The agent spares Bond's life because he had been given no orders to kill him, then tells him about SMERSH's ideals: That they are only known to give mercy by chance or by mistake (both of which have been done in a single day to James Bond) then cuts a 'Ш' (a Russian/Cyrillic symbol associated with spies) into Bond's left hand for any future SMERSH agents he might run into to identify him. Shortly after, a SMERSH agent enters and executes both Le Chiffre and his two men by shooting them in the head. After a while, he decides he couldn't extract information from Bond and begins sadistic mental torture on him. Subsequently Vesper is taken away by Le Chiffre's men while he physically tortures Bond's genitals, seeking to know where the cheque for the money he won was hidden. Bond pursues her in his Bentley but, after Le Chiffre makes him crash, he is captured himself. However, she is lured into the parking lot and kidnapped by Le Chiffre. After his win Bond takes Vesper out for a drink. Bond ultimately wins and bankrupts Le Chiffre, earning a sum of 40,000 Francs. Soon Bond goes bankrupt, but Felix Leiter provides him with extra capital to continue playing. During the game, Bond is nearly killed by a gunman hired by Le Chiffre. He makes it to the casino and squares off against Le Chiffre. Before Bond has a chance to face off with Le Chiffre, Soviet agents make an attempt on his life. Station S's Vesper Lynd, Texan CIA agent Felix Leiter, and Frenchman René Mathis of the Deuxième Bureau are sent by their respective superiors to assist Bond in his endeavour.īond checks into the hotel and prepares his operation.

M sends out his finest gambler, 00 agent Commander James Bond to play in the game. The head of Station S, Fawcett formulates a plan to take down SMERSH operative Le Chiffre who is the head of communist sympathizing trade unions in northern France, who is attempting to earn money in game in Baccarat Chemin de fer in order to compensate for the loss of his chain of brothels which were shut down after a law banning prostitution surfaced in France.

Carnage by Sarah Bailey