Chapter 7: Venice

Mathis pulls up to the hotel and we all get out. M stands in the centre of the drive looking up at the entrance while Mathis grabs the bags.

I am concerned that she is planning on running but then I realize that she is looking directly into the security camera. I unfortunately did not clue in for a few moment.

M has likely used some sort of hand signal to indicate that I am to be killed at earliest convenience.

Mathis indicates that we should enter the lobby. "I will take care of the rooms. Vesper dear please see to your aunt Emma. Make sure that she is comfortable."

M scoffs and sits in a chair facing the door. Her eyes take in the exits and entrances and people sitting around...very quickly and cautiously.

I sit across from her and begin to do the same.

These spies will be the death of me...and now I am looking around for any familiar faces or men dressed in black suits such as the MI6 replacements that showed up at the care facility who Mr. White and Mitchell must have killed.

Those three men never came out after us and we took their glorious leader so they must have been shot down in the chaos. James…where is James. I must look anxious because M says to me...

"He is fine Vesper...may I call you Vesper now that you are my niece and I am going to have to share a suite with you and your...who is Mathis suppose to be. I hope just our driver because he is bloody well not playing my husband!"

"I am fine auntie Em...if I may call you that?" If looks could kill...no one would find my body.

Mathis returns and leads us to the lifts. "The three of us have a two bedroom suite...it was all they had left."

"That is what happens with these last minute abductions...just no time to plan the important details." M smirks.

"Mathis are you playing her husband?"

"Yes...I am. Thank you for asking dear niece. I will share a room with her to make sure she does not disappear."

I smirk at M as a scowl forms on her face.

"Fantastic! I hope you don't snore or I may just have to smother you with a pillow while you sleep."

"For you my darling I will be as quiet as a mouse."

M rolls her eyes and looks sheepishly at Mathis as if trying desperately to gage his intent. I smirk at her discomfort in sexualized situations...she is a prim old gal but then as a woman in her position it makes sense.

I suppose not relishing in feminine sexuality would be mandatory for her as M. If not they would all take advantage of her...and she does not seem the type of woman who would allow that.

We reach the 6th floor and reach our room. I do not have M's bags just mine and Mathis'.

"Vesper will go shopping for some clothing for you M...what do you need and what is your size?" Mathis offers my help, likely to give him time alone with her. The man has been chasing her since the day she arrived.

M sits at a table and begins to make a list while I go to freshen up. Mathis is pacing the room and making a list of his own.

"I need a first aid kit to remove M's tracer. Here is a list of supplies and don't be gone long. I don't doubt that MI6 and Quantum are both watching our movements."

M hands me her list and move to the door. "I will get these and grab a bite to eat while I'm out. That should give you time to better get to know each other." I say with a smirk as I look at M's sudden discomfort.

It may be cruel but I do hope Mathis pushes her makes her feel as uncomfortable as she makes everyone else feel advantage. M is too use to everyone protecting her in her special secluded world.

Out here in the real world people get hurt and I for one think M deserves to suffer...maybe I am just being petty because she is ruining my life but I think I am entitled to a modicum of revenge.

I take my time...enjoying a few hours of freedom and some food at a lovely bistro. A man approaches me. This is nothing new for me. I often get approached by men and hit on but now my scenes are alter...MI6 or Quantum.

The man is followed by another...in a black suit...protection. This is the point of contact.

"Ms. Lynd...good to finally meet you. I would like you to be at the bank by 10:30am tomorrow to make payment for Yusef. Mr. White introduced himself to me and he and I have made arrangements."

"I have the account number but not the passcode." I blurt out in panic.

"Our allies have the bank manager's children as collateral. Your...aunt...at the hotel is our collateral against English intervention."

"And how do I get to Yusef?"

"He will be at this address in Paris in one week."

"And I am suppose to trust you on this?"

"You have no choice. I will see you tomorrow."

They walk off and I stand, shaking slightly as I pay my server and grab my bags.

I reach the hotel and enter the suite. There is no one in the common area I drop the bags and move to the room where I placed my luggage and lie on the bed. Eventually I will hear them through the open door.

