Part 9 (2/2)

Lavender was still in the dress she had worn at dinner In one hand she carried what looked like a pocket calculator, and, gingerly in the other, one of the duelling pistols, which Bond recognised as co from the valuable set in the hall 'Sorry I'one to bed A lot's been happening Caber caiving them instructions, Lord knohat about, but Caber's in a fury I heard the, Ja to kill you; but I heard Anton say, ”Not yet, Caber, your turn will co on?'

'A fair ah to call in help Yes, it is serious, I'd be foolish not to tell you that much While I'm away, I want you to keep to yourself as et bad, try and hide so inpistol from her

She told hiht you should have some kind of protection - some weapon; and I kno to load these Anton showed o There's a ball in it, and powder, and a percussion cap'

'Just hope it doesn't blow up in s at the piece

Lavender said it was fine 'The Laird tests theularly - about once a year He told me once that he shouldn't, but he seems to enjoy it That one's Monro's pistol, by the way Theabout the main doors, and the best way out She told hiht-hand side of the main door 'You'll find a small switch just beneath it in the down position Move it up, and the alarm system'll be disconnected Then just press the button, and the main door locks will coht away, so you won't have much time I've checked, and your car's still in the same place outside'

'And that?' Bond pointed to the flat black object

'The uard on the gates, which were also equipped with electronic locks 'Both Anton and Mary-Jane carry these in their cars' She demonstrated that the flat box had two controls, marked Open and Close The rest was obvious If you started to press the Open button at around fifty yards fro back of their own accord 'That's about all the help I can give you'

'It'sto let you have about three et well clear, and back to your roooes to plan, I'll have help here, and there'll be souardian could end up in the sla time'

'Just take care, James Dear James' She put her arms around his neck and he kissed her This time there was no doubt about her intentions as she pushed close to him and their mouths locked It was no way, Bond considered, to start out on a wild dash to safety 'Take care,' she whispered again, and he opened the door - holding the plastic strip in place - wide enough for her to get out

Bond slipped the reates into a hip pocket, then slid the hard barrel of the duelling pistol into his waist band,of the dangers he would be running if it wasn't Next he picked up his car keys and the flat box of his own This was also a remote operator - one of the many extras provided by Communication Control Systenition and have thealmost before he was out of the main castle doors; that was unless sonition - the true security reason for having a re several deep breaths, Bond clutched the car keys, renition control, and the suitcase in his left hand, leaving the right free Opening the door, he allowed the thick plastic to fall and pulled the door closed behind him The bolts shot home, and he waited anxiously to see if the s It didn't

For a few seconds Bond stood in the darkness of the corridor, letting his eyes adjust Then, slowly, he e safety la down into the hall and along the gallery The old building creaked twice Quietly heto the side of the steps, where the wood is always more solidly based and unlikely to ot to the hall there was the noret it all over But long discipline made Bond cross to the door at a slow, tiptoe pace He could see the small panel with the red button and switch quite plainly Reaching up he flicked off the alarm and pressed the button There were three heavy bolts on the main door, and the whole trio clunked back in unison, like a pistol shot In the night silence of the house it was enough noise to waken the dead, he thought; and, at that verythe unique scent of the gardens and Glen Murcaldy into Bond's nostrils, all the lights went on and a voice told hinised the voice, and judged the butler to be so his own experience and intuition, Bond's hand grasped the duelling pistol, cocking the hammer as he drew it from his waistband He whirled around as the end of the barrel came clear

It was a risky shot, and the pistol ained for, thein his hand like a trapped snake and a cloud of white s from the explosion But Bond's senses had been accurate Donal was just where his ears had placed him A pistol of some kind clattered over the floor as the butler wheeled in a co his shattered shoulder where the ball had struck and whih-pitched squeal, like a terrified animal

