Chapter 6
Bond, Stanton and Fox had reached the hotel. They stayed inside Bond's suite to talk about what James had uncovered. Leilani didn't talk much to Bond neither did he say anything to her. They focused on their objective and what they uncovered about the men in black that chased after them in the mansion.
"We uncovered that Croftnik somehow manipulates the president." she said as she sat on the counter.
"Either he's being blackmailed or he's involved with Croftnik." said Bond.
"Not the president James, he's a good man to be involve with something like this."
"Well Croftnik's got his vote." he said as he massaged the back of his head.
"What happened to you?" asked Stanton.
"I got hit on the head by one of Croftnik's men." he said it affected him a little remembering it made it worse. Fox went to the freezer and brought him an ice pack.
"You think Croftnik is doing this alone?" he asked Bond.
"No, there's more than one person Codiaeum had established that."
"Then who could be involved?" asked Fox.
"Croftnik is one, there's a man called Decker..."
"You mean General Forbes Decker?"
"Who is he?"
"He's the General of Ft Dexter..."
"That's where the26X1 will be held if they haven't changed it already." He said he put the ice pack down. "And the woman who was with Croftnik..."
"Who Delila Snow?" asked Stanton.
"You know her?" asked James.
"She's the president's secretary advisor."
"She had a ring similar to both Croftnik and Decklyn."
"That's four already."
"I think she might play a key in President Fisher's cancelling of the veto."
"That's a big assumption James." he said shaking his head at the thought.
"How long has he known her?"
"I don't know, even I don't have that much information."
"It might be worth something." he said.
Outside of their room, a dark figured approached an unsuspecting waiter as he grabbed him in a choke hold and took the body into the darkness. The man was armed with a mini-UZI gun tucked inside his belt buckle he put on the waiter's uniform approaching the suite the three agents were, how did he get in the hotel?
Three hours ago, after the party ended Codiaeum talked to Croftnik about what had happened. Bond had escaped and he tried to counter their next move. He always thought ahead of his enemies, and Bond was no difference. He had told Thade to get a hit-man to take care of Bond and the woman. The hit-man came in through the kitchen. He killed the chef to get closer to them as he placed the body inside the dump. He needed to get closer, so he killed a bell hop approaching his area. It gave him an advantage to get closer to the waiter who was delivering an order to Bond.
He carried the drinks towards their location knocking on the door three times before Bond approached the door.
"Room service." said the man. He opened the door as he entered pushing the trolley with the champagne and three glasses. Stanton was not there when the drinks arrived.
Bond looked at the waiter suspiciously as he saw his size and his uniform.
He notice that he had a dog tag and his stance was like of a military officer.
"Is there anything else sir?" he asked.
"No that'll be all." he said tipping the man. As he was about to leave, he revealed his Uzi mini-gun and aimed at Bond. Fox came out of the bathroom to see the waiter aiming at Bond.
"James!" she shouted as Bond paused looking puzzled. It didn't take long to realize that he was an assassin. He used the tray where the drink and glasses were and flung it towards the assassin. He fired at it causing Bond to push the trolley to his direction hitting the man in the lower side releasing his grip from the Uzi. Bond dove down to retrieve it, but the assassin also reached for it also causing the two of them to struggle. Bond threw several blows into the assassin's face, kicking him off. The assassin tried to land a blow onto James but Leilani grabbed him from behind as he threw her down to the floor. He revealed a combat knife from his belt; the knife he used to kill the chef, bell hop and waiter.
He tried to stab Bond but, he grabbed his arm with the knife as he held on to him in time to kick the Uzi away from him into Fox's location.
She grabbed it ready to aim at the assassin, but Bond was struggling with him which gave her a 50 chance she might hit one of them.
"What are you waiting for?" he shouted "shoot him!"
She hesitated at first but fired hitting both Bond and the assassin in opposite arms. It made the man drop his knife and Bond to kick him off.
As Leila approached the man, she had his Uzi aimed at him.
