按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
very two months giving a series of lectures here。〃
〃Where's here？〃 For the first time； Rahani's brow puckered with displeasure。 〃In good time；mander。 As I've said； in good time。〃 〃Advise on what？ 〃Lecture on what？〃
〃Lecture on the structure and methods of the British Secret Intelligence Service； and the Security Service。
Advise on the intelligence； and security aspects of certain operations。〃
〃Operations carried out by whom？〃 Rahani spread his hands。
〃That would depend。 It would also alter from operation to operation。
You see； the organisation I mand bears no allegiance to any one country； group of people or ideal。 We are … a much…used word； but the only one … we are apolitical。
Bond waited； as though not yet prepared to mit himself。
Rahani finally gave in。 〃I am a soldier。 I have been a mercenary in my time。 I am also a highly successful businessman。 We have certain things in mon； I think； one of them being a liking for money。 Some time ago； in cooperation with one or two like…minded people； I saw the possibility of earning some very profitable returns by going into the mercenary business。 Being apolitical myself； owing nothing to ideologies or beliefs； it was easy。 Plenty of countries and revolutionary groups need specialists。 A particular man or a group of men even a planning group； and the soldiery to carry out the plan。〃 〃Rent…a…Terrorist；' Bond said； with a touch of distaste。
〃Who does not dare； hires someone else to dare for them。
A truly mercenary activity； in every sense。
〃Well put。 But you'd be surprised； mander Bond。
The terrorist organisations are not our only customers。
Bona fide governments have approached us too。 Anyway； as a former intelligence officer you cannot allow yourself the luxury of politics or ideals。〃
〃I can allow myself the luxury of opposing certain ideals。
Of disagreeing； and intensely disliking them；' Bond put in。
〃And； if our information is to be believed； you have an intense dislike for the British and American method of intelligence … yes？〃
〃Let's just say I'm disappointed that an official organisation can call me to question after so many years of loyal service。
〃Don't you ever feel that revenge could be sweet？〃
〃I'd be a liar if I said it hadn't crossed my mind； but it's never been an obsession。
I don't harbour grudges。〃
〃We shall need your cooperation； and your decision。
Terror for Hire I'll You understand what I mean？〃 Rahani made the querying； humming noise again。
Bond nodded； and said he was no fool： having disclosed the existence and purpose of his organisation； Tamil Rahani was mitted to making a decision about Bond。 If he offered a job； and if Bond accepted； there would be no problem。 If； however； he decided Bond was a risk； or his motives were in doubt； there could be only one answer。
Rahani heard him out。
〃You won't mind if I ask a few pertinent questions； then？〃
〃What do you call pertinent？〃
〃I'd like to know the things you would not discuss with the Press。 The real reason for your resignation； mander Bond。 An inter…department disagreement； I believe you said。
Accusations； which were withdrawn； but taken most seriously by yourself。〃
〃If I don't choose to tell you？〃
〃Then we have to conclude that you are not trustworthy； my friend。 A conclusion which may have unpleasant consequences。〃 Rahani smiled。
Bond went through the process of looking as though he was giving the situation some thought。 With M and Bill Tanner he had put together a story that would hold water up to a point。 To prove or disprove it would mean getting classified information from the Judicial Branch； which prised a number of experienced barristers retained by the Service； also from three individuals working in the Registry； and from someone who had easy access to the documents held by S Department。
After a few moments' silence Bond gave a short nod。 〃Right。 If you want the truth 〃Good。 Tell us then； mander Bond。〃 Rahani's voice and manner were equally bland。
He told the story； just as they had concocted it in M's office。
Over a period of some six months it had been discovered that several highly sensitive files had been taken from the Service HQ and kept out overnight。 It was an old story； and one that was technically plausible； even allowing for the stringent security spot checks； and signing in and out of files。 However； the system was double…checked by an electronic bar code； appended to each file； which was scanned every time the file was taken out or returned。 The files went through a machine that read the code and stored the information in the Registry databank； which was examined at the end of each month。 It was impossible to alter the bar codes on the files or to duplicate them。
But because the information stored away on the big puter tapes was read out only at the end of each month； anyone could return a dummy file each night； putting back the original the following night。 By alternating dummy and original you could examine around twenty files in a month before the tampering would be discovered。 This； Bond maintained； was what had happened； though Registry had spent so much time cross。checking and looking at the data because they imagined it to be a program error in the puter； that a further week had passed before a report went up to Head of Service。
In all； only eight files had been at risk。 But； on the relevant dates； James Bond had been one of those with access to the files。 Five people were under suspicion； and they had hauled Bond in before anybody else。
〃Someone of my rank and experience would normally be given the courtesy of a private interview with the Head of Service；' he said； his tone verging on anger。 〃But no。 It didn't seem to matter that the other four were junior； relatively inexperienced and without field records。 It was as if I was singled out because of my position； because I had been in the field； because of my experience。〃
〃You were actually accused？〃 It was Simon who asked。
Bond allowed the anger to boil up and break the surface。 〃Oh； yes。 Yes； I was accused。 Before they even talked to anyone else they carted in a couple of very good interrogators； and a Q。C。 You removed these files from the headquarters building； mander Bond。 Why？ Did you copy them？ Who asked you to take them？ It went on for two days。〃
〃And did you take them from the building； mander？〃
〃No； I did not；' Bond almost shouted。 〃And it took them another two days to haul in the other four； and then a day for Head of Registry to e back off leave and remember that special permission had been given to one officer to take the wretched files over for study by a Civil Service mandarin adviser to the Ministry。 They had left spaces in the records； just to keep the data neat。
Head of Registry was supposed to put a special code into the databank。 But he was off on leave； and forgot about it。 Nobody had a go at him； or offered his head on a salver。〃
〃So no files went missing at all。 You got an apology； of course？〃
〃Not immediately。〃 Bond glowered； like a schoolboy。
And nobody seemed at all concerned about my feelings。
Head of Service didn't appear even to un