I'm so sorry for the delay to the people reading this.
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Chapter 4
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The only sound to be heard around her was the ringing in her ears as Eve slowly stood up from behind her desk. Trying to get her thoughts together, she looked out in to the corridor to see people running and screaming, guards coming rushing in to Mallory's domain.
"Miss Moneypenny are you alright? Miss Moneypenny, can you hear me."
"Steve…yes, yes I'm okay. M…someone needs to check on him."
"Is he in there?" He asked, looking towards the office.
"Yes." Was all she said, tears in her eyes?
Eve stayed back as Steve made his way in to the smokey office, debris lying by the door. She waited for what felt like hours when in face only a few minutes had passed, relief washing over her when Steve reappeared with Mallory in his arms, laying him down gently on the floor as Eve rushed to kneel beside him.
"Oh my god…Sir, M can you hear me."
Mallory could only offer a small groan of pain as a response as Eve looked up at Steve.
"We need an ambulance…now."
"I'll get right on it Miss Moneypenny."
Eve stayed with M as Steve went to phone for an ambulance, Tanner appeared and was by Eve's side to check on their boss.
"Eve…what the hell happened? I was on the second floor when I heard the explosion."
"He received a package; minutes later…the place just went up."
"Have you called an ambulance?"
"Steve's on it now."
"Sir…can you talk?"
"I've already tried Bill…it's not use."
Tanner watched Eve shaking as she held Mallory's hand as they waited for the ambulance.
"He'll be alright." He said, rubbing a hand on her back.
"Someone needs to call James…this is going to set him off."
"Why?"
"Miss Moneypenny, the ambulance is here." Steve said, appearing behind them.
"Thanks Steve."
Eve and Tanner got to their feet as the paramedics entered the office, Eve watching closely as they attended to him.
"Eve?" Tanner asked.
"I'll explain later, right now…we need to get him to hospital."
…
The light was streaming through his window as James stirred from his sleep; he hadn't realized just how tired he'd been. As much as he hated being ordered to do something, Eve had been right…he needed to rest. He ran a hand over his face as he sat up, taking in his surroundings for a second before he looked to his phone on the side cabinet to see it flashing. He reached for the phone, smiling to himself to see Eve's name, probably checking up yet again to make sure he was taking her advice and resting. He opened the message and read and re-read it again, his face turning to anger and fear. He threw back the covers, grabbing his clothes from the chair where he'd left them the night before and quickly showered before rushing out the door.
…
Tanner sat in the chair next to Eve, giving her ample time to compose herself before he finally spoke.
"So…what the hell's been going on?"
"Bill, don't."
"Don't what…demand to know what's been happening? This wasn't just a random explosion…that much I know. M was targeted, and you know something about that…so I'll ask again, what's going on."
"It's connected to James."
"Bond…but why?"
"It involves one of his old missions, a man named Arthur Ficher, he was building a nuclear weapon to use on our country, M had sent James to stop him, She needed her best and he did but…he ended up killing Ficher's son, who was fifteen. Ficher told James that he'd make him pay one day and now he's doing just that. He's using Mallory to get to him."
"But why Mallory? We've known James a lot longer, we're closer to him…if he wanted to hurt anyone then why not one of us."
"James says it's because he's now the Head of MI6."
"But you don't believe that?"
"It's not MI6 he wants revenge on, it's James personally, and when you want to hurt someone personally…you hurt the one person they love more than anything else."
"What…Mallory, but James hates him; he's never forgiven him for taking over from her."
"So he says, lately though…when I've been with him, how worried he's been since he received the photos of Mallory and the note threatening him. There's more to this than James is telling me."
"You don't actually believe that James and M are…you know."
"I don't know, but something's going on. Mallory might not be aware himself of James feelings…if that's what's going on. Oh I don't know, perhaps I'm reading too much in to all of this…all I know for sure is…"
Eve went quiet when she looked up to see James striding towards them, anger on his face. His fists clenching as he got closer.
"James…."
"Where is he?"
"James listen we…."
"WHERE IS HE?"
"Calm down Bond." Tanner demanded.
"You were supposed to be looking after him, you promised me Eve."
"There was security posted outside James, he had the protection."
"Clearly not or this wouldn't have happened. A Bomb, how in the hell did a bomb get in to MI6, let alone Gar…M's office."
"I don't know, the girl Amy…she's new. Clearly she made a mistake."
"A mistake…a mistake. HE WAS NEARLY KILLED EVE."
"Okay Bond enough…this isn't Eve's fault."
"I'm sorry James; I did the best I could to keep him safe. Clearly I've been out of the field too long."
James looked in to Eve's eyes, seeing the fear and apologetic way she looked at him. He moved forward, placing a hand on her arm.
"I'm sorry Eve, you're not responsible for this…Bill's right. Ficher's the one to blame here…and me."
"You, James we've been though this before you…"
"This is all happening because of me, I killed his son. Anything that happens to M, it's on me. I never should have agreed to time off, I should have known better."
"You can't watch him twenty four hours a day James."
"Clearly I do, can he see me."
"The doctors fixed him up to an IV, he has smoke inhalation and a few cuts and bruises and a cracked rib but other than that, he seems fine. He just needs to rest up." Tanner said.
"We should get back to the office, get things under control. James…will you be okay here?" Eve asked.
"Yeah, off you go. I'll drop by later."
Eve nodded as Tanner escorted her away, James turned towards Mallory's room, his stomach dropping at what he was about to face.
…
James entered Mallory's room; the older man was lying on his back, the blanket covering his chest, his arms covered in small cuts. He approached the bed cautiously; streistrips had been applied to the side of his forehead. James looked down at him; he appeared much older than he was. James hand moved to brush a few stray hairs from his forehead, his hand lingering a little as Mallory shifted, a gasp escaping his lips.
"Ssssh, it's okay…you're safe." James whispered.
Mallory opened his eyes slowly to see James staring back at him, guilt written over his face as he ran his fingers over Mallory's knuckle.
"James…"
"I am…so sorry."
"Not…your fault."
"Bull shit…Sir."
"James you…aaagghhh."
"Hey, take it easy. Try not to move too much, you've cracked a rib and you took a few bumps."
"Bomb?"
"Yeah, a bomb."
"My package?"
"It should have been checked before it was given to you, I'll be having a few words."
"Don't blame the girl…she's new…she's still learning. Eve…is Eve alright…Bill…Q?"
"They're all fine, don't worry. You got the worst of it…I never should have taken time off."
"You couldn't have stopped this James."
"I could have tried, you could have been killed."
Mallory's eyes went to where James hand lay, his fingers lightly stroking his arm.
"You're not responsible for me."
"Yes I am, if you'd died I…"
"I'm alright…I made it."
James looked in to Mallory's eyes, smiling as the older man watched him fondly, Mallory's own hand covering James other hand. James felt a small tightening in his stomach as he smiled down at Mallory before removing his hand.
"I…I should let you get some rest, god knows you deserve some."
"You don't have to leave, stay…talk to me."
"I should get back, Eve and Bill will need some help clearing the place up and I want some answers. I'll be back soon okay, I won't leave you again."
Mallory watched James closely, seeing something he couldn't quite place in James eyes.
"Very well, I'll be here."
James gave his hand a tight squeeze before leaving the room, Mallory closing his eyes when the closed behind James.
…
To Be Continue…