Q

[0_0_7]

The plane touched down and soon enough they were on their way home. He got a text from M to meet him at 8pm and Bond replied he'd be there. That gave them a few hours to settle.

"Is your hangover gone with that nap on the plane?" he asked, picking up Titania to give her some affection. She tolerated it briefly, then wriggled to be let down.

He hadn't pressed Q for an explanation of the night before, nor would he, but he was terribly curious. Curious of just how jealous Q was. If he felt that women offered Bond something he couldn't. Or maybe it was a question of whether Bond was genuine with Q when he could be so very dismissive of the tarts he fucked and left. He was curious, but he was not going to ask.

Comments

[quartermaster_q]

"No. You'll use every weapon in your arsenal," Q said quietly. "And I'll get over it. ...Go to work, James. ...Then come home to me."

[0_0_7]

Bond nodded but he thought he'd do it anyway. It wouldn't be the first time he'd ignored Q's command.

He could keep his cock in his pants. He thought of that as he kissed Q and then walked away.

But that line of thinking gave way to Q calling him a coward in regards to sadism. That smarted and stuck with him, even through his meeting with M.

The man didn't ask about Rome, didn't say anything, really. But as Bond listened he realized that the intensity of M's gaze didn't quite gel with the sedate and odd statements he was making. It didn't take him long to realize that M was well aware they were being listened to. He wondered if there was a surveillance problem much bigger than he'd been aware of. Something M said lead him to think they ought to sweep the flat.

The meeting was short, odd, and painless. Bond realized that if he could trust anyone other than Q it was the very small circle of M, Moneypenny, and Tanner. No one beyond that. And certainly not C.

Bond called Q from the car park.

"Are you home still?" he asked.

[quartermaster_q]

Q was on the floor, one cat on his lap, the other sitting behind him on the sofa with its paws on his shoulder while he played a video game.

"I am. Why? Am I needed?" he asked, the controller rumbling as he pulled a digital trigger.

[0_0_7]

"I need you to meet me at the pub with the jacket potatoes you like," he said evasively. "We need to work the bugs out of what we were discussing."

Q was smart. Surely he wouldn't press Bond for details over the phone.

[quartermaster_q]

Q knew well what that meant, and he sighed as he turned off his game. "Of course. I need to do some tidying up first, but I'll be there shortly."

He hung up, then casually looked around the room. Fifteen minutes later and he'd found the bug, though rather than remove it he placed the cat box in front of it, along with a white noise machine that Oberon enjoyed. It hummed softly, and between that and the litter, he did hope he was making someone's work that much harder.

He rounded things off by changing the security codes, then slipped off to meet Bond.

"Can I see your phone?" he asked, not bothering with a 'hello' and holding his hand out to take the device as he sat down across from James.

[0_0_7]

Bond passed him the device. It had been shut off.

"M alluded to the fact that C is capable of surveillance that might not be above board," he said. "I think we should anticipate being watched all the time. Phones, CCTV...satellite. C's not above watching Britain's own."

[quartermaster_q]

Q dropped the phone into his water glass, then nodded.

"He's correct. Our phones were bugged, as is our flat. I've left it in place, but moved the cat box and Oberon's white noise machine beside it," Q replied, pausing to wave a server down to order himself a diet cola and some chips.

"I've changed the security codes for the flat as well," he added, pulling a pen from his pocket and scribbling them down for the double-o.

"Memorize them and then destroy that, please."

[0_0_7]

"This is going to make finding White harder...and anything else I need to do," Bond said. "We should find somewhere else to stay. We can go home, pack a few things, and go somewhere unexpected. Not the usual hotels," he added.

[quartermaster_q]

"There's my cottage, where we stayed before. It's always been a safe haven for me in the past- Unknown to Six. We could at least bring the cats," Q offered.

He paused then, looking thoughtful. "Or I can do one better. The hotel I took you to, the luxury one for... People who share my interests. There's no place in London more private, underground, and well guarded.

[0_0_7]

"I honestly can't think of a better place," Bond said. "There are safehouses, but I think the hotel might be for the best. It's not as if just anyone would suspect us of being there, and I know the security rivals some of the more exclusive places I've been. Can we stay there for a prolonged period?"

[quartermaster_q]

"It'll be expensive, but not unheard of," Q replied, pulling his phone out- New, cheep, easily upgradable to do what he required of it.

"I'll book two weeks with an option to stay longer as needed," Q said, already tapping away to contact the hotel via a secure messenger app. "We don't want to raise any red flags. I'll request a larger than usual assortment of toys and additional privacy. Hopefully they'll assume it's some sort of slave training thing and not look twice at us. It's the one place where the stranger you behave, the less interesting you are."

