The Confrontation- Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Welcome back. I have just finished editing the first five published chapters of the story into CHAPTER ONE: THE BEGINNING. It is VITAL that you read it in its entirety. What you see below is the "canon" version of "Nightingale". Edited and upgraded to the best of my ability.

I have reviewed my writing style for the past few weeks and in this chapter we mark a dramatic shift. "Nightingale" will be a long epic, lasting 30 to 40 chapters in length.

In it, the world of James Bond will be explored in its fullest. So sit back and enjoy the ride!

P.S: I would deeply appreciate reviews and feedback on how I am doing.

Natalya calmly viewed her surroundings.

Several hundred cubits in length, the room bespoke of opulence and decadence. Beautiful sculptures and paintings were littered everywhere. Heavily perfumed and carpeted. It was a perfect representation of its owner. Amoral and yet not without taste. Everything could be found for a price.

Even…

Faberge eggs, Exquisite Jewellery and Sensuous Models. These last items could be found slouching in a divan at the far side of the room.

Parisian and Cat-Like. They gave a dangerous allure and attraction to the room. Natalya studied them carefully. There were three of them, laid sprawling across a divan. Exquisite in beauty and form, they were all in their twenties. They looked as if they stepped off the cover of Vogue. Fitted in their silk nightgowns, they seemed like marble statues, completely oblivious to their surroundings. The only sign of movement was the erratic flickering of their fine eyelashes. Their movements were akin to a nascent butterfly spreading its wings. Unsteady and yet full of promise.

The sight made Natalya want to throw up.

A prime example of wasted youth, she thought bitterly. These girls certainly should have known better. Surely there were more productive ways to spend one life? Hedonistic pleasure always disgusted Natalya. Considering the poverty back in Mother Russia, these girls were living in the very lap of luxury. Didn't they know how lucky they really were?

Natalya sighed. There was just no justice in life. No guarantees. All anyone could do was to fight.

To persevere. No quarter could be given.

No matter the cost.

Then something caught her eye.

Heaped on their right side, was a mountainous stack of white powder and straws. Natalya strode over to the sleeping trio and delicately placed a finger into the white pile. Slowly she tasted it, an acrid sensation passed ran through her body. Natalya's face froze. Then she scowled in barely hidden rage.

It was as she suspected. Cocaine. The Bane of New Russia. Millions of Russian families had been destroyed by it.

Natalya gave Zukovsky an angry glance. Her opinion of the Ex-KGB man had now taken a dramatic plunge.

Her unease growing, Natalya backed away and examined her surroundings. Something was wrong here. Terribly wrong. There was danger about. From both within and outside the room. Bond had to be warned.

Natalya took a deep breath and frowned. Caution here was indeed necessary.

A delicate stage of negotiations was being undergone between Zukovsky and Bond. Weakness on their part would not be appreciated. There were individuals outside the room that would tear them apart, if their identities were revealed.

An inconvenience to be sure. They would probably survive. But one that should and could be avoided.

Natalya was reflecting upon this when she heard….

Zukovsky's voice boomed in indignation and surprise.

"A favor? I am afraid I am out of the favor business, Bond. I am a legitimate businessman now".

His words seemed hollow and Bond knew it.

"Nothing's legitimate about you Zukovsky. I need to know about what the Avatar Alliance in doing in Baku." Bond said dismissively. He was not giving him any slack.

Too much was at stake here.

Zukovsky gave a distressed shrug. "I am sorry Bond. I truly do not get involved in these things anymore."

In an attempt to placate Bond he continued, "Perhaps, you would like to play a game on the house, before you leave". He said hopefully.

Bond was not mollified "Nobody's leaving here, Zukovsky. Not before we learn something."

Zukovsky looked flustered, at a complete loss for words. He did not know what to say.

Finally he replied.

"Threats Bond? It's always the same for you, isn't it?" He gave a desperate sigh "For the last time, I am telling you I do not know anything." He seemed totally exasperated.

Highlighting his point, Zukovsky turned his back to him in disgust. It was all very convincing.

However Bond knew better. He had known Zukovsky for a long time. Bond understood his moods and quirks like no one else in this world.

Zukovsky was hiding something. Something dangerous. Whatever it was, it must have scared him badly. Zukovsky was not a coward.

Note in point, he had been too quick on the uptake when Bond had asked about Avatar. He should have taken some time to consider it first.

That made Bond wonder. Was Zukovsky afraid? This would certainly be a first.

What could have frightened him so? Bond wondered. His best guess was that it was Avatar. It was certain that they had something on him.

What were the complications of this?

This meant that…

Zukovsky had to be drawn out. His shameful secret revealed. Bond took no pleasure in doing so however. This was a means to an end.

He paused to think. Bait was needed.

Preferably the live variety.

Than an idea hit him.

"How about a wager, Zukovsky?" Bond said casually.

"A wager? On what I pray tell?" Zukovsky gave Bond a curious look.

He certainly was not expecting this.

