johngardner.goldeneye-第12部分

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　〃So；　you　think　its's　your　wretched　Janus　Crime　Syndicate？〃　There　was　just　a　trace　of　bitterness　in　her　voice。
　
　〃Not　necessarily。〃　Bond　shook　his　head。　　〃I've　been　inside　that　kind　of　Russian　facility。〃　He　peered　at　the　screens。　　〃The　security　is；　as　the　younger　generation　would　say；　awesome。　　Voice…print　activators　only　…　which　means　you　can　keep　the　need…to…know　down　to　a　bare　minimum。
　
　You　could　even　keep　Yeltsin　out　of　one　of　these　places。
　
　You　would　need　two　keys　to　fire　the　weapons；　special　access　codes　kept　in　a　digital　wall　safe；　the　access　to　which　is　altered　daily。〃　He　paused；　frowning。　　〃There　had　to　be　an　insider　for　this　to　work。〃　He　asked　one　of　the　technicians　to　switch　to　infra…red。
　
　〃Now　zoom　in。　　No；　to　your　right。　　A　little　bit　more。
　
　There。〃　The　image　left　a　lot　to　be　desired；　but　a　figure　was　climbing　out　of　the　wreckage　around　the　base　of　the　dish。
　
　〃As　we　can　all　see；　someone　is　climbing　out；　which　means　that　at　least　one　person　probably　knows　where　the　leak　is；　who　it　is。〃　Natalya　was　in　the　clear　now；　but　the　cold　bit　even　through　the　layers　of　clothes　she　wore。　　She　made　herself　go　on；　dragging　one　foot　after　another。　　The　nearest　village　was　at　least　twenty…five　miles；　but　there　was　a　small　railway　station　twenty　miles　up　the　road。　　Trains　were　infrequent　if　she　could　make　it　that　far。
　
　She　heard　the　dogs　whining　and　barking　before　she　saw　them；　disoriented　and　anxious　pulling　the　wooden　sled　around　in　circles。
　
　She　thanked　God；　if　there　was　a　god。　　This　could　be　her　way　out。
　
　Maybe　she　would　get　to　climb　that　apple　tree　again　some　day。
　
　M　was　talking　on　the　secure　telephone　when　Bond　arrived　at　her　office。　Moneypenny　…　usually　keeper　of　M's　inner　sanctum　…　had　already　gone　off　duty；　but　M　waved　him　in；　pointing　to　a　chair　in　front　of　her　desk。
　
　〃Sit；'　Bond　thought。　　〃Sit。　　Good　dog。〃　He　looked　up　at　the　wall　behind　her　desk　and　wondered　what　the　old　M　would　have　thought　of　the　picture　hanging　there。　　In　his　day　the　old　M　had　managed　to　get　works　of　art　on　loan　from　the　Ministry　of　Works。　　They　were　usually　scenes　of　great　naval　battles　or　paintings　of　the　sea。
　
　The　new　painting　was　of　different　coloured　rectangles；　divided　by　triangles。　　〃A　daub；'　the　Old　Man　would　have　called　it。　　He　would　have　hated　it　as　much　as　he　would　have　loathed　the　sterile　atmosphere　of　the　new　office。
　
　M　finally　pleted　her　conversation　with　whoever　had　been　on　the　other　end　of　the　line。　　The　Prime　Minister；　Bond　guessed　as　M　lit　a　cigarette；　inhaled　deeply　and　blew　out　the　smoke　in　a　long　thin　stream。
　
　〃That　can　damage　your　health；　Ma'am；　but　I'm　sure　you　know　that　already。〃　~　She　gave　him　the　fish　eye　but　did　not　answer。
　
　Instead　she　said；　〃The　Prime　Minister's　talked　with　Moscow。
　
　They're　saying　it　was　an　accident　during　a　routine　training　exercise。'　〃No　ment　on　the　type　of　weapon；　I　presume？〃　He　allowed　a　thin　smile；　looking　directly　at　M；　as　she　shook　her　head。　　He　shrugged；　〃Governments　change；　but　the　lies　stay　the　same。
　
　M　grunted；　and　for　a　moment；　Bond　thought　he　was　back　with　the　Old　Man　who　used　to　grunt　regularly　to　avoid　menting　on　some　questions。
　
　〃Tell　me　what　else　we　know　about　the　Janus　Crime　Syndicate。〃
