johngardner.goldeneye-第17部分

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　I　owe　for　this　piece　of　information？〃
　〃Very　little。　　I　want　you　to　set　me　up　with　Janus。〃　The　Russian　made　a　little　noise；　half　grunt　half　laugh。
　
　〃And　what's　Janus　done　to　deserve　you？〃
　〃He　stole　a　helicopter。〃
　〃I　have　six。
　
　〃You　have　three；　and　none　of　them　fly。〃　Zukovsky　laughed。　　〃Who's　counting？〃
　〃Valentin；'　Bond　was　serious　now。　　〃These　people　aren't　simply　criminals。　　They're　traitors。　　They　used　that　helicopter　to　steal　a　nuclear　space　weapon。　　They　also　killed　a　number　of　quite　innocent　people　while　they　were　at　it。〃
　〃What　else　can　you　expect　from　a　Cossack？〃
　〃Who？〃
　〃This　Janus。　　I've　never　met　him；　but　I　do　know　what　he　is　…　a　Lienz　Cossack。〃
　〃The　Cossacks　who　fought　for　Hitler　against　the　Russians　in　what　you　called　the　Great　Patriotic　War？〃
　〃And　you　call　World　War　II？　　Yes；　you　know　your　history。　　When　the　war　was　over；　the　Lienz　Cossacks　were　captured　by　the　British　in　Germany。　They　expected　to　join　the　British　forces　and　go　to　war　again　to　obliterate　the　munists。　　Instead；　the　British　betrayed　them。　　They　were　sent　back　to　Stalin；　who　promptly　executed　them。
　
　Wives；　children；　the　entire　families。〃
　〃That's　a　rather　simplistic　view；　but　basically　it　wasn't　exactly　our　finest　hour。〃
　〃You're　right；　of　course。　　The　plain；　cut　and　dried　story　is　simplistic。　They　were　a　ruthless　people。　　In　the　end　they　got　what　they　deserved。　The　families　were　the　innocents　though。　　Now；　Janus？〃
　〃I'd　like　you　to　contact　him。
　
　You　must　have　ways。　　Let　him　know　that　it's　me；　and　that　I'm　asking　around　about　the　helicopter。　　You　could；　possibly；　say　that　we're　meeting　at　the　Grand　Hotel　Europe　tonight。　　Might　just　drag　him　out。'　〃And　you　and　I　are　even；　while　he'll　owe　me　one。
　
　〃Precisely。〃　Valentin　Zukovsky　rose　and　limped　to　the　door。　　〃If　you're　ever　contemplating　a　change　of　career；　let　me　know。
　
　At　the　door；　Bond　said；　〃With　people　like　you　around；　Valentin；　I　think　I'll　always　find　work。〃
　
　Natalya's　watch　had　stopped　when　the　pulse　of　the　nuclear　explosion　had　hit　at　the　Severnaya　Station。　She　discovered　the　fact　while　on　the　train　to　St。　Petersburg；　and　it　had　deeply　saddened　her；　for　the　watch　was　of　great　sentimental　value。　　Her　parents　had　gone　without　a　number　of　luxuries　to　purchase　it　as　a　gift　before　she　went　to　university。　　It　would　have　been　easy　for　Natalya　to　buy　a　new　one　at　the　hard　currency　shop；　but　somehow　she　did　not　want　to　part　with　it。　　Maybe　she　could　find　a　watchmaker　who　would　repair　it　for　her。　　In　the　meantime　she　would　rely　on　public　clocks；　for　the　watch　felt　somehow　forting　strapped　to　her　wrist
　
　On　the　previous　evening　she　had　found　a　small　hotel　off　Tchaikovsky　Street　which　did　not　require　to　see　passports　and　any　other　identification　as　long　as　you　paid；　in　advance；　with　hard　currency。
　
　The　fact　that　the　salaries　at　the　Severnaya　Station　were　issued　in　American　dollars；　a　great　incentive　to　remain　silent　about　the　work；　had　bee　the　one　most　important　method　of　survival　…　and　she　thanked　God　for　it。
　
　She　had　slept　late；　checked　out　of　the　hotel　and　walked　the　streets；　visiting　places　which　interested　her；　in　order　to　get　through　the　day。　The　first　thing　she　did　was　to　go　and　walk　past　the　church　of　Our　Lady　of　Smolensk　…　a　tiny　blue…painted　Orthodox　church；　out　near　the　Smolny　Institute。　　There　she　discovered　that　she　had　started　to　think　like　a　criminal；　or　at　least　a　fugitive；　for　she　checked　the　exits　and　entrances；　together　with　all　the　adjacent　streets　and　alleys。