"That, Natalya here can beat anyone you have here." Bond stated calmly. "I assure you, she can be most surprising." He glanced at Natalya, "Aren't you my dear?" Natalya simply shrugged.

"In cards? Or in bed?" said Zukovsky flatly.

"Anything. However if I win, you'll have to owe me one." Bond calmly replied.

"I already own you several." Zukovsky said in an annoyed tone.

Bond stared at him silently.

A troubled cloud shrouded Zukovsky's mind. He owned Bond a debt that had to be repaid.

It was a not a comfortable feeling. Though a man with few principles, Zukovsky did understand honor. And its attendant burdens. It was not a comfortable one.

Zukovsky stared at Bond.

This was a chance to relieve him self from that weight. It would be a mighty relief.

On that note, he nodded and gravely said "You know I have never did thank you on saving my life."

Zukovsky was quite sincere on that point. He really owned Bond one. And he was a man who repaid his debts. Bond was counting on that trait.

Zukovsky's voice hardened "But now I think this will be my chance to even the score." Bond looked at him calmly, awaiting his response. He knew exactly what it would be.

"I accept your offer." Zukovsky said solemnly.

The two rivals shook hands.

Zukovsky proceeded to laugh and lit his cigar and waved it at Bond. "You, my friend are going to regret this."

"I'll believe it when I see it." Said Bond calmly

Bond turned to Natalya. "Will that be alright with you?"

Natalya shrugged indifferently. Her satin dress fit her perfectly making her much more alluring. She seemed without a care in the world.

Shaking his head in disbelief, Zukovsky returned to his desk. He pondered the situation. After a while, he addressed Natalya. "Are you ready for this, my dear? I hope you don't feel I am being unfair."

"Of course, Mr Zukovsky. I am always ready for anything." Said Natalya in an amused tone. She seemed completely unconcerned that she would soon be inflicting bodily harm. To others and to herself.

This was a woman not to be belittled, Zukovsky thought. The challenge against her had to be real. Zukovsky looked up to see…

Natalya turning her attention to an exquisite Faberge Egg across the room. Jewel encrusted and sky blue, it was a magnificent piece of workmanship. An original Romanov. Natalya picked it up, admiring its exquisite beauty. Magnificent. Natalya was totally engrossed by it. This was a proud example of her country's history. She could certainly appreciate that, even under these dire circumstances.

Zukovsky glanced at the Russian agent. She certainly fetched a most statuesque pose as she examined the egg. Natalya Simonova was a living work of beauty. Most pleasing to the eye. Bond had not lost his touch.

Zukovsky however wondered if there was a fighter in her. There was strength there no doubt, but could it be translated to fighting prowess?

It was hard to say. One could never be sure about these things.

Bond however saw it differently. It had been difficult to spot, but he had seen the clues. The tensing of the muscles. The rhythmic exhalations. It meant only one thing.

Natalya was preparing herself for the conflict to come. She was leaving nothing to chance. Zukovsky however did not seem to notice this.

It would be a grave pity to damage such a beautiful specimen of the farer sex, he thought. But it had to be done. His debt to Bond had to be settled and these two interlopers would be sent on their way.

The Avatar Alliance was dangerous. Much too dangerous for his taste.

However, Zukovsky knew Bond well. Too well, sometimes. The MI6 agent was a man on a mission. It bestowed upon him a curse of wild passions and destructive violence. Things that stood in his path fell apart. Did it ever bother him?

Most unlikely, Zukovsky thought.

Bond had a vision. Instilled in him from birth. An idea of justice for all and a better tomorrow. Zukovsky too had once shared that vision once. For a short while. However the pressures of reality had shown him that it was a false one. There was only one rule in life. To stay on top and enjoy it as best he could.

Some simple piece of mind.

Bond however would never understand this. He still believed in the dream. That foolish dream. There was no room for compromise in him. Zukovsky's previous encounters with Bond had told him that

Thinking upon this, Zukovsky took a deep breathe. Peace was his only desire. Bond's arrival could hurt that irrevocably. He had to go. For both their sakes.

Avatar was most unforgiving.

Zukovsky decided that he would do his utmost not to hurt Natalya however. This was business; there was little need for it to get personal.

Later events would prove it to be the best decision made in his life.

Relaxed into his easy chair, Zukovsky addressed the Russian agent.

"Don't worry, my dear. You'll be well taken care of. We have the finest medical staff money can buy. It looks like you'll be needing it."

Natalya was unimpressed. She ignored him and continued to examine the Faberge Egg in her hand. He was beneath her notice, it seemed.

Seeing this, a growing irritation rose within Zukovsky. How dare this woman disrespect him! Raising his voice he ordered "Arisha, Rya, Mariz. Attack!"

At his command, the three girls on the divan leapt to their feet with shocking speed. Their eyes were cold and devoid of humanity. What were their intentions?

Simply to kill.

This was shaping up to be an interesting fight, Bond thought.

Bond had of course noticed the three girls when he entered the room. However he had dismissed them as harmless. What else would they have been?

