Part 2:
The Persian Gulf; MI6 had temporarily moved here from London. The oilrig looked very convincing to Bond as it was, but the coordinates were correct. "Just drop us off here," he said to the pilot of the helicopter as he shut down the computer he was using to make a description of the woman in Switzerland.
"Are you sure? It doesn't look much like a headquarters, 007," questioned the pilot.
Moneypenney, who was sitting off to the side, was glad to break the silence, "It's the place."
The helicopter landed on the surface of the big ship and let James and Moneypenney get off. Then went back up again and flew away.
Moneypenney walked over to a structure marked crew and went inside. Bond was about to follow, but a chubby man with a cigar came up from a lower deck and yelled, "Where're you goin' Bond?"
James didn't know who he was but he replied anyway, "I'm going to see M."
"No you're not," the other said, "I'm filling in. M had to leave. Apparently, someone didn't check in when they were supposed to. Hi, I'm Randal."
James knew that Randal was talking about him when he said someone.
"If you will step this way, I will brief you," ordered Randal.
The hot sun was beginning to drive Edman Zalzoa mad. Sweat was dripping off of his dark skin. It was noon somewhere in Saudi Arabia and he wished he had a container of water. "How can anyone stand the heat out here," stated Edman as the air from the speed of the jeep was just starting to be felt.
"Most men can stand it. Even my friend Shock," replied Kenusekey, "I hope this doesn't disrupt any contracts between us."
The vehicle went into a bumpy portion of the road. "Just tell me what is required to complete my mission," muttered Edman while trying to keep balance of his words.
Kenusekey looked at him. "What is required, is getting to the city in time." He tapped the driver on the shoulder and said, "Hurry it up."
The jeep sped up to a quicker pace, which made the ride even bumpier. Edman had to hold on to the cross beam above him to keep from falling off. I hope we reach the city soon, thought Edman, this guy is weird.
After about an hour of silence, the city was in sight of the jeep. It was hard to believe that a city this big was out here in the middle of nowhere.
"You don't have to look so surprised," said Kenusekey with confidence.
From afar, the city looked huge. Edman would have bet any price that it was bigger than New York City. To the right was an enormous building enclosed inside of a bubble that stretched across a complex. It was only half the size of the city, but it looked intimidating.
The jeep came to a security gate that led over a power dam across a ravine and the two had to get out so the vehicle could be checked. They walked to the side of the steep ravine. Kenusekey let out a freshly sigh as Edman peered down into the water at the bottom that looked deep and filled the canyon from side to side. "The city of McBeth. It was a testing sight for families, but now it's just a normal, everyday, profit city. I want to take it over, but unfortunately I can't. I'm not permitted to go into the city. Even though I can sneak in and out, it's lust not enough. So I have made a plan where I can." Kenusekey pointed in front of the dam, the way the water was running, at two skyscrapers that were being built on each side of the ravine. "That's my summer home. I'll "move" into it as soon as it's finished."
The buildings had a very durable look to them. They didn't look much like something that would be a summer home, with all the scarce windows that weren't there and the mechanical structures. They weren't very tall but it looked as if you could line them up long ways and they'll reach across the ravine. Part of each house ran down onto the inside wall.
"It looks um… nice," Edman lied.
"Just you try being dictator of this organization," shot Kenusekey, "I have something nice planed for this house. Come and I'll show you."
Edman was puzzled, "Am I going to do something like what I did with 007 back there?"
"Well," replied Kenusekey, "somewhat- yes."
The room he was in must have been boring. Even the wallpaper was sitting dull. But finally Randal came in with a cheerful hello.
"What happened? I've been sitting here for almost a hour," Bond tiredly said.
Randal replied with a grin, "An hour and twenty minutes to be exact. You had the telly to keep you occupied."
"There's really nothing on in this part of the world," Bond replied as Randal typed in a code and the door slid open.
"Just come into the office."
James did so and to his surprise it looked just like the HQ office in London.
Randal handed him a folder. Lifting the flap up, Bond slid out a sheet of paper. As Randal sat down, he started the briefing, "Out in the Middle East, in the middle of the Arabian Desert, is a very large city. It has been kept a secret until a dictator called Dimithar Kenusekey tried to take it over. Do you know him?"
