AN: Here we are my dears chapter 6, and i will post chapter 7 at the weekend as i still have to type it. :)
Hope you enjoy this chapter until then my dears. :)
Much to their relief, the journey to M's apartment is made without any problems. Once the car had stopped, James got out first, made his way round to M's side, and helped her out from the car. The both of them thanked the driver and made their way to the front door.
M reached in her bag for her keys, opened the door and made her way into the living room while James closed the door behind them.
"So what's it to be tea or coffee?"
"I suppose something stronger is out of the question then?"
"Yes, considering you have a concussion, I'd rather not risk your health."
M let out a sigh and watched as James made his way into the kitchen, while she carefully sat on the couch.
"Fine, tea would be lovely then. Do you need an extra hand?"
James stopped In his tracks and turned to look at her.
"I think I can manage M, I only have a dislocated shoulder."
She didn't argue with him and just let him get on with his task, while she tried to make herself comfortable for the chat they were going to have. 'So much for leaving things buried in the past.'
"M, on second thought a hand would be much appreciated."
She had to prevent herself from laughing, at the uncertainty in his voice. Making her way into the kitchen, she saw James trying to lift the two mugs with one hand, causing some of the tea to spill over the counter.
"You do know you could have brought them in one at a time don't you?"
"That would be double the work though."
He placed them back on the counter, as M picked up the washcloth from the sink and started to mop up the spilt tea, before throwing it in the sink.
"Come on, before you break the mugs as well."
She picked up both mugs in each of her hands and moved back into the living room with James following behind.
"There that wasn't hard now was it?"
"Yeah, says the person with two hands free."
"Well, whose fault is that in adopting a dislocated shoulder?"
"Touché."
James took the spare seat next to M on the couch, and watched as she took a drink of her tea closing her eyes and letting out a sigh.
"That good is it?"
She opened her eyes and turned to look at him. "You're improving."
James gave a grin and took a drink of his own, careful of not spilling any over the cream carpet.
"Not bad. I amaze myself sometimes."
M rolled her eyes and placed her mug back on the table.
"I suppose now is the time to tell you everything, I know that could help with what happened today."
James demeanour went from joking to serious in a few seconds. "Only if you feel you're up to it."
"If I put it off, chances are I'll never tell you. What I did effected every mothering instinct I had, but you know we do not negotiate with terrorists. No matter what's at stake."
James reached out and placed his hand over M's. "I'm sure you did what you thought was best. You can't blame yourself for doing your job."
M looked at him "Once you hear what it was I had to do, you may not be as understanding."
"That will never happen; you've stuck by me through thick and thin, no matter what, well the same goes for me too. I would never judge you. We both know the toll this job can put on a person, you more so than anyone."
She knew James was right, the orders she had to issue the majority of the time were difficult to say the least. If the cost of a life meant a successful mission, she would initiate the order, no matter how much she didn't want to.
"Take your time M, there is no rush."
M gave him a look of gratitude, as she thought about everything that had happened when King contacted her about Elektra. Taking a deep breath, she began to tell James everything.
"It was eight months ago that King contacted me informing me that his daughter Elektra had been kidnapped. The assailant was someone we had been tracking for some time."
James sat offering what comfort he could; he knew this must be hard for her.
"Before King contacted me, however, he used his own resources in trying to find her whereabouts. It was only when he got delivered a part of Elektra's ear, that he contacted me."
"Then what happened?"
"He received a letter with a ransom. I told him not to pay it, despite the fact I knew what the man was capable of. I knew his daughter since she was a small girl, so you can imagine the conflict I felt when I told him. I thought that if I delayed it as much as possible, it would allow us to finally catch him."
"So you basically used the girl as bait?" There was no accusation in his voice, only truth.
"Yes. I sent 009 to kill him once we knew of his whereabouts, but Elektra escaped before he could carry out his mission. He finally managed to track down his target and put a bullet in his skull. The only matter is that it's still there."
"Wait, he is still alive?"
