f。 They were quite still； heads held as though listening。 There was no sign of an unholstered weapon； and Bond could not see a gun trained on the house from any vantage points。
He moved back from the window； not wanting to show himself yet uncertain of the safest way to get out of the place。 He had gone only two steps； when the decision was partially made for him。
〃Are you still with us； mander Bond？〃 Rahani's voice drifted up from outside； followed by Simon calling； 〃James？ Did you figure it out？〃 He returned to the window； standing to one side； showing as little of his head as possible。 They were all in the same place。
Still there were no weapons visible。
Withdrawing； Bond shouted； 〃You tried to kill me； you bastards。
Let's make it fair。 I'll take you on … one at a time。〃 He dropped to the ground and snake…crawled below the window； along the wall to the next aperture。 They were all looking at the first window as he fired； putting the bullet about ten yards in front of them； kicking up a great cloud of dust。
wanted to do you any harm。 It was a test； that's all。 A test of your efficiency。 Just e out now。 The test is over。
〃I want one of you； unarmed。 Just one … Simon； if you like。 In now。 At the front。 Otherwise I start taking you out； very quickly。〃 Bond took a quick peep through the window。 Simon was already unbuckling his belt； letting it fall to the ground as he walked forward。
Seconds later； Bond was at the top of the stairs； and Simon stood in the entrance hall； hands on his head； looking up at Bond with some admiration。
〃What's going on exactly？〃 Bond asked。
〃Nothing。 You did as we expected。 Everyone told us how good you were； so we sent in four expendable men。
Two of them were the ones you pointed out to me the other day； the Germans you said were known faces。 We have others like them。 This is a standard exercise。〃
〃Standard？ Telling the victim only blank ammunition is being used？〃
〃Well； you soon discovered you had live rounds； like the others。 They also thought they had blanks。〃
〃But I had live ammunition only if I could find it； which I did partially by luck。〃
〃Rubbish； James。 You had the real thing from the word go； and there were spare magazines all over the place。 Can I e up？〃 Keeping his hands on his head； Simon slowly mounted the stairs； while Bond began to wonder。 Fool； he said to himself。 You took the man's word for it。 He said you had blanks； but Five minutes later； Simon had proved his point； first by retrieving Bond's original magazine； which was fully loaded with Glasers； and then by showing him other full magazines on the corridor floor and in the second room upstairs； as well as on the landing。 Even with live ammunition； it had been an exceptionally dangerous business。 One man against four armed with； as it turned out； MP 5K submachine guns。
〃I could have been wiped out within seconds。〃
〃But you weren't； were you； James？ Our information was that you would get out of this kind of challenge alive。
It just shows that our informants were correct。
They walked down the stairs and out into the warm air； which felt very good。 Bond had a feeling that he was； indeed； lucky to be alive。
He also wondered if his luck was merely a stay of execution。
〃And if I had died in there？〃 Rahani did not smile at the question。 〃Then； mander Bond； we would have had only one body to bury instead of four。 You lived； you showed us your reputation is well…deserved。 Here life and death is of equal importance in that it is only survival that matters。〃
〃And it was； as Simon said； a challenge？ A test？〃
〃More of a test。〃 They had dined alone； the three of them。 Now they sat in Tamil Rahani's office。
〃Please believe me。〃 The Officer manding Erewhon made an open gesture with his hands。 〃I would not have put you through this ordeal had it been up to me。〃
〃It's your organisation。 You were offering me a job。〃 Rahani did not look him in the eye。
〃Well；' he said； his voice low； 〃I have to be perfectly frank with you。 Yes； the founding of an organisation which rents out mercenary terrorists was originally my idea。 Unhappily； as so often happens in cases like this； I needed specialist assistance。 That meant taking in partners。 The result is I get a large return； but 。 。 。 well； I take my orders from others。〃
〃And in this case your orders were？〃
〃To see if you were trustworthy and could be used； or merely an undercover plant。
To obtain information from you that we could easily test； and then … if that was okayed … to put you up against a real challenge； to see if you could survive a potentially lethal situation。
〃And I've passed on all points？〃
〃Yes。 We are well satisfied。
Now； you can be returned to our planners。 It was true when I said there was a job waiting for you。 There has been from the word go。 That is why you were brought here； where we have facilities。
You see； once here； if you had turned out to be what do you people say？ A double？ Is that right？〃 Bond nodded。
〃If you had been exposed as a double； we had the facilities here for losing you。 Permanently。〃
〃So； what's this job you have for me？〃
〃It is a large and plex operation。 But one thing I can tell you。〃 Rahani looked up at Bond； his eyes blank as though made of glass。
〃What is being planned at the moment will be the terrorist coup of the decade； even the century。 If things proceed normally； it will spark off the ultimate revolution。 A unique and plete change in the course of world events。 The beginning of a new age。
And those of us taking part in it will have a privileged position in the society that will emerge。
〃I saw the film。〃 Simon rose and went over to the filing cabinet； where there were a few bottles。 He poured himself a generous glass of wine； then disappeared from view。
〃Scofi； mander Bond。 But I think even you will find this to be an operation without parallel in history。〃
〃And it won't work without me？〃 Bond raised an eyebrow sardonically。
〃I did not say that。 But it may not work without somebody like you。 〃Okay。〃 He leaned back in his chair。 〃So tell me all about it。〃
〃I'm afraid I can't do that。〃 Rahani's cold eyes bored into him； so that； for a second or two； Bond thought the man was trying out some elementary hypnosis。
〃So？〃
〃So； you have to be returned。 You have to go back。
〃Back？ Back to where？〃 Too late Bond felt Simon's presence behind him。
〃Back where you came from； James。〃 Bond was conscious of the small； sharp pinch through his shirt； on his arm just below the right shoulder。
Tamil Rahani continued to speak。
〃We're nOt talking about stories dreamed up by pulp novelists。 No blackmail through concealed nuclear devices hidden in the heart of great Western cities； no plots to kidnap the President； or hold the world to ransom by setting all the major currencies at naught。 We're not talking about extortion； neither 。 。 。 are we 〃 His voice slowly receded； blurred； and then stopped。
THE NUMBERS
RACKET THE SKY WAS grey； almost leaden。 He could see it through the window … the sky and part of an old apple tree。 That was all。
Bond had woken from what seemed to be natural sleep。 He was still fully dressed； and the ASP； plete with holster and one extra clip of ammunition； lay on the bedside table。 The room appeared to be a genuine English bedroom … white gloss paint on the woodwork and Laura Ashley wallpaper； with a contrasting fabric for curtains； only most of the window was bricked up； and the door would not budge when he tried to open it。
There was a depressing sense of deja vu。 He had been along this road before； only last time it was Erewhon。
Rahani had said they had accepted him； but he wondered how and why。 Certainly the long interrogation sessions had been searching … M had instructed him to give away anything they could check on； even if it was highly sensitive。 Fences； his Chief maintained； could be mended later。 But what would be the state of play by the time they came to mend fences？ At Erewhon preparations were going forward for something earth…shattering。
What was it that Rahani had said … 〃A unique and plete change in the course o