To my awesome guest reviewer (James). I cannot chat with you unless you enrol as a member but I want to thank you for your reviews. No I will not be changing from the T rating on this one. I hope you enjoy the rest of the story as it evolves.
Part 10
Two weeks later M is saying goodbye to Nigel and Tanner who are headed back to London. Bond still has a week until he is cleared and M is still on leave herself.
Sessions with Dr. Fielding are over and M included Nigel in on hers so that he would have more understanding of what happened to her. Although it was uncomfortable, the two of them have become closer to each other than they have been for years.
This carries over to the physical aspect of their marriage as well. Bond frowns after them every time they steal away in the afternoon after sessions with Dr. Feilding to take a nap…
Bond and Tanner know what has been going on. M has never smiled this much in either of their histories with her.
Bond is walking well on his own now and even spends some time alone with Nigel discussing Oedipus rex.
Nigel laughs with Bond many times at his remarks about what it is about M that drives him mad. Nigel does not even rub it in that he and the wife have been fooling around every afternoon and night. It is a holiday after all.
Christ if M was Bond's...she wouldn't see the light of day...leave their room or even dress for the two weeks.
The two men are in a sort of truce.
Both accepting that the other loves her in a different way. M needs Nigel and always has. He is her escape from work...and with the tension of work meeting home...it was normal according to the Doctor, that the two men clash over M and her perceived role in their lives.
Bond has grown to have a respect for the man who holds the heart of the woman he loves. And Nigel trusts him alone with M, knowing that he will protect her.
Tanner needs to go back to London but will return with information on interesting parties that M is having him research. There have been a few strange leads in the case. The person or people that were controlling Le Chiffre.
M finds Bond in the garden after saying her goodbyes.
"So M...now you've finally got me all to yourself...what do you want to do with me?"
M laughs. "Bond...really now after all the drama...please drop the act. Tanner is going to be back in two days with a lead on something."
"Come...M I am feeling so much stronger that we should enjoy a walk around the estate."
"Alright but you must keep this all professional Bond...no...moments of insanity."
"Ok...business only...party pooper. Is Tanner going to find out who freed us?"
"Yes...I hope. I still cannot believe Mitchell never saw whoever they were as they left...it really seemed like no time had passed when he came in to help me with you."
"Time gets distorted in the stress of action during a mission M. That is something that we learn...and now that you are coming on missions with me...you need to get use too."
"I am not coming on missions with you! I was abducted into the last one and it almost cost me my marriage."
"How are the two of you really getting on M? Beside the copious amount sex you've been having. Second honeymoon?"
"Yes and we are fine...why are you still so bloody interested?"
"I need to live vicariously through someone else's love life that's why."
"Oh come now...I have it on good authority that you are already fully functional."
"Janet has been talking?"
"To anyone who will listen. Be Careful Bond. We still have another week here and that may just constitute a long term relationship for you."
"M and here I thought you wanted me to move on? Your husband is praying I do."
M laughs. "Stop your inappropriate flirting Bond...by now you know I…"
"You are my unicorn...yes I will always remember that M."
"If that nickname makes its way to the office I will end you 007."
"No that is just for you and me...and the memory of our date that day in the car I destroyed...you haven't been bitched out for that yet?"
"You won 100 million...I put it directly into the MI6 coffers so no one Aston Martin was not missed."
"So will MI6 be keeping that money?"
"I am going to negotiate that upon my return."
"You haven't turned the money over to them officially...yet? M that could mean you are still a target. You should transfer it somewhere."
"Oh and if I do...that will look suspicious and I will have the chairman of the house committee of useless facts all over me asking me what I was trying to hide. No Tanner set up that account and I only transferred out what was owed Enzo."
"Tanner told me that someone is watching Beaulieu."
"Yes he is being watched and Mathis is being held and questioned. He was released by Le Chiffre after being taken with me."
"That is suspicious but I do not think Mathis is with them...whoever they are. That man has alway been an information broker and he had nothing to give them, nor any use as a hostage against you."
"Still the man will never be flirtatious with me again after this is all said and done."
"Oh there will be others M...always."
"Are you still interested in continuing this mission once released Bond?"
"Yes."
