Q

[0_0_7]

The PK cell had been a simple enough mission- infiltrate, let Q do his hacking thing that he did, then Bond would flex his muscle if necessary and get them home. That had been the plan, but then Niko Minas had walked in and had recognized Bond and it all went pear shaped.

So that was how they both found themselves stripped bare to the waist, Q suffering the lingering effects of taser shocks, Bond limping around with bruised kidneys and a broken toe. They'd been left in the little room, the light high above them behind a security cage. Time meant nothing except that every minute that passed Bond got thirstier.

"It's cleaner than North Korea, if that offers you any comfort," he told Q

Comments

[0_0_7]

"We both know that won't happen. Not only do I love you, M wold have my balls if I left Six's most valuable asset behind in a Greek prison," he replied, moving to Q to give him a looking over. "How are you feeling? How many times did they shock you?"

[quartermaster_q]

"Seven, eight?" Q replied, standing a bit straighter to ease the double-o's worry. "I sort of lost count, if I'm honest. They weren't even asking questions though, they were just... Doing it."

[0_0_7]

"That's excessive," he said flatly, relying on the bland understatement to hide how deeply troubling that information was. If they didn't want anything out of Q, if they only wanted to hurt him, that meant the younger man was incredibly vulnerable. If they didn't get out soon this could be disastrous for him.

Bond couldn't see a camera but he assumed they were being watched. Everything was tech, these days. The idea they weren't being monitored didn't even cross his mind. And it was the notion they were being monitored that stayed his hand and kept him from being overly gentle or familiar with Q.

"Chin up," he said as gently as he dared. "I'll get us out of here before they have a chance to do it again."

[quartermaster_q]

"I'm not worried about that- Tell me what they did to you- Did they ask you anything? What sort of situation are we in?" he asked, all business and refusing to show weakness.

[0_0_7]

"Brute force," Bond shrugged. "I think they broke my toe. You have to be careful when they go for your feet. They do that when they think you'll run. They asked the typical questions, but Minas gave them enough to damn me. They know who I am and what I do. They mostly want to know why we're interested in PK."

The Greek terror cell was on everyone's radar, though few took them seriously. The Americans put them on no-fly lists and the known members were scrutinized, but there were always bigger concerns. Most of the nations just let the Greeks deal with their own problem.

[quartermaster_q]

Q hummed, but said nothing.

His silence spoke volumes in situations like these. It said he had nothing- no ideas, no suggestions, no answers. Without his laptop Q became little more than a liability- Behind his desk he was a god, but the field was Bond's kingdom. James had all the power here.

[0_0_7]

Bond ached to touch him, to reassure him. But that wasn't about to happen and so he gave a grunt and a nod then turned back to pace a bit more. His toe hurt and he was sure whenever he did go he'd be pissing blood. That was of little matter now.

The door clicked and opened, Minas appearing with two armed men.

"James Bond," the terrorist said. "You look a bit worse for wear. Why don't you just tell us why you're here and we can see about sending you home." His voice was warm and velvety and Bond didn't trust him for a second.

"I thought I'd come down and tell you the good news about our Lord and Savior," Bond quipped. The joke went over as well as expected and the guards rushed him and subdued him. One kept him pinned to the wall as the other turned his attention to Q.

"James, James...we'll just take your colleague here and see what information we can get out of him. I'm sure he won't hold up quite as well as a seasoned veteran like you..."

Bond looked at Minas, then he looked at Q. There was resolve in his eyes and a certain set to his jaw. The animal was ready to rip these three men apart, he just wanted a nod from Q.

[quartermaster_q]

Q didn't offer a nod though. He could tell Bond was hurting, and he wasn't certain the double-o was in any fit state to take on three men.

He meant to stand his ground, but as the man approached the young Quartermaster took a step back. It was a mistake that couldn't be undone- a sign of fear.

Wetting his lips, he tilted his chin up, looking to Minas, rather than his men. "Do I really look like the sort who gets briefed before a mission?" he asked calmly. "That's not my place and you know it. You'll get nothing out of me but screams."

The man laughed, looking to Bond with a grin.