He was mentally berated himself now. These girls were lethal. They were highly trained assassins. Not unlike the Hassasin Sects of Old. Dangerous narcotics fuelled their fighting prowess. It made them highly unpredictable and dangerous, giving them an extra immunity to pain and other physical distractions.

Could Natalya handle them? Bond certainly hoped so. The die was now cast.

In simultaneous form, the trio strode towards their target. To an unknowing bystander, they seemed weirdly intimidating. Machine-like. Their every step in synchronized rhythm.

It was unnatural.

A lesser foe would have broken and run by now. However…

Natalya was hardly ordinary. She was extraordinary and she knew strategy.

With a clinical eye, she watched the trio's approach. They were formidable no doubt. But every foe had its weakness. It was usually something innocuous. Something small. Like… the object she held in her hand.

Natalya made her move.

In a blurred movement, Natalya threw Zukovsky's Faberge egg into the trio's midst. It sent the girls into a shambles, upsetting their steady pace. Taking advantage of this, Natalya moved in for the kill.

It was all going to plan.

Natalya's strategic mind had told her that she was now at a distinct disadvantage. Outnumbered and Outgunned. There was little chance she could take them head on. Her only hope was to surprise them. To catch them off guard. The key lay in disrupting their footwork. Crumbling their formation.

There was only one option.

She had to take the fight to them.

Launching a high velocity strike at Rya. Natalya's move connected, with Rya's collarbone. It smashed muscle and cartilage with a ripping snap. Rya staggered, her eyes growing dim. However she refused to go down.

Natalya cursed. She should have guessed. Heavily drugged, Rya was incapable of feeling pain and was capable of taking extraordinary punishment. Natalya gritted her teeth and followed up her blow with a devastating head butt. With an earth splitting crack, Rya fell unconscious onto the floor.

One down.

Natalya scowled. Things were not going as planned.

She had planned on taking them all by surprise, but had only succeeded in taking one of the three out. Arisha and Mariz were still on the move. Encircling her. Once completed, she would be at their mercy. Natalya took a sudden half-step back, disrupting the duo's momentum. Her move brought her valuable time.

The Faberge Egg. It was Natalya's only ally.

The remaining duo was reluctant to drop it. Thus it hampered their movements and highlighted cracks in their defense. It was their Achilles heel. Taking advantage of this, Natalya lashed out at Arista's left eye. Instead she missed, hitting Arisha's chin. Numbing her entire jaw. The blow sent shivers of delicious pain down Natalya's arm. Undeterred, she followed up her strike with a fast finger jab to Arisha's windpipe.

Her aim was indeed true. With a strangled gasp, Arisha tumbled onto the floor, gagging.

Two down.

That left Mariz. It was time to finish this.

Unfortunately for her, Mariz had hardly been idle during this time.

While Natalya attacked Arisha, Mariz took the opportunity to strike at Natalya's right shoulder. She got lucky, penetrating Natalya's right shoulder, tearing through flesh. Five reddish gashes appeared, gushing a torrent of blood. The pain was indescribable. Natalya bit her tongue and tried to focus past it. Her intense mental conditioning helped in this respect. She succeeded enough to perform a reverse leg thrust towards Mariz's knee. Pressing her weight onto the tender leg tendons, Mariz's knee went off with a loud pop. Screaming in pain, Mariz fell onto the floor, holding on to her knee desperately. Natalya quickly finished her off with a roundhouse kick.

Three down.

Silence filled the room. Natalya hands trembled as she tried to centre herself. Adrenalin rushed through her veins. Her fingers clutched tightly, Natalya made an effort to rise from the floor.

It was not easy. Sparks of pain passed by her, making her every movement an effort. Through sheer will power she rose to her feet. A sense of dizziness still surrounded her. Finally she did so, and took stock of her surroundings. Natalya shook her head.

Her three opponents were down for the count. No sounds emerged from them, but Natalya could see their chests heaving. That was good.

They were still alive. She wanted no blood on her hands.

Zukovsky was in a state of shock. Dumbfounded, his cigar fell onto the floor unnoticed. Bond himself seemed pleasantly amused.

Natalya then proceeded to rise and check on the fallen trio. Seeing that they were not in immediate danger, she strode over to Zukovsky.

Zukovsky stared in growing apprehension at the Russian agent approaching him.

Who was this woman?

There was a curious gleam was in Natalya's eye as she towered before Zukovsky. He did not find it pleasant.

Nervous perspiration dripped from Zukovsky's brow as he considered the situation. He cursed vividly in Russian. How could he have lost? The trio were his best. He looked at the approaching Natalya.

Would this Russian agent dare hurt him? Surely not in his own Casino.

Still…you never knew. Zukovsky started to sweat. This time for real.

What happened next though was a surprise. Even to Bond.

Sensually, the lithe Russian agent leaned across the table and gave Zukovsky…

A silent kiss.

"Anything else?" Natalya asked.

To be continued.