I hear the door to the other room open and sit up. I move cautiously to the common area to find Mathis, wet in a bathrobe going through the bags I brought.

"Mathis...you didn't?"

I must look completely shocked as he smiles at me. There is a knock at the door. Mathis looks at me and pulls out a gun. He nods towards the door and I go and look through the peep hole.

"James!"

I pull open the door and he quickly enters, closes and locks the door. He looks scuffed up but fine. He is wearing a different suit from this morning.

"Where is M?"

I frown...not even a kiss.

Then he looks me up and down in that way that almost makes me blush. He pulls me to his mouth, then whispers in my hair.

"I am so glad you made it out...and that the three of you made it here."

James doesn't know...he thinks we rescued her...

James looks to Mathis. "Thank you for getting them here Mathis."

"I will go get changed and we can discuss what happened this morning."

Mathis grabs the bags and enters his shared room and closes the door.

"James what happened to you?"

"I had to catch that bastard Mitchell...the traitor."

"You ran and it was chaos."

"Sorry but I knew M would want the bastard. When I got back I found my bags and Tanner recovering from a wound...he never saw who hit him. We were in a panic but Q called and gave us the news. Tanner took Mitchell's and M's things back to London by helicopter. Where is M?"

Bond looks confused as he moves towards my bedroom and looks through the door. He looks both shocked and angry as he points to the other bedroom door.

"M is in there...with Mathis?"

"James, she is a grown woman. You cannot…"

"What in hell is going on here? I want to see M right now!"

"James...be calm."

"Be calm...what the bloody hell is going on? Q tells me to get to this hotel ASAP to rescue M and she is here, bloody well sharing a room with Mathis!"

From behind James I see M step through the door still dressed in her clothes from this morning...however her arm is now wrapped in bandages.

"I will explain what I can 007, once you give me my report. Did you get Mitchell?"

Bond moves towards her and reaches out to her hesitantly...if I was not standing here she would be in his arms by now. His reaches out for her hand on her injured arm.

"Yes...he's dead and will never try to shoot you again M. What happened to your arm?"

Mathis enters the room dressed from his earlier shower. "I had to remove her chip."

"I thought it best if he did so that we could put it in the case with the money."

"What?"

"White is holding me hostage...so he thinks. Mathis and Vesper were ordered to take me and force me to give up the account information."

Bond's eyes shoot like daggers through Mathis and then it turns on me where his gaze looks disappointed.

Mathis speaks up. "We had no choice Bond but I let her contact base and I do not wish to harm her in any way. Nor does Vesper. We are both just trying to make the best out of a bad situation."

"M...M did he hurt you in any way."

"Other than cutting out my implant...no."

"And sharing a room?"

M rolls her eyes at Mathis. "I am apparently his wife and her my niece. He is making sure I don't escape."

"Is that all M?"

"Yes that is bloody well all! I am not sleeping with the man if that is what you are implying 007!"

James looks both relieved and chastised by her rebuke. He turns to look at me without the love and longing I usually see directed at me from those ice blue orbs.

"So you two effectively kidnapped the head of MI6 and are keeping her locked up here until she withdraws millions and hands it over to a group of international criminals?"

Mathis smirks, "you make us sound like we are the criminal masterminds. No we thought it best if White believed us to be on his side."

I cannot tell them of my meeting tomorrow...I have to give those men the money...before Mathis and M go to the bank. How am I going to slip out tomorrow to do that?

I am trying not to panic but it will all come crashing down around me if I can't beat them to the bank in the morning.

"M here are the clothes you asked me for."

"Thank you Vesper. I will go get cleaned up and changed. Please order some food, and Bond get me a bloody drink. I think I need it after this morning."

Bond moves to the bar and pour her a drink which she takes...I see her pause for a second as she looks at James and then she disappears into the bedroom.

"Mathis could you order us something for dinner. I need to debrief with M."

M must have given him some sort of signal...when she paused.

Now what.

James is either going in there to plan their escape or make love to her. Neither option helps me in any way get over this pit of dread that has settled in my stomach.

Mathis frowns, "this could go poorly for us dear. In fact I think I am better served by leaving."

