johngardner.rollofhonor-第28章

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　Whoever　had　laid　out　the　ground　plan　of　this　operation；　Holy；　Rahani；　or　the　inner　council　of　SPECTRE　itself；　had　done　so　with　admirable　attention　to　detail。　　For　all　he　knew；　the　whole　gang　on　board　could　have　a　genuine　affiliation　to　Goodyear。　　In　any　case；　he　did　not　even　know　whether　the　ASP　was　loaded。　　So　far　there　was　at　least　a　small　amount　of　trust　between　him　and　the　main　protagonists。
　Exploit　that　trust　to　the　full；　he　told　himself；　and　just　go　along　for　the　ride。
　After　takeoff　an　attractive　girl　served　drinks　and　coffee。　　Bond　took　the　coffee；　not　wishing　to　dull　any　of　his　senses。　　He　then　excused　himself　and　went　to　the　pocketsized　lavatory　at　the　rear　of　the　aircraft。
　The　ever…watchful　Simon　sat　near　the　door；　eyeing　him　with　wary　amusement。　　But　there　was　no　attempt　at　restraint。
　Inside　he　took　out　the　ASP　and　slipped　the　magazine　from　the　butt。
　It　was；　as　he　had　thought；　empty。
　Whatever　else　happened；　ammunition　or　another　weapon　was　a　priority。
　Back　in　his　seat；　Bond　took　stock。　　The　takeover　of　the　Goodyear　base；　together　with　the　airship　Europa；　had　already　taken　place　hours　before　Bill　Tanner　had　checked。　　True；　the　Swiss　police　were　now　alerted；　but　they　would　only　make　SPECTRE'　S　task　easier　by　keeping　out　any　unwanted　meddlers。　　The　only　possibility　of　the　Service　suspecting　anything　amiss　would　be　the　discovery　that　the　surveillance　cars　had　lost　him　…　but　heaven　knew　when　they　would　find　out。　　These　people　had　taken　no　chances。　　By　stripping　him；　they　had　effectively　cut　off　any　possible　pursuit。　　The　surveillance　teams　could　be　led　a　pretty　dance；　all　over　the　country；　following　the　constant　bleeps　of　the　homers　ing　from　a　pile　of　clothes　in　a　lorry　or　car。
　Not　for　the　first　time　in　his　career；　Bond　was　truly　alone；　with　no　way　of　warning　anyone　in　authority。　　On　the　face　of　it；　there　was　very　little　he　could　do　to　stop　the　airship's　scheduled　flight　over　Geneva；　or　prevent　use　of　the　Russian　and　American　ciphers。　　Even　the　high　security　classification　of　these　ciphers　would　work　against　them。
　If　M　was　correct　and　the　SPECTRE　plan　turned　on　the　operation　of　the　American　Ploughshare　cipher　or　its　Russian　equivalent；　there　would　be　no　worldwide　alert　while　Russian　and　American　leaders　were　locked　in　their　Summit　talks。　　The　damage　would　already　have　been　done　before　they　knew　there　was　a　crisis。
　Sitting　next　to　Jay　Autem　Holy；　he　reflected　on　the　ingenuity　of　the　plan；　which　would　denude　the　two　superpowers　of　their　one　true　weapon　in　the　power　balance。　　It　was；　of　course；　what　many　people　had　dreamed　of；　protested　for；　talked　and　argued　about　for　years。　　M　had　stressed　this　at　the　meeting　in　the　house　off　Northumberland　Avenue。
　He　was　convinced　that　a　〃phased　run…down　of　both　sides'　nuclear　armouries　was　a　reasonable　solution。　　For　the　two　superpowers　to　be　stripped　overnight　of　their　major　weapons　would　destroy　the　tenuous　stability　that　had　prevailed　since　the　Second　World　War。　　Operation　Down　Escalator　was；　Bond　thought；　an　appropriate　name；　borrowing　from　that　clumsy　term；　dc…escalation；　bandied　about　by　politicians　and　protesters　alike。
　He　dozed；　not　asleep；　but　conserving　his　energies　for　the　time　when　ingenuity　and　strength　might　be　needed。
　Yet　in　that　state；　pictures　of　the　aftermath　of　Down　Escalator；　as　described　by　his　chief；　churned　over　and　over　in　his　mind。　　There　would　be　a　worldwide　economic　crisis；　with　a　market　crash　of　enormous　proportions；　all　confidence　lost　in　the　two　superpowers。　　M　had　said　that　any　economist　or　social　historian　could　map　out　the　events　which　would　follow　the　undercutting　of　financial　stability。　　The　United　States　and　the　Soviet　Union　would　be　at　the　mercy　of　any　other　nation；　however　small；　which　possessed　its　own　nuclear　capability。　　As　he　took　in　the　pictures　M　had　drawn；　Bond　became　even　more　determined　to　prevent　Operation　Down　Escalator；　no　matter　what　the　cost　to　himself。
