johngardner.rollofhonor-第16章

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　He　told　the　story；　just　as　they　had　concocted　it　in　M's　office。
　Over　a　period　of　some　six　months　it　had　been　discovered　that　several　highly　sensitive　files　had　been　taken　from　the　Service　HQ　and　kept　out　overnight。　　It　was　an　old　story；　and　one　that　was　technically　plausible；　even　allowing　for　the　stringent　security　spot　checks；　and　signing　in　and　out　of　files。　　However；　the　system　was　double…checked　by　an　electronic　bar　code；　appended　to　each　file；　which　was　scanned　every　time　the　file　was　taken　out　or　returned。　　The　files　went　through　a　machine　that　read　the　code　and　stored　the　information　in　the　Registry　databank；　which　was　examined　at　the　end　of　each　month。　　It　was　impossible　to　alter　the　bar　codes　on　the　files　or　to　duplicate　them。
　But　because　the　information　stored　away　on　the　big　puter　tapes　was　read　out　only　at　the　end　of　each　month；　anyone　could　return　a　dummy　file　each　night；　putting　back　the　original　the　following　night。　　By　alternating　dummy　and　original　you　could　examine　around　twenty　files　in　a　month　before　the　tampering　would　be　discovered。　　This；　Bond　maintained；　was　what　had　happened；　though　Registry　had　spent　so　much　time　cross。checking　and　looking　at　the　data　because　they　imagined　it　to　be　a　program　error　in　the　puter；　that　a　further　week　had　passed　before　a　report　went　up　to　Head　of　Service。
　In　all；　only　eight　files　had　been　at　risk。　　But；　on　the　relevant　dates；　James　Bond　had　been　one　of　those　with　access　to　the　files。　　Five　people　were　under　suspicion；　and　they　had　hauled　Bond　in　before　anybody　else。
　〃Someone　of　my　rank　and　experience　would　normally　be　given　the　courtesy　of　a　private　interview　with　the　Head　of　Service；'　he　said；　his　tone　verging　on　anger。　　〃But　no。　　It　didn't　seem　to　matter　that　the　other　four　were　junior；　relatively　inexperienced　and　without　field　records。　It　was　as　if　I　was　singled　out　because　of　my　position；　because　I　had　been　in　the　field；　because　of　my　experience。〃
　〃You　were　actually　accused？〃　It　was　Simon　who　asked。
　Bond　allowed　the　anger　to　boil　up　and　break　the　surface。　　〃Oh；　yes。　Yes；　I　was　accused。　　Before　they　even　talked　to　anyone　else　they　carted　in　a　couple　of　very　good　interrogators；　and　a　Q。C。　　You　removed　these　files　from　the　headquarters　building；　mander　Bond。　　Why？　　Did　you　copy　them？　　Who　asked　you　to　take　them？　　It　went　on　for　two　days。〃
　〃And　did　you　take　them　from　the　building；　mander？〃
　〃No；　I　did　not；'　Bond　almost　shouted。　　〃And　it　took　them　another　two　days　to　haul　in　the　other　four；　and　then　a　day　for　Head　of　Registry　to　e　back　off　leave　and　remember　that　special　permission　had　been　given　to　one　officer　to　take　the　wretched　files　over　for　study　by　a　Civil　Service　mandarin　adviser　to　the　Ministry。　　They　had　left　spaces　in　the　records；　just　to　keep　the　data　neat。
　Head　of　Registry　was　supposed　to　put　a　special　code　into　the　databank。　But　he　was　off　on　leave；　and　forgot　about　it。　　Nobody　had　a　go　at　him；　or　offered　his　head　on　a　salver。〃
　〃So　no　files　went　missing　at　all。　　You　got　an　apology；　of　course？〃
　〃Not　immediately。〃　Bond　glowered；　like　a　schoolboy。
　And　nobody　seemed　at　all　concerned　about　my　feelings。
　Head　of　Service　didn't　appear　even　to　understand　why　I　got　annoyed。〃
　〃So　you　resigned？　　Just　like　that？〃
　〃More　or　less。〃
　〃It's　a　very　good　story。　　Tamil　Rahani　looked　pleased。
　〃But　it　will　be　difficult　to　prove；　if　I　know　anything　about　government　departments。
　〃Exceptionally　difficult；'　Bond　agreed。
　〃Tell　me；　what　did　the　files　in　question　contain？〃
　〃Ah。〃　Bond　tried　to　look　as　charming　as　possible。　　〃Now　you're　really　asking　me　to　betray。〃
　〃Yes。〃　Rahani　was　quite　matter…of…fact。
