Q

[0_0_7]

Bond was sitting on a train, watching the target talking on the phone. He had his keffiyeh slung around his throat and sunglasses on to disguise himself a bit. No one paid him any attention, all talking amongst themselves, business men heading into Damascus, mostly, but others as well. He knew that he had to be discreet, he couldn't just execute the man in a crowd.

The train slowed and then stopped and the target rose. Bond followed, pushing his way through the crowd.He made it up next to the target and slipped a tracker into his pocket, then peeled away from him.

"Alright, Q, he's yours to follow now. I'm going to go find transportation while he hails a cab. And keep an eye on the satellites," he said, telling Q how to do his job a bit. But as he exited the station and he saw the target slip into a black Audi, he realized this wasn't what they'd had planned.

"He's not taking a cab. I'm improvising," he said, stalking through the crowd and slipping into a waiting Range Rover, its owner standing mere feet away as Bond outright stole the vehicle.

Comments

[quartermaster_q]

"That's exactly what he thinks of you, Bond. I can almost promise you it. You're the bastard who took his favourite toy," Q said softly. "And he will fight you. He'll have to. He wont be able to stop himself."

[0_0_7]

"Then we will fight. And he will lose, Q," Bond replied. Of that he was absolutely certain. He finished gathering the papers and photos and then put an arm around Q.

"Anything else you want to take? We should go before the firefighters get to this room and notice the door broken open."

[quartermaster_q]

"No, this will do. We should go," Q said softly, leaning into Bond, and then slowly pulling away.

[0_0_7]

Bond nodded and began to lead Q out of the hotel, using the service stairs at the far end of the hall, the ones the firefighters were less likely to be in.

"Take these," he said, handing Q the pile of papers so he could shrug off the coat and hat to leave them behind.

[quartermaster_q]

Q nodded, taking everything and then going still as two firemen came around the corner.

The first opened his mouth to speak- and was instantly silenced by a bullet that seemed to come out of nowhere. Before Q could even process it, the next had fallen as well.

Outside he could hear people screaming, and dread settled in his gut. A glance out of the window confirmed his fear- There were bodies all over and pure panic all around.

"We need to go. Now."

[0_0_7]

There was nowhere to go but into the chaos. Bond grabbed Q's arm and pulled him along, heading for the car. He fumbled for the keys and hit the fob to unlock it.

THe explosion was, by all accounts, quite small. It clearly wasn't meant to kill anyone. But it ruined the car and drew attention. Mobiles turned their way to find Bond and Q running from the scene.

"Keep going," Bond said, not even winded as he ran as fast as he could with Q in tow. They made it to the street and hailed a cab and just as Bond shoved Q in something hot bit into his arm. He got in and slammed the door.

"We need to get to medical," he said. "And quickly."

[quartermaster_q]

Q nodded, and as the cab started to take them to A&E, Q didn't correct the driver. Perhaps it would be best if they went somewhere Terrance didn't expect them to go.

"We upset him," he said quietly.

[0_0_7]

"Good," Bond said as he looked to his shoulder which was quickly becoming dark with blood. It wasn't fatal, wouldn't even take him out of action. He wondered if Terrance had missed on purpose.

"He's ruined my suit," Bond pouted...because it was that or fly into a blind rage and run off into the night hunting a ghost.

[quartermaster_q]

Q looked down at the papers in his hands. The photographs and documents.

"I think we've finally got something though," he said softly. "I can use this, I'm sure of it, Bond."

[0_0_7]

Bond looked over at him, ignoring the pain. That was a spot of hope he didn't dare let take hold. He couldn't think they were any closer, it would only lead to disappointment. The best they could do was work hard and it would all come together.

"You should get to work. While I'm patched up you should go to HQ where it's secure and I'll meet you there. Get to work putting the puzzle together."

[quartermaster_q]

"I'm not leaving your side," Q said firmly. "That isn't happening, not right now."

[0_0_7]

"Q, be sensible," Bond said. "I want you where you're secure."