　〃Anarchy　will　rule；'　M　had　said。　　〃The　world　will　divide　into　uncertain　alliances　and　the　man　in　the　street；　no　matter　what　his　birthright；　nationality；　or　politics；　will　be　forced　to　accept　a　way　of　life　which　will　drop　him　into　a　dark　and　bitter　well　of　misery。　Freedom；　even　the　promise　freedom　which　exists　now；　will　be　erased　from　our　existence；'　M　had　declaimed　in　a　rare　burst　of　almost　Churchillian　oratory。
　〃Seatbelt；　James。〃　He　opened　his　eyes。　　Jay　Autem　Holy　was　shaking　his　shoulder。　　〃We're　ing　in　to　land。〃　Bond　smiled　back；　sheepishly；　as　though　he　had　really　been　deeply　asleep。
　〃Landing？　　Where？〃　Perhaps　in　Geneva；　at　the　airport；　he　could　get　away；　raise　the　alarm。
　〃Berne；　Switzerland。　　You　remember　we're　flying　into　Switzerland？〃　Of　course。　　They　wouldn't　do　anything　like　trying　to　go　into　Geneva；　which　would　be　bristling　with　security。
　Berne！　　Bond　smiled　inwardly。　　These　people　had　the　whole　business　tied　up。　　Berne；　cars；　a　swift　drive　over　to　the　Lake　of　Geneva　and　the　Goodyear　airstrip。　　All　formalities　would　be　already　dealt　with　under　the　auspices　of　the　huge　international　pany　they　appeared　to　represent。
　He　glanced　at　his　watch。　　It　was　already　four　in　the　morning。　　As　the　aircraft　banked　on　its　final　approach　he　saw　out　of　the　cabin　window　that　the　sky　was　beginning　to　brighten；　a　dark　grey　colour　wash　streaked　with　light。
　No；　he　had　to　go　all　the　way。　　Try　to　spike　the　plan　from　the　inside　as　it　got　under　way。
　〃Nice　place；　Berne；'　he　observed　casually；　and　Holy　nodded。
　〃We　go　on　by　car。　　It'll　take　us　an　hour　…　an　hour　and　a　half。
　There'll　be　plenty　of　time。　　Our　job　does　not　start　until　eleven。〃　They　came　in　with　engines　throttled　back；　then　there　was　a　final　short　burst　of　power　to　lift　them　over　the　threshold；　and　hardly　a　bump　as　the　wheels　touched　down；　before　the　final　fiery　roar　of　reverse　thrust。
　As　he　had　suspected；　the　transfer　was　swift　and　acplished　with　the　bined　efficiency　of　Swiss　bureaucracy　and　SPECTRE'S　cunning。
　The　aircraft　was　parked　well　away　from　the　main　terminal。　　Two　Audi　Quattros　and　a　police　car　were　drawn　up　alongside。
　From　the　window；　Bond　saw　the　transaction　take　place　…　the　small　pile　of　passports　handed　over；　inspected　and　returned；　with　a　salute。
　There　would　be　no　customs　inspection；　he　thought。　　The　Goodyear　jet　must　have　been　running　in　and　out　of　Berne　and　Geneva　for　a　month　or　so　now。　They　would　have　the　formalities　cut　down　to　the　fine　art　of　mutual　trust。
　Then　General　Zwingli　eased　his　bulk　down　the　aisle　first；　giving　Bond　a　friendly　nod　as　he　passed。　　They　left　the　aircraft　in　single　file；　with　Bond　hemmed　in　neatly　by　the　Arab　boy　and　Simon。　　Nobody　threatened　him；　but　it　was　implicit　in　their　looks　that　any　false　move　would　be　countered。　　The　police　car；　with　its　immigration　officers　on　board；　was　already　slowly　disappearing　back　towards　the　terminal。
　The　Audis　had　Goodyear　V。I。P。　　stickers　on　the　windscreens　and　rear　windows。　　Bond　recognised　both　drivers；　in　their　grey　uniforms；　as　men　he　had　seen　in　Erewhon。
　Within　minutes；　he　was　sitting　next　to　Holy　in　the　rear　of　the　second　car　as　they　swept　away　from　the　airport　in　the　half　light　of　dawn。　　The　houses　on　Berne's　outskirts　still　slept；　while　others　appeared　to　be　just　waking　lights　ing　on；　green　shutters　open。
　Always；　in　Switzerland；　Bond　thought；　you　knew　you　were　in　a　small；　rich　country；　for　all　the　buildings　looked　as　though　they　had　been　assembled　in　some　sterile　room　from　a　plastic　kit；　plete　with　small　details　of　greenery　and　flowers。
