johngardner.rollofhonor-第14部分

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　〃Twenty…eight。〃
　〃Right。　　Twenty…eight　years　old；　and　some　of　the　really　advanced　programmers　are　younger。　　I　know　it　all；　but　it's　up　to　people　like　Cindy　or　Peter；　to　translate　my　ideas　into　reality。　　Brilliance；　genius；　requires　nurturing。
　Programmers　like　my　two　may　not　really　understand　that　they　feed　my　great　conceptions。　　As　for　you；　a　man　with　minimal　training　…　you　cannot　be　of　real　use　to　me。　　You　don't　stand　a　chance　in　this　field。〃　Bond　shrugged。　　〃Not　against　you；'　he　said；　not　knowing　whether　this　was　some　devious　wordplay；　some　psychological　ploy。
　At　the　door；　Jason　told　him　he　looked　forward　to　the　next　meeting。
　〃If　you　feel　you　can　take　me　on　…　at　a　game　I　mean　…　I'll　be　happy　to　oblige。　　But　maybe　we'll　find　something　more　interesting　than　games；　eh？　Six　tomorrow。
　Bond　could　not　know　that　the　game　of　life　itself　would　have　changed　by　the　time　he　saw　Jay　Autem　Holy　again。
　Nor　what　was　really　at　stake　in　the　games　this　curiously　changeable　man　liked　to　play。　　He　did　know　that　Holy　was　a　man　possessed。　　Beneath　the　bonhomie　and　charm　lay　the　mind　of　one　who　would　play　God　with　the　world；　and　he　found　this　deeply　disturbing。
　When　he　got　back　to　the　hotel；　Bond　retrieved　his　key　from　a　dozing　night　porter　and　went　up　to　his　room。　　But；　on　putting　the　key　in　the　lock；　he　found　the　door　already　open。　　Freddie；　he　thought；　with　some　irritation；　for　he　wanted　very　much　to　be　alone；　to　have　time　to　think。
　Remaining　cautious；　he　slipped　the　automatic　pistol　from　its　holster；　and　holding　it　just　behind　his　right　thigh；　he　turned　the　handle　and　gently　kicked　the　door　open。
　〃Hallo；　Mr。　Bond。〃　Cindy　Chalmer　smiled　up　at　him　from　one　of　the　chairs；　her　long　legs　sprawled　out　in　front　of　her；　like　an　invitation。
　Quietly；　Bond　closed　the　door。
　〃I　bring　greetings　from　Percy。　　Cindy's　smile　broadened　into　a　bewitching　grin。
　Bond　remembered　the　looks　she　had　given　him　during　the　evening。
　〃Who's　Percy？〃　he　asked　evenly；　holding　her　eyes　in　his；　trying　to　detect　either　truth　or　deception。
　
　
　INSIDE　ENDOR
　
　〃E　ON；　Mr。　Bond。　　Percy　Proud。　　Persephone。　　We're　in　cahoots。
　〃Sorry；　Cindy。　　Nice　of　you　to　drop　by；　but　I've　never　heard　of　Percy；　Persephone；　or　Proud。〃　He　quietly　slipped　the　automatic　pistol　back　into　its　holster。　　Cindy　would　have　to　do　better　than　this　if　he　was　going　to　accept　her。　　Face　value　and　a　mention　of　Percy　was　not　enough。
　We've　even　infiltrated　Endor；　he　heard　Percy　whisper　into　the　echo…chamber　of　his　mind。
　〃You're　very　good。〃　Cindy　spoke　like　a　cheeky　schoolgirl。　　〃Percy　said　you　were。　　She　also　told　me　that　I　had　to　mention　you　liked　treats；　and　an　apple　for　the　teacher　always　brought　great　rewards。〃　Bond　wasn't　convinced　yet。　　Certainly　only　Percy　and　he　knew　of　his　by…play　with　the　apple　in　Monte　Carlo　and　their　jokes　about　rewards　for　pupils。　　But　what　if　Percy's　cover　had　been　blown？
　〃You're　in　cahoots　…　as　you　put　it　…　with　someone　called　Percy？〃　he　said；　staring　her　out。
