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capegoats； 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 came even closer she smelled a cologne and coffee； but something else。 For a second she could not place it； then realised that it was the smell of burning flesh； and she did not know whether she was imagining this or not。 Someone had once told her that when it rained in Berlin you could still smell the burning of that city： the hint of how it had smelled after countless bombings and the final bombardment that had taken place fifty years ago； during the war。
He must have sensed that she was trying to pull back from him。
〃We shared absolutely everything； and you must understand that to the victor go the spoils。… You can make your life very pleasant。 You can even live in luxury for some time。 Eventually you will e to like me very much。〃 His lips brushed her neck； then he moved a hand； turning her face； lowering his lips to her mouth。
She allowed him to get close； then； like an unpredictable animal； she opened her mouth and snapped at his lip。 She felt her teeth going in and saw； as he pu