johngardner.goldeneye-第21部分

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　As　soon　as　they　reached　the　end　of　the　entrance　hallway；　he　motioned　Natalya　to　stand　clear　and　put　his　shoulder　against　the　last　cabinet。　It　toppled　easily　against　the　next　structure　and　set　off　a　domino　effect　so　that　the　cabinets　and　shelving　crashed　down　against　the　door。　　Swiftly　he　crossed　the　little　passage；　did　the　same　with　the　cabinets　on　that　side；　then　turned　his　attention　to　the　main　archives。
　
　Bond　and　Natalya　found　themselves　in　the　uppermost　section　of　three　huge　circular　galleries；　with　what　appeared　to　be　a　glass　rotunda　directly　above　them。　　Here　things　were　more　orderly。　　To　his　right　he　saw　a　large　round　segmented　window　between　the　neat　and　solidly　built　bookcases　that　circled　the　gallery。　　From　behind　there　was　a　pounding　as　Ourumov's　men　tried　to　batter　their　way　in。
　
　Moving　closer　to　the　window；　Bond　glanced　out　to　see　a　view　of　the　military　vehicle　park　far　below。　　Too　far。　　He　craned　closer　to　look　straight　down　and　wondered　if　what　he　had　in　mind　was　possible。　　Then　he　became　aware　that　the　pounding　had　ceased　on　the　door　behind　them；　making　him　even　more　alert。　　Crossing　to　the　wooden　balcony　rails　he　peered　over　to　see　Ourumov；　flanked　by　his　men；　ing　onto　the　gallery　below　them。
　
　He　motioned　Natalya　to　back　off　silently　and　get　into　the　window　opening；　then　he　looked　down　again　and　saw；　with　a　lurch　to　his　stomach；　that　the　floors　of　the　galleries　had　been　built　with　several　layers　of　strong　thick　Lucite。
　
　He　could　see　to　the　circle　below；　and　knew　it　was　only　a　matter　of　time　before　Ourumov　and　his　troops　would　spot　them　as　they　peered　upwards　through　the　transparent　flooring。
　
　As　though　his　thought　triggered　the　action；　Ourumov　shouted；　pointing　up　at　them　and　bullets　began　to　plough　their　way　into　the　glass…like　floor；　ripping　and　sharding　the　material。
　
　〃Run；'　he　yelled　at　Natalya。　　〃Follow　me！〃　and　they　set　off　to　circle　the　entire　upper　gallery；　Bond　wildly　looking　to　see　if　there　were　any　alcove　or　passage　which　would　make　them　safer。
　
　As　they　ran　so　the　bullets　stripped　out　the　flooring　like　several　pneumatic　drills；　following　them　around　the　gallery；　making　it　impossible　to　turn　back；　for　the　thick　Lucite　was　already　shredding　behind　them。
　
　Natalya　stumbled；　half　fell；　slowing　her　forward　movement。　　No　bullet　hit　her；　but　the　floor　gave　way；　tearing　to　pieces　behind　her；　so　throwing　up　her　arms　and　screaming；　she　fell　through　the　jagged　hole；　straight　into　the　arms　of　the　soldiers　below。
　
　Bond　cursed；　momentarily　wondering　if　he　should　drop　down　and　try　to　save　her。　　She　had　a　great　spirit　and　had　already　shown　that　she　had　the　guts　and　determination　to　keep　going。
　
　He　hardly　paused；　knowing　that　he　would　be　letting　his　heart　rule　his　head　if　he　stopped　now；　for　the　bullets　continued　to　open　up　the　floor　behind　him。　　He　would　soon　be　running　out　of　space；　for　he　had　almost　pletely　covered　the　entire　ring　of　the　gallery；　but　four　strides　ahead　he　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　metal　safe　inlaid　between　the　shelving；　with　room　for　him　to　climb　on　to　it。　　They　would　have　to　blow　the　thing　out　from　under　him　with　explosives　that　would　wreck　the　entire　building　if　he　could　make　it。
　
　He　judged　the　distance　and　then　took　off；　going　for　a　high　jump；　landing　in　a　heap　on　top　of　the　recessed　safe　as　the　fire　from　below　removed　the　floor　he　had　just　left；　and　continued　to　stitch　holes　in　what　remained　of　the　gallery。
