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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 Twelve with und