(I still don't own anything. Review or perish!)
Chapter 2: The Spy and the Wizard
The Offices of Her Majesties Secret Service, London, the UK: February 25; 10 a.m.
Special Agent James Bond was severely ticked off. He had been spending a very enjoyable time with an old female friend of his when the office had called, sending him back to London. He was at that point heading into the office of Ms. Moneypenny. When entering, Bond took off his hat as it had been raining, and with a simple wrist flick sent the hat flying onto the coat tree on the other side of the office. He said, "And for my next miracle I..." but stopped dead when he saw a severe looking old woman standing at a filing cabinet on the other side of the room. It was M, the leader of MI6 and one who had never been truly in the James Bond fan club. M regarded Bond for a few seconds with the imperious stare that Bond was very, very used to and then said, "If you thought that was a miracle, 007, you won't believe your next assignment," and then headed for her office. With a sarcastic look at Ms. Moneypenny, M's secretary, a very attractive young woman going through another filing cabinet, he followed behind M, never noticing the old man in a well worn shirt and pair of trousers with a very old leather coat slung over his arm, standing in the corner of Ms. Moneypenny's office.
Bond and M entered M's office, a cramped little study with a large desk and many bookshelves along the walls.
"Have you ever heard of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, 007?" M
asked once she and Bond had sat down.
"I can't say I have." Bond replied.
M sighed, then took a file out of her desk and slid it across the desk at Bond. The file looked like all the others Bond had seen, with its blue cover, stamp on the front reading 'For your eyes only', and a very old typewriter label which read 'LXG'. Bond opened the file up and flicked through the contents as M said, "I'd never heard about the LXG either until Archives found that file in the old MI6 headquarters." Bond was staring now at some old photos of people. The first photo was of an elderly man in a well-worn hunting suit holding what appeared to be a turn of the century, breech-loading rifle. The next was of a much younger man, with long light colored hair, also wearing turn of the century clothes, with two pistols in shoulder holsters and carrying a 1889 Winchester repeating rifle. The next shot was of a hunched over, pale, nervous-looking young man, wearing a late nineteenth century suit. The next man was an Indian, in his late fifties, wearing a strange Naval uniform, a turban, and a highly decorated sword. The next photo was of a dashing man in his late twenties, wearing a well kept gray suit and leaning on a cane. The next man had a frighteningly pale face, sunglasses, wearing a large trench coat buttoned down all the way and a large hat. The final picture was of a stunning woman also in her late twenties with long, dark hair and wearing a floor length, Victorian dress.
"Who are these people?" Bond asked.
"They were the first League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, 007." M said.
Bond was now going through some very old reports telling him the history behind the league.
"In 1899," M began, "a half- mad professor called James Moriarty
attempted to start a world war using the tensions of the time and
brand new weapons he created. Under the name the Fantom, he intended
to sell the weapons to both sides and make a huge profit. Besides
state-of-the-art technology he was intending to sell the special gifts
of each of the members. By impersonating the leader of MI6 and
creating a false history of the League, he was able to lure these
people in and use his spy, Dorian Gray," She indicated who Grey was by
pointing at the man with the cane, "to steal what was needed to
replicate the powers of the League. Fortunately, the other members
were able to stop the Fantom before his plan succeeded."
"So what does this have to do with me?" Bond asked, "Sounds as though
you merely have an interesting story for the kids at home."
"Have you been watching the news, Bond?" M asked in amazement
"Oh," Bond said, "you mean the attacks in London and Toulouse."
"Exactly 007," M replied, "We believe that the Fantom or one of his
followers is
trying to start World War III using the materials he stole from
Toulouse, the plans of different major cities on earth which were
stolen from the bank, advanced technology used in every crime, and..."
At this M looked disgusted, as though she couldn't say what was next.
"What?" Bond asked.
"And the things he stole from the last League." M continued, "Skin
samples of the Invisible Man, vampire DNA, and Dr. Jekyll's formula,
The Spirit of Evil."
"My God," Bond gasped in awe, "and you want me to go up against that?"
"Not alone, 007," M said regaining herself, "MI6 has been allowed to
put together a new League."