　〃Mainly　updated　material　on　the　disposition　of　Eastern　Bloc　tactical　forces。　　One　concerned　agents　on　the　ground　and　their　proximity　to　the　Eastern　bases。〃　Rahani's　eyebrows　twitched。
　〃Sensitive。　　I　see。　　Well；　mander；　I　shall　make　a　few　enquiries。　　In　the　meantime；　perhaps　Simon　will　show　you　around　Erewhon；　and　we'll　continue　to　have　little　talks。〃
　〃You　mean　interrogations？〃　Rahani　shrugged。　　〃If　you　like。　　Your　future　career　depends　on　what　you　tell　us　now。　　Quite　painless；　I　assure　you。
　As　they　reached　the　door；　Bond　turned　back。　　〃May　I　ask　you　a　question；　sir？〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　〃You　bear　a　striking　resemblance　to　a　Mr。　Tamil　Rahani；　chairman　of　Rahani　Electronics。　　I　believe　you've　been　in　Monte　Carlo　recently？〃　Rahani's　laugh　had　all　the　genuine　warmth　of　an　angry　cobra。　　〃You　should　know；　mander。　　You　were　raising　a　fair　amount　of　hell　at　the　gaming　tables　on　the　Cete　d'Azur　at　the　time；　I　think。〃
　〃Touche'；　sir。〃　Bond　followed　Simon　out　into　the　sunshine。
　They　went　first　to　a　mess　hall　where　about　eighty　people　were　enjoying　a　lunch　of　chicken　cooked　with　peppers；　onions；　almonds　and　garlic。
　Everyone　wore　the　same　olive　uniform。　　Some　carried　side　arms。　There　were　men　and　women；　mainly　young；　and　from　many　different　countries。
　They　sat　in　pairs　or　teams　of　four。　　That　was　how　the　training　went；　Simon　explained。　　They　worked　with　a　partner　or　in　teams。　Sometimes　two　teams　would　be　put　together；　if　the　work　demanded　it。　Some　of　the　pairs　were　training　to　be　loners。
　〃Doing　what？〃　Bond　asked。
　〃Oh；　we　cover　the　usual　spectrum。　　Big　bang　merchants；　take　away　artists；　removal　men；　monopoly　teams。　　You　name　it；　we　do　it　electricians；　mechanics；　drivers；　all　the　necessary　humdrum　jobs　too。〃　Bond　identified　a　number　of　different　tongues　being　spoken　in　the　hall　…　German；　French；　Italian。　　There　were　also　Israelis；　Irish；　and　even　English　he　was　told。　　He　almost　immediately　identified　a　pair　of　German　terrorists　whose　names　and　details　were　on　file　with　his　Service；　M。I。5　and　at　Scotland　Yard。
　〃If　you　want　anonymity；　I　shouldn't　use　those　two　in　Europe；'　he　told　Simon　quietly。　　〃They've　both　got　star　billing　with　our　people。〃
　〃That's　good。　　Thank　you。　　We　prefer　unknowns；　and　I　had　a　feeling　about　that　couple。　　Everyone　has　had　some　field　work　behind　them　when　they　e　here；　but　we　don't　like　faces。〃　Simon　gave　a　knowing　grin。
　〃We　do　need　them　though。　　Some　have　to　be　lost；　you　know。　　It　es　in　handy　during　training。〃　Throughout　the　afternoon；　they　walked　around　the　well…equipped　training　area；　and　Bond　experienced　the　odd　sensation　of　having　seen　all　this　before。　　It　took　an　hour　or　so　to　work　out　exactly　what　was　wrong。　　These　men　and　women　were　being　trained　in　techniques　he　had　seen　used　by　the　S。A。S　Germany's　G。S。G。9；　the　French　G。I。G。N　and　several　other　elite　units　dealing　with　anti…terrorist　activities。　　There　was　one　difference；　however。　　The　trainees　at　Erewhon　were　receiving　expert　tuition　on　how　to　counter　anti…terrorist　action。
　Apart　from　classes　in　weaponry　of　all　kinds；　special　attention　was　paid　to　hijacking　and　takeover。　　They　even　had　two　flight　simulators　in　the　pound。　　One　building　was　devoted　solely　to　the　techniques　of　bargaining　with　authorities　while　holding　either　hostages　or　kidnap　victims。　　The　skills　were　being　taught　extremely　thoroughly。
　One　of　the　most　spectacular　training　aids　lay　around　the　gutted　buildings　Bond　had　noticed　earlier。　　Here　a　team　of　four　would　be　taught　how　to　fight　off　attempted　rescues　employing　all　the　known　counter…terrorist　techniques。　　It　was　disturbing　to　note　that　most　eventualities　appeared　to　be　covered。
　That　night　Bond　slept　again　in　the　same　sparsely　furnished　room　where　he　had　first　woken。　　On　the　following　day；　the　interrogation　began。　　It　was　conducted　on　a　classic　one…to…one　basis　…　Tamil　Rahani　and　James　Bond　…　with　Rahani　asking　seemingly　ordinary　questions　that　were；　in　fact；　attempts　to　ferret　out　highly　sensitive　information　about　Bond's　Service。
