按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
； Bond guessed； could be activated from either side for there was a heavy spoked wheel in the middle。
Presumably； he reasoned； there was an air lock behind the hatch for the use of any maintenance staff。
He grasped the wheel and began to turn； keeping his head down； expecting another fusillade of shots at any moment。 There was a hiss as the hatch swung open； and he helped Natalya inside what appeared to be a chamber large enough to take two people。 Another hatch with a wheel lay at the far end； so this had to be some kind of way in or out when the dish was below water。
A minute later； they were through the other side of the hatch； making their way down a rungged ladder which； in turn； led to a pillared catwalk； circling the control room。
He thought of the archives back at the Military Intelligence Headquarters。 This circular control room was built on the same principle； but on a larger scale and with insulated metal； tiles and walls that held monitors； together with other plex electronics。
To their left were five or six long； high cylinders which presumably provided fuel for internal generators。
Below； on the bottom level； they could see Trevelyan and Boris seated at the firing console； and Trevelyan's voice came floating up to them …〃On my count； Boris。
Both men had their hands on the firing keys。 〃Three Two One。〃 They turned the keys and lights on the console started to wink from green to red。 The display above read Weapon Armed。 Time to Target 00：2132：26。
Natalya and Bond seemed to be rooted； horrified； to the catwalk； watching helplessly as Trevelyan uncovered the firing button and punched it； then laughed …〃God save the Queen。〃 Now； with a surge of anger； Bond knew that Trevelyan had targeted England。 Almost certainly London。 He began to move； but Natalya caught his arm and pointed down to the middle level。 A door had opened and a technician； wearing a parka with a fur hood and gloves； emerged from what they could see was a large room。
〃The mainframe puter；' Natalya whispered。 〃They'll have a cooling system in there。 It'll be like a big refrigerator。〃 She had hardly got the words out when they saw uniformed； armed men heading up the steel staircase towards them。 Bond pushed Natalya back into parative safety behind a pillar when the section of guards began to open fire as they reached the upper level。
He fired two shots； and the first man on the catwalk spun around； grabbing air； and then the man behind him so that the pair slid back down the stairs。
Other uniformed men scrambled up the stairway and began to lay down withering fire。 Bullets smashed off tiling； hit the fuel tanks or ricocheted from the walls。 Bond attempted to return fire； but he was hopelessly outnumbered。 He glanced round to assure himself that Natalya was all right； but she had gone。 He peered around and thought he saw a figure somewhere below the catwalk； dangling and moving hand over hand directly underneath。
Natalya had quietly run from behind the pillar； taken a peep at the underside of the catwalk and seen that a series of rungs ran directly along it。 Now she was hanging from them； reaching out and grabbing； moving from rung to rung； heading towards the door that led to the mainframe puter room。
Staying as close as he could to the wall； Bond ducked behind the first long fuel tank； slid his hand into a pouch on his belt and drew out one of the small magnetic mines Q had sent in the briefcase。 Fuel was dripping from the bullet holes； and he dodged back； loosing off another couple of rounds； then attaching a mine to the next tank。
He continued； firing and retreating； giving himself time to place the electronically controlled mines under the tanks。
This continued until Bond realised that his pistol was empty and he would have to take the chance that Natalya was about to do something very constructive。 Hopelessly outnumbered； he threw his automatic out onto the walkway； placed his hands above his head and walked out to face the knot of troops； hoping they at least had the discipline to cease firing。
As he moved out； he caught a glimpse of Natalya dropping from the underside of the catwalk and landing by the door which led into the mainframe puter room。 He took his eyes from her for a second and faced his captors。
When he glanced down again； she had disappeared。
Her breath immediately condensed in the freezing atmosphere of the mainframe room。 Natalya glanced around。
Without protective clothing she could only last for a few minutes in this place； so she hurried over to the long plastic keyboard； grabbing at the chair set in front of it。
Immediately her fingers touched the metal on the chair they froze and she had to pull them off； ripping skin from her hand as she did so。
Behind her she glimpsed the large stainless steel vats； each bearing the international Do Not Touch symbol with a ~200o mark。
Liquid nitrogen； she thought； the coolant for the mainframe； keeping it at a steady； very low temperature。
Carefully； Natalya seated herself at the plastic keyboard and began to work。
On the highest walkway； the section of troops to whom Bond had surrendered were frisking him： making him lean with his hands flat against the wall。 From this position； he could clearly see the mines he had set under the fuel tanks； their little red lights winking to show they were armed and would detonate once he used the watch on his left wrist He tried to distract the men patting him down by keeping up a stream of abuse and turning his head away from the tanks。
They found no further weapons on him； so eventually Bond was frog…marched down the two flights of steel stairs and up to the console where Trevelyan worked with Boris。
〃James！〃 Trevelyan turned in his chair； speaking in almost a jovial manner。 〃What a damned unpleasant surprise。〃
〃I always aim to please； Alec。〃 Trevelyan raised an eyebrow。 〃I suppose that's the difference between us。 I aim to kill。〃 His eyes hardened。
〃Where's the girl？〃
〃We're not seeing each other right now。
〃Really？ My people said she was with you。〃 He turned to the guards。 〃Find her。 She has to be in here somewhere。〃 Two of the men left quickly； the other two remained with Bond； placing the contents of his pockets on the console in front of Trevelyan。 As they did so； Bond carefully scanned the monitors。 He took in the long scrolling line of transfers from the Bank of England to various banks throughout the world。 Then he felt his stomach lurch as he saw the global screen with satellite Mischa over Spain； on a direct course for London。 The countdown clock kept going； standing at the moment at TIME TO TARGET He had around a quarter of an hour to stop what would undoubtedly be the greatest catastrophe ever to befall his country。
With this kind of urgency； there was only one thing he could do。
Without being too obvious about it； he let his right hand drift over to his left wrist If he activated the mines under the fuel tanks； everyone would die and the satellite would eventually drift down and burn out without firing