The Distance Between Insanity & Genius - Let's Read More James Bond Books

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > The Book Barn > The Distance Between Insanity & Genius - Let's Read More James Bond Books

«‹›22 »

Midjack: Dec 24, 2007

chitoryu12 posted:

Oh I wasn�t in a car. I was in a crosswalk and the guy rolled through without looking. Full flip over the hood, shoes flying. Stunt and fight training is the only reason I probably survived.

Thanks for posting on the Somethinf Awful forums, Jackie Chan!

# ? Jul 9, 2022 22:26

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ? May 7, 2024 23:01

poisonpill: Nov 8, 2009; The only way to get huge fast is to insult a passing witch and hope she curses you with Beast-strength.

How does one get stunt and flight training? That sounds awesome

# ? Jul 9, 2022 22:48

chitoryu12: Apr 24, 2014

poisonpill posted:

How does one get stunt and flight training? That sounds awesome

I grew up doing high school theatre and spent a few years continuing to act in local film and TV.

# ? Jul 9, 2022 22:58

Strategic Tea: Sep 1, 2012

Hmmm yes that's what all the double 0's say

# ? Jul 9, 2022 23:39

poisonpill: Nov 8, 2009; The only way to get huge fast is to insult a passing witch and hope she curses you with Beast-strength.

No, they loudly announce that they are highly trained secret agents with the British intelligence service, then they declare that they think you�re up to something, then they accept your invitation to your remote island fortress

# ? Jul 9, 2022 23:55

Lord Zedd-Repulsa: Jul 21, 2007; Devour a good book.

Continuing taking your time and I super hope you start feeling better before too long. IIRC you're in Florida and if you can't get a medical weed card for any reason, delta 8 is legal and has pretty similar effects.

# ? Jul 10, 2022 05:51

chitoryu12: Apr 24, 2014

In the meantime, C&Rsenal uploaded a quick review of the bizarre first choice Gardner made for Bond�s modern handgun.

https://youtu.be/Yh5uO_X741M

# ? Jul 13, 2022 18:15

Psion: Dec 13, 2002; eVeN I KnOw wHaT CoRnEr gAs iS

okay I know you like 007 and all but you don't need to take it to the level of "I bet bond could survive getting hit by a car, maybe I will too"

jeez

# ? Jul 13, 2022 18:59

chitoryu12: Apr 24, 2014

quote:

Fatigue had caught up with him. He had arranged to meet the others for dinner that evening in the famous snug bar around six. Until then, they had agreed to rest. He rang down for a pot of black coffee and a plate of scrambled eggs. While he waited, Bond examined his room and the small, windowless bathroom. There was a neat shower protected by solidly built sliding glass doors. He approved, and decided to have a shower later. He was hanging his suits in the wardrobe when the waiter arrived with freshly brewed strong coffee and the eggs cooked to perfection.

When he had eaten he placed the ASP near at hand, put the DO NOT DISTURB sign on the door and settled into one of the comfortable armchairs. Eventually he fell into a deep sleep and dreamed that he was a waiter in a continental caf�, dashing between the kitchen and the tables as he served M, Tamil Rahani, the now-deceased Poison Dwarf, and Sukie and Nannie. Just before waking he took tea to Sukie and Nannie with a huge cream cake, which disintegrated into sawdust as soon as they tried to cut it. This appeared not to concern either of them, for they paid the bill, each one leaving a piece of jewellery as a tip. He went to pick up a gold bracelet when it slipped, falling with a heavy crash on to a plate.

Bond woke with a start, convinced the noise was real, yet he heard only street noises drifting in through his window. He stretched, uncomfortable and stiff after sleeping in a chair, and glanced at the stainless steel Rolex on his wrist. He was amazed to see that he had slept for several hours. It was almost four-thirty in the afternoon.

A deep look into the mind of James Bond.

quote:

Bleary-eyed with sleep, he went to the bathroom, turned on the lights and opened the tall doors to the shower. A strong hot shower followed by an icy one, then a shave and change of clothes would freshen him up.

He began to run the shower, closed the door and started to strip. It crossed his mind that whoever had told him to await orders were taking their time. If he had been manipulating this kidnap, he would have struck almost as soon as his victim had registered at the hotel, getting his quarry out in the open while he was still in bad shape from a night without sleep.

Naked, he went back into the bedroom for the ASP and the baton, which he placed on the floor under a couple of hand towels, just outside the shower. Then he tested the temperature and stepped under the spray. He closed the sliding door and began to soap himself, rubbing his body vigorously with a rough flannel.

Also how I shower.

quote:

Drenched with the hot spray, and exalting in a sense of cleanliness, he altered the settings on the taps, allowing the water to cool quickly until he stood under a shower of almost ice-cold water. The shock hit him, as though he had walked out into a blizzard. Feeling thoroughly revitalised, he turned off the water and shook himself like a dog. Then he reached out to open the sliding door.

Suddenly he was on the alert. He could almost smell danger near by. Before he touched the door handle the lights went out, leaving him disorientated for a second, and in that second he missed the handle, though he heard the door slide open a fraction and close again with a thud. He knew he was now not alone. There was something else in the shower with him, which brushed his face and then went wild, thudding against his body and the sides of the shower.

But what assassin could have snuck into the shower with him?

quote:

Bond scrabbled desperately for the door with one hand, flapping the flannel about his face and body with the other to ward off the creature confined with him in the shower. But when his fingers closed over the handle and pulled, the door would not move. The harder he tugged the more vicious the creature�s attacks became. He felt a clawing at his shoulder, then his neck, but managed to dislodge it, still hauling on the door, which refused to budge. The thing paused for a moment, as though in preparation for a final assault.

Then he heard Sukie�s voice, far away, bright, even flirtatious. �James? James, where on earth are you?�

�Here! In the bathroom! Get me out, for heaven�s sake!�

A second later, the lights went on again. He was aware of Sukie�s shadow in the main bathroom. Then he saw his adversary. It was something he had come across only in zoos, and never one as big. Hunched on top of the shower head crouched a giant vampire bat, its evil eyes bright above the razor-toothed mouth, its wings beginning to spread in another attack. He lunged at it with the flannel, shouting, �Get the shower open!�

IT'S DA BAT

quote:

The door began to slide open. �Get out of the bathroom, Sukie. Get out!� Bond wrenched back the door as the bat dived.

He fell sideways into the bathroom, slamming the shower door closed as he did so. He rolled across the floor, making straight for the weapons under the towels.

Although he knew that a vampire bat cannot kill instantly, the thought of what it could inject into his bloodstream was enough to make Bond feel nauseous. And he had not been quick enough, for the creature had escaped with him into the bathroom. He shouted again to Sukie to close the door and wait.

In the space of two heartbeats all he knew of the vampire bat � even its Latin name, the Desmodus rotundus � flashed through his mind. There were three varieties. Usually they hunted at night, creeping up on their prey and clamping on to a hairless part of the body with incredibly sharp canine teeth. They sucked blood, at the same time pumping out saliva to stop the blood clotting. It was the saliva that could transmit disease � rabies and other deadly viruses.

