A/N: I've never been a massive fan of Bond, but I honestly adore License to Kill (and though I think all the actors brought interesting takes on the character, Dalton's version of James is my favorite). It freaked me out when I first saw it as a kid, thanks to that decompression scene, and even still I can see just how dark it is. However, that's part of what I like about it. It's a lot grittier than most of the other movies.

Though there is another major reason I like this film, and that's the young and excessively handsome Benicio Del Toro, who plays the main villain's henchman- Dario. I think Del Toro has aged really well anyway and has always been attractive, but he's really in his prime here. So, I was inspired, and after finding only a small smattering of fics about him online I decided to write my own.

These are just a few short, somewhat interlinked stories about an OC named Safira Lee and her interactions with Dario in various scenes inspired by moments in the movie. I may do an x Reader in the future, but for the moment I wanted to utilize this character. I do like the Bond Girls that are already present in the movie but I feel there are a few things I would change about them (unlike a lot of people, I don't hate Lupe and I wish she had more to do). It was easier to create an OC to fit in too, as I doubt Pam Bouvier could get away with passing herself off as a cartel secretary...

I do hope you enjoy this!

DISCLAIMER: This is purely fiction. I do not own License to Kill or any related properties.

1. Confrontation

"I'm a tool for intelligence, not violence, James."
The slender woman crossed her legs under the table. The tights she wore clung neatly to her skin, but it was wise not to be fooled by her formal dress sense. She may have been dressed for the occasion, coming to the Bimini Barrelhead Bar that night...but her motives were far different from any other woman there.

They may have chosen to put on sultry dances for the pleasure of the patrons, or to serve drinks to already drunken leches. Or perhaps they had just come here for a good time, spending the early hours with close friends or relations.

Who could say? Whatever these other girls were up to, it couldn't compare to what was on Safira Lee's agenda. What she lacked in brawn she made up for in brains- mostly. There were times when she had screwed up in the past, sure. But she was determined to prove to BLANC (her organization) that she was perfectly capable of collecting intel on this dangerous drug ring. If she could pull this off, they'd surely have to stop doubting her...

"I'm only taking precautions." the rather stern, blue-eyed man glanced over at her. He was dashing in person, but she could tell he wasn't looking for love here. He had a lust for something far more sinister.
"Taking precautions would be avoiding coming to this place at all." Safira stated, not fond of his fearmongering. Then again...perhaps Mr. Bond was right to be uneasy.

As they were going to set about talking business she happened to glance up and see a dreaded figure walking into the bar. Easily distinguishable. Tall and tan, dressed in red and black. He was a slender man, and not a particularly strong one, but deft with a knife, and he could chill any opponent's blood with that sickening smile of his.

Dario. Franz Sanchez's 'enforcer'.

"You seem tense." James noted the change in her expression, as she looked down at the fine grain of the table. This meeting would be a mess if Dario got involved...though judging by some of the looks she had seen in this place, that had always been inevitable. So much for joining forces- they'd have to do it some other time.

"Change of plans. Are you carrying?" Safira glanced over at him discreetly, and the man hesitated, before subtly pulling open the side of his jacket. She spied the grip and nodded, before he took his turn to ask her:
"And you?"
Swallowing uneasily, Safira paused for a moment so she could glance up and keep an eye on Dario. He seemed distracted by something at the front, which gave them a little more time to prepare.

"No. I never do." she confessed, which prompted a look of shock from the man sitting opposite from her.
"You came here without anything?"
Safira shifted in her seat, dark, slightly wavy locks shifting around her shoulders a bit during the process. "I...try to avoid any kind of violence. I know I'd lose in a fight anyway...so I try to rely on words instead..."

True, he'd heard she was silver tongued. Words could be powerful too...but they wouldn't shield her from a bullet.
"Don't do anything foolish." he warned her, then abruptly pushed his drink aside and stood up. Safira frowned.
"Where are you going?"
"I need to use the restroom. I'll only be a moment."
Well, even Bond was only human at the end of the day.

James fixed his collar then looked at her seriously before he left.
"If anything happens, I want you to stay low and run. Don't bother waiting for me, I can deal with things myself."
Safira simply nodded. If it came to it. However, she hoped it wouldn't. She had already worked hard to create a good image for herself so that Sanchez would hire her as a secretary for him. He valued loyalty...so she had to make sure she was trustworthy.