"With me as leader." Bond said, also regaining himself.
"No, 007," M said, "you will be second in command. Ms. Rosenburg has
already seen to the leader."
"Ms. Rosenburg?" Bond asked.
"Ms. Willow Rosenburg," M said, "Even though it's hard to believe,
she's a witch."
"A witch." Bond said, now completely dumbfounded.
"To be more specific a witch who specializes in the returning of those
who have been murdered to this plane of existence." M explained,
"She's been working with MI6 on and off for a year or so now."
"So this Willow person is leading the team." Bond said with worry in his voice.
"No, 007," M said. She revived someone who will lead the team." Then M
spoke into her intercom, "Ms. Monneypenny, please ask Mr. Quatermain
to come in."
The door opened and an elderly man walked in. He was wearing a turn- of –the-century safari suit and was carrying a long thin object wrapped in brown paper. Bond couldn't believe his eyes. The man standing before him was an exact copy of the man in the first picture.
"Mr. Quatermain," M began, "I am M, the head of Her Majesties Secret
Service and this is Special Agent James Bond, 007, and your second in
command. Bond, this is Allan Quatermain; he led the first LXG and is
the leader of this new League."
"Pleasure." Bond said shaking the old man's hand.
"007," Quatermain commented, "Isn't that a little cryptic?"
"I get by." Bond replied.
"I hate to break up the introductions," M said, "but we are facing a
world catastrophe, so may I continue?"
"Of course." Quatermain said as he and Bond sat down.
"As usual, gentlemen," M continued, "time is not on our side. Nations
are striking out against nations. It hasn't been reported in the
presses yet, but a scientific facility in Beijing was attacked last
night. The attack matches the other two and worst of all, the Chinese
are blaming the British government for the attack." M took five files
out, put them in front of Bond and Quatermain and then continued, "We
have one last chance of avoiding a World War III. In one week the UN
will hold a secret conference between the nations in conflict in
Paris."
"And you believe the Fantom will attack the conference?" Bond asked.
"I'm sure of it." M replied, "Now, 007, in the usual turn of events
you would have the full assistance of MI6, but in this case you may
not get help from any MI6 employees or stations." And then to both
men, "Gentlemen you have one week to collect the other members of the
League and get to Paris. Inside those files are the background
information on the other members and fake identification that will
allow you to access the members. You will also have to introduce the
situation to them." M then took a small radio transmitter out of her
desk and gave it to Bond, "This transmitter will call your transport
once you're finished gathering the other member here in Britain. Just
go to the docks in South London and push the button in the center.
007, until you and Mr. Quatermain need to leave England Q has provided
the Vanquish, but he reminds you to bring it back in one piece this
time."
"Good old Q." Bond remarked and then to Quatermain, "We have some work
to do."
As the two left the offices Bond commented to Quatermain, "You might want to call the British Museum and tell them you've found their missing set of safari clothes." "Thank you," Quatermain replied, "You might want to change, though; I hate for you to get dirt on your party frock."
:
Three miles outside the village of Hogsmeade; The north of England 2:00 p.m.:
Bond's Aston Martin Vanquish sped across the English country- side. Bond looked over from the driver's seat at a very uneasy Quatermain.
"I thought Captain Nemo had a car." Bond commented to Quatermain.
"That contraption Nemo's built didn't go as fast as this one." Quatermain replied.
"Well, we all prefer our own pace to travel at." Bond commented.
"Just tell me who our first member is." Quatermain said in an irritated way.
Bond pushed a button concealed on the steering wheel and a computer monitor came out of the dashboard and displayed a dossier.
Ignoring Quatermain's stunned face at the computer screen, Bond
cleared his throat and began, "His name is Harry Potter. Age sixteen,
currently a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. At
a year old Potter somehow survived a curse by the Dark Lord Voldemore,
a wizard so evil and cruel that most of the wizarding world still fear
to speak his name. This encounter also caused the near destruction of
Voldemore when his curse rebounded upon himself. Two years ago
Voldemore returned but before that Potter kept Voldemore from
returning several times. The Headmaster of Hogwarts, your old friend
Albus Dumbledore, and the Ministry of Magic have allowed us to take
Harry for our purposes and to perform magic outside Hogwarts, an act
that is usually illegal for a wizard of his age."
