Chapter 26- Levels Of Deception
P.S The FULL Chapter 26 is now presented in its entirety. In this chapter, the Xenia-Natalya battle comes to its epic conclusion. Watch out for more chapters of "Nightingale" in 2006. Merry Christmas, Bond fans!
6 years ago-In the jungles of Cuba
Desperate times called for desperate actions. Unfortunately, such actions usually led to undesirable consequences. Normally fatal ones. However with death starring only inches away from her panic stricken face, Natalya Simonova was now out of options. With the exception of one particular strategy.
It was completely foolhardy. Almost suicidal in its absurdity. It lacked all manner of tactical sense. Under normal circumstances, it would never have worked.
Not even in a thousand years.
Nevertheless, strangely enough however in this case it…did work. Like the proverbial charm.
Was it luck? Natalya wondered. The blessing of Mother Russia's supposed Orthodox Saints favoring them. Perhaps…perhaps. Natalya herself preferred to think of her actions as "boldly seizing the tactical initiative". Because if there was one lesson the young Russian had learnt over the years, it was this. "The best kind of defense was always a strong offence." Battles were rarely won by individuals who played the game passively. Daring and forcefulness brought in instant and yet monumental results, which was essential in Natalya's business. The trick however lay in doing the unexpected. Catching your opponent off guard. Disrupting the flow of your attack before your move could even spotted. Not an easy task to do, even under the best of circumstances. But then again adversity was no stranger to Natalya. She was a Russian after all, born and bred in the wheat fields of Minsk. In fact, till now, every moment of Natalya's short but tumultuous life had been filled with a plethora of combative enemies and prejudices. Which she had finally overcome despite the formidable odds against her. Challenges had never been a stranger to the young Russian.
Xenia Onatopp was merely the latest example.
Emboldened, Natalya Simonova went back on the offensive. A simple head butt was all it took.
It was a simple and yet surprisingly effective move. Shocking in its sheer barbarity. Xenia herself never saw it coming. How did all this happen? With her reddish hair glistening in the sun, Natalya simply closed her eyes and slowly bided her time. The illusion of her being a helpless victim had to be maintained for her little ploy to succeed. It was essential that Natalya wait for Xenia to…come closer with her defenses down.
Natalya banished all thoughts of 007 from her mind. Her growing infatuation with Bond notwithstanding, she could ill afford any distractions at this point. In any case, Natalya was confident that Bond could take care of himself. The injuries Xenia had inflicted upon him were deliberating but hardly fatal. From the corner of her eye, Natalya could tell that Bond was in the process of gathering his strength. Though Natalya knew (from their previous bouts of lovemaking) that 007 possessed a prodigious degree of strength, he still required a few minutes to recover.
Natalya swore that she would provide her newly beloved those few precious moments. Somehow, she had to distract Xenia's attention away from Bond. It was simply a matter of survival. A realist of the first degree, Natalya understood she could not overpower her formidable opponent by herself. She needed backup, and Bond was her option available.
Natalya sighed. Life had never been easy for her, but she was hard pressed to remember finding herself in a situation so dire. Well, if wishes were dreams…
Xenia advanced upon the seemingly helpless Natalya, preparing to deliver her final coupe de grace. The young Russian seemed almost paralyzed with pain, with salty beads of sweat running copiously down her neck. Xenia licked her cracked lips eagerly; moistening her water starved cracked flesh with her sensual tongue.
Finally after a valiant struggle, the mighty Natalya Simonova was finally incapacitated. She was broken and utterly defeated. Xenia smiled with a vulpine grin. Here was indeed a moment to cherish and remember.
A rumbling sound filled the afternoon sky. Xenia looked up to catch a glimpse of a Cuban transport helicopter hover above the tree line. "They arrived right on schedule. Well, it's about time something went according to plan." The Janus operative mused. Xenia then checked her watch hurriedly. She was already behind schedule. Travelean was expecting her. Xenia had already wasted more than enough time on this matter as it was.
Time to collect her prize, Xenia silently chortled. A dazed and confused Natalya lay ready for her unmaking.
