johngardner.goldeneye-第9部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　for　the　moment　they　kept　a　vigil　over　their　dead　master。　　Nobody　could　know　how　this　accident　and　the　unsupervised　dog　team　would　save　another　life　in　the　next　few　hours。
　
　It　was　quite　soon　after　the　sled　accident　that　the　Tigre　helicopter　arrived；　bearing　its　two　uninvited　guests。
　
　Both　British　and　American　analysts　had　shown　an　interest　in　the　seemingly　defunct　Severnaya　Station。　　From　the　big　satellites　they　had　many　pictures　of　the　area　which　the　Russians　claimed　had　been　taken　off　the　operational　list　for　the　past　two　years。　　The　pictures　showed　ruin　and　decay；　except　for　one　thing　…　the　huge　radio　telescope　dish　that　appeared　to　grow　from　the　ground。　　The　dish　had　been　there　for　some　years；　but　the　pictures　seemed　to　show　that　it　occasionally　changed。
　
　The　analysts　maintained　that　over　a　very　short　period　of　time　the　dish　had　bee　larger　and　that　it　moved　now　and　then。　　There　were　sceptics；　of　course；　some　of　them　with　a　great　deal　of　experience　and　knowledge。
　
　The　latter　pointed　out　that　the　dish　might　well　move　with　the　wind；　and　the　idea　that　it　had　bee　larger　was　an　optical　illusion　caused　by　changes　in　the　weather；　and　different　angles　of　the　sun。
　
　In　fact　the　dish　was　larger；　and　it　did　move　at　the　mand　of　men　and　women　hidden　deep　in　the　earth；　some　thirty　feet　below　the　surface；　for　the　Severnaya　Station　was　far　from　dormant。
　
　The　dish；　at　this　very　moment；　was　locked　onto　a　forgotten　piece　of　former　Soviet　space　junk　…　in　reality　a　fully　operational　satellite　…　over　the　Middle　East　　It　was　being　controlled　by　a　young　woman　sitting　at　a　work…station　in　a　well…lit；　windowless；　scrupulously　clean；　spacious　puter　room。
　
　There　were　roughly　a　dozen　such　men　and　women；　all　working　in　this　section　of　the　plex。　　Not　one　of　them　was　over　forty　years　of　age　and　they　had　been　chosen　from　a　list　of　hundreds　of　potential　puter　scientists　throughout　the　Federation　of　Russian　States。
　
　Doors　to　kitchens；　rest　rooms；　dining　and　sleeping　facilities　led　off　from　this　technical　area；　and　a　thick　glass　wall　divided　the　scientists　from　a　control　room；　manned　by　several　men　and　women　in　uniform。　　This　second　section　~J'J~　U　~　~　y　~　contained　a　long　console　replete　with　digital　electronic　instruments　and　switches　topped　by　a　vast　screen；　blank　at　this　moment。　　Sunk　into　the　wall　behind　this　plex　control　area；　was　a　brilliant　red　safe。　　Next　to　the　safe　in　scarlet　lettering　was　a　notice　in　Russian　which　said　Locked。
　
　Authorization　Code　Required；　and　as　an　extra　precaution；　a　steel　electronic　gate　secured　by　steel　plates　directly　in　front　of　the　safe。
　
　Out　among　the　lines　of　puters；　the　girl　manipulating　the　satellite　was　tall；　slender　and　dark　with　high　cheek　bones　and　clear　brown　eyes。　What　marked　this　girl；　Natalya　Simonova；　from　the　other　technicians　was　her　neatness　and　the　clothes　she　wore　…　a　long　black　skirt　and　a　~bite　shirt　covered　by　a　patterned　waistcoat。　　Many　of　her　colleagues　wore　the　untidy；　shapeless　grunge　look；　or　worse。　　The　man　to　her　right　was　clad　in　dirty　jeans；　a　Whited　magazine　T…shirt　and　a　black　leather　motorbike　jacket。　　His　hair　looked　as　though　it　had　seen　neither　shampoo　nor　b　in　a　week　and　his　attitude　was　one　of　an　edgy　　spaced…out　cyberpunk。　Boris　Grishenko　was　indeed　all　of　these　things　and　tolerated　by　those　who　controlled　the　establishment　because　he　was　undoubtedly　the　most　brilliant　scientist　in　the　entire　plex。
