EPILOGUE

Q stood at his post.

"I was hoping to put in a request with Q Division," Bond's voice came crisp and clear in his ear, Q watching the bustling streets of Rio De Janeiro on his screen as Bond sat and watched the world go by.

"Oh? Well I can't promise anything and knowing you, I'll probably have to clear it with M…"

"An inflatable Q?" he asked, tone level and casual. "You know, just to get me through the slightly more lonesome and boring missions until I get back to London."

Tanner went pale and started coughing across the comms to make sure he was heard before Bond said anything else that might cause him an aneurism.

Q sighed with the patience of a parent who was having said patience severely tried. "It might benefit you to know 007, that Tanner is on this line as well. So if you could keep the sweet nothings to a minimum it might be in the best interests of all concerned."

"Hello, Tanner," Bond said smoothly, seemingly completely unabashed at the presence of a third party. Shameless arse.

"Hello, 007," Tanner replied through a series of fidgets. "Now, where were we?"

"I was enquiring about an infl—?"

"BOND!"

"Sorry Q," the teasing smile evident even though Q couldn't see it.

"Patience is a virtue that has its own reward," said Q, his fingers dancing with light precision across his keyboard.

"I'll hold you to that, Quartermaster."

"I'm counting on it, 007."