if.thunderball-第12章

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It　crossed　Bond's　mind　that　the　letter　might　therefore　have　been　posted　under　cover　of　night　and　that　it　would　probably　have　been　delivered　some　time　in　the　early　afternoon　of　the　same　day；　yesterday。　A　typewriter　with　a　bold；　rather　elegant　type　had　been　used。　This　fact；　together　with　the　generous　5…by…7　1/2…inch　envelope　and　the　spacing　and　style　of　the　address；　gave　a　solid；　businesslike　impression。　The　back　of　the　envelope　showed　nothing　but　fingerprints。　There　was　no　sealing　wax。
　
　The　letter；　equally　correct　and　well　laid　out；　ran　as　follows：
　
　***
　
　Mr　Prime　Minister；
　
　You　should　be　aware；　or　you　will　be　if　you　municate　with　the　Chief　of　the　Air　Staff；　that；　since　approximately　10　p。m。　yesterday；　2nd　June；　a　British　aircraft　carrying　two　atomic　weapons　is　overdue　on　a　training　flight。　The　aircraft　is　Villiers　Vindicator　O/NBR　from　No。　5　R。A。F。　Experimental　Squadron　based　at　Bosbe　Down。　The　Ministry　of　Supply　Identification　Numbers　on　the　atomic　weapons　are　MOS/bd/654/Mk　V。　and　MOS/　bd/655/Mk　V。　There　are　also　U。S。A。F。　Identification　Numbers　in　such　profusion　and　of　such　prolixity　that　I　will　not　weary　you　with　them。
　
　This　aircraft　was　on　a　NATO　training　flight　with　a　crew　or　five　and　one　observer。　It　carried　sufficient　fuel　for　ten　hours'　flying　at　600　m。p。h。　at　a　mean　altitude　of　40；000　feet。
　
　This　aircraft；　together　with　the　two　atomic　weapons；　is　now　in　the　possession　of　this　organization。　The　crew　and　the　observer　are　deceased　and　you　have　our　authority　to　inform　the　next…of…kin　accordingly；　thus　assisting　you　in　preserving；　on　the　grounds　that　the　aircraft　has　crashed；　the　degree　of　secrecy　you　will　no　doubt　wish　to　maintain　and　which　will　be　equally　agreeable　to　ourselves。　The　whereabouts　of　this　aircraft　and　of　the　two　atomic　weapons；　rendering　them　possible　of　recovery；　will　be　municated　to　you　in　exchange　for　the　equivalent　of　￡100；000；000　in　gold　bullion；　one　thousand；　or　not　less　than　nine　hundred　and　ninety…nine；　fine。　Instructions　for　the　delivery　of　the　gold　are　contained　in　the　attached　memorandum。　A　further　condition　is　that　the　recovery　and　disposal　of　the　gold　will　not　be　hampered　and　that　a　free　pardon；　under　your　personal　signature　and　that　of　the　President　of　the　United　States；　will　be　issued　in　the　name　of　this　organization　and　all　its　members。
　
　Failure　to　accept　these　conditions　within　seven　days　from　5　p。m。　G。M。T。　on　June　3rd；　1959…i。e。　not　later　than　5　p。m。　G。M。T。　on　June　10th；　1959…will　have　the　following　consequences。　Immediately　after　that　date　a　piece　of　property　belonging　to　the　Western　Powers；　valued　at　not　less　than　the　aforesaid　￡100；000；000；　will　be　destroyed。　There　will　be　loss　of　life。　If；　within　48　hours　after　this　warning；　willingness　to　accept　our　terms　is　still　not　municated；　there　will　ensue；　without　further　warning；　the　destruction　of　a　major　city　situated　in　an　undesignated　country　of　the　world。　There　will　be　very　great　loss　of　life。　Moreover；　between　the　two　occurrences；　this　organization　will　reserve　to　itself　the　right　to　municate　to　the　world　the　48…hour　time　limit。　This　measure；　which　will　cause　widespread　panic　in　every　major　city；　will　be　designed　to　hasten　your　hand。
　
　This；　Mr。　Prime　Minister；　is　a　single　and　final　munication。　We　shall　await　your　reply；　every　hour　on　the　hour　G。M。T。；　on　the　16…megacycle　waveband。
　
　Signed
　
　S。P。E。C。T。R。E。
　
　（The　Special　Executive　for　Counterintelligence；　Terrorism；　Revenge；　and　Extortion）
　
　***
　
