Bond Movies 07 - Die Another Day

by Raymond Benson

  But what was truly impressive was the spectacular palace made entirely of ice. It sat on the frozen lake a hundred feet before the domes and appeared to be made up of several levels. It reminded Bond a little of the huge mansion covered in ice at the end of Doctor Zhivago, except that Graves’ palace had a much more modern architectural feel.

  As he drew closer, Bond could see that the palace was a hive-of activity. Four-wheel drives, snowploughs, helicopters, Ski-Doos and television trucks were engaged in various tasks around the building. Some of the guests were playing golf on a temporary course fashioned on the lake.

  Bond pulled up to the building and parked near a group of other sleek and expensive: cars. Graves obviously had an elite guest list Bond got out of the car and heard a jet-like roar that seemed to be coming closer. Like everyone else, he looked towards the source of the noise and saw a distant cloud of white shooting across the lake like a dust trail. Heat-haze swirled in the wake of a fast-moving dot.

  Bond moved away from the car park with his luggage and joined some of the other spectators. He could now see that it was some kind of bladed ice-chariot, trailing rocket flames at what he guessed to be three hundred miles per hour. It was hurtling straight for the palace. Several men standing on an apron in front of the palace appeared to be waiting for the vehicle.

  A parachute opened behind the icejet, slowing it down. Then a grappling anchor paid out from the back, digging deep into the ice and pulling it to a stop near where Bond was standing. The men swarmed around the craft and one of them helped the driver out of the cockpit. Sure enough, it was Graves himself.

  ‘Three hundred and twenty-four miles an hour,’ said the man, showing Graves a stopwatch. ‘A new personal best.'

  ‘Thruster two gave out, Vlad,’ Graves muttered, giving the man a sour look. Vlad looked as if he expected a reprimand but then Graves saw Bond and gestured to another man to follow him. ‘Luggage, Mister Kil.’

  The man called Kil, a huge brute of a man, lumbered forward and took Bond’s bags.

  ‘Well, there’s a name to die for,’ Bond said. Kil ignored the quip.

  Graves stepped up to Bond but again didn’t offer his hand. ‘So glad you could make it, Mister Bond. Been to Iceland before?’

  ‘Once or twice. Never in this area.’

  ‘Here nature reigns supreme. What did you think of my run?’

  ‘You looked like a man on the edge of losing control,’ Bond said as they turned to walk up the steps.

  ‘Only by taking on the elemental forces can we affirm who we really are. Under the skin, I mean. Take your Donald Campbell; 1967. The Bluebird. Water speed record.’

  ‘Campbell died on his return run.’

  ‘But he died chasing a dream. Isn’t that die best way to go?’ Graves slapped Bond on the shoulder, then entered the palace. Bond was right behind him, but he hesitated when he caught the sight of a fuchsia-coloured Thunderbird pulling into the car park. The driver was none other than Jinx.

  The foyer was surreal and disorienting, with light filtering through thick translucent walls. A huge tank , filled with rare and exotic fish was built into one wall. Ice sculptures adorned white pedestals that were situated around the room. A gigantic chandelier hung from the ceiling and was covered in icicles. A longhaired snow-white cat with a sparkling diamond collar surveyed the arriving guests insolently from its vantage point on top of the reception desk. The world’s media had gathered here and people were moving in all directions.

  Bond was truly impressed. ‘Whereas you don’t chase dreams, you live them ...’

  Graves seemed pleased. ‘You had better believe it, Mister Bond. But it’s true in another way. Perhaps you’ve heard that I don’t sleep?’

  ‘Yes, I have, as a matter of fact. How do you do it?’ ‘Years of conditioning. Sleep is a waste; there’s plenty of time for that once you’re dead. But yes, I do live my dreams. Wait until you see Icarus.’

  Graves strode off down a curving umbilical passage that extended over the ice to connect with the domes perched on the shore of the lake. Bond looked over and saw Mister Kil gesture with a nod of his head that Bond should follow him in a different direction - where Miranda Frost was waiting.

