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s 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 perf