Part 15 (2/2)

'As long as it's only for coffee, Caber,' Murik said, laughing, while his eyes scanned the equip funny about the re that of course it would be coffee He slid the door open and let it slam back into place as he disappeared

Bond knew his movements would have to be both very fast and accurate Murik seemed preoccupied with the apparatus in front of hined sleep The other two men were still at Lavender's console One had his eyes closed but did not see The other was intent on watching his screen through the viewer

Gently Ja the wrist strap to coet the circulation going,up his mind for the last time as to his plan of action

Then he dropped the strap and un inside Murik's jacket, while the left swept round, with all the force he couldthroat The blow fro the side of his victim's neck instead of the windpipe Nevertheless it had all Bond's strength behind it, and as it landed so the fingers of his right hand grabbed at the butt of the Colt Python, which came out of the holster easily as Murik crumpled on to the deck Bond, still strapped in, swivelled his chair around with his feet, holding the Colt up firrip

He fired al to Lavender, 'Stay quite still' Of the two men at the console, the heavy technician at the radar screen un a split second before his partner As Bond squeezed the trigger it crossed his mind that this was one of the most foolhardy exploits he had ever atteh the o the pressurisation The long hours on various firing ranges paid off in full In all, he fired twice: two burst of two - the 'Double Tap' as the SAS call it - the 357 a like a cannon in the confines of the cabin Four bullets reached their individual targets He could not bla as the first of her captors spun to one side, a bullet lodged in his shoulder The second caught hireat spatter of blood leaping from the wound Yet while the blood was still airborne, Bond had fired his second two shots The ht both rounds in the neck, toppling backwards, the sound of his gargling fall e from the after-echo of the shots

Then there was silence except for a sht from Lavender 'It's okay, Dilly The only way Sorry it was so close'

She looked in horror at the bodies, then took in a breath and nodded Her guards lay dead, and her clothes dripped with their blood She shi+vered and nodded again 'It's okay, James Sorry It was unexpected, that's all How?'

'No ti about those bloody terrorist squads before anything else' Transferring the revolver to his left hand, 007 grasped the microphone on its snake-like, jointed stand Noould see how far logic went Having heard the squads report in with their 'Number one War; Number Two War' there was, for Bond, only one way to stop the nuclear operation froan to speak, slowly and distinctly: 'Number One Lock; Nuh all six of the squads - co the word Anton Murik had used as his personal cryptonym for Meltdown - Warlock

'Noe pray' He looked towards Lavender, still strapped helplessly in her seat Bond's hands went to the buckle on his belt in order to reassemble the small knife concealed in its various components - the knife he had used to strip off the section of the h it was a frustrating business As he glanced towards Lavender, s her a feords of confidence, he saw the irl, if only she were free

The technician who had been watching the radar screen when Bond's bullets had swept hihtly towards Lavender Thea long woollen stocking into which was tucked a Highland dirk, safe in its scabbard Bond had fleetingly feared, when anan, that death would come silently by means of a dirk like this It was the obvious weapon for these people to carry Now, just when he needed the weapon, it was out of reach As he coether, he drew Lavender's attention to the dirk

'Just get on with that handy little gadget you've produced from Lord knohere, James' Her face betrayed her frantic state of one for nearly fifteen minutes If you're not free by the time'

'Okay, DillyNix panicus,asthe webbing straps binding him to the seat The small blade was sharp, but its size did not make for speed: one slip and he could slash himself badly

As he worked there were no sounds about the counterpointed with that of the unconscious Laird of Murcaldy Bond wondered how badly he had daed Murik If his aim had been really accurate the man would now be dead from a shattered trachea

The first cross-strap came clear, but he was still not free Bond saay at the second belt - an easier task, for with the first strap gone, he had e before the tiny blade ripped its way through the tough webbing It only remained for Bond to unclip the seat belt and he was co his ain