As she raised her arms to deliver a devastating Savate chop to Natalya's neck, Xenia wondered if Travelean even wanted Bond taken back alive for interrogation. It would be foolish to do so. The pesky MI6 agent had certainly caused them a substantial amount of trouble. Time and valuable resources had been lost during the Moscow debacle. Ouramov may have been a fool, but he held numerous valuable contacts within the Russian military. Upon his death, many of Travelean's Moscow contacts had become compromised. Bereft of Ouramov's support and protection, Travelean's operatives become easy prey for rival criminal organizations. Especially long established outfits like K-Directive and Spectre. Xenia mulled upon their predicament. The Janus crime syndicate was especially vulnerable at this point of time. Xenia chuckled with mirth. The Old Russian adage was indeed true. A little help from the top indeed went a long way. Despite their considerable power base, Janus still lacked the steady roots which would allow the organization to survive and thrive within a bustling metropolis like Moscow. With most of their resources tied into the Goldeneye operation, Janus was at its heart still a fledgling organization, with many of their operatives lacking the necessary operational experience and ruthlessness to make the organization a fast growing success. Boris Greshenko was a prime example, Xenia thought sourly. With the exception of his hacking gifts, the renegade computer hacker lacked any pretense of espionage skill or personal discipline. Xenia personally found Greshenko to be pathetically contemptible. She understood why he had been chosen, of course. Greshenko had access to the Severnaya facility and possessed intimate knowledge of the Goldeneye satellite itself.
Still…he was hardly the only suitable candidate. The woman that stood defiantly before Xenia here surpassed Boris in almost every way.
Personally, Xenia was amazed that a person of Natalya's formidable talents would be neglected in such a manner. A research station in Siberia? It was a travesty, indeed. Happily, that piteous situation would now be rectified. Dazed and helpless, Natalya would be ripe for indoctrination regarding more substantial matters. No longer would she be forced to slave at an obscure research facility. Instead, the young Russian would become Xenia's personal assistant and plaything. A respected position, indeed. Especially, at the establishment of the New Order. With Xenia and Travelean as its Masters.
Xenia chuckled. Good help was certainly hard to find these days.
As for Bond…Xenia decided she would eliminate him right here and then. Bond represented a dangerous distraction to their plans. He was handsome, deadly. The perfect male, Xenia thought. His mixture of arrogance and steely coldness sent delicious shivers down Xenia's spine. The sensation was simply exquisite. Being a connoisseur of depraved desires made Xenia a fairly good judge of character. Thus she was astute enough to recognize Bond as a fellow predator on the prowl. Metaphorically Bond was akin a Lion to her Viper, protecting his pride against all invaders. Natalya included. Xenia also realized that despite his claims to the contrary, Alec Travelean still held a primordial fear of Bond. Onatopp vividly remembered the crimson fury in Travelean's eyes, when he learned that Bond was still alive and unharmed after the debacle in Moscow.
Millions of dollars lost. General Krakovitch Ouramov dead. Their Moscow base of operations wrecked.
James Bond was proving to be more just a nuisance than they could ever expect. He was now a threat.
These thoughts ran through Xenia's mind as she prepared to knock Natalya out. So engrossed was she, that Onatopp was caught utterly off-guard by Natalya's sudden head bash. Rivulets of pain tore at Xenia's mind, forcing her to stagger back. As she tried to regain her bearings, Xenia realized too late that Natalya was not as helpless as she thought.
"The little bitch was faking it! She was playing possum." Xenia thought furiously. She swore that Natalya would not get away with this. The young Russian was simply lucky. Despite her lucky blow, Natalya was hardly a match for an experienced killer like her. It was inevitable. Already battered and weary, Natalya could not withstand a continuous assault from Xenia. Not for much longer.
"Time to finish her. For good this time." Xenia absently wiped the blood away from her broken nose. It dripped in reddish copious rivers down Xenia's black vest, making a mess. She shook her dazed head hurriedly. Natalya's blow was a masterful strike. Precise and deliberating. Any experienced combat instructor viewing it for the first time would have been impressed.
Despite her injuries, Xenia managed to shrug off the effects of Natalya's blow. A veteran of a thousand battles, Xenia took this little setback in stride. Instead of allowing herself to be disheartened, Xenia became inflamed with utter rage. The innate cruelty within her was combined with a fierce lust for revenge. A potent combination indeed. In fact, so intent was she on finishing Natalya off that Xenia was flabbergasted to find a pair of arms enwrapping her suddenly from behind.
