Part 15 (2/2)
”What conversation?” Bond could not be certain that M's eyelid closed in a wink, or whether he si out, he went through the entire story Then he outlined what he proposed to do about Tarn
”And what if the fellow's not in Puerto Rico, eh? You thought about that?”
”He'll be there, sir I'd bet my job on it”
”That's what I think you're probably doing I can't say that I blah I do understand your own point of view - even though I haven't heard it”
”There's no alternative really, sir,” Flicka joined in ”We either do this now or forget about it Tarn has his own ti for someone to show up”
”So what do you want fro his face away so that his smile was not visible to the oldthings?”
”My dear chap” M see where the walls have no ears, and there's nobody to give evidence, because we can make this little threeso, and I don't believe youof your old boss So fire away, Ja with Ann Reilly for a start, sir” Be bright and straightforward, he told himself ”Preferably within a few hours She should also have your tacit instructions to provide us with anything for which we ask - within reason, of course”
”Oh, of course, within reason, yes indeed What else?”
”That's about it, sir That and your word that, should things get very difficult, you'll inform on us, tell The Coht ho like that, sir”
”You have it, but on one condition”
”Sir?”
”They'll be putting rass soon Bond, and I need to be certain of my successor I'd like your assurance that you would consider the job when I step down”
”Consider it, yes, sir But that's all I can do Consider it”
”Understood Enough said You can meet Ms Reilly by the bandstand in Green Park at four o'clock sharp Now go, Jaets stupidly sentiht the tickets on their Busby identities The following ht direct into Atlanta, with a connection to San Juan, Puerto Rico Bond had explained that he did not want to take a direct flight into San Juan ”It's a little bit of insurance,” he told Flicka ”nobody in their right ht to Puerto Rico, so it will leave a sirls on The Coet onto us, I think we can say that we held the onward tickets in case they gave us the okay S to be a slog, but going in via Atlanta, Georgia, was less risky than entering the United States via New York, Miami, or Dulles - the other possibilities She paid in cash that Bond drew fro care of financial business he took a walk in Green Park, and there, close to the bandstand, buure of Ann Reilly, Q'ute as they called her in the trade, now the head of Q Branch
”And what can I do for you, Mr Bond? I've been given instructions to give you anything within my power, but that rules out my body, I'm afraid”
For years, Bond had made a steady strea successful Noas able to smile, but could not tell her why
”Nohat can I do for you?” she asked briskly
He went through his list, and she checked off ite hiear you can buy openly when you're there,” she said ”I can get the two briefcases in and delivered to the hotel before you even arrive, there's no problen, and they'll carry the bulk of what you'll need As for the other thing, I don't really know This is a large ite to need it?”
”I'm not certain we'll require any of the stuff except the weapons, but I'd feel happier if everything was there, on tap”
”Well, I'll do my best There'll be a cryptic note in one of the briefcases If I can get the other thing in, it'll tell you exactly where it's been dropped off That's all I can proave her a farewell embrace and they went their different ways
He insisted on traveling light, and in the flat that night there waswhat could, and even should, be taken Though she was probably the ent he had known, Flicka had a tendency to take far tooholiday, you'd take at least three evening gowns,” he chided her
”Well, oneto wear”
”It'll be denims and sneakers most of the way” He came over, put an arm around her shoulder, and held her close
”Just between the two of us, think of it as a bus, they drove to Gatwick, put the car into the long-ter to the air side of the terminal
As they reached the passport control desk, the officer took their passports, looked at the to be out of the country?” ”Are you carrying return tickets?”
It was a sive soic, appeared, one on either side of them
”Noe don't want to make a fuss,” one of them said quietly ”Just coet on that flight Sorry”
Bond asked to see their authority, and they both flashed Security Service la if these were the real things or part of a ploy by Max Tarn, whose influence seemed to reach into the very heart of the establishment
18 - Apocalypse
It quickly becauar pulled up in front of the tere was stoay in the trunk, while the two escorts helped theood humor, which was more than could be said for Bond or Flicka
”Cheer up, it could be raining” One of their custodians cliun in the front passenger seat The driver had given the sir, lared at nobody in particular, his face a thundercloud ”This had better be good,” he rily to the officer in the back
”No idea if it's good, bad, or indifferent I' orders”
The one in the front chuckled ”That's e do for a living these days A lot of the fun's gone out of life”
”Like hell it has” Bond knew that he should keep hiscaught, and that the fury he felt was aimed at himself, not his captors ”We all like to pretend it's over now that the Soviet Union seems to be a dead issue,” he snapped ”People don't like to think we're still doing the work”
”Well, you'd know all about that, Captain Bond, wouldn't you?”