Napoleon and Illya sank, side by side, into two of them. "You like to make your guests comfortable, at least," Napoleon commented.
"Quite practical," said Rainbow. "A comfortable man is easier to deal with. They also take quite some time and effort to arise from, giving me an edge should I be forced to defend myself."
He sank into the chair behind the desk and leaned forward to watch them. "At last I have you both where I can ask you. Precisely why is the United Network Command for Law and Enforcement interested in a man who is, essentially, only a very good bank robber?"
Illya looked pointedly at Napoleon and said, "I've been wondering that myself."
Napoleon shook his head. "Only because that bank robber was showing interest in Thrush. Enough of your operations are already known to put you away for quite some time."
"Quite true, Mr. Solo - quite true. But first I will have to be found. This lighthouse represents my stronghold, and a considerable investment as well. Yet here you are, in the midst of it. This could compromise my security." He shook his head.
"The easiest way out is to clump you off the cliffs into the sea, with your heads staved in. You would have been dashed to pieces by the storm. But I dislike murder."
"I'm inexpressibly pleased to hear that," said Napoleon.
Rainbow smiled. "No doubt. Perhaps this would be the time to try one of the last shipments of largess from Thrush. It's a hypnotic which allows selected portions of the subject's memory to be completely blanked out. It's quite safe, and otherwise harmless. This would be a perfect opportunity to try it out."
Illya glanced around from where he lay. "This isn't much of secret hideout," he said. "No TV monitors, no banks of communications gear, no computers humming away... How do you accomplish anything?"
"Our communications gear is up in the light tower. We have a few small computer accessories - we keep punch-card files on every available worker capable of functioning within our discipline for a period. We can find the right man for any job in a matter of seconds. But we don't have electronic calculators. I'd like to have a television monitoring system installed in the next year or so, but it's taken an unconscionable amount of money getting it this far." He gestured around the room.
"The entire volume of this rock was hollowed out by demolitions experts, trained in the military, now renting their talents out to those who can pay. Other members of our ranks did the finishing, installed the necessary machinery in the lowest level, and got everything working. We have a dependable source of electric power, fresh running water - all the comforts of civilization."
He leaned back in his chair. "You will pardon me for being proud of the place," he said. "You may also be interested to know that when I bought this island from the Crown in 1964, I was faced with only one severely competitive bid. I later traced it to Thrush, before they were even certain of my existence. I have always fancied this as rather a coup."
"You've done all this in only three years?"
"In my spare time, and with a great deal of help. There are three levels below the surface of the rock, and the lowest is also below sea level. That is where the generators, air conditioners, water-purifiers and pumps are located. Presently the generators burn diesel fuel; we are working on a system to use the energy of the waves, or the tides. The second level, where we are presently, contains the offices of my specialists and advisors. The immediately subsurface level contains the residential section. The accommodations are not of the finest, but considering the expense I think I may well be proud of it."
"You well may," said Napoleon. "You do have some security devices around, though you lack television surveillance of the entire interior. Just simple electric eyes?"
"Infrared sensitive photoelectric cell in strategic locations, Mr. Solo. Other areas have conductance-balanced fields around them, so that if anything moves, it triggers a signal.
"Incidentally, our commissary here is quite good. We were fortunate enough to procure the services of a man trained as a cook by the Royal Submarine Service, and our cuisine, despite the limitations of our galley, is among the best in this quarter of England."
"What do you do for entertainment?"
Rainbow chuckled. "The usual things, I'm afraid. We watch the telly evenings, and play bridge. We have a projector and a few films. Actually, this island is still rather a hardship post, because of the isolation. And it is run like a flagship, to be honest. The fixed flagship of my army." He enjoyed the mixed phrase a moment. "We have no uniforms, you will notice," he continued seriously. "Many of our workers have unpleasant associations connected with them. Besides, the informality of appearance is unimportant. They are all independent workers, voluntarily united under my orders."
He leaned forward across his desk. "This is what I have now that Thrush cannot give me. The knowledge that I have earned the trust and respect of these men. Thrush seeks to command by fear, sir, and I will not cooperate with that. The strongest impression I have gotten from my few contacts with the representative of Thrush has been one of depersonalization. In the men I have seen - I call them men, though they acted more like robots - there seemed an absolute lack of individuality. Even if, as has been indicated, this is characteristic of local operatives more than most, any organization that must ever instill such qualities in its workers holds no place for me!"
He leaned back in his chair, silent at the end of his statement, and clipped the tip from a cigar. He looked from Napoleon to Illya, where they sat silent, considering. And suddenly he smiled again.
"Was that what you came five thousand miles to hear? I have no intention of cooperation with Thrush. They are fighting against everything I respect: freedom, individual initiative, the differences between all people. Damme, sir - they're un-English."
He blew a blue cloud of cigar smoke, and rose to his feet. "Would you care to join me for lunch before we tour the premises?"
Illya shifted his weight, preparatory to getting up. "If it's not too much to ask, why are you showing us every thing if you're only going to erase it? Just showing off?"
"Not entirely, Mr. Kuryakin. I am expecting some form of communication from Thrush, and I will want you to hear and consider it while in full possession of your faculties. Now come along with me. The first setting of lunch will be ready shortly, and you should see the galley in operation."
Chapter 14
How The Man In The Gray Suit Appeared Once More, and a Treaty of Necessity Was Made.
SHORTLY AFTER LUNCH they finished a brief tour, and returned to Rainbow's office. Here he produced for their inspection several of the devices Thrush had sent him.
"This is designed for the smuggling of small valuable items past any customs system in the world. It looks like a torch cell, and is carried in a torch."
"An old gag," said Illya. "If the flashlight doesn't work, they check the batteries."
"So old no one would be likely to try it. Except that this one works. Built into one end is a 1-1/2 volt mercury cell. The body of the case is lead-shielded to protect film from fogging. Film, by the way, is always sent exposed but unprocessed. Unless the container is opened in a darkroom, the information is destroyed."