  ‘Miss Frost,’ Bond said cordially.

  ‘Mister Bond,’ she replied with no warmth.

  ‘A palace of ice? You must feel right at home.’

  'Hardly,’ she said, her eyes narrowing. ‘Gustav built it just for tonight’s demonstration. I’m told the human element necessitates a precise balance of heat and cold.’

  ‘Built on a lake, I hope he’s got the balance right.’ Bond looked towards the passage where Graves disappeared. ‘What’s through there?’

  She led him further in the opposite direction. ‘The diamond mine. And Gustav’s living quarters. You won’t be seeing inside. He values his privacy even more than his diamonds. Security is extra tight.’

  Bond was intrigued by her cool attitude. She stopped in front of a door.

  ‘This is you,’ she said. Kil slid back a huge slab of ice to reveal a breathtaking suite, bedecked in fur.

  Bond looked at Miranda and asked, ‘Would you like to show me more?’

  She gave him a disdainful look and walked away with Kil.

  Bond spent the next half-hour in the suite getting ready for the evening’s presentation. He showered and was amazed when the bathroom didn’t melt. He turned on the plasma television and watched as I he dressed in his tuxedo. It was a programme about Graves.

  The man was standing in what appeared to be a giant hothouse, home to all manner of rare exotic plants. Vast palms arced over ferns, bromeliads and weird succulents. A waterfall roared behind him.

  ‘My name is Gustav Graves and I’d like to welcome you to Iceland - and my Biodomes,’ he said to the camera. ‘This is where my diamonds are mined, cut by the latest in laser technology . Deep below, my drills are carving away, stealing jewels from the dark. Then the lasers are let loose, cutting the stones and marking them with my double G. And here, above, I convert the waste into fertiliser to grow new life that will in turn be processed into diamonds and coal.’

  Bond slipped on his dinner jacket and finished by straightening his tie. He flicked off the television and left the room.

  The palace’s Ice Bar was full of people dressed elegantly in tuxedoes and evening gowns. Lighting cleverly used the ice to reflect a multitude of colours around the rooms. There was excitement in the air and everyone seemed to be in a festive mood.

  Bond stepped up to the bar and ordered, ‘Vodka martini. Plenty of ice, if you can spare it.’ The bartender acknowledged the joke with a wink and set to work. Bond took a moment to look around the room. He was searching for someone in particular and he found her at the other end of the bar. Jinx was wearing a low-backed evening dress and she looked as good as a Hollywood star.

  Bond took his martini and walked over to her. 'Mojito?’ he asked, indicating the bartender.

  She eyed him cautiously. ‘James. Here for the view again?’

  ‘Magnificent as ever. But right now I’m only interested in endangered species.’

  ‘Does that include me?’

  ‘Depends on what you’re up to this time.’

  She knew what he meant and shrugged. ‘So I left you in an explosive situation. I figured you could take care of yourself.’

  ‘No wonder your relationships don’t last.’

  'I'm just a girl who doesn’t like to get tied down.’ Bond wanted to get her in a quiet place and find out what she knew. She probably felt the same way. They both understood that they couldn’t risk taking on the other. Covers could be blown.

  Miranda Frost approached them. She was also dressed beautifully in a sparkling low-cut gown.

  ‘Good evening, Mister Bond,’ she said. ‘And Miss . .. ?’

  Jinx cut in before Bond could introduce her. ‘Swift,’ she said. ‘Space and Technology magazine. Replacing Dr Wiseman. We lost him to that new quasar in the Orion Neb
ula.’

  They shook hands but Bond could see that Miranda wasn’t entirely convinced by Jinx’s story.

  Miranda indicated Bond and said, ‘I take it Mister Bond is explaining his big bang theory?’

  ‘Miss Frost?’ A member of the staff interrupted them. ‘The demonstration starts in five minutes.’

  ‘I’m on my way, Mister Werner,’ she answered. She turned back to the couple and said, ‘Gustav’s moment has arrived. Shall we?’