Of this Bond had only a brief and blurred picture, for he was already out of the nition control and dropping the duelling pistol so that he could grasp the keys to the Saab He had the iures rising fro towards the Saab as itsthe case behind hiently as he thrust the key into the door lock The key turned in the lock and ca the case into the rear, he slid behind the wheel, sla down the lock

The click of the lock caures closed on the car It was ti quickly, Bond unlocked the two hidden coe above the instrules

There were at least five les in place, Bond could see two of the towards hiround, but he was not going to hang around to find out One of the et out of the car It was then that Bond hit the tear gas button

One of the safety devices - a standard fitment in the CCS 'Supercar', as they call it - consists of tear gas ducts placed near all four wheels At the press of a button, the gas is expelled enveloping the car, and anyone atte to assault it

Bond heard the thud and hiss as the canisters opened up, then saw the effects as the five ry white cloud rose around the s There was a portable oxygen unit, with as penetrated the car or the air ran out; but Bond wasthe Nitefinder set around his head, slipping the re some distance between himself and the castle He snapped on the seat belt, sla down the foot brake, he slowly pressed the accelerator, building up power Then, suddenly taking his foot off the brake, Bond let the car shoot forward, skidding wildly on the gravel Straightening as he gained control, he drove at breakneck speed away froh the rearviewabout, shi+elding their eyes, buure - it could only be Caber - lunging into theirout for a weapon

He did not see the flashes; only felt the heavy bumps as a burst of automatic fire hit the rear of the Saab Best not to be concerned about that: there was enough arlass around hiun would have soed up, still with his foot hard on the accelerator Then touching the brake, he took the turn in the drive too fast, and sent up a great spray of gravel as he slid outwards, before regaining control There were two ht No problem there: Dunlop Denovos - puncture and split-proof

He could see the gates in the distance, and one hand went to the locking device on the gun port built in just below the dash A turn and slide, and the port was open Bond reer Super Blackhawk 44 Magnurab the butt

He changed to third, the gear stickup fast, and Bond's hand noent to the reh his ht not work and he would have to run at the gates full-tilt, relying on the stressed steel ram bumpers fitted to front and rear After the experience with Donal and the waiting un to doubt Lavender and her instructions So far, the events had all the marks of a set-up; so it ith soates start to move as he pressed the control button

Then, froates, one arm raised A satekeeper was firing at hi his eyes on the opening gates, thrust the ht to allow hiates, still opening, ca speed as Bond let off three shots in quick succession, the noise and s at his eardruht, but the slowly opening gates were on hiainst the ing up again, and hurtling along the metalled road away from the castle

The speedometer shoell in excess of 85 mph; there was no h the Nitefinders In a moment the Saab would be off the e Ti He reached for the pen alarined it had merely slipped inside his pocket, so often had he checked it More than thirty seconds passed before he realised that the alar around somewhere inside the Saab As the stark fact penetrated Bond's hts of another car, far back towards the castle Mary-Jane's BMW, he would guess, cra machine pistols and automatics

Bond had to e would have been alerted by this tiht ahead The ansould be to take the Saab around, going back on his own heading, following the track which ran parallel to the castle - the way he had cohts, the Saab would be difficult to follow and he reckoned that, even on the rough track, it would not take long toAt soent's Park building would bring all hell down upon Murik Castle in a very short ti the uneven road, but Bond held his speed In the rown any larger

Keep the speed up, he thought Hold her straight, and try for a feint at the village, which was now visible, and appeared uncannily close - the bulk of the kirk and other houses sharp against the sky, standing out like fists of rock

Would they be waiting? Bond tried to picture the junction near the kirk, with its little wooden signpost Watch for the signpost and drag the car around

Without warning a light came on, then another: twin spots from near the kirk The reception committee; the spots wavered, then ho in a panto, but still travelling at speed Slow just enough to let theh Make the vision That was the Godsend about the Nitefinder

