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a foreign country。 Now。 he figured out what he could recall of the number of ways he could fake a death。 Die。 yet not die； at home or abroad。 Privately or in full； plain sight。 They added up to around a score； though he was in two minds whether he now knew the twenty…first way of doing it。 Or was it still wishful thinking？
The dinner was excellent； and Bond watched his intake of alcohol； though others did not。 Julian Farsee was well away； while one or two of the other staff became rowdy。 One couple of heavy； battered men even had a row which almost led to a full…scale fight until Toby Lellenberg stepped in； his slow drawl taking on a whiplash quality。
'Just like Christmas at home。' Bond said； unsmiling； to Clover。 'You staying here long； by the way？'
'I leave on thirty…first to get the Wren draft ready。'
'Back to RNAS Yeovilton？'
She nodded。 '1 thought this was a no…shop evening。' Then； quite suddenly； 'Can't we make it up。 sir？ Sort of start again 。 。 。 James？ Please。'
'Maybe； when it's all over。 Not yet though。 Not until you…know…what's out of the way。〃
She nodded and looked miserable； though not as miserable as some of the faces Bond saw at breakfast the next morning。 The party； they told him。 had gone on quite late。
Braying Julian came over during breakfast and said it would be nice if he could be in Suite Number Three at ten…thirty。 'The debrief。〃 he explained。
So。 at ten…thirty on the dot Bond met the two American officers … Mac and Waller … and the man from his own Service； Draycott； who was not quite what he expected。
The debrief was exceptionally thorough。 Much more so than he had anticipated。 Waller was elderly； but had the knack of slipping off into tributary questions which suddenly ended up being very searching。 Mac； who was； as Toby had suggested； 'huill like a fire…plug〃； had one of those faces that remained permanently impassive。 Though he did smile a great deal； the face and eyes remained blank； and rather tough： impossible to read。 Mac was inclined to chip in with subsidiary questions which turned out to add a lot to Bond's testimony。 Draycott was also deceptive； in the mould of the legendary Scardon： a man who looked very ordinary； as though he would be happier in the English countryside。 He smoked a pipe； used to great effect …to add in pauses when he fiddled with it； or to break questions in two halves when he smoked。
They took Bond back to the beginning； telling him the stalking…horse theory of the operation； just so that he would know they were pretty well…briefed themselves。 On the fifth day； the trio walked off with practically every second Bond had spent in Ischia accounted for： naughties and all。
When the debrief was plete all three of his Interrogators seemed to vanish。 At least Bond did not set eyes on them again。
On December 31st； Clover came to his quarters to announce that she was leaving。 He did not keep her long； though she obviously wanted to linger。 'See you on board； then；' was his final； sharp word； and he thought Clover's eyes were moist。 She was either very much for real； or had bee one hell of an actor。
Two days later it was Bond's turn。 Toby showed him M's latest signal and he repeated the contents so that Northanger's CO was satisfied he was word perfect。
They took him in the elderly helicopter to Rome where he went to the Alitalia desk and they provided him with tickets and a baggage claim check。
The flight from Rome to Stockholm was uneventful。 He had one hour's wait for the military transport that ferried him to the West German naval base at Bremmerhaven where he stayed for one night。
On the morning of January 3rd； James Bond； in uniform； stepped aboard a Sea King helicopter which took him out to Invincible and her gaggle of escorts which lay twenty miles offshore。 By the following night they were one hundred miles into the North Sea； cruising slowly and waiting for the orders to be opened which would start Operation Landsea。
They were loading staff at Northanger into innocent…looking buses within four hours of Bond's departure。 Julian Farsee。 dressed in olive drab trousers and a military sweater plete with reinforced shoulder and elbow pads； walked into the CO's office； not even knocking。 The CO was shredding documents and hardly turned to look at his Second…in…mand as he came and sat on the desk。
？Well？ You think they bought it？' asked Ali Al Adwan。 Farsee's true name。 In the hierarchy of BAST； Adwan was the 'Snake' to Bassam Baradj's 'Viper'。
？Of course。 All the ining signals were dealt with。 Nobody queried a thing。'
Adwan scowled。 'Except me。 I query your judgment。'
Baradj smiled and fed more paper into the shredder。 'Yes？ I thought you were unhappy； though you played your part to perfection。 Whal really worried you。 Ali？'
'You know what worried me。 Bond should have been killed。 Here； on the spot； while we had him。 What was the point of bringing him here at all。 if not to kill him？'
'Already we have made two botched attempts on Bond's life。 The first was one of those things that just went wrong … the wrong kind of missile； the fact that Bond is obviously a good pilot。' He shrugged； a wide； unhappy gesture。 〃Then； Ali。 we tried again； and that was disaster。 We went for Bond and killed 。 。 。〃This time his lips clamped together as though he had bee upset at the thought。 Then； throwing it off； he spoke again。'。〃 made the decision。 Ali。 No more assassination attempts until we get nearer to our true targets。 There will be plenty of chances then。 His sudden death； after the wretched Ischia business； might even have jeopardised the entire operation。 They could even have called it off。〃
〃Then why bring people like him here at all？'
Baradj smiled； patiently 'It was necessary。 After Ischia they would have moved him here anyway。 They would have wanted him close and confined。 We want him confident； so that the blow will fall very unexpectedly。 This has been excellent psy choiogy。 We have had a chance to know him and be close。 Don't you think that you know the man better？'
'I know he's dangerous； but yes。 Yes； I think I know him now。 But hitve we really deceived everyone？'
'All who had to be deceived were deceived。 Nobody from any other base； or from London showed any sign that they were concerned。 The other regular staff will wake from their enforced sleep in the morning； and I don't suppose they will question the strange loss of time they will all have suffered。 They will eventually realise that in some strange way they all missed Christmas and the week after； but the hypnotics Hamarik supplied should keep the true facts at bay for a week； maybe even ten days。 By then； my dear friend； we will have （he superpowers； the United States of America and Russia； together with the United Kingdom； on their knees begging for mercy。'
Adwan； whose leathery dark plexion seemed now more apparent； smiled and nodded： his attitude changing。 'Yes； you are right。 In the end of it all we will have a great deal to thank you for； Bassam。'
'What is money pared to this？'
'Ah； but you proved to be a fine actor also。'
Bassam Baradj chuckled； 〃You were very convincing yourself。'
A smile crossed Adwan's face。 'Oh。 ya。 Ya。 Right；' he said。