  As Miranda walked away, Bond turned to Jinx and whispered, ‘Not Jinx any more?’

  ‘Oh, I’ll always be a Jinx to you,’ she whispered back.

  Bond looked to see where Miranda was going, moved a few steps and turned back to take Jinx’s arm - but she had vanished. He scanned the crowd around him but didn’t see her anywhere.

  13 - Let There Be Light... And Love

  The crowd moved outdoors to the large apron in front of the palace. The sun had set, but a bright full moon illuminated the area well enough for people to see. Vast video screens had also been set up, providing views of the proceedings for everyone. The TV cameras were shooting live and newscasters from around the world were already broadcasting their introductions.

  Graves headed to a podium guarded by several security men. Bond noticed that they weren’t so much guarding Graves as they were a large, open case that sat on a plinth next to the podium.

  ‘Ladies and gentlemen,’ Miranda Frost announced. ‘A man who needs no introduction - Gustav Graves!’ The audience applauded loudly as Graves stepped up to the podium and Miranda moved back. Graves waved, mouthed the words ‘thank you’, and bowed. He then turned to the open case and manipulated an object inside it. Bond was unable to see exactly what it was except that it was some kind of curved metallic unit that filled the width of the case.

  Suddenly, the system came alive. An image of earth as seen from a satellite appeared on the video monitors. The crowd let out an awed gasp. Codes raced across the screens as Graves turned back to the microphone.

  ‘As you know, I try, if I can, to give to the planet something in return for what it’s given me - those little shards of heaven known as diamonds. Now, diamonds aren’t just expensive stones. They’re the stuff of dreams and the means to make dreams real.’

  Graves reached over to the object inside the case and worked a silver trackball. All eyes were on him, but Bond was busy scanning the area and the crowd. The domes back behind the palace glinted in the light. What mysteries did they contain? His eyes moved from there into the audience and found Jinx. She, too, was not focused on Graves. Bond followed her gaze and saw that she was staring at three middle-aged Asian men wearing ill-fitting suits.

  They were watching Graves with animated interest. ||avestors, perhaps?

  Graves continued to speak. ‘Imagine being able to -bring light and warmth to the darkest parts of the world, grow crops year round, bringing an fend to hunger. Imagine a second sun. Shining like a diamond in the sky.’ Graves paused for effect and then commanded, ‘Let there be light!’

  High above the earth, a satellite unfurled its silver sail and flowered to become an enormous mirror. The sun’s rays hit it and reflected downward to the patch of white in the south-eastern corner of Iceland.

  On the ground by the palace, the shadows cast by the full moon began to mutate as a brightness grew on the other side of the sky. From the vantage point of the spectators, it appeared to be the formation of a new sun.

  ‘I give you ... Icarus!’ Graves shouted.

  The new sun cast a massive cloak of light. At first the crowd was too stunned to react. Then the applause began and built until everyone was cheering: TV crews, the palace staff, the foreign dignitaries . . .

  Graves shouted over the din, ‘At last the forgotten people can take control of their destiny!’

  Bond now realised why Graves had chosen this setting for the grand unveiling. Beneath the midnight sunlight, the ice palace began to ‘sweat’ gently. The outer skin was melting in the heat. Wisps of steam rose from the thick ice on the ground.

  Graves ostentatiously donned a pair of sunglasses to face the icy glare, assuming the persona of a super-star miracle-worker among his adoring and bewildered flock. The magic of it all had many people in tears.

  Graves flicked a switch and the monitors changed to display a CGI animation of Icarus unfurling in orbit.

  ‘Icarus is unusual,’ he said. ‘A mirror that thinks before it reflects. Its four-hundred-metre surface will inhale the sun’s light and breathe it gently upon darkened cities.’

  Bond found Graves’ face strangely unsettling in the artificial light. As he studied the man, Graves turned and seemed to be looking straight at him.

  ‘It is for you,’ he said.

  Suddenly the light went out and the moonlit shadows returned. The surprised and unnerved crowd emitted a collective gasp. This was followed by more applause.

