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called Northanger。 In all； Baradj was happy。 The two men he had in London were both good； and well equipped to carry out what had to be done。
Daniel Woodward had a pleasant flat in Knightsbridge。 Nothing luxurious； but。 with his pay as Assistant Naval Attache （Intelligence） to the Embassy； he could afford it。 He also found it was an address which stood well with the ladies he dated regularly。 It was as though they felt quite safe going back with him to the Knightsbridge address。
The one beside him in bed at three in the morning； only grumbled in her sleep when the telephone rang。 She grumbled even more when he woke her to say he had to report to the Embassy immediately。
〃Oh； God。 what's the time； darling。' She was a stunning redhead who worked in Ihe Embassy Secretariat。
'It's fifteen after three。 I'm sorry； honey； but I'm gonna have to take you home。 I don't know how long I'm gonna be away。 They said I should bring a bag with me； which means I'm probably going Stateside。 Sorry； but I just can't leave you here。 You know what Embassy instructions〃re like about people leaving their property with all the alarms on if they're out of the country。' He was dashing about； filling a small case wilh clothes。
She was still half asleep when he drove her back to her own fiat off Great Russetl Street。 The whole business meant that； Ihough he had been alerted at three…hfteen in the morning； he did not get to the Embassy until almost four…thirty。
The Naval Attache （Intelligence） was already waiting for him； and that gentleman did not like being kept waiting so he expected a full broadside when he walked into the office。 Instead； the Attache was mild。 'It's okay。 Dan。〃 The Naval Intelligence Attache was a ramrod straight； tall and silver…grey man。 'You've plenty of lime。 We've already dealt with the documents。 All I have to do is brie！〃 you。 Your flight doesn't leave London Gatwick until ten o'clock； so we have time。'
The slow response Dan Woodward had been forced into； by the presence of the redhead at his apartment； had caused troubles nobody else knew about。 A taxi； with its For Hire sign unlit； had already been in one of the parking slots； which run around the cenlre of Grosvenor Square； for fifteen minutes by the time Woodward arrived。 The driver appeared to be taking a quiet nap。 Nobody was visible in the back。
'That must be him。 Unless his boss is going with him。 Got a case and all；' the driver said。
The other occupant； on the floor in the rear of the cab； muttered something about the passport photograph。
'If we're lucky we'll have time to take care of that。 First sign of movement in the Embassy lobby； my light goes on and we pick him up。 If they've laid on a cab for him。 we know his name and we'll probably beat their cab。 If it's an Embassy car； then we'll just have to do something embarrassingly naughty。'
Woodward； having been given the most exciting briefing of his career； came out onto the steps of the Embassy at six…forty…five。 clutching a suitcase and looking for ihe cab they had obviously called for him。
The cab that had been parked since the early hours backed out quickly and turned in front of the Embassy； its driver peering out and calling； 'Mr Woodward？'
Dan Woodward responded with a wave and a smile and came hurrying down the steps。 There were few people about； and nobody had seen the second man slide from the back of the cab； just as it pulled out； and make his way around the cornet into Upper Grosvenor Street。
The driver was very fast； taking Dan Woodward's bag and stowing it away in the front section。 'Where's it to； guv〃？' the cabbie asked。 'Nobody tells me nothing。'
'Gatwick。 Departures。 North Terminal。'
'How lung we got； then？' The taxi moved away quickly； circling the Square； preparing to head along Upper Grosvenor Street。
'My flight leaves at ten。 So。 nine…thirty at the latest。'
'All the time in the world。' said the cabbie； sashaying to the left； where his colleague was walking slowly up towards Park Lane。 '〃Scuse me。 guv'nor。' The cabbie leaned back with the little sliding window open。 'There's a mate of mine。 I'd like to give him a message。'
'Be my guest。'
The taxi pulled over in front of the pedestrian； and the cabbie leaned out and called； 'Nobby； can you give Di a message for me。 I've got to go out to G'atwick。 I'll give her a bell from there。'
The man came abreast of the cab； as though straining to hear the driver。 Then； as he reached the passenger door； he yanked it open； and Dan Woodward found himself staring into the wrong end of a Heckler and Koch nine millimetre； modified to take a noise reduction assembly。
'One wrong move and you're dead。' the pedestrian smiled and gol into the cab next to the startled Woodward； and the cab drew smoothly away。 By the time they reached the T…junction which led them onto Park Lane； Woodward was unconscious。 He had not even felt the hypo go through his coat and into his arm。
The cab headed towards Notting Hill； where it would need to make a detour to get onto the M25 and on to Gatwick。 In the Bayswater Road it turned right into a cul…de…sac； and pulled up in front of one of those quiet little mews houses that now cost an arm and two legs in London。 The cab parked very close to the door and the driver and his panion got out。 A woman in the uniform of a nurse was already waiting； the door of the house open。 Within two minutes they had the unconscious Woodward inside； the driver ing out to get his case and carry it indoors。
They dumped the unconscious man on a sofa。
〃He'll be out for twenty…four hours。' the driver said to the woman； as he went through Woodward's pockets； while his partner worked the locks on the case。 'We'll help you get him into the secure room。 I need him quiet for around four or five days。 Ah 。 。 。'He removed a hunch of papers which included a passport； and an official…looking batch of documents。
He sat down ai ihe foot of the sofa and began going through the papers。 Frowning； he got up； went to the telephone and dialled the Gibraltar code and The Rock Hotel； asking to be put through to Mr Underwood's room。 'Very urgent；' he said。