"Interesting," Quatermain said, "I hope he's willing to join."
The car pulled over just out of sight of the village. The two men then put on long black cloaks and got their personal effects in order. The village was small and slightly creepy because of the people and what could only be described as creatures walking about. Bond and Quatermain entered a small pub with a hanging wooden sign that proclaimed it as 'The Three Broomsticks'. The pub was small, warm, very smoky, and crowded because it was very cold outside. Bond looked around, then pointed out a thin boy with untidy black hair and bright green eyes wearing black robes, sitting at a table in a corner drinking from a glass of some tan colored liquid. "That's him." Bond said, pointing to the boy and walking forward.
"Excuse me sir," Bond said when he reached the boy, "would you be
Harry Potter?"
"Yes," the boy said, "are you the party I was told to meet?"
"Yes," Bond replied, "I am James Bond of the Department of Mysteries and this is my partner Mr. Quatermain."
"Sit down." Potter offered.
"Now, Mr. Potter, what I'm about to tell you is completely
confidential," Bond said after they had sat down, "but the Ministry
needs your help."
"Why?" Potter asked, in shock.
"The Dark Lord is beginning a offensive against the Muggle world."
Bond replied.
"No, I mean why are you impersonating wizards when it's easy to see
that you're Muggles?" Harry said with some disbelief.
At this sentence Bond could only sit in stunned silence.
"Clever boy," Quatermain said with some approval, "How did you know?"
"Mr. Bond here looked far too tense when he entered the pub." Potter
explained, "So, how did you find out about us?"
Bond cleared his throat and replied, "The government found out about
you from the Minister of Sewage Treatment, or, as you know him, the
Minister of Magic, Mr. Cornelius Fudge." Bond stopped for a second at
the stunned look on Potter's face and continued, "Shortly after Fudge
assumed the rank of Minister of Magic he was invited to a poker game
that some of the lower ranking ministers hold on Fridays. After losing
heavily and drinking a few too many Sherries Mr. Fudge began to let a
few things slip." Bond stopped to smile at the look on Potter's face,
then continued, "After a little persuasion, he told everything one
needs to know about the wizarding world to an audience of ministers.
Since then the government as been monitoring your people. I am very
sorry to hear about your parents, by the way."
"Thank you," Harry said, "So what does the government really want from me?"
"I assume since you've been at school you have not heard the news in
the muggle world?" Bond asked, and when Harry nodded Bond continued,
"Ten days ago, the Bank of England was broken into using state-of –the-
art weaponry. The single witness stated the robbers were members of
the North Korean military. One week afterward, what appeard to be the
U.S. Army broke into an aerospace facility in Toulouse, France. Just
last night what appeared to be our military broke into a research
facility in Beijing, China. Nations are striking out at nations; the
world is at the brink of World War III. The British government
believes that a terrorist who calls himself the Fantom is behind these
attacks so he can profit from an arms race and the wartime demand for
the new technology and biological technology he's created. The
government has set up a group of extraordinary people like yourself to
find and stop the Fantom." Bond then took out a letter, placed it in
front of Harry and said, "This is a letter from your headmaster,
which will explain everything."
Harry took the letter and read:
Dear Mr. Potter,
As Mr. Bond has told you, you have been selected to go on a mission for Queen and Country. I'm sorry you have to do this but the government thought you were the best they could get. You have been given an excused absence from Hogwarts for the next week and a half, you will have to make up the work, and the Ministry has granted you permission to use magic outside Hogwarts for the next week and a half as well. Be careful, don't trust anyone but Mr. Quatermain, he's an old friend of mine.
Good Luck,
Albus Dumbledore
"You're friends with the headmaster?" Harry asked Quatermain.
"There are some things people can't live through without becoming
friends, Mr. Potter," Quatermain said, "and being deserted on the
African grassland for four days is one of them."
"What were you two doing out there?" Harry asked.
"I think that is still classified." Bond cut in before Quatermain
could speak, "We need to go; I think we're being watched."