"I like him. He is either very stupid, or very smart," Minas said to Bond, before returning his attention to Q. "Maybe you don't have information, but I'm certain you have value. You wouldn't be here otherwise. Either you crack, or Mr. Bond does. Either way- I get what I need," he shrugged, giving his men a nod.

[0_0_7]

The man on Q grabbed him and manhandled him toward the door. The one on Bond held his gun up to the older agent's head.

But Bond wasnt' about to let Q out of his sight. He wasn't sure they'd bring him back. Bond grabbed the man's wrist ans wrested the gun out of his grip, shooting the guard then taking aim at Minas.

"I believe it's time for us to leave," Bond said, calmly walking forward. Minas backed out into the hall. The other guard kept a tight hold on Q.

"You won't get far," Minas said to him.

"We'll see about that. Let him go before I shoot."

The guard likely didn't understand, but Bond didn't care. He didn't let Q go immediately so Bond took the shot, dropping the man like a stone.

"Alright, you have him. Go," Minas said, more afraid than he was showing.

"Can't have you following," Bond said calmly. There was another shot. Bond had no problem with killing. Killing anyone, really. And in this case he knew it was justified.

"Come along Q, before the rest of the cell comes to investigate the third gunshot..." he said, choosing a way and heading for what he thought might be an exit.

[quartermaster_q]

Q nodded, calm- but strangely pale as he took a step closer, then faltered.

"I just- I need a moment," he said, holding his back and looking dizzy. ...He had no idea that just as Bond had pulled his trigger, so had the guard, who's gun had been pressed against his back. Thankfully the bullet had been a dud and not gone very deep, but it was there, and as he moved his hand from his back, he could see the blood.

"Well- that's not... That's not good," he said, crumpling slightly and catching hold of Bond's arm.

"I believe I'm going to need some help before we make our escape, Bond."

[0_0_7]

Bloody hell, Bond thought, moving in so he could get a good look. He huffed softly.

"Alright, then," he said. "Let's see what we can find."

He took hold of Q gingerly since the man seemed wobbly on his feet and he started walking. There were a few doors that yielded nothing, but then there was a commissary where Bond spied a white box with a red cross. Universal, that.

"In here," he said, pulling Q along so he could get into the kit to patch him up. What he could use, he thought, was a good, old fashioned tampon. Always good for gunshot wounds. Barring that, gauze would work.

He laid his gun aside and opened the kit.

"I can't get the bullet out. You'll have to suffer a bit," he said apologetically.

[quartermaster_q]

"How deep is it?" Q asked, forcing himself to stay alert. "It doesn't hurt. ...Either that, or I'm in shock," he said, realizing now that his hands were shaking.

"You should go- You should just go. If you get out, you can always come back for me- With back up."

[0_0_7]

"Bollocks, I'm not leaving you behind. I'll carry you if I have to," Bond said. He packed the wound, finding it not as deep as he feared.

"I think the bullet is lodged in the muscle. Low caliber. Likely a misfire. You'll be alright, just breathe."

He left Q's side to get a cloth with cool water to wash the back of his neck and then his face. He was tender, but quick as he could be.

"Breathe, and when you're ready we'll go," he said, low and level and calm. Bond thrived on the adrenaline. He lived for this feeling. Q's injury only made this escape all the more exciting.

[quartermaster_q]

Q exhaled slowly, nodding, and then straightening up.

"I'm fine, let's go. The sooner we are out of here, the sooner I can have this bullet removed," he said, straightening and looking around.

"I wish we had a better idea of how many people we were up against," he noted, nodding for Bond to take the lead.

[0_0_7]

Bond checked his gun, then looked at Q. "Hopefully not more than thirteen," he said, slamming the clip back into place. Then he hooked an arm around Q to guide him out.

The hallway was clear, but as they turned a corner there were two guards. Bond fired rapidly and took them both out, but when they reached the door to leave he could see the yard crawling with security.

"I wonder if there's a back way out," he said. But there was a couple cars right there. They needed a car- and Bond knew Q was in no shape to fight or sneak. "...I may need to leave you here."

[quartermaster_q]

His heart sank, but he didn't let it show at all. He wouldn't let Bond feel any guilt, not even for a moment.

