"Sit down!" Bond all but shouted. "Sit down! I haven"t said you can leave."
"I didn"t know you were my keeper on ihis ship."
"Well, you had better know, Mr Speaker. You don"t move on this ship without my saying so."
"You"re not trying to tell me you"re SIS?" The leer again.
"1 am telling you just that."
"Very interesting, in view of what seems to have happened on board this ship. I think we"ll have a little talk when we"re back in London. I can be a very suspicious man. Bond, and they trust me at the interrogation centre. I can reach into your file and come up with something, I"m sure. Everyone has at least one thing they want to hide. We"ll discover yours, then I can embroider it a little and they"ll drop you into a well and forget about you. I"ve broken stronger men than you. Bond. Goodnight," and he walked from the cabin, leaving Bond floundering. The man was some kind of a nutter, he thought. Best get a signal off to London about him.
He went out and toured the pa.s.sageway, speaking to all the varied security men, British, American and Russian. All seemed in good order, so he decided to leave the signal until after dinner, which he took quietly in the ward-room.
Later, as he was about to go up to Communications, the Tannoy clicked on. "D"you hear (here! D"you hear there! Would Captain Bond please take a message in his cabin? Captain Bond to his cabin please."
Nikki, looking pale and uncomfortable, was waiting for him.
"What can I do for you. Nikki?"
"Oh. please don"t tempt me, James, but 1 have a terrible concern. A worry."
"That"s what I"m here for. Pour it all out."
"This is about the new American. The one called Woodward, Dan Woodward."
"Desperate Dan." Bond smiled. "Has he been desperate with you? He comes complete with a reputation that he likes the ladies."
"No, James. No. This is not funny. I am suspect that this man is not American, That he is not truly the Dan Woodward he claims."
"What?" He sat up. a little twitch of anxiety deep in his stomach. "Why do you say Ihis, Nikki?"
"How do 1 tell you? It is difficult. Look, is operational secret, but we must share it. Three years ago. I was a.s.signed to work in Afghanistan. With KGB. We had a dossier on terrorists operating in the Gulf. You know the kind of thing. A mixed bag of names and suspicions. The man who says he is Dan Woodward. His picture was there in dossier. I forget what he was called then. Hamarik, or Homarak. Something. James, you should take a look."
"Keep quiet for now. Nikki. ["II run it through London. Play it gently. 1 know how we can check it out."
He went up 10 Communications and went through the same, thorough inquisition by a different, armed marine, then got on with the job in hand. First a cipher concerning Speaker, followed by a second one to liaison with Grosvenor Square, requesting a photograph to be sent over the wires. When unb.u.t.toned, the text read - PLEASE HAVE PHOTOGRAPH OF DANIEL WOODWARD YOUR N1 OFFICER STOP SEND MY EYES ONLY URGE-NT AND HIGHEST PRIORITY STOP PREDATOR STOP.
It had been a long, tiring day, so he hoped it would come in before he went to sleep.
He had just got into his bunk when there was a tap at the door. He opened up, and Nikki slipped past him into ihc cabin.
"James, I"m sorry. I feel so alone. So afraid. It is like a feeling of doom. Please don"t send me away." She wore a towelling robe which she slipped from her shoulders. There was nothing underneath. Bond"s mind travelled back to the villa on Ischia. Once more he saw the doomed and treacherous Beatrice and realised that, whatever she had been, it would take a long time for her to be expunged from his emotions.
Now. looking at the young body of Nikki Ratnikov he realised that he was also lonely, worried, and in need of comfort. He turned the lock in the cabin door, and took her in his arms. For a long lime she just clung to him. then, lifting her head. Bond put his own lips to hers, and they moved to the bunk, then drowned in each other as though this was the first and last time they would ever meet.
She left him at dawn, and he lay on the bunk alone, thinking they had both given and taken from each other. It was the most, except for dying, that any two humans could give.
Communications did not come back to him uniil almost ten-thirty the next morning. There were two messages waiting for him. First, a flash from Regent"s Park authorising him to remove Speaker from the interrogation of Deeley if he was not happy. The second was almost an afterthought, but in cipher.
PHOTOGRAPH OF USNI OFFICER WOODWARD.
FOLLOWS PAGE TWO.