"No, Mr. Bond," Quatermain said, staring at a hunched-over character
at the bar who at that moment stood up, paid for his drink and left,
"We were being watched."
"Then we better get back to the car," Bond said, "and quickly."
"I finally get a vacation," Harry remarked, "and I have to work
through the whole thing."
The three got up and headed out of the pub and toward the edge of the town where the Vanquish was parked.
:
The South London Docks; London: 7:30 p.m.:
The Vanquish pulled up at a deserted dock in south London. The three got out of the car. "Well, let's see what our transport is." Bond said as he took out the little radio and pushed the button in the center. Suddenly, the calm water became very choppy. Then a large black shape came forth from the water; it was the top of a huge white submarine, at least a mile long and three stories tall from the water level to the top of the black tower in the back of the machine.
Then before the three a large part of the hull opened outward like a gangplank and two men walked out onto the dock. One of the men was a tall English man, in his early sixties, wearing a trim tweed suit and tie with a white lab coat over it. It was Q, the head of MI6's research and development team. The other man was an Asian, in his late fifties, wearing a blue naval uniform and carrying a pistol and a sword on his belt.
"Good evening Q," Bond said to Q and then gesturing to submarine,
"what is this thing?"
"The Nautilus," Quatermain said, staring at the submarine as if it
were an old friend.
"Exactly, Mr. Quatermain," Q said, "The original, but we have made
some modifications, of course but most of the equipment didn't need to
be replaced. All your luggage is on board." Q then pointed to the
Asian and said, "This is the Captain of the Nautilus."
"Call me Ishmael the Fourth," the man said as he shook their hands.
"Well come on," Quatermain said, "it's getting late and I want to make
Dublin by nine."
"Good luck 007," Q said to Bond and then as an afterthought, "and
bring my equipment back intact."
"Have I ever given you any reason not to trust me." Bond said as he
drove the Vanquish into the Nautilus.
As the Nautilus pulled away from the dock Q, still standing on the dock, muttered under his breath, "All the time."
Next time:
Chapter 3: Fantom and
Fowl
(Sorry it's so long and took so long to come out, keep reading and reviewing.)
Chapter 2: The Spy and the Wizard
The Offices of Her Majesties Secret Service, London, the UK: February 25; 10 a.m.
Special Agent James Bond was severely ticked off. He had been spending a very enjoyable time with an old female friend of his when the office had called, sending him back to London. He was at that point heading into the office of Ms. Moneypenny. When entering, Bond took off his hat as it had been raining, and with a simple wrist flick sent the hat flying onto the coat tree on the other side of the office. He said, "And for my next miracle I..." but stopped dead when he saw a severe looking old woman standing at a filing cabinet on the other side of the room. It was M, the leader of MI6 and one who had never been truly in the James Bond fan club. M regarded Bond for a few seconds with the imperious stare that Bond was very, very used to and then said, "If you thought that was a miracle, 007, you won't believe your next assignment," and then headed for her office. With a sarcastic look at Ms. Moneypenny, M's secretary, a very attractive young woman going through another filing cabinet, he followed behind M, never noticing the old man in a well worn shirt and pair of trousers with a very old leather coat slung over his arm, standing in the corner of Ms. Moneypenny's office.
Bond and M entered M's office, a cramped little study with a large desk and many bookshelves along the walls.
"Have you ever heard of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, 007?" M
asked once she and Bond had sat down.
"I can't say I have." Bond replied.
M sighed, then took a file out of her desk and slid it across the desk at Bond. The file looked like all the others Bond had seen, with its blue cover, stamp on the front reading 'For your eyes only', and a very old typewriter label which read 'LXG'. Bond opened the file up and flicked through the contents as M said, "I'd never heard about the LXG either until Archives found that file in the old MI6 headquarters." Bond was staring now at some old photos of people. The first photo was of an elderly man in a well-worn hunting suit holding what appeared to be a turn of the century, breech-loading rifle. The next was of a much younger man, with long light colored hair, also wearing turn of the century clothes, with two pistols in shoulder holsters and carrying a 1889 Winchester repeating rifle. The next shot was of a hunched over, pale, nervous-looking young man, wearing a late nineteenth century suit. The next man was an Indian, in his late fifties, wearing a strange Naval uniform, a turban, and a highly decorated sword. The next photo was of a dashing man in his late twenties, wearing a well kept gray suit and leaning on a cane. The next man had a frighteningly pale face, sunglasses, wearing a large trench coat buttoned down all the way and a large hat. The final picture was of a stunning woman also in her late twenties with long, dark hair and wearing a floor length, Victorian dress.