"Good because I was using 005 to chase down some leads but I need him elsewhere. MI5 is also conducting some information gathering for us on domestic involvement...very hush hush of course."
"Yes well it wouldn't go well with others knowing that we can cooperate when needed now would it?"
"No...their director may get an even more inflated sense of worth and power."
"How high does this go M?"
"Government...investment companies, international businesses the corporate entities that control the global economy from oil to commodities of great value. It is endless amounts of information hidden in the shadows of the bloody web. I miss the days where it was clandestine meetings at cafes and brothels where any agent with a wire could turn the tides of a case...now it is the ever expanding Q branch that manages most of it. Bloody data sifters."
"So you miss the cold war do you M?"
"Yes I bloody well do if you must know! Just ask Villiers when you see him next...I bounded out of that bloody meeting after you blew up the embassy saying that very thing."
"I can picture you now...the anger rolling off you in waves and poor Villiers trying to keep up with you. I love it when you are a force of nature M."
"I have never had that power...nature is a completely different matter and what with the global climate crisis...things are shifting."
"Yes I suppose that and running out of oil will have us all concerned for the future."
"All of this will lead to some organization or person eventually and I want you to chase them down and cut the head off the snake."
"It would be my pleasure M. What about us?"
"What do you mean us? We have seen doctors and you and Nigel have some sort of accord. You are not seriously going to come on to me here just because he is gone...not after all we've been through?"
"I promised I would not but if you are in the mood and your husband is gone...I will volunteer my services and you can decide for yourself if I am a fully functional 00 agent again."
M laughs at him. "No...I will not be doing that. You have that beautiful nurse to entertain you what do you need me for."
"I need you M...I will always need you. I told you I would wait for you and I was not lying M. Someday...you and I will be in the right place and time."
"I hope not Bond...because that means Nigel is gone and I don't want to think about that."
"I know M...but I do not want you to think that because I am entertaining other women…that you are not first in my thoughts."
"Over time that will change...time changes many things and you are still young and could marry and have children."
"M stop it...you know 00's don't get married and have children. My feelings for you will never change."
"You say that now…"
"I have nor will I ever feel this way about another woman for as long as I live."
"Bond is this how you manage to get all those women? The act is a good one and really makes one feel like they are the only woman in the world. It is a very excellent talent for a 00 and you will make a very successful one if you get your head in the game and stop flirting inappropriately with your superiors."
"I only flirt with you M."
"So...it does not change that it is wrong."
"Come on M...admit you like me best."
"No...I like Tanner best."
Bond smirks and looks down into her eyes. "Tease."
"Flirt."
They never really realized how far they were walking but they are no longer on the grounds and a car come along the lane they are walking on. It pulls up and stops. Three men come out of a limousine and pull guns on them.
"Come with us."
How could they be so stupid...where the hell is Mitchell...he was following at one point even if it was at a distance.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
There is a man sitting beside M holding a gun against her ribs. Bond is directly across from the man with the gun and unfortunately beside him is Enzo Beaulieu.
"What is this?" M asks knowing the answer but wishing to break the silence and draw the mystery man out.
M clicks the winding button on her watch twice opening up the com between MI6 and the car.
Now they will pick up some of the conversations and manage to send an extraction team.
"This my dear is a trip to the bank for the money you owe me."
"You...you are the head of this mystery organization Le Chiffre worked for? Or near to it? An introduction would be polite and you are from Ireland or the UK by your accent or at least raised there."
"Yes well I tend not to be polite when people vex me. You must know how that feels M...head of MI6 and your handsome agent James Bond."
"You killed Le Chiffre...you came into the room and..."
The man smirks at her as he runs his finger down her face just like he did when she was tied to the table in that warehouse.
Bond frowns at the man and points at Enzo Beaulieu. "You know us...and brought along an unwanted companion. Your name is?"
Enzo has remained quietly staring at M across from him. His face nervous and not comfortable with this situation.
"Mr. White and my organization is Quantum and that idiot Le Chiffre lost money that could harm my operation. That is why Beaulieu is here...I need the entire 150 million and he did so wish to see the lovely M again."
M shoots a glance at Enzo across from her as she speaks. "Now that we are aware of your organization...even if you kill us we will find you."
"M...my dear I have no wish to harm you. In fact I would rather you join with us. It will be immensely profitable to have your agency turn its focus away once in a while."
