We’re now into chapter 15. Bond’s worst fears have come true. Vesper has fallen into a trap, gotten herself captured and jeopardized the operation. Bond leaps into his car, and heads along the shore road in the direction in which he thinks that the captors (Le Chiffre & Company) must’ve taken here. While driving, Bond is boiling at Vesper.

These blithering women who thought they could do a man’s work. Why the hell couldn’t they stay at home and mind their pots and pans and stick to their frocks and gossip and leave men’s work to the men.

We are in 1953 after all. Bond knows what the situation is. Vesper is being held ransom for the cheque for 40 million francs. Bond is determined not to pay. He’ll chase them down, shoot it out, but will never give. He rapidly gains ground on the car, a Citroen.

(pictured) However, it appears this is part of the plan. The Citroen, driving by Le Chiffre, sudden drops out of its trunk “a small carpet of glinting steel spikes”. Bond’s tires are chewed up instantly and he loses control of the car. He crashes into a ditch alongside the road and loses consciousness. Le Chiffre’s men come and cut him out of the car and bind him securely. They toss him onto floor of the backseat of the Citroen. Bond realizes that he’s in trouble. He muses that while the wreck of his car will likely be found quickly, that it will take hours to trace it back to him. Again, a reminder that we’re in the 1950’s here. Today a car can almost be traced right when it is found with the technology and equipment in use.

Bond is not alone in the back seat of the car. Vesper is there, though it might be tough to recognize her under the circumstances.

His first reaction was that of scorn. Damn fool girl getting herself trussed up like a chicken, having her skirt pulled over her head as if the whole of this business was some kind of dormitory rag. But then he felt sorry for her. Her naked legs looked so childlike and defenceless.

Bond tries to softly call to her, but is backhanded over the heart by the thin man, and is doubled over in pain. He realizes he is utterly under their control. The car moves along and Bond encounters a new sensation — fear. When they arrive at their destination…Le Chiffre’s villa, Bond attempts to weakly strike back at his captors and is easily rebuffed. He again realizes how “utterly and absolutely in their power” he is.