EXTRACTS: The Modesty Blaise Companion Expanded Edition © 2018 The Book Palace (425 PAGES in Full edition)

T H E M O D E S T Y B L A I S E C O M P A N I O N STORY No. 20 DRAWN BY ROMERO START DATE OF STORY 19th October 1970 (Monday) END DATE OF STORY 20th February 1971 (Saturday) When Modesty was last there, the small South American state of Cuarembo was a lawless place. The Chief of Police, a tough but honest man she knew in her Network days, seized power and is now President. The country is much improved. While at dinner with Gil de Serra, the friend she is staying with, they are interrupted by Diana Millard, the jealous, drunken and vituperative daughter of the British Envoy, and a former girl friend of Gil’s. She abuses Modesty, who gets fed up with her and throws her into the swimming pool. Just before dawn the police come to Gil’s house and take Modesty away in a closed car. The President, an old acquaintance, wants to see her. The police escort is just his little joke. He is finding it harder to be President than it was to be Chief of Police and over breakfast, they discuss his main problem, the rebels. Driven back to Gil’s house, Modesty is just in time to see Diana Millard kidnapped. A policeman is shot but Modesty manages to capture one of the gang. Willie is on holiday with Sir Gerald Tarrant in Guadalajara. Modesty calls him on her car radio and asks them to join her. Gomez, the rebel leader holding Diana, threatens to execute her if some of his men are not released from prison. Despite heavy pressure from Tarrant, the President refuses. He asks Modesty and Willie to attempt to rescue Diana from the rebel base deep in the jungle. They agree and with Gil as their guide, set off, arriving just in time to stop Diana’s execution. They escape with her and are chased through the jungle by Gomez and his men. Realising that they will be caught, Modesty and Willie plan an ambush. They capture Gomez and his entire group of forty men. He has been humiliatingly beaten by one man and one woman. Rather than kill him and make him a martyr, Modesty cuts off his huge black beard, his trademark. He is utterly discredited and his rebel band broken. On the journey home through the jungle Diana at last seems to be mellowing, but once safe, she reverts to her former spoilt, bitchy, jealous self. This time it is Willie who throws her into the swimming pool. He then encourages everyone to order a slap up meal because Tarrant is paying. I I 226