　〃Very　big　in　the　arms　trade。　　Good　smugglers　with　contacts　everywhere。　Their　headquarters　are　in　St。　Petersburg　and　they　were　the　first　people　who　managed　to　get　new　supplies　into　Iraq　during　the　Gulf　War。　　Their　head　man's　unreliably　described　…　which　means　our　sources　are　very　uncertain。　So　far　the　woman；　Onatopp；　is　our　only　confirmed　contact　among　the　top　people　that　is。〃　M　grunted　again。　　〃Would　you　care　for　a　drink？〃　What　was　this？　　he　wondered。　　A　retreat　from　alienation？
　
　〃Well；　thank　you。　　Your　predecessor　kept　a　very　good　cognac。。
　
　〃I　prefer　bourbon。〃　She　got　up　and　crossed　to　a　drinks　cabinet。
　
　〃Ice？〃
　〃Perish　the　thought；　Ma'am。　　One　should　never　ruin　a　good　glass　of　spirits　with　the　abominable　ice。　　Nasty　habit。〃
　〃Well；　I　probably　have　a　lot　of　habits　you　wouldn't　approve　of。〃　She　handed　him　the　drink　and　returned　to　her　seat　behind　the　desk。
　
　〃We　pulled　the　files　on　anyone　who　might　have　access；　or　authority　at　the　Severnaya　Station。〃　Her　eyes　flicked　up　to　the　puter　screen　which　was　angled　out　of　Bond's　sight。
　
　〃The　top　name　on　the　list　is　an　old　friend　of　yours。
　
　Leaning　forward；　she　pressed　a　button　on　a　key　pad　and　the　daub　of　a　painting　slid　from　sight；　exposing　a　video　monitor。　　It　flickered　on　and　there　was　Ourumov　in　full　uniform；　with　data　scrolled　out　beneath。
　
　Almost　in　a　whisper；　Bond　mouthed　silently；　〃Ourmov；　and　they've　made　him　a　general。〃　Aloud；　he　said；　〃A　better　picture　than　the　one　that　was　there。〃
　〃I　agree；　that　thing　is　only　to　left　foot　people　ing　into　the　office　for　the　first　time。　　A　simple　psychological　trick。　　Someone　sits　down　and　the　picture　is　the　first　thing　they　look　at。　　I　am　the　second；　but　I　will　have　had　time　to　take　a　good　look　at　them。〃　She　gave　him　a　smile　that　could　easily　be　construed　as　an　exchange　of　confidences。　〃Now；　Ourumov。　　Yes；　they've　made　him　a　general。　　More　than　that；　he's　a　high　flyer　these　days。　　He　sees　himself　as　the　next　Iron　Man　of　Russia。　It's　mainly　on　this　count　that　the　analysts've　ruled　him　out。　　He　doesn't　fit　the　profile　of　a　traitor。　　He's　a　true　son　of　Mother　Russia。　You　know；　the　earth　and　the　poppy　seeds；　all　that　kind　of　rubbish。〃
　〃I　presume；　Ma'am；　that　these　are　the　same　analysts　who　said　that　GoldenEye　couldn't　exist？
　
　Who　said　the　helicopter　posed　no　immediate　threat；　and　wasn't　worth　following？〃　She　took　another　sip　of　her　drink　and　a　long　pull　at　the　cigarette。　　〃I　was　appointed　to　this　job　because　I'm　an　analyst；　and　a　good　one。　　I'm　also　a　puter　scientist；　and　have　what　the　PM　calls；　a　razor　sharp　mind。〃　M　drew　on　her　cigarette；　then　stubbed　it　out。　　〃I　worked　for　some　time　under　the　direct　control　of　my　predecessor　and　he　assisted　in　my　appointment。　　The　problems　are　all　too　obvious。　　I　understand　the　controls　that　have　been　~　placed　upon　this　Service　by　the　Cabinet；　so　I　understand　the　way　around　them。
　
　She　paused　again；　then　looked　him　straight　in　the　eyes。
　
　〃You　don't　really　like　me；　do　you；　Bond？　　You　see　me　as　a　jumped…up　pocket　calculator；　who's　far　more　interested　in　my　numbers　than　your　own　instincts。〃　Bond　simply　nodded　assent。
　
　〃Well；　that's　fine　by　me；　because　I　see　you　as　a　sexist　misogynist　dinosaur。　　You're　a　relic　of　the　Cold　War。〃　She　smiled。　　〃It　may　surprise　you　to　know　that　I　believe　very　strongly　in　having　people　in　the　field；　men　and　women；　who　can　bore　into　the　hearts　and　minds　of　any　enemies。
　
