johngardner.goldeneye-第23部分

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he　took　the　right　into　a　wide　street；　he　saw　to　his　frustration　that　this　was　a　dead　end。　　Facing　him　was　a　three…storey　office　block。
　
　There　were　lights　in　the　street　level　windows　and　he　saw　people　moving　behind　them。　　At　the　last　minute；　people　in　the　office　plex　heard　the　sound　of　the　oning　tank　and　began　leaping　for　cover　as　the　juggernaut　crashed　through；　turning　furniture　to　matchsticks；　typewriters　into　squashed　and　mashed　metal；　and　exploding　puter　screens。
　
　He　pushed　the　power　to　its　maximum；　and　the　tank　went　right　through　the　building；　like　wire　through　cheese。
　
　He　emerged　into　a　wide　street；　bursting　out　from　the　rear　wall　of　the　building；　cursing　the　brick　dust　and　pieces　of　stone　pouring　down　from　the　turret。　　For　a　second；　he　had　to　pull　his　mind　back　to　the　direction　he　would　have　to　go　in　order　to　catch　the　car。　　He　hesitated；　then　pulled　the　machine　right　and　found　out　exactly　what　the　police　chatter　had　meant。
　
　Facing　him　was　the　barricade；　plete　with　a　large　anti…tank　gun　and　a　lot　of　other　firepower。　　An　officer　stood　in　a　mand　car　to　the　right；　obviously　waiting　to　give　the　order。　　The　only　problem　he　had　was　that　Bond's　tank　had　broken　through　the　wall　behind　the　barricade。
　
　For　the　first　time；　Bond　reached　for　the　handle　and　trigger　of　the　forward　firing　machine…gun；　squeezed　and　was　relieved　to　find　the　weapon　was　fully　armed　and　ready。
　
　He　smelled　the　cordite　in　the　cramped　enclosed　space　of　the　T55；　and　saw　the　utter　confusion　in　front　of　him。
　
　Some　of　the　tracers　from　the　machine…gun　were　hitting；　all　of　them　were　causing　plete　panic　in　the　waiting　military　unit。　　He　spotted　one　brave　man　attempting　to　swing　the　anti…tank　gun　and　bring　it　to　bear；　trying　to　turn　it　to　face　the　rear　of　the　barricade；　but　the　tank　was　already　on　top　of　them。　　He　felt　the　whole　mass　of　metal　tip；　heeling　over　to　one　side　as　the　right　tracks　crushed　the　gun。
　
　There　were　a　few　bullets　as　he　moved　away　down　the　road；　and　one　armour　piercing　round　did　hit　the　heavy　plating　on　the　rear；　but　he　was　home　free。　　More　than　that；　he　had　just　caught　a　glimpse　of　Ourumov's　car　crossing　the　road　about　two　blocks　ahead。　　He　did　not　need　to　follow　closely　on　its　heels　now；　for　he　had　recognised　the　neighbourhood。　　On　Jack　Wade's　tour　of　St。　Petersburg；　the　American　had　brought　him　along　this　road　intentionally。　　He　now　knew　exactly　where　Ourumov　was　heading。
　
　All　he　could　hope　for　was　that　he　could　get　there　in　time。
　
　This　was　yet　another　of　the　remnants　of　the　old　Soviet　military　machine。　It　lay　deep　inside　a　large　oblong　cutting；　the　top　of　which　was　surrounded　by　a　crumbling　brick　wall　and　razor　wire。　　The　buildings　were　already　starting　to　break　up；　and　there　was　a　strong　sinister　sense　of　long　gone　power　about　the　place。
　
　It　had　obviously　once　been　somewhere　of　tremendous　strategic　importance。　You　could　tell　that　by　the　types　of　structures　and　the　strongly　constructed　platforms；　together　with　now　rusting　stubby　cranes。
　
　Bond　lay　in　a　gap　in　the　wall；　on　top　of　the　cutting；　looking　down　on　the　panorama　below　him；　the　T55　stood　at　the　end　of　the　deep　ruts　it　had　made　when　climbing　up　the　high　sloping　grass　embankment；　and　he　was　relieved　that　he　appeared　to　have　arrived　before　Ourumov。　　That　had　not　been　difficult；　for　the　car　in　which　the　general　travelled　with　Natalya　was　forced　to　take　normal　roads；　while　the　tank　had　been　able　to　move　away　from　streets；　so　slew　off　across　open　fields　to　get　to　this　place。
