"You see, I'm not designed for marriage." "Ann means everything to me." " Your team, did they win or lose?" " Win." "Congratulations." "You've survived training." "You seem to be under the impression you're going with them." "You should join the winning team." "I'm not interested in being somebody's widow." "I like being married." "30 Assault Unit is being expanded." " And the bad news?" " They're taking it away from us." "They're relieving me of my command." " It's Ian, isn't it?" " Don't." "Esmond." "He's going to ask me to marry him." "Ah, Monday." "They said I'd find you here." "Have you done something with your hair?" " You look wonderful." " It's the same as it ever was." "What do you want, Fleming?" "Can a man not pay a woman a compliment without her assuming an ulterior motive?" "Thank you very much." "My hair accepts the compliment." "Well, since you asked, there is a favour you could do me." "I knew it." "I need a signature." "Uh-uh, not yours." "Admiral Rushbrooke's." "The old man's far too busy." "You know I can't do that." "It would cost me my job." "Oh, come on, Monday." "Live dangerously." "On your head be it." "Thank you." "I don't know whether you noticed, but there's something rather special about this pen?" "Really?" "And that, gentlemen, is the future of military espionage." "Interesting." "I'd love to try that on my wife sometime." "You all right, Monday?" "Monday?" "I thought it was a demonstration." "You didn't have to use the real damn thing on her." "Oh, she'll be all right." "Won't you, Monday?" "What happened?" "First, I poisoned you with nerve gas," " then I stole your identity." " You bloody sod." "What a tawdry, cheap stunt." "It has the stamp of Ian Fleming all over it." "A gas pistol disguised as a fountain pen, a shaving brush with secret cavities?" "You can't win an intelligence war with toys." "I disagree." "You have to give people tools for the job." "A few magic tricks." "I just want to win the fucking war." "Hitler's on the run, the Soviets will soon trample him like a rat." "We don't need exploding pens, we need a game changer." "Something that'll finish it once and for all." "The atomic bomb, in other words." "You see?" "We both have our own magic tricks." "How far off are you?" "You know I can't tell you that." "Months." " Possibly weeks." " And the Germans?" "You know, I'm pretty sure we're ahead of them." "This is a list of all the information our commandos in Germany have found so far." "One thing is wrong, there is not a single item related to the Nazi nuclear project." "The Americans haven't heard anything either." "This question is becoming an obsession to you, isn't it?" "There's no Nazi programme, or we would've heard about it." "Are you willing to take that risk?" "Berlin's about to fall." "This will soon all be over." "I disagree." "This is just the beginning." "Good to see you, sir." "It's just as I remember." "I wondered whether to come, you know." "I almost convinced myself I wouldn't miss the place." "Or the people." "What about you?" "Still up to your tricks?" "On occasion." "It's not the same." "Ah, Godfrey, there you are." "Excuse me." "So, this is it." "Hitler all but defeated." "I suppose we should be happy." "You're not still angry with me, are you?" "I should be." "But, as peace seems to be in vogue, perhaps, we should call it a truce." "The spirit of goodwill and all that." "Aren't you going to join me?" "What are you looking at?" "Oh, it doesn't matter." "Perhaps it's staring you straight in the face, hidden in plain sight." "What's wrong?" "Have I got something in my teeth?" "Yes, of course." "Oh, you've got that look in your eye again." "Sir!" "I just don't understand it." "We found nothing in the west, nothing along here..." "Why?" "Nuclear secrets need a good hiding place." "Perhaps the Nazis destroyed them, perhaps they moved them, perhaps they never even had them at all in the first place." "Maybe they're over here in no man's land." "In which case, the Russians will get to them first." "I just cannot understand why trucks have been seen fleeing from Wiesenburg," "Weisenfeld..." " And Altenburg." " And Altenburg." "All heading southeast, away from their military stronghold, caught between us and the Russians." "If they went any further, they'd be in Russian territory." "It has to be." "It's been staring at me right in the bloody face, where the lines intersect." "Tambach." "It's the only explanation." "They're being moved." "That's