Salvation
A No Time to Time alternate universe story.
What if Mallory found Bond while he was living in Jamaica?
The main characters are James Bond, Madeleine Swann, and M/Gareth Mallory. There are also a few other surprise characters from the Bond universe, but I do not want to give anything away.
This story is rated T for Teen for language, violence, drinking, smoking, intense situations, and sensual content.
The genres are drama, romance, friendship, and family.
In my mind the film, SPECTRE takes place in November 2015 and the beginning of No Time to Die takes place in summer 2016. This story takes place about two years after Bond puts Madeleine on the train.
Prologue
July 2018
United Kingdom
Gareth Mallory, also known as M, sat behind his desk at SIS headquarters. He is slowly pacing his way through the newspaper and paperwork. As he makes his way to the bottom, he finally finds the reports for the double-o's. He flips the plain vanilla folder open.
001 is deep undercover in parts of Asia.
002 is in Australia, he is on the verge of stopping a potential terrorist organization.
003 is on holiday somewhere in Europe. Lucky chap.
004 is in the States, she is investigating the murder of a U.S. senator. The whole thing is possibly part of a larger conspiracy linked to Parliament.
005 is in Ireland, investigating a geological, possible terrorist plot against the whole United Kingdom.
006 and 008 are in Tokyo working on a joint mission.
The offices of 007 and 009 are currently vacant.
009 was killed in action in the Middle East nearly three months ago. While 007 had stepped down over two years ago. There is no one in mind yet for 009. Hopefully they would have easier time finding a replacement for 009 than 007.
No one wants the number of 007. Some say it is unlucky or cursed. Others were probably afraid they would not measure up to its somewhat legendary predecessor. He supposes gambling with money from the country's treasury and capturing the leader of the biggest secret terrorist organizations would make one something of a legend.
Mallory wonders if it would help if they knew what had happened to him. He had left rather suddenly after the capture of Ernst Stavro Blofeld. They never even gave him proper retirement party. 007 had rejected the whole notion. Then the man had been ambushed by SPECTRE while on holiday and done his best to disappear from the face of the earth.
Speaking of the former 007, Mallory looks around his desk. His fingers shuffle various documents and photographs around. Where was it? He digs back through his paperwork. He goes to the left, then to the right of the desk. Finally, he finds the folder under another stack he is trying to avoid.
Mallory opens the folder as he leans back in his chair. He takes a sip of water.
Earlier in the week he had a curious report from the embassy in the Caribbean.
Mallory sits there for several moments reading through the report. If it could be called that. Despite its short length and blurry photo, it is very curious indeed.
The height and blurry profile of the silhouetted man fits the description perfectly.
Mallory puts a hand to his chin. He is considering the various outcomes. Two outcomes. The first is that is him. The alternative is where it is not him.
Doubt fills Mallory's thoughts. Maybe it is the latter.
But Mallory's gut tells him it is James Bond.
Now what is he going to do about it?
Mallory is not certain.
Maybe nothing.
There is nothing he needs to see the former 007 for. The man is retired. He has done his duty to his Queen and country.
Still, there is some information Mallory would like to give the man. Something that Mallory feels he should know about the Matera ambush and her. Information that would be best given in person. Not over the mobile. Mallory supposes he could give the information to Tanner or some lackey.
Mallory considers it and shakes his head. No, he wishes to keep his word to her, that no one would know.
Mallory also feels Bond should be given this information by someone he knows. He did not know if he was the best person for the job, but who else was there? Yes, he would not say the pair of them were particularly close. Bond had been much closer with his predecessor, Moneypenny, and Q. Still, as someone who knew both of them and the whole situation, he supposes he was best candidate, the only candidate.
Dr. Swann did not want anyone else to know. Nor were Moneypenny and Q the biggest fans of Dr. Swann. They did not trust her. They did not understand why Mallory had agreed to make her Blofeld's psychiatrist. He believes they felt he was playing right into Blofeld's hands. but Dr. Swann had insisted no one should know. She did not care what Moneypenny or others thought of her.
Who knows, maybe Mallory could even persuade the former double-O to come back to SIS.
Mallory makes a face as he weighs the options. Living in a beautiful setting like Jamaica versus getting shot at every day? He knows which one he would pick.
Mallory would not blame him. Once he reaches that point, he plans on not looking back. Mallory plans to spend his remaining years out in the country. He would go hunting and fishing every day. Maybe he would have several grandchildren by then. His eldest and her husband are already working on the first.
"Ms. Moneypenny," Mallory says into the speaker.
"Sir?"
"The upcoming security summit in America. I have changed my mind, I will attend." It is the perfect cover. He could attend the summit and use a vacation day or two on his way back. He would have Tanner help cover for him.
"Sir?" Moneypenny sounds confused, "I thought you were not attending?"
That is true.
Mallory had originally refused to go. He had planned to send Bill Tanner or someone else in his place.
"Oh, something came up," Mallory said as he flips through the file.
As Moneypenny began typing into her keyboard to make to the arrangements. As her fingers type at the keys, she asks, "What made you change your mind, sir?" She knew how he hated flying across the Atlantic.
"Think I will pop in and see an old friend," Mallory smiles to himself as he began looking at flights from America to Jamaica.
Later
The sunset across London is gorgeous. Large, cotton ball shaped clouds partially cover the horizon. While the colors range from red, orange, yellow, violet hues, and even the shadows help compliment the skyline.
Atop a modest sized balcony, a blonde-haired woman steps out of the shadows to stare at the sunset. She lowers her neck and kisses her one-year-old daughter's forehead.
Though every now and then she looks left and right. She is always on guard when she comes out here on the balcony. Especially when she brings the child out here with her.
One story up above and to the left, a shadow watches as Doctor Madeleine Swann smiles and whispers to the child as they go back inside. Then the shadow moves from behind some shrubbery.
The shadow always loves it when Dr. Swann came out on her small, private balcony. Even more on warm, clear nights like this when she brought the child out here with her.
The child...
Oh, she is so beautiful. She reminds the shadow of what was lost. What lieber Ernst has promised.
A few moments passed and the child began to grow fussy. Madeleine pats the child's back and they went back inside.
Then the shadow disappears.
Uh-oh. Wonder who that could be?b Also, what M is up to?
Trivia: Barbara Broccoli said in a podcast how for a long time no one wished to take the number of 007. That would explain why 5 years had passed in the film, but Nomi had only been a double-O for two years. That and I'm sure there's a lot of training that goes into it. Also one has to get 2 kills to be a double-O.
"Lieber Ernst" means "Dear Ernst" in German. It was never used in the films, it's from one of the novels. As for who said, we'll find out soon enough.
* If you're looking for more 00Swann content, be sure to check out my other story, Secrets and Gifts.
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