"Understood. I'll find a place to hide- So far it doesn't appear that they're looking for us. I should be fine."

He wanted to reach out, to kiss the other man, but he didn't. He didn't even offer a goodbye.

[0_0_7]

The agent hated to leave Q, but he had to do the job, and if that meant separating for a bit, so be it. He waited until Q was securely hidden away and then he dashed off. Out the back, a well placed shit, another gun in hand. Bond was a killing machine. It was a service, really, taking out the PK cell one and two at a time. His body was thrumming with adrenaline as he got to a car and started it, then came in to get Q. He opened the door to the man's hiding place...

And the impact to the back of his head took him out. Bond hit the ground like a stone. He never even saw it coming. The woman with black hair stepped around him and looked at Q.

"Come out," she said. "Come out now."

[quartermaster_q]

He was still loosing blood, and though he complied, he did so slowly.

He was unsteady as he got to his feet, holding her gaze as he stood out in the open.

"You'd do well to let us go. We've already contacted HQ, backup is on the way. Run now, and you might live," he lied easily, his gaze wandering to Bond, searching for a sign that the other man was alright.

[0_0_7]

SHe paused then, cool and calculating. Then she tilted her chin and smiled.

"Then I'll have to be quick with you," she said. She was stronger than she looked as she took hold of Q and, keeping her gun pointed at him, she escorted him away from Bond's unconscious body.

"Tell me what the British know about the destabilization efforts in the Baltics," she demanded.

[quartermaster_q]

"Everything, we know everything," Q said flatly, doing his best not to seem concerned about the gun aimed in his direction- Though in truth, his pulse was pounding.

"I told you, we've already made contact- Your only option now is to run. You can kill me if you like, but you'll only be making things worse for yourself. England wont just stop you, they'll make an example out of you. ...Worse still, they might let the American's in on it, and we've all seen how they handle these sorts of things."

[0_0_7]

"The Americans are hired thugs," she said derisively, but there was fear in her eyes. Her hand trembled as she held the gun. "You can't believe we'd let the threat of force stop us. You're in our country..." she said, building up quite a head of steam as she told Q the crux of PK's manifesto.

Bond woke slowly and shook it off, looking around to see what had become of him. He was rather confused to find he hadn't been moved or locked up. He got to his feet and started investigating. He could hear voices. He slipped in behind the woman, assessing the situation. She was talking and he thought it best to let her go a bit. They might get something of value. But he looked at Q, how pale he was, and he knew he couldn't let her go on forever.

[quartermaster_q]

Q was doing his best to take in everything she said, but he was struggling to focus, and all he could think was that this woman must be mad to leave Bond on his own.

Clearly she had no idea who she was dealing with.

He was unsteady on his feet as well, wobbling slightly as he kept casting glances at the door.

"What?" she barked. "What are you looking at? Your friend?"

Turning to one of her men, she nodded, sending them off to go check on the other agent and 'take care of him'.

Q just hoped he was already awake.

[0_0_7]

Bond checked his gun and took a look at the assembled threat. Then he blasted his way in, firing at the woman and her henchmen, hitting some, missing others, and taking care to not shoot Q. The battle was a symphony of noise and action, guns and then fists when the bullets ran out.

Bond fought like an animal, vicious and gruesome.

At one point it seemed they may subdue him but he fought back and was, soon enough, surrounded by bodies. CHest heaving, knuckles bloody, Bond rushed forward to get Q.

"We need to make our run now," he said.

[quartermaster_q]

"I am inclined to agree," Q nodded, looking unsteady and reaching for one of the gaurds' guns. "Shall we?"

[0_0_7]

Bond lead the way out the front door, shooting one more guard on the way out. There was a Range Rover parked there and he took no time busting open the column and hot wiring the ignition. Bond raced away from the carnage.

"We need a hospital," he said. "I can't take care of that bullet...we'll have to deal with the questions, though we can lie to an interpreter..."

This was always the trickiest business, escaping while wounded.

Bond looked over at Q.

"Can you hang on a bit? It would be wise to get to the next city. They might come after us here."