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A boot lashed out and caught him in the face as Xenia Onatopp reached the end of the rope to which she was secured。 He managed to get halfway to his feet before she lashed out at him again。 Dressed in a tight bat suit with the omnipresent machine pistol strapped to her back； Xenia was on him like a wild animal； her legs closing around his chest； knocking the wind from him and clutching； causing great stabs of pain。
〃This time； Mr。 Bond； the pleasure will be all mine。〃 His reply 〃Don't be so bloody melodramatic； Onatopp。〃 … was almost certainly not prehensible as she scissored his ribs； bearing down on him。
This time she had him。 He could feel the crushing； and thought the bones would crack at any minute as he fought for breath。
She started to scream orgasmically …〃Oh； yes Yes Yes。。。〃 and only stopped as an arm slid around her neck。 Natalya was on her back trying to pull her from Bond； but Xenia threw her off with one arm； shouting； 〃Wait for your turn。 You're next。〃 She had lost some of her grip in dealing with Natalya； enough for Bond to reach up behind her and get a hand around the machine pistol。 His thumb hit the safety catch and he squeezed the trigger。
He had no particular purpose； but the weapon sent a spray of bullets straight up； tearing into the side of the helicopter。 The pilot was obviously caught off guard for he opened up the throttle and the machine moved rapidly forward； ascending as it did so。
The line to which Xenia was secured went taut； pulling her away from Bond； who flicked her into a spin as she was lifted； at speed； across the clearing； heading straight for a tangle of tree limbs； where she was suddenly trapped in a V formation of thick branches。
Above； the helicopter was dragged backwards by the anchor of Xenia's body caught in the tree。 The pilot tried to descend and regain control； but the tightness of the rope pulled the machine sideways； so that he suddenly lost it altogether。 The machine tipped to one side at a dangerous angle； rapidly losing height and dropping into the trees。
There was a terrible rending； then the fireball leaped up into the air。
Natalya was beside Bond as he got to his feet； rubbing at his chest； still in pain and knowing that he had been only seconds from death。 He looked at Natalya； and then at Xenia's body； crushed； with her face contorted horribly in agony。
〃She always did enjoy a good squeeze；' he said。
Far below the lake； in a plex similar to the one at Severnaya； Boris sat in front of a bank of monitors； his eyes riveted to one of the screens； his hands obsessively playing with a pen。
This facility； unlike Severnaya； was built in three great tiers； walkways running around each section； screens and electronics everywhere。
The monitor in front of Boris was reeling off numbers； marked as CURRENCY TRANSFERS。 The figures were so large as to be almost inprehensible。 Billions of dollars were being moved from the Bank of England into a series of accounts in France； Switzerland； Brazil； Argentina； and some huge sums were even being switched into American banks。
〃Going well； eh？〃 Alec Trevelyan stood behind him。
〃And they won't know until tomorrow。〃
〃They will never know once we bring Mischa into play； my friend。 What's the status？ Is the satellite in range？〃 Boris； looking more wild and unkempt than ever； pointed up at the long screen to his right which showed the orbit status with the red satellite symbol winking away above southern Africa。
〃About six minutes。〃 Boris gave a little cackle。
〃OK。 Prepare the dish。〃 Boris slapped his hand onto the console and his lower lip jutted out。 〃No。 Not yet。 I am not ready。〃 But I am；' Trevelyan snapped。 〃I'm taking no more chances。 Prepare the dish； Boris； or you won't live long enough to collect anything。〃 * * They waited in the clearing until they both felt recovered enough to explore the lake。 〃There has to be something here；' Bond said。 〃Xenia wouldn't have tried to use her bizarre skills on us unless we were near。
Breaking from the jungle and onto the beach； they stopped at the jaw…dropping sight in front of them。 The water was moving； rippling； and from it rose three tall telescopic masts； joined together by steel cables。
〃Should've e by submarine not by plane。 Bond nodded to himself。
〃No wonder we didn't see anything。〃 Natalya had a hand up to her mouth。
Reaching their full extension； the masts locked into place。
Suspended between them； exactly over the lake； they saw a latticed triangular structure with a catwalk trailing from it at a shallow angle into the water。 Then the lake started to recede and； emerging from where the water had been； there came a massive parabolic shape； hundreds of feet in diameter。
〃Quite a large radio dish；' Bond said。
〃Is that the famous British understatement？〃 Natalya asked。
〃Could be。 Fancy climbing onto that thing？ We can get up there by climbing that metal latticework。〃
〃After you； James。〃 Far below them； inside the circular control room； Trevelyan had opened his briefcase and taken out the GoldenEye。 Holding it out to Boris； he said； 〃The world's greatest cash card。 I can only hope that it won't be rejected。〃 Boris； watching the monitors； reported； 〃Mischa on line。〃 Far away； the satellite； disguised as a piece of space junk； began to reveal itself： a silvery ULF antenna slid out； extending itself to around a distance of half a mile。
Below the so…called lake； Boris asked； 〃Target coordinates； please。' Trevelyan hesitated for one moment； then spoke like a mander on an electronic battlefield。 〃The target is London。〃 Boris started typing in sets of numbers to activate Mischa； and at that moment； Alec Trevelyan glanced behind him and caught sight of one of the external security screens。 There he saw Bond and Natalya slowly climbing through the girders of the latticework； up onto the dish。
He sighed。 〃The man just won't take a hint。〃 He turned to an armed uniformed guard。 〃Go。 Take them out before this begins to get really stupid。〃 The Edge of Catastrophe Looking up from the rim of the dish； Bond saw that the superstructure in the centre； some five hundred feet above； had begun to rotate。
〃He's preparing to signal the satellite；' Natalya warned him。
〃How do we stop him？〃
〃Look； right up there； below the superstructure； there's a maintenance room。 If we can get in there； we can take out the transmitter； just above the antenna。〃 Then the shooting began。
They could not see where the fire came from； but out there； clinging to the rim of the dish … a massive bowl where the lake had been … with the huge superstructure above its centre； they were sitting targets。
Bullets clanged into the metal around them。 Natalya flinched and lost her footing on the slippery dish； slick with water and algae。
Bond tried to make a grab for her and failed； losing his own balance at the same time。
They both slid down the basin； right to the centre； which was the stump of the dish； like a large blockhouse with a sealed hatch on their side。 The waterproof seal； Bond gu