Chapter 10
One hour before curtain up, Jane Moneypenny was alone in her dressing room whispering the hardest combination she would have to perform over and over to herself.
"ballonée compose, trois derrière, pas de bourrée, double pirouette en dehors, glissade posé, grand jeté assemble soutenu"
Her train of thoughts was interrupted by a knock at her door, which she instantly recognised to be the knock that herself and James had agreed on for security reasons. Eager to see him, as he was the only one who could truly calm her nerves at this point, she bounded over to the door and was greeted by a beautiful bouquet of flowers and a handsome 00.
"Oh James, they're lovely thank you," she gushed, feeling rather like a giddy schoolgirl.
"Well, as much as I am looking forward to seeing your performance, I have half a mind to keep you in here and have my wicked way with you," James started, his voice husky, "seeing you in such attire is just too much for a mere mortal."
It was then that Jane realised she was still dressed in only her rehearsal shorts and black lace bra.
She flashed him a suggestive smile and answered, "well James, we do still have a little time before I have to get ready."
James raised an eyebrow and took her hand in his, leading her to the sofa that sat in the corner of the room. Pulling her down to him, so that she straddled his waist, he kissed her with a hunger which she had not yet felt from him.
"Any ideas of how we should spend that time, my dear?" he growled, kissing her exposed collarbone.
"Hmmmm," she giggled, "a few."
She decided that showing him would be much easier than describing them through speech and so moved her delicate fingers to the hem of his shirt, releasing it from his pants and running her fingers up the side of his rib cages, increasingly aware of his quickened breathing, as she set to work on his bow tie and shirt buttons.
She pulled away slightly at the sight of some rather ugly bruises forming on his chest and raised an eyebrow in question.
"It seems Miss Kinskov was not as fond of my presence as I first thought," James began to explain.
"Is she . ?" Moneypenny asked, knowing that this was the most probable result of an encounter with James.
"Yes, fell on her own sword, one might say."
A moment of silence followed, as Jane realised that her partner was not entirely happy about the killing. Sensing his need to be comforted, in a way that only a woman could provide, she lowered her head once again and kissed him firmly on the mouth before moving her hips against him in a most provocative manner.
"Darling, do we have time to finish this?" James asked hopefully.
"Well actually yes we do, but we can't," she answered, pushing herself up from the sofa.
"Can't? Why?!" he protested, rather disgruntled to be sat on the sofa alone, and even more so as Jane started to dress.
"Well, Madame LeMande ordered that there was to be no strenuous activity for the hours prior to the performance; for any of her dancers," she finished, bending to place a final chaste peck on his swollen lips.
"I'm rather disappointed that my influence has rubbed off on you Penny; you have become quite the tease."
"Now, now James, stop pouting and wish me luck."
"Good luck," he offered miserably, like a schoolboy whose sweets had been confiscated.
Jane smiled at the forlorn expression on his face, before sitting down at her mirror in order to apply the make-up she had been provided with. As she then began to tend to her hair, James stood from the sofa and began to brief her about the plans for the evening.
"All clear?" he asked.
"Yes sir," she replied in a less than serious manner, before giving him a mock salute.
After a disapproving look from the commander, Jane broke into a smile and crossed the room to kiss him, wrapping her arms around his neck in the process. As she pulled his head more firmly down to hers, he flicked his tongue in and out of her mouth, whilst running his hands down her back, and briefly over her bottom.
Then he pulled away.
"James?"
He just smiled.
Jane frowned, "now who's the tease?"
"Well, I wouldn't want you getting light headed during your pirouettes would I darling?" he gave her a quick kiss and, knowing that if he didn't leave now, they would both miss tonight's performance, he opened the door and left with, "good luck Penny, I'll be waiting for you afterwards; we have unfinished business!"
James took his seat in the auditorium just as the overture began. He felt the slight tingle of anticipation as he realised he was nervous for Jane, he knew that she would be wonderful, but it was as if he was sharing her emotions with her in order to lighten her load.
Just as the younger chorus of dancers leapt onto the stage with such grace, James caught a glimpse of a sniper's rifle peering from a small gap in the moulding of the royal box.
Not now James thought this is the first time I have actually wanted to watch a ballet.
But the sniper seemed to disagree and adjusted his rifle so that it was right on target.
James stood and moved from his seat, excusing himself from the other disgruntled patrons who were forced to stand so that the handsome stranger could exit the row. Standing in the aisle, in a position that he knew the sniper could not reach, James again diverted his attention to the stage, just in time for Penny's grand entrance.
God she's beautiful.
Surprisingly engrossed in the performance, James only became aware of the presence behind him just seconds before the figure began to speak.
"Mr Bond, Mr Devorsky would like to see you. You may have dodged our calling card, but my superior is quite adamant that you meet with him."
With a gentle, yet insistent hand on his elbow, James felt himself being led out of the auditorium and with one fleeting glance behind at the prima ballerina from England that had everybody captivated, he knew that the grand finale that night would not be happening on the stage.
"ballonée compose, trois derrière, pas de bourrée, double pirouette en dehors, glissade posé, grand jeté assemble soutenu"
Jane was focused on her body's actions and guiding herself through her tricky opening section, until she saw a familiar figure stand and gradually work his way out of the auditorium. She joked to herself that she didn't think that James hated the ballet so much, but the serious, rational side of her knew that he was leaving for a reason. She hadn't failed to notice the other mysterious figure by his side, leading him further away from her, and she instinctively knew that the danger had only just begun.