　James　Bond　read　through　the　letter　again　and　put　it　carefully　down　on　the　desk　in　front　of　him。　He　then　turned　to　the　second　page；　a　detailed　memorandum　for　the　delivery　of　the　gold。　〃Northwestern　slopes　of　Mount　Etna　in　Sicily　。　。　。　Decca　Navigational　Aid　transmitting　on　。。。　Full　moon　period　。　。　。　between　midnight　and　0100　G。M。T　。　。　。　individual　quarter…ton　consignments　packed　in　one…foot…thick　foam　rubber　。　。　。　minimum　of　three　parachutes　per　consignment　。　。　。　nature　of　planes　and　flight　schedule　to　be　municated　on　the　16…megacycle　waveband　not　later　than　24　hours　before　the　operation　。　。　。　Any　counter…measures　initiated　will　be　considered　a　breach　of　contract　and　will　result　in　the　detonation　of　Atomic　Weapon　No。　1　or　No。　2　as　the　case　may　be。〃　The　typed　signature　was　the　same。　Both　pages　had　one　last　line：　〃Copy　to　the　President　of　the　United　States　of　America；　by　Registered　Airmail；　posted　simultaneously。〃
　
　Bond　laid　the　photostat　quietly　down　on　top　of　the　others。　He　reached　into　his　hip　pocket　for　the　gunmetal　cigarette　case　that　now　contained　only　nine　cigarettes；　took　one；　and　lit　it；　drawing　the　smoke　deep　down　into　his　lungs　and　letting　it　out　with　a　long；　reflective　hiss。
　
　M　swiveled　his　chair　round　so　they　were　facing　each　other。　〃Well？〃
　
　Bond　noticed　that　M's　eyes；　three　weeks　before　so　clear　and　vital；　were　now　bloodshot　and　strained。　No　wonder！　He　said；　〃If　this　plane；　and　the　weapons；　really　are　missing；　I　think　it　stands　up；　sir。　I　think　they　mean　it。　I　think　it's　a　true　bill。〃
　
　M　said；　〃So　does　the　War　Cabinet。　So　do　I。〃　He　paused。　〃Yes；　the　plane　with　the　bombs　is　missing。　And　the　stock　numbers　on　the　bombs　are　correct。〃
　
　8。　〃Big　Fleas　Have　Little　Fleas　。　。　。〃
　
　Bond　said；　〃What　is　there　to　go　on；　sir？〃
　
　〃Damned　little；　practically　speaking　nothing。　Nobody's　ever　heard　of　these　SPECTRE　people。　We　know　there's　some　kind　of　independent　unit　working　in　Europe…we've　bought　some　stuff　from　them；　so　have　the　Americans；　and　Mathis　admits　now　that　Goltz；　that　French　heavy…water　scientist　who　went　over　last　year；　was　assassinated　by　them；　for　big　money；　as　a　result　of　an　offer　he　got　out　of　the　blue。　No　names　were　mentioned。　It　was　all　done　on　the　radio；　the　same　16　megacycles　that's　mentioned　in　the　letter。　To　the　Deuxième　munications　section。　Mathis　accepted　on　the　off…chance。　They　did　a　neat　job。　Mathis　paid　up…a　suitcase　full　of　money　left　at　a　Michelin　road　sign　on　N1。　But　no　one　can　tie　them　in　with　these　SPECTRE　people。　When　we　and　the　Americans　dealt；　there　were　endless　cutouts；　really　professional　ones；　and　anyway　we　were　more　interested　in　the　end　product　than　the　people　involved。　We　both　paid　a　lot　of　money；　but　it　was　worth　it。　If　it's　the　same　group　working　this；　they're　a　serious　outfit　and　I've　told　the　P。M。　so。　But　that's　not　the　point。　The　plane　is　missing　and　the　two　bombs；　just　as　the　letter　says。　All　details　exactly　correct。　The　Vindicator　was　on　a　NATO　training　flight　south　of　Ireland　and　out　into　the　Atlantic。〃　M　reached　for　a　bulky　folder　and　turned　over　some　pages。　He　found　what　he　wanted。　〃Yes；　it　was　to　be　a　six…hour　flight　leaving　Bosbe　Down　at　eight　p。m。　and　due　back　at　two　a。m。　There　was　an　R。A。F。　crew　of　five　and　a　NATO　observer；　an　Italian；　man　called　Petacchi；　Giuseppi　Petacchi；　squadron　leader　in　the　Italian　Air　Force；　seconded　to　NATO。　Fine　flyer；　apparently；　but　they're　checking　on　his　background　now。　He　was　sent　over　here　on　a　normal　tour　of　duty。　The　top　pilots　from　NATO　have　been　ing　over　for　months　to　get　used　to　the　Vindicator　and　the　bomb…release　routines。　This　plane's　apparently　going　to　be　used　for　the　NATO　long…range　striking　force。　Anyway〃…M　turned　over　a　page…〃the　plane　was　watched　on　the　screen　as　usual　and　all　went　well　until　it　was　west　of　Ireland　at　about　forty　thousand　feet。　Then；　contrary　to　the　drill；　it　came　down　to　around　thirty　thousand　and　got　lost　in　the　transatlantic　air　traffic。　Bomber　mand　tried　to　get　in　touch；　but　the　radio　couldn't　or　wouldn't　answer。　The　immediate　reaction　was　that　the　Vindicator　had　hit　one　of　the　transatlantic　planes　and　there　was　something　of　a　panic。　But　none　of　the　panies　reported　any　trouble　or　even　a　sighting。〃　M　looked　across　at　Bond。　〃And　that　was　the　end　of　it。　The　plane　just　vanished。〃