"Don't move" she said as she stumped her foot on his injured arm causing the assassin to scream.
"We would like some answers about your boss." said James getting up dusting himself from the ground. A stunned Stanton rushed into the room to find out what was going on that had people running from their rooms.
"What the hell happened?!" he asked looking at the wrecked room.
"Croftnik." said Bond staring at the man on the floor. "Start talking."
"Never!" replied the assassin, until Fox applied more pressure to his wound.
"Where are they planning to store the 26X1?"
"I don't know" said the man.
"Who is storing it?" as Leilani applied more pressure to his wound.
"Codiaeum!" he said.
"Who is their spy?"
"I don't know, they don't tell me much"
"Let him go James he's no use to us anymore." he said as Bond signaled Fox to release the man. As the man got up he looked at the three people. Failed! He had failed his objective, if he returned to Croftnik, he would be killed; if
he didn't and he found out that he was alive, there would be nowhere for him to hide he was good as dead, and worse is he had told Bond forbidden information, one that would cost him his life.
He looked at the window outside. He didn't think twice as he ran towards it and crashed falling sky high as his body splatted on the ground.
As they took a look, Fox covered her face in horror as she looked away. Bond held onto her consulting her.
"What the hell are we dealing with James?" asked Stanton.
"A man with no soul." said James remorseful at the sight.
HMS Naval base
M and her aide Robinson had arrived at the base to discover who the spy was, Robinson was armed with a PP-K as he escorted M to meet the General who was waiting for them at the landing strip. He was accompanied by two of his officers as they waited for her to approach.
"Welcome Minister it's a pleasure to meet you" he said offering his hand.
"Good to see you too Gen. Baxter." she said. "Sorry for the secrecy."
"Its okay Ma'am if its that important there's no need for explanations."
"Did you tell anyone else about this meeting."
"No you said: only me and the men I could trust."
"Good its better its kept between us." she said as she introduced her aide "this is Charles Robinson, Senior operative for MI6." as they nodded at each other.
"This is Lt Storms and Second Lt. Gregory" he said. "What is it that you wanted to talk to me about that it had to wait until you arrived?"
"There's a plot that someone is trying to steal the 26X1."
"The Griffin?" he said "but that's impossible its under heavy surveillance
day and night."
"Which brings us to why you had to pick your escorts here." said Robinson.
"We believe that there may be a spy in your facility."
"A spy!" he thought. "Different men take turns watching the 26X1."
"Are they specific?" she asked.
"No that's why we make random officers take turns."
"Maybe one's been taking more than the other." she thought. "I need a record of everyman from the Griffin's arrival to current that have been taking turns watching it."
"Of course, I'll personally take you there." he said gesturing them to the office of records.
They glanced through the records, several names were there but some were the same that it was hard to know who was the spy. Five names had taking turns watching the Griffin more than others.
"This may take a while to figure out M."
"I know." she said "So far five names had been listed." She looked at the names and their positions. The first she wanted to start with was: Lt General
Michael Langley, he was the first to watch the Griffin.
After her first interrogation, she felt that he couldn't be the spy, the second one was Lt. Patrick Mortimer an aging man with dark graying hair.
She interrogated him enough, he was also following orders, he didn't substitute for a comrade who was ill, or taking sick so he was clean.
The next one was a little shaky his name was Private Thomas Jennings, he was a new recruit who was randomly chosen to watch the 26X1. He had a Liverpool accent and was slim in stature he was also a nervous wreck when he came to be interrogated but he kept calm.
"Take a seat private." she said as he did so.
"Do you mind if I smoke ma'am?"
"If it helps you."
"Thanks." he said lighting it.
"How long have you been in the army?"
"For about two years now."
"How many times have you secured the 26X1?"
"Eight times now."
"When?"
"When it was my duty."
"How about if a fellow officer was ill?"
"I don't know." he said as he took another smoke.
"Why is that?"
"Because they needed someone to take over when they weren't feeling well."