This bat was obviously a hybrid and would be carrying some particularly unpleasant disease in its saliva. The lights of the bathroom had completely disorientated it, though it obviously needed blood badly and would fight to sink its teeth into Bond�s flesh. Its body was about twenty-seven centimetres long, while the wingspan spread a good sixty centimetres � over three times the length of a normal member of the species.

A MUTANT BAT

quote:

As though sensing Bond�s thoughts, the huge bat raised its front legs, opening the wings to full span and gathered its body up for the fast attack.

Bond�s right hand flicked downwards, clicking the baton into its open position. He smashed the weapon hard in the direction of the oncoming creature. His aim succeeded more by luck than judgment, for bats, with their radar-like senses, can usually avoid objects. Probably the unnatural light had something to do with its slow reflexes, for the steel baton caught it directly on the head, throwing it across the room, where it struck the shower doors. With a stride Bond was over the twitching, flapping body and like a man demented he hit the squirming animal again and again. He knew what he was doing, and was aware that fear played no small part in it. As he struck the shattered body time after time his thoughts were of the men who had prepared such a thing as this especially to kill him � for he had little doubt that the saliva of this vampire bat contained something which would bring a fast, painful death.

Somehow Gardner finds a way to escalate every chapter in this book, and I'm not sure what drugs must have created it.

quote:

When he had finished, he dropped the baton in the shower, turned on the spray and walked into the bedroom. He had some disinfectant in the small first aid kit which was now Q Branch standard issue.

He had forgotten about his nakedness.

�Well, now I�ve seen everything. Quits,� said Sukie, unsmiling, from the chair in which she waited.

There was a small pistol, similar to the one Nannie carried, in her right hand. It was pointing steadily midway between Bond�s legs.

# ? Jul 31, 2022 12:35

chitoryu12: Apr 24, 2014

https://twitter.com/PaulTobin/status/1571511842396311553?t=Z4LWiDKF1WetGdErpiH5Ig&s=19

# ? Sep 18, 2022 23:57

Midjack: Dec 24, 2007

chitoryu12 posted:

https://twitter.com/PaulTobin/status/1571511842396311553?t=Z4LWiDKF1WetGdErpiH5Ig&s=19

#wow #whoa

# ? Sep 19, 2022 00:19

chitoryu12: Apr 24, 2014

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlc0b0DcC_c

My bones have been mostly stitched together and I can type long stuff reliably with some actual free time now, so we're resuming posts!

# ? Dec 7, 2022 16:35

Trin Tragula: Apr 22, 2005

quote:

chitoryu12 had the crawling sensation at the pit of his stomach he knew so well � the signal that he had probably made a dangerous and silly mistake.

:-)

# ? Dec 7, 2022 21:43

chitoryu12: Apr 24, 2014

Chapter 10: The Mozart Man

quote:

Sukie looked hard at Bond, and then down at the gun. �It�s a pretty little thing, isn�t it?� She smiled, and he thought he could detect relief in her eyes.

�Just stop pointing it at me. Put on the safety catch and stow it, Sukie.�

She broadened the smile. �Same goes for you, James.�

Suddenly Bond became aware of his nakedness, and grabbed at the hotel towelling robe as Sukie fitted the small pistol into a holster attached to her white suspender belt.

�Nannie fixed me up with this. Just like hers.� She looked up at him, primly pulling down her skirt. �I brought your stamps, James. What was going on in the bathroom? For a horrible moment I thought you were having real trouble.�

�I was having trouble, Sukie. Very unpleasant trouble, in the shape of a large hybrid vampire bat, which is not a creature you usually come across in Europe, and especially not in Salzburg. Somebody prepared this one for me.�

I can't believe it either!

quote:

�A vampire bat?� Her voice rose in astonishment. �James! It could have...�

�... probably killed me. It was almost certainly carrying something even more lethal than rabies or bubonic plague. How did you get in, by the way?�

�I knocked but there was no reply.� She laid the little strip of stamps on the table. �Then I realised the door was open. It wasn�t until I heard the noises coming from the bathroom that I switched on the light. Someone had jammed the shower door with a chair. Actually, I thought it was a practical joke � it�s the kind of thing Nannie gets up to � until I heard you shout. I kicked the chair out of the way and moved like lightning.�

�And then waited in here with a loaded gun.�

�Nannie�s teaching me to use it. She seems to think it�s necessary.�

�And I think it�s really necessary for you both to get out of this but thinking won�t make it happen. Would you like to do me another favour?�

�Whatever you wish, James.�

Her attitude was suspiciously soft, even yielding. Bond wondered if a girl like Sukie Tempesta would have the guts to handle a dangerous hybrid vampire bat. On balance, he thought, the Principessa Tempesta was perfectly capable of such an act.

She's suffering from Movie Bond Girl syndrome!

quote:

�I want you to get me some rubber gloves and a large bottle of antiseptic.�

�Any particular brand?� She stood up.

�Something very strong.�

After Sukie had left on her errand, Bond retrieved the small bottle from the first aid kit and rubbed antiseptic over every inch of his skin. To counteract the strong antiseptic smell he applied cologne. Then he started to dress.

He was concerned about disposing of the bat�s corpse. Really it should be incinerated, and the bathroom ought to be fumigated. Bond could hardly go to the hotel manager and explain the circumstances. Plenty of antiseptic, a couple of the hotel plastic carriers and a quick visit to the waste-disposal unit, then hope for the best, he thought.

He put on his grey Cardin suit, a light blue shirt from Hilditch and Key of Jermyn Street, and a white-spotted navy blue tie. The telephone rang and as Bond picked it up he glanced at the tape machine. He saw the tiny cassette begin to turn as he answered curtly.

Both of these brands still exist and you can get virtually identical outfits from them.

quote:

�Yes.�

�Mr Bond? Is that you, Mr Bond?� It was Kirchtum, breathing heavily and obviously very frightened.

�Yes, Herr Direktor. Are you all right?�

�Physically, yes. They say I am to speak the truth and tell you what a fool I�ve been.�

�Oh?�

�Yes, I tried to refuse to pass any further instructions to you. I told them they should do this job themselves.�

�And they did not take too kindly to that.� Bond paused, then added for the sake of the tape, �Particularly as you had already told me I must come with the two ladies to the Goldener Hirsch, here in Salzburg.�

�I must now give you instructions quickly, they say, otherwise they will use the electricity again.� The man sounded on the verge of tears.

�Go ahead. Fast as you like, Herr Doktor.�

Bond knew what Kirchtum was talking about � the brutal, old, but effective method of attaching electrodes to the genitals. Outdated methods of persuasion were often quicker than the drugs used by more sophisticated interrogators nowadays. Kirchtum spoke more rapidly, his voice high-pitched with fear, and Bond could almost see them standing over him, a hand poised on the switch.

