Part 19 (2/2)
”Why not do that, Rex? I didn't tell you that there'll be an extra hand on board Well, he's one ht He's up on the deck at the moment My man Connie Spicer Martial arts expert, crack shot, carries all kinds of lethal things with him”
”We can always do with another pair of hands” Rexinus's voice betrayed his disappointment, and Bond mouthed a damn With Connie left on board, there was little chance of the three gullible scientists overpowering hiht be difficulties in getting ashore theeway There were cabin doors to left and right, and, at the far end, the passage see across the breadth of the laboratory shi+p A third door was visible Three night cabins If the craft had been properly designed, there had to be a way up to the main deck soain ”Sir Max, what if so with your fireworks display? What if Dr Rexinus and his friends fail to contain the oil and gasoline?”
”I hate to even contemplate that, but I suppose one must face the possibility First, Mare Nostrum will probably be consumed in the flaain But I have faith in these good people, Mr Leiter They'll not fail”This is where ht o'clock She will turn bow on to Golden Bough The two tin fish, as I think they used to call them, will be fired Heaven knows, I don't think even et is so large and he'll be quite close After he's fired the torpedoes, he turns tail and runs for it I have no doubts that part will go like clockwork Maurice here ant to get out as quickly as he can”
”Too daht,” murmured Maurice Goodwin
”Any further questions?” Tarn had becoht No, Mr Leiter, please, no questions from you Cathy, take Mr Leiter topside and put hi back if we're to have any sleep tonight”
More ain: ”Tell Connie to coallant crew of Mare Nostrum understands that his orders are my orders, and they have to see ill happen should they disobey him”
More sounds of movement, then Connie's voice from the main cabin ”You wanted ood people how important it is to stick to the timetable and jump when you tell them to jump” He paused, then addressed the others ”Connie is an ao without sleep for days at a time In fact, he has promised me that he will not sleep until SeaFire is safely over You understand?”
Bond signaled to Flicka, indicating that they should e She nodded and followed hi her Beretta froe was flanked by two narrow co up to the deck Bond took the one on the starboard side, Flicka behind hi the rear At the top, he peered out, then whispered, ”We're right by the wheelhouse With luck we can slip off after Tarn leaves”
He could see Tarn's car - a low, sleek black Jaguar - pulled up near the gangway, and Cathy with Felix She held a pistol and stood well back while he leaned against the car For a second ti his friend flashed in and out of Bond'sfoolhardy heroics that could well put the the madness of what Max Tarn called SeaFire
They waited for what see time, but finally Tarn came up on deck with Anna and Maurice Goodwin in tow Bond smiled when he saw Sir Max, for he had entered into what he saw as the spirit of the affair, dressed in white ducks and a blazer, a yachting cap set jauntily on his head
He stopped by the car, staying behind Cathy's right shoulder and talking to Felix for the best part of a minute, then Goodwin hly helping Felix into the car
It was Tarn hiuar pulled away froine was far away, thenthe deck From below voices were raised He even heard Rexinus al at Connie Spicer, ”But it won't work We'll all be sailing out to certain death”
Connie's reply chilled Bond's spine ”You heard the Chiefs orders You do as I say I do as I', always has done and alill”
Bond thought of all he had read about Hitler in the Berlin bunker during his final days, issuing orders to hosts, and then joining those armies with the assistance of poison and a bullet
Seconds later, they were on the quayside and walking quickly back in the direction of the Old Town
22 - U-boat
”No, Fredericka, can't you see the folly of you co to be back here by dawn, it makes no difference I can cover you, and it'll be safer We've alorked together - well, ever since”
”Flick, what if I'?”
”Then I'll be with you I don't think I want it any other way If I'hed in irritation They had been arguing for the best part of twenty minutes in their rooet back by early s One, I'm dead meat”
”James, don't Don't talk like that”
”Face it, Flicka, we've got ourselves in a daerous situation Now, one, I shall be dead; two, I shall have done it, spiked the sub and gone in to rescue Felix - he can't be anywhere else but in Tarn's coirl, Beth We've only been near her once - at Hall's Manor - and she doesn't seem exactly the kind of play the crew on board the sub until they sail, I'll probably have tiet Felix out”
”What's the third possibility?”
”That they've caught ht about It is quite possible that I'll not even get into the submarine”
”And what happens then?”
”I probably co else As it is, there's plenty for you to get on with Just think about it If you'd come to Germany with me, we'd both be dead by now Like Germany, the sub's a one-person job” He was dressed in the black jeans, rollneck, and sneakers The two alu between them, and beside it the other item that had been in the case: a wide leather belt, with fixed pouches into which he could place everything he needed The belt also had clips for a holster, a long, vicious-looking knife, and a flashlight ”There is no other way, Flicka In fact, you'll have to do several things A call to the harborin with”
”You said that was last-resort stuff You were ada or going to the authorities here in San Juan would probably be shi+pped into the nearestsub a supertanker would als of a lunatic He re-locked the two cases and stowed them away in the fitted wardrobe
”Then call the States Call Langley, or even London They'll see things are dealt with”
”Why can't we just do that now, and quietly bow out? Leave it to the authorities”
”You knoe can't do that It's a question of time”
”balls, James, it's a question of your pride You have a personal vendetta with Tarn and you want to finish it by yourself”
Deep down he knew she was perfectly correct, but he was concerned about the tio if they called London The Co if it ise to give the whole story to the American service Anyway, his ownback froot the all clear to do this because the Aet Tarn - Apocalypse, as they called hinals we send Not now that we've eli here with the okay frohed ”I'm not even convinced that we do have the okay fro paranoid about this”
”Give me a little time If I'm not back by noon, make all the telephone calls you want At least let ht Perhaps we should report to everyone and pray for the marines to arrive to put an end to this ive me a little time to set them up?”
She was very unhappy, but in the short tiether, Flicka von Grusse had discovered that Jalared at hilory, James Go and deal with the sub to alert London Not aRight?”
He gave her a bleak s at his watch, he saas just after nine now ”I've got less than twelve hours”
”Well, you'd better get cracking, Ja to be responsible for any cock-up that leaves this harbor in fla”
He distributed the iteh-powered flashlight, co boxes from the bottom of the second case The boxes he had called his ”little jewels” He slung the wet suit over one arry ”Don't worry Flick I'll be back This is just a safeguard The ton You're basically right, but I want to cover all the bases”