"So why you?" he took another smoke. M looked at him suspicious this time.
"They feel I'm good at my job."
"Which is?"
"Maintenance." he said. "I check the engines if they are running smooth."
"How often do you maintain it?"
"Every Friday."
"Why Friday?"
"It's the only time I can check on the engines."
"So since you've been here, you've checked the Griffin 8 times, when someone is sick you substituted for them and every Friday you take care of maintenance?"
"Yes." he said taking another smoke. She soon realized that he only smoked when asked specific questions.
"That will be all thank you." she said as he left. She looked at Robinson to see if he was thinking the same thing.
"What do you think?" she asked.
"Either he's a very nervous wreck or he has something to hide."
"Keep an eye on him, Charles." she said. "If he tries to contact anyone we might have found our spy."
Jennings was outside of the room M stayed in. He smoked again to calm himself down. Might she have seen through him? He wasn't sure. He needed to call someone but he needed to make sure he wasn't followed, he checked around him no one was in sight as he moved. Robinson followed him as he crept quietly. He followed him until he reached the communications center.
No one was around so he took advantage of it. He called a number it was to Croft-tech industries. Robinson hid behind the cabinets to listen to what he was saying.
"This is Thade, what's new?"
"I think they might be on to me." he said shaking.
"Were you followed ?"
"No!"
"If they start to suspect you its best you leave now."
"And the 26X1?"
"It'll be taken care of, I've sent five men to hi jack the jet."
"Who are they?"
"That's none of your concern, get what you've managed to learn and leave the area."
"Where will I go?"
"Look for a black limo with the license plate: CE3ERU5"
"Understood." he said as he hung up the phone. He looked at one of the cabinets for some of the files he had written about the Griffin.
Robinson watched as he took some files involved with the 26X1, he was their man, but what was his next move? Should he report back to M to let her know? No, it would be too late to report back if he escapes. He equipped his PP-K and stood out of hiding. As Jennings was about to leave, he found Robinson leveling his Walter PP-K at him.
"You're under arrest for leaking information against Her Majesty."
"What are you going to do?" he said. "Kill me? If you do, you won't find anything."
"We can do this both ways." he said. "You can walk out of here alive or you can die a traitor, your choice."
"You don't know what you're up against."
"No one ever does." he said. Jennings was paralyzed he looked both sides.
He saw the chair and carefully reached for it. Robinson fired a shot.
"Don't even think about it." he said. He checked his hand it wasn't bruised he was relieved.
Suddenly the alarm went off. There was an emergency as Robinson looked out, Jennings took the advantage to jump on Robinson. They struggled for the PP-K as Jennings threw punches to Robinson's face. He used his PP-K to knock off Jennings as he took him to the ground. Robinson gave Jennings a choke hold, forcing him to reach for something to knock him off. He head butted Robinson off him, grabbing the chair and slamming it on Robinson's back as he fell to the ground. There was not much time to finish him off he had to reach his destination point. Robinson gained little conscience and saw Jennings running to the exit. He grabbed his pistol and fired it and Jennings back as he fell unconscious.
The five thieves had broken in to the Naval base as they reached the bunker where the Griffin was stored. M was protected by Baxter and his two men as they escorted her out of his office.
"Where's your aid?" asked Baxter.
"I don't know, but we have to find him."
"My men will locate him, we have to reach the bunker to stop them from stealing the Griffin."
"Then give me a gun" she demanded. He looked at her puzzled and told Storms to give her his firearm.
"Hope you know how to use it." he said as she followed them to the bunker.
The place was a battle field as some men were dead on the floor. They followed the body count to the bunker. They saw two men guarding the bunker and three men trying to hijack the jet. The two men spotted them and fired their grenade launchers. M and Baxter ducked for cover as Storms was blown to bits. Baxter revealed his 65automatic and fired one of the gunners down. The gunner fired to their location as Baxter picked M up and avoided the projectile as the explosion caused them to fly away from that point.
