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n with Seintex or RDX。 This was something he would have 10 report。 It could he that some terrorist organisations were using a new type of explosive： or was it an old mixture which； wilh age； produced more smoke than usual？ Anyway； it had wiped out an unusually cold…blooded terrorist princess。
How many terrorist princesses does it take to wire up a time…bomb？ Three： one to get the wire； one 10 get the gold Rolex and one to call the expert。 There was a tap on the door and he called ？e。' with one hand slipping off the Browning's safety and turning ！he pistol towards the door。
The man was tail； dressed casually in slacks and a sweater。 He had the dark leathery looks of the Middle East； bul his voice was pure Oxford English。
'Captain Bond？' he queried； though Bond got the distinct impression that he was merely adhering to some kind of ritual。
He nodded。
'Name's Farsee。' He was in his forties； carried himself in an alert military manner； adjusting everything to make it seem as though he was pure civilian to the marrow。 His laugh； when ii came； lacked real humour。 'Julian Farsee； though my friends call me Tomato。 Play on words； kind of thing； y'see。 Tomato Farsee。 Tomaies Fames…the old French stuffed tomatoes。 See？'
'What's bloody going on？' Bond asked； his voice brittle and with undertones of violence。
'The quacks want to give you a bit of a going over。 I just dropped in to see if you were feeling okay； and ready for that kind of thing； right？'
'And who exactly are you。 Julian？ Where are we； what are you； and what's going on？'
'Well。 I'm the Two I。〃C actually。 Right？' （Two I。〃C was military forSecond…in…mand； just like Jimmie The One； in the Royal Navy； stood for First Lieutenant； who could hold the rank of mander or even Caplain； depending on the Captain's rank； which could even be Rear…Admiral。 Some people found it confusing。）
'You're Second…in…mand of what； exactly？'
'This。〃 Farsee waved a hand in the direction of the window。
It was like prising a grape…pip from a peach。 'And what is this？'
'Nobody told you？'
'If they had； 1 wouldn't be asking you； Julian。〃
'Oh； ya； right。 We're slightly irregular actually。〃
'How irregular？'
'es under NATO installations； right？ Highly classified； you mighl say。 Very highly classified。 We're not even in the book； as they say。 right？'
'More！' Bond almost shouted。 He could stand Yuppies up to a point； but not Yuppie military。
'CO's American； right？'
'CO of what？'
'We sort of handle things。 Hide folk away when we don't want the world to see them … or I should say when some of the intelligence people don't want the world to sec them。〃
'Such as myself？'
'Ya。 Oh。 ya。 Right； Captain Bond。 Look； you ready for the medical wallahs； eh？'
Bond gave a long sigh； then nodded。 'Lead me to them。〃
The doctors spent over three hours going over him。 There was a general examination； and a few tests。 The ENT specialist said he was lucky。 'Eardrums're intact。 Miracle from whal I hear。〃 This particular specialist was very much in the military mould。
Bond only became angry when they took him to a room in the hospital block that smelled strongly of psychiatrist。 You could tell； first； by the pictures on the wall； light…grey skies and calm landscapes。 Then there was the abundance of plant life。 You could have been in Kew Gardens； and the young； very laid…back young man leaning in his adjustable Draberl chair； had about him an air of calm； laced heavily with deep anxiety。 But it was the Rorschach lest that clinched it。 In his day。 Bond had seen experts play with psychiatrists when （hey brought out the ink blots。 He also knew the crazy and clever answers that gave an analyst the Rorschach protocol。
'Just look at each one； and tell me what you see。〃 The young man laid （he ink blots on the desk one at a time。 A butterfly lhat could be a praying mantis if you were dangerous enough； a kissing couple； which might just be a nasty weapon。 Each time Bond told him the blot looked like a woman's breasts； so when they finished the psychiatrist smiled … 'You're extracting the urine； aren't you。 Captain Bond？'
'In ；i word…yes。 Look； doc； I've been through worse traumas than this in my time。 Yes； I feel as most men do； after the sudden； destructive loss of a woman I'd e to care about。 But I do know that it was all quick。 Too quick。 Immediately afterwards there was sorrow； and a little self…pity。 Shock； if you like。 Now I just feel very angry。 Angry with myself for being such u prat。 Angry with them； for setting me up。 Natural； isn't it？'
The psychiatrist smiled and nodded。 'On your way。 Captain Bond。 Anger's the healthiest reaction； so let's not waste each other's time。'
Bond did not reveal that he had a sneaking suspicion that another few strands of 。wool were being pulled over his eyes。 That would e out in time。 Give them enough rope； or wool for that matier。
Julian was waiting for him。 〃CO would like a word； 1 think； sir。'
'A word； or several sentences？'
Julian whinnied； 'Oh。 ya； jolly good。 Right。 Ya。'
The buildings were quite long； brick structures； set as though some designer had just thrown six models at random inside the perimeter fencing。 They were single storey and。 while there were windows down each side。 Bond had noted that the interior rooms had no windows at ail。 the natural light flowing only into corridors。 Tn both the living…quarters and hospital ihere had been notices in several languages manding people not to talk in the corridors。 The conclusion was obvious。 The inner rooms were shielded against all types of sound…stealing。
As they crossed the pound； he tried to identify the various uses of the buildings。 One for staff； one for senior staff； the hospital； one sprouting every kind of antenna known to man。 therefore the munications centre； a possible guest suite （the one in which he was quartered） and。 at the furthest point from the entrance； the executive offices。
It sounded about right… as Julian was leading him towards this last building。 Julian。 Bond thought； was not such a stupid idiot as he had first appeared。
The manding Officer had a large room tucked neatly in the centre of a nest of other rooms within the executive offices。 Julian tapped at the door and a voice； distinctly American； possibly southern； called 'Okay…' The voice was as slow and smooth as molasses。
'Captain James Bond。 Royal Navy； sir〃Julian brayed。 Bond painted a smile on his face and found himself alone in the room with the door closed and Julian left on the outside。
There were no potted plants here； and no soothing paintings。 Two maps covered one large wall…one of the local Italian area； and another of Europe。 The second was highly detailed and contained a lot of military symbols。 The remaining pictures were very United States gung…ho。 Blackhawk and Chinook helicopters figured largely； and the Chinooks had bat…ready troops pouring out of the doors； while mortar bombs burst nearby。
'e on in。 Captain Bond。 Pleased to have you here。' As he came around the desk； the CO looked as though he had stepped straight out of a glossy ad from some very smart magazine which sold clothes in the megadollar bracket。 The beige suit had the look of a genuine Battistoni。 which you