Who could it be?
"Natalya! The Cable!" Bond shouted as he struggled to hold Xenia in place. He dug his heels into the earth, gripping Xenia's forearms in a lock-like vice. Shocked, Natalya realized Bond had come up with the same plan she had. The cable? Where the hell was it? Natalya frantically scanned her surroundings, sweat glistening on the beads of her red lips. Leafy foliage lay all about, obscuring her every view. A veritable forest of green, blanketing her point of sight. Natalya bit her lips in frustration. If the cable was lying about, it would be almost impossible to spot.
Time was running out quickly for herself and Bond. While Natalya had great faith in Bond's physical strength, she held few illusions that Xenia could be held back forever. The Janus assassin was an unpredictable opponent, equipped with a shocking arsenal of surprises. Natalya would breathe easier the sooner Onatopp was permanently disposed off.
Taking in a sharp breath, Natalya quickly launched herself now against this deadly foe. There would be no second chances here. It was time to do or die. Hero hour. Letting the momentum of the rush work for her, Natalya rammed her fist against Xenia's surprised face with a loud cry. Cartilage broke, with the impact of Natalya's blow dislocating Xenia's nose. Never hesitating for a moment, Natalya followed up her strike with a second blow to her adversary's stomach. Ignoring the slivers of pain that crept up her arm, Natalya spun to deliver a final roundhouse kick to the head.
As any good martial artist would attest, kick movements were extremely difficult to execute successfully in a real fight. In a battle where victory could be decided in a space of a few moments, it usually left one off-balance, helpless to the forces of gravity. Distance was the key. If a kick had to be performed, it should be best done from a distance. Thereby giving the supplicant more room to maneuver. Only the most skilled martial artist would dare attempt a close ranged attack like this.
Was Natalya talented? Certainly. Highly skilled? Unfortunately, no.
What she had on her side however was gumption. Oodles of it. Ladled of course with a little smidgen of luck. Her well conditioned physique and lithe form allowed Natalya to unleash her kick with blinding speed. With Xenia doubled over with pain, Natalya's blow was an unqualified success. It caught Xenia by the chest, propelling her backwards. Natalya stumbled and took a few steps back as she tried to find her centre of balance. Idly, she wondered how Bond would deign to finish Xenia off. After all, there were limits even she could do. On the other hand, Natalya knew that Bond, as a trained operative, had at his disposal a veritable arsenal of killing techniques. Surely, he could dispose of this dammable woman once and for all.
What happened next surprised even Natalya. Marshalling all of his dwindling strength, the British agent drove a series of lightning blows towards Onatopp's shoulder joints. There was a sharp cracking sound, as Xenia screamed out loud in pain. Disbelief coloring her exotic features, Xenia struggled to raise her hands up. Unfortunately, they flopped ineffectually. As time went by, the Georgian's defense collapsed completely. Doubtless, Xenia was still stunned at this sudden reversal of fortune, Natalya gloated with satisfaction. While hardly a vindictive woman, Natalya Simonova had never hated an individual so much so as Xenia. The transgressions she had committed against the young Russian were much too heavy to forgive. Far too heavy. There was a blood debt to pay. For Severnaya and its now deceased occupants.
"It looks like your time has finally run out, Miss Onatopp." Natalya thought grimly. As she watched Bond pummel his now defenseless foe relentlessly, Natalya Simonova slowly but reluctantly turned her head away. Despite the events of the past weeks, she was still an innocent in some manners. And with that came a sharp conscience. Deep down, Natalya understood that watching a fellow human being bludgeoned to death in front of her would cause something precious inside her to be tarnished forever. And while innocence was a quality she would have to jettison down the road, years later. Natalya could not do so now.
She could not. She would not.
A hail of gunfire broke Natalya's thoughts. Hurling herself into a nearby bush, she looked up to find an ominous looking gunship hovered above her. Instinctively she recognized the type. A MI-24 Hind armored gunship. It was a familiar sight to the average Russian. The Hind was a mainstay of the Russian SPETNAZ Special Forces. A transport gunship and flying fortress both combined in one deadly package. This particular gunship model had been extensively used in the Afghan conflict to…how could they put it…pacify certain regions. A nice euphemism for murder, Natalya had thought wryly at the time.