　They　took　the　most　direct　route　…　straight　to　Lausanne；　then　along　the　lake　road；　following　the　line　of　the　toy…like　railway。　　Holy　was　quiet　for　most　of　the　journey；　but　Simon；　sitting　in　the　front　passenger　seat；　occasionally　turned　back　to　make　small　talk。
　〃You　know　this　part　of　the　world；　James？　　Fairytale　country；　isn't　it？〃　Bond　remembered；　for　no　apparent　reason；　that　the　first　time　he　had　visited　the　Lake　of　Geneva　was　when　he　was　sixteen。　　He　had　spent　a　week　with　friends　in　Montreux；　had　had　a　youthful　holiday　affair　with　a　waitress　from　a　lakeside　cale；　and　had　developed　a　taste　for　Campari…soda。
　The　Magic　Carpet　Between　Lausanne　and　Morges　the　cars　stopped　at　a　lighted　lakeside　restaurant。　　Simon　and　the　Arab　boy；　in　turns；　brought　out　coffee　and　rolls　to　the　cars。　　The　sheer　normality　of　their　actions　grated　on　Bond's　nerves；　like　a　probe　on　a　raw　tooth。　　Half　of　his　mind　and　body　urged　him　to　take　drastic　action　now：　the　other　more　professional　half　told　him　to　wait；　bide　his　time　and　use　the　moment　when　it　came。
　〃Where　are　we　heading？〃　he　asked　Holy　soon　after　the　breakfast　break。
　〃A　few　kilometres　this　side　of　Geneva。〃　Holy　remained　relaxed　and　confident。　　〃We　turn　off　the　lake　road。
　There's　a　small　valley　and　an　airstrip。　　The　team　from　Erewhon　will　be　waiting　for　us。　　Have　you　ever　flown　in　an　airship；　James？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Then　it　will　be　a　new　experience　for　us　both。　　I'm　told　it's　rather　fantastic。〃　He　peered　from　the　windows。　　〃And　it　looks　as　though　we'll　have　a　clear　day　for　it。　　The　view　should　be　wonderful。〃　They　went　through　Nyon；　the　houses　clustered　together　on　the　lake　as　though　clinging　to　each　other　to　save　themselves　from　falling　in。　　Soon　afterwards；　Geneva　came　into　view　at　the　western　end　of　the　lake；　a　misty　blur　of　buildings　with　a　toy　steamer　ploughing　a　lone　furrow　of　spray；　chugging　across　the　water。　　It　all　looked　as　peaceful　as　ever。
　They　also　met　the　first　police　checkpoint；　the　cars　slowing　almost　to　a　standstill　before　the　sharp…eyed　uniformed　men　waved　them　on。
　There　was　a　second　road　block　just　before　they　turned　inland。　　A　car　and　two　policemen　on　motorcycles　started　to　flag　them　down；　until　they　spotted　the　Goodyear　stickers。　　They　were　waved　on　with　smiles。
　As　Bond　looked　back；　he　saw　one　of　the　men　talking　into　a　radio。
　As　he　had　imagined；　the　police　were　assisting　innocently　in　the　events　planned　to　take　place　over　the　lake　in　a　few　hours'　time。
　The　great　cleft　in　the　mountains　seemed　to　widen　as　they　climbed　away。　The　sun　was　up　now；　and　you　could　clearly　see　tiny　farmhouses　on　the　slopes。　　Then　suddenly　the　valley　floor　and　the　tiny　landing　strip　appeared　just　below　them；　the　grass　a　painted　green；　the　control　tower；　hangar　and　one　other　building　as　neat　and　unreal　as　a　film　set。　　Out　on　the　grass；　two　mountain　rescue　aircraft　stood　like　stranded　birds。　　At　the　far　end　of　the　field　the　sausage　shape　of　the　Goodyear　airship　Europa　swung　lazily；　tethered　to　her　low　portable　masthead。
　Then　the　road　dipped；　the　airfield　disappeared；　and　they　were　twisting　through　the　S…bends　which　would　carry　them　to　the　final　destination。
　Before　the　two　cars　reached　the　valley　floor　and　the　airstrip　two　more　police　checkpoints　were　negotiated。
　The　Swiss　police　had　certainly　snapped　into　action。
　London；　Bond　decided；　would　feel　very　satisfied；　content　that　nothing　untoward　could　now　happen　by　the　peaceful　lakeside。
　There　were　no　less　than　three　police　cars　at　the　airstrip　entrance；　which　was　little　more　than　a　metal　gateway　set　into　an　eight…foot　chain…link　fence；　encircling　the　entire　area。　　In　the　distance；　a　police　car　patrolled　the　perimeter　slowly　and　as　thoroughly　as　only　the　Swiss　perform　their　official　duties。
　As　the　Audis　drew　up；　Bond　saw　two　more　faces　which　he　r