　I　was　put　here　to　reorganise　and　make　sure　we　e　in　under　budget　each　year；　and；　by　God；　I'm　going　to　do　that。　　But　to　do　it　properly　I　know　we　have　to　send　people　out　undercover；　and　some　as　recruiting　agents。　That；　more　than　ever　before；　we　need　networks；　agents　working　out　there　at　the　sharp　end。　　So；　if　you　think；　for　one　moment；　that　I　don't　have　the　balls　to　send　a　man　out　to　die　in　some　dodgy　foreign　field；　then　your　instincts　are　dead　wrong。
　
　Bond　had　no　reply　to　this　impassioned　speech。　　If　anything；　he　did　have　a　tad　more　respect　for　the　new　M；　who　had　started　to　speak　again。
　
　〃I　have　absolutely　no　punction　about　sending　you　to　your　death；　007。　But　I　certainly　won't　do　it　on　a　mere　whim　…　even　with　your　cavalier　attitude　to　life　and　death。〃　It　was　time　for　him　to　say　something。　〃Ma'am；　I've　never　forgotten　that　a　licence　to　kill　is　also　a　certificate　to　die。〃　She　gave　him　a　curt　nod。　　〃Good；　because　I　want　you　to　find　GoldenEye。　　I　want　you　to　find　out　who　took　it　…　for　I'm　certain　that　someone　took　whatever　is　necessary　to　unlock　the　weapon；　just　as　I'm　sure　there　are　more　of　those　things　drifting　quietly　around　in　orbit。　　So；　you　are　to　find　out　who　stole　it　and　what　he；　she　or　it　intends　to　do　with　it。〃　She　turned　and　pointed　towards　the　monitor。
　
　〃And；　007；　if　you　do　happen　to　run　across　Ourumov；　guilty　or　not；　I　don't　want　you　running　off　on　some　kind　of　personal　vendetta。
　
　Avenging　Alec　Trevelyan　will　not　bring　him　back。〃
　〃With　respect；　Ma'am；　you　didn't　get　him　killed。
　
　〃Neither　did　you。　　Don't　make　this　personal。　　Understand？〃　He　paused；　pictures　of　his　old　friend　going　through　his　head。　　He　thought　of　the　training　they　had　been　through　together；　and　the　operations。
　
　For　a　couple　of　seconds　he　felt　Trevelyan　very　close　to　him；　as　though　he　were　standing　by　his　shoulder。　　He　saw　the　ageless　face　and　the　cheeky　smile。　　Heard　him　whisper；　〃She's　right；　James。　　It　just　isn't　worth　it。〃　Then　saw　the　man's　end；　with　Ourumov　pulling　the　trigger　as　he　knelt　on　the　stone　floor　of　the　chemical　and　biological　weapons　facility。
　
　〃Yes；　I　understand；　Ma'am。〃　He　rose　and　began　to　walk　towards　the　door。　His　hand　was　on　the　knob　when　she　spoke　again　〃Bond；'　she　said；　her　voice　a　shade　softer。　　〃e　back　alive。〃　There　were　two　days　of　intensive　briefing；　and　at　the　end　of　all　that；　he　attended　a　special　session；　very　late　at　night；　with　q。　They　met　in　one　of　the　large　test　and　firing　ranges　deep　below　headquarters；　and　Q　had　only　a　couple　of　items　for　him。
　
　One　was　an　ingenious　belt　which　looked　perfectly　normal　until　he　pointed　out　a　small　catch　above　the　buckle。
　
　〃That's　the　safety；'　Q　told　him。　　〃Be　very　careful　to　keep　it　in　this　position　at　all　times　…　until　you　need　to　use　it　He　showed　him　how　to　take　off　the　safety　catch　and　how　to　aim　the　buckle　so　that；　when　pressed；　the　tine　…　which；　in　reality；　was　a　neatly　designed　piton　…　would　shoot　out　with　force；　carrying　seventy…five　feet　of　high　tensile　cord。
　
　〃That　cord　is　strong　enough　to　support　you；　James。〃
　〃What　if　I　need　extra　support？〃　Q　had　smiled　grimly。　　〃Then　you'll　have　to　pray。
　
　We've　only　tested　it　to　your　weight：　but　it　does　work　and　that　little　piton　will　embed　itself　in　practically　anything；　and　hold　once　it's　in。'　The　other　item　was　more　lethal。　　What　looked　like　an　ordinary　pen；　but　was；　in　fact；　a　grenade。　　Click　the　top　once　and　you　could　write　with　it。　　Give　it　three　clicks　and　the　four　second　fuse　was　armed。
　
　Within　that　four　seconds；　a　further　three　clicks　would　disarm　the　thing