　Cindy　bobbed　her　head。　　〃Cahoots；　intrigue；　in　league　with。　　We　both　belong　to　the　same　outfit；　Mr。　Bond。〃　It　made　some　sense。　　If　the　American　Service　already　had　someone　in　the　house；　close　to　Jay　Autem　Holy；　they　would　not　broadcast　the　fact。　　Persephone；　as　a　true　professional；　would　not　tell　Bond　either。　　The　circle　of　people　who　knew　would　be　confined　until　the　last　minute。　　So；　was　this　the　last　minute？
　〃Tell　me　more。
　〃She　said　…　Percy　said　…　you'd　know　what　to　do　with　these。〃　Cindy　produced　two　hard　disks　encased　in　plastic　from　her　shoulder　bag。　　The　thin　boxes　measured　about　five　inches　square　and　less　than　a　quarter　of　an　inch　deep。　　On　one　side　they　had　a　hinged　flap；　like　those　on　much　fatter　video　cassettes。　　The　boxes　were　brilliant　blue　and　had　small　labels　stuck　on　one　corner。
　Bond　made　no　move　even　to　touch　them。　　And　what；　Miss　Chalmer；　are　those？〃
　〃A　couple　of　our　target's　less　conventional　programs。
　And　I　can't　hang　on　to　them　for　long。　　At　about　four　in　the　morning　I　turn　into　a　pumpkin。〃
　〃I'll　get　a　couple　of　white　mice　to　drive　you　home　then。
　〃Seriously。　　I　can　manage　to　get　past　the　security　without　being　detected　until　about　four。　　They　change　shifts　then。〃
　〃We're　talking　of　getting　back　into　Endor　I　take　it？〃
　〃Of　course　we　re　talking　about　Endor。　　The　place　is　electronically　buttoned　like　Fort　Knox　…　you　remember　Fort　Knox？〃　Cindy　gave　a　small；　almost　mocking　smile。
　〃Well；　Endor　has　code　and　lock　binations　which　change　with　each　security　shift。　　I　have　to　go　back　during　the　current　phase；　otherwise　I　shall　be　right　up　the　proverbial　creek　without　a　paddle。〃　Bond　asked　if　she　did　this　often。
　〃In　the　mating　season；　yes。　　That's　why　I've　cultivated　a　certain　reputation　in　the　village。　　So　I　have　a　kind　of　alibi　if　I　ever　get　caught。　　But；　if　they　cop　me　with　these　stuffed　down　my　shirt。　　。　　。
　Well　…　…　…　〃　She　ran　a　finger　over　her　throat。　　〃So；　Mr。　Bond；　I'd　appreciate　it　if　you'd　copy　these　little　beauties。〃
　〃How　unconventional　are　they？〃　He　reached　out　to　take　the　disks；　feeling　as　though　something　irrevocable　would　happen　once　he　laid　hands　on　them。　Even　to　handle　the　things　implied　that　he　could　do　as　Cindy　asked。　　If　this　was　an　attempt　to　put　him　in　the　frame；　there　could　be　no　going　back。
　〃You'll　see。　　But　please　do　what　has　to　be　done　as　quickly　as　you　can。　I　have　no　way　of　copying　them　at　the　house。。
　〃You　can　borrow　them　but　not　take　copies？　　I　find　that　difficult　to　believe；　Miss　Chalmer。　　Your　boss　told　me；　not　long　ago；　that　you're　a　wizard　with　these　things。〃　She　made　an　irritated；　spluttering　noise　which　reminded　him　of　M　when　the　Head　of　Service　became　annoyed。
　〃Technically；　of　course　I　can　copy。　　But　it　would　be　far　too　dangerous　to　try　it　in　the　house。　　I'm　never　left　alone　long　enough　with　the　hardware。　　Either　the　great　man's　around；　or　the　Queen　of　the　Night　is　fussing　about。
　〃The　who？〃
　〃Queen　of。　　。　　。　　Oh；　Peter。　　That's　my　pet　name　for　him。
　I　think　he　may　well　be　trustworthy　…　he　certainly　loathes　the　boss　…　but　it's　not　worth　the　risk。　　Percy　wouldn't　hear　of　it。〃　Bond　smiled　inwardly。　　〃Cindy？〃　She　raised　her　eyes；　ready　for　any　question。
