Chapter 4.

Family to the Rescue

Mini-Q was sitting on a chair in a cold, dark and rather disgusting place. He had no idea where he was; he guessed he must have passed out at one point during the transport because his last memory was being thrown into the van rather brutally and the next time he woke up, he was already here.

He had both arms uncomfortably tied behind his back to the backrest, his ankles also fastened together and to the back legs of the seat. His head pounded awfully and a small trail of blood led from the wound on his throbbing forehead down into his right eye, making it sting. The little boy felt like crying, all the while beating himself up angrily about his own idiocy.

'How could I have been so stupid!? Looking for trouble like that! I should have just talked to M and not gone off on my own after two grown-up men who appeared to behave suspiciously from the very beginning… Stupid, stupid, stupid! Alec always says that curiosity killed the cat. I think I understand the saying now…'

Trying to guess his location had resulted useless; the best he could come up with was that he was probably somewhere underground. 'Maybe in a dungeon or a cellar.' – Thought the child desperately. – 'Nobody is ever going to find my body if they'll kill me here.' – These dark thoughts not nothing in the slightest to cheer him up.

He wriggled his body a bit from side to side, trying to loosen his binds but to no avail; whoever had tied him up, they had certainly known their business.

He would have liked to shout out or scream for help but it didn't work either, owing to the gag that had been placed in his mouth, rendering him completely speechless and in a totally helpless state.

So, he didn't have any other choice but to wait for whoever had kidnapped him to return and decide over his destiny.

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Everyone in HQ seemed to be in full panic-mode; all running around, trying to gather as much information as possible about the latest child abduction. This time it was not only a simple crime for the local police. This time it was one of their own. It was personal now.

M stood in the middle of the chaos, doing his best to organize the search and prevent the hustle getting too much out of hand, all the while battling with his own remorse about the recent happenings. It was, after all, him who had been supposed to take care of the child when he had been taken; it was him who should have prevented it. He knew Bond and Trevelyan would never forgive him if anything happened to the child. Oh, scratch that: he would never forgive himself anymore anyway.

"002, do we have something? Please, tell me, you have a lead!" – He asked the closest agent, attempting not to sound too desperate. Seeing the look on the man's sad face told him instantly he had failed.

"I'm sorry, sir. We still don't have anything… But we'll find him! The lab is already analyzing the item found-"

"You mean the crochet teddy? It's not just an 'item', it's very important to Mini-Q!"

"Ahm… yes, sir, I'm sorry, I meant that. Ahm… I'm sure they'll be very careful with it, they just want to determine if the blood really is from Junior. Maybe it wasn't him injured…" – Even the spy didn't sound very hopeful.

Mallory nodded, even though he knew the chances of the blood not belonging to the boy were slim to non-existent.

"All right, tell them to hurry up, please. And to be careful with the toy. Mini-Q will need it when we bring him back."

"Yes, sir. I'll tell them to clean it and give it back as soon as they're ready with it."

M nodded again his thanks and walked out of the room, all the way down to Q-Branch.

"Quartermaster, do you have something for us?" – He asked without as soon as he spotted the old man.

"Well, we've managed to get hold of the CCTV's feed and right now we're watching it to find anything suspicious. Naturally, the kidnapping isn't seen so I assume it took place in the blind spot over there." – The Quartermaster explained, motioning at the far edge of the screen. – "Right there where they found the teddy."

"Those sons of bitches knew exactly what they were doing then." – Seethed M and hit the nearest wall with full force. Whoever these people were, they would pay dearly.

Some of the minions seemed a bit taken aback upon witnessing their normally stoic boss lose control like that and they all winced in sympathy seeing the man rub his wrist with a pained hiss. Outbursts like that were very uncommon for the leader; then again, never before had anyone kidnapped their mini genius either…

"It looks like that, yes." – Agreed Q sadly, continuing as if nothing had happened. – "But I'm still optimistic that the tape can help us some. Those people had to arrive there and they were bound to step into the line of the cameras sometime."

"I would like to see the feeds." – Declared M just at the moment when 006 and 007 appeared at the door.

"So would we." – Stated James in a manner that left no place for argument. Not that anyone would have dared say anything, these were two Double-Os who murdered people for a living and now they were both royally pissed off. Nobody wanted to anger them any further, not even M.

Alec shot a very nasty look at their boss before the video captured everyone's full attention and thus put an end to their silent battle.

"There's Mini-Q!" – Shouted one of the minions. – "See, we couldn't recognize him first because of all the other children running around. It seems like he got mixed between them somehow. But it's definitely him."