　
　He　saw　that　he　was　now　almost　directly　opposite　the　big　circular　window　which　looked　down　on　the　vehicle　park。　　He　took　a　few　deep　breaths；　unbuckled　the　belt　Q　had　given　him；　feeling　for　the　safety　catch　and　moving　it　to　the　off　setting；　twisting　the　belt　around　his　right　wrist
　
　Lifting　his　arm；　he　aimed　at　what　appeared　to　be　solid　stone　on　the　far　edge　of　the　rotunda；　high　above。　　He　took　a　deep　breath；　counted　to　three　and　pressed　the　firing　mechanism　on　the　buckle。
　
　The　belt　bucked　in　his　hand　as　the　pine　shot　out；　trailing　its　high　tensile　cord。　　It　was　over　in　a　flash；　but　Bond　felt　it　was　all　happening　in　slow　motion　as　he　held　his　breath；　praying　that　the　tiny　piton　would　hold。
　
　It　hit　the　base　of　the　rotunda　with　a　solid　thwack；　and　one　quick　pull　on　the　belt　told　him　that　it　was　buried　firm　and　deep　into　the　stone。
　
　Another　intake　of　breath；　and　Bond　took　up　the　slack；　then　launched　himself　from　the　top　of　the　safe；　swinging　in　a　wide　arc；　right　across　the　gallery；　straight　towards　the　circular　window。
　
　He　was　aware　of　the　strain　on　the　belt　and　his　arm；　of　the　air　cleaving　as　he　swept　through　it；　and；　for　a　second；　the　long　drop　down　through　the　other　galleries　below。
　
　He　struck　the　window　in　the　centre；　feet　first；　letting　go　of　the　belt　and　lifting　his　hands　to　cover　up　his　face。
　
　Then　came　the　shattering　crash　as　the　window　caved　outwards　and　James　Bond　smashed　through　it；　dropping　over　forty　feet　to　the　hard　ground。　As　he　went　down；　he　thought　of　the　many　good　things　he　had　experienced　in　his　life　and　the　last　face　which　crossed　the　screen　of　his　mind　was　that　of　Natalya　Simonova。　　Sadly；　in　a　split　second；　he　thought　she　might　have　been　the　best　thing　of　all。　　Now　he　felt　as　insignificant　as　a　tiny　speck　of　dust　floating　through　sunlight。
　
　It　was　probably　one　of　the　heaviest　bets　Bond　had　ever　wagered。
　
　When　he　had　stood　by　the　big　circular　window　after　they　had　entered　the　top　gallery　of　the　archives；　he　had　seen；　parked　directly　below　him；　a　military　truck　with　its　tarp　in　place。　　Nobody　was　in　sight；　so　he　worked　out　the　odds　on　it　having　been　moved　as　evens。　　If　it　had　been　driven　away　during　the　chase　around　the　gallery；　it　would　be　a　hard　landing　bringing　at　the　least　serious　injury：　more　probably；　death。
　
　A　confirmed　gambler；　he　had　weighed　the　odds　and；　having　seen　no　sign　of　life　around　the　lorry；　had　bet　on　it　being　in　place。　　So；　he　came　shooting　out　of　the　window　in　a　shower　of　glass　and；　glancing　down；　saw　he　had　won。
　
　The　truck　was　still　in　position。　　It　was　not　the　softest　landing　he　had　ever　made；　but　it　was　safe　enough　and　the　most　difficult　part　but　for　a　couple　of　bruises　…　was　getting　down　from　the　top　of　the　tarpaulin　to　ground　level。
　
　Once　there；　on　the　hard　paved　walkway　surrounding　the　Military　Intelligence　Headquarters；　he　melted　into　the　shadows；　making　his　way　across　to　the　vehicle　park。
　
　&he　knew　At　some　point；　he　knew；　the　main　gate　would　have　to　be　opened　and　he　would　just　have　to　take　his　chance。　　He　had　very　little　ammunition　left　so　it　was　a　case　of　picking　the　right　vehicle。
　
　He　softly　moved　up　and　down　the　lines；　rejecting　the　small　jeep…like　scout　cars；　the　APCs　and　the　smaller　BTU…152us　with　their　open　tops　and　room　for　some　eight　men。
　
