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ssion he used habitually when asking questions。
'Murder。' Bond corrected。 His voice seemed a long way off。 for the pain in his groin seemed to take precedence over
everything else。
'Murder； sir？ The American？'
Bond nodded。 'Just keep her well under restraint。 I think she's some kind of psycho； and well…trained at that。 A killer； who would obey orders and lake out someone with about as much emotion as any of us would feel in treading on a bug。 I'll be down to see her shortly。 The murder charge will； eventually； be a police criminal matter。' As the Master…at…Arms departed。 Bond suddenly though！ of his own words； just uttered … 'a killer； who would obey orders 。 。 。' Whose orders？ he wondered。 'Orders from outside； or some given to her on board？'
Someone had called Surgeon mander Grant； who seemed quite amused at Bond's pain。 'There'll probably be some swelling；' he said examining the damaged area。 'I'll give you some pills to reduce the pain 。 。 。'
'As long as they don't make me dopey/ In spite of the small agony。 Bond pul his job first。
'You'll get no side effects。 I have a salve as well。 It'll deaden the area and you won't feel like playing with the ladies for an hour or so； but maybe that's not a bad thing。'
Bond realised that he felt a little embarrassed about the whole business。
'You'd be surprised；' the doctor continued； 'really surprised how many cases of （his I have to deal with these days。 Lads go ashore； won't take no for an answer and gel a hefty knee in the gonads。 Serve 'em right。 Bloody MCPs。'
'I gol this defending myself；' Bond muttered grudgingly； trying to son his mind out。 deciding what had to be done next。
Half an hour later he stood in front of the entire section of personal bodyguards for the three Admirals。 They were gathered in the small messdeck that had been put aside for their use and relaxation … the one in which Moggy Camm； two of the Russians and Bruce Trimble had joined in a drink before turning in on the previous night。 Now the place seemed crowded。 Nikki Ratnikov sat apart from her colleagues； Ivan； Yevgeny and Gennady： Brinkley and Camm sat together； still in their fancy dress； among Joe Israel； Bruce Trimble and Stan Hare。 Their three V1P charges were in the cabins set aside for them； each with an armed marine at the door。
'Right。' Bond began。 'We all know what this is about。 Our
Captain； the Rear…Admiral。 is determined to carry on with Stewards' Meeting。 My job is to co…ordinate security； and 1 want to get your feelings on the matter before I make a remendation to Sir John … not that he'll take my advice； but I'd rather we worked as a team； and a team has to be one hundred per cent in accord on a business like this。 We've had one death； and we don't want any more。'
Nikki spoke up for the Russians。 'James； you must advise us。 We have a sacred duty here。 The strain will be on us as from tonight。 Do you think Ihat the killing of the American agent should make us fear for the lives of those we have to guard？'
'It certainly means that this little terrorist outfit … if it is them … has managed to penetrate Invincible with at least one person。 If there is one； can there be others？ I must reveal to all of you that Edgar Morgan was a worried man。 As far as 1 can tell； he slipped into the Wrens' heads to record a series of names …names of people in this ship。 He wanted a security check run on them。 Well。 I ran the check through London。 The only one that came out badly was the girl we arreste'd this morning。'
Joe Israel looked up。 with interest。 'This is the first any of us have heard of Ed having doubts。 Can you be sure he was not just doing a random lest？ A sampling？ Or was he in possession of intelligence not revealed to any of us？'
'I've no idea。' There was no point in Bond not being open and candid。 '1 still have to talk with the girl we arrested。 She was what some people would call a 〃Stone Killer〃。 It's not an expression I'm fond of。 Bul that's what she was； and is。'
'Can you give us the other names Morgan had on his list？' Ted Brinkley asked。
'I don't think that would be fair at this stage。 They all came out ultra…clean from London。'
Brinkley conferred with his partner for a minute； in urgent whispers。 Then Brinkley said thai； as far as they were concerned； things could go ahead。 'It would have been very difficult for any terrorist organisation to infiltrate a Royal Navy ship。 That they gol one in is a kind of miracle。 Barring any outside attack； we consider it ninety…nine per cent safe。 We vote that things go ahead as planned。'
Bond nodded。 In his head he still remained unhappy。 They had though！ of BAST as a bit of a tinpot outfit； yet they certainly had resources； and even one penetration worried him。 He looked over at Joe Israel。 'What about our United States contingent？'
'I guess we go along with you Brits。 Sure there's danger； but that es with the job。 We vote in。'
'You're one man short。'
〃I gather that's being （aken care of。 Admiral Gudeon's been active and we've got another guy on the way。'
Bond made a menial note that he should speak with the Captain about this turn of events。 Now he looked at Nikki。 'You're senior officer of our Russian rades。 Nikki。 What do you say？'
'Our people are the best in the world。 We say go ahead。'
'Then we're all agreed？'
Around the little messdcck there were murmurs of consent。
So be it。 Bond thought。 They all seemed to be good； tried and tested people。 Now。 he had to speak with Sir John Walmsley。 After that there was the girl； Deeley； though he did not have any high hopes of breaking her down。
'So； you've decided not to fight me on this？' Sir John Walmsley looked pleased； like a man who had won a great battle。
'It's not a question of fighting you； sir。' Bond spoke with almost exaggerated calmness。 'We weighed up the chances of this being a one…off incident。 We're not entirely convinced； but everyone here in the three bodyguard sections seems to think the risk is even。'
'A sensible decision；' growled Walmsley； who knew he would have overridden any attempt to abor！ Stewards Meeting。