　〃How　well　do　you　know　this　Percy？〃
　〃You're　dreadfully　coy；　James。〃　They　now　slipped　easily　into　first　name　terms。
　〃No；　I'm　just　dreadfully　careful。〃
　〃I　know　her　quite　well。　　Have　done　for　the　past　what？　　Eight　years？〃
　〃Has　she　been　hospitalised　since　you've　known　her？
　Medical　operations　of　any　kind？〃
　〃A　nose　job。　　Spectacular。
　That's　all。〃
　〃And　you？〃
　〃I've　never　had　one。
　〃Background；　Cindy。　　What？　　Who？　　And　why？〃
　〃All　of　it？　　Okay。　　I　spent　eight　months　in　a　hospital　for　infectious　diseases　after　I　left　high　school。　　There　are　medical　records；　doctors　and　nurses　who　remember　me。
　I　know　because　Old　Bald　Eagle's　ferrets　checked　them　out。　　Only　I　wasn't　there。　　I　was　at　the　Farm；　being　trained。　　Then；　surprise；　I　won　a　scholarship　to　Cambridge；　here　in　England。　　From　then　on；　as　pure　as　the　driven。　　A　good；　hard…working　girl。　　I'm　untouchable；　fully　sanitized；　as　we　say。　　The　pany　kept　me　on　ice。　　I　worked　for　I。B。M　and　then　with　Apple；　before　I　applied　for　the　job　with　Jay　Autem　Holy。
　His　boys　checked；　double…checked　and　even　then　didn't　trust　me　for　eighteen　months。〃　Bond　gave　a　brisk　nod。　　There　were　no　real　options　left。
　Trust　between　him　and　the　girl　had　to　be　entered　into　quickly；　though　not　lightly。　　〃Okay；　just　tell　me　about　these　two　programs。
　〃Why　don't　you　take　a　look　for　yourself？　　Percy　told　me　you　had　the　means。
　〃You　tell　me；　Cindy。　　Concisely　as　you　can；　then　we'll　get　on　with　it。〃　She　talked　rapidly；　reducing　the　information；　telescoping　her　sentences　to　the　minimum。　　They　had　games　weekends　at　Endor　…　he　knew　about　that　…　and　some　very　strange　people　turned　up　along　with　the　usual；　dedicated　war　games　freaks。
　〃There　are　two　particular　characters　…　Balmer　and　Hopcraft；'　Cindy　went　on　after　pausing　to　gaze　intently　into　Bond's　eyes；　〃known　to　my　crowd　as　Tigerbalm　and　Happy。　　Tigerbalm's　about　as　balmy　as　a　force　ten　blizzard。　　Kill　you　quick　as　look　at　you；　and　Happy's　probably　only　that　way　when　he's　raping　or　pillaging。
　Happy　would　have　made　a　good　Viking　raider。〃　Cindy　explained　that　Gunfire　Weekends；　as　they　were　called　in　the　puter　magazines；　all　appeared　to　be　run　with　a　military　flavour。　　〃Strict　discipline。　　Order　Groups　at　09。00　hours；　Lights　Out　at　22。30；　and　all　that。　　It　was　what　happened　after　Lights　Out　that　became　interesting。
　〃The　oddballs　are　detailed　to　rooms　near　one　another；　and　always　near　Tigerbalm　and　Happy。　　The　weekends　cover　three　nights。　　The　oddballs　all　leave　looking　as　though　they've　been　awake　for　a　week。　　In　fact　they　get　very　little　sleep　because　around　midnight　every　night　they're　summoned　to　Old　Bald　Eagle's　private　den；　and　there　they　stay；　all　night；　working　on　their　own　little　games；　two　of　which　I'd　like　to　get　back　into　their　files　before　the　dawn's　early　light。〃　Bond　told　her　to　wait　in　his　room　while　he　went　quietly　down　to　the　car；　selected　the　equipment　he　needed　and　brought　it　back　to　the　room。　　It　took　time；　but　the　extra　minutes　spent　reconnoitering　the　car　park　seemed　well　spent。
　〃Crikey！〃　Cindy　looked　at　the　Terror　Twe