And, sure enough, there was Daniel Woodward"s photograph with a number stamped beneath it. He looked into the face to see clearly that the Americans" Daniel Woodward was certainly not the Woodward they had on board Invincible.
Bond went back to his cabin, clipped the holster to his bell, behind his right hip, inserted the Browning 9mm and sent for Bruce Trimble, Sergeant Harvey and four marines. Trimble arrived first, and Bond wasted no (ime in telling him they had at least an impostor, at worst a terrorist, in Ihe shape of Dan Woodward.
"Was goin" to talk with you anyhow." The ma.s.sive Trimblc looked menacing. "I been worried about that guy. Doesn"t mix, won"t be drawn. Best get him in the brig."
They went together - four marines with loaded weapons, Sergeant Harvey, Bond and Bruce Trimblc who looked as though he would rather do the job single-handed.
Stan Hare told them that Woodward was in the cabin they all shared, so they look up a.s.sault positions and Bond raised his hand to knock. If possible he wanted to take the man clean, and with little violence, but, before his knuckles could tap on the metal door, Ihe whole ship seemed to tremble under their feel, as though it had suddenly hit unexpected, and very rough water. The jolt was so great that they were all thrown to one side. The explosion was not loud, more like a heavy-duty grenade exploding a long wayoff.
Then the warning klaxons started to wail.
15.
The Rain in Spain
Half an hour earlier. Petty Officer Blackie Blackstone sat in the Engine Room Control module, pa.s.sing the time with the other members of his watch. None of them noticed that Blackstone idly kept scanning one particular section of the turbine controls - those which would give indications of oil-temperature rise.
They had told him to expect the temperature on Number One turbine to start going up rapidly sometime between nine and eleven o"clock, He spotted the first indicator at 09.45. Number One was showing a minute rise. By 10.(X) it was really going up, and at 1(1.05 Blackie was able to give a startled cry - "Oil temp on Number One going into the red!" He moved towards the controls, checking off item by item, trying to locate any obvious fault. In fact he let his Chief Petty Officer discover the problem. ll took less than a minute.
"It"s the b.l.o.o.d.y filters. Change Filter One on Number One Turbine, Blackie."
*Done." Blackstone went into the little store room behind the Control Room, signed for one filter and took a sealed package from the spare module rack.
"Want some help, Blackie?" the Killick asked.
"Nah. Take me a couple of minutes." Blackie went into the Engine Room, making his way to the far side of the first turbine. In case of accidents, he had already put the new, but doctored, filter, in its packaging on the shelf which held filters in the store room. As it was first in line, the filter would, naturally, be the one to be used if any emergency arose. They had told him that, within five minutes, this filter would produce thick smoke and do a very small amount of damage which would cause the turbine to be shut down. The small pencil mark he had inscribed to identify this doctored package was there, so he had no worries. Change the filter, he thought, then go back and wait for the panic.
Petty Officer Blackstone went through exactly the same sequence of events as he had done on the previous night: uns.c.r.e.w.i.n.g the lugs and lifting the filter out with his long tweezers. He took the second, doctored filter in the tweezers and dropped it in place.
There was a great deal of smoke, then an explosion which lifted Blackstone off his feet, hurling him against the metal wall behind him and removing parts of his body as it did so. His last thought before his final sleep descended on him was "They said it would only be smoke. They said there was no risk."
Orders were coming through the Tannoy system, spoken calmly but giving essentials - all fireproof doors to be closed up: damage control to their stations; all firefighting crews to the Engine Room. This is not a drill! This is not a drill!" the disembodied voice repeated several limes.
James Bond and his party were thrown around the pa.s.sageway in Irani of the cabin door where (hey were preparing to take the subst.i.tute Dan Woodward into custody. Bond had been knocked off his feet by the lurch of the ship, and was just picking himself up, when the cabin door opened to reveal Joe Israel, looking puzzled, "Hey. what the h.e.l.l"s going on? ... 1 was just . . ." He was cut off by Dan Woodward"s arm snaking around his neck.
"I think (hey want to have words with me, Joe." Woodward was pressing against Israel. Tell them I have a gun in your back." He spoke loudly, but with confidence.
Israel let out a long sigh. "Okay. Yes, James, he"s pushing a large piece into my back, and I"ve no doubt he"ll take me out. I presume he"s not really . . ."
