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Somehow he was back in the villa； sitting with the remnants of their Christmas meal still on the table； and a familiar figure was striding through the sliding doors。
'Dragontooth； Captain Bond；' Clover Pennington said。 'I'm sorry； but it was the only way； and it almost didn't work。 Can you hear me。 sir？ Dragontooth。'
Bond looked up at her with loathing and spat out； 'Dragon…tooth； and all the other Demons of the Pit to you！' He even seemed to be cringing back against the chair； as though to get away from her。
9
Northanger
Even though he had seen the ambulance people； firemen； and the police around the twisted and blackened shell that had once been the Fiat； James Bond could not take all of it in。 Vaguely； in the far eorner of his mind； he realised that he must be in shock； but every time he turned to Clover Pennington he expected to see the trim and bubbly Beatrice Maria da Ricci。 He could not believe she was dead； even though Clover was spelling it out to him： slowly； as one explains to a child； and loudly as his ears still rang from the explosion。
'She was either 'Cat' or one of 'Cat's' close acplices；' Clover told him； time and time again。 It was like being beaten over the head。 Occasionally a plain…clothes man came to her； muttered in her ear and received a reply。 'M had the staff here checked out。 One of our people spotted there had been some kind of a switch when they saw the man called Franco in the gardens。 We went on full alert then。 Nobody was sure of the situation。 That is until I spotted you with her yesterday。'
Another couple of men came in through （he french windows and spoke to her。 Clover's eyes flicked towards Bond； then away。 When the men left she said that； unhappily； the two men Beatrice had at the house had been killed in the firefight。 'My orders were to be absolutely ruthless； though we had to try and get at least one of the team alive。 Unhappily we didn't manage it； and I'm uncertain whether ！he Ricci girl was the 'Cat' or not 。 。 。 And 。 。 。' she paused； embarrassed。 'And I don't know if we'll ever gel confirmation。 She must have taken ihe full blast。 There's nothing； or very little； left。 Sorry；' she added； as though apologising。
Bond sat； staring into space as though he was taking nothing in。 'She gave me the right daily codes；' he said； his voice like that of a robol。
'They had the telephone in here wired。 Picked it all up at the big villa。' Clover； in her pleated grey skirt； sweater and sensible shoes； felt she was still not really getting to him。 'Captain Bond？ James？ Sir？' she tried。 But he still sat。 staring into space。
Someone switched on the radio in the kitchen。 'Have yourself я merry little Christmas。' the late Bing Crosby sang in English； and she saw Bond's head lift； cocked to one side。
〃Put that off。 you clown！' Clover shouted； then turned back to Bond。 'They've found the regular staff； arid the watchers our people put in。 At least they're alive： gagged and bound in the wine cellars。 Well know more when our fellows provide their reports and descriptions。 Now； I have to get you out of here； sir。 Do you understand？ We really do have to debrief you as well。'
Finally。 Bond nodded； slowly； as though mon sense had started to prevail。 In his head； whenever someone made a noise； dropped something； or talked too loudly； he heard the deafening double…crump again； and clearly saw Beatrice smiling at him； pulling open the car door； then being engulfed by the explosion。 The ringing in his ears had turned into a permanent whine。 He looked up at Clover Pennington。 'I want to speak； personally； to M；' he said； coldly。
'Not yet。 James … er sir。 Not yet。 We do have to move you on。 And we have to be very careful。 M's instructions are that you remain in deep cover。 That's essential。 We have to drop you out of sight again so that you can re…emerge when you join Invincible； in just over a week。'
Bond made a gesture that signified he understood。 Though this was not borne out by his ne〃（ question … 〃If she was BAST； what happened？ Did they kill her by mistake'。''
'Later； sir。 Please。 I really think it would be dangerous for you to stay on here。 We have a helicopter ing in to pick you up。 They'll take you to a secure base on the mainland。 There's a debriefing team standing by； and they have good doctors； in case you need medical 。 。 。'
'I'm not in need of doctors。 First Officer Pennington。'
'With respect； sir； you need them to give you the once…over。〃
There was the clattering sound of a helicopter； getting louder as it swept in from the sea Ui circle above the villa。
〃I take the pistol； sir？' from one of the thick…set men in civilian clothes。
'Not on your life。' Bond was now being really angry。 'I'm not a child； nor am I about to do anything stupid。〃 He glared around him。 'What're we waiting for。 then？ Let's go。'
Outside； hovering directly over the villa； an old Agusta chopper； carrying Italian Naval markings； began to descend。
One of Clover Pennington's men gave hand…signals and they lowered a crewman with a harness； and winched Bond into the chopper。 The last thing he looked at； as the helicopter turned away； heading for the coast； was the black； charred and twisted remains of the Fiat； and local police blockades at each end of the road。
An hour later he was inside a small military base。 near Caserta。 Bond's local geographic knowledge was enough to follow the route。 From the air； the base looked anything but military； with half a dozen oblong buildings； and a triple security perimeter： a sandwich of heavy…duty razor wire between two high chain…link fences。 The guards at the main gates were armed but did not seem to be uniformed。