"Who are these people?" Bond asked.
"They were the first League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, 007." M said.
Bond was now going through some very old reports telling him the history behind the league.
"In 1899," M began, "a half- mad professor called James Moriarty
attempted to start a world war using the tensions of the time and
brand new weapons he created. Under the name the Fantom, he intended
to sell the weapons to both sides and make a huge profit. Besides
state-of-the-art technology he was intending to sell the special gifts
of each of the members. By impersonating the leader of MI6 and
creating a false history of the League, he was able to lure these
people in and use his spy, Dorian Gray," She indicated who Grey was by
pointing at the man with the cane, "to steal what was needed to
replicate the powers of the League. Fortunately, the other members
were able to stop the Fantom before his plan succeeded."
"So what does this have to do with me?" Bond asked, "Sounds as though
you merely have an interesting story for the kids at home."
"Have you been watching the news, Bond?" M asked in amazement
"Oh," Bond said, "you mean the attacks in London and Toulouse."
"Exactly 007," M replied, "We believe that the Fantom or one of his
followers is
trying to start World War III using the materials he stole from
Toulouse, the plans of different major cities on earth which were
stolen from the bank, advanced technology used in every crime, and..."
At this M looked disgusted, as though she couldn't say what was next.
"What?" Bond asked.
"And the things he stole from the last League." M continued, "Skin
samples of the Invisible Man, vampire DNA, and Dr. Jekyll's formula,
The Spirit of Evil."
"My God," Bond gasped in awe, "and you want me to go up against that?"
"Not alone, 007," M said regaining herself, "MI6 has been allowed to
put together a new League."
"With me as leader." Bond said, also regaining himself.
"No, 007," M said, "you will be second in command. Ms. Rosenburg has
already seen to the leader."
"Ms. Rosenburg?" Bond asked.
"Ms. Willow Rosenburg," M said, "Even though it's hard to believe,
she's a witch."
"A witch." Bond said, now completely dumbfounded.
"To be more specific a witch who specializes in the returning of those
who have been murdered to this plane of existence." M explained,
"She's been working with MI6 on and off for a year or so now."
"So this Willow person is leading the team." Bond said with worry in his voice.
"No, 007," M said. She revived someone who will lead the team." Then M
spoke into her intercom, "Ms. Monneypenny, please ask Mr. Quatermain
to come in."
The door opened and an elderly man walked in. He was wearing a turn- of –the-century safari suit and was carrying a long thin object wrapped in brown paper. Bond couldn't believe his eyes. The man standing before him was an exact copy of the man in the first picture.
"Mr. Quatermain," M began, "I am M, the head of Her Majesties Secret
Service and this is Special Agent James Bond, 007, and your second in
command. Bond, this is Allan Quatermain; he led the first LXG and is
the leader of this new League."
"Pleasure." Bond said shaking the old man's hand.
"007," Quatermain commented, "Isn't that a little cryptic?"
"I get by." Bond replied.
"I hate to break up the introductions," M said, "but we are facing a
world catastrophe, so may I continue?"
"Of course." Quatermain said as he and Bond sat down.
"As usual, gentlemen," M continued, "time is not on our side. Nations
are striking out against nations. It hasn't been reported in the
presses yet, but a scientific facility in Beijing was attacked last
night. The attack matches the other two and worst of all, the Chinese
are blaming the British government for the attack." M took five files
out, put them in front of Bond and Quatermain and then continued, "We
have one last chance of avoiding a World War III. In one week the UN
will hold a secret conference between the nations in conflict in
Paris."
"And you believe the Fantom will attack the conference?" Bond asked.