"Desperate Dan Woodward? No, I"m not," Abou Hamarik hissed. "This is most unfortunate, because I must now get off this ship alive. I would suggest Captain Bond takes me, unless he would like to see this wretched man blown apart. Now, just put down your weapons, all of you. Gently does it. Just put them down on the deck. This is really most inconvenient."
"Okay." Bond"s face was like stone. "Just do as he says. I don"t want to endanger Joe in any way."
As he bent at the knees to place the Browning on the carpeted deck, he caught a slight movement out of the corner of his left eye. Someone pressed against the bulkhead in the Russian section of cabins.
Around him the marines and Bruce Trimble also put down their weapons.
"Okay," Hamarik whispered. "Now move away from the door. I"m bringing the American out."
Bond did nol dare to even allow his eyes to flicker in the direction of the Russian section. He did not know which way this fake Woodward wanted to go, so he simply stood back against the far wall of the narrow pa.s.sageway. "Do as 1 do." he told the others. "Backs against the wall here." They obeyed - a line of seven men against (he wall, and a small a.r.s.enal of weapons on the deck. They felt stupid and (here was not one of them who felt he should make some kind of move. Bond sensed it and said loudly. "I don"t want any heroics. Don"t do anything stupid." Then, to Hamarik. "Where do you want to go?"
"Off this ship, but I would like to take another guest with me. You have a girl called Deeley in custody. I think."
*Yes."
"1 will take her also, and you, Bond, will lead us."
"Okay," Bond shrugged. "If you want to get Deeley you"ll have to turn left out of the cabin door. You want me to lead you?"
"1 want all of you in front of me. Move, the lot of you.
"Do as he says." It was a risk Bond had to take. Someone would now be behind the so-called Woodward, so maybe they could do something, even though, in the confined s.p.a.ce, it would be a risk.
"Wait!" Hamarik snapped. "Just shuffle along the wall. When I"m out into the open, with Israel, I"ll tell you to turn and go in front of me. I shall want you in single file so you block off the entire pa.s.sage ahead of me. Okay! Move!"
They shuffled along the wall, leaving the area in front of the cabin completely free. It made things easier for Bond for he now had an excuse to (urn his head towards the cabin door, his eyes seeking the movement in the Russian section.
He had hardly moved his eyes when Hamarik pushed Israel in front of him and came into the open, turning left. As he came out. he glanced lo his right and saw what Bond had already spotted.
Standing in the doorway separating Ihe Russian and American quarters, was Nikki Ratnikov, her legs apart and a small automatic pistol held in from of her with both hands.
Hamarik gave a litlle curse, pushed Israel around, trying to get his body between himself and Nikki. Keeping Israel in a hard neck-choke he pulled in hard, pushing him to the left, and realising he had no option bul (o fire a! the girl.
The shots crashed out. echoing like cannon blasts in the confined s.p.a.ce. Both fired twice, and both hit their marks. Hamarik"s left arm dropped from Israel"s throat as he cried out, look a pace backwards, tried to lift his pistol again, but was forced to clutch at his righi shoulder which had suddenly spouted blood. He cried again, dropped the pistol and sank to his knees. It was Bruce Trimble who got to him first, s.n.a.t.c.hing his own weapon from the deck and holding it at arm"s length. "Stay where you are. you d.a.m.ned honky fraud!" But Hamarik was already unconscious, keeling over and sprawling onto the deck.
Bond moved forward towards Nikki. She stood like a statue in the doorway, pistol still extended, arms rigid, and feet apart. Bul the white roll-neck sweater she wore had turned crimson: a great, ugly spreading slain.
Bond was only two paces from her when he heard the ghastly rattle from her throat, saw the blood gush from her mouth and her body crumple to the deck. He knelt over the girl, his fingers feeling For a pulse in her neck. Nothing. "She"s dead/ Bond said, bleakly. He had liked Nikki, in spite of some suspicions, and all sudden deaths of young people were sad moments, particularly in this case, for Nikki Ratnikov had put her own life at risk for their lives.
"Well, this b.a.s.t.a.r.d"s still alive, and I reckon he can be patched up and made to lalk." There was no bitterness in Bruce Trimble"s voice as he walked towards the nearest bulkhead telephone to call the Sick Bay. Over his shoulder he said they would need a marine guard around the clock.