Meanwhile, James was led further and further beneath the theatre until he and his escort reached a well guarded room which was clearly the nerve centre of this operation.
"So Mr Bond, what do you think of the ballet?" a voice asked from the corner, motioning to the giant screen that filled one wall of the room. "I must say, Miss Moneypenny is quite enchanting," he teased, "I think she will prove most rewarding as an after show prize."
Tensing at Devorsky's mention of his partner, James quickly recovered his senses. So the masterplan comes to life eh? Quite a room you have here, but what exactly is it you're planning? World domination? Nuclear war? Believe me, I have seen it all before."
Devorsky, confident of his strength and athleticism, dismissed his guards from the room and began to pace in circles around Bond.
"No clichés Mr Bond, just good old fashioned charity. This button," he began, indicating a small black object below the screen, "will trigger bombs connected to one major government building in England, the U.S.A, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, China and India. Some of the most powerful nations of the world will be devastated and terrorist groups will be clambering to take credit for such an attack. All of the destroyed governments will turn to their powerful ally, Russia, for help."
"And there you step in," James concluded.
"Exactly. My beautiful country will again be seen as a wonderful nation, and thanks to my charitable nature, funded by my interests in the raw material exports of our land, Russians everywhere will think me a most suitable leader," Devorsky finished with a smile.
"And then the games begin," muttered James, with a rueful smile, actually surprised at the originality of the plan.
With a flourish, the orchestra ended the finale and the dancers took their bows, greeted by rapturous applause. Moneypenny received a standing ovation of her own and left the stage absolutely delighted, and feeling more alive than ever.
Heading to her dressing room, hopeful, and eager, to see James there, Jane felt a hand on her shoulder. Looking up at the steely eyed stranger, she knew that this had was her invitation to join the party underground.
"So did you bring me down here to stop you?" James asked, as the two men watched the dancers take their bows.
"No, no, no Bond; that is impossible," Devorsky declared, again showing his conceit, "I brought you here to die."
"Really, is this how you treat all of your guests?"
"Only the ones that kill my fiancées," the Russian replied, whilst swinging his fist to connect firmly with Bond's jaw.
Taking the punch , rather than choosing to stop it, Bond knew that the villain would now feel as thought he had the upper hand.
At that moment came a knock at the door, before two guards entered with Moneypenny in tow.
"Ah, your beautiful wife, right on cue," Devorsky offered, in a voice tinged with sarcasm and husky with desire, as he grabbed Jane by the arm and pushed her roughly into a vacant chair near the centre of the room.
"So, how long do we have then before this show of yours? And we will be alive to see it?" James asked, keeping a watchful eye on Moneypenny, who was, at that moment, struggling against the guards, as her hands were bound behind the chair, before her feet were given a similar treatment.
Devorsky chuckled, "she will be, but I wouldn't afford you that luxury. No, Mr Bond, I am going to kill you very slowly and painfully, and then I will sit here and enjoy my plan's fruition as this lovely lady tends to my needs. And then I will kill her as well; don't worry, I'll burn the bodies together." He threw a sickening glance in Penny's direction and almost licked his lips at the prospect of what was to come. "There is, however, a chance for you to play your favourite role and be a hero to your heroine. She can go, if, before I kill you; you push the button yourself."
Faced with the ultimate dilemma, Bond looked from the imprisoned woman and then back to the trigger button below the now blank screen.
"Having trouble deciding Mr Bond? Your principles or the woman you love? Well, well, well," the Russian goaded, knowing in his own mind that he would never keep his side of the bargain anyway; Miss Moneypenny was far too enticing to be overlooked.
"Why would I have trouble? She means nothing to me anyway," James lied, thinking that perhaps this might be his final chance to save at least one of them, "we were sent here together, that is the extent of it."
"I beg to differ," he stated, before signalling to one of his men.
Suddenly, a video began to play on the screen. Videos of the two English visitors most intimate moments; and most intimate words.
"Oh James, oh God yes, oh . . . ."
The sound was almost deafening, leaving all thankful that the scene soon changed. However, the next scene was no more pleasant for Penny and Bond to see; Jane enjoying a relaxing soak in the bath, before being joined by a handsome partner.
"Penny, did I ever tell you how beautiful you are?"
"James, I'm not sure I'm quite up to any strenuous activity just yet."
"Don't worry darling, we'll take it very slow, I promise."
Jane lowered her head, as tears threatened to fall. She felt so . . .so . . Violated. It wasn't that she was ashamed of their actions together, it was just that it suddenly all felt so cheap and dirty; knowing that someone had been watching.
The next clip was just for James; Devorsky knew that these would really hit him where it hurt.
The screen filled with the silent image of a sleeping beauty. The camera zoomed in on her face as the fiery haired figure breathed ever so gently in and out, in peaceful rhythm.
The plan worked; James was furious. The thought that someone else had shared in this picture, a sight that he had felt truly honoured to have all to himself, made him angrier than he had ever been.
Again the screen went blank, as Devorsky spoke, "So, what is it to be then? Her, or your conscience?"
Just as James was about to speak, a deafening blast was heard and the whole room shook violently as the roof collapsed, burying the occupants in rubble.
For a few, eerie moments, silence reigned.