In a second he ith Lavender, on his knees, feeling under the anchored chair to find the releaseharness fell away Another couple of seconds to undo the wrist strap and she too was free

'Hadn't you better stand by with that gun?' She nodded towards the other console, where Bond had left the Python

'Don't worry, Caber's not going to cause usdoor, widening with a hint of fear

Bond whirled around Caber had returned and now stood in the doorway, one huge hand still holding the partition open, while his eyes darted around the control rooe Both Caber and Bond were frozen for a second, looking at each other Bond's eyes flicked towards Murik's console, and the Python; and, in that second, Caber also saw the weapon

As Bond careat roar - a rief for his master - and launched himself at Bond For the first ti, terrified shriek

21

Airstrike

The previous day M had set up his own operations' room, next to his suite of offices on the ninth floor of the headquarters' building overlooking Regent's Park He dozed fitfully, half drea a beach ater lapping at his feet Then the fa-deadthe bell for tea, broke into M's consciousness It was the red telephone by the ca as he picked up the handset and answered with a throaty 'Yes?'

Bill Tanner was on the line, asking if M would coh to the main operations' room 'They've surrendered' The Chief-of-Staff uise his excitement

'Who've surrendered?' M snapped

'The terrorists The people holding the nuclear reactors All of theroups, the two in the United States and the Germans Just walked out with their hands up Said it was over'

M frowned 'Any explanation?'

'It only happened a short while ago' Tanner's voice now resu in, sir Apparently they said they'd received the code e to abort the mission Our people up at Heysham One say the terrorists seem to think their operation's been successful I've spoken to one of the interrogators He believes they've been given the call-off by runted 'I wonder if it was an engineered mistake?'

'007?' the Chief-of-Staff asked

'Who else? What about the Starlifter?' M was out of the ca on to the 'phone and wrestle with his trousers at the sa in noo sections of fighters are on their way They held off just long enough to get the okay from the technicians at the nuclear reactors, which all appear to be safe and operating norhters? They're briefed to force the Starlifter down?' His grip on the receiver tightened

Tanner's voice now becarave 'They're briefed to buzz it into surrendering, then to lead it back to Perpignan'

'And?'

'If that doesn't work, the orders are to blast it out of the sky'

'I see' M's voice dropped almost to a whisper

'I know, sir' The Chief-of-Staffwas fully aware of what h M's mind 'We just have to hope'

Slowly, M cradled the receiver

Bond did not stand a chance of getting to the revolver, which was still lying on the console Murik's chief lieutenant was enraged, and dangerous as a wounded bull elephant His roar had changed into the bloodcurdling cry of a fighting man who could only be stopped by a fusillade of bullets, as he seeh the air and catch Bond, half-way across the cabin Bond felt his breath go froht of the brute landed on hi on the Gods for vengeance Now he had Bond straddled on the floor, his legs across Bond's thighs and the enormous hands at his victim's throat Bond tried to cry out for Lavender's help as the red ers prevented hied Then, with the saed

The Starlifter's engines, which until now had been only a steady hu in a roar, while the deck under the struggling men lurched to one side Bond was conscious of the aircraft's attitude altering dramatically as he rolled, still locked with Caber, across the cabin floor He caught a gli forward, as a great buffeting of the airfra like a great liner plunging in a heavy sea This action, followed by yet another sudden and violent change of attitude, as though they werea steep doard turn, threw Caber free

Bond sed, his throat almost closed by the pressure of Caber's hands, then heard Lavender calling that there were aircraft attacking 'Fighters,' she yelled 'They're co in very close'

Bond's ears started to pop, and he sed painfully again, trying to get to his feet and stay upright on the unstable deck, which was now angled doards, juddering and bucking as though on a rollercoaster ride He finally an to make for the revolver Out of the corner of his eye he saw that Lavender appeared to have been thrown so huddled near her console There was no ti for her now Caber, on his hands and knees near Murik's console was bracing himself for another attack, an arm stretched out towards the revolver