Page 100 - Brokenclaw - John Gardner

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that beneath the fragility she was as hard as tempered steel. ‘The drug

problem’s going to be the downfall of many empires, just as lead poisoning
was the trigger to the fall of the Roman Empire. But, as to your own adolescent
difficulties, you did get through them. If you kick all the bad habits, the only
James Bond OO7 - printing disabledif adolescence stays with you, makes you moody, short-fused and, James Bond OO7 - printing disabled
problem is
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well, downright immature. You’re certainly not that.’
‘Thank you.’ Was there a hint of uncertainty in her voice?
‘So you were commissioned?’ he prompted.
‘Naval Intelligence for two years. Then an Agency talent spotter gave me an

audition. The rest, as they say, is history.’ She quite suddenly looked up at
Bond, her eyes mirroring a hint of anxiety. ‘This business? It is going to be all
right, James, isn’t it?’
‘As long as you remember to call me Peter, and don’t forget you’re Jenny . .
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.’
‘And married to you, yes.’ She ran the tip of her tongue along the lips which
Bond was finding more attractive every minute. He looked up to see they were
just turning on to the airport ramp.

At the American Airlines desk, the tickets were ready for them. ‘There’s no
charge, sir,’ the clerk told Bond. ‘They’ve been paid for.’ They checked in their
luggage, only retaining the briefcase and the Scribner’s canvas bag – a relic of
the old days when the now defunct business was one of the best book stores in

New York.
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They passed through the security and Bond made his excuses, going to the
nearest restroom. Inside one of the cubicles, he worked the combination lock
on the briefcase, removed the shielded false bottom and retrieved his pistol. In

under two minutes he had reassembled the weapon, slipped a magazine into the
butt, cocked it, activated the safety and slid it into his waistband, pushing it
down firmly behind his right hip. Chi-Chi was waiting patiently for him and
together they started the long walk down to the gate.

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Back on West 56th Street, two unmarked cars and an ambulance drew up at the
apartment building some ten minutes after Bond and Chi-Chi left. They got hold
of the superintendent claiming there had been an emergency call saying a
woman was unconscious in 4B. The super unlocked the apartment for them,

and Myra, still unconscious, was taken down to the ambulance on a stretcher,
causing the usual little morbid crowd to gather.

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