　
　Natalya　spoke　quietly　into　the　small　mike　attached　to　a　headset　〃Rotate　right　sixty　degrees；　ascend　to　one　hundred　kilometers。
　
　The　blinking　satellite　symbol　on　her　monitor　moved　at　bet　bidding。
　
　She　smiled　as　though　she　had　just　taught　a　clever　trick　to　a　pet。　Her　delight　was　interrupted　by　a　miniacal　scream　of　laughter　from　Boris。
　
　〃I've　done　it。　Defle　it。。
　
　Natalya　glanced　at　her　friend；　Anna；　who　was　seated　at　the　terminal　on　her　left。　　Anna　rolled　her　eyes　and　made　a　gesture　with　her　hand　which　meant　to　show　that　he　was　unhinged。
　
　〃Natalya；　e　and　see　what　I've　done。〃　He　had　gone　into　hyper　crazy　mode；　so　she　walked　over　and　looked　at　his　set…up。　　Boris；　being　Boris；　had　several　screens　set　up　in　front　of　him。　　〃I'm　in！〃　he　laughed；　a　tuneless　cackle。
　
　On　one　screen　she　saw　the　Seal　of　the　US　Department　of　Justice。
　
　〃Christ；　Boris；　you've　hacked　into　the　US　Department　of　Justice？　Do　you　know　what　will　happen　if　they　trace　it？　　If　they　trace　it　to　here？〃
　〃Sure；　the　Chief　of　puters'll　call　me　a　genius；　move　me　back　to　Moscow　and　give　me　a　million　bucks　…　which　is　never　going　to　happen。。〃
　〃They　pay　us　in　good　hard　currency　anyway；　and　to　hear　you　talk　sometimes　that's　what　you　get　…　a　million。〃
　〃Ach；　we　all　get　the　same。　I'd　like　a　chance　to　spend　it　sometime　instead　of　being　here；　living　like　a　ground　hog。
　〃A　worm　more　likely。〃
　〃Anyway；　the　Americans　are　too　stupid　to　catch　me。　They　can't　detect　viruses　on　a　hard　drive；　let　alone　His　puter　gave　a　warning　beep　and　the　seal　dissolved；　leaving　a　message　flashing　on　the　screen　…　UNAUTHORISED　ENTRY　DETECTED。〃
　〃You　were　saying？〃　Natalya　laughed。
　
　Boris　cursed　and　quickly　typed　in　a　mand　to　load　a　programme　of　his　own。　　The　programme　flashed　a　reminder　on　his　screen　…　TO　SEND　SPIKE　PRESS　ENTER。
　
　He　hit　the　Enter　key　and　the　prompt　changed　to　SPIKE　SENT。
　
　〃Good。　　Spiked　them。〃
　Natalya　shook　her　head。　　〃Boris；　just　hang　up。〃
　〃No　way。〃　He　turned　and　looked　her　straight　in　the　eyes。
　〃I　spiked　them；　you　stupid　goose。　　That　programme　of　mine　seizes　the　phone　line　of　anyone　trying　to　trace　me。　　It　jams　their　modem。　They　can't　hang　up。〃　He　typed　another　mand　which　brought　up　another　message：　INITIATE　SEARCH　…　ENTER　PASSWORD。
　〃Now　what？〃　from　Natalya。
　〃I　enter　the　password。〃　He　typed　ten　keys。　　On　the　screen　the　letters　were　not　visible；　ing　up　as　a　line　of　black　circles。
　〃Bullets；'　he　explained。
　〃I　know　what　bullets　are；　Boris。〃　As　he　tapped　Enter　again　so　a　map　of　the　world　came　up　on　the　screen　and　a　red　line　began　to　trace　the　telephone　line；　the　names　of　places　ribboning　out　as　it　passed　through　major　junctions　or　satellites。　　From　Severnaya　it　tracked　straight　to　St。　Petersburg；　across　Europe　to　angle　off　over　the　Atlantic　to　the　United　States　where　it　crawled　quickly　to　Atlanta；　and　stopped；　leaving　a　winking　red　light　over　the　city。
　
　His　screen　went　blank　for　a　second　and　was　suddenly　replaced　by　the　words：　FBI　HEADQUARTERS；　PUTER　FRAUD　DIVISION。
　
　Boris　said　something　obscene　and　impossible；　then　banged　sharply　on　his　Enter　key　to　clear　the　screen。　　〃I　need　a　cigarette；'　he　snapped　moodily　and　sounding　sullen。
　
　〃Well；　I　need　coffee。〃　Natalya　glanced　at　her　screen　to　make　sure　all　was　in　order　and　walked　towards　one　of　the　doors　that　led　to　a　kitchen。
　
