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！
controlled units； but there was a way he could set them on a timer。 His real problem was that the timer could only be set to detonate the mine with a five…minute delay。
He pulled the black circular object from his pouch； together with a small screwdriver； and began to release the screws on the underside。
He worked calmly。 When dealing with explosives he knew there were inherent dangers in rushing things。
Halfway through the process； the cable car mechanism stopped with a lurch。 Whoever was in the car had already reached the catwalk。
Inside the mine； he removed the remote timer… a small microchip the size of his thumbnail。 Below it was a small dial with a moving pointer like the large hand on a watch。
Using the screwdriver he carefully turned the pointer； swinging it around to its furthest setting。 The mechanism began to click as the pointer slowly moved backwards。
Placing the mine below the generator； he swung himself out of the room； preparing to make the climb down to the catwalk。
He had descended three rungs when two bullets whined past him。 1n one movement； Bond slid the machine pistol from his shoulder and looked down。
Trevelyan stood in the middle of the catwalk； his right hand holding an automatic pistol； raised； ready to take another shot。
Turning to the inside of the structure； Bond fired a fast； unaimed burst in Trevelyan's direction。 The shots went wide； but Trevelyan ducked； throwing himself to the end of the catwalk nearest the small cage which was the cable car。
Bond scrambled down and fired another burst He could see sparks shooting off the metal； but his target had disappeared。 The catwalk was now only around twelve feet below him。 He hesitated for a second； which almost cost him his life； for two more shots came from the direction of the cable car； whanging against the metal near his head。
Swinging inside the triangular lines and girders； Bond pushed off and dropped to the catwalk which began to sway crazily as he landed； firing a long burst into the cable car。
It took a second for him to realise that the car was empty； and he turned just in time to see that Trevelyan had somehow worked his way to the other side of the catwalk； and so positioned himself behind him。
The man who was Janus gave a smile of pleasure as he raised the automatic。
〃Goodbye； James；' he mouthed； and squeezed the trigger。 The firing pin came down with a click that Bond seemed to hear as though it were amplified in an echo chamber。 Trevelyan shouted an oath and flung the empty pistol straight at Bond who had already raised his weapon； bringing it to bear。
The pistol grazed the side of his head； knocking him to one side； just as he fired。 The burst went wide。 It also ended with a loud click and the mechanism of the gun locked。 He was also out of ammunition。
Slightly dizzy from the blow； he barely had time to dodge as Trevelyan rushed him。 He side…stepped and brought his fist up； aiming at his one…time friend's jaw。
The blow connected with the side of Trevelyan's head and sent him sprawling and milling over the catwalk。
Bond looked down； seeing that it was a ten…foot drop to the ~op of the maintenance room below。 This time he did not hesitate； but vaulted over the catwalk； landing heavily on the roof。
He scrambled to one side； and let himself down to the entrance。
As he climbed in； there was a whining sound and the whir of an electric motor。 Someone was repositioning the antenna。
Down under the earth； Boris was making wild war whoops； almost dancing around； shouting； 〃I've done it。 Yes。 I am invincible！〃 as he typed the final mand SEND MAND： ABORT RE…ENTRY。
The countdown clock read Re…entry： 07：45。
Then the screen cleared and scrolled out the message。
STAND BY： ANTENNA REPOSITIONING。
The sound Bond heard in the maintenance room was that of the mechanism beginning to operate and reset the coordinates； swinging the long； tapering spike of the antenna to the correct point to regain control of the satellite。 He looked around； searching for a fuse box of some kind； but all the equipment in the maintenance chamber was sealed： a large grey metal box took up most of the space； and cables originating from the mechanism in the apex of the structure were encased in protective plastic covers。
As he stood； searching for a way to deal with the electronics； a heavy thud shook the whole room； leaving him in no doubt that Trevelyan had also leaped down from the catwalk。
He expected the mine to detonate at any minute now； but that could fail and he still wanted to make certain the antenna did not aim itself correctly。 Outside； he looked down and dropped； landing on the housing that he knew contained the final stage of the mechanism。
There was a hatch into this great circular housing； and he was quickly inside； knowing that Trevelyan was at his heels。
There was little room； for a huge wheel like that of some great clock took up the bulk of the space。 But he spotted two other things immediately … a long； oblong fuse box and a telescopic ladder； attached to the wall and directly above a steel trapdoor。 This； he was sure； would be the way the engineers were able to get right down to the antenna。 He also knew that from this point to the dish itself there were some eighty or ninety feet。
As his mind raced； so he unscrewed the butterfly bolts on the fuse box； flipped it open and began smashing the fuses out in groups of five and six at a time until they were all gone and the whir of machinery stopped。
Trevelyan was close now； he could almost smell the man； just as he could smell his own fear。 Leaping towards the telescopic ladder； he unclipped the safety bolts to allow it to fall。
As Trevelyan appeared in the hatchway； so Bond stamped hard on the trapdoor； his hands on the bottom rung of the ladder。 The trapdoor gave way and the ladder uncoiled； ratchetting down through some forty feet and ing to a sickening halt at its fullest extension only a few feet above the top of the antenna。
He thought his arms were about to be ripped from their sockets； but he held on grimly； the ladder swaying and creaking above him as Trevelyan's face appeared in the trapdoor。
〃Need some help getting down； James？〃 he shouted。
〃I'll be with you in a minute。〃 Easing himself through the opening； Trevelyan began to make a slow descent as Bond attempted uselessly to pull himself back up the ladder。
Natalya moved into the jungle following the noise she had just heard。 She had no desire to look at what she had seen from the edge of the thick trees and fronds … James struggling at the end of a long swinging ladder； some forty feet from the bottom of the dish and directly above the antenna。 She moved slowly towards the noise； and came to a halt as she reached a man…made clearing。 In the middle of this glade stood a helicopter gunship； its rotors gently idling。
Below ground； in the control plex； Boris stared unbelieving at the screen which now read out； ANTENNA MALFUNCTION。 He began to scream and stamp； yelling unintel