Here's chapter 2. Sorry the story is kind of slow going. Things kick into high gear in the next chapter. I promise. I did my best to set the stage for Bond's trip to Miami and to introduce the main bad guy. Thanks for those who reviewed. Keep them going. And for those who didn't, please do.
Chapter 2 Merchant of Death
M had called a meeting of the top brass of MI6. Apparently the situation was reaching critical mass. The CIA had already started to hack into Marion's computer and had discovered she had uncovered evidence that McCord had been doing business with several notorious arms dealers in past few years. It was possible Marion had been killed to cover up this information. Bond had the same feeling as most people. Someone didn't want to be exposed. The meeting of the minds had already begun once Bond arrived at the situation room.
"Glad you could join us, 007," exclaimed M as Bond sat down next to M's chief of staff, Bill Tanner.
"Sorry I'm late," apologized Bond. He looked around the room. There were three high level MI6 executives Bond didn't recognize. Moneypenny was acting as secretary of course, recording anything spoken during the meeting.
"The CIA has discovered that McCord has been in contact with several arms dealers over the past few years. The big question is why. What could he possibly be doing with these dealers?" began M.
"Have there been any attacks on McCord's rival companies in the past few years?" asked Bond.
"Actually yes. There was a nerve gas attack on an office building in Paris last month. The building is one of the main offices of Athena Enterprises, an industrial company out of Greece," answered Tanner.
"In fact there have been a few attacks on other Athena Enterprises buildings and work station in the past two years. Other companies have been targeted as well," continued M.
"Athena Enterprises is small compared to McCord's company though so it seems unlikely that's his primary target, if he's involved. And we have no evidence to link him to that attack or any of the attacks. This is all just speculation. The only thing we know is that had contact with several arms dealers," explained Tanner. Bond rubbed his chin. Something didn't seem right.
"Did we send anyone to investigate the nerve gas attack?" asked Bond, looking at M.
"I sent 009 to Paris soon after. He discovered it was a French terrorist cell looking to cause the collapse of capitalism in France," answered M.
"Do we have a full list of the dealers Marion exposed?" asked Bond. M slid a folder down to her prize agent. Bond caught it and started looking through it.
"That's what the CIA have managed to download off her computer at this point. There's also a list of names that they found but our concern is the files she created on five dealers," explained M. The lights were dimmed and the wall screen behind M came to life. M pressed a button and the first dealer came on the screen. He was a Japanese man with glasses and a completely shaven head.
"Nobu Tanaka. Deals mainly with chemical weapons. We believe he's responsible for supplying Chinese terrorist cells with Saran gas," said M, looking around the room. She switched to the next dealer. It was a woman with short black hair and stunning green eyes. Bond raised an eyebrow.
"Nina Chernov. Russian. She deals mainly in dirty bombs and small arms. She's suspected of supplying some African warlords with their arsenals," explained M coldly. Everyone in the room was stunned. This very public billionaire had been meeting with some of the world's most dangerous people. M switched to the third and final terrorist. Bond was struck the most by the man on the screen. He was American. He had dirty blonde hair and a somewhat stocky build. Bond had run across his name while investigating Radic. His blood froze. He bolted up. Vincent Davian. The so called Merchant of Death. Bond hadn't noticed his name in the file M had given him.
"Oh my God, Vincent Davian. He's the one," gasped Bond.
"Excuse me, sir?" asked one of the executives.
"That's Vincent Davian. Arguably the most dangerous arms dealer in the world. I am confident this guy is the main supplier of Sergei Radic's army. He has no morals and no mercy. He doesn't care who he arms with what or how many people die. Just as long as he profits. He's easily one of the biggest dealers working today. He's a very dangerous person." M stared hard at Bond. He was on to something.
"If Marion was killed for finding something, she was killed because she exposed this guy. We might have a chance to trap him, M," announced Bond.
"007, we don't even know if he's in Miami," argued M. As if on cue, a call came in from the CIA headquarters in Miami. M answered it right away and put the call on speakerphone. It was Prescott.
"M we have just confirmed that one of the dealers Marion exposed is coming to Miami in two days. A man named Vincent Davian. We want to try to trap him and would like 007's help." There were a few chuckles around the table. Talk about a weird coincidence. M sighed and nodded.
"He'll be there in 24 hours," assured M.
"Thank you, M," said Prescott. He hung up.
"Well that's that then. 007 goes to Miami and helps the CIA trap Davian," announced one of the executives.
"Meeting adjourned," said M. Everyone filed out of the room. Bond hung back.
"I'll try to get him alive. If we sweat him enough and offer him asylum, he might roll over on Radic," said Bond. M nodded.