Shocking.

quote:

�You are to go to Paris tomorrow. It should take you only one day. You must drive on the direct route, and there are rooms booked for you at the George Cinq.�

�Do the ladies have to accompany me?�

�This is essential ... You understand? Please say you understand, Mr Bond...�

�How ...� He was interrupted by an hysterical scream. Had the switch been pulled for encouragement? �I understand.�

�Good.� It was not the doctor speaking now, but a hollow, distorted voice. �Good. Then you will save the two ladies we are holding from a most unpleasant, slow end. We shall speak again in Paris, Bond.�

The line went dead, and Bond picked up the miniature tape machine. He ran the tape back and replayed it through its tiny speaker. At least he could get this information to Vienna or London. The final echoing voice on the line might also be of some small help to them. Even if the men terrorising Kirchtum at the Klinik Mozart had used an electronic �voice handkerchief�, there was still the chance that Q Branch might take an accurate voice print from it. At least if they could make some identification, M would know which particular organisation Bond was dealing with.

He went over to the desk and removed the tiny cassette from the tape machine, nipping off the little plastic safety lug to prevent the tape from being accidentally recorded over. He addressed a stout envelope in M�s cover name as Chairman of Transworld, at one of the safe Post Office box numbers, folded the cassette into a sheet of hotel writing paper, on which he had written a few words, and sealed the envelope. Guessing the weight of the package, he added stamps.

For those who never recorded on cassettes, they came with a plastic safety tab that could flip between "record" and "don't record" positions to allow you to lock a tape so it couldn't be accidentally taped over. Breaking the tab off would permanently disable the ability to record on the tape.

quote:

He had just finished this important chore when a knock at the door heralded Sukie�s return. She carried a brown paper sack containing her purchases, and appeared inclined to stay in the room until Bond firmly suggested that she join Nannie and wait in the snug bar for him.

The job of cleaning up the bathroom, wearing the rubber gloves and using almost the entire bottle of antiseptic which Sukie had brought him took fifteen minutes. Before completing the job he added the gloves to the neat, sinister parcel containing the remains of the vampire bat. He was as sure as he could be that no germs had entered his system.

While he worked, Bond thought of the possibilities regarding the perpetrator of this last attempt on his life. He was almost certain that it was his old enemy, SMERSH � now Directorate S�s Department Eight of the K.G.B. � who were holding Kirchtum, and using him as their personal messenger. But was it really their style to use such a thing as a hybrid vampire bat against him?

Anything goes at this point, my man.

quote:

Who, he wondered, would have the resources to work on the breeding and development of a weapon so horrible? It struck him that the creature must have taken a number of years to be brought to its present state, and that indicated a large organisation, with funds and the specialist expertise required. The work would have been carried out in a simulated warm forest-like environment, for, if his memory was correct, the species� natural habitats were the jungles and forests of Mexico, Chile, Argentina and Uruguay.

Money, special facilities, time and zoologists without scruples: SPECTRE was the obvious bet, though any well-funded outfit with an interest in terrorism and killings would be on the list, for the creature would not have been developed simply as a one-off to inject some terrible terminal disease into Bond�s bloodstream. The Bulgarians and Czechs favoured that kind of thing, and he would not even put it past Cuba to send some agent of their well-trained internal G-2 out into the wider field of international intrigue. The Honoured Society, that polite term for the Mafia, was also a possibility � for they were not beyond selling the goods to terrorist organisations, as long as they were not used within the borders of the United States, Sicily or Italy.

But, when the chips were down, Bond plumped for SPECTRE � once more during this strange dance with death, someone had saved him, at the last moment, from another attempted execution, and this time it was Sukie, a young woman met seemingly by accident. Could she be the truly dangerous one?

He sought out the kitchens and with a great deal of charm explained that some food had been left accidentally in his car. He asked if there was an incinerator and a porter man was summoned to lead him to it. The man even offered to dispose of the bundle himself, but Bond tipped him heavily and said he would like to see it burned.

It was already six-twenty. Before going to the bar he made a last visit to his room and doused himself in cologne to disguise any remaining traces of the antiseptic.

I still have some of my Dunhill!

quote:

Sukie and Nannie were anxious to hear what he had been doing, but Bond merely said they would be told all in good time. For the moment they should enjoy the pleasanter things of life. After a drink in the snug bar, they moved to the table which Nannie had been sensible enough to reserve and dined on the famous Viennese boiled beef dish called Tafelspitz. It was like no other boiled beef on earth, a gastronomic delight, with a piquant vegetable sauce, and served with melting saut�ed potatoes. They had resisted a first course for it is sacrilege to decline dessert in an Austrian restaurant. They chose the light, fragile Salzburger souffl�, said to have been created nearly three hundred years ago by a chef in the Hohensalzburg. It arrived topped by a mountain of Schlag, rich whipped cream.

Tafelspitz is a simple boiled beef or veal dish with root vegetables, served with a mix of minced apples and horseradish. Salzburger souffl� is meant to invoke the snowy mountains of Salzburg by baking a few pyramidal souffles (optionally serving on a bed of fruit jam, like cranberry or lingonberry) and topping with icing sugar or whipped cream.

quote:

Afterwards they went outside among the strolling window-shoppers in the warm air of the Getreidegasse. Bond wanted to be safe from bugging equipment.

�I�m too full,� said Nannie, hobbling with one hand on her stomach.

�You�re going to need the food with what the night has in store for us,� Bond said quietly.

�Promises, promises,� Sukie muttered, breathing heavily. �I feel like a dirigible. So what�s in store, James?�

He told them they would be driving to Paris.

�You�ve made it plain that you�re coming with me, whatever. The people who are giving me the run-around have also insisted that you�re to accompany me, and I have to be sure that you do. The lives of a very dear friend, and an equally dear colleague are genuinely at risk. I can say no more.�

�Of course we�re coming,� Sukie snapped.

�Try and stop us,� added Nannie.

�I�m going to do one thing out of line,� he explained. �The orders are that we start tomorrow � which means they expect us to do it in daylight. I�m starting shortly after midnight. That way I can plead that we did start the drive tomorrow, but we might get a jump ahead of them. It�s not much, but it may just throw them off balance.�

Yeah, that's....clever?

quote:

It was agreed that they would meet by the car on the stroke of midnight. As they started to retrace their steps towards the Goldener Hirsch, Bond paused briefly by a letter box set into the wall and slid his package from his breast pocket to the box. It was neatly done, in seconds, and he was fairly certain that even Sukie and Nannie did not notice.

It was just after ten when he got back to his room. By ten-thirty the briefcases and his bag were packed, and he had changed into casual jeans and jacket. He was carrying the ASP and the baton as usual. With an hour and a half to go, Bond sat down and concentrated on how he might gain the initiative in this wild and dangerous death hunt.

