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'Coffee；' Bond whispered to himself； 〃can insiantly damage your health。' He was outside； sliding the gate closed； locking it and removing the keys。
He went through the outer door wiih care。 There was nobody in the passageway； so he locked the door； and moved along the passage until he came to the first panion…way which he went up at speed。 He had one great advantage over the Wrens： one of the first things any officer does when reporting aboard a new ship is to make certain he knows the lay…out； and the best and quickest route to follow between any two points。 Bond had spent almost an entire day learning the passages； bulkheads； panionways and catwalks of Invincible。 He knew the way to the nearest heads which had ports above sea level； and he made this his first stop； unscrewing the tugs on one of the ports and hurling the key to the cells far out into the sea。
He moved as quickly as possible； taking great pains； stopping from time to time to listen for any sign of life。 Wrens； he thought； should normally be identifiable at distance； but Clover Pennington's Wrens had obviously been subjected to special training。 There were also only fifteen of them； and they would have to be well spread out across the ship。
He was making his way to the Crew Room in the for'ard part of the island； at main deck level。 He moved by the fastest means； by…passing the more obvious places where Clover would have people posted。 It was now 14。45； so。 with luck； they would all be below the main deck and off the island； as they had been instructed。
It was as though the entire ship was deserted； for he saw nobody in his journey； and it was only when he got to the Crew Room that he realised Clover had left one girl on deck； though； he figured； she would have to get below on the dot of three。
The door to the main deck was open； and the girl had her back Inwards him。 It was the tall； tough blonde Leading Wren who had taken him to the cells； and it was obviously her turn with the H & К МР5 SD3。 She held it as though it was her child； which was a bad sign with terrorists。 Women of this persuasion were taughi to regard their personal weapon as their child： and that was not just terrorism according to the top people's espionage novelist。 It was for real。
He looked around the Crew Room and finally found a G…suit and helmet which were roughly his size。 Two…fifty in the afternoon。 From the bulkhead door he could still see the Leading Wren； and behind her the Sea Harriers； the first of the four aircraft right on the ski…ramp； with one machine behind it； and a pair of others parked abreast。 They were all obviously ready and armed； for the ribbons hung from the Sidewinders； slung under the wings。
Standing to one side of the bulkhead； his hack to the deck。 Bond put up the visor of his helmet and whistled loudly。
There was movement from the deck； so the Leading Wren had heard and been alerted。 He whistled； shrilly again； and heard the answerhig footsteps as she crossed towards the Crew Room door。 The footsteps stopped； and he could imagine that she was standing； uncertain； the H & К tucked into her hip and the safety off。
When she came； she moved quickly and was inside the Crew Room almost before Bond was ready for her。 The only piece of luck that came his way was the fact that she moved to the right first； which is normal in right…handed people； and exactly why Bond had staked himself to the left； from her viewpoint on the main deck。
His arm went around her neck。 This was one of those times when it did not pay to be squeamish； or to even think about what he was doing。 He only wished that it had been the psycho； Deeley。
She dropped the machine pistol； trying to claw at his arms； but Bond had already done the damage。 Left arm around the neck from behind； push in hard； reach over and grasp the left biceps with the right hand； so that his right forearm went across her forehead。 Now the pressure： fast； very hard； and lethal。 He heard the neck go； and felt her weight in sudden death。 Then he grabbed at the H & К and ran out onto the deck； slipping ihe H & К to Safe； ducking under the wings of the aircraft until he reached （he one on the ski…ramp。 He went right around the aircraft； checking all control surfaces were free； nipping （he warning ribbons from the Sidewinders； and pulling the caps off the front of the Aden gun pods。
The generator was in place； plugged in。 He paused for a second； undecided。 He could leave it in and be certain that he could start the engine first lime； or unplug and hope to hell there was enough charge on board。 If he took the first option； there was danger in the iake…off； with the generator cable still attached。 He took the second way and unplugged the cord； then ran around the aircraft； climbing into the cockpit。 As he lowered himself into the seat he imagined he could hear the sound of another aircraft。 He clipped the straps on and hauled down so that he was tighily secured。 He lowered the canopy； and pressed ihe ignition； going through the рге…take…off drill in his head。
As he pressed the ignition； so there was a huge roar。 Flame speared up from somewhere behind him。 and he could hear the heavy thump of 30mm shells hitting parked aircraft and the deck around him。
As the engine fired； so （he shape crossed directly over him。 A Sea Harrier； very low。 almosl hugging the sea as it did a tighl turn； pulling a lot of G； to circle and e in again。
18
In at the Kill
He did not really know if this was a full； co…ordinated attack on Invincible； but； in the last seconds； logic told him exactly what it was … the fireworks promised by BAST if the 15。00 hours deadline was not met。
Take…off check： brakes on； flaps OUT； ASI 'bug' to lift…off speed。 As always； the aircraft was alive； trembling to the idling of the Rolls…Royce turbofan。
Nozzle lever set to short take…off position at the 50〃 stop mark； throttle to fifty…five per cent RPM； brakes off； throttle banged into fully open； and there it was； the giant hand pressing at his chest and face。
The Sea Harrier snarled off the ramp。 Gear 'Up'… ASI 'bug' flashing and beeping： nozzles to horizontal flight； flaps to IN。 The HUD showing the climbing angle； right on 60°； and a speed of f》40 knots。
Bond broke left； standing on one wing as he pulled a seven G turn； the nose dropping slightly； then ing up with a twitch of the rudder。 One thousand feet； and to his right he saw Invincible； the aircraft and helicopters on her deck ablaze。 Gas tanks going up to produce spectacular blooms of fire； and the other aircraft； low； almost down to the water； then putting her nose up and pulling into a hard； left turn。
Bond reached the outer edge of the turn； flipped the aircraft into a right…hand break； harder this time； his left foot pushing down on the rudder to keep level； then back on the stick to gain height as a bleep started to pulse loud in his headphones； and the trace on the radar showing another aircraft locking on behind him … behind and above。
He pulled back on the stick； put the nose towards the sky； and heard the rasping noise that warned a missile had been released。 His mind grabbed at the recent past； and the missile fired at him near the bo