　Boris　Ivanovich　Grishenko　swaggered　away　from　his　terminal；　as　if　he　were　walking　off　the　job；　heading　for　one　of　the　utility　doors。　　He　went　up　the　steep　angle　of　stone　steps　that　led　to　the　outside　world；　grinned　at　a　security　camera；　pushed　open　the　door　and　stepped　into　the　cold；　bleak　landscape。
　
　As　he　did　so；　a　voice　echoed　from　a　concealed　speaker　…〃r。ade　Grishenko；　you　are　using　an　emergency　exit。
　
　You　have　been　told　before；　this　is　illegal。　　Get　back　to　the　technical　area　as　quickly　as　possible。〃
　〃e　up　and　stop　me。〃　Boris　was　obviously　always　doing　this　kind　of　thing；　and　had　little　tolerance　for　authority；　knowing　he　was　probably　the　most　essential　puter　technician　they　had。
　
　He　pulled　out　a　packet　of　Marlboro　cigarettes。　　He　had　bought　a　huge　amount　on　his　last　leave；　paying　with　the　hard　currency　the　technicians　earned。　　Putting　a　cigarette　between　his　lips；　he　flicked　at　the　wheel　of　his　lighter。　　The　flame　spluttered　for　a　second　and　was　blown　out；　as　if　by　some　sudden　strong　wind。
　
　Grishenko　raised　his　eyes。　　The　dark　shape　of　a　helicopter　was　descending　onto　the　landing　pad　some　fifty　yards　away；　its　rotors　stirring　the　powdered　snow　into　a　white　tornado。
　
　The　Tigre　has　landed；　Xenia　Onatopp　thought　grimly。
　
　She　popped　the　sleek　canopy　and　undid　her　safety　harness；　reaching　down　to　sling　an　Israeli…made　Uzi　onto　her　right　shoulder。　　She　already　had　spare　magazines　in　pouches　on　her　belt。
　
　〃Ready；　General？〃　She　spoke　into　her　headset；　hearing　the　general's　snarl　of　response　…〃Let's　get　on　with　it。　　I've　been　ready　for　some　time　now。　　They　were　both　in　uniform；　Xenia　with　the　insignia　of　a　colonel；　her　partner　with　that　of　a　general。　　Bond　would　have　recognised　the　general　immediately；　for　the　last　time　he　had　seen　him　General　Ourumov　had　a　gun　to　the　head　of　his　old　friend　Alec　Trevelyan。
　
　Boris　Grishenko　did　a　swift　disappearing　act　as　soon　as　he　spotted　the　two　officers。
　
　Now；　Ourumov　kept　step　with　Xenia　as　they　marched　purposefully　along　the　side　of　the　ruined　building；　where　ice　and　snow　had　been　cleared　from　a　path　which　led　to　the　main　door；　down　wide　concrete　steps；　along　a　corridor　to　a　security　door。　　A　guard　sprang　to　attention　and　saluted；　though　General　Ourumov　seemed　to　hardly　notice　the　man。　　He　knew　exactly　what　he　was　doing；　looking　straight　into　a　camera　placed　almost　at　eye　level　and　clearly　speaking　his　name　〃General　Arkady　Grigorovich　Ourumov。　Head　of　Space　Division。〃　There　were　a　series　of　fast　bleeps　as　the　system　went　through　its　voice　recognition　routine；　then　the　steel　security　door　opened　and　the　pair　were　through　into　the　most　sensitive　area　where　the　Duty　Officer　snapped　to　attention；　his　second…in…mand　hastily　rising　and　buttoning　his　jacket。
　
　〃General；　if　I'd　known　you　were　ing。。
　
　Xenia　muttered；　〃You'd　have　baked　a　cake；　yes。　　〃You'd　have　been　ready　for　me；　I　think；　Major。　　This　is　an　unscheduled　test　of　the　Severnaya　facility。　　A　war　simulation。　　We　shall　be　test　firing　GoldenEye。　　Report　status。〃　He　looked　up　and　could　see　that　the　puter　scientists　and　technicians　behind　the　thick　tinted　glass　were　moving；　craning　from　their　work…stations　to　see　what　was　going　on。　〃Jump；　man。　　Report　status；'　Ourumov　barked　at　the　major。
　
　〃Status　normal；　sir。　　Two　operational　satellites：　Petya　and　Mischa；　both　in　ninety…minute　earth　orbit　at　one　hundred　kilometres。〃
　〃Good。　　Here's　the　authorisation　code。　　Hand　me　the　Gold