Everyone present unconsciously leaned a bit closer to the screen to try to see a bit better.

"He's looking around as if in search for something." – Observed Alec. – "There! He spotted something that caught his attention. See how transfixed he is? What could it have been?"

"I've no idea…" – Shook his head M.

"Hey, he's running out of the picture now."

"Yes, then it really happened there. Just as we thought." – Stated Q, not needing to elaborate further what 'it' meant. – "All right, people. I want a list of everyone else who disappeared into that same direction and never returned. And I want it for yesterday!"

The minions nodded and hurriedly went to work, while the Quartermaster loaded the feed of a different camera from across the street.

"This one is watching the direction they could have left in. We need the time just after Mini-Q's disappearance from the other angle!" – Said R, already searching for the mentioned time.

James and Alec exchanged desperate glances. They were men of action; they wanted to hunt for the kidnappers, not stand in Headquarters looking at security camera recordings and let Q-Branch do all the work.

'Please, God, we need to find him!' – Thought Bond.

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The little boy didn't have an idea how long he had been sitting in the abandoned room facing a damp, bare wall, but by now he had other problems beside his uncomfortable position and the pain from his injuries: now he was very-very thirsty and hungry as well.

'I want to go home! I want my family!' – He had tears running down his cheeks now, mixing with the already dried blood.

At that moment, the door behind him opened noisily and he could see the long shadow of a tall and skinny man cast on the floor and the wall in front of him. He tried to turn over but of course was unable to. He had to wait for the person to show himself.

Immediately afterwards there was the sound of two heavy boots squeaking as his captor walked calmly towards him from behind. As soon as the man stood in front of him, the child's eyes widened in surprise.

"Hello, son. Long time, no see." – With that, the gag was brutally torn from Mini-Q's mouth, making the child gaps for breath and hiss in pain.

"You! You! I… What…" – The little one began, searching for the right expression but not finding one. – "But you're supposed to be in jail!"

"I was released on good behavior." – Explained his father proudly. Then seeing the doubtful expression on his son's face, he added maliciously. – "Bet you didn't think I can behave, did you? I'll have you know I'm a perfect gentleman if I want to be."

Mini-Q just snorted.

"More like a calculating bastard."

"Language!" – Snapped his father as he backhanded the child.

The chair nearly toppled over from the sheer force of the blow and the boy's nose started bleeding heavily. Mini-Q was shocked. While his father had never been a runner for the Best Daddy of the Year Award, he also had never actually hit him like that before. He willed himself not to cry as he asked instead:

"Why did you kidnap me? Why couldn't you just leave me alone and live your own life far away from me?"

"I told you before: if I don't have a use for you anymore as a hacker, I'll sell you. Well, congratulations: you have a new master now."

"WHAT!?" – This couldn't be right, could it?

"You see, while I was in prison, I got to know a few people and did a couple of business deals. Now that I'm free they expect me to pay up but I don't have the money. I need income. And I only have you to sell, so, sorry, son, but you'll just have to go."

"You're crazy!"

"So I've been told numerous times." – He shrugged; he didn't seem particularly bothered by that.

Mini-Q tried a different tactic.

"Why don't I hack into bank accounts and get you the money you need? I did it before, I can do it now. You don't have to sell me, there are other ways…"

The man raised an eyebrow.

"I might be somewhat crazy but definitely not stupid enough to let you near a computer ever again, boy."

So, that was it. The child didn't see how he could get out of this mess he had gotten himself into.

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"Sir, there are two men who could possibly be the ones we're looking for!" – Shouted one of the Q-Branch employees, rubbing her tired eyes after having watched the video for over an hour to make notes of everyone appearing on it. – "See? Those two with the inappropriate clothing in the background. They've been just standing around at the edge of the pictures for ages, as if waiting for something."

"Inappropriate clothing? What do you mean?" – Asked M urgently, hurrying to the screen to look at the suspicious persons.

"I mean they're wearing pullovers while nobody else has warm clothes on, almost as if-"

"- they're trying to conceal something that would make them recognizable." – Finished Alec for her.

M instantly remembered the conversation he'd had with Mini-Q about seeing people wearing sweaters and if it not being cold enough for it.

"They're our people! I'm sure of it! They were following us! I want you to find out everything about them: who they are, where they live, what they do. Even their shoe sizes. Now!"

"Yes, sir!"

The minions had of course already started capturing stills of the two from the video and running them on a face recognition program to find out the men's identity.