James remembered back at the docks in the Atlantic Ocean, "Yes M gave me a mission that included him. He also had many illegal imports in the Persian Gulf."
Randal continued with the briefing, "Let me tell you a little more about the city. It's called McBeth. The approximate land area is three hundred and seventy-six square miles. That makes it slightly larger than New York. The main source of power is a dam that leads across a rather odd ravine. Dr. Kenusekey had a felicity built on the out-skerts and he wanted an E-package to go to it, but because it used too much power, the power committee turned him down. That was about seven months before now."
"And three months before my mission."
"Yes, James, I have acknowledged that. There's suspicion that Dimithar is going to over throw the committee. They can't have that and we certainly can't have that. A small German army is on his side."
"Isn't he Russian?"
"Yes," replied Randal, "He's most likely giving them some kind of profit. And- oh yes. He has two minor henchmen: Klonzo Flonze, a Japanese hit man; and Edman Zalzoa, an African army man that works undercover for the KGB." He took out another cigar and lit it. This time he talked stricter. "Your mission, 007, would be to go to the Middle East and keep Kenusekey from doing whatever he has planed; even if it's a birthday party for his daughter Clara, but, unfortunately, it's more complicated than that. The Russians will see it as an aggression act if we just send an agent in to investigate. We'll have to find a way to get around that minor detail. Probably because they want some kind of proof, which we're going to get."
"What do you have in mind?" asked Bond.
"Well," Randal shifted in his seat, "That lady that attacked you in Switzerland; we've pulled a file based on your description you gave in the helicopter, and I'd say she is one of the best paths we have to Kenusekey. The only name that came up was a Ronda Heart, and we, as an organization, haven't a clue where she is, but our first guess would be at one of Dimithar's living places, I know he must have many houses. So therefore we will fly you to St. Petersburg. There, you will meet up with a contact called Belcrod. He knows everything there is to know about the Kenusekey family. That will be all, 007. You still have your PPK don't you?"
"I've managed to hang on to it," he said getting up.
"Well, don't lose it."
"I would never."
As James left Randal muttered to himself, "If I had a quince every time I've heard an agent say that. And don't forget to get your notice lines from Q-branch."
James always loved to go around the libratory of Q-branch and fiddle with the contraptions. Today, he saw a pen and wondered what weird thing it does. Does it explode; or let out an acid that can eat through anything; or maybe a rocket that is propelled by a fuel made by ink? He just had to know. He walked over to the pen and was about to touch it when he heard an old squeaky voice. "It's a standard modle of the best devices Q-branch has ever made," it said, "and I strongly suggest that you bloody not touch it."
James knew who it was; a man that has been on the tech department longer than anyone has. "Q," he said excitedly, "I wasn't about to touch anything. What does it do?"
"Oh, grow up, 007," said Q in return. That was a phrase that Q had said many times when James acted childish or immature.
"Nice to see you too," replied James.
"For your information, that pen isn't what you think it is. That was one of the intentions that Q-branch had in mind when they made it. It's just an ink dispenser, 007. Now come over here and pay attention"
They walked to a table that had many water resistant watches on it. "All right, 007, this here is a water resistant MI6 British quartz watch. Press the lap/reset button and it becomes a homing beacon. Twist the lens off and it can become a night vision 'duke's' lens. Whistle and a magnetism will be activated for about ten seconds."
"Like the one I used last mission," asked Bond.
"Yes," Q said, " precisely like it. That reminds me, what about the inventory you were supposed to bring back intact."
"Something bad happened to it."
"What? Even the jetpack?"
"It fell into the water."
"The watch?"
"Some one stole it."
"The toothbrush?"
"Some one brushed their teeth with it."
Q sighed and then said, "You're one irresponsible agent. "You shouldn't have this unless you bring it back intact. But if you can, however, I'll let you sign a release form holding you responsible if you happen to not bring it back. And you can have any thing in that room, too… Oh, provided that Q-branch checks it out."
"That is so nice to hear," said James, "You wouldn't happen to have any thing that can locate a person on sight would you?"
"Do you really need it on this mission?"
"It's just to locate a girl," said James with his comic smile.
Q sighed again and said, "Oh, grow up 007."
End of Part 2.