Chapter 27: Struggles within.

Jordan bumped into the doorpost as he stumbled into the bathroom. He didn't mind. The pain was doing his sleepy brain some good. After thoroughly enjoying having an empty bladder again, he washed his hands and splashed water in his face. The face looking back at him from the mirror looked a mess. He felt like it too. He had never been awake this long in all his life. He wondered how on earth Q did this, time and time again. He wondered how on earth he was going to. If he was going to.

"I can't do this." He whispered to his mirror self desperately.

The door opened and 001 entered. Jordan wasn't even surprised she would follow him into the men's bathroom. She looked at him and the smile she always carried, disappeared of her face. Immediately he blanched, eyes growing wide. His master always smiled, always laughed. It was when she didn't, she was at her most dangerous.

"What is it? What's wrong?" He asked.

"You're giving up." She growled bitterly disappointed.

"No." Jordan shouted desperately trying to reassure her and convince himself. "No, I'm not but I don't know how to stay awake for much longer. I have never done this before. Even after the explosion I could only work for 18 hours straight. I don't know how to do this. I need your help."

"I can't do jack shit for you." She replied angrily. "This is your battle, Jordan. A battle you have to fight with yourself. And only you can win it. Your mind is far stronger than your body and you have to make it even stronger. Your body's fuel is food and sleep, but your minds fuel is your emotions and the only emotion that is going to get you through this is your anger. Get angry at your body for failing you. Say fuck you to it and carry on anyway. Hurt it if it focuses you. I don't really care how you do it but you will do it. You sleep when you're dead or when the mission is done and the battle is won, you hear me? I'm going to be very disappointed if you give up simply because you're tired and I will make your life hell if you do." And with that she turned about face and marched out of the bathroom.

Jordan gulped. Oh man, that was… yeah. A lot of things actually. Terrifying most of all. He was lucky he had just gone to the toilet or he would've pissed his pants. But strangely it had also been helpful. Because he was now more alert than he had been for hours. His body felt on edge, primed for action. All thought off sleep pushed to the edge of his brain. 'Emotions,' he realised. 'Emotions are fuel. She'd just showed him. Fear had just pushed back his exhaustion. Anger, determination to get the job done would keep him going now. That was what he needed." He pinched his arm as hard as he could. 'Take that,' he thought. 'You are not getting the better of me. I will bloody win this war and complete this mission and when I'm done, I can be proud of myself that I fucking did it.' And with that he stormed out of the bathroom.

The Jordan that came back from the bathroom was an entirely different than the one that had stumbled out of the room. He had his head held high and practically strode into the room. But the biggest difference was his eyes. The only way Iris could describe them was steel. A look so strong and determined it made Iris gulp just from the intensity of them.

Jordan didn't pause or talk to anyone. He simply sat down at his desk and started working. Iris wondered what the hell had happened in the bathroom that gave Jordan his second lease on life but whatever it was, she was grateful for it.

At a hunch she looked out of Q branch to the double-0 perch. 001 was there, alone for once. Iris gulped again as she saw the woman was not smiling, which made her frankly terrifying. It was the eyes that did it. They were almost glowing with the same intensity as Jordan's as she looked at her padawan. Iris nodded to her in thanks, knowing the double-0 would pick up on it even though she wasn't watching her. The only response she got was the eyes flashing over to her before they settled on back on Jordan.

He didn't remember how many tasks he'd completed. Didn't know what time it was. Couldn't be bothered by what was going on around him anymore. All he was focussed on now was his screen and the task in front of him. As soon as he was done, he opened another. And another. And another. His body didn't matter anymore. It hurt and that was good because it helped him focus. His arms were starting to bruise from pinching it. He didn't eat anymore, the growling in his stomach adding another stimulus that kept him focussed. Sometimes a bottle or can was forced into his hand and he drank without knowing what it was. All there was left in his world, was the task in front of him.

Suddenly a small window popped into the bottom of his screen.

