condensed master
Will Bonner sight of the cabin steward who had brought him the message in Bombay, and instantly their eyes met each other. He was standing with two other Goanese. One, a big man with a fat stomach, the other, a weedy looking individual. The two resembled a Goanese replica of "Laurel and Hardy" Will nodded in acknowledgment and the cabin steward engaged the other in conversation, provoking them to look in his direction. Will smiled, but the reaction he got was decidedly hostile, and the Laurel and Hardy couple hastily left the room, leaving the cabin steward alone, but he was purposely avoiding Will's presence. After obtaining pills for his headache Will promptly left the dispensary, making his way along the passageway to the starboard side, and turned the corner to go forward towards his cabin. He was gauging the ship's rise and fall, going forward in short spurts when a few yards ahead, one of the locker doors opened, and Laurel and Hardy stepped into the passageway. The fat man was carrying a large kitchen knife, and the size of his body was practically eliminating the little man from view. Backing away towards the bend in the corridor, Will glanced down the connecting corridor only to see the cabin steward bearing down on him from the other direction, forcing him into the corner. Lunging forward, the fat man grabbed the front of Will's shirt with his left hand, and bringing up the knife, held it against his throat. He could feel the blade against his adam's apple. "I'm going to kill you," he shouted in a screeching voice, "you had my brother put away in jail!" Will had no time to think, but he was aware that the other two were not armed and seemed to be standing by, doing nothing. He stared directly into the fat man's eyes, only inches away, which were blinking rapidly, and at that moment something inexplicable happened. His fear fell away, and he could hear himself calling out. "Do it then, do it, do it!" in ever increasing volume. A puzzled look came over the fat man's face, and without concern for the consequences, Will brought his foot back and kicked him in the shin. Reeling backwards to the other side of the corridor, the fat man's elbow struck the hand rail, and the knife fell, clattering along the polished linoleum floor. Will was now getting angry. Here was someone else trying to do him harm, and he'd had enough. Before fat man could recover, Will punched him as hard as 66
The Reluctant Agent A Compelling Story of Espionage he could in his stomach, feeling his fist sink a good six inches into the fat. He cried out in pain and fell to the floor gasping for breath. Will heard the little man running away, and the cabin steward was on one knee reaching to pick up the knife. Will stepped on the fat man on his way over to prevent the cabin steward from reaching it, kicking him in the back in the process. "What's going on Will?" It was Blondie Bishop, and with him one of the medical officers. They were both out of breath from running down the corridor, having heard the noise from the dispensary. "Nothing, everything's under control." The officer spoke. "Go to your cabin Brenner," he ordered, and as Will left the scene he could hear the fat man groaning his way into an upright position. Within the hour he found himself on the bridge, in front of the second officer, Peter Bowles. "You've been in trouble again Brenner," he commenced, "but at least you don't appear injured this time. Have you an explanation?" "Yes, Mr Bowles, but first I would like to say that I will never forget what you did for me in Aden and for that reason I would never embarrass you, let you down, or lie to you. What happened tonight was a matter of self-defence. I had no choice." "There was a knife involved, was that yours?" "No Sir." Peter Bowles looked down at his desk, at the notes he had written down, and Will waited for him to continue. "Look Brenner, there were witnesses so a report will have to be entered, but there is no point in disciplinary measures. Just try and keep out of trouble!" "Believe me sir, that is what I intend to do." Will avoided passing the steward's quarters on his way back to his cabin. The Goanese would have lied to Bowles, the truth implicating them. Unless he did something quick they would have another try, and things could end up worse for him. Blondie Bishop was waiting for him, eager for information. "How did you get on Will?" "Okay I guess, I didn't get disciplined, just a mention in the report. I'll have to wait and see how it affects my end of voyage conduct assessment." Blondie was waiting for more. "It was just a case of defending myself." 67
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The Reluctant Agent<br />
A Compelling Story of Espionage<br />
he could in his stomach, feeling his fist sink a good six inches into the fat. He cried<br />
out in pain and fell to the floor gasping for breath.<br />
Will heard the little man running away, and the cabin steward was on one knee<br />
reaching to pick up the knife. Will stepped on the fat man on his way over to<br />
prevent the cabin steward from reaching it, kicking him in the back in the process.<br />
"What's going on Will?" It was Blondie Bishop, and with him one of the<br />
medical officers. They were both out of breath from running down the corridor,<br />
having heard the noise from the dispensary.<br />
"Nothing, everything's under control."<br />
The officer spoke. "Go to your cabin Brenner," he ordered, and as Will left the<br />
scene he could hear the fat man groaning his way into an upright position.<br />
Within the hour he found himself on the bridge, in front of the second officer,<br />
Peter Bowles. "You've been in trouble again Brenner," he commenced, "but at<br />
least you don't appear injured this time. Have you an explanation?"<br />
"Yes, Mr Bowles, but first I would like to say that I will never forget what you<br />
did for me in Aden and for that reason I would never embarrass you, let you<br />
down, or lie to you. What happened tonight was a matter of self-defence. I had<br />
no choice."<br />
"There was a knife involved, was that yours?"<br />
"No Sir."<br />
Peter Bowles looked down at his desk, at the notes he had written down, and<br />
Will waited for him to continue. "Look Brenner, there were witnesses so a report<br />
will have to be entered, but there is no point in disciplinary measures. Just try and<br />
keep out of trouble!"<br />
"Believe me sir, that is what I intend to do."<br />
Will avoided passing the steward's quarters on his way back to his cabin. The<br />
Goanese would have lied to Bowles, the truth implicating them. Unless he did<br />
something quick they would have another try, and things could end up worse for<br />
him.<br />
Blondie Bishop was waiting for him, eager for information. "How did you get<br />
on Will?"<br />
"Okay I guess, I didn't get disciplined, just a mention in the report. I'll have to<br />
wait and see how it affects my end of voyage conduct assessment." Blondie was<br />
waiting for more. "It was just a case of defending myself."<br />
67
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