Hi everyone! My first James Bond fic. Post-Skyfall. Please review!
James Bond walked quickly through the busy airport, briskly scanning the crowd for the two faces from the picture he'd been shown. A mother and daughter, both Americans; the mum was an F.B.I agent who worked closely with M16, the daughter a teen agent.
He'd been assigned to protect and assist the mother while she was in Britain on business with M16; to this he had no objections. She was quite beautiful, and, from what he understood, her husband was dead.
He cut an imposing but unobtrusive figure - part of being a good double-0 was being inconspicuous. He adjusted his cufflinks, looking around. Where were they? Blimey, he hated late people - though he himself wasn't always the most punctual person... There they were, just now gathering luggage. He hastened forward, hand outstretched.
"Ms. Page. I trust you had a good flight?"
"Yes, thank you."
He studied her and the girl, scrutinizing them quickly. Ellie Page was gorgeous - tall, slender, with delicate features. She had a southern accent, perhaps Texas or Louisiana? Her brunette hair was straight but curled at the ends , long, and luxuriously glossy. It fell perfectly into place, while her daughter's,the same tint, was wavy and short, seemingly unruly.
Ms. Page was elegant yet professional. She wore a black pencil skirt and a fancy blouse, daringly low cut.
The girl couldn't have been more than fifteen. She was tall, like her mother, and had large blue eyes. A paperback book was stuck under her arm. Now she grinned. "I'm Katie. What shall I call you?" He smiled back.
"You can call me James." Must be going soft in my old age, he reflected inwardly. Normally he preferred a ' Mr '. Leading the way out of the airport, he made a grand show of opening the car door for each of them.
"First time in England, Ms. Page?"
"Not for me, but for Katie."
Katie was pressed to the glass window, taking in London. Studying Ellie Page, he wondered why she'd brought the girl. Even if she was a teen agent, there couldn't be much business for her in London, and wouldn't it be dangerous?
They arrived at the fancy hotel. F.B.I must pay more for lodging than M16, he decided, remembering some of the places he'd had to stay. They each had their own bedroom, and Katie hurried off to inspect hers.
Ms. Page stayed with him in the living area. After polite chat in the enormous hotel living room, he bluntly queried, "Why bring the girl? I should think you'd have to get permissions?"
"Yes, I pulled some strings. It's just... after her father died... I promised her we were in this together."
He arched an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"Mr. Bond - er, James -, I'd rather not discuss this right now. Katie can take care of herself. I don't expect her to be a problem."
He'd hit a nerve, and he hastened to be rid of this icy start. "Do you drink, Ms. Page? Perhaps you'd like refreshments and a drink after your long flight?" He had a martini, of course, and she ordered some sort of cocktail, as well as a soda for Katie.
Room service brought crackers and expensive cheeses and meats as well. Katie made a quick appearance, dropping her book on the side table and sliding onto the couch beside him. Ms. Page admonished,
"Don't ruin your supper, Katie, honey."
Katie rolled her eyes is a silent appeal to Bond, who gingerly pushed a napkin filled with cheeses in her direction. She snatched it with a grateful look and they shared a smirk before she vanished again.
Ellie Page warmed a bit after the snack, and they did discuss the situation they'd both be working on. "I think it's lovely that M16 and the F.B.I work together."
He wasn't entirely sure what to say to that. "Mm... how do you like working for them?"
"The F.B.I? Oh, they're wonderful, it's an exciting job- it's just, well,there's something about Brits -" Did he imagine it, or did she sneak a look at him as she said it?
"Yes, well..." He couldn't quite decide what he thought of her. She was beautiful, obviously intelligent, a bit coy...yet she seemed guarded. Why? Perhaps her late husband's death had affected her in some way. He'd have to do a little digging. She smiled suddenly, and he noticed her eyes for the first time. They were hazel, with flecks of gold...
"You've already been a great help. Thank you."
"My pleasure, Ms. Page." She placed her hand on his.
"Oh, if I am to call you James you must call me Ellie."
=Later that day =
After the Pages were situated, James headed to M16's headquarters to pick up some things for their mission. He met Q just inside the door of M16's formal, cold lobby, and he wondered why Q was hovering down there. No greeting necessary, just typical Bond bluntness.
"Is something wrong?"
Q froze and adjusted his glasses. "No..."
"Q. I'm a double-0. I think I can tell when someone's lying."
Q cursed and looked away. "Why are we standing here? Let's go up to-"
"Let's not."
"Bond."
"Q."
"I am the Quartermaster , not a toddler, Bond." He led the way a few paces down the hall.
"Well, you're not very good at keeping secrets. If M were-" He broke off suddenly, remembering, and the younger man hesitated.
"Bond, it's ... Well, it's about Silva."
James blinked, trying not to show anything. "He's dead. I killed him. Unless-" He spun, eyes that had been emotionless suddenly wild. "Oh, God. Q, did M16 bumble it up?"
"We-ell..."
"Tell me!"
Q nodded, no longer hesitating.
"Yup. After we left Skyfall, M16 rounded Silva' s surviving goons up. They thought he was dead... apparently he was still alive, just barely. Pulled the knife out of his own back."
James pounded one fist into the other. "I knew something like this would bloody well happen with Mallory in charge. I'd hoped he'd be good. But no. He's careless. An idiot, a-"
Q coughed delicately. "May I remind you, James, that we are standing a few feet away from his office?"
James faced the wall a few seconds more then turned to Q, shoulders squared resolutely. "Right, then," he said in his clipped British manner. "And how is that to affect my current missions and their status?"
"Not much for now. Finish the mission you're on with Ellie Page, the American agent. Get the SD card, the photos you two are supposed to find and turn them in, as usual-"
"Then what?"
"As I was saying... lie low. He'll want you dead-"
"Ha! That's nothing new. I have a list of people who want to kill me."
"Well, you can add me to that list if you don't stop your bloody interruptions!"
James rolled his eyes. "We'll get the evidence to M16 as soon as we can track the others down."
"How is that going, by the way?"
"Fine, I suppose. We haven't really started work yet- they arrived this afternoon. And d'y'know, the lady brings her teenager with her?"
"Hmph! That's odd, no doubt. What'll the kid do tomorrow while you at the Page woman inspect the hideout?"
"That's where you could come in. It's your day off, and the girl's never been to England before. You could show her around...She seems like your type."
"And what is my type?"
"Nose buried in a book."
Despite James' lighthearted banter, his mind was beating a steady rhythm.
Silva's alive; Silva's alive.
He'd thought he'd finished it, for once and all, back at Skyfall with the knife.
M had died there.
His parents had died there.
His dreams - they'd died there,too. Wasn't that enough? How much sorrow could a crumbling old house hold?
Blimey, he hated that place.
Review!
