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He passed through the curtains and showed no surprise when the muzzle of an automatic pistol was laid coldly on his neck； just behind the ear。
〃Ah；' he breathed as though in a kind of bliss。 〃I know only three men who have used that particular brand of firearm； and I've personally killed two of them。〃
〃That's lucky for me； then； Valentin；' James Bond whispered。
He did not even sense the other man until it was too late。 A blackjack came down with a soft thud and Bond fell into the darkness of unconsciousness。
〃No； not lucky for you； Mr。 Bond；' Zukovsky purred。
ing back to consciousness was like dredging his way through mud。 He was aware of someone talking； and knew what had happened long before he allowed his body to reveal that he was back among the living。
It was one of those tricks Bond had learned over the years。 If you regain consciousness with your captors nearby； hold back； assess the situation before doing anything。
He heard Zukovsky giving orders； and decided there were at least four people in the room。 In the background he could hear the off…key singer trying to get through 〃Memories He stirred； shook his head violently and looked around。
He was not restrained in any way； and sat in an overstuffed armchair that had seen better days。
Valentin Zukovsky straddled a chair in front of him and there were at least three of his men in the room。 Away in the club； the red sequined girl was murdering LloydWebber。
Valentin's face split into a wide and happy grin。 〃So； here we are； the great Mr。 James Bond： dashing； sophisticated secret agent。 I'm tempted to be melodramatic and say； so； we meet again。〃 He chuckled and his men followed his lead； taking their cue from the boss。
〃The great James Bond；' he laughed again； and the chorus joined in。 〃Shaken not stirred； Mr。 Bond？〃 In the background； the singer hit a particularly terrible high note。 〃Who's strangling the cat？〃 Bond asked。
Zukovsky's initial response was to unholster a pistol and put a shot directly between Bond's legs。 A jagged gash speared through the leather upholstery； and dirty white stuffing flew into the air as Bond pressed himself back in the armchair。
〃That's my mistress； Irena。〃 Zukovsky halted the pistol as though tempted to put another shot after the first； but slightly higher。
〃And a very talented girl she is； Irena。〃 Bond smiled innocently； and Zukovsky seemed to relent； raising his voice and shouting； 〃Irena！
Take a hike！〃 The warbling stopped； followed by a number of Russian obscenities and the sound of Irena's shoes clicking off into the distance。
Zukovsky winced at the fast and angry tap of the footsteps。 Then he turned his attention back to Bond。
〃So； what is it that brings you into my neighbourhood； Mr。 Bond？
Still working for the Secret Intelligence Service？ Or have you decided to drag yourself into the twenty…first century？〃 The moon face looked almost friendly。 〃Incidentally； I hear that your new boss is a girl。
She send you to see me？〃
〃No； I came to you to ask a favor。〃 Zukovsky chuckled again and turned to his bodyguards 〃He wants me to do him a favor。
They all chuckled； and Bond thought they might be taking their lines from an ancient B movie。
〃Bond；' this time he was not looking so benign； 〃my knee aches every day。 Twice as much when it's cold； and do you realise how long winter can be in this part of the world？〃 He snapped his fingers at one of the thugs。 〃Tell him； Dimitri。〃 The large bodyguard began to mumble； revealing that he was not blessed with a high 10。
Zukovsky sighed and shut off Dimitri's muttering with a withering look。
Bond fixed his eyes on his old adversary。 〃You know； Valentin； for an ex…KGB man you sometimes surprise me。
Surely； someone of your stature must have realised the skill wasn't to hit your knee； but to miss the rest of you。〃 Some twenty seconds went by before Zukovsky took it in。 〃So why did you not kill me？〃
〃Let's call it a professional courtesy。
Zukovsky lifted his big head and growled； 〃Then I should return the courtesy。〃 The pistol came up and he fired； the bullet slamming into the chair about half an inch from Bond's right knee。
〃Kirov's Funeral Parlour。 Four o'clock this afternoon； Bond spoke very quickly as though trying to beat a second bullet。
〃Really？〃 The Russian slowly untangled himself from his chair。 〃I think we'd better talk about this in privacy。〃 After the red plush and velvet of Zukovsky's club； his office was a surprise： neat； modern furniture and filing cabinets； a puter on a large uncluttered desk and coffee brewing in a big state…of…the…art coffee machine。
He gestured Bond into a chair and filled two cups of coffee。 〃If my memory serves； you take it black with no sugar。
〃Your memory's very good。〃
〃Like you； James Bond； my memory was for many years one of my most important weapons。
Above the desk was a framed portrait of KGB headquarters in Dzerzhinsky Square。 Bond nodded at it。 〃You still cling to the old days； Valentin。〃
〃It's still Moscow Centre。〃 He settled himself behind his desk。 〃The Americans have a saying； 〃what goes around es around〃。' 〃True enough。
〃I have a firm belief that we'll all be back in business within a decade。 Political ideologies do not die so easily； nor are they simply rubbed out by a declaration。 Now； what's this about Kirov's funeral parlour？〃
〃Two hundred pounds of C…4 explosive； hidden in a coffin。
Your man drives the hearse in； the money changes hands； their man drives the hearse out。〃
〃So？〃
〃So； their man is going to be arrested and the explosives will be seized。 Armed with this knowledge； your man can make a miraculous escape with the money intact。 You have time to warn him； and I promise you this is going to happen。 Also； if certain people don't hear from me by three this afternoon； it all goes down the drain。 Explosives； their man； your man and the cash。〃 Zukovsky's big head nodded。 〃So； what do 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