In Gibraltar； both Baradj and Hamarik were waiting。 'Okay；〃 the man in London said。 'You'll need a United States Diplomatic Passport。 Is that difficult？'
That； we can fix here。 Just read off ihe details。'
The London man then went through the rest of the information。 'We have one problem。 They're supposed to be meeting him off ВА4У8 which gels in at local 13。45。 They actually wrote down a contact procedure； which means they don't know him al that end。'
'Is there a contact number？'
'Yes/
'Okay。 Give it to me。'
The London man rattled off the string of numbers； and Baradj replied； 'Okay。 Are the documents essential？'
'Yes。 They're his orders； and there's a paper he has to show to the guys meeting him。'
'Right。 Use your own passport； but check in as Woodward。 They never know the difference there。 As long as the number of passports tallies with the number of people： and it's no offence to travel under an alias … unless you're up to something criminal； which； of course； you're not。 You e through into the concourse； it's small and usually busy。 On the right side； when you e through you'll find the Men's Room。 It's poky and unpleasant； but my man will be wailing。 He'll have a Woodward passport。 He'll take the papers and case from you； e out and run through the contact procedure。 Now； Bob； you do it。 Nobody else。 1 trust you to go through all this。 Now； you'll have to get a move on。 Go。'
Bond had been correct； the girl who called herself Sarah Deeley simply refused to answer any questions。 She sat in the cell； restrained by whal amounted lo a strait…jacket； and looked Bond in the eyes； unflinching； as he poured question afler question at her。 She even smiled at him a couple of times。 After an hour of this； he gave up。 Best leave her to the professionals when they gol lo Gibraltar。
The Rear…Admiral was on the bridge when he reported his lack of success。
'You people gol any specialists in Gib？' Walmsley asked。
'Why； sir？'
'I've got a Sea King going off to Gib in twenty minutes。 It'll just make it there and back； if they juice her up in Gib。 They're bringing in Morgan's replacement。'
〃Desperate Dan？'
Walmsley seemed to have lost any humour that might have lurked behind his cold blue eyes。 'I believe they call him that。 You gol anyone in Gib？'
'Let me check it out sir。 If the answer's yes； I'll see he's brought back。'
'Let me know before take…off。 You only have twenty minutes。'
It took Bond fifteen minutes to make contaci。 Yes； they had
an interrogation specialist with the unlikely name； for his skills； of Donald Speaker who would be delighted со have a go。
So it was that when Flight BA498 landed； slightly lale； al two o'clock lhat afternoon； the Sea King from Invincible was sitting； juiced up。 on the helipad away from the terminal building。 Its crew of Ihree were aboard； plus Donald Speaker； a red…bearded； casually…dressed little man with the sharp look of a bank inspector about him。
The Lieutenant mander from Invincible's Executive Officer's staff waited in the arrivals' terminal … which； in Gibraltar； is also the departure terminal。 He did nol notice that one passenger from BA498 came through the gates； lugging his flight…bag； and made slraight for the Men's Room： while a few seconds later another man came out。 carrying the same flight…bag； and with his passport in his left hand； held over his breast pocket。 To the Lieutenanl mander this was simply ＇he man for whom he had been waiting； giving all the signals …bag in righl hand； passport in left hand； held high just under his breast pocket where his boarding card stuck out almost a couple of inches。
The Lieutenant mander smiled and approached the civilian。 'Mr Woodward？'
'Yes； I'm Dan Woodward；' said Abou Hamarik。 'Want to see the ID？'
'Better take a quick shufti。 My name's Hallam。 by the way。' the Lieutenant mander grinned。 'Your diplomatic status stamp looks damned impressive。 Well； wele aboard Mr Woodward。'
'Jusi call me Dan。'
They crossed the metalled apron； walking quickly towards the Sea King。 As they did so they saw the stop lights e on； and traffic grind to a halt on the road that ran straight across the runway。 A Royal Air Force Tornado came hurtling in with its droops and spoilers fully extended。 Their ears sang but cleared by the time they reached the Sea King。 The crewman helped them up。 and Hallam introduced him to everyone。 Speaker just gave him a nod； as though he did not approve of Americans being given free rides on Royal Navy helicopters。
'Great；' Hallam said； just before the rotors began to turn。 'We'll be back in very good time for Stewards' Meeting。'
'What's Stewards' Meeting？' Speaker asked。 He had a slight； unidentifiable acccnl； and a suspicious nasal tone in his voice。
'I'm sorry；' Hallam turned to him with a smile。 〃If you don't know what it is； you're not cleared for it。 Righl； Dan？'
'Most definitely right；' Abou Hamarik said。 Soon； he though！； ihe whole world will know about Stewards' Meeting。 And there will be things the whole world will not wish to know。
The Sea King rose from the pad； lowered its nose； turned away from the Spanish mainland； banked and set course out to sea and HMS Invincible。
14
Stewards' Meeting
'D'you hear there！ D'you hear there！ This is the Captain。' Sir John Walmsley's voice rang out through the ship's Tannoy system； and。 as ever； all ranks stopped what they were doing and raised their heads to listen。
Invincible had slowed down to a point where she was hardly moving in the light sea。 Outside； at 22。00 hours； it was black as pitch； but the flight…deck was fully lit and an S and R Sea King hovered off the port side。
'I want all ranks to listen out； and listen carefully。 We still have the submarine wolf pack with us。 though I am assured that they will in no way impede our progress to Gibraltar。 Regarding Exercise Landsea '89 there is a political stalemate； and talks between various countries will restart tomorrow morning。 So far no further incidents have been reported within the boundaries of the European continent； though our forces … Red Side … are still known to be operating behind enemy lines。 T