"But White is expecting you to be there...forcing M...you didn't did you? Force her…"

"No...She declined my offer of stress relief. Besides, I prefer my women to come voluntarily my dear and anything else would be the death of me. Bond was about to strangle me for just being in the same room as her while she napped. No I think it is time to disappear. You can come with me if you like?"

"I can't." It comes out like a strangled cry. "You know I can't. I have to be the one at the bank or everyone I love will die."

"Good luck then my dear." Mathis grabs his bag and kisses me on the cheek. "Tell them goodbye and I hope they enjoy the dinner I ordered them. Vesper...get out of this city the moment you can."

"I will and good luck Mathis."

Bond comes back into the suite as the room service arrives. He brings the food in.

"Where did Mathis go?"

M enters the room behind him. "Well, he likely fled since you are here now to be my bodyguard. God knows if looks could kill he would be dead for being in the same bedroom as I."

"Will you track him down and bring him in?" I ask as James organizes the plates on the table and opens the wine.

"They already have most likely...right M. There are agents outside the hotel. How about, we not concern ourselves with double agents for a time and enjoy some food."

"I ate while out. I think I will go have a shower and go to bed."

"Very well. I will be in later." James says to me as he sits to eat dinner with a woman he has likely dreamt of sharing a meal with for a long time."

I soak in the tub for an hour and get into my slip and go to bed. I hear muted conversations from the suite and even some laughter. My nerves are shot...I wonder if White and his men will show up in the middle of the night to move us or kill someone.

James opens the door and walks in leaving it ajar. "I have to sleep on the sofa to guard the suite."

"Why?"

"What do you mean why? I have to do my job, protect you and M from White. Just incase he decides not to wait until tomorrow to make his move for the money."

"He was injured. I am sure he is going to wait until tomorrow and I want to make love to you."

James frowns and sits on the side of the bed. "M told me that you love another...is that true?"

I cannot believe it...that bitch!

I could have let him down easy after we make love but no...she has taken even that away from me. My one last time to be in his arms.

I would make love to him...not like before but gentle and sweet...like I was with Yusef. I doubt James has ever truly made love in his life and I wanted it to be with me.

"Yusef...they are holding him hostage. I was hoping that MI6 would help find him and save him after we betray White tomorrow."

"I don't doubt that you do. Vesper...you and I...we were very close...close to something that I have never had before. But is was all a lie. Just like the ones I use to take down a mark."

"Oh James...I am so sorry but I do love you. I think you are the most incredible man I have ever known. Yusef has been gone for months...I really had no idea if he was alive and I got swept away in your passion."

James clamps his hands roughly behind my head and pull my forehead to his holding it in place and he says...

"Heaven and earth,

Must I remember? Why, she would hang on him

As if increase of appetite had grown

By what it fed on, and yet, within a month

Let me not think on't—Frailty, thy name is woman!"

Tears are streaming down my face and I try to pull away but he kisses me with a hard bleakness that I have never felt from him before. As though I were nothing more than a mark...one of the many who the woman he truly loves sends him to coerce into bed to betray whomever.

"James…"

"Frailty thy name is lying bitch…"

James pulls away from me and moves quickly to the door...as if he he stayed...he would kill me in his anger.

I stopped him as he made the door.

"By your anger...I might have actually thought you were in love with me."

"I was."

"No...you were in lust for something new...something you have never had before. A near relationship with a unmarried woman you were attracted too. You said it before...I am not your type because I am not married...well not in the legal sense anyway."

"But you belonged emotionally to another the entire time you have led me along just for the money...you are no better than any of the others."

"How could anyone ever compete with her majesty anyway?"

"I did entertain the thought of resigning for you...ignoring the needs of Queen and country...so we could sail around the world…"

"That was not the queen I was talking about and you know it! You would never leave M...ever!"

"This again?"

"Yes...M the woman you love but can barely admit it to yourself because she is cold as ice and completely unwilling to admit, any amount of feelings for you!"

"After tomorrow...we will never see each other again."

"James...I do love you."

"I thought I loved you...but it's not enough."

He closes the door and I cry endlessly into my pillow.