"Bond, there's something I didn't bring up in front of everyone. Something not everyone knows about," announced M.
"I'm listening," replied Bond.
"Luke." Bond sighed. His supposed son.
"If Davian had Marion killed, he'll come after Luke. WE can't allow an innocent little boy to be killed."
"I'll protect him." M nodded.
"He might know something so keep that in mind." Bond leaned against the wall.
"Are we sure he's my son?" M smiled and sat down at the computer nearby. She accessed the MI6 medical files and brought up the data on Bond's blood.
"Thanks to our technology we can perform blood tests via the internet and our system. Marion had Luke's blood type and DNA put in the CIA computer recently." M brought up the medical file on Luke. The computer performed a quick test against Bond and Luke's blood. Complete match came up on the screen. Bond sighed. M stood up.
"It seems unlikely that Davian won't try to kill Luke. This boy has a very dangerous man after him. Look after him." Bond brought up the picture of Luke that went with his medical file and enlarged it and brought it up on the wall screen. Luke had black hair that came down past his ears and light blue eyes. He looks like his mother, thought Bond.
"I swear that no one will harm a hair on that boys head." Bond felt himself getting choked up. He hadn't had any family in a long time. Not since Tracy, his late wife.
"Don't make this personal, James," warned M.
"It's too late for that. He's my son. And I won't let anything happen to him. I will stop at nothing to protect him. I owe it to Marion at least as well. She was probably counting on me getting involved."
"Davian is also a priority, 007. We need to trap him at all costs."
"Save for sacrificing Luke." M nodded. She sighed deeply, leaning back in her chair.
"James, what are you going to tell this boy once you make contact? Hi, I'm your father. Sorry your Mom died."
"I'll think of something, M. Maybe he doesn't need to know I'm his father. I just need to get close enough to protect him in case Davian attacks." Bond stared at M, waiting for a reply. He could tell she was hesitant to send him off. Double-o's weren't meant to be fathers. They were meant to hunt down the scum of the earth and take them out. They had to show no emotion and show no mercy. Queen and Country above all else. Not the type of person to raise a child.
"James, what are you going to do if you have to choose between saving Luke and trapping Davian?" Bond hesitated in answering. He had been thinking about that since finding out he had a son. Would he choose his job over his own flesh and blood? He didn't even know the boy and yet he felt he had a duty to protect him.
"I'll cross that bridge when I get to it, M." M nodded.
"You should probably get ready to leave. I'll gather up some information on McCord and Davian for you and meet you privately before you leave. Good day, 007." Bond excused himself and left, still wondering if he would let his own son die in order to complete the mission.
…………
Vincent Davian watched as the sands of the Sahara desert whipped by underneath him. He had flown into Nigeria a day earlier to meet with an old friend and complete a routine transaction. Davian could always count on African warlords to pay a little bit more for the merchandise. They desperately needed it. Davian was now on his way to meet with a Middle Eastern terrorist leader working out of Cairo. Omar Azziz was interested in purchasing some nerve gas and an associate of his had suggested that Azziz get in touch with Davian. The nerve gas would be waiting for Davian at the secluded airstrip he was landing at. From there it was a two hour drive to the meeting place in Cairo. Davian looked over at his hulking bodyguard and right hand man, Brutus.
"How much longer now?" asked Davian.
"About twenty more minutes," answered Brutus. "We have a flight out of here at nine tonight."
"We wouldn't want to be anywhere near Cairo when that nerve gas is released," announced Davian. "Although it would be nice to see that the product is working." Brutus chuckled. One of Davian's men, another bodyguard named Gustav, poked his head out of the cockpit.
"John McCord just called. He said transportation will be waiting for us once we land in Florida," explained Gustav.
"Any word from Radic?" asked Davian. Gustav shook his head as he went back into the cockpit.
"He's probably still in hiding. MI6 was on to him for awhile," said Davian, trying to convince himself of the fact. Involvement from MI6 usually meant trouble. Davian had silenced many clients in order to protect himself.
"The CIA might still be investigating McCord," warned Brutus. Davian shrugged.
"We already got rid of one their agents. We can do it again if we have to," assured Davian. Gustav poked his head back out.
"Sir, um, I forgot to tell you. That CIA agent has a son," explained Gustav. Davian narrowed his eyes.
"Kind of a important detail to forget, Gustav," growled Davian. Gustav gulped. Davian had killed men over far less then this.
"Once we're in Miami, we shall tie up all loose ends," ordered Davian. Gustav nodded nervously and returned to the cockpit.
"And Gustav shall not be going to Miami with us," said Davian to Brutus.
"Understood, sir," agreed Brutus. "How do you plan to deal with the boy once we're in Miami?" Davian gave a small smile.
"By any means necessary."