　Rahani　began　with　reasonably　harmless　stuff；　such　as　organisation　and　channels　of　mand。　　Soon；　detail　was　being　called　for；　and　Bond　had　to　use　all　his　native　ingenuity　to　give　the　appearance　of　telling　everything；　at　the　same　time　keeping　back　really　vital　information。
　Rahani　was　like　a　terrier。　　Just　when　Bond　thought　he　had　managed　to　avoid　giving　some　piece　of　information；　Rahani　would　change　tack；　going　in　a　circle　to　return　to　the　nub　of　the　question。　　It　became　all　too　obvious　that　once　they　had　milked　him　dry；　Bond　would　be　quietly　thrown　to　the　wolves。
　On　the　sixth　day　Rahani　was　still　hammering　away　at　the　same　questions　concerning　details　of　protection　for　heads　of　state；　the　Prime　Minister；　the　Queen　and　other　members　of　the　Royal　Family。　　This　was　no　part　of　Bond's　own　work；　or　the　work　of　his　Service；　but　Rahani　quite　rightly　assumed　that　Bond　would　know　a　great　deal　about　it。　　He　even　wanted　names；　possible　weaknesses　in　those　assigned　to　such　duties；　and　the　kind　of　schedules　they　worked。　　At　about　five　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　a　message　was　brought　in。　　Rahani　read　it；　then　slowly　folded　the　paper　and　looked　at　Bond。
　〃Well；　mander；　it　seems　your　days　here　are　numbered。　　There　is　a　job　for　you　back　in　England。　　Something　very　important　is　at　last　ing　to　fruition；　and　you　are　to　be　part　of　it。　　You　are　on　salary　as　from　now。
　He　picked　up　one　of　his　telephones　and　asked　for　Simon　to　e　over　as　quickly　as　possible。　　Bond　had　learnt　by　now　that　they　used　first　names　at　Erewhon　for　everyone　except　the　Officer　manding。
　〃mander　Bond　is　with　us；'　he　told　Simon。　　〃There's　work　for　him；　and　he　leaves　for　England　tomorrow。　　You　will　escort　him。〃　An　odd　look　passed　between　the　two　men　before　Rahani　continued。　　〃But；　Simon；　we　have　yet　to　see　the　gallant　mander　in　action。　　Would　it　be　a　good　idea　to　put　him　through　the　Charnel　House？〃
　〃He'd　like　that；　I'm　sure；　sir。
　The　Charnel　House　was　a　gallows…humour　nickname　for　the　gutted　buildings　they　used　for　training　against　counter…terrorist　forces。
　Simon　said　he　would　set　things　up；　and　they　walked　the　short　distance　to　the　area；　where　Simon　left　to　make　the　arrangements。　　Ten　minutes　later；　he　returned；　taking　Bond　inside　the　house。
　Though　the　place　was　gutted　and　bore　the　marks　of　many　simulated　battles；　it　had　been　remarkably　well　built。　　There　was　a　large　entrance　hall　inside　the　solid　main　door。　　Two　short　passages　to　left　and　right　led　to　large　rooms；　which　were　uncarpeted；　but　contained　one　or　two　pieces　of　furniture。　　At　the　top　of　a　solid　staircase　was　a　wide　landing　with　one　door。　　Through　this　a　long　passage　ran　the　length　of　the　house　with　doors　on　the　facing　wall　leading　into　two　rooms　built　directly　above　those　on　the　ground　floor。　　Simon　led　Bond　upstairs。
　〃There　will　be　a　team　of　four。　　Blank　ammunition；　of　course；　but　real　flash…bangs。〃　Flash…bangs　were　stun　grenades；　not　the　most　pleasant　thing　to　be　near　on　detonation。　　〃The　brief　is　that　they　know　you　are　somewhere　upstairs。〃　Simon　pulled　out　the　ASP　9mm。　　〃Nice　weapon；　James。　Very　nice。　　Who　would　think　it　has　the　power　of　a　。44
　Magnum？〃
　〃You've　been　playing　with　my　toys。
　〃Couldn't　resist　it。　　There　…　one　magazine　of　blanks；　and　one　spare。　Use　your　initiative；　James。　　Good　luck。〃　He　looked　at　his　watch。　　〃You　have　three　minutes。
　Bond　quickly　reconnoited　the　building　and　placed　himself　in　the　upper　corridor；　since　it　had　no　windows。
　He　stayed　close　to　the　door　which　opened　on　to　the　landing；　but　was　well　shielded　by　the　corridor　wall。　　He　was　crouched　against　the　wall　when　the　stun　grenades　exploded　in　the　hallway　below　…　two　ea