Before the Mist

[0_0_7]

Bond was settled in at the bar, watching the target. He was drinking alone, watching his phone intently and Bond simply waited for him to make his move. But something about the bloke in the corner booth triggered a sense of caution. Bond could see the man with the pint of Guinness was watching the mark, too.

There was something off about him. And something just a bit familiar.

Soon enough, Bond's attention was split between the target and the man. He was trying to puzzle out the both of them. But then the target's phone rang. He answered it, then laid notes on the bar and got up to leave. Bond was smooth about following. The target went out the door and Bond followed. He watched the target disappear in a cab and was going toward his Aston when who should he see but the man with the Guinness, stopping on the sidewalk to take note of the disappearing cab.

Bond knew something was off then and he made his way to him.

"Nice night for it," he said calmly.

Comments

[lepidopterologist]

Meanwhile, Harry had been having a very similar experience to Bond. Watching his mark, and watching this man, the one in the well fitted suit and the same apparent taste in observation. He'd wondered briefly if perhaps it was romantic interest, but then, no. He recognized this particular kind of observation. And when he'd watching the man follow the target out, he'd been even more certain.

"I am actually finding it a bit chilly for this time of year," he said, his voice just as neutral, even. He turned his head a little to get a better look at him, having already taken note of the license and direction of the cab. He was still getting accustomed to only having one eye. It was still a problem. But less of one than it had been.

[0_0_7]

Bond hmmed softly. He pulled out his phone to send Q a quick text of the license, making it seem as if he might be checking the weather.

"Not terribly unseasonable," he replied. "Little cold for a chase, though."

[lepidopterologist]

"I suppose I didn't need the umbrella," Harry said reasonably, letting it spin a bit against the sidewalk, at his side. And then, with an arched eyebrow, "Am I the tortoise or the hare?"

[0_0_7]

"I'd say you're the timekeeper, old man," Bond smirked, then tucked his phone away and reached for the handle to open his car door.

"I've got a race to join," he said, and moved to get in.

[lepidopterologist]

Old man. Harry bristled a touch. He hadn't been entirely certain if he was going to give chase tonight. He already knew where the target was likely to be in the morning.

But this changed things.

"Tick tock," he said, and put a hand on the side of the car as he stepped away.

[0_0_7]

Bond settled into the seat and gunned the engine. When the fellow was well enough away, he pulled out, turned hard around, and took off into the night. He was hell bent on catching the target before the other spy could. And he was sure the one-eyed man was a spy. No one else would have taken being baited so calmly.

[lepidopterologist]

Harry tapped the receiver in his earpiece and calmly spoke to Merlin as he walked immediately across the street to his waiting car.

"Do you see the tracker?" Harry asked. He'd just slapped it onto the other spy's car.

"Sending it to your display now," Merlin said as Harry climbed into the car. On the dash, a dot blinked two blocks away. Harry revved the engine and took off after him.

[0_0_7]

Bond turned the comm on so he could get the intel from Q on where that cab was headed. He wove in and out of traffic, steadily catching up.

But he saw in the rearview another car coming up on him. He had a tail and he was sure he knew who it was. He had a choice of keeping on target or shaking the tail, but he couldn't do both.

"Q, pull up CCTV and track the target. I need to lose a hanger-on," he said, then began evasive maneuvers to try to shake the other driver.

[lepidopterologist]

Considering that there was a dot blinking on his dash that told him exactly where the other car was, it was going to be hard to shake him. But after a minute or two of this, Harry said, "Merlin, show me the other tracker."

This was was attached to the one he'd slipped into the target's suit pocket earlier in the night.

Another dot blinked, and Harry turned sharply to head in a different direction.

[0_0_7]

Bond kept in contact with Q. It was strangely easy to shake the tail and with Q's help he was back on the trail of the cab. He slipped in behind the cab, about two blocks back, and he noticed another car keeping pace with the target.

"Bloody hell, this is a wrinkle," he said. He tailed the car, getting close enough to make sure the bloke knew Bond was on his ass. The target was his and he'd be damned if he'd lose him to someone else.

[lepidopterologist]

Harry grunted in annoyance.

"Merlin, pull up CCT and check out the car tailing me," he said. He was clearly a brit, so... "What are the odds it's MI6?"

A few seconds ticked by, and then Merlin's voice: "Good odds. The car's clearly some kind of prototype."

Harry sighed. "That's what I thought." He turned, continuing to follow the target.