"Apparently from the x-rays Interpol found and passed onto us, the doctor that tried to save him couldn't remove the bullet, so he killed him."
"M who are we talking about?"
M looked back to him, "Victor Zokas, but he is known as…
"Renard, 'the anarchist'" James finished the sentence for her. Shit, their troubles just got ten times worse. He had heard about Renard in passing, but didn't think too much of it at the time.
"From the x-rays one of our own doctors informed us that the bullet is moving through his medulla oblongata, killing off his sense of touch, essentially he feels no pain. Meaning he can push himself harder and faster than any other man."
M picked up her mug and took a drink of her now lukewarm tea grimacing at the taste, before replacing it back on the table.
James sat there mulling over everything that she had told him. Something still wasn't making sense to him.
"M, how much was the ransom King was supposed to pay for Elektra?"
"I think it was five million dollars. Why?"
"I need to use your laptop."
She watched as James moved over to her desk and powered on the laptop taking a piece of paper from his suit.
"What is it?"
"Give me two minutes I want to check something."
James brings up an exchange rate calculator and types in the figure that is on Kings Statement. Entering the amount in Sterling Pounds, he waits anxiously as the amount exchanges itself into dollars. Seeing the newly exchanged figure, he closes his eyes.
M walks over to him, looks at the screen, and sees the figure staring back at her.
"This was a message wasn't it?"
James opened his eyes and looked towards her. "He wants you to know that he is back in the game. The money that I brought back to headquarters that killed King, was the exact same as the ransom demand for Elektra."
"He's already got his revenge King is dead."
"A man like Renard doesn't blow up five million to kill someone who he wants revenge against when he could use other methods of doing so. He's working for someone and that someone has hired the perfect killing machine. That someone and Renard both have a vendetta against King and you. They have already managed to kill King, which only leaves you."
"Meaning what exactly? Why would he and this unknown assailant want revenge against me?"
"For our mystery assailant, we still need to figure that out. As for Renard, he probably blames you for the bullet in his skull. I know if it were me, I would want revenge against the woman who issued the order to have me killed."
"He nearly did."
James stood up and pulled M into a one armed hug mindful of her bruises.
"You know I won't let anything happen, you M. You have my word."
M felt herself relax in James' embrace. "I know."
She pulled away from him and looked into his eyes.
"We need to eliminate him James, I've lost count of the deaths he is responsible for, the majority of them were innocents."
"We'll get him and whoever has hired him M. They won't get away with this."
"It means Elektra isn't safe either James. He will go after her."
He didn't get the chance to answer her, when the phone started to ring.
"I'll get it."
M nodded and let James take care of it, she was still trying to process everything.
"Hello?"
"Oh, I'm sorry I think I have the wrong number." The unknown woman's voice answered him.
"Can I ask who is calling?"
M walked over to him and took the phone from him.
"Hello?"
"M is that you? I know I shouldn't be calling you at your home, but I found your number when I was looking through my father's things."
"Elektra, sorry it was my bodyguard that answered. It's fine, don't worry about it. How are you holding up?"
"I can't believe this happened, I thought everything would be better now."
M's eyes softened at how distraught the young woman sounded.
"I know. I promise we will find out who did this. Your father was a good man."
"Thank you. The reason I'm calling is that I have the funeral arrangements sorted. I know he would have wanted you there."
"I'll be there."
"The service will be held in Loch Lomond, my father was fond of the place. It will be scheduled for this coming Friday at nine o'clock."
"Thank you for letting me know, if you need anything…"
"I appreciate that M. I'll see you on Friday, although I wish it was under better circumstances."
"I do too. Take care."
"You too M."
M paced the phone back on the receiver. "Robert's funeral will be held this Friday at nine."
"You can't possibly think about going. This is just the opportunity he needs to make his move."
"I doubt he will try anything there James. Besides, I'll have you and some personnel from Six with me. I'll be fine. The poor girl has been through enough, she needs a familiar face there."
James didn't like it, but he knew M needed this.
