‘Then what do you want?’ Anya’s tone was urgent. ‘Power? A world government under your control?’
Again there was silence broken by the Captain’s voice over the PA system. ‘Stromberg One - proceed to sea. Stromberg Two - follow in line astern.’
Bond watched in horror as HMS Ranger began to nose forward. ‘Yes, Stromberg! Name your terms. What do you want to call back those submarines?’
Stromberg turned slowly like a man in a trance and Bond found himself staring into eyes that were two long corridors leading nowhere. He realized then that Stromberg was completely and utterly mad. ‘You do not understand, Commander Bond. I want to destroy the world.’
Exit Sigmund Stromberg
‘Create a new world?' Anya’s voice was incredulous.
‘Beneath the sea. Your friend’ - Stromberg checked and pinched his small wet mouth into the semblance of a smile - ‘your colleague, Commander Bond, knows what I am talking about.'
‘I have no conception of what you’re talking about!’ Bond’s voice blazed with anger. ‘If you want to start a colony on the ocean bed, start it! Why butcher countless millions of innocent people in the process?’
They are not innocent!’ Now it was Stromberg's turn to rage.
‘Do you ever look at the world you live in? Do you ever read a newspaper? Do you ever watch a television set? Corruption, betrayal, dishonesty, hate! These are the most prevalent human emotions. Society is hellbent on destruction. I am merely accelerating the process. I act not from malice but from necessity.’
‘But how will the oceans fare in a nuclear war? The contamination will be immeasurably more severe.’
The two departing submarines were now framed in the gaping bows of the Lepadus. It was like a painting. A painting of the end of the world.
‘I disagree!' Stromberg's thin whine sang with mad menace. ‘Better to end all at one stroke than continue with what we have now. I have made plans for all contingencies.*
‘You are mad,’ said Bond.
'I am not interested in your opinion.* Stromberg's tone was withering. ‘I will accept the judgment of posterity.*
*1 can give it to you now,’ said Bond. ‘Sigmund Stromberg was the richest lunatic in history.*
For a moment it seemed that there had been a subsidence of Stromberg’s features. The mouth was sucked into itself and the eyes blazed with strange, ghastly fire. Then the spasm passed and the fluttering hands were still. ‘You seek to goad me, Commander Bond. But I am a scientist and a realist. I am above petty emotions. I more than any man alive have proved that I do not need to sink to the level of vulgar abuse!'
Bond listened to the megalomaniac 'I's tumble from Stromberg's obscene little mouth and watched the huge bow doors begin to close. It was like being shut in a tomb. The submarines had departed to destroy the world and he was left alone with a brilliant mind that had somehow become poisoned. Bond glanced towards the nearest guards. Both of them were alert and watching, their weapons in their hands. There was little chance of seizing a gun and holding Stromberg to ransom.
Stromberg beckoned to the guards. ‘And now, Commander, I must leave you. I am returning to my laboratory. You will stay here.’ He singled out Bond for the full force of that remark before turning to Anya. ‘You, Major, will accompany me. It may come as a surprise to you to learn that there is someone who awaits your presence with a palpitating eagerness and - may I say it? - no little tender feeling.’ Stromberg smiled cruelly. ‘Yes. My friend with the sophisticated masticatory apparatus, known in some circles as Jaws. In your brief meetings he has developed a soft spot for you. Bizarre, is it not?’ The revulsion on Bond’s face was obvious. ‘I would not prejudge the match, Commander Bond. Even to a non-scientist the possibilities are fascinating. Beauty and great intelligence allied to ruthless cunning and phenomenal strength. The progeny of such a union should be remarkable.’
Anya shuddered. ‘I would rather die.’
Stromberg looked at her coldly. ‘That is certainly the only alternative.' He gestured to one of the guards, who seized Anya roughly by the arm. She looked into Bond’s eyes and there was a hint of pleading together with a slackening of the tension round the proud mouth. She looked more like the girl he had held in his arms at the Hotel Lavarone. He began to move forward but the second guard was quick to read the message. His weapon swung up and the sight dug into the side of Bond's neck beneath the jawbone. Bond could feel the man’s finger taking up the play in the trigger. One false move and the top of his head would be blown off.
‘Spare us the schoolboy heroics, Commander Bond.' Strom- berg's was mocking and Bond yearned to drive his fist into The cruel, contemptuous face and feel it crack like an egg. ‘Put him with the rest of the prisoners. The captain has his instructions.' Stromberg glanced down towards the canisters of cyanide gas that were being wheeled along the quay. ‘Farewell, Bond. The word has, I must say, a welcome ring of permanency about it'
Bond ignored Stromberg and tried to pump hope into Anya’s apprehensive eyes. 'Au revoir, Anya.’
‘Goodbye, James' There was no hatred in her voice. Perhaps a trace of resignation. A note of regret for missed opportunities. Bond watched her being led away and cried 10 purge his mind of sentiment. Why think of one girl when the future of the world hung in the balance? But what was the world except millions of girls like Anya? How could one serve humanity and ignore individuals? A door slid open to reveal a lift and Stromberg, Anya and the guard stepped inside. Bond caught one last glimpse of Anya’s brave, beautiful face staring at him impassively and then the door slid shut.
‘Move!'
The barrel of the automatic was thrust into Bond’s neck and then pulled back as the guard covered him warily. Bond began to move towards the stairs by which he had approached the control room. Behind him, he could hear the typewriter chatter of the print-out machines and the babbie of the technicians. Above, the scanner continued to move slowly along its programmed path. Guards were stationed at regular intervals along all gangways and catwalks. Bond knew that if he was going to do something, he had to do it fast. If two hundred and fifty men had found it impossible to escape from the brig his presence amongst them was not going to change things in the short term — and it was a short term. Just a few hours and the submarines would be in position. He had to get inside that control room!
Now they were at the bottom of the stairs and beginning to move along the quay. The two guards outside the first door of the brig looked up expectantly. A third man was approaching with the trolley of gas canisters. On top of them rested the bolt gun. Bond tensed and felt a sharp stab of excitement. Would it still be loaded? How could he lay hands on it? The trolley was a simple construction, one upright slotted in at each corner. If one of them was dislodged, the canisters would come tumbling down. Bond licked his dry lips. The two guards outside the brig had their automatics slung round their shoulders. The trolley was twenty feet away. Bond turned and the guard gestured to him to keep moving. He was five feet behind. Right. This was it. Bond tensed his thigh and braced his toes inside his steel-capped parachute boots. Ten feet, five feet. Bond slowed as if to let the trolley past and then
- ‘Yumf!’ The exclamation burst from Bond’s lips as he lashed out at the underside of the trolley with all his strength.
The boot crunched against the upright and pain richoceted through his leg. The upright jolted into the air and the first canister came crashing down. Before it had touched the deck. Bond had snatched up the bolt gun and back-chopped the trolley guard into the water. Canisters were spilling everywhere and he heard the first guard stumble as they rained down about his ankles. He ducked and started running towards the furthest door of the brig. A burst of automatic fire streamed over his head like a swarm of angry wasps and he darted behind a stanchion. The two warders had unslung their weapons and were coming for him.