Chapter One
"Miss Moneypenny," came M's voice over the speaker, "when 007 arrives, would you send him straight through please."
Jane replied in the affirmative and then busied herself with some reports whilst waiting for James' arrival.
Soon enough, in came the suave double 0, but as he opened his mouth to speak, he was met with a friendly, but precise, "you can go straight in."
With one of those dashing smiles, he headed towards the other office and sighed, "ah Moneypenny, how could you keep a desperate man like me hanging on?"
Jane gave a slight chuckle, as she thought to herself how comforting it was to know that he was still the same old James.
Inside the office, however, James' mood was rather less jovial, as M explained why she had called the meeting so urgently.
"Commander Bond, as you know we are currently investigating the development of many harmful weapons being developed by a well known Russian aristocrat-"
"Ah yes, Devorsky, Boris to his close friends-"
"Yes," M cut him off, "well, Devorsky has recently developed weapons for a specific use; to destroy, and knowing his animosity towards Mi5 for our involvement in his predecessor's downfall, these developments are all quite worrying to us."
"So naturally, we would want to investigate. ."
"Of course. However, with the heightened level of security around his official businesses and organisations, we feel that placing an agent there would be too suspicious at this time,"
"Well then, where would -"
Again M cut him off, "Devorsky has recently made a rather large investment, of both time and money, into a large ballet company in St. Petersburg. It is reported that he is a great lover of the art form and is happy to do whatever he can to help with their financial struggles. We also suspect that he may be using certain parts of the theatre as convenient labs and storage spaces. And so, it is there where we will place our agent."
Pondering what his role within a ballet company could possibly be, James remained silent for a few moments and then, finally, asked, "wonderful plan, but with all due respect, where exactly would I fit into a ballet company?"
"Well actually, you wouldn't be part of the company, simply an investor; with business and personal investments," the woman explained.
"Personal investments?"
"Yes, your wife will join you, and the company, as a highly recommended visiting ballerina."
"Ah, my wife . ." 007 replied, imagining what delightful female agent they would be pairing him with, "I must say, I don't think I've ever met an agent who could be so . . flexible," he joked.
Not finding the man before her remotely amusing, M countered "that's because she isn't an agent."
"Oh?" James was shocked, "really, I didn't think a case as sensitive as this one would be suitable for acquiring outside help?"
" Well, Miss Moneypenny has worked here for years, I would hardly call her an outsider, Mr Bond."