Bond got to his feel. Take care of it for me. Bruec. I"ve got to see what"s going on." Even in the few minutes of stand off and death, they were all aware that there had been some serious problem on the ship. The Tannoy had been active, and Sir John Walmsley. himself, had been issuing some orders. Bond made his way along the pa.s.sage, turned the corner and climbed the companionway. Whatever else had occurred, he now had to break Ihe news of Nikki"s death, and the fact that they had a second presumed terrorist on board.
Ba.s.sam Baradj scanned the sea with his binoculars. All being well, Ihe operation would have started by now, and soon he expected to hear what course of action the Captain of Invincible would lake.
He refocused the gla.s.ses on the freighter, Estado Novo, which was, al this moment, pa.s.sing through the Straits of Gibraltar. The large crate was still in place on the main deck, shielding the stolen Sea Harrier from view, and he knew the pilot, Felipe Pantano, was also aboard.
The freighter had followed instructions to the letter and Baradj had been in constant, ciphered, contact with the ship since it had made its short visit to Oporto. From there the Estado Novo had pa.s.sed through the Straits and headed for Tangier, where, with much bribery and considerable ingenuity, Baradj had arranged Tor other cargo to be taken on board: mainly four AIM-9J air-to-air Sidewinder missiles, and a large quant.i.ty of 30mm ammunition, belted and ready for installation for use by the two Aden guns already resting in their pods on both port and starboard of the Harrier"s fuselage. They had also taken on a considerable amount of fuel.
By tonight, Baradj thought, the freighter would be in place. If needed, the stolen Sea Harrier could be airborne, by using the vertical take-off technique, within five minutes of an order being received.
Baradj look one more look, then put the gla.s.ses in their case, turned and began to walk quietly back to The Rock Hotel. Earlier he had looked down on the airport to make certain his private helicopter had arrived safely. The pilot was to stay with the crafl and Baradj knew it would take pan in the final piece of his plan - the recovery of Ihe huge ransom he expected to pick up from the sea. Of course the pilot had no idea that he was doomed, just as all members of his brainchild, BAST, were doomed, to the extent that ihey would have done the dangerous and difficult work with no reward. Twenty-Four, maybe forty-eight hours. aitradj smiled, after that he would have a veritable king"s ransom. He would also have disappeared from the face of the earth. He actually laughed out loud, thinking of ihe fanatics who would have given their souls for an opportunity like this, and how (hey would have wasted the money on guns and bombs, bringing more danger to (heir lives. He. Ba.s.sam Baradj - or to be truthful, Robert Besaviisky - would use it for a really decent purpose: his own pleasure and security. Not yet, but in a year or so. he would emerge, with a new face and ident.i.ty. He would own houses, estates, cars, yachts, private jets, companies which might even do some good for (he world. He would make gifts: a new library here, or a museum there; maybe even scholarships. Yes. that was a new idea. Some good (hings must come out of the great crock of gold that waited for him. This would only be fair.
The sun shone and Baradj was happy. The sun was set fair for Gibraltar, though the weather report for the rest of the Spanish coast was not so good. Never mind, it would be good enough to do whal needed to be done.
"I, for one, Sir John, do not care about what has happened. This is a unique meeting, and we do need a clear four days to complete our talks. Do I have to make it plain again? Four . . . clear . . . days. That is what was arranged, and that is what we all expect." The Prime Minister looked towards the President of the United States and Secretary Gorbachev. An interpreter whispered the translation in Gorbachev"s ear. He nodded gravely, the birthmark on his forehead eoming into view as the head bobbed and he repeated. "Da ... Da ... Da."
"Prime Minister," George Bush spoke quietly. "I understand the problem, and I see you"re anxious because we are your guests. I agree wholly with you. We should stay aboard, we"ve lost almost one hour already. But I"d like to hear the options again."
Sir John Walmsley gave a tiny sigh and nudged James Bond. who stood beside him. "I think Captain Bond should give you a little rundown," he said, his voice thai of a desperate man. "He is in complete control of your security, so he, as it were, carries the can."
