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re； Beatrice； my darling。'
'You jusl get those important people off Invincible。 Then we'll go for Baradj together。 I want another Christmas with you。 James。'
？Maybe a lot of Christmases。'
Carter had returned and coughed delicately by the door。 'You're okay。 sir。 The message read。 〃Am sending boat for Songbird stop The Tawny Owl is waiting。〃
〃Thank God for that。' Bond kissed her again； then left quickly； not looking back。 He rarely looked back in a situation like this。 In some ways he thought it might bring bad luck。
The little boat； with its engine throbbing； was already waiting at the steps。 In the bow a Leading Wren waited to help him aboard。
The Captain's apologies； sir。 He couldn't send the same seaman back for you。 The man has had to go to the Sick Bay。 He wasn't too well。'
Bond remembered。 'He didn't seem all that brilliant on the way in。' He jumped down into the boat and waved to Carter； who waited until they were clear of the jetty and then walked to his car。
Ten minutes laler； Carter was back at the low building inside the base。 Beatrice was waiting outside； looking frantic and agitated。
'Oh。 my God； Mike。' Her voice had risen to an almost hysterical pitch。
'What in God's name 。 。 。？' he began。
'They've got them。'
'Who？'
Thatcher。 Bush and Gorbachev。 The Foreign Office in London received a telephone call ten minutes ago。 They've been told to pass it on to their opposite numbers in Washington and Moscow。 The call was from a man。 They think from London； He gave them a code word … Batsblood and said that the three heads of state were being held in Invincible。 There will be no release to the …Press and their demand is six hundred billion dollars： two hundred billion for each of the heads of state。'
'Just money？ Nothing else？ No prisoners to be released？ Nothing like that？'
She shook her head； biting her lip。 〃That's it。 They have until three o'clock our time to agree。 Tf nothing by then； they'll show us some kind of firework display。 If the Task Force makes any attempt ю approach Invincible； they'll kill one of ihc three。' She drew in air。 'How？ How could they have 。 。 。？'
？We tried to contact the ship？'
Again the little nod。 'Absolutely no vocal response。 Nothing excepl the electronics。 Invincible's already signalled to the other ships； ordering them to keep station。'
The little boai puttered up to the panionway let down from the main deck； for'ard； on the port side。 The Leading Wren held the craft steady with a boathook。 while Bond made his way up the shaking steps。
As they had approached Invincible he seemed to sense something eerie about it。 Something wrong that he couldn't put his finger on。 Now。 he reached the main deck and saw it was descried； except for the aircraft and helicopters。
His intuition was either correct； or playing tricks with him。 In any case he reached behind him for the Browning。 He had not even got a hand on the butt when a familiar voice said； 'I wouldn't do that。 James。 Just take your hand away。'
He turned to see Clover Pennington； with a Wren on each side； ing from behind one of the Sea Harriers。 All three girls carried automatic pistols。
Stay cool； he thought。 Stay very cool。
…Hello； 〃Cat〃。'He smiled。
17
Operation Sleeping Beauty
One of the girls walked forward； reached behind him and removed the Browning。
'Cuff him； while you're at it；' Clover told her。 'Well； James； did Tawny Owl give you the go…ahead？'
'Yes； how did you manage that？' he asked； surprised that his voice appeared to be steady。
The silly old fool made a note of it and left it on his night table； II was so easy；'
Bond felt the cuffs go on； the cold steel biting into his wrists。 He was still puzzled by Ihe silence。 'How。 Clover？' he asked。
'Bring him down to my cabin；' she ordered the two Wrens； who shoved him like men； leading him to the bulkhead and down Ihe panion…way； along the knee…touching passages to the Captain's day cabin； where they roughly pushed him into a chair。
Clover told the two girts to get on with their other duties。 Til call for you in about five minutes。 I want this one nicely locked away in the cells；' She went behind the Captain's desk and sat。 looking at him。 'You see how easy it is for women to do the job of men？' The smile was still attractive； without menace； or phoney evil。 The snarl and leer were strictly for the movies。 Clover looked like any other； nice； well…brought…up girl with a future。
There's nobody around； that's obvious。' Bond's mind hovered between thoughts of what he could do； and how in heaven's name First Officer Pennington had managed to take over the ship。 'There are over two thousand people on this ship。' He tried a winning smile。 'How do fourteen girls manage to lake over； as you appear to have done？'
Two thousand and eighteen to be correct。 Oh； and fifteen girls。 We sprang Sarah Decley。 She's a psycho； of course； but useful if it es to any really distasteful jobs。'
'How？' he asked again。
'Because il was very well planned； and we were in a prime position to pull it off。 My girls had jobs everywhere … including plete access to the galleys。'
The food？'
She nodded； 'And drink。 You should not really have got off the ship。 James。 I was a little cross about that。 Didn't you feel very thirsty this morning？'
He remembered chug…a…lugging the orange juiee on the base； and the unusual need to drink。 'Ah。'
Again the nice…girl smile。 'Ah。 indeed。 Every morsel of food； every beverage； yesterday contained a substance that would make every man jack feel thirsty this morning。 A craving thirst。'
'And this morning？'
This morning you had nothing to drink before you went off to Rota。 If you had taken a swig of coffee you would have bee disoriented within twenty minutes； and dropped asleep within the half…hour。 We called it Operation Sleeping Beauty。 There were minor problems； of course … you were one of them … but my girls had ways of dealing with it all。 Everyone； but you。 is cosily tucked away。 Fast asleep。'
'How dangerous is this stuff？'
