Man on Fire by A. J. Quinnell Page B

else. Futile: it was an epitaph on his past and an adjective for his tomorrow.
    He had lost interest. He started drinking heavily and let his body slacken and become lethargic. Finally they took him off operations and made him just an adviser. They would have kicked him out, but they remembered his earlier days and were grateful. It wasn't long before he realized the charity, and his pride picked him up and took him away. He went to Brussels, where he had known a woman, but she had moved on and so he took the train to Marseilles and on an impulse caught the ferry to Corsica. The main contingent of the Legion was based in Corsica and an instinct led him there. Many years had passed since the 1st R.E.P. had mutinied. The Legion itself had forgiven. There was a home there. Maybe the orphan could return to the orphanage.
    He had arrived in Calvi in the afternoon and sat in the square and had a drink. The barracks lay up the hill and as he tried to decide whether to go up or not he heard the sound of singing. It was the Legion marching hymn, "Le Boudin," and then they came around the corner with the distinctive slow march eighty-five paces a minute. It was a unit of recruits, smart in their new uniforms, showing off their drill for the first time. He looked at the faces, young and scrubbed, and he felt a thousand years old.
    When they had passed and the last sounds had died away, he finished his drink and walked to the station. The next day he was in Bastia, sitting by the docks drinking again and waiting for the ferry to Livorno. He would go and see Guido. Maybe they would get together again. Maybe it wouldn't be futile.
    He had watched the few passengers go aboard and crossed the road to join them, passing the boy. As the ferry pulled out, he stood at the stern and saw the boy wave at him. He waved back. Goodbye, Corsica. Goodbye, boy.
    "A bodyguard," said Guido.
    Creasy looked at him blankly.
    They sat in the kitchen and Guido explained about Elio's suggestion.
    His brother had prospered. After a good education he had qualified as an accountant, all paid for by Guido.
    He had joined a firm of auditors in Milan and had done well. He had explained to Guido that one of his clients was a security agency that supplied bodyguards to industrialists.
    There was a great demand and a shortage of trained men. The pay was excellent. Guido had demurred.
    Creasy was totally unfit and virtually an alcoholic. It would be taking a job under false pretenses, and Creasy wouldn't do it. Then Elio had explained about "premium bodyguards" and Guido had become interested. "But the pay is lousy," Elio had remarked.
    That didn't matter, thought Guido. He knew that Creasy had plenty of money. He had earned a great deal over the years and spent little.
    So he made the suggestion to Creasy and Creasy looked blank.
    "A bodyguard," repeated Guido.
    "You're crazy," replied Creasy, "in my state I couldn't guard a corpse."
    Guido told him about "premium" bodyguards, but Creasy was unconvinced.
    "People would hire a complete has-been-a drunk?"
    Guido shrugged. "It's just a device to keep premium costs down."
    "But a drunk?"
    Guido sighed.
    "Obviously you would have to keep the drinking under control. Drink at night. You do here, and you don't look so bad during the day."
    "And what happens if there's a kidnap attempt?"
    "You do your best. You're not paid to perform miracles."
    Creasy thought about it but remained skeptical. He had always worked with military people of one kind or another. He raised a further objection.
    "A bodyguard has to be close to someone all the time. I'm not good at that-you know it."
    Guido smiled.
    "So you'll be a silent-type bodyguard. Some people might appreciate that."
    Creasy thought up other problems, but Guido pressured him gently. Elio had invited him to stay in Milan for a few days.
    "Why not go up anyway, and look around?"
    Finally Creasy agreed to see what kind of job was available. Then he went to bed, shaking his head and