why our commanders couldn't find anything on the ground." "There are reports of trucks heading southeast from sites we uncovered." "I've narrowed the area down." " Are you drunk, Fleming?" " No, sir." "Well, you should be." "Come on, man." "The world will still be there for you to save in the morning." "The Russians are almost at Tambach." "If they get hold of the documents..." "Yes, we'll discuss it in Committee." "The Russians are our allies." "With respect, sir, I disagree." "The Russians are in it for themselves." "I hate to say it, he's right." "You can't ignore him." "Not this time." "You're as mad as each other." " Is this a hunch?" " Something more." "If we could get there before the Russians and the Americans, it would be a feather in your cap." "Maybe, but it's a risk." " A bloody big risk." " We're running out of time." "Send me or I'll hand in my resignation." "I'll wait for your decision." "I want to know what you're thinking of doing after the war." "Peter thinks you should go back to stockbroking." "Peter is wrong." "I'd rather stick hot pins in my eyes, thank you very much." "We get away with certain things in wartime, certain ways of living." "But that's coming to an end now, Ian." "You have to let go of all that." "You have to consider your future, your good name." "Maybe it's time you stopped running around with that society whore." "I shall do as I see fit." "Sometimes I despair." "You live in a fantasy world." "Lies and inventions." "Nobody believes a word you tell them." "You wonder where I get it from, do you?" "Eton, sports day, 1925." "Shall I continue?" "You returned from months abroad with a little baby girl." "You said you adopted her because you only had sons, but everybody knew." "They laughed at you." "They laughed at Peter, they laughed at all of us." "You had a lover." " That baby was yours." " It is not the time and place." "All of my lives are based on lies, especially yours, so don't ever pretend you're better than me, and you don't you dare ever lecture me on Ann." "♪ If I didn't care... ♪" "Will we carry on dancing forever?" " I can't keep putting Esmond off." " Why not?" "You don't seem to realise." "I want to be married." "And have a husband, a father for my children." "I will not have people talking about me behind my back." " Who cares what people say?" " I do." "It's different for a woman." "♪ Then darling, why do I thrill?" "♪" "I know you love me in your own way." "♪ What is it that makes my head go round and round?" "♪" "Don't you?" "♪ Whilst my heart just stands still ♪" "The war will be over soon." "Celebrations will start." "And finish." "Then what?" "I have something to tell you." "I may be going away." "Perhaps for some time." "Congratulations." "It's what you wanted, isn't it?" "To see some action." "Play the hero." "To prove myself." "To show that I'm good for something." "That's what my husband thought." "He wanted to be a hero." "Didn't do him much good in the end." "Go to war." "I may not be here when you return." "Don't answer that." "Hello." "It looks like you might have a war after all." "He said yes." " Good luck, Ian." " Thank you, sir." "This means a lot to me." "Yes, you can thank me when you're home again safe and sound." " Goodbye." " Goodbye." "You've got what you always wanted." "Not yet." "I'll come back for you." "I promise." " Fleming." " I know who you are." "What the hell are you doing here?" "You're talking to a senior officer." "We don't need Whitehall amateurs coming over here, telling us how to tie our shoelaces." "One man, a vehicle." "That's all I need." "The shooting party isn't over yet." "Do yourself a favour, get on the next plane back to London." "Remember me?" "What's it like out there?" "You don't want to know." "Why the hell are you coming with me, then?" "You're an arsehole, sir." "You're a danger to yourself and everybody around you." " Thank you." " But..." "If you hadn't have picked me out of the brig for 30 AU," "I'd still be there, or worse." "One good turn deserves another, eh?" "Since I'm putting my neck on the line for you," "I don't suppose you'd mind telling me what we're searching for." "Nazi documents." "Nuclear secrets." "Everything's vanished from here." "It's all been loaded into trucks and driven away." "Trucks fleeing from the front, trying to escape the Russians." "They're heading east." "East." "And how'd you know this?" "The German petty officer in the engineering branch." "I need to talk to him." "Give me five minutes alone with him and a knuckle duster" " and I'll get you what you need." " Christ." "We're not barbarians." "What do we know about him?" "He keeps asking for his wife and child." "Says he won't speak until he sees them." "We might need to bring them here." "Ah, that could be tricky." "They died in a bombing raid a few days ago." "Does he know that?" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "You see?" "That wasn't so hard, was it?" "What?" "We got our answer, didn't we?" "I didn't even leave a mark on him." "I don't know about that." "Thank you." "I wondered if you'd hear what I had to say." "You didn't have to accept my invitation." "I was curious." "I hope you don't mind if I speak frankly." "It will save time." "Ian." "He's not for you." "I don't understand." "I know him the way nobody else can." "My son will not marry you." "You must be mistaken." "Ian has not asked me to marry him." "No, he never will." "But he might ask you to wait for him, and that would be a mistake." "Why are you telling me this?" "Because I want to help you." "You probably think you're in love with him." "But he can never return that love." "He simply loses interest." "Something stopped in him when his father died." "Ian likes his women to suffer." "The agony of hope, that's his speciality." " Thank you for your advice." " I'll offer some more." "Marry Rothermere at once or regret it for the rest of your life." "Hold it." "Stop right there." "Okay." "Papers." "What the hell is the British Navy doing out here?" "It's none of your business." "That's signed by General Patton." "Should be all you need to know." "You know what this is?" "The front line." "Word is the German Army is about to surrender." "Only no one thought to tell the men you'll meet out there." "Ever hear of the Werewolves?" "Nazi soldiers who want to carry on the fight." "They'll slit your throats and keep you alive just for fun." "Beyond them, the Russians." "They make the Germans look like schoolgirls." "Understand?" "I wish you good luck." "Maybe offer you an escort for a few miles, but, hey, it's none of my business." " Open up!" " Sir." "About 70 miles to go, I'd say." "How are we for fuel?" "It's no' the fuel I'm worried aboot." "Werewolves?" "They would've attacked us already if they existed at all, wouldn't they?" "It's safer to ambush us in the dark." "Or maybe they're more interested in where we're going." " Are you sure aboot this?" " Yes, of course." " Based on what, exactly?" " A hunch." "A hunch?" " A very strong hunch." " Christ!" "Pull over here." "That's just ridiculous." "We're lost, aren't we?" "It has to be here somewhere." "I'm right." "I bloody well know I am." "Come on, you've had your taste of adventure." "Go home." "Tell the girls that you defeated Hitler all by yourself." "The rest of us have got a war to finish." "Wasting our bloody time here." "Care to make a wager on it?" "No sign of any guards." "You sound disappointed." "_" "_" "Christ." "If they didn't know we were here before, they do now." "_" "They were supposed to move the documents to a safer location, but it was too late." "The Werewolves told me to destroy the whole archive or they would kill me." "My life's work." "Look at this." "From Bremen." "Top secret, dated six months ago." "This is it." "This is exactly what we've been looking for." "Brought in the trucks, like I said." "Yes, it can go back that way, too." " Your English is very good." " Thank you." "I served at the London Embassy in Belgrave Square." "Your legacy, you could help us save it." "We'll protect you." "I give you my word." "We have to move." " Now." " You keep watch." "You load the truck." "I'll look for that assistant of yours." "Oh, don't worry about him." "He's harmless." "I'll be the judge of that." "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "Fuck!" "I'll delay them." "Run!" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" " _ - _" "_" "I don't like it, we're heading towards the Russian lines." "The road bends west in a few miles." "It may be too late by then." "Leave the talking to me." "There's no need for this." "I'm a British officer." "I'm a British officer." "Look..." "My papers." "See?" "And him?" "British, too?" "German." "_" "_" "You can go." "Thank you." "But not the German." "He'll stay with us." "_" "_" "_" "And that's the story, from start to finish." "The boys are going through the files now." "Mmm." "It could be the breakthrough we've been looking for." "Your story is a disgrace." "You put the mission in jeopardy, and a good man died because of you." "This tale of Nazis and gun battles, pure bloody fiction, I don't believe a word of it." "If I hadn't taken any risks, those nuclear secrets would be in Russian hands by now." "You showed a complete lack of discipline." "Well, I can't say I'm surprised." "Godfrey was a soft touch." "Time and again, you pulled the wool over his eyes." "You ruined his career, you made him look weak." "Well, that's not going to happen with me." "I have a good mind to have you court martialed." "I've saved you the trouble." "I resigned my commission two hours ago." "No point hanging around when you're not wanted." "Good day, sir." "So you're resigning." "I'll miss you." "What you told Rushbrooke, hell of a story." "It was, wasn't it?" "Was it true?" "I actually read all the field reports." "I may have enhanced one or two of the details." "Maybe it wasn't all true." "Should've been there." "It was a bloody good story, wasn't it?" "This is for you." "Delivered yesterday." "I suppose they thought we'd know where you were." "Thank you." "She brought it personally." "Well..." "I suppose this is it." "Goodbye, Mr Fleming." "It's been a privilege working with you." "Likewise." "I don't know what I'm going to do without you." "I don't know." "I'm sure you'll manage." "It's me." "I thought you might like to know," "I'm back." "I need to see you." "Congratulations." "I'm sure Esmond will be very happy." "I had a foolish idea you were coming to persuade me to call the whole thing off." "Is that what you wanted?" "Maybe I did." "Was it foolish?" "Expecting you to change." "I knew what the rules were, but..." "Maybe I allowed myself to hope that things could be different." "And would you have called it off?" "I think it's time we both stop pretending." "Not sure that I know how." "Oh, you love me in your twisted way." "I know you do." "And you know how I feel about you." "Tomorrow," "I will be Esmond's wife." "And everything will change." "I'm sorry." "I have nothing to offer you." "Not even a spy any more." "I've never heard you apologise before." "You make me want to hope for something, anything." "Don't torture me with hope." "It's easier this way." "Let's say I don't love you." "And you don't love me." "It's easy." "I don't love you." "I don't... love you." "See how brave I am." "I won't even cry." "I have to go." "Ian, old chap." "All set for tomorrow?" "All set, just off." "You must come and see us in the country." "Ann's got all sorts of plans." "She's going to be a formidable wife." "Look, I know she's had feelings for you." "I won't hold that against you." "Either of you." " What's past is past, eh?" " Yes." "The best man won." "You see?" "That wasn't so hard." "Actually, it was the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my life." "But it was my choice, no one else's." "I need a drink." "Some party." "We made it." "Yes, we did." "I can't believe it's over." "How was it out there?" "It wasn't as I imagined." "Nothing turns out how you think." "What are you going to do now?" "I was thinking of getting a house by the sea." "Somewhere hot." "Maybe I'll sit down and write." "Follow in your footsteps." "I thought you might get married." "Ann's just upstairs, you know." "I saw her earlier." "I thought you might want to say hello." "♪ Sometimes I wonder ♪" "♪ Why I spend" "♪ The lonely night ♪" "♪ Dreaming of a song ♪" "♪ The melody haunts my reverie ♪" "♪ And I am once again with you... ♪" "My God." "I think I've made a dreadful mistake." "Then what are you waiting for?" "Go to her." "Ebury Street, please." "I'm sorry." "I thought you were someone else." "Excuse me." "Maybe some other time." "So, tell me about this writing you plan to do." "I had an idea for a novel." "A novel?" "You'll probably hate it." "The spy story to end all spy stories." "And what's your spy gonna be like?" "Commander in the navy?" "He can be whoever I want him to be." "A hero, a lover, a brute... irresistible to women." " He always gets the girls." " So, fiction, then." "Got a name for him?" "Do you remember that game we used to play at school?" "We'd mix up each other's first and last names to create something new." "Mmm." "I thought I'd take a couple of boys from my house." "James Aitken and Harry Bond." " So, he'll be called..." " Aitken." "Harry Aitken." "Bond." "That's what you should call him, not Aitken." "Bond." "_" "_" "_"