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'Followed here？'
'No； after the bomb。 To the place they had set up on the mainland。 We managed to get our first good photograph of Bassam Baradj； who we think is the 〃Viper〃 of BAST。 The leader； who is going to do something pretty terrible to those three important people you have on your ship。' She pushed a photograph across the table。 It was the man he had known as Toby Lellenberg； the manding Officer of Northangcr。
That's Baradj？'
？Yes/
'Well； if all that was phoney； why in heaven's name didn't anyone do something about it？ Why didn't you get me out？ e to that you could have scuppered Baradj at the same time。 Why； Beatrice？'
She gave him a wan smile。 'Why； indeed？ I tried； James。 I tried very hard。 To me it seemed the obvious thing to do。'
Then why didn't you 。 。 。？'
'M overruled it。 You were monitored very carefully。 The whole Northanger set…up was kept under close surveillance； but M said we were to let them play it out。 His argument was fairly sound。 He wanted to use the information regarding your hijacking； and； e to that； the hijacking of ail the Northanger staff； as a lever。'
'What kind of a lever？'
'He thought the Prime Minister； the US President； and Gorby would abort the whole thing if they smelled danger。 He … M； that is … laid it all out to the PM； went through the dangers； and the diffieulties we might have with security。 But 。 。 。'
'But she wouldn't listen。' Bond supplied。
Bentrice nodded。 'She waved aside everything。 Even called the US President while M was there。 Their argument was that this was urgent； important； and couldn't be rescheduled。 I rather gather that she just waved aside the danger； and the others followed her； like sheep。〃
That all figures。 Do we know where Baradj is now？'
？We're not sure。 Maybe on Gibraltar。 Maybe even nearer。 Now you know ＇his； you have to get back。 You also have to get Mrs Thatcher。 the President of the United States； and Mr Gorbachev off the ship in time。 Off and away from it。'
An expletive suddenly burst out of Bond's mouth。
？What？' Beatrice asked。
'If you're not the 〃Cat〃； then 。 。 。'
'Of course。 Did you not realise that before？ It's one of the reasons you have to get back。 If we pinpoint Baradj。 then I'll be near him。 Look for me near Baradj。' She had risen and pressed a button set in the wall。 Mike Carter appeared in the doorway。 'Time to go？' he asked； almost gratefully。
Ч have told him all we know； Mike。〃
〃Your boat didn't wait for you。' Carter looked at Bond。
'No。 No。 I have a code sequence with Walmsley。 Are you in touch with the ship？'
'Sure。 No speech； just the electronics。'
'Okay； send this … Songbird requests boat to e aboard。 You should receive a response with the words Tawny Owl in it。 If they don't send Tawny Owl。 then I guess we're in for a shooting match。'
He rose； and she came around the table to him。 For the first time。 Bond noticed that she was wearing the gold and diamond clasp； shaped likeascu/и/л。 that he had given her for Christmas。 He held her close； and kissed her hair； then her lips。 'If you're going to be near Baradj； you take care； Beatrice； my darling。'
'You jusl get those important people off Invincible。 Then we'll go for Baradj together。 I want another Christmas with you。 James。'
？Maybe a lot of Christmases。'
Carter had returned and coughed delicately by the door。 'You're okay。 sir。 The message read。 〃Am sending boat for Songbird stop The Tawny Owl is waiting。〃
〃Thank God for that。' Bond kissed her again； then left quickly； not looking back。 He rarely looked back in a situation like this。 In some ways he thought it might bring bad luck。
The little boat； with its engine throbbing； was already waiting at the steps。 In the bow a Leading Wren waited to help him aboard。
The Captain's apologies； sir。 He couldn't send the same seaman back for you。 The man has had to go to the Sick Bay。 He wasn't too well。'
Bond remembered。 'He didn't seem all that brilliant on the way in。' He jumped down into the boat and waved to Carter； who waited until they were clear of the jetty and then walked to his car。
Ten minutes laler； Carter was back at the low building inside the base。 Beatrice was waiting outside； looking frantic and agitated。
'Oh。 my God； Mike。' Her voice had risen to an almost hysterical pitch。
'What in God's name 。 。 。？' he began。
'They've got them。'
'Who？'
Thatcher。 Bush and Gorbachev。 The Foreign Office in London received a telephone call ten minutes ago。 They've been told to pass it on to their opposite numbers in Washington and Moscow。 The call was from a man。 They think from London； He gave them a code word … Batsblood and said that the three heads of state were being held in Invincible。 There will be no release to the …Press and their demand is six hundred billion dollars： two hundred billion for each of the heads of state。'
'Just money？ Nothing else？ No prisoners to be released？ Nothing like that？'
She shook her head； biting her lip。 〃That's it。 They have until three o'clock our time to agree。 Tf nothing by then； they'll show us some kind of firework display。 If the Task Force makes any attempt ю approach Invincible； they'll kill one of ihc three。' She drew in air。 'How？ How could they have 。 。 。？'
？We tried to contact the ship？'
Again the little nod。 'Absolutely no vocal response。 Nothing excepl the electronics。 Invincible's already signalled to the other ships； ordering them to keep station。'
The little boai puttered up to the panionway let down from the main deck； for'ard； on the port side。 The Leading Wren held the craft steady with a boathook。 while Bond made his way up the shaking steps。
As they had approached Invincible he seemed to sense something eerie about it。 Something wrong that he couldn't put his finger on。 Now。 he reached the main deck and saw it was descried； except for the aircraft and helicopters。
His intuition was either correct； or playing tricks with him。 In any case he reached behind him for the Browning。 He had not even got a hand on the butt when a familiar voice said； 'I wouldn't do that。 James。 Just take your hand away。'
He turned to see Clover Pennington； with a Wren on each side； ing from behind one of the Sea Harriers。 All three girls carried automatic pistols。
Stay cool； he thought。 Stay very cool。
…Hello； 〃Cat〃。'He smiled。
17
Operation Sleeping Beauty
One of the girls walked forward； reached behind him and removed the Browning。
'Cuff him； while you're at it；' Clover told her。 'Well； James； did Tawny Owl give you the go…ahead？'
'Yes； how did you manage that？' he asked； surprised that his voice appeared to be steady。
The silly old fool made a note of it and left it on his night table； II was so easy；'
Bond felt the cuffs go on； the cold steel biting into his wrists。 He was still puzzled by Ihe silence。 'How。 Clover？' he asked。
'Bring him down to my cabin；' she ordered the two Wrens； who shoved him like men； leading him to the bulkhead and down Ihe panion…way； along the knee…touching passages to the Captain's day cabin； where they roughly pushed him into a chair。
Clover told the two girts to get on with their other duties。 Til call for you in about five minutes。 I want this one nicely