Q was among those who gasped, taking a step back and blinking like he couldn't believe Emerald had done such a thing. But she had, right there in the middle of the office, as if the man was nothing more than a fly. He had never before witnessed an agent in action, the blood pool around someone as their body went still and cold. He'd never seen the livid, almost inhuman gaze of an agent who cared not who they killed. It made Q's blood run cold, it made him fear Emerald for the first time since that night at Cottage Cafe. It made him look around at the other agents, knowing now that they were all capable of such things. It made him fear them all.

Moneypenny just flinched, eyes going wide, and Bond simply clenched his fists. What the bloody hell did Emerald think she was doing? This wasn't the way to go about taking out Mallory. This wasn't the way to go about doing anything! He had no doubt she spoke the truth, he'd had a feeling all along, a feeling he's recently shared with the two that stood beside him. He watched Mallory turn back around, eyes landing first on Clarence, then going wide and back up to Emerald.

"Call security." he hissed, and someone in the crowd ran off to do his bidding.

"There's no need for that." Emerald said, her voice light and soothing, then her lips curled up in a half crazed smirk. "Once I'm done with you, I won't be a threat to anyone else."

And with that she ran towards Mallory, a beastly roar tearing from her throat and dagger raised. It was a split second decision that Bond made, one he wasn't sure was completely the right thing to do, but one he made none the less. He burst from the crowd and grabbed Emerald by her waist, his other hand clamping on her wrist that held the dagger. She came within a mere inch of Mallory, jaws snapping shut. He twisted her wrist as he pulled her back, dagger clattering to the floor and body thrashing. She was no match for Bond in her weakened state as he wrapped both of his arms around her now, keeping her arms pinned to her sides.

"LET ME GO!" she roared, squirming in his grasp, kicking at his legs, snarling.

"I can't." he said, but only enough for her to hear. He wasn't going to let her murder Mallory like this, even if he did deserve it. She was already going to be in trouble for killing Clarence and the other agents, but she would surely end up in the slammer for Mallory's death. He simply wasn't going to let her throw her life away like that.

"Let me go!" she shrieked, her voice more desperate now, and suddenly her knees gave out. "Bond!"

"I'll explain later." he said, and she just growled.

Security charged in then, weapons at the ready until they saw the woman was already being contained. They ran over, one of them pushing James away and the other pushing Emerald to the floor. They cuffed her hands behind her back and then yanked her to her knees, her head hung until Mallory came over to her.

"These will be the last lies you speak." he spat.

"I speak the truth!" she cried, looking over the crowd with pleading eyes. "You must believe me!"

"Take her away." he said, straightening his tie, to which the guards yanked her to her feet and dragged her towards the elevator.

"He's going to kill you all!" she shrieked over her shoulder. "Don't let him-" And then the doors dinged shut.

For a while, everyone just stood there, not quite sure what to do, when Mallory turned and headed towards his office. "Everyone may leave for the day, but I expect you back in two days. I'll address this matter once we have all had time to clear our heads."

Bond turned to his allies and nodded, letting them know they needed to meet up. They all went back and gathered their things before meeting up in stairwell, but no one said a word. It wasn't safe until they were outside. Just as they were about to walk, a guard ran up, pulling Bond away from the group.

"M would like you to stay and watch over the medical exam of prisoner 308."

"So she already has a number." Bond thought bitterly as he looked back at Q and Moneypenny. They looked curious and somewhat afraid, but Bond just waved a hand in dismissal. "I'll call when I'm done. Stick together."

They gave him an uncertain look before heading out, leaving James to his own devices. The guard led him up to level ten where the detention center was. Half of the floor was offices for the security guards, the other half were metal cells, and one glass cell, the same one they'd kept Silva in before the sick bastard escaped and killed the old M. Hate and grief tore through Bond and the thought of Silva and M, but it wasn't long before his walls slid up, his heart once again like stone in his chest. Emerald was in the glass cell-because that worked so well last time. Two guards were standing nearby, Emerald kneeling in the cell with her head hung. She trembled slightly, as if she was struggling just to keep upright, which she probably was. She looked ghastly, and any moment she'd probably just keel over and die.

A nurse-a kind looking, petite Asian woman-was standing there as well, holding a clipboard and a big suitcase looking box of what was probably medical supplies by her feet. There was a small medical center on levels eleven and twelve for the agents. Such people couldn't go to hospitals unless it was a dire emergency or it was something that couldn't be taken care of at base. Hospitals asked too many questions.

They wouldn't be taking Emerald there though, she was staying right in that little cell. The guards nodded to James and let him and the nurse into the cell before walking out. Emerald finally looked up as the doors swung shut, leaving the three of them alone.

"Bond." she whispered, voice cracking and eyes pleading, scared. At first, 007 was just going to ignore her. He could of done it, but did he really want to? He glanced over at the nurse, who just shrugged.

"You never said a word to her." she said, and Bond nodded his thanks. She wouldn't tell.

He knelt down in front of Emerald and slowly wrapped his arms around her in what was supposed to be a comforting hug. At first, she leaned into him-not able to hug him back because of the cuffs- burying her face in his jacket and shoulders shuddering as she held back a sob. He rubbed her back, shushing her every time she tried to speak. Suddenly, she stiffened, and he pulled back wondering what he'd done wrong. One look in her eyes and he knew. He hadn't done a thing wrong, but the hug had lasted too long, been too kind. It was personal, and neither of them did very well with too much "personal".

"What did he do to you?" Bond asked quietly, eyes trailing over her bare arms and bloody hands, now cuffed in front of her.

There were tiny cuts and dots over her skin like she'd been punctured with something again and again, the same marks in the fabric of her shirt and pants. Bruises had blossomed on her cheeks, wrists, and ankles, and there were probably more hidden beneath her clothing. A knife wound at the base of her neck had been the source of the blood that covered her neck, and probably the rest of her. Something of a protective anger boiled in Bond's veins, and he wished it had been him to kill Clarence. Emerald may not have officially been part of Bond's little group, but she was still someone he had taken a liking to.

"Not much, actually." she said, as if it were nothing. Her voice was shaking, hoarse, the wild look in her eyes telling a different story. "A few punches here and there, chains, stabbing me, letting me bleed out."

He gently grabbed her little wrist above the cuff, looking at what looked like tiny knife marks, made by the tip of a blade. "Emerald-"

"Just shut up, Bond."