"Alright, hopefully Tanner will have some information for us before then if luck is on our side. Do we tell Elektra that Renard maybe after her again?"
"No. There is no point worrying her, she has enough now to deal with."
"You will have to tell her eventually M."
"I know, but if he is after Elektra too…"
James knew where this train of thought was going.
"You want to use her as bait again, don't you?"
"No. I was thinking about…"
"No way, forget it. If you think I'm going to let you use yourself as bait for this bastard, you can think again."
She knew he wouldn't like it, but if her life meant the end to all of this she would readily do it.
"James, it may be the only way." She reached out her hand to his arm to try and get him to calm down.
"We'll find something else. I'm not going to lose you, do you understand me? I nearly lost you earlier today. Please don't make me go through that again."
The fear and desperation in his voice shook M to the core. Tanner was right, he would be broken if anything happened to her. Here he wasn't the agent, here he was like any other person who feared losing someone he cared about.
"Oh my dear boy," She cupped his face in one of her hands.
"If you don't want me to do it, then I won't."
She watched as a look of relief washed over him, and leaned in to her touch placing a kiss on her wrist as he did so.
"Thank you. I don't want you taking any unnecessary risks M. I can't lose you."
"I know James, but death is a part of life. You either will lose me eventually due to this job, or by old age, which even you can't protect me from."
"Maybe not, but I'll be damned if I lose you before your time. I love you too much to let you go."
"Do you mean that?"
"With every fibre of my being M, I love you. I've loved you for quite some time. It was only today that made me truly realise what I could have lost. It hit me that you could have died not hearing those words."
She looked for any sign of doubt in his words, but found none and let out a smile.
"I love you too James."
He brought his lips down on hers pouring all the love he felt for her into the kiss, being mindful not hurt her already abused body. They eventually pulled apart for some air James resting his forehead against hers.
"You really are one of a kind M."
M let out a chuckle, "Same could be said about you. Now, how much damage are we talking from your escapade with the hot air balloon?"
James let out a groan, "Why did you have to bring that up?"
She pulled back and looked up at him. "Just so I know what to expect when Tanner gives me the report."
She saw him grimace, "It's bad isn't it?"
"Well, there was damage to a restaurant and a few people got a scare. Oh, then there was the damage to Q's ne boat prototype. So really there wasn't much."
She gave him a calculating look, "Okay, I won't give you a bollocking this time James, but please try to refrain from scaring people in the future with your escapades won't you."
He let out a sigh in relief "For you M, I'm willing to give that a try."
"Make sure you do."
"So, what do you say we have an early night?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her.
"Nice try, but I think for the both us our active sex life is going to have to be put on hold until we mend as much as I would love to."
"Who said anything about sex? I just want to lay with you and hold you in my arms and having you close" He wrapped his one good arm around her waist and gently pulled her back into him.
"Mm, I love the sound of that."
James gave a loving smile as he heard the drowsiness in her voice.
"Come on then sleeping beauty, let's get you to bed before you fall asleep standing up."
M let James steer her in the direction of their bedroom never taking his arm from her waist. The both of them getting changed into more comfortable clothes took longer than they had imagined, as James kept placing small kisses on the bruises of her exposed flesh. Once he was satisfied with his work, the two of them climbed into bed and settled under the covers.
"You really should keep that on you know." M reprimanded him as she watched him remove his sing.
"The blasted thing is a pain; I'll worry about the consequences later."
M knew he was a stubborn bugger when it came to his injuries, no matter how many orders she would give him, she had to drag him to medical herself. She placed her head on James' chest and she can feel his arm go around her. She loved these moments; his presence alone made her feel safe, but these small actions made her feel protected and made all her worries to be washed away. Here they were just two people in love, and she treasured each one of these moments. She felt her eyes close of their own accord, knowing she was safe in his arms.
James heard her breathing evening out, knowing she was asleep. He thought about what would happen in the next coming days. He had a feeling a storm was coming, and when it arrives, he will be ready.