gone over it？〃 She gave her angled negative head shake。 〃No time。
Not enough troops either。 Everyone's been up to their eyes here。〃
〃The keys？〃
〃Jason will have them。〃
〃And it's still there？ In the garage？〃
〃Far as I know。 Why？〃
〃Can we。 。
〃Forget it； James。 There's no way we can drive out of here in one piece。〃
〃I hope to be going officially。 But if they haven't messed about with it； I wouldn't mind spending fifteen minutes in that car now。 Possible？〃
〃The keys？ How？ Lord； I don't。
〃Don't worry about keys。 Just tell me； Cindy； can we get into the garage？〃
〃Well； I can。 She explained that her room had a window looking out on the garage roof。 〃You just drop down； and there's a skylight。 Opens upwards。 No problem。〃
〃And security？〃
〃Damn。 Yes； they've got a couple of young guys out front。〃 She explained the layout。 The garage itself held four cars； and was； in effect； an extension to the north end of the house。 Her room was on the corner； just above the flat roof； one window looking down on the garage； two more to the front。
〃And these guards？ They're out front？ Specifically watching the garage？〃
〃Just general duties。 Keeping an eye on the north end。
If we could Wait a minute。 If my curtains aren't drawn they can see straight up into my room。 I caught one lot at it last night。 They just move a shade further down the drive and they have a good view。
How would it be if I gave them a peep show？〃 Bond smiled for the first time。 〃Well； I'd appreciate it。
Cindy leaned back on the bed。 〃You； James； you male chauvinist pig； have the opportunity to appreciate it any time you want。 That's an offer。〃
〃I'd love to take you up on it； Cindy。 But we have work to do。 Let's see how good they've been with my luggage。
He went over to the weekend case and dumped it on the bed beside the girl； then knelt to examine the locks。
After a few seconds he nodded and took out the black gunmetal pen clipped inside his pullover； unscrewing the wrong end to reveal a tiny set of miniature screwdriver heads。 These were threaded at their blunt ends； the threads matching a small hole in the pen's cap。
No traveller should be without one；' Bond said。 He smiled and selected one of the drivers； screwing it into place。
Carefully he began to remove the tiny screws around the right lock of his case。 They turned easily； the lock ing off in one piece to reveal a small oblong cavity containing one spare set of keys for the Mulsanne Turbo； which he slipped into his pocket before replacing the lock and putting away the miniature tool kit。
The plans for Cindy's diversion and Bond's crawl from her window were quickly arranged。
〃The diversion's no problem；' she said； lowering her eyelids。
〃I've got exceptional quality tart's stuff on under the skirt。〃 She gave a little pout。 〃I thought I might even turn you on。
She described her room； suggesting that she should enter in the dark； open the side window and pull those curtains before switching the light on。 〃I'll be able to see exactly where the guards have placed themselves。 You'll have to crawl to the side window on your belly。〃 〃How long can you 。 。 。 well； tantalise them？〃 If she performed the full act； Cindy said； putting on a throaty voice； she could keep them more or less happy for about half an hour。 〃To be on the safe side； I guess you d better reckon on ten minutes； give or take five。
He gave her a look usually reserved for the more cheeky jumper and pearls set at the Regent's Park Headquarters； checked the ASP； and said the sooner they got on with it the better。 Bond knew that； if Holy's men hadn't yet tampered with the car； it would certainly be given a going over before they let him out … if they let him out。
Nobody appeared to be stirring in the house。 While tiptoeing across the landing； they saw men still lounging in the hall； but the rest was quiet； and the corridor leading to Cindy's room at the far end of the house was in darkness。 Her smooth palm touched his； their fingers interlocking for a moment as she guided him towards her door。
She was young； supple； very attractive and obviously available to him at least。 For a second he wondered； not for the first time； how genuine she was。 But the chance to doubt had long since passed。 There was nobody else to trust。
Cindy opened her door； whispering； 〃Okay； down boy。〃 He dropped on to his stomach； beginning to wriggle his way across the floor。 Cindy was humming to herself and interspersing the low； tuneful； bluesy sound with soft ments。
〃Nobody at the side m closing the curtains okay； going to the front windows 。 。 。 Yes they're down there 。 。 。 Right； James； get cracking； I'm putting the lights on 。 。 。〃 And on they flooded； with Bond halfway across the floor； moving fast towards the window； where the curtains billowed and sighed like a sail。
As he reached it； he saw her out of the corner of his eye； standing near the far front window； hands to her shirt； swaying slightly as she sang softly： He shakes my ashes； freezes my griddle； Churns my butter； stokes my pillow My man is such a handyman He threads my needle； gleans my wheat； Heats my heater； chops my meat； My man is such a handyman。
The last words were barely distinguishable to Bond； who was already out of the window； dropping silently on to the garage roof。 He had a copy of 〃Queen' Victoria Spivey's Handman； recorded in the 1920s； so he knew what that was all about。
Flat against the root； his body pressing down as if to merge with the lead surface； Bond lay silent； letting his eyes a