Some commotion is about to ensue around you. You will not respond. Remain focussed on what you are doing. Q

The screen disappeared as soon as his eyes focused on the task. He pinched his arm for good measure. Punishing himself for even thinking about refocusing on the world around him that had been so carefully tuned out. He started typing again and working on what was in front of him and soon was running deep in the gauntlet again.

It was much less crowded in the room tonight. Most of her colleagues from the day crew had opted to sleep in their beds tonight. Jordan didn't seem to notice thought. He didn't notice anything at all anymore. The only thing he still noticed was the drink she forced into his hand. Around her the night crew was still avidly watching the screen. If Iris thought the day crew had had nothing much on hand, she discovered that the night crew was bored out of its skull. It was quite frankly painful to watch all that talent sitting around doing nothing.

The large screen flickered and died. Around her the night crew groaned, disappointed that their entertainment had been cut short. Iris frowned however. The way the screen had died seemed… unnatural. Like it hadn't actually died at all but someone had made it seem like it had. And with GHOST active and Q probably watching everything it was definitely possible that he had caused this. Maybe he was trying to draw her attention. Maybe he needed her to check the account.

She took her chair and wandered over to Justin who was the only one who was actually working on something. He was updating the database with the latest changes personnel had wanted made. Perfect. She plonked beside her friend and pretended to be bored beside him.

"Check the account." She murmured to him. Justin frowned at her

"I thought we had alarms on it so we didn't need to?" He said confused.

"Just check it for me, please." She answered seriously.

"Alright…" Justin replied shrugging his shoulders. It wasn't like he had much work to do. He opened a second screen and logged into the database. However, before he could even find the account a loud alarm rang through the room. Around them the night crew jumped in their seats but Iris paid them no mind. She knew what that alarm was for.

"What's going on?" Talbot asked, his face paling as he saw 006 and 007 walk into the branch.

"Tracking the signal." Justin reported to them. The two men relaxed and waited patiently.

"Would you please answer the question." Talbot came over looking angry.

"I'm sorry, sir. We can't share that information with you at this time." Iris answered while she kept looking over Justin's shoulder.

"The signal is coming out of this room!" Justin exclaimed his eyes big with shock.

"Who the hell is that fucking stupid?" Iris shouted angrily, the betrayal stinging her. She thought she knew all of her colleagues. She didn't know the night crew as well as the day crew, but she still trusted them. They had worked together so well during the explosion. And now one of their own was betraying them.

"Mrs. Horn, please step away from your station." The quiet voice startled her. She frowned. Why was Ormond Greaves getting involved? He wasn't in the know last time she checked. The double-0's didn't hesitate for a moment though and pointed their weapons at the woman who was slowly backing away from her desk. There were tears cascading down her face. Iris's heart broke a little at the pure desperation on Rose's face.

006 stepped forward. "Rose Horn, you are hereby under arrest for treason to the crown." If it were possible Rose's face broke even more as her wrists were cuffed behind her back. "You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence." 006 finished and both double-0's took up positions at her shoulders and led her from the room. They were surprisingly gentle about it. Too gentle, Iris thought angrily. Why was she feeling sorry for a traitor?

She looked around the room. The others from the night crew were looking stumped. Shock, anger and confusion painted their faces. Up front, Talbot seemed chagrined. Probably because he'd missed his moment to shine, Iris thought angrily. The only one in the room who wasn't paying attention to the proceedings was Jordan. It looked like he hadn't even heard the alarm. He was still typing away at his current task with no sign of being disturbed. It scared Iris a little that Jordan hadn't at least looked up.

Then she looked up to the mystery in the room. How had Ormond Greaves known about the account? Who had informed him of it? She had kept everything so close to her vest. The only people she thought who knew were M, the director, Faith, the double-0's and Q. All of them were… Except for Q.

No…

It couldn't be…

Iris slumped back into her seat. Eyes wide. Never in all her years had she expected this. Ormond didn't look like Q. He didn't sound like him. Didn't act like him.

Then Ormond looked up at her. With his green eyes that didn't match Q's grey ones.

A smirk appeared. A tiny one that was so typically Q that she forgot to breath for a moment.

Q winked at her and then Ormond turned back to his work.