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ve been some changes made。〃
〃I'll say。
The other identity would not have been attractive in black You'd look good in anything。〃
〃Flattery could get you everywhere； James Bond。
But I don't really think Mrs。 Jay Autem Holy ever needed widow's weeds。
You see； he never died。〃
〃Tell me。〃 She began with the story already told by M。 Over a decade before； while Dr Jay Autem Holy had been working solely for the Pentagon； a U。S。 Marine Corps Grumman Mohawk aircraft had crashed into the Grand Canyon。 Dr Holy and a General Joseph （〃Rolling Joe'） Zwingli were the only passengers。
〃You already know that Jay Autem was way ahead of ） his time；〃' she said。 〃A puter whizz…kid long before most people had heard of puters。 He worked on very advanced programming for the Pentagon。
The airplane went down in a most inaccessible place deep into a gully。 No bodies were ever recovered； and Jay Autem had a nice bundle of significant puter tapes with him when he went。
Naturally they were not recovered either。 He was working on a portable battle…training program for senior officers； and had almost perfected a puterised system for anticipating enemy movements in the field。 His work was literally invaluable。〃
〃And the General？〃
〃Rolling Joe？ A nut。 A much…decorated and brave nut。 Believed the United States had gone to the dogs … the mie dogs。
Said openly there should be a change in the political system； that the army should take control。
He figured politicians had sold out； morals had gone to pieces； people had to be made to care。〃 Bond nodded。 〃And I gather Dr Holy had a nickname … like Rolling Joe was Zwingli's nickname。〃 She laughed again。 〃They called Zwingli 〃Rolling Joe〃 because in World War Two he had this habit of airtesting his B 17 Flying Fortress by rolling it at a thousand feet。〃
〃And Dr Holy？〃 he prompted。
〃His colleagues； and some of his friends； called him 〃The Holy Terror〃。 He could be a tough boss。〃 Percy paused； before adding； 〃And a tough husband。〃
〃Late husband。〃 Bond gave her a close； unblinking look and watched her drain the last of her champagne cocktail and place the glass carefully on a side table as she slowly shook her head。
〃Oh no；' she said softly。 〃Jay Autem Holy did not die in that airplane wreck。 A few people have known that for some years。 Now there's proof。〃
〃Proof？ Where？〃 He led her towards the moment for which M had prepared him。
〃Right on your own doorstep；James。 Deep in the heart of rural England。 Oxfordshire。 And there's more to it than that。 You remember the Kruxator robbery in London？ And the ？20 million gold bullion job？〃 Bond nodded。
〃Also the ？2 billion hijack？ The British Airways 747 taking foreign currencies from the official printers in England to their respective countries？〃
〃Of course。
〃You remember what those crimes had in mon； James？〃 He waved his gunmetal cigarette case at Percy； who declined with an almost imperceptible gesture of the hand。 Bond was surprised to find the case being returned to his pocket unopened。 His forehead creased。
〃All large sums；' he said。 〃Well…planned 。 。 。 Wait a minute； didn't Scotland Yard say they could almost be puterised crimes？〃
〃That's it。 You have the answer。
〃Percy … 〃 there was an edge of puzzlement in Bond's voice … 〃what are you suggesting？〃
〃That Dr Jay Autem Holy is alive and well； and living in a small village called Nun's Cross； just north of Banbury in your lovely Oxfordshire。 Remember Banbury； James？ The place where you can ride a cock…horse to？〃 Her lips tightened a little。 〃Well； that's where he is。
Planning criminal operations； and probably terrorist ones as well； by puter simulations。〃
〃Evidence？〃
〃Well 。 。 。 〃Again a pause。 〃To say that no bodies were recovered in the airplane is not quite true。
They got out the pilot's remains。 There were no other bodies。
Intelligence； security and police agencies have been searching for Jay Autem Holy ever since。
And suddenly they found him in Oxfordshire？〃
〃Almost by chance； yes。 One of your Special Branch men was in that area on a pletely different case。 He was on to a pair of well…known London crooks。〃
〃And they led him to。 。 ？〃 Percy got up and slowly began to pace the room。
〃They led him to a small puter simulations pany called Gunfire Simulations； in the village of Nun's Cross； and there he sees a face from the files。 So he goes back and checks。 The face is Dr Jay Autem Holy's。
Only now he calls himself Professor Jason St。 JohnFinnes pronounced Sinjon Finesse： finesse； as in the game of bridge。 The name of the house is Endor。〃
〃As in Witch of？〃
〃Right。〃 Percy paused in her pacing and leaned on the back of Bond's armchair； her arm brushing his ear。
He could not at that moment bring himself to turn his head and look up into the face above his shoulder。
〃They even have chummy little weekend war games parties there and a lot of strange people turn up；' Percy continued。 She moved away and dropped on to a couch； drawing her long slender legs up under her。
〃Trouble was； none of this happened to be news to the American Service。 You see； they've been keeping an eye on that situation for some time。 Even infiltrated it； without telling anyone。
Bond smiled。 〃That would please my people no end。
There are rules about operating on other countries' soil and 〃As I understand it；' Percy interrupted in a husky； drawling voice； 〃there were what is known as frank and open discussions。〃
〃I'll bet！〃 Bond thought for a moment。 Are you telling me that Jay Autem Holy strongly prized by the Pentagon and missing； believed dead … just managed to settle in this village； Nun's Cross； without benefit of disguise or cover； except for some new identity papers？〃 Percy stretched out her legs and laid back almost full length on the couch； brushing the floor languidly with her hand。
〃Not an easy man to disguise；… she said。 〃But yes； that's exactly what he's done。 Mind you he rarely goes out； he's hardly ever seen in the village。 His so…called wife deals personally with business； and those he genuinely employs just think he's eccentric … which he is。 A great deal of ingenuity and a lot of money went into fixing up Jay Autem's hideaway。
Slowly； many of the things M had said back in London started to make sense。 As though dawn had suddenly broken； Bond said； 〃And I'm the one who's supposed to join that happy band of brothers？〃
〃You've got it in one。〃
〃And just how am I supposed to do that？ Walk in and say； Hi there； my name's James Bond； the famous renegade intelligence officer： I'm looking for a job？〃 It was Bond's turn to get up and pace the room。
〃Something like that；' Percy drawled softly。
〃Good God！〃 Bond's face tightened in anger。 〃Of all the harebrained Why would he want to employ me； anyway？〃
〃He wouldn't。〃 She gave a flicker of a smile and sat up； suddenly very alert and earnest。
〃He's got enough staff to run the Gunfire Simulations business all legal and above board。 And are they screened！ It makes the British positive vetting look like a kid's crossword puzzle。 Believe me； I know。 He has to be certain； because that side of things is absolutely s