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groin； diving away from him as she did so； leaving Bond a clear shot。
The pistol barked； sounding like a cannon in the enclosed space of the carriage and； as though in slow motion； the top of Ourumov's head disappeared in a fine red mist
Bond ducked sideways； threw himself down near Natalya and came up shooting。 His first two rounds went high； to the left。 By the time he resighted； the door at the far end was open and Xenia； followed by Trevelyan； was through the gap。 Two more shots splintered the woodwork； but they were out and away。 As he reached the door； he heard the sound of bolts being thrown。 Almost at the same time great thick armoured shields came clanging down over the windows。
〃We're in an armour…plated coffin；' Bond said quietly。
〃Yes； I'm fine； thank you； James。 Good of you to ask。〃
〃I'm sorry； but。。
The one big puter； on the desk from where Bond had snatched the Beretta； suddenly beeped； and Natalya turned her head。 Took one look and shouted； 〃Boris？〃
〃Where？〃
〃Somewhere out there。〃 She pushed him to one side and swung into the chair； her hands on the keyboard； rattling away。
〃Natalya； what in hell're you doing？〃
〃James； let me get on with it。 Somewhere out there； in the real world； Boris is sitting at a puter。 That's where you'd expect him to be。 He's only alive when he's at a puter。 He could be anywhere … Timbukthree。
〃Timbuktu。〃
〃Two。 Right。 Now； this is his programme。 He's backing up all his files and he's reachable。 If I can send a spike down the line； I could trace exactly where he is。 Would that help？〃
〃Just a lot。 〃Good； then let me do it。〃 She growled at him； 〃Well； don't just stand there； man； get us out of here。〃
〃Yes； sir。
Certainly； sir。 Three bags full； sir。〃 He turned his attention to the floor； and removing a large Swiss Army knife from its hiding place in the waistband of his slacks； he began to cut away a wide section of the carpeting。
Outside； Trevelyan and Xenia had jumped from the train。
〃I only hope to God that it wasn't damaged in the blast〃 He sounded concerned now。 〃If it was then we can say goodbye to everything。〃 They stood back from the forward coach； the front of which looked a little charred and burned from the explosion。
Taking what looked like a small TV remote controller from his pocket； Trevelyan aimed it at the carriage and pressed。
There was a rumbling and the four sides fell away on hinges to reveal a sleek； black； little helicopter。
〃We did it！〃 Xenia shouted as she and Trevelyan ran up one of the long； oblong sides and onto the flatbed truck； moving as a team； unclipping padded metal restraining locks from around the machine。
Seconds later； Trevelyan ducked underneath the middle carriage and heard the sounds of Bond at work。 His hand slid up to a black box towards the front of the carriage； opened it and punched in some numbers。
By the time he reappeared； Xenia had the engine running and the rotors turning。 A few seconds later the helicopter lifted off； with Trevelyan at the controls。 He flew in a wide arc and then hovered over the centre carriage； speaking quickly into a sound system which magnified his voice。
Natalya was typing furiously； the read…out on her monitor flashing and changing： C：》 CD SPIKE C：》SPIKE C：》SEND SPIKE ENTER She slammed a forefinger onto the enter key and the prompt came up： C：》SPIKE SENT She gave a wild war whoop。 〃Got him； I hope。〃 Then they both heard the disembodied voice of Janus； Alec Trevelyan； ing from above。
〃Good luck with the floor； James。 I set the timers for three minutes。 The same three minutes you gave me back near Archangel。 It was the least I could do for an old friend。〃 An intermittent beeping sounded from below them； and red lights began to flash above each door in the carriage。
〃What does that mean？〃 Natalya sounded anxious。
〃It means we've got exactly sixty seconds to get out。〃
〃Oh。〃 She went back to the keyboard； typing even faster。
Bond had the carpet stripped back to expose the metal floor。 He pulled his watch from his wrist； turned the bezel so that two marks were aligned； then he pressed one of the buttons flanking the main stem。 A thin； bright laser beam hissed out of the side。 Lowering it； he began to slice through the steel； tearing it away and making a wide circle。
The watch was one of the most useful things Q had ever provided him with。
Natalya had typed in a further mand： C：》 FOLLOW SPIKE TRACE。
Her screen dissolved and a map appeared in its place。 She followed the red line that traced itself across the graphics of the world； talking as it went。
〃He's not in Russia； Germany； Paris； Madrid； Rome； London。〃 Her voice became faster and faster as the line followed Boris； and the confusing route he had taken。
〃New York； Washington； Miami； Key West
〃Twenty seconds。。。〃 Bond shouted。
〃Cuba。 James； he's in Cuba。
Bond thumped the centre of the laser tracing and a circular sheet of steel dropped to the ground below the carriage。 〃Fifteen；' he yelled。
〃Havana！ Got him No。 No； he's out of there。 To the north but still in Cuba。。
〃Near enough！〃 He yanked at the back of her shirt； dragged her from the chair and dropped her through the hole； following her with about five seconds to go。
They crawled out very quickly and he flung her down； covering her body； just as the three carriages went up with a roar； engulfed in flame。
Natalya sprinted up to the far side of the bank； Bond went after her； again ending up shielding her。
She smiled up at him。 〃Wow！ Was it good for you？〃
〃A shade too close for fort。〃
〃I don't get it； James。 What is it with you？ Do you destroy every vehicle you get into？〃
〃It does seem to have bee a kind of operating procedure。
〃Well； I think I should make the arrangements for our trip to Cuba。' 〃Our trip？〃
〃You don't think I'm going to leave you to finish this on your own； do you？ Anyway； do you know how to dismantle Mischa？' 〃Actually； now that you mention it； no。 We may need some help。〃
〃Can you find it？〃
〃Oh； I think so。〃
〃Good。 Now； James； are there any other operating procedures I should know about？〃
〃Thousands。〃 He smiled at her； his lips drifting down towards her mouth。 〃Don't worry； though。 I only pay them lip service。〃
〃I can't think of a better way；' said Natalya Simonova as she lifted her face； and then her body； to his。
There were a lot of problems and the first； which should have been the easiest； proved to be the most difficult。
They were on foot； some six or seven miles from the centre of St。 Petersburg。 In these days of the new Russian democracy； it was not always a good idea to be without transport。
Bond also needed a telephone to acplish the most essential hurdle： getting in touch with Jack Wade； his only backup。
They walked for several miles； happily unmolested but for a beggar who insisted on singing for them in a highpitched tuneless voice。 From what Bond could make out； the words had something to do with； 〃Oh； my suffering brothers'。 As the man sang； s