Trevelyan turned angrily to M.

"You knew you were being followed and yet you let Mini-Q wander around alone? Just what the hell were you thinking, Man!?"

"I'm sorry, 006, I honestly am." – Hung his head the leader of MI6. – "I should have known right away there was something wrong but I didn't realize it until know. I know it's my fault."

"I swear to you, M, if we won't find my son alive and well, you'll know the wrath of Double-Os." – Promised Bond.

M didn't have anything to say to that.

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Mini-Q and his father were angrily glaring at each other when the door opened again, and the boy could hear two persons entering. Soon, they came nearer so that he could also see them. They were his two kidnappers, this time without sweaters. Both were covered in tattoos.

The bigger one went to whisper something into the boss' ear while the smaller man eyed the boy somewhat regretfully. He checked to see if the others were paying attention before kneeling down in front of the child.

"Hey. You all right?"

"What do you think, genius?" – Mini-Q just didn't have the patience to deal with this!

"I'm sorry for your injuries, okay? I didn't want to hit you."

"No. You just wanted to kidnap me?"

"That's what I'm payed for."

"Who are you?"

"I've known your father for ages. We used to have… khm… some business together."

"Oh…" – It finally dawned on the boy as if he had suddenly been drenched in icy water. Of course! He had seen these men from time to time dealing with his father in their home! They usually came during the night and whispered away in the kitchen, while Mini-Q was ordered to stay in the room, locked away. But still, he had seen them more than once through the keyhole. He should have known; how had he been able to forget these tattoos?! – "You're drug dealers!"

"Keep your voice down, for God's sake! We're not supposed to talk! I'm-"

"What's going on here!? Thomas, what are you doing?"

"Nothing!" – Squeaked the man, straightening. – "I just checked if he's bound securely enough. We wouldn't want him to get away now, would we?"

"I see. Well, come on. The buyers will be here soon."

"What? NO! You can't do this! You can't!" – Screamed the boy in sheer panic, trying to get free again.

And just like before, he had no success; not that he had expected it by now. All three men exited the room, leaving the frightened child alone in the semi-darkness.

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"Got it!" – Announced the Quartermaster before starting to read out loud. – "Andrew Norton, 37, a well-known face in the nightlife of London; mostly in the Soho. He's been twice in prison, for dealing with drugs and occasional theft."

The group could see the mugshot of a gruff-looking man glare at them from the screen. Both his arms and his chest were absolutely covered in tattoos.

"He's one of them." – Nodded M. – "And it explains the sweater. Everyone would remember seeing him without it.

Others nodded in agreement and Q went on.

"His partner is Blake Thomas, 32. I don't have much on him but it's probable he's dealing with drugs too. He hasn't been incarcerated though. He might just have been lucky and not get caught. No mugshots of him, just his ID, driving license and passport. He seems to have tattoos as well."

"I'm not a 100% sure about him but I think he might have been the other one. But I'm definite about Norton. What do we know? Do we have his address?" – They needed to hurry up. By now they already knew for sure the blood was indeed from the child. They didn't have time to lose.

"Well, he owns a small flat in Camden. Putting it on map now."

A red dot appeared on another screen that bore a map of the city and everyone stared at it for a moment transfixed. Then Bond and Trevelyan shouted at the same time, already in motion:

"Let's go!"

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The door creaked as it was carefully opened, rousing Mini-Q from his half-dazed panic. It was darker than before and this he couldn't see who had entered and that frightened him even more. Suddenly, he could feel someone grab him from behind and hold their hand tightly over his mouth to prevent him from screaming out.

"Shh… I won't hurt you. I'll get you out of here. Do you understand?"

The boy nodded in agreement and he was released. Soon, his hands and legs followed, being freed. His body hurt all over after spending hours tied to a chair but the little one bravely held his tongue while he turned around to face his rescuer.

"You kidnapped me first and now you're setting me free? Why?" – He whispered to the younger criminal, trying to understand what was going on. Should he even trust the man? Or was this a trap?

"That's not what I signed up for. I don't want to be responsible for child trafficking. It's far more serious than selling weed to junkies in dark allies and to good-for-nothing people like your old man; it's too much for me." – The man explained.

He carefully poked his head out of the room to make sure the other two men couldn't see them before grabbing the boy's right arm rather forcefully and pulling him towards the exit.

Mini-Q hissed.

"Ouch! You're hurting me!"

"Shhh! We need to be very silent! They're upstairs, talking to the buyers. I'm to bring you up to them to present you to your new Master."