　
　Bond　said；　〃Did　the　American　DEW　line　pick　it　up…their　Defense　Early　Warning　system？〃
　
　〃There's　a　query　on　that。　The　only　grain　of　evidence　we've　got。　Ap〃　parently　about　five　hundred　miles　east　of　Boston　there　was　some　evidence　that　a　plane　had　peeled　off　the　inward　route　to　Idlewild　and　turned　south。　But　that's　another　big　traffic　lane…for　the　northern　traffic　from　Montreal　and　Gander　down　to　Bermuda　and　the　Bahamas　and　South　America。　So　these　DEW　operators　just　put　it　down　as　a　B。O。A。C。　or　Trans…Canada　plane。〃　〃It　certainly　sounds　as　if　they've　got　the　whole　thing　worked　out　pretty　well；　hiding　in　these　traffic　lanes。　Could　the　plane　have　turned　northwards　in　the　middle　of　the　Atlantic　and　made　for　Russia？〃
　
　〃Yes；　or　southwards。　There's　a　big　block　of　space　about　five　hundred　miles　out　from　both　shores　that's　out　of　radar　range。　Better　still；　it　could　have　turned　on　its　tracks　and　e　back　in　to　Europe　on　any　of　two　or　three　air　lanes。　In　fact　it　could　be　almost　anywhere　in　the　world　by　now。　That's　the　point。〃
　
　〃But　it's　a　huge　plane。　It　must　need　special　runways　and　so　on。　It　must　have　e　down　somewhere。　You　can't　hide　a　plane　of　that　size。〃
　
　〃Just　so。　All　these　things　are　obvious。　By　midnight　last　night　the　R。A。F。　had　checked　with　every　single　airport；　every　one　in　the　world　that　could　have　taken　it。　Negative。　But　the　C。A。S。　says　of　course　it　could　be　crash…landed　in　the　Sahara；　for　instance；　or　on　some　other　desert；　or　in　the　sea；　in　shallow　water。〃
　
　〃Wouldn't　that　explode　the　bombs？〃
　
　〃No。　They're　absolutely　safe　until　they're　armed。　Apparently　even　a　direct　drop；　like　that　one　from　the　B…47　over　North　Carolina　in　1958；　would　only　explode　the　T。N。T。　trigger　to　the　thing。　Not　the　plutonium。〃
　
　〃How　are　these　SPECTRE　people　going　to　explode　them；　then？〃
　
　M　spread　his　hands。　〃They　explained　all　this　at　the　War　Cabinet　meeting。　I　don't　understand　it　all；　but　apparently　an　atomic　bomb　looks　just　like　any　other　bomb。　The　way　it　works　is　that　the　nose　is　full　of　ordinary　T。N。T。　with　the　plutonium　in　the　tail。　Between　the　two　there's　a　hole　into　which　you　screw　some　sort　of　a　detonator；　a　kind　of　plug。　When　the　bomb　hits；　the　T。N。T。　ignites　the　detonator　and　the　detonator　sets　off　the　plutonium。〃
　
　〃So　these　people　would　have　to　drop　the　bomb　to　set　it　off？〃　Apparently　not。　They　would　need　a　man　with　good　physics　knowledge　who　understood　the　thing；　but　then　all　he'd　have　to　do　would　be　to　unscrew　the　nose　cone　on　the　bomb…the　ordinary　detonator　that　sets　off　the　T。N。T。…and　fix　on　some　kind　of　time　fuse　that　would　ignite　the　T。N。T。　without　it　being　dropped。　That　would　set　the　thing　off。　And　it's　not　a　very　bulky　affair。　You　could　get　the　whole　thing　into　something　only　about　twice　the　size　of　a　big　golf　bag。　Very　heavy；　of　course。　But　you　could　put　it　into　the　back　of　a　big　car；　for　instance；　and　just　run　the　car　into　a　town　and　leave　it　parked　with　the　time　fuse　switched　on。　Give　yourself　a　couple　of　hours'　start　to　get　out　of　range…at　least　a　hundred　miles　away…and　that　would　be　that。〃
　
　Bond　reached　in　his　pocket　for　another　cigarette。　It　couldn't　be；　yet　it　was　so。　Just　what　his　Service　and　all　the　other　intelligence　services　in　the　world　had　been　expecting　to　happen。　The　anonymous　little　man　in　the　raincoat　with　a　heavy　suitcase…or　golf　bag；　if　you　like。　The　left　luggage　office；　the　parked　car；　the　clump　of　bushes　in　a　park　in　the　center　of　a　big　town。　And　there　was　no　answer　to　it。　In　a　few　years'　time；　if