　
　At　around　ten　minutes　to　six　that　evening　she　was　back；　looking　at　the　church　from　the　outside。　　Once　more　she　walked　around　the　building　before　venturing　inside。
　
　It　was　a　little　jewel；　with　icons　that　took　her　breath　away。　　Just　being　in　the　church　stirred　her　emotions。　　She　did　not　know　if　she　believed　in　God；　or　all　the　other　things　associated　with　the　Russian　Orthodox　Christian　religion；　but；　once　inside；　with　the　scent　of　incense　in　her　nostrils　she　had　a　great　desire　to　pray。
　
　She　walked　slowly　down　the　centre　aisle　to　a　large　icon　of　the　Virgin　Mary；　Our　Lady　of　Smolensk；　slid　a　bill　into　the　little　box　and　lit　a　votive　candle；　then　she　knelt　to　pray。
　
　She　prayed　for　her　parents；　for　the　souls　of　all　her　friends　who　had　died　at　Severnaya　Station。　　Then　she　prayed　for　herself　and　a　deliverance　from　the　danger　in　which　she　now　found　herself。　　Nobody　had　ever　taught　her　to　pray；　but　it　came　naturally　to　her；　like　walking　or　speaking　to　a　friend。　　Lastly　she　added　that　God's　will　should　be　done；　then　realised　that　she　had　been　inside　the　church　for　a　good　ten　to　fifteen　minutes。　　Boris　had　not　shown　up　and　panic　leaped　into　her　head　like　some　terrible　vision。　　She　began　to　question　everything。　　Had　Boris　been　caught？　　Had　he　led　her　into　a　trap？
　
　The　panic　deepened　and　she　moved　back　up　the　aisle　towards　the　west　door。　　Halfway　up　the　aisle　she　stopped；　turning　quickly。　　Was　that　a　noise？　　Soft　footsteps　from　behind？　　She　saw　the　flames　of　votive　candles　in　front　of　the　icon　moving；　as　though　someone　had　passed　by　them　quickly。
　
　The　fear　gripped　her　again；　she　turned　towards　the　door　and　began　to　run。　　Straight　into　someone　who　had　slipped　into　the　church。
　
　〃Natalya！〃　said　Boris。
　
　〃Boris！〃　Her　heart　was　pounding。　　〃Boris；　what's。。。
　
　He　put　a　finger　to　his　lips。　　〃Quick。　　e　with　me。　　There　isn't　much　time。〃　He　grabbed　at　her　hand；　and　for　a　second　she　remained　uncertain；　pulling　away；　then　finally　going　with　him；　feeling　his　arm　circle　her　shoulder　as　he　led　her　towards　a　curtain　to　the　right　of　the　icon　of　Our　Lady　of　Smolensk。
　
　He　still　held　her　tightly　as　they　pushed　through　the　curtain；　then　stopped。
　
　For　a　split　second　she　could　not　believe　it。　　She　looked　at　Boris　and　then　at　the　woman；　Xenia　Onatopp；　who　stood　just　inside　the　curtain；　looking　like　some　terrible　harbinger　of　death。
　
　She　tried　to　shake　herself　free；　felt　the　needle　stab　through　her　clothing　into　her　right　shoulder；　saw　the　world　spinning；　and　the　terrifying　face　of　Xenia；　mouth　open　as　though　she　wished　to　devour　her。　Then　darkness。
　
　Boris　grinned　at　Xenia。　　〃Silly　little　goose；'　he　said。
　
　〃Let's　get　her　in　the　car。　　I've　got　another　appointment；'　Xenia　spoke　with　an　undisguised　relish。
　
　There　is　a　spa　in　the　basement　of　the　Grand　Hotel　Europe；　designed　in　some　way　similar　to　those　Turkish　baths　that　used　to　be　found　in　London　and　New　York。　　The　only　difference　was　that　this　spa's　designers　seemed　to　have　dug　into　the　roots　of　Russian　decor；　after　the　old　style；　rather　than　any　approximation　of　Turkey。
　
