Q

[0_0_7]

Chatter had alerted them to the plot to assassinate the Syrian ambassador on his trip to London to speak to Parliament. They had deployed both 006 and 007 to handle the situation. Alec was on the ambassador to protect him and Bond was charged with taking care of the assassin.

Q had worked his technological wizardry and had found that Anika Vostov was the most likely killer and she'd come in to the country legitimately through Heathrow, papers completely in order. That was her M.O., brazen woman that she was. Bond set out to find her and had actually met her in the bar of the hotel she was staying in.

Q was in his ear as he chatted her up. The easiest thing would be to seduce her and take her out in the privacy of her room.

Comments

[quartermaster_q]

Q was in his office, seeing no need to be out in the middle of Q branch for something so simple. Two of his moniters were of the bar's security feeds, both focused on Bond. Another displayed a 3D rendering of the hotel's layout, and the last showed everything Anika had done in the last 24 hours. Every call, every email, every text...

"You never tell me how nice my eyes are, double-o seven," he said blandly, already bored of listening to Bond's attempts to seduce the killer.

[0_0_7]

Bond didn't get distracted by Q's comment. He stayed with the mission and soon enough they were on their way to her room.

"Room 666..you're not superstitious?" Bond asked, subtly informing Q of their destination.

"Not at all," Anika replied. Bond's earwig didn't pick up the sound of her hands smoothing over his lapels. Bond smirked...until her fingertips brushed his Walther and her eyes narrowed. "Oh, James," she said before she tried to kill him.

He fought back, not hesitant at all about her being a woman. She was a trained assassin and quite good at what she did. The lift was tight and he slammed her against the wall, she banged his head off the door, he tripped her and took her to the floor. It was fast and brutal and the lift continued to rise, the bell chiming at each floor.

[quartermaster_q]

"What's happening? I've lost visual, double-o seven," Q said sitting up straight and attempting to regain access to the elevator's camera.

"Do you require backup, double-o seven?"

His pulse was pounding in his chest, and he realized, for the first time, just how dangerous it was to be involved with the double-o he was charged with running.

His gut told him to trust Bond to get the job done, but his heart... Oh, his heart wanted to call in every agent in the area to make sure James got out safely.

[0_0_7]

Another thud, another rough grunt, then the gun went off twice, the rapport of it incredibly loud in the small space.

And then there was silence. Silence for far too long.

A ding and a whisper of the doors opening.

"...Q, I need an exit from the sixth floor," Bond said, then he grunted as he lifted the weight of the dead assassin to take her from the lift to the less traveled stairwell to hide her.

[quartermaster_q]

Q was certain he felt his heart stop for a moment, then exhaled softly.

"Security has been alerted, I advise making your way to the roof. Do not take her to the stairwell. Room 689 is empty, I'm unlocking the door now," the young man instructed, his voice calm and cool as ever as he tapped away at his keyboard.

"Oh, and the fire alarms will go off in five, four, three, two..."

[0_0_7]

The fire alarm went off on cue and Bond dipped and picked Anika's body up over his shoulder. Rushing to 689 he wasn't spotted by anyone and he dropped her rudely in the room's loo and immediately ducked back out. Bond fixed his cuffs and smoothed his lapels, then quickly rushed to the far stairs, the fire stairs.

"The door says it's alarmed," he said. "Have you shut it off?" he asked before he pushed on through.

[quartermaster_q]

"No need, the fire alarms will cancel that out," Q assured, "Just get to the roof, transport is on the way. Oh, though I should warn you, double-o seven, the door to the roof may be locked. No digital keypad either, so you'll have to take care of it manually. I'd personally advise against shooting it, though I do know that is how you prefer to open doors."

[0_0_7]

Bond only grunted and pushed through the door, then raced up the dimly lit stairwell. He got to the door and it was indeed locked. Bond shouldered the door to see if it would give, then backed up and gave it a solid kick. It flew open.

"No gunfire needed," he said, bursting out onto the roof. The night was well lit up here. "Are you sending a helicopter or do I need to find a way down now? Q? Q, there's static..."

[quartermaster_q]

"Sorry, just hold on one moment while I... Ah, am I coming in clear now, Bond?" Q asked. "There is a helicopter on the way. They're less than three minutes away. They should arrive before the emergency vehicles get there- I've created a small traffic jam nearby. ...I believe you are in the clear, Bond. Excellent work as always."

[0_0_7]

"Thank you, Q," he said, then found a place to conceal himself until the helicopter arrived. He looked at his watch and then saw the lights coming closer. Almost three minutes on the dot and he was making his escape. The helicopter took him straight to their building. Bond knew the protocol. He would need to account for the gun, be debriefed, and let the cleaning team know where to find Anika's body. He removed the earwig and jumped through the hoops as he was trained to. When he was set free he headed straight for Q Branch.