So far, the attempts on his life had been cunning. Only in their early encounters had someone else stepped in to save his life, presumably in order to set him up for the final act in the drama. He knew that he could trust nobody � especially Sukie since she had revealed herself as his saviour, however unwitting, in the vampire bat incident. But how could he now take some command over the situation? Suddenly he thought of Kirchtum, held prisoner in his own clinic. The last thing they would expect would be an assault on this power base. It was a fifteen minute drive out of Salzburg to the Klinik Mozart and time was short. If he could find the right car, perhaps it was just possible.

Bond left the room and hurried downstairs to the reception desk to ask what self-drive hire cars were immediately available. For once, he seemed to be making his own luck. There was a Saab 900 Turbo, a car he knew well, which had only just been returned. A couple of short telephone calls secured it for him. It was waiting only four minutes� walk from the hotel.

How convenient.

quote:

As he waited for the cashier to take his credit card details, he walked over to the internal telephones and rang Nannie�s number. She answered immediately.

�Say nothing,� he said quietly. �Wait in your room. I may have to delay departure for an hour. Tell Sukie.�

She agreed, but sounded surprised. By the time he returned to the desk, the formalities had been completed.

Five minutes later, having collected the car from a smiling representative, Bond was driving skilfully out of Salzburg on the mountain road to the south, passing in the suburbs the strange Anif water-tower which rises like an English manor house from the middle of a pond. He continued almost as far as the town of Hallein, which had begun as an island bastion in the middle of the Salzach and which has been made famous as the birthplace of Franz-Xavier Gruber, the composer of Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9p97sxREC00

quote:

The Klinik Mozart stands back from the road, about two kilometres on the Salzburg side of Hallein, the seventeenth-century house screened from passing view by woods.

Bond pulled the Saab into a lay-by. He switched off the headlights and the engine, put on the reverse lock and climbed out. A few moments later he had ducked under the wooden fencing and was moving carefully through the trees, peering in the darkness for his first sight of the clinic. He had no idea how the security of the clinic was arranged; neither did he know how many people he was up against.

He reached the edge of the trees just as the moon came out. There was light streaming from many of the large windows at the front of the building, but the grounds were in darkness. As his eyes adjusted, Bond tried to pick up movement across the hundred metres of open space that separated him from the house. There were four cars parked on the wide gravel drive but no sign of life. Gently he eased out the ASP, gripping it in his right hand. He took the baton in his left and flicked it open, ready for use. Then he broke cover, moving fast and silently, remaining on the grass and avoiding the long drive up to the house.

Nothing moved and there was not a sound. He reached the gravel forecourt and tried to remember where the Direktor�s office was situated in relation to the front door. Somewhere to the right, he thought, remembering how he had stood at the tall windows when he had come to arrange May�s admission, looking out at the lawns and the drive. Now he had a fix, for he recalled that they were french windows. There were french windows immediately to his right showing chinks of light through the closed curtains.

He eased himself towards the windows, realising with thudding heart that they were open and muffled voices could be heard from inside. He was close enough actually to hear, if he concentrated, what was being said.

�You cannot keep me here for ever � not with only three of you.� It was the Direktor�s voice that he recognised first. The bluffness had disappeared, and was replaced by a pleading tone. �Surely you�ve done enough.�

"Only three of you, and your electrodes clamped to my balls!"

quote:

�We�ve managed well enough so far,� another voice said. �You have been co-operative � to a point � Herr Direktor, but we cannot take chances. We shall leave only when Bond is secure and our people are far away. The situation is ideal for the short-wave transmitter; and your patients have not suffered. Another twenty-four, maybe forty-eight hours will make little difference to you. Eventually we shall leave you in peace.�

�Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht,� a third voice chanted with a chuckle. Bond�s blood ran cold. He moved closer to the windows, the tips of his fingers resting against the open crack.

�You wouldn�t...� There was trembling terror in Kirchtum�s voice, not hysterical fear, but the genuine terror that strikes a man facing death by torture.

�You�ve seen our faces, Herr Direktor. You know who we are.�

�I would never...�

�Don�t even think about it. You have one more message to pass for us when Bond gets to Paris. After that ... Well, we shall see.�

It feels like bad planning to tell your prisoner that you need him to pass on one more message before execution and then expect full cooperation.

quote:

Bond shivered. He had recognised a voice he would never have thought, in a thousand years, he would hear in this situation. He took a deep breath and slowly pulled, widening the crack between the windows. Then he moved the curtains a fraction to peer into the room.

Kirchtum was strapped into an old-fashioned desk chair with a circular seat, made of wood and leather, and with three legs on castors. The bookcase behind him had been swept clean and books replaced by a powerful radio transmitter. A broad-shouldered man sat in front of the radio, another stood behind Kirchtum�s chair, and the third, legs apart, faced the Direktor. Bond recognised him at once, just as he had known the voice.

He breathed in through his nose, lifted the ASP and lunged through the windows. There was no time for hesitation. What he had heard told him that the three men constituted the entire enemy force at the Klinik Mozart.

The ASP thumped four times, two bullets shattering the chest of the man behind Kirchtum�s chair, the other two plunging into the back of the radio operator. The third man whirled around, mouth open, hand moving to his hip.

�Hold it there, Quinn! One move and your legs go � right?� Steve Quinn, the Service�s man in Rome, stood rock still, his mouth curving into a snarl as Bond removed the pistol from inside his jacket.

�Mr Bond? How ... ?� Kirchtum spoke in a hoarse whisper.

�You�re finished, James. No matter what you do to me, you�re finished.� Quinn had not quite regained his composure, but he made a good attempt.

Of course it was the most suspicious guy!

quote:

�Not quite,� said Bond smiling, but without triumph. �Not quite yet, though I admit I was surprised to find you here. Who are you really working for, Quinn? SPECTRE?�

�No.� Quinn gave him the shadow of a smile. �Pure K.G.B. First Chief Directorate, naturally � for years, and not even Tabby knows. Now on temporary detachment to Department Eight, your old sparring partner, SMERSH. Unlike you, James, I�ve always been a Mozart man. I prefer to dance to good music.�

�Oh, you�ll dance.� Bond�s expression betrayed the cold, cruel streak that was the darkest side of his nature.

# ? Jan 5, 2023 18:23

Midjack: Dec 24, 2007

welcome back!

# ? Jan 6, 2023 03:44

mllaneza: Apr 28, 2007; Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952

chitoryu12 posted:

Shocking.

Yeah, he's back alright!

# ? Jan 6, 2023 04:33

chitoryu12: Apr 24, 2014

Chapter 11: Hawk's Wings And Macabre

quote:

James Bond was not prepared to waste time. He knew, to his cost, the dangers of keeping an enemy talking. It was a technique he had used to his own advantage before now, and Steve Quinn was quite capable of trying to play for time. Crisply, still keeping his distance, Bond ordered him to stand well away from the wall, spread his legs, stretch out his arms and lean forward, palms against the wall. Once in that position, he made Quinn shuffle his feet back even further so that he had no leverage for a quick attack.