[0_0_7]

Bond kept right on his ass. Not stealth, no subterfuge. If he couldn't get the man to shake the target, he'd bully him into a confrontation. There was far too much traffic to thy out any of Q's better toys, but he did flip a switch and power on a lazer to burn through the rear wheels. A couple flat tires would surely slow him down.

[lepidopterologist]

Harry felt the tire blow.

"Bloody..."

This was impulsive for Harry, more reckless than he usually was, but he did it anyway: rolled down the window as he car spun to a stop, slid his umbrella out - and shot two steel darts right into the other car's left front tire.

[0_0_7]

Bond's front tire rumbled and he had to hold the wheel tight to keep from spinning out in traffic and causing a smash up. He eased the car off the road into the gutter, just as the other car found a similar spot. Once they both came to a stop, Bond hopped out of the car and started for the other man. The target was forgottwn for the moment- Q would find him again tomorrow.

For now he had this man to deal with. bond was on his guard because it was clear the man wasn't someone to be trifled with.

[lepidopterologist]

Harry at least had the good sense to not draw his gun in the middle of a public street, and was glad that the other man seemed to as well. Besides, it wasn't entirely clear yet whether he was friend or foe. Or, more likely, simply neutral.

He got out of his car as well, and walked towards the man, but slowly and without aggression. His umbrella was in one hand, and the other hand near his hip in case he did need to draw his gun.

[0_0_7]

"Looks like we're both in the same boat, now," he said. "I'll get him before you ever do."

When Bond was close enough he made to strike, his fist clenched for a hard hit. He swung, and was surprised to find the man...just wasn't there. He wasn't used to people dodging him.

[lepidopterologist]

Even with the disadvantage of his now poor depth perception, Harry was fast, and he was good at dodging blows.

"Now is that really necessary?" he asked as he took a step away, though he was readying his umbrella for a good smack if reason didn't work.

[cuppa_q]

Q had been in Bond's ear the whole time, observing the pair as they swirved about on the roads. ...And then suddenly he'd lost audio, and it seemed as though someone was trying to lock him out of the CCTV feeds. It was frustrating but also offered some interesting ideas as to who they might be dealing with.

By the time the mop-haired boffin arrived on the scene the pair seemed to really be going at it- Or, well, trying to. There was, apparently, such a thing as being too well matched.

Standing a few feet away, hoping to avoid any wild punches, Q cleared his throat. "If you're finished, perhaps one of you wouldn't mind buying me a cup of tea? It's a bit chilly, don't you think?"

[0_0_7]

It was an unconscious move on his part, but as soon as he was aware of Q, Bond put himself between the boffin and this bloke who was quite the adversary. Bond hadn't landed a single hit, but neither had he. It had been a dance, more than anything else.

"Busy, Q," he said, not taking his eyes off the one-eyed man.

[lepidopterologist]

Harry did, very pointedly actually, look away, and to the newcomer. Though he was careful to do it in such a way that he still had a view of his adversary in the periphery of his good eye.

"Well, I suppose we could take a tea break, considering that at this point we've both lost access to our target," he said reasonably. And he knew where the target would be in the morning, so he wasn't terribly fussed about it... unless this man got there first, and he couldn't do that if Harry was having tea with him.

Harry brushed a bit of lint off the sleeve of his suit. He wouldn't deny he was impressed with the man. Though he still thought that fifteen years ago, he would have been able to best him.

[cuppa_q]

"Lovely, let's get off the street then," Q said, nodding towards a nearby cafe. He didn't seem terribly afraid of the stranger and moved out from behind Bond.

"We all have a lot to talk about, I think."

[0_0_7]

"I should think so," Bond replied. He didn't take his eyes off the man, but his posture relaxed so he wasn't coiled and ready for a fight. He still kept himself between him and Q until they were in the cafe and settled into their seats.

[lepidopterologist]

Harry couldn't help but arch a brow at the way the taller man was in such protective stance with regards to the newcomer. Particularly since Harry thought that based on tone and conversation, it was the newcomer who was in charge.

A waiter appeared immediately, and so as Harry leaned his umbrella against the wall and carefully unfolded a napkin, he ordered: "Earl grey, dash of sugar, lemon on the side."

[cuppa_q]

"I'll have the same, thank you," Q piped up, settling into a seat beside James. ...He had a feeling if he dared stray too far the double-o would have him by the scruff in an instant. For someone who aimed to be aloof, James was surprisingly protective.

[0_0_7]

"That sounds fine," Bond added, mostly so she'd go away. And she did, unperturbed by their little drama.

"Who are you?" he asked then, cutting right to it.