Page 17 - Brokenclaw - John Gardner

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THERE’S A PORPOISE CLOSE BEHIND ME

In M’s office, high on the ninth floor of that faceless building overlooking
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Regent’s Park, James Bond had just threatened to resign.
‘Resign?’ M shouted. ‘What d’you mean by resign? People don’t resign from

this firm. People are jailed, shot, keel-hauled, fired, put on the back burner, but
they do not resign.’
‘Then I’ll make history by being the first.’ Bond’s whole being had rebelled,
and this personal rebellion was, he felt, long overdue. ‘I still have some

authority over my own life. I can take early retirement from the Royal Navy,
then thumb my nose at this Service. Once out I’ll be a free agent.’
‘There’s no such thing as a free agent.’ M’s eyes were like ice and his tone
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was a blizzard.

‘All right, sir, I’ll enumerate the problems.’ Bond took a deep breath and
looked the Old Man squarely in the eye. ‘I’ve asked you a dozen times why my
name has not yet been removed from the active Navy duty list and returned
officially to Foreign Office attachment.’

A year before, Bond had been returned to the active duty list in the Royal
Navy with his rank upgraded to captain. As soon as the mission was ended he
had been told to report back for duty with his old service, but the correct
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procedure had not been carried out. No orders had been issued taking him from
the active list. As far as the Royal Navy was concerned, he was their man and
not working for M and the Secret Intelligence Service.
‘Is that all?’ M snapped.
‘No, sir, it isn’t all. Since the last business I seem to have been placed on

hold. My time’s squandered here. Nothing to do, nothing to occupy my mind.

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