Only then did Bond approach Quinn and frisk him with great care. There was a small Smith & Wesson Chief�s Special revolver tucked into the waistband of his trousers, at the small of his back. A tiny automatic pistol, an Austrian Steyr 6�35 mm was taped to the inside of his left calf, and a wicked little flick knife to the outside of his right ankle.

The Steyr is probably the Steyr Pieper 1909, which began production in 1908. It's a simple blowback .25 ACP pistol with a tip-down barrel that can be loaded and unloaded by hand without needing to rack the slide, useful if your hands are wet or too weak. The magazine can also be set to sit lower in the magwell, allowing you to load and fire this way as a single-shot pistol.

quote:

�Haven�t seen one of these in years,� said Bond as he tossed the Steyr on to the desk. �No grenades secreted up your backside, I trust.� He did not smile. �You�re a damned walking arsenal, man. You should be careful. Terrorists might be tempted to break into you.�

�In this game, I�ve always found it useful to keep a few tricks up my sleeve.�

As he spoke the last word, Steve Quinn let his body sag. He collapsed on to the floor and in the fraction of a second flip-rolled to the right, his arm reaching towards the table where the Steyr automatic lay.

�Don�t try it!� Bond snapped, taking aim with the ASP.

Quinn was not ready to die for the cause for which he had betrayed the Service. He froze, his hand still raised, like an overgrown child playing the old game of statues.

�Face down! Spreadeagled!� Bond ordered, looking around the room for something to secure his prisoner. Keeping the ASP levelled at Quinn, he sidled behind Kirchtum, and used his left hand to unbuckle the two short and two long straps obviously designed to restrain violent patients. As he moved he continued to snap orders at Quinn.

�Face right down, eat the carpet, you bastard, and get your legs wider apart, arms in the crucifix position.�

Quinn obeyed, grunting obscenities. As the last buckle gave way, Kirchtum began to rub the circulation back into his arms and legs. His wrists were marked where the hard leather thongs had bitten into his flesh.

�Stay seated,� Bond whispered. �Don�t move. Give the circulation a chance.� Taking the straps, he approached Quinn with his gun hand well back, knowing that a lashing foot could catch his wrist. �The slightest move and I�ll blow a hole in you so big that even the maggots will need maps. Understand?�

Creative!

quote:

Quinn grunted and Bond kicked his legs together, viciously hitting his ankle with the steel-capped toe of his shoe so that he yelped with pain. While the agony was sweeping through him, Bond swiftly slid one of the straps around Quinn�s ankles, pulled hard and buckled the leather tightly.

�Now the arms! Fingers laced behind your back!�

As though to make him understand, Bond knocked the right wrist with his foot. There was another cry of pain, but Quinn obeyed, and Bond secured his wrists with another strap.

�This may be old-fashioned, but it�ll keep you quiet until we�ve made more permanent arrangements,� Bond muttered as he buckled the two long straps together. He fastened one end of the elongated strap around Quinn�s ankles, then brought the rest up around his neck and back to the ankles. He pulled tightly, bringing the prisoner�s head up and forcing the legs towards his trunk. Indeed it was a method old and well tried. If the captive struggled he would strangle himself, for the straps were pulled so tightly that they made Quinn�s body into a bow, with the feet and neck as the outer edges. Even if he tried to relax his legs, the strap would pull hard on the neck.

Quinn let out a stream of obscene abuse, and Bond, enraged now at discovering an old friend to be a mole, kicked him hard in the ribs. He took out a handkerchief and stuffed it into Quinn�s mouth with a curt, �Shut up!�

Yeah, definitely a much meaner Bond than the previous ones.

quote:

For the first time Bond had a real chance to look around the room. It was furnished in solid nineteenth-century style � a heavy desk, the bookcases rising to the ceiling, the chairs with curved backs. Kirchtum still sat at the desk, his face pale, hands shaking. The big, expansive man had turned to terrified blubber.

Bond went over to the radio, stepping over the books that had been swept off the shelves. The radio operator was slumped in his chair, the blood dripping on to the carpet bright against the faded pattern. Bond pushed the body unceremoniously from the chair. He did not recognise the face, twisted in the surprised agony of death. The other corpse lay sprawled against the wall, as though he was a drunk collapsed at a party. Bond could not put a name to him, but had seen the photograph in the files � East German, a criminal with terrorist leanings. It was amazing, he thought, how many of Europe�s violent villains were turning into mercenaries for the terrorist organisations. Rent-a-Thug, he thought, as he turned to Kirchtum.

�How did they manage it?� he asked blandly, seemingly drained by the knowledge that Quinn had sold out.

�Manage?� Kirchtum appeared to be at a loss.

�Look �� Bond almost shouted before realising that Kirchtum�s English was not always perfect, and could have deserted him in his present state. He walked over and laid an arm on the man�s shoulder, speaking quietly and sympathetically. �Look, Herr Doktor, I need information from you very quickly, especially if we are ever to see the two ladies alive again.�

�Oh, my God.� Kirchtum covered his face with his big, thick hands. �It is my fault that Miss May and her friend ... Never should I have allowed Miss May to go out.� He was near to tears.

�No. No, not your fault. How were you to know? Just calm yourself and answer my questions as carefully as you can. How did these men manage to get in and hold you here?�

Kirchtum let his fingers slide down his face. His eyes were full of desolation. �Those ... those two...� He gestured at the bodies. �They came as repair men for the Antenne � what you call it? The pole? For the television...�

�The television aerial.� �Ja, the television aerial. The duty nurse let them in, and on to the roof. She thought it good, okay. Only when she was coming to me did I smell a mouse.�

Much more accurate. Rats are sweet.

quote:

�They asked to see you?�

�In here. My office, they ask. Only later I find they had been putting up Antenne for their radio equipment. They lock the door. They threaten me with guns and torture. Tell me to put the next doctor in charge of the clinic. To say I would be occupied in my study on business matters for a day or two. They laughed when I had to say �tied up�. They had pistols. Guns. What could I do?�

�You do not argue with loaded guns,� Bond agreed, �as you can see.� He nodded to the corpses. Then he turned to the grunting, straining Steve Quinn. �And when did this piece of scum arrive?

�The same night, later. Through the windows, like you.�

�Which night was that?�

�The day after the ladies disappeared. The two in the afternoon, the other at night. By that time they had me in this chair. All the time they had me here, except when I had to perform functions...�Bond looked surprised, and Kirchtum said he meant natural functions. �Finally I refused to give you messages on the telephone. Until then they had only threatened me. But after that...�

Bond had already seen the bowl of water and the large crocodile clips wired up to a socket in the wall. He nodded, knowing only too well what Kirchtum must have suffered.

�And the radio?� he asked.

�Ah, yes. They used it quite often. Twice, three times a day.�

�Did you hear anything?� Bond looked at the radio. There were two sets of earphones jacked into the receiver.

�Most of it. They wear the earphones sometimes, but there are speakers there, see.�

Indeed, there were two small circular speakers set into the centre of the system.

