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."I think you must care what happens to yourself!" he shouted."Bring thoseletters inside!""Don't make me nervous, pal, or I might run over a cliff.In this kind ofcountry the man at the wheel has to keep his mind on the road, and of all theback-seat drivers I've ever had the misfortune to travel with, you're the mostdistracting."Simon could feel the point of Uzdanov's knife against his skin, squarely inthe centre of the back of his neck.One slip and the blade could plungeforward through flesh and bone, severing the connection of spinal cord andbrain stem.But at least he felt sure that his enemy would not sink the daggerinto him on purpose at the moment, since the consequences for the Russianwould have been as disastrous as for himself.The car was careening down into the darkness at a hundred and twentykilometres on a narrow road that seemed to writhe like a living reptile aroundthe side of the mountain.Rubber shrieked against paving as the tires skiddedthrough turn after turn.Simon dreaded the possibility of a curve so tightthat he would be forced to slow down enough to allow Uzdanov to risk drivingthe knife into his neck and grabbing for the wheel himself.But so far luck was on the Saint's side.The curves were hair-raising butbanked enough to let him keep up a good speed, and as long as that lastedUzdanov would be forced to wait.Page 98 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlSimon pulled the Volkswagen out of a particularly stomach-twirling loop, andsaid breezily: "We could all sing songs, I suppose.Anything to while away adull trip.Why don't you teach us theInternationale?""Templar!" screamed Uzdanov impotently."Oooh," Vicky moaned.She was leaning forward, clutching the handgrip on the dashboard as if tobrace herself in case of a crash."Vicky, get down on the floor where he can't reach you!" Simon told her in asuddenly sharp voice."Now!"She scrambled off her seat and huddled in the narrow space under thedashboard on her side of the car, ready to fend off Uzdanov with her leatherpurse if he tried to lean over and take a jab at her."Don't try anything," the Saint ordered her."Just keep away from thatpig-sticker of his.""What aboutyou?" she cried."I've got him in the palm of my hand can't you see?" Simon replied brightly."I think he may be ready to make a deal.Is that right, Boris?"To increase the impact of his words he jammed his foot down on theaccelerator with a vehemence that seemed certain to send the car shootingstraight out into space."Slow down!" Uzdanov screeched in a panic as the Volkswagen lurched intoanother bend."I thought you were the one who got such a kick out of speed," drawled theSaint.Uzdanov's face must have achieved an expression of particular ferocity atthat moment; Vicky, looking back at him, whimpered: "Hell kill you, Simon!""If he tries making shish kebab out of me he'll end up in the sauce himself,because we'll all three be taking a half-mile short-cut straight down!"Uzdanov cleared his throat as the car sailed down a relatively straightstretch.The needle-sharp point of his stiletto was as firmly as ever againstSimon's neck."Perhaps.we can bargain," he said hoarsely."For a start you can throw that bodkin out of the window," the Saint toldhim."Somehow I don't enjoy talking business when a strip of steel may bepoking between my vertebrae at any second.""No!" Uzdanov retorted."You think I'm crazy? Slow down first, and then Iwill throw away the knife.""In that case, I can see the three of us meandering along the road of lifelike this for ever," Simon said unconcernedly.Wind whistled through the windows as the car zoomed on down the mountainside.Page 99 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlThe Russian grunted, obviously at a loss for any new form of persuasion.Butwhile the deadlock was complete, it was becoming apparent that it could onlybe temporary."Sooner or later you willhave to slow down, Templar," he said, with a gradualrecovery of much of his former composure."In the meantime, there is nothingyou can do and I can wait."The Saint riposted with a blase insouciance that was deliberately meant to beinfuriating."When I do have to slow down, chum, it'll probably be because of traffic or avillage cop which'll be no time for you to start slaughtering yourfellow-passengers.The dome light will still be on, remember, which will giveyou about as much privacy for your butchering as a goldfish in a publicaquarium."Uzdanov was not a man to be easily discouraged, nor to let trivia stand inhis way."The light does not have to be on," he said.As he leaned to one side and reached for the switch, to clinch his argument,Simon could feel the welcome detachment of the dagger's point from directcontact with his flesh.This was the moment he had planned for, to which all his verbal sparring hadbeen subtly directed.Now he suddenly shifted his foot from the accelerator to the brake pedal.Hecould only hope that the knife was not poised directly behind him."Thanks, sucker," he said simultaneously."Now Iwill slow down!"He jammed his foot down, virtually freezing the rear wheels of the automobileon the spot.Uzdanov, off balance and without his unarmed hand to bracehimself, was catapulted forward, his dagger stabbing past the Saint's head
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