He was given a large； airy room； functional； with minimal fort； a small bathroom and no TV or distracting pictures on the wall。 Somehow they had managed to pack his case at the villa and it now stood neatly just inside the door。 Bond stretched out on the bed； placing the Browning within reach。 At least they had not disarmed him。 There were a dozen or so paperbacks in a pile on the night table； a couple of （hrillers； one Deighton； a Greene； two thick Forsyths and a little assorted bunch which included Joyce's Ulysses and a copy of War & Peace。 He knew from his own strung…out state that he needed something to keep his mind working； but this was a bizarre little collection； and he felt very tired； too fatigued to read； but not enough flaked out to sleep。 Anyway； he had read the lot； apart from an odd little thriller masterpiece by some unknown author boasting the title Moonlight and Bruises。
He played back the memory which blazed in his head。 The Fiat； the steps； the wrought iron gates； Beatrice smiling and opening the car door； then being blotted out by the ball of fire。
No。 was it his memory playing tricks？ It was not really like that。 She waved and smiled。 What next？ The violence of the explosion throwing him back？ No。 something else。 She was smiling and pulling Ihe car door open。 Smoke。 There was a lot of smoke wilh the fireball； wind and crack…thump of the explosion。 Whai kind of explosive could they have used that made so much smoke'。' It did not happen with Seintex or RDX。 This was something he would have 10 report。 It could he that some terrorist organisations were using a new type of explosive： or was it an old mixture which； wilh age； produced more smoke than usual？ Anyway； it had wiped out an unusually cold…blooded terrorist princess。
How many terrorist princesses does it take to wire up a time…bomb？ Three： one to get the wire； one 10 get the gold Rolex and one to call the expert。 There was a tap on the door and he called ？e。' with one hand slipping off the Browning's safety and turning ！he pistol towards the door。
The man was tail； dressed casually in slacks and a sweater。 He had the dark leathery looks of the Middle East； bul his voice was pure Oxford English。
'Captain Bond？' he queried； though Bond got the distinct impression that he was merely adhering to some kind of ritual。
He nodded。
'Name's Farsee。' He was in his forties； carried himself in an alert military manner； adjusting everything to make it seem as though he was pure civilian to the marrow。 His laugh； when ii came； lacked real humour。 'Julian Farsee； though my friends call me Tomato。 Play on words； kind of thing； y'see。 Tomato Farsee。 Tomaies Fames…the old French stuffed tomatoes。 See？'
'What's bloody going on？' Bond asked； his voice brittle and with undertones of violence。
'The quacks want to give you a bit of a going over。 I just dropped in to see if you were feeling okay； and ready for that kind of thing； right？'
'And who exactly are you。 Julian？ Where are we； what are you； and what's going on？'
'Well。 I'm the Two I。〃C actually。 Right？' （Two I。〃C was military forSecond…in…mand； just like Jimmie The One； in the Royal Navy； stood for First Lieutenant； who could hold the rank of mander or even Caplain； depending on the Captain's rank； which could even be Rear…Admiral。 Some people found it confusing。）
'You're Second…in…mand of what； exactly？'
'This。〃 Farsee waved a hand in the direction of the window。
It was like prising a grape…pip from a peach。 'And what is this？'
'Nobody told you？'
'If they had； 1 wouldn't be asking you； Julian。〃
'Oh； ya； right。 We're slightly irregular actually。〃
'How irregular？'
'es under NATO installations； right？ Highly classified； you mighl say。 Very highly classified。 We're not even in the book； as they say。 right？'
'More！' Bond almost shouted。 He could stand Yuppies up to a point； but not Yuppie military。
'CO's American； right？'
'CO of what？'
'We sort of handle things。 Hide folk away when we don't want the world to see them … or I should say when some of the intelligence people don't want the world to sec them。〃
'Such as myself？'
'Ya。 Oh。 ya。 Right； Captain Bond。 Look； you ready for the medical wallahs； eh？'
Bond gave a long sigh； then nodded。 'Lead me to them。〃
The doctors spent over three hours going over him。 There was a general examination； and a few tests。 The ENT specialist said he was lucky。 'Eardrums're intact。 Miracle from whal I hear。〃 This particular specialist was very much in the military mould。
Bond only became angry when they took him to a room in the hospital block that smelled strongly of psychiatrist。 You could tell； first； by the pictures on the wall； light…grey skies and calm landscapes。 Then there was the abundance of plant life。 You could have been in Kew Gardens； and the young； very laid…back young man leaning in his adjustable Draberl chair； had about him an air of calm； laced heavily with deep anxiety。 But it was the Rorschach lest that clinched it。 In his day。 Bond had seen experts play with psychiatrists when （hey brought out the ink blots。 He also knew the crazy and clever answers that gave an analyst the Rorschach protocol。
'Just look at each one； and tell me what you see。〃 The young man laid （he ink blots on the desk one at a time。 A butterfly lhat could be a praying mantis if you were dangerous enough； a kissing couple； which might just be a nasty weapon。 Each time Bond told him the blot looked like a woman's breasts； so when they finished the psychiatrist smiled … 'You're extracting the urine； aren't you。 Captain Bond？'
'In ；i word…yes。 Look； doc； I've been through worse traumas than this in my time。 Yes； I feel as most men do； after the sudden； destructive loss of a woman I'd e to care about。 But I do know that it was all quick。 Too quick。 Immediately afterwards there was sorrow； and a little self…pity。 Shock； if you like。 Now I just feel very angry。 Angry with myself for being such u prat。 Angry with them； for setting me up。 Natural； isn't it？'
The psychiatrist smiled and nodded。 'On your way。 Captain Bond。 Anger's the healthiest reaction； so let's not waste each other's time。'
Bond did not reveal that he had a sneaking suspicion that another few strands of 。wool were being pulled over his eyes。 That would e out in time。 Give them enough rope； or wool for that matier。
Julian was waiting for him。 〃CO would like a word； 1 think； sir。'
'A word； or several sentences？'
Julian whinnied； 'Oh。 ya； jolly good。 Right。 Ya。'
The buildings were quite long； brick structures； set as though some designer had just thrown six models at random inside