�Tell me what you heard.�

�What to tell? They spoke. Another man spoke from far away...�

�Who spoke first? Did the other man call them?�

Kirchtum thought for a moment. �Ah, yes. The voice would come with a lot of crackling.�

And cackling?

quote:

Bond, standing beside the sophisticated high frequency transmitter, saw that the dials were glowing and heard a faint hum from the speakers. He noted the dial settings. They had been talking to someone a long way off � anything from six hundred to six thousand kilometres away.

�Can you remember if the messages came at any specific times?�

Kirchtum�s brow creased, and then he nodded. �Ja. Yes, I think so. In the mornings. Early. Six o�clock. Then at midday...�

�Six in the evening and again at midnight?�

�Something like that, yes. But not quite.�

�Just before the hour, or just after, yes?�

�That is right.�

�Anything else?�

The doctor paused, thought again, and then nodded. �Ja. I know they have to send a message when news comes that you are leaving Salzburg. They have a man watching...�

�The hotel?�

�No. I heard the talk. He is watching the road. He is to telephone when you drive away and they have to make a signal with the radio. They must use special words...�

�Can you remember them?�

�Something like the package is posted to Paris.�

That sounded par for the course, Bond thought. Cloak and dagger. The Russians, like the Nazis before them, read too many bad espionage novels.

MI6 didn't even bother changing its compromised front for years!

quote:

�Were there any other special words?�

�Yes, they used others. The man at the other end calls himself Hawk�s Wing � I thought it strange.�

�And here?�

�Here they call themselves Macabre.�

�So, when the radio comes on, the other end says something like, �Macabre this is Hawk�s Wing...��

�Over.�

�Over, yes. And, �Come in Hawk�s Wing.��

�This is just how they say it, yes.�

�Why haven�t any of your staff come to this office, or alerted the police? There must have been noise. I have used a gun.�

Kirchtum shrugged. �The noise of your gun might have been heard from the windows, but the windows only. My office is soundproofed because sometimes there are disturbing noises from the clinic. This is why they opened the windows here. They opened them a few times a day for the circulation of air. It can get most heavy in here with the soundproofing. Even the windows are soundproofed with the double glaze.�

Bond nodded and glanced at his watch. It was almost eleven forty-five. Hawk�s Wing would be making his call at any time, and he had already figured that Quinn�s man would be stationed somewhere near the E11 autobahn. In fact he probably had all exit roads watched. Nice and professional. Far better than just one man at the hotel.

But he was now playing for time. Quinn had stopped twisting on the floor, and Bond was already beginning to work out a scheme that would take care of him. The man had been in the game a long time, and his experience and training would make him hard to crack, even under ideal interrogation conditions; violence would be counter-productive. There was, he knew, only one way to get at Stephen Quinn.

You didn't think it was counterproductive when you kept kicking him!

quote:

He went over and knelt beside the trussed figure. �Quinn,� he said softly, and saw the hate in the sidelong, painful glance. �We need your co-operation.�

Quinn grunted through the makeshift gag. It was clear that in no way would Quinn co-operate.

�I know the telephone is insecure, but I�m calling Vienna for a relay to London. I want you to listen very carefully.� He went over to the desk, lifted the receiver and dialled 0222�43�16�08, the Tourist Board offices in Vienna, where he knew there would be an answering machine at this time of night. He held the receiver away from his ear so that Quinn would at least hear a muffled answer. When it came, Bond put the receiver very close to his ear, simultaneously pressing the rest button.

�Predator,� he said softly. Then, after a pause, �Yes. Priority for London to copy and action soonest. Rome�s gone off the rails.� He paused again, as though listening. �Yes, working for Centre. I have him, but we need more. I want a snatch team at Flat 28, 48 Via Barberini � it�s next to the J.A.L. offices. Lift Tabitha Quinn and hold for orders. Tell them to alert Hereford and call in one of the psychos if M doesn�t want dirty hands.�

Behind him, he heard Quinn grunting, getting agitated. A threat to his wife was the only thing that would have any effect.

�That�s right. Will do. I�ll run it through you, but termination, or near termination may be necessary. I�ll get back within the hour. Good.� He put down the instrument. When he knelt again beside Quinn, the look in the man�s eyes had changed; hatred was now edged with anxiety.

�It�s okay, Steve. Nobody�s going to hurt you. But, I�m afraid it could be different with Tabby. I�m sorry.�

There was no way that Quinn could even suspect a bluff, or double bluff. He had been in the Service for a long time himself, and was well aware that calling in a psycho � the Service name for their mercenary killers � was no idle threat. He knew the many ways his wife could suffer before she died. He had worked with Bond for years and was sure 007 would show no compunction in carrying out the threat.

Bond continued, �I gather there will be a call coming through. I�m going to strap you into the chair in front of the radio. Make the responses fast. Get off the air quickly. Feign bad transmission if you have to. But, Steve, don�t do anything out of line � no missing out words or putting in �alert� sentences. I�ll be able to tell, as you know. Just as you�d be able to detect a dodgy response. If you do make a wrong move, you�ll wake up in Warminster to a long interrogation and a longer time in jail. You�ll also be shown photographs of what they did to Tabby before she died. That I promise you. Now...�

A very cruel version of Bond. Was Tabby even involved in the SMERSH operation, or is she an unknowing civilian Bond is threatening to torture to death for her husband's cooperation?

quote:

He manhandled Quinn into the radio operator�s chair, and adjusted the straps from the strangulation position, binding him tightly into the chair. He felt confident, for the fight appeared to have gone out of Steve Quinn. But you could never tell. The defector might well be so indoctrinated that he could bring himself to sacrifice his wife.

At last he asked if Quinn was willing to play it straight. The big man just nodded his head sullenly, and Bond pulled the gag from his mouth.

�You bastard!� Quinn said in a hoarse, breathless voice.

�It can happen to the best of us, Steve. Just do as you�re told and there�s a chance that both of you will live.�

As he was speaking, the transmitter hummed and crackled into life. Bond�s hand went out to the receive and send switch, set to Receive. A disembodied voice recited the code:

�Hawk�s Wing to Macabre. Hawk�s Wing to Macabre. Come in Macabre.�

Bond nodded to Quinn, clicked the switch to Send, and for the first time in years prayed.

# ? Jan 7, 2023 21:07

Runcible Cat: May 28, 2007; Ignoring this post

Strategic Tea posted:

Hmmm yes that's what all the double 0's say

The name is Ryu. Chitoryu. 12.

chitoryu12 posted:

A very cruel version of Bond. Was Tabby even involved in the SMERSH operation, or is she an unknowing civilian Bond is threatening to torture to death for her husband's cooperation?

Well, either way Bond doesn't know.

# ? Jan 7, 2023 21:30

poisonpill: Nov 8, 2009; The only way to get huge fast is to insult a passing witch and hope she curses you with Beast-strength.

I like this version. He's the first Bond in a long time that hasn't seemed like a complete idiot.

# ? Jan 7, 2023 22:04

Sandwich Anarchist: Sep 12, 2008

Hey everyone.