'Stuff？ Oh； the Mickey Finn we popped into the food and drink。 Kick like a mule； James。 Knocks people out cold。 There's a lot of that old stand…by； chloral hydrate； in it； but it's been refined； （he smell removed； also the after…effects are negative。 The 'Viper' put a lot of money into having the stuff made to the highest standards … Oh。 and there's little or no danger。〃
The 〃Viper〃 sounds a right little charmer。'
'He is。 as it happens。 Anyway； James； the whole pany of this ship will be out cold for at least three days。'
'And the object of the exercise？'
'Money。 Money to continue putting the world； and society to rights。'
〃A lot of money？'
'Two hundred billion for each of the VIPs 。 。 。'
Bond started to laugh。 'Clover； is Bassam Baradj that na'ivc？'
？What d'you mean？'
'Doesn't he realise that this isn't the ultimate hostage situation？'
'Why not'。' Three of the world'smost powerful politicians 。 ； 。'
〃Quite。 You wanl money for them； and there's no way you'll get it。 Sure； the countries concerned will probably chase all of you to the ends of the earth and back； but nobody's going to pay that kind of money to get politicians hack。 Don't you see that？ Ii'll be Ei in。 Brute？ time。 Nights of the long knives time。 The Russians will shrug their shoulders and the anil…glasnost team'll be in。 The Americans will do something stupid； like letting the Vice…President in for a while and then starting the circus again。 The British？ Well； Mrs Т has her supporters； but 。 。 。 well； the Cabinei will hold little crisis meetings。 Then they'll just announce a new PM。 America and us Brits never give in to hostage situations anyway； and a lot of powerful people will see it as a God…sent opportunity for a change in leadership。' Bond （nought for a moment and added。 'But then； perhaps not/
She had gone a little pale； he thoughi。 Well； he was only lulling her the truth。 'Eventually； dcalh。 Yes。 We have a few aces up our sleeves； If…the Governments don't meet our requirements by 15。00 hours this afternoon； our time； we'll show some power。 If anyone tries an assauli on the ship； Sarah wilt deal with the hostages。 One at a time； of course。 So far it's between us and the Governments； but Т don't see that lasting if they miss our first deadline。' She looked at her watch。 'Three hours to go。 I don'l know what's planned； but we've all been （old to stay off the main deck and the island。'
'You can't win。 There's no way。 Clover； how in God's name； did someone like you get into a situation like this？'
'Don't talk to me like a cleric patronising a whore！' she shouted。 Then very quietly she said； 'Because the world's a rotten place； run by rotten people。 Our kind of anarchy is positive。 We want a fair and open society throughout the globe 。 。 。'
'You're just like all those pipe dreamers。 Clover。 There'll never be a fair； free and open society in this world。 You see； people get in the way。 Ideals are for idealists； and all idealists fall from grace。 No ideal works； simply because human beings cannot cope with it。 The man said it all…Power tends to corrupt； and absolute power corrupts absolutely。 Lord Acton； wasn't it？ Said it all。'
'You don't think 。 。 。？' she began。 'No。 No； you're trying the old hostage rapport trick。 Time for you to go quietly on your way。 James。' Even before she had said it； there was an urgent knocking at the door。 She called oui and one of the Leading Wrens； who had taken him on the main deck； came in。 She was a tall； angular blonde； but with the unfortunate lire and fervour of belief in her eyes。 'All three countries have turned us down。 Ma'am。 'Viper' says everyone is to stay below at 15；00 hours。 He thinks that by going public we'll force their hands。'
Clover nodded； then cocked her head towards Bond。 'You can take him down to the cells。 Lock him up tight。'
'I don't have to keep the bracelets on； do 1； Clover？ I mean the cells are pretty secure。'
She gave it a moment's thought。 'Make sure he's banged up tightly。 Take one of the other girls down with you … armed。 The cuffs can go。'
Bond went quietly。 He knew his only hope would be to get up onto the main deck。 and。 with tuck； get off in the first Sea Harrier which was on the ski…ramp； juiced up and heavy with weaponry。 When in this kind of situation； go along with them。 The entire business was crazy anyhow； for he fully believed all that BAST had done was to present an unexpected political bonus to those who opposed Gorbachev； Thatchcr and Bush。
Another Wren joined them； cradling an H & К МР5 SD3； with which she prodded Bond。 He could not but admire （he organisation。 Baradj might have chosen a stupid； negative target； but the operation and its methods had been excellent。
The cells were a little cluster of six。 barred cubicles； deep within the ship。 In a world of technology they were a tad old…fashioned。 The barred doors slid back by hand and they were equipped wiih straightforward deadlocks。 Nobody else occupied the cells and they just pushed him into the first one available。
'What about the handcuffs？' he asked； as ihe Leading Wren seemed about to lock him up。
'Oh。 yes。 Frisk him。 Daphne。' The blonde with the feverish eyes had that tough； rather butch manner that you often found in service women。 It did not mean that they were different from other females； but it came with the job。 Soft girls hardened under military discipline。
Daphne frisked him。 Very thoroughly。 Bond thought； for she lingered around his crotch。 A genuine FCP； he said to himself。
Finally they unlocked the cuffs； slid the bars in place and locked him away。
'Someone'll have to bring you food； I suppose；' the blonde said； her voice irritated at the thought。 'Don't know how long that'll be； we're pretty heavily stretched。'
'I can wait。' Bond said politely； knowing that whatever they brought him would be well laced with （heir new coneoction of basie chloral hydrate。
Alone now。 he had decisions to make。 This lime he really was on his own。 Up the proverbial creek without a paddle。 No hidden weapons： nothing spectacular from Q Branch。 Just himself； his skills； and the absolute necessity to get away。
About one hundred miles to the north…west of Rota； the freighter Esiado Novo had stopped her engines； and the sides o