　
　He　silently　thanked　Jack　Wade　for　pointing　it　out　to　him　on　their　long　drive　around　on　the　day　of　his　arrival　in　St。　Petersburg。　　Later；　when　the　gangster　arms　dealer　Zukovsky　had　mentioned　the　rumours　that　Janus　travelled　in　style　on　an　armoured　train；　Bond　had　known　immediately　where　that　train　was　likely　to　be　kept：　here；　the　once　Number　One　Strategic　（Rail）　Weapons　Depot。　　The　first　real　proof　of　what　this　place　had　been　was　in　the　number　of　long；　strengthened；　flatbed　trucks；　which　had　been　the　main　transporter　vehicles　for　NATO…coded　Scapegoats；　Savage；　Sego　and　Scrooge　nuclear　weapons　…　the　ICBMs　and　tactical　nukes　which　were　taken　by　rail　to　sites　and　silos；　or　even　intended　to　be　launched　from　these　very　trucks。
　
　The　track　itself　appeared　to　be　in　good　order；　as　did　the　one　train　standing　in　the　depot。　　A　large　diesel…powered；　heavily　armoured　engine　was　set　to　pull　three　carriages。
　
　Each　seemed　identical　and　was　also　armoured。　　The　engine　was　already　running　at　idle；　and　from　its　square　nose　a　single；　long；　telescopic；　steel　buffer　projected。　　At　its　foremost　end　was　a　circular　plate；　almost　the　same　circumference　as　the　front　plate　of　the　engine　itself。
　
　The　buffer；　he　thought；　would　be　enough　to　deter　anyone　attempting　to　get　in　the　way　of　the　engine。　　It　would　also　act　as　an　effective　shock　absorber　should　such　an　engine　be　pulling　a　nuclear　lc~J。
　
　He　was　thinking　that　the　entire　train　had　been　well　refurbished；　when　the　car　swept　out　of　an　underground　tunnel　to　screech　to　a　halt　beside　the　platform。
　
　He　would　make　sure　they　were　on　board　before　he　moved　off；　for　it　should　take　him　no　longer　than　ten　minutes　to　travel　below　the　ridge　of　the　cutting；　then　down　to　the　point　where　he　planned　once　again　to　e　face　to　face　with　Janus。
　
　Ourumov　dragged　the　girl　from　the　back　and　turned　to　the　driver。
　
　Natalya　cowered　behind　the　general。
　
　〃Shall　I　wait；　sir？〃　the　driver　asked。
　Ourumov　nodded。　　〃1f　you　would。　　Wait　for　ever；　please。~'　He　shot　him。　Twice　in　the　stomach　and　then　once　through　the　head　…　the　coup　de　grace　…　as　he　lay　dying　on　the　ground。
　
　Revolted；　Natalya　turned　away；　then　jumped　backwards　in　surprise；　for　Xenia　Onatopp　had　silently　e　from　the　train　and　was　standing　directly　behind　her。
　
　〃Wele；　Natalya。〃　She　gave　a　wolfish　smile　and　wiggled　her　hips　slightly。　　She　wore　a　skin…tight　one…piece　black　jump　suit　and　highly　polished　calf…length　boots。　　An　Uzi　hung　from　her　shoulder。　　〃Arkady。'　She　leaned　forward　and　kissed　the　general。　　〃It's　wonderful　to　see　you　both　here　safely。　　Janus　is　going　to　be　so　pleased。〃
　〃Not　with　what　I've　got　to　tell　him。〃　Ourumov　sounded　surly。
　
　〃Never　mind。　　Such　romps　we　ll　all　have；　and　think　of　that　wonderful　sun。　　e；　little　one。〃　She　looked　at　Natalya　as　though　she　could　eat　her。
　
　As　they　half　pulled　Natalya　towards　the　train；　Ourumov　seemed　to　throw　off　his　surliness。　　〃Ah；　I　shall　enjoy　a　little　sunshine　after　the　winter　we've　had。〃　Then　he　laughed　an　unpleasant　cackle。　　〃Natalya；　you'll　be　fine　sport。　　I　know　you'll　have　fun。　　Xenia　is　an　extraordinary　woman。　　She　likes　anything　with　legs。　　Rather　exotic　tastes；　our　Xenia　has；　yes。〃　Natalya　found；　on　boarding　the　train；　that　it　did　not　smell　as　she　expected　a　train　to　smell　…　even　a　diesel。