I'm the real life best friend of the thread creator Chitoryu, real name Cody. I felt it necessary to let you all know that he passed away this evening. He left in peace, in the company of his mother. If you have any questions or comments, I'll be here. Thanks.

# ? Feb 10, 2023 08:18

Dr. Sneer Gory: Sep 7, 2005

I just want to offer my condolences and sympathies for his family and for you and his other friends. I only really knew him from these threads, but he was a charming and intelligent man and I not only greatly enjoyed these threads, but learned a fair bit too. He will be missed.

# ? Feb 10, 2023 08:37

Dirt Road Junglist: Oct 8, 2010; We will be cruel
And through our cruelty
They will know who we are

I don't know what to say.

Thank you for letting us know.

# ? Feb 10, 2023 08:40

Cassius Belli: May 22, 2010; horny is prohibited

Sandwich Anarchist posted:

Hey everyone.

I'm the real life best friend of the thread creator Chitoryu, real name Cody. I felt it necessary to let you all know that he passed away this evening. He left in peace, in the company of his mother. If you have any questions or comments, I'll be here. Thanks.

Reading this hit me like I'd known him personally. This thread (and its predecessor) were great, insightful trips down memory lane, and I'm grateful to him for sharing them and the little snippets of his life with us.

I hope the past month hasn't been too hard on him; he didn't share a lot of details about the accident last year but recovery cannot possibly have been easy.

Send all our best to his family for us. Do they have any way for us to send flowers or money for funeral expenses?

# ? Feb 10, 2023 10:16

Sandwich Anarchist: Sep 12, 2008

Cassius Belli posted:

Reading this hit me like I'd known him personally. This thread (and its predecessor) were great, insightful trips down memory lane, and I'm grateful to him for sharing them and the little snippets of his life with us.

I hope the past month hasn't been too hard on him; he didn't share a lot of details about the accident last year but recovery cannot possibly have been easy.

Send all our best to his family for us. Do they have any way for us to send flowers or money for funeral expenses?

Nothing as of yet. He left just last night, but I'll update if I find anything out from his mom.

# ? Feb 10, 2023 10:19

Lord Zedd-Repulsa: Jul 21, 2007; Devour a good book.

This hit hard for some reason. You and his family have my sincerest condolences for this sudden loss. I admired most of his posts and threads whenever I saw them and will miss them greatly. I'll have a strong drink in his honor when I'm not very far from home.

# ? Feb 10, 2023 10:49

Ichabod Sexbeast: Dec 5, 2011; Giving 'em the old razzle-dazzle

Sandwich Anarchist posted:

Hey everyone.

I'm the real life best friend of the thread creator Chitoryu, real name Cody. I felt it necessary to let you all know that he passed away this evening. He left in peace, in the company of his mother. If you have any questions or comments, I'll be here. Thanks.

I'm really sorry to hear that. My condolences.

# ? Feb 10, 2023 11:29

goatsestretchgoals: Jun 4, 2011

Fucker is saying some poo poo to James Bond in heaven.

RIP to a real one.

# ? Feb 10, 2023 12:04

Runcible Cat: May 28, 2007; Ignoring this post

WTF. I'm so sorry. My sympathies to his nearest and dearest. I never met him but his posts were always fun and I always rather hoped to be able to buy him drinks some day in thanks.

# ? Feb 10, 2023 12:10

Matinee: Sep 15, 2007

I am so sorry to hear that. My condolences with everyone who knew him. I've probably read every post he made about Bond and I always found him to be incredibly thoughtful, intelligent, and honest to read. The Bond books hold a sentimental place for me, and I learned a lot from Chitoryu and I will miss him very much.

# ? Feb 10, 2023 17:06

poisonpill: Nov 8, 2009; The only way to get huge fast is to insult a passing witch and hope she curses you with Beast-strength.

Gonna raise a strong martini to a real one next time I get a chance. Thoughtful, insightful, and entertaining. He�ll be missed.

# ? Feb 10, 2023 17:20

Selachian: Oct 9, 2012

I'm very sorry to hear that. He seemed like an interesting person, and his threads have been great reads.

# ? Feb 10, 2023 17:27

Hieronymous Alloy: Jan 30, 2009; Why! Why!! Why must you refuse to accept that Dr. Hieronymous Alloy's Genetically Enhanced Cream Corn Is Superior to the Leading Brand on the Market!?!; Morbid Hound

Sandwich Anarchist posted:

Hey everyone.

I'm the real life best friend of the thread creator Chitoryu, real name Cody. I felt it necessary to let you all know that he passed away this evening. He left in peace, in the company of his mother. If you have any questions or comments, I'll be here. Thanks.

Thank you very much for letting everyone know. He put a lot of real work into the posts he made here, the work paid off, and he was one of the most valued posters on this forum. Most people don't put that much work any more into just . . . writing neat things for other people to enjoy, with no profit motive or engagement metrics, just the joy of doing it.

# ? Feb 10, 2023 21:20

Good Lord Fisher!: Jul 14, 2006; Groovy!

Deepest condolences to his family and friends. He really seemed a wonderful guy, and he'll definitely be missed around here.

# ? Feb 10, 2023 22:58

Midjack: Dec 24, 2007

That's terrible - I really enjoyed the knowledge and care he brought to this and the Twilight thread and I'll miss seeing him around. I hope his friends and family are okay. Thanks for coming back to tell us what happened.

# ? Feb 11, 2023 01:23

Trin Tragula: Apr 22, 2005

quote:

M.G. writes:

I was happy and proud to serve Commander Bond in a close capacity during the past three years at the Ministry of Defence. If indeed our fears for him are justified, may I suggest these simple words for his epitaph? Many of the junior staff here feel they represent his philosophy: �I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.�

# ? Feb 11, 2023 12:12

Lord Zedd-Repulsa: Jul 21, 2007; Devour a good book.

Dammit, now I'm crying again.

# ? Feb 11, 2023 14:36

Strategic Tea: Sep 1, 2012

I'm gutted to hear this. Chitoryu made this an amazing thread with such great insight and research; really something special. It was his posts that got me into the hobby of big dumb cocktails, and I'm gonna go make a Vesper martini.

# ? Feb 11, 2023 23:17

Shimrra Jamaane: Aug 10, 2007; Obscure to all except those well-versed in Yuuzhan Vong lore.

everything about this loving sucks and I loving hate it

# ? Feb 12, 2023 01:33

mllaneza: Apr 28, 2007; Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1993-1952

We still have a thread open that Vilerat posted, so as a memorial this thread will not go into the Goldmine unfinished.