　There　was　movement　ing　from　the　main　entrance；　so　he　flattened　himself　against　a　cumbersome　T55　tank；　watching　as　Ourumov　and　one　of　the　soldiers　from　the　HO　dragged　Natalya　towards　a　car　and　threw　her　roughly　into　the　back。　　Ourumov　sounded　furious　and　had　a　weapon　in　his　hand。
　
　Natalya　was　making　a　lot　of　noise　as　she　was　pulled　to　the　unmarked　black　car。　　She　had　already　taken　in　the　fact　that　Bond　was　not　lying；　crushed　and　broken；　outside　the　building；　so　she　clung　to　the　hope　that　her　new　friend　had　somehow　escaped　and　was　already　preparing　a　rescue。　By　the　time　they　manhandled　her　into　the　car　nothing　had　happened　and　her　optimism　began　to　fade。
　
　Over　in　in　the　vehicle　park；　Bond　turned　and　found　himself　looking　at　the　rear　of　the　T55　tank。　　He　frowned　and　wondered；　then　made　up　his　mind　and　moved。
　
　Natalya　could　smell　the　sour；　unwashed　body　of　Ourumov；　crammed　next　to　her　in　the　car。　　The　soldier　drove；　heading　for　the　main　gate　with　its　barber's　shop　red　and　white　poles。　　They　slowed　for　only　the　minimum　amount　of　time　it　took　for　the　guards　at　the　gate　to　identify　Ourumov；　then　…　with　the　general　shouting　for　the　driver　to　move　as　fast　as　he　could　…　they　shot　out　of　the　gate；　rubber　burning　as　the　car　fishtailed；　skidding　into　a　left　turn；　building　up　speed　as　they　ran　parallel　to　the　wall　of　the　vehicle　park。
　
　When　it　happened；　Ourumov　jerked　and　actually　cried　out　in　dismay。
　
　The　wall　on　their　left　seemed　to　disintegrate　and　the　prow　of　the　powerful　T55　lurched　through　the　debris　onto　the　road　directly　behind　them。　　It　slewed　from　side　to　side；　but　still　followed；　at　its　flat　out　speed。
　
　In　the　car　there　was　a　touch　of　terror　in　Ourumov's　voice　as　he　shouted　to　the　driver　to　move　it。　　The　fear　which　now　came　as　a　stench　from　the　general　was　founded　on　an　incident　during　the　Afghanistan　campaign　when　he　had　been　in　a　tank；　similar　to　the　T55　that　rumbled　at　their　heels。　Ourumov's　tank　had　taken　a　direct　hit　and　the　general　was　only　one　of　two　people　to　get　out　alive。　　In　his　darker　dreams　he　could　still　hear　the　screams　ing　from　the　rest　of　the　crew　as　the　metal　coffin　burst　into　flames。　　He　had　shown　a　not　unnatural　fear　of　tanks　from　that　time。
　
　Bond　had　sighed　with　pleasure　when　he　fitted　himself　into　the　driving　seat　of　the　T55　and　switched　on；　pulling　the　small　knob　that　controlled　the　starter；　hearing　the　engine　immediately　rumble　into　life。　　He　looked　around　and　saw　there　was　a　fuel　gauge　showing　full；　the　rest　of　his　quick　course　in　tank　driving　was　one　of　trial　and　error；　testing　the　long　metal　lever　controlling　the　gears　and　the　thick　control　column　which；　he　discovered；　turned　the　machine　somewhat　violently；　slowing　the　tracks　on　one　side　and　speeding　those　on　the　other　so　that　it　staggered　to　left　or　right。　　The　brakes　and　accelerator　were　easy　enough　to　find；　and　the　only　problem　he　faced　there　was　that　they　were　transposed　from　those　of　a　normal　car　…　brake　pedal　on　a　long　stalk　for　the　right　foot　and　accelerator　on　the　left。
　
　He　had　no　time　to　examine；　let　alone　use；　the　array　of　electronics；　but　he　did　know　that　he　could　not　drive　the　beast　and　fire　the　100mm　gun　that　sprouted　some　twenty…nine　feet　from　the　turret。　There　was　a　machine　gun　in　reach　alongside　the　driver's　seat。　　He　could　not　use　that　while　Natalya　was　still　in　the　car；　so　he　concentrated　on　a　straight　chase。　With　luck；　if　he　could　control　the　machine；　he　might　just　run　Ourumov　to　earth　…　literally。
　
　What　he　had　no