Chapter 1: Welcome To Royale Les-Eaux
James Bond strode through the front doors of the elegant Casino Royale. He was dressed in a tailored black tuxedo, dress trousers, and bowtie. He was trussed up for only one purpose: to play poker. This was his first assignment as a 00 agent. Bond was one of the small society of British Intelligence agents to be designated with a licence to kill.
With time to kill until the big tournament, Bond journeyed his way towards the bar. The casino was littered with patrons, ready to gamble, and almost brimming with anticipation as to the outcome of tonight's poker game. Bond himself was feeling a bit anxious. He ordered a glass of whiskey on the rocks to soothe his nerves a little, for anxiety and nervousness are two ways of getting killed in spy business. In Bond's case, it could be mistaken for fear at the poker table, and that fear can be mistaken for bluffing, and that is not something Bond wants tonight. He had to win, and he was determined not to lose. While his nerves were calming themselves with the cool burn of whiskey, he took the moment to reflect on the past few weeks.
Bond was sent on this mission because he was refutably the best gambler in the service. His superior, know only as "M", had great faith in Bond, which was why she elevated him to 00 status. And, although he was a bit on the arrogant and headstrong side, M knew that James Bond was, undoubtedly, the best, and only, agent reliable to handle this job. Of course, there were times in the young agent's life when his shortcomings and misdemeanors were downright unbearable, and definitely inexcusable, but, still, Bond and M maintained a great deal of mutual respect for one another.
Now, becoming a 00 wasn't easy, even for James Bond. To become a 00, one must basically perform two assassinations, in cold blood. They will be sanctioned off to the public as another unsolved murder. In fact, that is the main point of being a 00. to be an assassin of sorts. That bulks up the job, but with all the regular reconnaissance, spy work, stealth, and intelligence duties. But it all comes down to an eventual kill most of the time. Like this mission. Bond is playing poker to clean out a terrorist banker known as Le Chiffre, in hopes that he will either give British Intelligence his full cooperation, or be murdered by his paymasters. Either way, the mission will be a success.
For James Bond, however his story starts about five weeks ago…