　
　There　was　none　of　that　mixture　of　sweat；　oil　and　grease　she　was　used　to。　Instead　she　smelled　flowers；　roses；　the　air　was　sweet　with　them。
　
　When　they　took　her　into　Alec　Trevelyan's　carriage　she　gasped　at　the　opulence。　　She　had　seen　photographs　of　the　Czar　Nicholas's　train；　with　its　rich　hangings；　chandeliers；　beautiful　upholstered　seats；　fine　mahogany　panelling　and　polished　tables。　　This　seemed　to　be　a　replica。
　
　Trevelyan　sat　at　one　of　the　tables　which　was　laid　out　for　breakfast　That　was　the　other　thing　Natalya　could　smell　…　fresh　and　rich　coffee。　The　china　on　the　breakfast　table　was　like　nothing　she　had　ever　seen：　each　cup；　saucer　and　plate　was　ringed　with　a　thin　gold　band　sandwiched　between　two　royal　blue　bands；　while　each　piece　also　contained　what　seemed　to　be　a　royal　crest：　a　blue　shield　on　which　there　were　two　gold　profiles；　as　though　a　face　had　been　split　in　two。　　Like。
　
　the　man　sitting　drinking　his　coffee：　the　right　side　clear　and　unharmed；　his　left　side　scarred　and　terrible；　with　the　eye　socket　pulled　down　out　of　alignment；　and　the　mouth　frozen　at　the　corner。　Between　eye　and　mouth；　the　ruined　flesh　seemed　like　the　skin　of　a　reptile。
　
　As　he　stared　at　her；　Natalya　felt　movement。　　The　train　was　beginning　its　journey；　swaying　slightly　and　gathering　speed。
　
　The　man　with　the　disfigured　face；　whom　she　took　to　be　Janus；　glanced　at　Ourumov　and　then　his　eyes　switched　to　Natalya；　looking　her　slowly　up　and　down　so　that　she　felt　he　was　mentally　undressing　her。　　It　was　a　humiliating　experience；　and　for　the　time　this　went　on；　she　felt　as　though　this　strange　man　really　had　the　power　to　see　her　body　through　her　clothes。　　She　would　not　look　him　in　the　eye；　turning　away　her　head　in　embarrassment。
　
　Finally　he　spoke　to　Ourumov；　〃Either　you've　brought　me　this　perfect　gift　for　our　long　journey；　General；　or　you've　made　me　a　very　unhappy　man。
　
　Ourumov　gave　a　shrug；　as　though　nothing　mattered　either　way。
　
　〃That　idiot　Mishkin　got　to　them　before　I　could。〃
　〃What　you're　really　trying　to　tell　me　is　that　Bond　is　alive。〃　Another　shrug。　　〃He　escaped。
　
　The　scaly　and　askew　side　of　his　face　seemed　to　give　a　twitch。
　
　〃Good　for　Bond；'　he　murmured。　　Then　lifting　his　head；　〃But　bad　for　you；　General。〃　Xenia　gave　an　unpleasant　croaking　laugh。　　〃I　told　you　that　if　I　couldn't　get　this　man　Bond；　then　you　wouldn't　have　any　success　either；'　taunting　the　general。
　
　Trevelyan　shook　his　head。　　〃Bond　has　as　many　spare　lives　as　a　cat。
　
　Now；　bring　her　over　here。〃　He　motioned　towards　Natalya。
　
　Ourumov　put　a　hand　on　her　shoulder　and　propelled　her　roughly　towards　Janus/Trevelyan；　thrusting　her　down　in　the　padded　chair　next　to　him。
　
　〃Just　sit　quietly；　and　be　a　good　girl。〃　Trevelyan　spoke　softly；　and　she　noticed　that　he　had　a　very　similar　accent　to　that　of　Bond。
　
　When　he　leaned　forward；　his　face　close　to　hers；　she　wanted　to　pull　away。　It　was　not　the　disfigurement　as　much　as　something　about　the　man's　personality。
　
　Not　just　unpleasant；　but　bordering　on　evil。
　
　〃You　like　my　friend；　James？〃　he　asked。
　
　She　gave　a　nonmittal　nod；　just　the　slightest　movement　of　her　head。
　
　〃Well；　my　dear；　James　and　I　shared　everything　at　one　time。〃　When　he　smiled　it　was　only　with　the　right　side　of　his　mouth；　and　the　left　eye　seemed　to　close；　its　reptilian　eyelid　sliding　down　very　slowly。
　
　The　eye　reminded　her　of　a　lizard　or　a　chameleon。
　
　As　he　c