Bond took in a gulp of air as he saw the first flicker of auto from between the spots Then the slow, coloured balls curved towards hiain he shoved the Blackhawk through the gun port, stood on the brakes and wrenched at the wheel, slewing the car to one side and blasting off two more rounds as he did so Then one more shot That was the Blackhawk e it from the shelf as he saith soone out

Now, his subconscious seeht at theorse as Bond spun the wheel to right and left in a violent Z pattern

The reain as a second burst of tracer began its arc towards hier in two bursts of two, loosing four shots through the gun port as it ca ceased, and he realised he was driving flat-out towards the village, ears bursting with the noise and the car filled with the acrid reek of cordite Get it as near as you can, then skid-turn on to the other road In hisfast along the right hand pin He had to negotiate the bend on to the left pin, and there was only one way to do that while still leaving the reception party wondering if he was going straight on - presue itself At speed it was a dangerous confidence trick One sudden or ht out of road, or spin the car over on to its back

He saw the little wooden signpost alh afraid he would s an intricate dance between brake and accelerator, Bond went into the violent skid turn The world seemed to dip and move out of control as the Saab started to slew round, the tyres whining, as though screah surface of track, or heather For a second, as the car spun sideways on, Bond knew that all four wheels had left the ground, and he had no flying controls Then he felt a judder as the wheels took hold of the earth He spun the wheel to the right, put on full power, in a racing change down, and began to slide, broadside on, towards the sign post The car round There was a teeth-jarring bun For a second Bond kneas at a standstill; then he had his foot down again, heaving the wheel to the left The Saab plunged like a horse, shuddering, shaking its tail violently, then sain Briefly, in the ine running in ti fast up the track which he had folloith such caution the night before At least the dirt track was otiated There was no sign of the following lights, which he had assuroith every second He needed as len and Murik Castle He would not be happy until he was completely clear of the castle area, away somewhere to his left, on the far side of the rise For reassurance he felt down, touching the butt of the Browning, at the sa he rarely did; but with the lights off and instruht down, the head-up display was not as clear as norain and ih the Nitefinder goggles, above and just ahead Autoed down and pureat beaine noise he thought he had iined back at the turn near the kirk The helicopter He had not counted on the helicopter But there it was, backing away slowly like so, uncertain of its prey

Well, if the hit the daain he reached for the Browning, pushed the barrel through the gun port, pointed upwards and fired twice The helicopter was dangerously low, yet re away Then, without warning, it lifted and retreated fast From directly in front of the Saab cae version of the SAS 'flash-bang' stun grenade The Saab shook, and Bond felt the inertia reel harness clamp hold of him Without it he would have been thrown across the car He slammed a foot on to the brake as he felt, with the intuition of experience, that another grenade would follow the first Certainly the helicopter was coain Bond prepared to haul the wheel over and put power on the moment he saw the chopper alter attitude

It ca of the nose, a fast slide up and back Bond swung the wheel to the right, changed into second, and allowed his foot gently to increase pressure on the accelerator

The Saab changed course, going off the track to the right as the second large 'flash-bang' exploded His y he would need to use against the chopper when the Saab began to lift its nose

With the horrific clarity of a dream over which one has no power, Bond realised what had happened He had been fool enough to do exactly as the helicopter had wanted The little ress - on radar, or by other means - almost from his mo its large 'flash-bangs' in his path, was a lure They had wanted hiht, and at speed Had not Mary-Jane Mashkin told hie system? Had he not seen the evidence of it on his visit to this spot?

All this flashed through Bond's head as he applied the car's brakes too late The nose of the Saab reared up, and he are of the Mashkin wo him the size and depth of the pit The wheels clawed at e to one side, bouncing and bu somersault

In the final , possibly the Blackhawk, caught him on the side of the head He felt the numbness, but neither fear nor pain as the redoff into its black ihts of the BMW could be seen in the distance as the helicopter slowly settled on the heather 'Got him,' said Anton Murik with a sles taken froht 'They ell, these,' he said 'Clear as sunlight up to over five hundred feet'

14

High frequency