"You can tell double-o six that the ambassador's little problem is sorted," he said to Q and he sauntered in, his lip split and swollen.

[quartermaster_q]

"You know, you could knock before wandering into my office, double-o seven," Q replied, glancing up from what he was doing, but forcing himself not to stare at the man's injured lip.

"Six has been contacted. He's actually on his way back right-"

Before Q could finish his sentence, Alec came sauntering in. "Guess who's suddenly free and willing to take you to dinner?" the agent said, pausing briefly to offer Bond a polite nod before returning his attention to Q.

[0_0_7]

Bond slid a sideways glance at Alec, then looked to Q, curious to know how the young man would handle it. Alec was as aggressive as ever, as Bond had known he would be. They were in a position themselves where what they had was hardly a secret, but no one understood how serious it was. If anyone knew how deeply their feelings ran they would never work together. Someone else would run Bond- and he trusted no one else the way he trusted Q.

[quartermaster_q]

Q hesitated, clearly not certain what to do, then wet his lips before speaking.

"Actually, double-o six, I already have plans this evening with James. Perhaps another time?" he suggested, aware of how rarely Alec was in London these days.

[0_0_7]

"With James?" Alec asked, looking at Bond with a smirk. "And what plans do you have?"

Bond didn't blink, only smiled coolly.

"Don't you think you should keep an eye on the ambassador in case a second assassin was contracted?" he asked, giving away nothing. Alec was clearly infuriated by the suggestion.

"The mission's done," he said. "And you're in the city all the time. I'll take Q tonight."

"But I've made reservations."

Alec wasn't about to be put off. His gaze darker and his smile turned distinctly lascivious. "We could all enjoy dinner together," he said...though dinner was obviously the last thing on his mind.

[quartermaster_q]

"Just a thought, but how about I dine with neither of you and go home to my cat?" Q suggested blandly, rolling his eyes.

"Oh, don't be like that," Alec said, moving closer and pinching Q's glasses right off his face. "Diner tonight, I'll not take no for an answer. Bond, you're welcome to come if you like," he grinned, folding Q's glasses and slipping them into his breast pocket. "I'll see you at eight at Amaya. Don't be late."

[0_0_7]

The flare of jealousy Bond felt when Alec touched Q nearly propelled him forward to assault the other agent. It was a miracle he had the force of will to stay still. It was, perhaps, the most exquisite bluff he'd ever put forward.

Alec was chuckling as he sauntered out of Q Branch, smug as could be.

"Are you really going home to your cat?" he asked once they were alone.

[quartermaster_q]

Q sighed, squinting a little in an attempt to make things go back into focus.

"I don't know. ...If I go, will you come with me?" he asked. "I think I'd managed to forget just how pushy he can be," he admitted, digging around until he found his other glasses.

[0_0_7]

"Of course I'll go with you," he said. "Do you see now why I had misgivings when we discussed him? I have no doubts about you, Q, but he's a force to be reckoned with. He always has been. I'll not leave you at his mercy. He doesn't feel that particular emotion."

[quartermaster_q]

"You don't really think he'd try anything though, do you? Having no mercy isn't the same as no morals."

Though Q suspected Bond knew the man better than he did, and he worried there might be good reason not to be alone with the other double-o.

[0_0_7]

"I think that he wouldn't hear no if he wanted to hear yes," Bond said. "At least not the first time. Maybe not even the fifth time. He might get the message...but he wants you, Q, and double-o's tend to get what we want."

[quartermaster_q]

Q was quiet, then wet his lips. "Then I wont go. We'll go to yours tonight, Alec can dine alone. I'll deal with him tomorrow- Perhaps get his flight moved to sooner rather than later."

[0_0_7]

"I'm inclined to support that plan," he said. "We can get a take away pizza and watch one of those terrible 50's monster movies on telly," he smiled. Of course there would be nothing of the sort happening, but Bond wasn't so crass as to detail how he planned to seduce Q.

[quartermaster_q]

"Sounds lovely," Q smiled, shutting down his systems, then checking to make sure no one was looking through the open door before getting up and stealing a quick kiss.

"Come on then. I'm all done here. I'm ready to go when you are."

[0_0_7]

Bond nodded and followed Q out, then took the lead in the car park to take him to the car. Bond hit the fob and let Q climb in on his own.

Secure in the car, buckled in and all, it was then that Bond said-

"I've never wanted to shoot someone more than I wanted to shoot him when he touched you."

[quartermaster_q]

"Then you can imagine how I felt listening to you chat up that assassin," Q replied quietly.