"Oh yes?" Bond thought before he spoke. "I think Sir John"s explained it very clearly." He kept his voice deliberately low, and slow enough for the translator to do his work for Chairman Gorbachev. This morning, one of the main turbines which drive this ship, had a serious malfunction. One man, a Petty Officer, was killed and there was no further damage. The turbine has been inspected and, so far. there are no signs of sabotage. One thing is clear, (hough - we should not attempt to make Gibraltar without getting the turbine running again. Also, because the other turbines were produced at the same (ime as the one which blew, it is essential that they have a complete overhaul. This will take several days." He paused to let all this sink in. and Mrs Thaicher showed slight annoyance, looking at him as if to say, "Gel on with it, man."
"There is a US Naval Base, near Cadiz, and within a few hours" sailing time Trom here, but there are problems about this place . . ."
"You"re talking about Rota?" the PM asked.
"Precisely, Prime Minister. Until a few years ago Rota was a base for US ships. In particular for the nuclear submarine fleets. However, this was discontinued at the request of (he Spanish Government. Now it is solely used ior Spanish ships, though the United States use it as an airfield - to support the US Navy, as a staging post for US personnel returning home, or going to other NATO bases in Europe. It is also, I am told, used for more sensilive matters."
"So what are you telling us. Captain Bond?" President Bush asked, a little sharply.
"Permission has been given for Invincible to put into Rota. In fact it has now been included in the exercise in which we are supposed to be engaged. Landsea "89. A new turbine is being flown out. in several sections, and a special team of engineers are coming in from Rolls-Royce. The problem there is that we shall he called upon to allow more civilians on board . . ."
"Can they not wait for the four days, which, I must remind you. Captain Bond, are shrinking fast?" The Prime Minister was getting more irritated and Bond already knew that it was unlikely they would budge her from her avowed intention of spending the full four days with President Bush and Secretary Gorbachev.
"There is one other problem." Bond continued. "Yes, I expect the engineers can be kept at bay, bul / am concerned for your safety. While we cannot prove the gas-turbine accident was an act of sabotage, we have had two incidents since we commenced Landsea "89. Both, we suspect, are connected to a little-known terrorist group called BAST. One took place before you joined us - (hat concerned murder, and the resultant discovery that one of the Wren detachment on board was not what she seemed. She was a very definite penetration agent, we think linked to BAST. Also, this morning, one of your protectors. Chairman Gorbachev, was killed while we were trying to arrest a second man we think is also a BAST penetration."
The Russian leader spoke a few words to the interpreter who said. "Mr Gorbachev is already aware that Nikola Ratnikov has given her life for his persona! protection. She is to be posthumously awarded the highest honour the Soviet Union can give to a brave soldier/ Bond acknowledged the statement, then continued. "! have also been threatened by BAST. Over Christmas 1 was personally attacked, and my car was bombed on the island of Ischia. This was definitely a BAST operation, which seems to indicate thai the whole of Stewards" Meeting is known to them.
"Our only option is to limp into Rota tonight- and gei you all off the ship, under cover of darkness. The USNB at Rota has agreed to take people off but, as yet. they do not, of course, know who you are."
"Then that will take up a little time. Captain Bond," Mrs Thatchcr said frostily. "1 would suggest that you get on with moving us into Rota, and arranging for us to fly back to our respective countries under ihe utmosi secrecy."
"Thank you. Prime Minister. That"s what we see as the most viable course . . ."
But the PM had not finished. "This will, of course, not be possible to accomplish in the next four days. We started our talks this morning. We will leave, secretly from Rota, in four days. I am sure we"ll all be quite safe in your hands. Thank you. Sir John, thank you. Captain Bond. Now we must really get on with our work."
"It"s like trying to argue with an Exocet," Sir John Walmsley said angrily once they were outside. "So be it. We make for Rota. The rest of the Task Force will have to stay outside the harbour, as a defensive wall, while we. Bond, will just have to make the best of it. How"s the fellow who got shot this morning?"
"He"ll be okay, bul we can"t even think of questioning him yet."
"Come up to the bridge with me." The Rear-Admiral had already set off at a brisk pace." When"ll you be able to interrogate the man?"
"Probably sometime tomorrow. I have an armed guard on him - round the clock."
"You going to leave him to the tender mercies of the inquisitor you had flown in from Gib?"
Bond sighed. "As il happens. 1 was going to have him relieved because I didn"t think him suitable for the Deeley girl. He"s got a paranoid personality, and jumps at every shadow. He"s not the most pleasant interrogator I"ve met. and he sees plots behind every uniform and every bulkhead, though I think he might just be the type to deal with this joker."