Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Bond. I do own all new characters and situations, so please don't use those without my permission.

Author's Notes: OK, I know the last chapter was a little confusing, but things will become clear soon enough ;-)

2. Lost

The plain, stark hallways of the MI6 headquarters, redecorated after the King murder, were filled with agents. James Bond, the best of the best and with a license to kill, walked slowly down the hallway towards M's office, making mental notes of the expressions on his colleague's faces. Some wore expressions of shock, while others looked dazed or confused. Several showed signs that tears had been shed, and that puzzled 007. What had happened here while he had been away? Something bad had happened, but involving whom? Had another attempt been made on M's life? Had they lost another agent? Was there going to be yet another 00 agent who would risk their life for no reward other than doing their duty? He pushed open the door of Moneypenny's office, the little room adjacent to M's office, and frowned in surprise. The chair behind the desk was empty, and the computer was switched off, indicating that Moneypenny was not at work today. James sighed, having hoped for a moment of gentle flirting to help him shake the uneasy feeling which had grown as he approached the office. He had better find out what was going on, he realised with a sad shake of his head, hoping he would catch the lovely Moneypenny before he left on his next assignment.


Opening the door to M's office, he stepped inside and froze, barely managing to keep his face impassive at the sight which greeted him. Standing to the left of M's desk stood Charles Robinson, M's head of security and one of the few people James considered a friend. He looked different, as if he had aged years in the past few weeks. He also looked tired, exhausted even, and his eyes held a slightly haunted look. The change in M, however, was even more pronounced than it was in Charles. She too looked as if she has aged years in the space of the few weeks he had been away, but the haunted look in her eyes was greater. She seemed suddenly fragile, and James didn't like the feelings that appearance stirred in him. She has always been so strong, as if made of solid steel, and her presence demanded respect and awe. Now, she seemed to have lost that smug self confidence she had always had, and James didn't like it. He slid into the empty chair and looked at his boss, keeping his icy calm professionalism.

"So, what happened?" He managed to keep his voice level, but he knew his eyes showed the concern he felt.

"We've had four incidents in the past seven days. A week ago, Agent Tomas Carlson was murdered. Someone planted a bomb in his car and wired it to go off when the ignition was engaged. Unfortunately, his wife and children were also in the car at the time." She paused, taking a deep breath before she continued. "Two days later, 004 was seriously injured in an explosion at the safe house in Jersey. Apparently the gas main ruptured and he didn't smell the fumes."

"I doubt that very much. Mark has being doing this job as long as I have, he knows to check everything when he enters a room, even in a safe house," he protested, lapsing back into silence at the quelling glare M shot him.

"The rest of us concur with your assessment, 007," she admonished, a trace of her old self showing itself again. James fought to keep hidden the smile that threatened to spread across his face; maybe things weren't as bad as he thought. Her next words chilled his blood in his veins.

"Yesterday, 009 was executed in Prague. We haven't found out the reason yet, but we must assume that her cover had been blown and she had been unable to escape." Fresh tears shone in her eyes as she relayed that news, and once more James felt a pang of compassion for his boss. He hadn't realised just how keenly she felt the death of any agent under her command, but he could see now that every death affected her greatly.

"You said there were four incidents..." His gentle reminder was a not-so-subtle push to try and find out what they were hiding from him. The sudden flash of anguish on her face, swiftly clamped down upon and hidden away, caused an icy chill in James' gut. Whatever the fourth incident was, it was the reason everyone was so upset.

"There was another bomb attack, three days ago..." Charles began, saving M from having to explain the incident again. "The target was your flat..."

"My flat?" James whispered, the icy feeling in his gut beginning to spread. "What time did the bomb go off?" He would never know how he managed to keep his voice so calm and level.

"Around 7pm..."

"7pm..." Suddenly the room around his seemed to be spinning, dissolving away to leave only a blank, empty space covered with images of Moneypenny. The way she laughed, the sparkle in her eyes when he flirted with her, the way her full lips curved into a secretive smile when she thought he wasn't looking. He shook his head, dispelling the memories, and the room came back into focus.

"James?" Charles sounded concerned, worried even.

"Is she dead then? Is that what you're trying to tell me?" His voice sounded cold and hollow, even to his own ears.

"What?!?" The sharp look that M gave him would have made him laugh, under any other circumstances. But this moment was different, and there was no laughter in James, no sadness, just an icy calm bordering on uncontrollable rage.

"Is Moneypenny dead, M?" He looked into her eyes, the power of his gaze making it impossible for her to break eye contact.

"We don't know, James." The note in Charles' voice told him there was more to know, more they were trying to hide from him. "We know neither her condition, nor her location. At the present time, her status is listed as MIA..."

"Missing? Are we sure she wasn't just injured in the blast and taken to hospital?" As soon as the words passed his lips, James regretted them. He was well aware that M would have had every available member of personnel exploring every possible avenue of investigation. "Sorry," he apologised, covering his eyes with one hand for a moment.

"Why don't we have a drink and try to figure this out?" Charles' suggestion was a welcome one to all concerned, and James caught M's thoughtful gaze as her head of security readied the aforementioned drinks.

More to come soon, I promise :)