Chapter 1
Tanner was getting restless, his boss was late and he was running out of excuses. Flat tire, he had said when the people at the foreign office had asked about the whereabouts of M. For some reason unknown to Tanner people always expected that he knew where his boss was.
Fifteen minutes late. Bill was getting worried. He excused himself and went in the hallway. He tried phoning Mallory. He was greeted by neglect. There was no answer. Bill tried Moneypenny instead.
"Mallory has not showed to that meeting with the foreign office. He doesn't answer his phone. I'm worried." Bill said.
"I'll have Q track him down. It's propably nothing".
"I know. The natives are getting restless around here. It's not like him to not show up".
Hq
Eve thought that Tanner was overreacting. It could just be traffic. Just to be on the safe side she had Q to track down the boss. Even she got worried when Q said: "There is no signal."
"There got to be one. Tanners going to have a breakdown".
"Don't we all?" Q said druly. "Last recorded signal is from last night".
"Shit". Eve said and dialed Bill.
Foreign office
"The signal disappeared last night".
"I'll be there in ten". Bill said.
"Mr. Tanner". Someone called from the meeting room.
"I have to go". Tanner said and ended the call.
"I'm sorry but we seem to have a crisis on our hands. I'm needed elsewhere". Tanner said to the crowd.
Tanner called Bond from the car.
"Mallory has disappeared".
"Say again."
"Mallory has disappeared. Last recorded signal is from last night. Could you check his flat for me?"
"I'm on it." There was a brief moment of silence. Tanner was the first to say something.
"We got to find M".