'I need answers to a couple of questions before I talk to the girl。 Deeley 。 。 。' Bond began。
'Yes？' the Rear…Admiral snapped。 'If I'm allowed to answer； I'll co…operate。 Go ahead。'
'First； there's one thing I have to know about Edgar Morgan。'
'He wasn't US Secret Service； but I presume you know that already。'
'Yes； I realise he wasn't just part of the normal bodyguard service。 I'm pretty certain he was Naval Intelligence； and came aboard with a special brief。' Bond had not shown all his cards。
'That's true。'
'Can you tell me anything about the special brief？1
Walmsley pretended to think for a moment。 'Well； he had authority to go through the records of everyone aboard this ship。'
'Was there time for him to do that？'
'Mmmm/ It was non…mittal； but the Rear…Admiral was playing Bond。 Walmsley was the kind of man who liked showing his authority and； had the truth been known； he looked forward to a very rapid promotion if the Operation called Stewards' Meeting went off without a hitch。 Finally； he decided it would be safer to tell the truth。 'He came aboard two days before Landsea '89 started。'
'Two days？'
Walmsley nodded。 'He left the ship shortly before you arrived。 Then came on with Gudeon and the others。 But。 in those two days； he went through all the files。 He was very interested in you。 Captain Bond。 Very interested。'
'And he carried on looking through the individual dossiers on his return？'
'He did。 Now； anything else？'
'Yes； sir。 I've been told that the Americans are sending a replacement。 True or false？'
True。 He'll be here before Stewards' Meeting/
'We have a name？'
'Dan Woodward。 US Naval Intelligence。 As you would expect； he's known to his friends and colleagues as Desperate Dan。 Now； Captain Bond； anything eise？'
'Only a minor point。 The Wren detachment aboard。〃
'Damned women in the ship； 1 didn't approve of it。'
'Sir； we both know why they're here。 We know it'll make things easier when Stewards' Meeting gets under way。 Until then； could I ask you。 sir； what duties have been assigned to them？'
'This because one of them turned out to be a dummy？'
'Partly。'
'Why not ask their officer； what's her name？ First Officer Pennington？'
'Because I'd rather have an independent source。〃
Rear…Admiral Walmsley sucked his teeth。 'You know they're
all cleared at a very high security level？'
'I do； sir。 and it worries me。 The one intruder came in through them。 I know London says they're all cleared； but 1 want to check it out again/
'Right。 We're making good use of them； Bond。 They're doing everything they've been Irained to do。 We've allotted them shifts in munications； in writers' departments； and； jus！ to keep their domestic hands in。 some are daily assigned to galley duties。 1 made thai a condition of the draft ing aboard。 Now； anything else？'
Bond shook his head。 So； the Wrens wen。… all over the place。 In the galleys； munications； and writers。 A writer is Royal Navy for clerk or secretarial duties。
〃Good； because we're still very much a part of Landsea '89； and we've still got three nuclear subs shadowing us。 I have to get back to work。 Can't leave it all to Jimmy the One/
Afler leaving ihe Rear…Admiral。 Bond sought out Joe Israel； who was resting in the cabin occupied by the three US Secret Service men。 В nice Trimble was with him； while Stan Hare had taken over normal b'odyguard duties to Admiral Gudeon。
'You know who's taking Ed Morgan's place'。〃' he asked the pair of them。
'Another guy from Naval Int；' Israel said； sounding none too pleased。
'Name of Woodward。 Dan Woodward。' Trimble grinned。 'They call him Desperate Dan； we hear。'
〃You hear？'
'The Admiral sent a signal to Washington last night … after Ed's death。 The reply was very fast。 1 guess Desperate Dan must be in London。 He's close by anyhow； because they're expecting him by early evening。'
'You know him1？1 Bond asked。
The name only。 Never worked with him；〃 from Israel。
'You？' to Trimble who shook his head。
'What about Stan？'
'What about Stan？' Israel laughed。
'Does he know the Woodward fellow？'
'No。 None of us know him。'
'Okay；' Bond pinched the top of his nose between thumb and forefinger。 'I would suggest； when he does e aboard； that you do a little verbal check on him。 Usual kind of things。 Americana； people in Washington； people any of you know in Naval Intelligence。'
'You don't think he's clean？'
'I've no idea；' Bond shrugged。 'I just think we should take precautions； that's all。'
In his room at The Rock Hotel； Gibraltar； Bassam Baradj was receiving blow…by…blow accounts of what was going on in Invincible。 His short…wave radio； with a recording device attached； picked up signals from his main source aboard the ship； though the final news； which had e through in the early hours of the morning； made him wonder if this flow of intelligence would last out much longer。 He knew of （he death of the American N1 officer； and of the possible consequences。 He also knew that the Americans had signalled to Washington and that Washington's return signal referred them to the Embassy in London。 Since then there had been no other signal and he feared the worst。 The only other source connected with BAST was one Engineer Petty Officer； and Barad） knew that everything really lay with this one blackmailed man。
Immediately he hud listened in to the message concerning the American Embassy in Grosvenor Square。 London。 Baradj had taken the only course of action available to him。 A long telephone call to London was followed by a lengthy meeting with his colleague； Abou Hamarik。 Together they decided the risk was worth the final reward； even though Hamarik had no idea thai Baradj had no plans to cut him。 or any other member of BAST； in on the eventual riches。
It would not have mattered either way； for Baradj had already set the plan in motion； and it was essential for him to use Hamarik。 He thought it was a lucky decision that had made him choose 'The Man' … Abou Hamarik … for the work in Gibraltar。 Ali Al Adwan。 his only other possible choice； had been seen already by the man Bond； at the camp they had called Northanger。 In all； Baradj was happy。 The two men he had in London were both good； and well