At about six that evening Bond made his way back down to the Q Division, wondering if the younger man had been able to get a hold on Emerald. Nobody had seen her today, and the unusual bounty of sugar in the break room only confirmed her absence. Bond tried to call, both her work Blackberry and personal phone, but she didn't answer. Barker had come into work late that morning, looking like he hadn't slept all night and a bruise on his cheek, a fresh one. This only added to Bond's suspicion that something was wrong. Who, besides himself and Emerald, would strike out against Clarence? He hadn't done so, which only left one suspect, who strangely was missing. The agent thought about confronting Clarence, but he couldn't see it ending very well.

As James turned down another hallway he spotted Q, who was looking for him. "Ah, Bond." the other man greeted. "I was just coming to speak with you."

"Any luck?"

"No, she won't answer my calls."

"I couldn't reach her either. Nobody's seen her."

A frown pulled at Q's lips as he tried not to think the worst, but he couldn't help it. "It's only a matter of time then." he muttered quietly.

"Until what?" Bond asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Until someone finds her body."

Bond just stood there, hands in his pockets. If Emerald really was missing, like the other agents had been before their bodies were found, then Q was right. It was only a matter of time. Another person might have thought such a thing impossible, that surely somehow Emerald was still alive. But to believe such things required hope and optimism, something Bond had learned to give up quite a long time ago. Bond only believed in the facts now, what was real. Hopes got you killed, reality saved your sorry a**.

"Do you ever think of leaving?" Q asked, looking up at Bond with a bit of concern.

"Everyday."

"Then why don't you?"

"Because eventually the storm blows over. You learn to hunker down and find someplace where the current can't drag you under. Leaving isn't worth the risk."

"Some people don't get so lucky, though."

"It's not about luck, Q. It's skills and wits and smarts, knowing what to get involved in and knowing what not to. Just stick with me and you'll be fine."

"How can you be so sure it's a storm you can handle?" Q asked skeptically.

"I've dealt with plenty of storms like Mallory before, I stopped being afraid of them a long time ago. You'd be wise to do the same."

Q just nodded, putting his hands in his pockets as well. "Weather permitting, I'll see you tomorrow." he said, rocking back on his heels.

"Tomorrow then."

And with that the two men parted ways, unsure of what lie ahead but determined not to get dragged under.

Clarence Barker returned to the attic the following morning, once he'd gotten a cup of tea. He left all of Emerald's weapons in his own flat, all except two daggers, and purchased another chain from the hardware store. As the key turned in the attic Emerald's head snapped up, narrowing her eyes at the smirk that cursed Clarence's lips.

"Come to finally end me?" she asked, voice a bit hoarse and expression a bit more tired than hateful.

"Not today, but I'll leave you a dagger in case you wish to finish the job yourself."

To this, she simply raised an eyebrow. Barker definitely had something planned, but what? She couldn't tell. She watched as he unraveled the new chain and threw one end over one of the wooden rafters before wrapping the other end of the chain around Emerald's ankles, whistling a happy tune.

"Going to use me as a punching bag? Clever." she snipped.

"Oh no, not a punching bag." he chuckled, pulling out a knife and dragging the blade across her neck slowly. With a flick of his wrist he cut a small slit at the base of her throat, near her collar bone. "I'm going to bleed you like the animal you are." He chuckled again as he watched Emerald struggle in her chair.

"You wouldn't! We both know you can't stomach the sight of me dangling from a chain and bleeding my guts out." she spat, eyes wild and enraged.

"I could too." he spat back, punching her in the gut with all he had.

As she doubled over, wheezing for breath, he undid the chains that held her to the chair and walking to the other side of the room. He took a hold of the end of the chain that was thrown over the rafters and pulled down on it, Emerald being dragged off the chair. She kicked her feet, trying to kick off the chain that bound her ankles, but he yanked down again, her feet being lifted into the air. Another few yanks and she was fully suspended in the air. What once had been a slow trickle of blood down her neck was now a river, spilling down up her neck, off her chin, and onto the floor. Splat, splat, splat against the wooden floors.

The woman's face flushed red, eyes wide and mouth gaping open as she gasped for air. She put her hands to her neck, trying to stop the blood, but her life just continued to slip through her fingers. It wasn't long before she let out a moan, which then turned into a small, pained, frustrated scream.

"How long will it take for you to be bone dry?" Clarence asked once she was silent again, leaning back and using his body weight to hold the chain.

"Thirty minutes." she gasped, tears falling welling in her eyes and dripping off her lashes. The water vanished in the blood pooling beneath her.

Clarence just watched as she dangled there, little pained and furious animalistic noises ripping from her throat, blood dripping off her. She spat curses at him, her voice strong at first, scaring him, until he remembered he was in total control. He laughed, soft at first, then louder, menacing. He'd hated Emerald ever since he'd first met her nearly eight months ago. She had been a threat, a temptation, stealing his most important mission and winning over M's favor. Now the tables were turning in his favor once more. No more would she get his jobs, no more would she live. This is what he had been waiting for.

As the minutes ticked by she grew silent, still except for the slight expanding of her rib cage as she struggled to breath. Her eyes slowly started to close, every breath gurgling with blood. After fifteen minutes exactly, he lowered her to the ground, not bothering to move her out of her own blood or remove the chain around her ankles. He slowly walked to stand over her, her dull defiant eyes trying to focus on him, her skin pale and clammy. The dim light shadowed Clarence's face in a way that made Emerald's blurred vision see him as a monster, a monster of a man she needed to get away, but no matter how hard her fuzzy mind tried to make her body move, it wouldn't.

"I'll leave you alive for now," he taunted, feeling more powerful than ever and filled with a dark joy. "but expect worse tomorrow." He pulled the other dagger from his coat and crouched down beside her, placing the hilt in her bloody, limp hand. "You can spare yourself the trouble, however. I won't tell anyone you took the easy way out." He curled her fingers around the blade, patting them before standing straight and walking towards the door. "Such a shame you had to be the one to work with me. Such a waste of talent." he said as if he were disappointed.

He felt the need to rush back to MI6 and brag about his victory, but alas, he had to keep silent. One day the world would know, though, they would know how he had bested Agent 008. But until then, he'd have to wait.