"I'm sure of it." M replied, "Now, 007, in the usual turn of events
you would have the full assistance of MI6, but in this case you may
not get help from any MI6 employees or stations." And then to both
men, "Gentlemen you have one week to collect the other members of the
League and get to Paris. Inside those files are the background
information on the other members and fake identification that will
allow you to access the members. You will also have to introduce the
situation to them." M then took a small radio transmitter out of her
desk and gave it to Bond, "This transmitter will call your transport
once you're finished gathering the other member here in Britain. Just
go to the docks in South London and push the button in the center.
007, until you and Mr. Quatermain need to leave England Q has provided
the Vanquish, but he reminds you to bring it back in one piece this
time."
"Good old Q." Bond remarked and then to Quatermain, "We have some work
to do."
As the two left the offices Bond commented to Quatermain, "You might want to call the British Museum and tell them you've found their missing set of safari clothes." "Thank you," Quatermain replied, "You might want to change, though; I hate for you to get dirt on your party frock."
:
Three miles outside the village of Hogsmeade; The north of England 2:00 p.m.:
Bond's Aston Martin Vanquish sped across the English country- side. Bond looked over from the driver's seat at a very uneasy Quatermain.
"I thought Captain Nemo had a car." Bond commented to Quatermain.
"That contraption Nemo's built didn't go as fast as this one." Quatermain replied.
"Well, we all prefer our own pace to travel at." Bond commented.
"Just tell me who our first member is." Quatermain said in an irritated way.
Bond pushed a button concealed on the steering wheel and a computer monitor came out of the dashboard and displayed a dossier.
Ignoring Quatermain's stunned face at the computer screen, Bond
cleared his throat and began, "His name is Harry Potter. Age sixteen,
currently a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. At
a year old Potter somehow survived a curse by the Dark Lord Voldemore,
a wizard so evil and cruel that most of the wizarding world still fear
to speak his name. This encounter also caused the near destruction of
Voldemore when his curse rebounded upon himself. Two years ago
Voldemore returned but before that Potter kept Voldemore from
returning several times. The Headmaster of Hogwarts, your old friend
Albus Dumbledore, and the Ministry of Magic have allowed us to take
Harry for our purposes and to perform magic outside Hogwarts, an act
that is usually illegal for a wizard of his age."
"Interesting," Quatermain said, "I hope he's willing to join."
The car pulled over just out of sight of the village. The two men then put on long black cloaks and got their personal effects in order. The village was small and slightly creepy because of the people and what could only be described as creatures walking about. Bond and Quatermain entered a small pub with a hanging wooden sign that proclaimed it as 'The Three Broomsticks'. The pub was small, warm, very smoky, and crowded because it was very cold outside. Bond looked around, then pointed out a thin boy with untidy black hair and bright green eyes wearing black robes, sitting at a table in a corner drinking from a glass of some tan colored liquid. "That's him." Bond said, pointing to the boy and walking forward.
"Excuse me sir," Bond said when he reached the boy, "would you be
Harry Potter?"
"Yes," the boy said, "are you the party I was told to meet?"
"Yes," Bond replied, "I am James Bond of the Department of Mysteries and this is my partner Mr. Quatermain."
"Sit down." Potter offered.
"Now, Mr. Potter, what I'm about to tell you is completely
confidential," Bond said after they had sat down, "but the Ministry
needs your help."
"Why?" Potter asked, in shock.
"The Dark Lord is beginning a offensive against the Muggle world."
Bond replied.
"No, I mean why are you impersonating wizards when it's easy to see
that you're Muggles?" Harry said with some disbelief.
At this sentence Bond could only sit in stunned silence.
"Clever boy," Quatermain said with some approval, "How did you know?"
"Mr. Bond here looked far too tense when he entered the pub." Potter
explained, "So, how did you find out about us?"
Bond cleared his throat and replied, "The government found out about
you from the Minister of Sewage Treatment, or, as you know him, the
Minister of Magic, Mr. Cornelius Fudge." Bond stopped for a second at
the stunned look on Potter's face and continued, "Shortly after Fudge
assumed the rank of Minister of Magic he was invited to a poker game
that some of the lower ranking ministers hold on Fridays. After losing
heavily and drinking a few too many Sherries Mr. Fudge began to let a
few things slip." Bond stopped to smile at the look on Potter's face,
then continued, "After a little persuasion, he told everything one
needs to know about the wizarding world to an audience of ministers.