[quartermaster_q]

"Keep arguing and I'll shoot you in the other arm, Bond," Q replied simply, shuffling through the photos and checking his phone.

"How bad is the blood loss?" he asked after a moment.

[0_0_7]

Bond took a breath and exhaled slowly. "Not bad," he said...but his shirt and suit sleeve were soaked through.

They arrived at A&E and Bond let Q pay the fare while he walked in to be seen. They got him right to the back- couldn't have him bleeding in queue, and soon enough he was being bandaged while he waited to see a doctor.

"Would rather be at medical. They won't ask about the other injuries. These doctors always do."

[quartermaster_q]

"Tell them the truth, you were shot while leaving the hotel. We'll leave before the police arrive," Q replied calmly, though it was obvious he was concerned.

[0_0_7]

"Ugh, the police," Bond huffed in disgust.

The doctor came in then and asked the requisite questions and Bond answered, polite yet crisp and only giving the bare minimum of truth. Before long he was stitched up, had had some plasma, and was sent on his way with a full bottle of pain medication and a donated t-shirt to take the place of his blood soaked clothes. They were directed to a waiting room to wait for the police.

Bond promptly walked out of A&E as soon as the eyes were off of them.

"I can't believe he blew up my car," Bond huffed again, still feeling quite petulant about what an unholy terror they were up against. Bond did not like the feeling of being personally targeted.

[quartermaster_q]

Q silently reached over and took his hand.

"He may have blown up your car, but you're going home with me," he said boldly. "You're still on top, Bond."

[0_0_7]

Bond looked at him and held Q's hand gently. The narcotics they had given him made him feel soft and pleasant.

"Always on top," he agreed. "Do you want to go to HQ and get to work or to the safe house?" he asked as they walked away from the hospital as two police cars pulled up to the A&E entrance.

[quartermaster_q]

"Safe house, I think," Q said, waving down a cab. "I intend to put you to bed, double-o seven."

[0_0_7]

"I don't need to go to bed!" he countered. "I got winged. Barely a scratch."

The eight stitches said otherwise but he didn't address that.

Though he didn't argue about going to the safe house. He needed time to regroup.

[quartermaster_q]

Q pulled him to a stop, then dragged him down for a rough and possessive kiss.

"Bed," he said firmly. "We are going to bed. I don't expect you to sleep, I expect you to be alive and well."

He let go, and worry finally showed on his face.

"He could have killed you."

[0_0_7]

Up until not long ago the only evidence he had ever had that anyone cared whether he lived or died was the crisp tone in M's voice when she asked after him and then told him to get back to work. Q's concern was something so foreign he almost didn't know what to do with it.

"He could have, but he didn't," he assured Q softly. "And he won't. That's not his game, is it? No...I'm learning how he thinks. He's going to take you back and make me suffer. He'll keep me alive so I'll pay. And so you'll be tormented, knowing I'm suffering because of you. That's what I am imagining. Does that sound like the man you know?"

[quartermaster_q]

Q exhaled with a shudder, then nodded once. "Yes. That sounds exactly like him," he confessed quietly.

He pulled away as a cab rolled up, opening the door and ushering Bond in.

[0_0_7]

Inside the cab, Bond let himself relax and enjoy the sleepy, heavy effect of the painkillers. If they hadn't given him any he would have simply drank the pain away- that was what he normally did. It was a pleasure to have a bottle with a childproof cap to 'get him through' as the doctor had put it.

The psychologist had made MI6 well aware of Bond's substance abuse problems, but they all- all the double-o's- had their ways of coping. And none of them let their habits interfere with work in any way.

He pulled Q close and settled in for the ride, teeling the driver at random intervals to turn.

"I don't give a fuck about the fare. Drive us around all night if I like," he said at one point. He kept looking out the back window and didn't allow the driver to go to the safe house until he was sure it was clear.

[quartermaster_q]

Q knew what Bond was saying, and he let the man go through his routine of losing possible tails as they moved through the city.

Eventually they came to a stop, and Q paid the man generously as they climbed out of the cab.

"You look like you're enjoying your pills," he noted.