"Time to go, my dear!" Bond quipped as he firmly grabbed Natalya's arm. Ignoring the spikes of pain that shot through her arm, Natalya sneak a quick look at Bond's opponent. Had the nefarious Xenia Onatopp finally met her demise?
It certainly looked like it.
With her head hunched forward lifelessly, the malevolent Georgian seemed…almost asleep. Natalya's keen eyesight discerned numerous discolorings centered around Xenia's neck and chest areas. Blood dribbled out of the corner of her lips. Natalya surmised that Bond's blows had crushed the cartilage and bone fragments within Xenia in many places. He was certainly a heavy hitter indeed, Natalya thought ruefully. It was a vital piece information that Natalya would surely remember into the future. Marshalling her last reserves of courage, she studied Xenia's still-moving form. The Georgian's complexion had now taken the color of ash, a distinct sign of mortality. The stench of death filled the air.
Despite all the evidence however, an uneasy sensation began to suffuse Natalya. Xenia looked dead, but…
"Natalya darling, we have to go, NOW!" Bond spat as he dragged, without ceremony Natalya through the thick green foliage. They still had a mission to perform. Bond urgently understood that the countdown had begun. While he did not know the extent of Travelean's schemes, Bond's knowledge of his former friend told the MI6 agent, that time was of the essence here. The consequences of failure would be disastrous indeed.
Thus, with blazing automatic gunfire whistling about all over them, Natalya thought back about their near-death encounter. Bond was right, of course. They was no longer any reason to tarry about here anymore. Onatopp was surely dead. In their previous hand to hand training sessions, Natalya herself could attest to Bond's awesome hitting power. He was a tempest in motion. Both in the field or in bed, Natalya thought with dark humor. If Bond said Onatopp was dead, the young Russian girl was inclined to trust his judgment. Bond was a professional after all. Further more; the MI-24 gunship hovering above was itself a formidable adversary. Encased with inch-thick bullet proof armor, it was surely beyond the duo's ability to bring down. To stand against it now was to court certain death. And Natalya was certainly not suicidal. She had too much to live for. Looking at the debonair handsome individual striding next to her and the warmth of her paramour's touch suffusing the fiber of Natalya's every being. Natalya was blessed with an unfamiliar sensation, she had only previously heard about...
Happiness. A rare commodity indeed.
A few hours later, Travelean's plot was finally foiled. With Bond and herself none of the worst for wear. As the duo relaxed in each other's sturdy arms, they knew that a romance which would scar them for the rest of their lives had been born. They had a connection. Time would tell whether true love would blossom from it. However, Natalya remained hopeful. She had few illusions about Bond. The work he did, or the person he was. They would be other women of course. Natalya was too much of a realist to deny that fact. Nevertheless, the young Russian was confident that she and Bond would see each other again. They were surely made for each other.
There was however one little fly in the proverbial ointment. Xenia's body remained nowhere to be found. Bond had shrugged it off, dismissing the matter as irrelevant. Not that he was taking things lightly, Natalya realized. It was simply her paramour's practice to meet one challenges as they came along. Dead or alive, Bond would handle Xenia in the same manner he did in most things (with the exception of Natalya herself). Professionally and without emotion.
Natalya herself held a different outlook at things. She preferred clean finishings. The danger of a deadly psychopath like Onatopp could not be underestimated. While Natalya admitted her judgment could be biased in this regard, in her report she stood by its accuracy. Still…Xenia was surely dead. Bond himself would attest to it. He was too much a master in inflicting death for him to be mistaken in this regard. Without 60 of her bones broken and her sternum smashed, Xenia would surely die of her injuries, despite any kind of medical treatment.
Was Xenia dead? Most probably. However a most unwelcome thought now hit Natalya Fyodordovna Simonova. There were many instances where power of the human will enabled one to reach beyond their physical limits. Allowing them to perform incredible wonders. And Xenia Onatopp was in essence…Will Incarnate. Evil made into horrid flesh.
What would that mean for her, Natalya thought suddenly?
To be continued