After making sure that Q is alright, getting him to eat, and suggesting maybe he should spend the rest of the day working on the piles of paperwork that are sitting on his desk rather neglected, Bond makes his way out of Q-branch, musing over everything as he heads to the elevator to go up and talk to the one person who he trusts even a little in this whole place. When the doors open, he walks down the hallway until he sees Moneypenny, eating lunch at her desk. "Anything good?" He asks, not sounding like his usual playful self as he sits down in a chair across from Moneypenny's desk.

"I suppose a day like today even affects the great James Bond." Eve says with amusement as she looks at him, then she sighs. "Vending machine, I'm afraid. M needs me nearby." She says with a little shake of her head. "How is Q?" She asks, guessing that the older man was down there when it happened.

Bond takes a deep breath and sighs a little. "He's coping." he says with a small nod of his head. "It's not easy for him, the first agent he's lost. And all because McPherson was a bloody idiot and didn't listen to Q." he says as he rubs a hand over his face, sighing. "Between that, and his ex nearly assaulting him this morning, it's been a rough day for him. I suggested he spend the rest of the day getting caught up on paperwork." He says as he finally sits up a little straighter in his chair. "I think he deserves that vacation." He adds, before he frowns. "I want to find out more about Q's ex. We can get a picture of him from the cameras outside, find out his full name, do a background check maybe. The way he was behaving this morning.. it's a little too aggressive." He admits as he stares at the front of Moneypenny's desk.

This concerns Eve both because she feels as protective of Q, who she considers a friend, as Bond does, but also the fact that when 007 gets a hunch, it's usually a good idea to follow it. "I'm sure I can bribe one of Q's minions into doing it for us. They're the best people for that sort of thing." She says as she turns to her computer, hitting a few keys as she chews a bit of food, working for a few moments to get a good picture of the ex. "What set you off about this bloke?" She asks as she looks at the picture, frowning a little.

"The way he was so fixated on Q. I know that anyone would be sorry to lose Q, and would feel guilty for being a complete arse. But this was something different. It's like he was desperate. It's how a starving man would fight for food." Bond says as he looks at Eve, shaking his head a little. "So either there's something we're not seeing here, or that man is more dangerous than we might have first assumed." he watches Eve closely. "I'm just looking after my Quartermaster." He clarifies as he sees the vaguely amused look on Eve's face.

Moneypenny nods a little. "Of course. Did I say anything?" She asks with a little shake of her head. "I think I know who I can ask. I might even get a date out of it." The younger woman points out, shaking her head as she watches him. "You should go down to the gym or something. Leave the information gathering to the professionals. I'll let you know if we need your other various skills." She says as she looks him over, then she turns back toward her computer.

Accepting that without so much as a quip in return which shows how much Bond is worried about Q and everything, slowly getting up as he watches Eve. "Let me know what you find. I'll be at the pool." He says as he goes back to the elevator back down to the lower levels and the large pool that's there. He changes in the locker room and then starts doing laps in the pool, the motions allowing him to properly digest the events of the last week or so. Something about that man, Robert, leaves Bond feeling unsettled. He does laps until his shoulder starts to ache before he gets out of the pool and showers to get the chlorine off his skin and out of his hair. When he comes back into the locker room with a towel slung around his hips, he's surprised to see a very tense Moneypenny waiting for him.

"M wants to see you. It's about our little research project." Eve says before she turns to head out without another word, just the firm clacking of her high heels and the quick pace showing that she's agitated at all.

Frowning for a moment, Bond finishes drying off and dresses before he heads up and into M's office when he's waved through. "You wanted to see me?" he asks, standing between the two chairs in front of M's large desk, clasping his hands behind his back.

Looking up from a folder on his desk, M sighs a little and he nods slowly. "Ah, yes. 007. Moneypenny informs me that you started an inquiry on someone you had an altercation with this morning." He says as he taps his fingers on the folder, placing a photo on the desk for the agent to see.

Stepping forward, James nods slowly. "That's the man. He's Q's former.. boyfriend, lover, I don't really know how he wants to classify it. It was an unfortunate breakup but ever since that man has been rather aggressively trying to contact Q again. Something about him doesn't sit right with me, so I asked Miss Moneypenny to find a way to do some inquiries quietly, so Q wouldn't be aware of it." He says as he slides one hand into his pocket. "I take it she found something." Already thinking about what it might be, Bond shifts his stance a little as he prepares for whatever it might be.

"I am not sure how my predecessor missed it, but it seems that Q's significant other is a spy. There's no indication that he knew of Q's importance. It seems he's Russian. We're not sure why he's in England, but he's been here for some time. From the preliminary data we've been able to gather, it seems that he may have recently become aware of what a valuable asset Q is." M pauses before he stands slowly and picks up an envelope. "Your mission, 007." He says as he holds out the black envelope toward the agent. "This one shouldn't be too difficult, but don't underestimate your target. We don't know anything about his real skills. I've sent a message that you're going on a mission after a foreign spy, to Q. But I've only given him the bare minimum of information. Enough to give you the equipment you need, but I've made it clear that since this is a domestic matter, you will be on your own. You will not have the backup of Q-branch. Given the nature of this matter I believe it's for the best." M says as he looks at the agent across from him.

Nodding as he takes the folder, Bond watches M for a few moments, before he smirks a little. "It would be my pleasure to take care of this for Queen and Country, M." He says with amusement. He waits a moment, and turns to head back to Q-branch in order to get his tech, which he has a feeling will involve his gun, and a radio just in case. Mostly, he just wants his Walther.

When he reaches the door, Bond pauses and then turns to look back at M for a few moments, a predatory look on his face, settled fully into mission mode it seems.

"I'll report back when I have the man in custody, sir."


SURPRISE! I wonder how long it will take before Q's curiosity gets the better of him and he goes to find out what exactly Bond is doing. Thena gain, he's got a lot on his plate, so maybe he won't find out. What do you think?

Reviews/comments welcome!