This was a little too risky, wasn't it? Meeting a former agent in a public place...
Her fears were confirmed, when only shortly after James left she looked up and saw the devil himself had finally clocked her.

"Well well well..."
Dario sauntered over and reached the table. She allowed her hazel eyes to flicker up and see him smirking down at her, his mouth splitting into a grin and showing off his gold tooth as he pulled out the seat beside her and took it. Dario had come alone, but that didn't make any difference to how much trouble he might be. Especially since it seemed some of his friends were lingering in this very place...

"La señorita Lee, is that right?" he placed one hand against the table and eyed her. Safira just stared right back, doing her best to stay calm. Hopefully she could deter him enough to get him away before James came back. They couldn't afford to continue this meeting now that Dario knew they were here...

"Not going to answer? I only want to have a little talk..." the Nicaraguan nasty-boy spoke in his thick accent, and reached up with that same hand to place it upon her shoulder. Safira tensed under it, but still did her utmost to remain composed.
"What is it you wanted to speak with me about?"
"Ah...well I heard something very interesting..." Dario purred. Without any consideration for her personal space he just kept his hand right there, even rubbing his thumb around on the skin between her dress strap and collarbone. "About you, and how you might be becoming a part of our little family sometime soon."

'Family'. How sweet.

"Is that so? I would have thought that would be kept private..." she spoke politely enough, and that grin of his grew by a mile.
"Oh no no, chica, word travels fast you know."
"I see..." Safira looked away from him, clasping her hands atop the table. His was still on her shoulder, though she could see his other moving for something...

Her throat went dry.

"So might I ask why you were so intrigued? Is it because I'm a woman?" Safira tried to keep him distracted. She probably wasn't going to be able to get him to piss off, but she could at least do the opposite and stall him until James came back, before he tried anything.

"Well, when a beautiful lady decides to join our organization it's hard not to become intrigued." Dario allowed his eyes to scan her upper body, before resting on her face again. "Though I got to wonder, just why did you take an interest in the first place? I guess you know the truth about us, don't you?"

Franz Sanchez was widely recognized as one of the most prominent drug dealers out there, and he had been top of the DEA's list for years. It was hard not to know.
"I do." Safira responded, pursing her light pink lips as he watched her, unflinchingly.
"And you still wanna work for an organization like that?"

Honestly, it was no more dangerous than most of the work she already did for BLANC.

"...I can withhold certain judgements-"
"-For a pay-check, right?" Dario finished her sentence, and chuckled as he did so. His thumb pressed hard up against her bone. "Or maybe you're after something more valuable than that?"

Safira, though she winced with his movements, maintained her poker face. She had practised it for years, and it was pretty damn good. Yet with Dario...it only seemed like he saw straight through it.

Suddenly she inhaled sharply, and her nails dug into the top of the table. Something sharp was poking the inside of her thigh, pressing through the fabric of her tights and against her tender skin. She could feel a tiny prick of warm blood already being drawn.
He did see. He surely did.

As Dario kept his signature knife trained closely against the inside of her leg he pushed his chair closer to hers and leaned in. She could feel his hot breath dusting the side of her cheek as he spoke lowly:
"I don't want to leave a stain in this bar, so why don't you come outside round the back with me? I'll let you tell me all your secrets..."

"Ma'am?"
Suddenly, a blessing from the blue. Just as it seemed she might get a nasty gash in the leg for keeping silent, Safira looked up and saw one of the scantily clad waitresses leaning over the table.
"Ah, sorry to interrupt but there's someone waiting outside for you? They say they're ready to take you home."

"...Right..."
Safira glanced back at Dario expectantly, who drew the blade away and shifted his seat to its former position. He tried to play it casual but she could see the blatant suspicion in his eyes. That didn't matter though, not now.
"I better go. It was nice speaking with you." Safira feigned courtesy and quickly left the bar, heading out to the docks where she knew James was waiting. She also predicted the boat he was manning long before she saw it. Sly dog.

Dario leaned back in his chair once she had left and casually slipped the blade back into his pocket. He knew something was up already...but that wasn't what bothered him so much.

No...the scent of that woman was much more prominent in his mind now...

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