Since then the government as been monitoring your people. I am very
sorry to hear about your parents, by the way."
"Thank you," Harry said, "So what does the government really want from me?"
"I assume since you've been at school you have not heard the news in
the muggle world?" Bond asked, and when Harry nodded Bond continued,
"Ten days ago, the Bank of England was broken into using state-of –the-
art weaponry. The single witness stated the robbers were members of
the North Korean military. One week afterward, what appeard to be the
U.S. Army broke into an aerospace facility in Toulouse, France. Just
last night what appeared to be our military broke into a research
facility in Beijing, China. Nations are striking out at nations; the
world is at the brink of World War III. The British government
believes that a terrorist who calls himself the Fantom is behind these
attacks so he can profit from an arms race and the wartime demand for
the new technology and biological technology he's created. The
government has set up a group of extraordinary people like yourself to
find and stop the Fantom." Bond then took out a letter, placed it in
front of Harry and said, "This is a letter from your headmaster,
which will explain everything."
Harry took the letter and read:
Dear Mr. Potter,
As Mr. Bond has told you, you have been selected to go on a mission for Queen and Country. I'm sorry you have to do this but the government thought you were the best they could get. You have been given an excused absence from Hogwarts for the next week and a half, you will have to make up the work, and the Ministry has granted you permission to use magic outside Hogwarts for the next week and a half as well. Be careful, don't trust anyone but Mr. Quatermain, he's an old friend of mine.
Good Luck,
Albus Dumbledore
"You're friends with the headmaster?" Harry asked Quatermain.
"There are some things people can't live through without becoming
friends, Mr. Potter," Quatermain said, "and being deserted on the
African grassland for four days is one of them."
"What were you two doing out there?" Harry asked.
"I think that is still classified." Bond cut in before Quatermain
could speak, "We need to go; I think we're being watched."
"No, Mr. Bond," Quatermain said, staring at a hunched-over character
at the bar who at that moment stood up, paid for his drink and left,
"We were being watched."
"Then we better get back to the car," Bond said, "and quickly."
"I finally get a vacation," Harry remarked, "and I have to work
through the whole thing."
The three got up and headed out of the pub and toward the edge of the town where the Vanquish was parked.
:
The South London Docks; London: 7:30 p.m.:
The Vanquish pulled up at a deserted dock in south London. The three got out of the car. "Well, let's see what our transport is." Bond said as he took out the little radio and pushed the button in the center. Suddenly, the calm water became very choppy. Then a large black shape came forth from the water; it was the top of a huge white submarine, at least a mile long and three stories tall from the water level to the top of the black tower in the back of the machine.
Then before the three a large part of the hull opened outward like a gangplank and two men walked out onto the dock. One of the men was a tall English man, in his early sixties, wearing a trim tweed suit and tie with a white lab coat over it. It was Q, the head of MI6's research and development team. The other man was an Asian, in his late fifties, wearing a blue naval uniform and carrying a pistol and a sword on his belt.
"Good evening Q," Bond said to Q and then gesturing to submarine,
"what is this thing?"
"The Nautilus," Quatermain said, staring at the submarine as if it
were an old friend.
"Exactly, Mr. Quatermain," Q said, "The original, but we have made
some modifications, of course but most of the equipment didn't need to
be replaced. All your luggage is on board." Q then pointed to the
Asian and said, "This is the Captain of the Nautilus."
"Call me Ishmael the Fourth," the man said as he shook their hands.
"Well come on," Quatermain said, "it's getting late and I want to make
Dublin by nine."
"Good luck 007," Q said to Bond and then as an afterthought, "and
bring my equipment back intact."
"Have I ever given you any reason not to trust me." Bond said as he
drove the Vanquish into the Nautilus.
As the Nautilus pulled away from the dock Q, still standing on the dock, muttered under his breath, "All the time."
Next time:
Chapter 3: Fantom and
Fowl
(Sorry it's so long and took so long to come out, keep reading and reviewing.)