"That will never happen."
"You say that now yet you so easily gave yourself away just to save two of your men. I think you may see it our way and the 150 was not yours to begin with so the only real loser here is Beaulieu."
M looks across at Enzo and stares him straight in the eyes not willing to budge or shy away from what happened between them.
"That was then and the circumstances led to the lives of my men and the winnings. That is a success in my book and regardless of the personal discomfort I suffered having to lie with him...I would do it again if I had to for Queen and country."
"How noble...or did you like him?"
M scoffs. "As if."
"Mr. Bond how do you feel about all of this? About your boss having to go on her back to save you?"
Bond is fuming...he knows there is no way he can disarm him without M getting hurt and he is not entirely recovered from him torture.
"Silently angry about it. A little bird told me the husband is jealous of you but he and M reconciled in that hospital. How was that Bond? How is watching the woman you fantasize about sleep with this rich ass and then bed her husband down the hall from you?"
M turns to her side to look at the man. "What little bird?"
The man hits the divide between the front of the limo and the back. Mitchell is sitting beside the driver. M's eyes go wide in shock.
"Ma'am...Bond. Mr. White made me a deal I could not pass up."
"Mr. White is it. Well I hope you were well compensated Mitchell because treason will prevent you ever being allowed home again."
"Perhaps I was tired of being your lap dog...barely acknowledge!"
"Really...I didn't realize you required constant validation and tut tutting over to do your bloody job!"
"Bitch! I don't see what Bond can possibly want in a bitter old hag like you."
Bond turns to Mitchell with a glare. "You never did have any taste mate!"
"Fuck you Bond! You are just sniffing around her so that you can brag to the rest of the arrogant 00's that you managed to make M moan. If you are even good enough for that!"
"I will enjoy killing you Mitchell."
White laughs. "Come now boys stop fighting. Let us all calm and work through how this will happen so that possibly everyone lives and I get what I want."
"I find it strange that you will let us live...that hardly sounds like criminal mastermind planning to take over the world thinking." M says.
"I don't want the world and I find having the ability to have highly placed people who owe me far greater reward. I am a lover not a fighter M and all may go as long as the money is mine."
"My money...you kill my daughter and take my money and what MI6 loses nothing and I...I have lost more than anyone!" Enzo shouts at the man.
"Well if you would like to feel better about the deal Enzo. I can kill Bond and give you M. She can remain chained in your bedroom until you tire of her. But holding her against her will is not what you want from her now is it? No...Mitchell told me that you think you've fallen for her. It can't last long...I mean she has to be 65 at least and I'm about the same but I prefer my women younger more willing and supple."
M rolls her eyes. "I am not going to be the plaything of a bloody millionaire, nor you White!"
"I think you will do what you are told for once M...christ you've been ordering around MI6 for nineteen years but you're not entitled to order around the world."
M looks to Bond with a questioning glance...how much does this man know about her? How did he know specifically how long she has been M? Mitchell wouldn't know nor care how long she has been there.
Mitchell has only been with six for 8 years. Who else does White have in his pocket at MI6?
"That you know of my long tenure at MI6 leads me to believe you have someone else in my organization."
"How very astute M. Yes...we have people everywhere."
M hopes Tanner and Q are picking this all up...the seals need to be examined.
"I will be sure to root out all the bad weeds as soon as I get back to London."
White smiles. "If you get back M...IF. I need you on my team before I let you go. I will keep you until you agree and in that time I will have men take your husband for leverage. Mitchell has been kind enough to provide me with your address. There are men on their way to get him now."
"No you can't! He has nothing to do with this! Leave him alone!"
M is fuming mad and she hopes the urgency and sound reach whoever may be listening in London.
"I can do anything I want to M. I can take you right here in front of two of your lovers and your former bodyguard if I like."
M looks shocked and panicked as she moves as far away from him physically as she can. Enzo looks sad and hopeless. Bond...well Bond is about to explode and kill the man if he even makes a small move towards M.
"You are not the head of this organization are you Mr. White?"
"Why would you say that my dear?"
"No reason. Just keep to yourself and you will stay alive for now."
White looks confused and then he looks across into the face of James Bond and suddenly feels a small amount of fear...
To be continued...