  Ever the showman, Graves grabbed the microphone and said, ‘Now we will brighten the night with our inner radiance.’

  Dance music started up. Palace staff opened the doors and began to usher the crowd back inside for the patty. Bond hung back to watch Graves and his men pack up. The men called .Vlad and Kil came to the podium, closed the large case and took it. ;

  ‘Nice speech, boss,’ Kil said.

  ‘You’re a genius,.Vlad,’ Graves said.

  Bond stood in the shadows as Vlad and Kil headed around the outside of the palace and got into a Range Rover. They drove away from the crowd, back to the domes and the double security gates. Bond had an dea and headed for the Vanquish. It was time to see if Q’s latest contribution to the free world was worth its weight in diamonds.

  The guard patrolling the car park stopped and thought that something had changed but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. He kept patrolling, blaming the sensation on being overtired. His shift would be over soon, he’d go and have a nice vodka and then fall into bed.

  It would never occur to him that the Aston Martin had vanished.

  The Range Rover pulled up in front of the security gates and Kil pressed a button on the dashboard. The gates opened and the truck lumbered through. No one heard the low purr and soft crunching of snow that followed the Range Rover inside before the gates shut. The truck pulled over and stopped. Vlad and Kil got out with the case and walked towards the big dome.

  Bond stepped out of thin air, closed the door of the invisible Aston Martin and trailed the two men to the umbilical tunnel. Through the translucent ice, Bond could see them as he remained on the outside, tracking the pair as they walked towards the geothermal plant. They stopped at the connection to one of the domes. The shapes were blurry, but Bond ascertained that one of the men pressed his hand on a scanner to unlock the door to the dome. He figured that the scanner was of the biometric type, which read individual, unique palm prints.

  Once the men were inside the dome, Bond couldn’t see them any more. He moved further around the structure, past huge pipes that snaked out of the power plant. The sound of roaring steam attracted him to one particular pipe that passed through a valve marked ‘High Pressure Return Valve - Warning! Do Not Shut Off Without Closing Inlet Valve!’

  Next to the pipe was a smaller ventilation pipe with a hinged flap on the end. Bond squatted and opened the flap to look inside. He got a view of a part of the interior and recognised the waterfall he had seen on the television in his suite. At the base of the waterfall was a pool amongst a jungle of plants. A few fallen leaves covered the surface. This was obviously the ‘hothouse’, where the diamonds were mined.

  Bond looked down at the ground and found that he could see through the ice. Small dark shapes drifted past underneath him He realised that these were leaves and that the pool actually fed into the lake. Bond filed this information away in his head and looked up. The shape of a figure was moving around on the other side of the translucent dome Wall. From the size of the man, Bond knew it .was Kil.

  'Don’t move,' a voice behind
him commanded.

  Bond raised his hands, then turned abruptly and flattened the guard with a powerhouse to the face. He heard more of them coming and they were between him and the Vanquish. There was no other way out Unless ...

  Time to play, Bond thought. He quickly shut off the return valve and moved away. The sound of the steam increased dramatically as it built up and caused the pipe to explode suddenly, blowing a large hole in the security fence. Immediately alarms rang out as steam billowed out of the pipe and blanketed the area with a thick mist.

  Bond hurried away from the chaos and stepped through the hole in the fence. He looked around for other guards but the mist was so thick he couldn’t see beyond four feet in front of him. He moved on as guard dogs began to bark nearby, Using his finely tuned sense of direction, Bond made his way to the front of the dome and moved along-the umbilical tunnel until be came face to face with Miranda Frost. She held a gun with two hands, pointed right at him.

  ‘Take your clothes off,' she said.

  Back at the dome, Kil and several guards had trouble holding back the two dogs. The identical black Dobermans had picked up a scent and were pulling their leads towards the palace. Kil shone a torch on the ground and saw tracks in the snow leading to the hot spa.

  ‘This way,’ he said. They ran with the animals through the mist and came upon the steam-cloaked open-air hot spring. Bond and Miranda were in the water, naked, very close together and talking quietly between kisses.