Chapter 12: England Expects

quote:

�Macabre, Hawk�s Wing, I have you. Over.� Steve Quinn�s voice sounded too steady for Bond�s liking, but he had to let him go through with it. The voice at the distant end crackled through the small speakers. �Hawk�s Wing, Macabre, routine check. Report situation. Over.� Quinn paused for a second, and Bond allowed the muzzle of the ASP to touch him behind the ear. �Situation normal. We await developments. Over.� �Call back when package is on its way. Over.� �Wilco, Hawk�s Wing. Over and out.� There was silence for a moment as the switch was clicked to the Receive position again. Then Bond turned to Kirchtum, asking if it all sounded normal. �It was usual,� he said with a nod. �Right, Herr Doktor. Now you come into your own. Can you get something that will put this bastard to sleep for around four or five hours, and make him wake up feeling reasonable�no slurred speech or anything?� �I have just the thing.�

Quinn looks to be playing ball, apparently he loves his wife more than his country. I have no idea what the doctor is going to use, but that's the sort of facility that'll have good sleeping drugs.

quote:

�If you have by any chance alerted Hawk�s Wing, you know that Tabby won�t last long once we�ve found you out. You do everything by the book, Quinn, and I�ll do my best for you as well. But the first person to be concerned about is your wife. Right?� Quinn glared at him with the hatred of a traitor who knows he�s cornered. �This applies to your information as well. I want straight answers, and I want them now.� �I might not have the answers.� �You just tell me what you know. We�ll know truth from fiction in the long run.� Quinn did not reply. �First, what�s going to happen in Paris? At the George Cinq?� �Our people are going for you. At the hotel.� �But you could have got me here. Enough people have tried already.�

�Not my people. Not K.G.B. We banked on you coming down here after May and Moneypenny. Yes, we organized the kidnap. The idea was for us to take you on from here. Getting you to Salzburg was like putting you into a funnel.� �Then it wasn�t your people who had a go in the car?� �No. One of the competition. They took out the Service people. None of my doing. You seem to have had a guardian angel all the way. The two men I put on to you were from the Rome Station. I was to burn them once they saw you safely into Salzburg.� �And send me on to Paris?� �Yes, blast you. If it were anyone else but Tabby, I�d...� �But it is Tabby we�re thinking about.� Bond paused.

�Paris? Why Paris?� Quinn stared steadily into Bond�s eyes. The man did know something more. �Why Paris? Remember Tabby.� �The rules are it�s to be Berlin, Paris or London. They want your head, Bond, but they want to see it done. We were out to claim the reward and just taking your head wasn�t enough. My instructions were to get you to Paris. The people there have orders to pick you up, and...� He stopped, as though he�d already said enough. �And deliver the package?� There was fifteen seconds� silence. �Yes.� �Deliver it where?� �To the Man.� �Tamil Rahani? The head of SPECTRE?� �Yes.� �Deliver it where?� Bond repeated. No response. �Remember Tabby, Quinn. I�ll see Tabby suffers great pain before she dies. Then they�ll come for you. Where am I to be delivered?� The silence stretched for what seemed to be minutes. �Florida.� �Where in Florida? Big place, Florida. Where? Disney World?� Quinn looked away. �The most southern tip of the United States,� he said. �Ah.� Bond nodded. The Florida Keys, he thought. Those linked islands that stretch 150 kilometres out into the ocean.

That's everything but the exact location of the SPECTRE HQ. I think Quinn may have participated in the sort of operation that is grabbing his wife right now and knows exactly how those go down.

The doctor returns and does his thing,

quote:

He will have a good four to five hours� sleeping. You are leaving?� �Yes, when I�ve made sure he can�t get away once he wakes up. One of my people should arrive here before then, to see that he gets the telephone call from his watcher and relays it on to his source. I have to arrange that. My man will use the words, �Ill met by moonlight.� You reply, �Proud Titania.� Got it?� �This is Shakespeare, the Summer Midnight Dream, ja?� �A Midsummer Night�s Dream, ja, Herr Doktor.� �So, summer midnight, midsummer night�s, what�s the difference?� �It obviously mattered to Mr Shakespeare. Better get it right.� Bond smiled at the bear-like doctor. �Can you deal with all this?� �Try me, Herr Bond.�

The doctor is pissed off.

quote:

Bond smiled to himself, opened up the briefcase containing the CC500 scrambler and attached it to the telephone. Though he was, to all intents and purposes, on his own, it was time to call for some limited assistance from the Service.

He dialled the London Regent�s Park number, knowing the line would be safe now he had taken out the team at the clinic, and asked for the Duty Officer who came on almost immediately. After identifying himself, Bond began to issue his instructions. There was information he wanted relayed fast to M, and on to the Vienna Resident. He was precise and firm, saying that there was only one way to deal with the matter�his way. Otherwise they could lose the chance of a lifetime. SPECTRE had made themselves into a sitting target, which only he could smash. His instructions had to be carried out to the letter. He ended by repeating the hotel number and his room and asked for a call-back as quickly as possible.

It took just over fifteen minutes. M had okayed all Bond�s instructions and the operation was already running from Vienna. A private jet would bring in a team of five�three men and two women. They would wait at Salzburg airport for Bond who should get clearance for a private flight to Zurich on his Universal Export passport B. Bookings were made on the Pan American Flight 115 from Zurich to Miami, departing at 10.15 local time. Bond thanked the Duty Officer and was about to close the line when he was stopped. �Predator.� �Yes?� �Private message from M.� �Go on.�
�He says, �England expects�. Nelson, I suppose��England expects that every man will do his duty.�� Yes,� Bond replied irritably. �I do know the quotation.� �And he says good luck, sir.

�England expects that every man will do his duty� was the signal flown by Admiral Nelson's flagship before the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. This was the height of Napoleon's power on land, and a force had been gathered to invade England. France just had to concentrate their fleet to protect the crossing. Admiral Villeneuve's mixed French and Spanish fleet had been chased to the Carribean and back by Nelson. They wanted to collect the ships they had there, and to try and try to slip away from Nelson. The seas may be trackless, but if you know the prevailing winds, you can do a decent job of predicting where someone will end up and roughly when.

Nelson caught Villeneuve of the coast of Spain on 21 October 1805. The put a very interesting story short, Nelson beat the living daylights out of the French fleet but was killed in the battle. There is no ~~better~~ more reliable way to become a national hero than to die while winning a shattering victory to save the country from invasion.

Drachinifell did a series on Nelson's career, which was long and colorful,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utQjIWF2Dhc

quote:

He knew he would need every ounce of luck that came his way. He unhooked the CC500 and dialled Nannie�s room. �All set. We�re almost ready for the off.� �About time. Where are we going?� �Off to see the Wizard.� Bond laughed without humour. �The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

RIP Chitoryu

e. Goddamnit, it just got really dusty in my living room.

mllaneza fucked around with this message at 02:49 on Feb 12, 2023

# ? Feb 12, 2023 02:45

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ? May 7, 2024 23:01

Trin Tragula: Apr 22, 2005

chitoryu12 posted:

I've gotten serious enough about Bond research (including speaking with other people who work on the subject) that I'm probably not quitting until I'm out of books or dead.

Oh you thought you could get away with it this easily motherfucker

# ? Feb 12, 2023 04:38

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > The Book Barn > The Distance Between Insanity & Genius - Let's Read More James Bond Books

«‹›22 »