Le jeu est fait

As the digital clock ticked over to 8.30, Bond watched his screen carefully.  Le Chiffre showed his hand, and while it was a good one, somehow it wasn't quite as good as Bond had feared.   Looking at his own position, he exhaled and felt the tension drain from his body.  Bond's hand was superior.  He had won.

Bond accepted the congratulations of his fellow agents with dispassionate grace.  Somehow, he almost felt disappointed.   Defeating Le Chiffre had almost been too easy.  So much for Research Section's warning to expect an adversary as dangerous as SMERSH or Blofeld's SPECTRE.

After taking a last swig of coffee, Bond rose from his chair and strode purposefully out the door in the corner of the trading floor.  He punched the 'G' button in the wood-paneled lift, then closed his eyes and leaned back against the wall of the small enclosure.  Perhaps Moneypenny would take him up on his offer tonight?  Or maybe he should ring up that fit instructor from the cycling studio...

As the lift doors open, Bond reached into his pocket and extracted the gunmetal cigarette case.  Opening it, he took one of the gold-banded cigarettes made specially for him by Merloni Bros. and lit it with his antique Ronson lighter as he exited the building.   Taking a deep drag, Bond watched the pedestrians stream by.  How little they knew of the dangers from which Bond had protected them!

Suddenly, Bond's mobile phone began to ring.   He fished into his pocket to retrieve it, then answered.  "Yes?"

"It's 009.  You'd best get back up here, 007.   Something's not quite right."

Cursing silently under his breath, Bond took a final puff of his cigarette, ground the remainder under his heel, and re-entered the building.  A 30-second lift journey can seem like an eternity when your position is coming a-cropper and you don't know why or how badly.  Bond gave a sour look to the man who darted into the elevator just as the doors were closing, then pushed the button for the floor two levels below Bond's.  Another ten seconds added to the journey!

When the lift doors finally opened onto his floor, Bond fairly sprinted back to his desk.  009 was waiting for him with a worried look on his face.   "It's your friend Felix Leiter, 007.   Le Chiffre seems to have caught him out and it looks like he's in rather a bad spot.  He managed to get a message out to warn you."

"Thanks," said Bond coolly.  "Eh bien, Le Chiffre.  Le jeu est fait."

Stay tuned to your screen to see if Bond can survive his encounter with the treacherous Le Chiffre.

Macro Man is a charity bike ride this weekend and will be away for a few days thereafter.   Bonne chance a tout.