The child started shaking. It had been a trap after all!

"But you won't?" – He asked hopefully.

"No. I told you: I'll take you home. But we need to hurry. Come on!"

True to his word, the man led Mini-Q towards the exit.

They could hear voices from upstairs, but luckily for them, the stairs from the basement led directly to the entrance hall and to the front door, and like this the others remained unaware of their escape.

Until the front door was opened, that is.

"Shit, shit! I forgot about the alarm…" – He criminal cursed at the loud shrilling that instantly filled the whole apartment. Mini-Q actually had to cover his ears for protection.

"What's going on here!?" – Shouted the boy's father angrily from the top of the stairs, staring at the two fugitives.

"RUN!"

Mini-Q didn't need to be told twice: he sprinted out onto the street as fast as he could, never looking back to check if he was even followed. He ran in blind panic, remembering the last time he had done this and also keeping the fact in mind that at that time, he had ended up being hit by a car. He didn't want that to happen again but still: he needed to get away!

He didn't notice the person standing in front of him until they collided with each other, and he completely lost it, thinking his father or the other criminals must have gotten to him.

The little boy started to kick and bite and shout for help, absolutely out of control.

"Mini-Q! Alex! It's all right! Son!"

Slowly… very-very slowly the words began to sink in and the child looked up to the person's face.

"ALEC!"

"Yes, little kitten, it's me. I'm so-" – The relieved agent couldn't finish because the eight-year-old lunged at him with a force that knocked the air out of his lungs, clinging to him for dear life.

The boy sobbed uncontrollably.

"He wanted to… he took me… I didn't want to… He bound me to a chair… He-"

"Shh… Hey. It's okay. We'll get them. The police and the agents are already capturing them. Everything will be fine."

"No, Alec! It was my father! My own father wanted to sell me!"

The agent felt his anger rising to until now unknown levels but he kept his temper in check in order to run a soothing hand over the child's back.

Bond joined them just in time to hear the last part.

"I am your dad now, Mini-Q. And Alec. You don't need that bastard. Don't worry about him: this time he'll stay in prison forever, I will make sure of that personally. It's a promise."

The child nodded and slowly disentangled himself from the hug. He turned around to see the two kidnappers, his would-be buyer and his father being escorted towards a police car each. All were handcuffed and swearing loudly.

His father stopped near the boy and looked hard and long into his eyes.

"You know, son, in another life, I might have liked you." – He stated without showing any remorse about what had happened.

Mini-Q felt M's hand on his shoulders, giving him support. He steeled himself as he unwaveringly held his father's gaze.

"You know, father, in another life, you'd still be a moron."

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It had taken hours for Mini-Q to relate to the police what had happened to him with every detail, even the fact that one of the kidnappers had, after all, helped him get away. He knew it would mean a slightly milder punishment for him and he felt it was just right the man be awarded for what he had done.

In the end, he felt as if he had indeed been run over by a bus: his head hurt and his throat felt sore. He had already drunk two mugfuls of tea and eaten a big, retro-style hamburger and now he just wanted to go home and sleep for a week.

"I think it's enough for now. Can't you see that he's exhausted? We can continue this tomorrow." – Bond's warning did its job as the officer nodded and excused herself with a pat to the boy's kneww, leaving the child alone with his family and M.

The little one turned to the leader with regretful eyes.

"Sir, I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have left… I…"

M kneeled in front of the boy and pulled him into a hug.

"No, son, I'm sorry. It was my job to protect you and I failed miserably at that. I'm never going to forgive myself for it."

"It's silly, because you did make me promise to stay in the building. It's not your fault I disobeyed." – He really felt horrible for that and not only because he had been kidnapped as a result. He didn't want to lose others' trust. – "I'm really very sorry."

"What did you learn from it?" – Alec pointedly asked.

"Ahm… that next time I'll just let you guys do the investigation when I see something suspicious?" – He began, but the look on the adults' faces made him rethink his strategy. He sighed. – "That I'll always pay attention to what I'm told and I'll follow your instructions to the letter." – He dutifully promised.

"That's better."

"Hey, kiddo." – Began M, pulling something out of his pocket. – "Somebody has missed you a great deal."

"TEDDY! I thought I had lost him forever! Thank you!"

"Come on, let's go home."

They started to walk out of the police station, three adults surrounding protectively one small boy.

"Do you think we could go back to the Parliament so that I can actually use my visitors card and have a look around?"

"NO!" – Shouted all three men at once.

The End