He hit send, then looked thoughtful. "Usually I'd ask someone at Q branch to look after the cats, but with everyone so on edge... Well, I'm not sure who I can trust at the moment. ...Do you think Eve will let them stay with her?"

Because if there was anyone he trusted completely, it was Moneypenny. ...Well, and Tanner, but he wasn't really a cat person.

[0_0_7]

With the discussion of the hotel Bond's mind was turned to that part of Q's life.

"We should look outside of Six," he said. "What about other friends? Hex? Or...perhaps we could ask Victoria?" he suggested.

[quartermaster_q]

"Hex doesn't own his home, I wouldn't ask him to take two cats on, and Victoria is a good friend, but Six knows her- I don't want to pull her into this."

Q frowned, then sighed. "Perhaps if I offer to pay for any damage they do, Hex will take them."

His phone pinged, and he nodded his head. "The hotel's agreed. We can check in any time we like. ...Should we go home and pack? I'll take my food to go if need be."

[0_0_7]

"We have plenty of time. You can eat in peace," Bond said. "Text Hex. Just in case anyone is watching it would make sense for your other partner to take your cats while we do two weeks of slave training."

He said it so plainly, as if there were nothing strange about it. As if he were on board with doing just such a thing.

Coward. That stuck with him.

[quartermaster_q]

"Mmm, it's a good cover," Q nodded, sending off a text to Hex- And deciding to use that cover on him also.

James wishes to attempt 'slave training'.
Not sure how it will go.
I trust few as much as I trust you, Hex.
Would you please look after my cats while I am away?
Will gladly pay for any damage they may do.
However, they are very well behaved.
Look forward to seeing you soon.
xoxQ

His chips arrived as he hit send, and he smiled.

"Lovely, I'm famished."

[0_0_7]

Bond pinched a chip and broke it open to blow on it. It steamed in his hands.

"Will we need to bring food at the hotel or will their kitchen be open to us when we want to eat?" he asked, not sure how it would work staying two weeks instead of overnight.

Q's phone buzzed.

New number? Again? I can take them. No problem. I'm home about ten tonight, then tomorrow gym but no work. Ring me.

[quartermaster_q]

"The hotel will provide anything we request, food included," Q replied, tapping away without glancing up.

May be unavailable. Will deliver them to your place shortly. Will let myself in and set up their things.

Hex knew enough about him that he didn't think the man would question how he planned to 'let himself in'.

Thank you. :3

[0_0_7]

Hex sent back a simple text.

NP

"What does he say?" Bond asked curiously. "Will he take them?"

[quartermaster_q]

"He will," Q nodded. "I'll get them settled in at his on our way to the hotel."

Popping a chip into his mouth, the young Quartermaster seemed calmer now. More focused.

[0_0_7]

Q couldn't know but Hex was making arrangements to leave right away so he could be home when Q got there. It was just a bit early, and he had time saved up so he could go.

"Do you think it's safe to talk here?" Bond asked, looking specifically at the camera by the door and the other that was a dome over the register. It may only point to the drawer but then again, who knew where it was aimed.

Bond's paranoia rose to the surface and he felt as if nowhere was safe. And now with the nano-blood...they could always find him. That made him ill.

[quartermaster_q]

"With caution," Q replied, nodding. "Though I think it might be best that we wait until we get to the hotel. ...I've taken the liberty of acquiring a new phone for you as well, and new laptops for us both. If you can think of anything else, I'll have the hotel fetch it and put it on our tab."

[0_0_7]

"I'm mostly concerned about this cursed blood I have in my veins. Can you do anything about that?" he asked. "Get it to go off? Can we scramble the signal? Anything?"

[quartermaster_q]

"I... may have taken care of that. ...The less you know about that the better though. Just know that I'm making sure your signal is unreliable at best, and very hard to pin point. ...This is still new tech after all. So many bugs to work out."

He finished his food, then sipped his cola.

"Let's go. I want the cats settled, and I don't want to discus this any further here."

[0_0_7]

"I understand," Bond nodded. "Alright, home for the cats, then to Hex's, then the hotel. I'm not sure I'll be able to sleep...since my meeting with M I've been going on adrenaline."

[quartermaster_q]

"I'm sure once I'm online I can find you something to do," Q offered as he got to his feet, aware that Bond needed to be run when he was wound tight. ...That, or well fucked, but Q didn't think the man would be keen on that while in the hotel.