اسکارامانگا

Chapter three

Scaramanga

When M returned from lunch, he found Miss Moneypenny typing at her desk.

‘Your office is safe to use again,’ she informed him, ‘but keep the windows open for a while. Oh, and here’s the file you wanted, sir.’ M took the brown file from his secretary.

It had a red ‘Top Secret’ star stamped on the top right hand corner. ‘How’s 007 Did he wake up all right,’ he enquired, concerned.

‘I think so, sir,’ replied Miss Moneypenny. ‘The medical officer gave him a sedative and then he was carried out of the back door under a blanket. No one’s asked me any questions about it.’

‘Good,’ remarked M. He walked through the door into his office and sat down behind the large desk.

For the hundredth time he assured himself that his decision was the right one. M opened the brown folder and started to read the report.

FRANCISCO SCARAMANGA

Scaramanga is an assassin who works mainly for the KGB in Havana, Cuba, and for other organizations in the Caribbean and Central American states.

He is known to be responsible for the death of five British secret agents and has seriously injured another.

He is well known in the Caribbean and is widely feared by the local people.

He always uses a Colt 45 handgun made of gold and has therefore become known as ‘The Man with the Golden Gun’. He uses gold and silver bullets, which are specially designed to cause maximum damage.

The police are aware of him, although he has never been arrested.

DESCRIPTION

Age: about 35 Height: 1/9m Eyes: light brown

Hair: short, red hair with a small moustache Build: slim, strong, broad shoulders

Personality: ruthless, serious, enjoys the company of women

ORIGINS

In his early years he lived in Spain and travelled with his father’s circus. He learnt to use pistols very skilfully as part of his circus act. His childhood was difficult and painful.

Aged 16 he shot a policeman during an incident at the circus. He then hid on a ship and travelled to America.

On arrival in the United States he worked as a gunman for the ‘Spangled Mob’ in a Las Vegas hotel. His job was to execute people who had cheated at the casino.

In 1958 he got into trouble with a rival gang - the Purple Gang - and had to leave the United States. He then became rich by buying and selling property for criminals in the Caribbean.

In 1959 he moved to Havana. When Fidel Castro came to power there after the revolution, Scaramanga began working for the Cuban Secret Police.

CONCLUSION

Scaramanga is a very cold, secretive paid assassin, with connections to the KGB and the Cuban Secret Police.

A highly experienced and well-trained agent would be needed for this dangerous mission. However, the recommendation is that Scaramanga should be removed as soon as possible.

At the end of the report was a handwritten note, which read, ‘I am in agreement,’ and below it was the signature of the Head of the Caribbean and Central American Section. Next to this was the Chief of Staff’s signature.

M looked up from the paper. For about five minutes he sat and gazed across the room. Then he reached for his pen and wrote the word, ‘Action?’ and signed the page.

He sat very still for another five minutes and wondered whether he had just signed James Bond’s death warrant.