　In　what　was　once　the　old　Soviet　Union；　you　only　found　one　type　of　chandelier；　in　various　sizes；　as　though　the　State　had　a　monopoly　on　design　…　which；　of　course；　was　true。　　Those　same　standard　chandeliers　lingered　on；　elsewhere　there　were　fluted　pillars；　beautifully　carved　marble；　red　plush　seats　and　hangings。　　There　was　also　an　unusually　high　scent　of　chlorine　in　the　air。
　
　During　the　evening　you　could　often　find　many　businessmen　swimming　in　the　luxurious　pool；　or　reclining　in　one　of　the　big　steam　rooms。　　In　spite　of　the　chlorine　it　was　an　admirable　place　to　relax　and　unwind　after　a　long　hard　day。
　
　Bond　was　glad　that　he　had　got　in　before　anyone　else。
　
　He　wanted　to　swim　and　steam　away　the　day's　tensions　on　his　own。
　
　That　was　why　he　had　carefully　hung　a　Closed　for　Cleaning　sign　on　the　main　door　at　the　top　of　the　steps　leading　down　to　the　pool　area。
　
　There　were　other　reasons。　　He　wanted　to　be　alone　in　the　hope　that　Janus　would　take　up　the　bait。　　To　this　end　he　had　checked　out　the　changing　rooms　and　the　steam　rooms；　particularly　the　big　one　decorated　with　beautiful　tiling；　the　steam　billowing　and　hot　around　him。　　As　he　knifed　through　the　water；　his　mind　began　to　focus　on　the　events　of　the　day；　of　his　reunion　with　Zukovsky　and　the　short　telephone　conversation　he　had　initiated　with　Jack　Wade。　　Zukovsky　had　taken　up　the　offer　regarding　the　explosives　deal；　the　large　amount　of　plastique　was　now　in　the　hands　of　the　authorities；　and　the　money　had　safely　reached　Valentin。　　In　turn；　this　almost　certainly　meant　that　Janus；　by　now；　would　have　his　sights　on　Bond；　the　tethered　sacrificial　goat。
　
　He　executed　a　fast　racing　turn　and　streaked　through　the　water；　breathing　naturally　and　swimming　with　ease。　　He　felt　good。　　He　felt　even　better　as　he　emerged　at　the　end　of　the　pool　close　to　the　columned　entrance　to　the　big　steam　bath。　　The　clouds　of　steam　were　moving；　wafting；　reforming　as　though　a　ghost　had　passed　through。
　
　Someone；　he　thought；　had　taken　the　bait　and　lurked　within　the　steam。　Time　to　open　his　pores　and　steep　himself　within　that　same　steam。
　
　He　climbed　out　of　the　pool；　shook　himself；　picking　up　the　towel　he　had　left　at　this　end；　rubbing　it　through　his　hair　as　he　moved　towards　the　archway　and　into　the　dense　cloud；　heading　towards　the　alcove　where　he　had　left　his　robe。
　
　Instinct　was　everything　now。　　Someone　else　was　here；　in　this　place。　Quite　near　and　lurking　with　some　unholy　intent。
　
　He　felt　the　presence　though　he　could　not　see；　then　the　large　pillar　came　out　of　the　mist；　just　to　his　left。　　He　had　to　pass　it　to　get　to　his　clothes；　so　he　danced　to　the　right；　away　from　the　pillar；　his　head　turning　left；　eyes　peering　through　what　could　just　as　easily　have　been　dense　cloud　or　smoke。
　
　He　knew；　from　a　hundred　experiences　of　surveillance　work；　from　the　countless　times　he　had　been　a　target；　and　the　dozens　of　times　he　had　searched　for　a　target　of　his　own。　　He　turned　left　and　pounced　forward；　going　low　in　case　his　adversary　carried　a　knife。　　A　knife　would　be　the　weapon　of　choice　in　this　kind　of　situation。
　
　As　his　hand　shot　out；　he　felt　his　fingers　touch　flesh；　then　his　entire　hand　was　clasped　around　another　human　wrist
　
　He　jerked　forwards　and　downwards；　dragging　whoever　it　was　into　the　relatively　clear　air　of　the　alcove　where　he　had　left　his　things。
　
　Xenia　Onatopp　stood　facing　him；　holding　a　towel　in　front　of　her。
　
　A　twist　of　her　wrist　and　she　was　off　balance　and　sprawled　on　the　floor　as　Bond　dived　for　his　pistol；　wrapped　in　the　robe　which　lay　on　the　small　slatted　bench。
　
　By　the　time　he　turned；　she　had　clambered　to　h