Q and Bond sat in silence as they rode in a can towards headquarters.
"You shouldn't have done it." Q spoke up.
Bond adjusted his sleeves. "I did what was necessary."
"Yeah? Well, what if you're wrong?"
"I'm not wrong."
"What if you are?"
Bond gave him a look and Q scoffed.
"You're amazing. You really are."
The taxi driver stopped when Bond asked and they climbed out. Bond looked at Q and nodded.
"Remember, be quick. If anything happens, contact me. Don't draw any attention to yourself. Just act like this is another day at work." Bond said, carefully.
"And you? You're just gonna stay out here and breathe?" Q asked.
Bond smirked. "I'm going to get in my own way."
Q rolled his eyes. "I don't suppose you're going to tell me given that you're being so vague. Well, here goes."
Q adjusted his glasses and ran a hand through his curly hair. With a deep breath and satchel in hand, he marched into headquarters. A few agents saw him and whispered amongst each other.
He walked into an elevator where two agents followed. When the doors closed, the agents drew their guns.
Q put his hands up. "Okay, okay. No need to act in violence."
He reached his hand to adjust his glasses and pressed a button on the left lens. Two small darts were shot at the agents and they fell unconscious. Q nodded and cleared his throat.
"Thought that'd come in handy."
The elevator opened and he stepped into a hall, leaden him to the data room. He took out a small device and placed it on the doorknob. A small click and the door was unlocked.
He stepped in and spotted the filing cabinet. Reaching into his pocket, he took out the small key. Suddenly, a gun was placed at his head and he froze.
"Oh, don't stop. Please, open the drawer." Bastian said.
Q swallowed as Bastian's goon pressed the gun against his head. He placed the key in the lock and turned it. The cabinet opened and Q saw the pile of papers.
He lifted them up and his heart stopped. The file was gone.
Bastian raised an eyebrow. "Is there a problem?"
Q swallowed. "The file. It's not here."
"Well, find it."
"It's supposed to be here and it's gone."
"Does it look I care where it is? Just find it."
Q turned and looked around his desk and inside the drawers. Nothing. Bastian folded his arms.
"I have no time for games. Where is the file and where is Lily?"
Q stuttered and Bastian grabbed his throat. "I swear...I don't know where-"
"Let the boy go, Duplin."
They all glanced around when they heard Bond's voice. Two of Bastian's goons aimed their rifles and scanned the room.
Bastian smiled. "Is that you, Bond? Why don't you join us?"
"Love to, but I'm afraid we're on a tight schedule, as it is."
"I'm assuming that you took the file ahead of time. Very clever, Bond. However..."
He gripped Q's throat tighter and grinned. "You risked the life of this poor boy."
"I have your bloody files, Duplin. I'll give them in exchange for the boy."
Duplin chuckled. "This isn't just about the files anymore, James. You know whom I desire, and I want her now."
Q swallowed and shut his eyes, ready for his goon to pull the trigger.
"She's not here." Q spat. "If you want her so bad, why did you let her go?"
Before Duplin could speak, his goons were all shot down. Bond entered the room with his gun in hand. Duplin got Q in a chokehold and took out a knife.
"You're very clever. I'm sure you know that, James. Funny thing about grandfather. He fought in many wars and often told me stories of the madness. One time, he watched one of his own men get killed with nothing but a small knife."
Bond kept his gun aimed as Q closed his eyes in fear. Duplin pulled out a small device and pressed a button. Bond's gun exploded and he cried from the burning of his flesh. Q struggled from his grip but he was helpless.
Duplin continued. "Brutal, it was. The enemy cut off each of his fingers. Right through the bone. Then, they broke the legs of my grandfather's companion. They abandoned him with no food or water. They only left him his fingers, saying, 'This is all you have to eat.' You might think he starved, but my grandfather said otherwise."
Q began to tremble as Duplin placed the knife at the side of his face.
"Give me the files and the girl. Or watch the boy die, slowly but surely." Duplin growled.
Bond stared at Duplin and started to laugh. Q stared blankly at him as Duplin began to laugh as well.
"She's safe and you'll never find her." Bond laughed.
A zapping sound was heard and Duplin collapsed with Q. M stood above them with a taser. Q whimpered as he pushed Duplin's body away and got to his feet.
He turned to Bond and began giving him small punches.
"You. Stupid. Ungrateful. Fool!" Q cried between punches.
Bond grabbed Q's wrists and said, "Stop it."
Q drew his hands back and glared. "You were planning this...and you didn't tell me. All that rubbish about Lily betraying us...that was all an act."
Bond stared at him. "Well, you definitely saved us some time by figuring it out on your own."
Q threw his hands in the air and groaned in frustration. "Well, don't expect a thank you from me. You could've got me killed!"
M chuckled. "Calm yourself, Q. We kept an eye on you the moment you walked into this building. Bond phoned me about you coming here and-"
"What? Y-You were in on this too? For the love of God, you're both insane!" Q yelled.
"Are you going to keep whining like a child or are you going to see Lily?" Bond asked.
"Don't think I'll ever forget this, Bond. I'm...Lily's...here?"
"A couple of agents picked her up from the warehouse after we left. She's in M's office and-"
Q dashed out the door as agents came in to take Duplin away. M glanced at Bond and tilted his head.
"I'll take it from here. You're more than welcome to see the girl."
Bond stood where he was and ran a hand through his hair with a deep sigh. "She won't understand."
"No, but she deserves to hear the explanation from her own father."
Bond nodded and gave M a curt nod. He left the data room an took an elevator to M's office. Two agents were guarding it and nodded to him when he approached. One opened the door and he stepped inside.
Lily and Q were seated on the sofa and looked over their shoulders when he came in. Q whispered in her ear and she nodded. He stood up and left the room without looking at Bond.
Lily folded her arms as Bond sat on the sofa with her. She shook her head and he could tell she had been crying. Her eyes were red and glossy.
"Look, what I did-"
"Save it. I know why you did what you did. That doesn't make it right."
He sighed and shook his head at her. "Well, what do you want? An apology for saving your life?"
She scoffed. "Saving my life? You could've told me what you were up to."
"It would've risked too much. It was better to get you out of the way-"
"No. Not like that."
He opened his mouth to argue but then closed it. She stared out the window and sighed.
"What will you do with him? With Bastian?" she asked.
"He'll be turned in to authorities. Then, we move on."
Lily nodded. "Yeah, I'll go back to living alone and you'll go back to saving the world as a secret agent."
Bond shrugged. "Basically."
She scoffed. "Well, good luck."
"Lily, I was kidding."
She looked at him and saw that his face was serious. She shook her head.
"I know I haven't been the best father, but this, you being here, is another chance for me. Let me help you start a life here in London."
He meant it. She stared at him with her green eyes and side-smiled. She threw her arms around him and caught him by surprise. He slowly wrapped his around her and held her tightly.
The door opened and M came in with Q. "Bond, we need you."
Bond nodded and stood up. "Is he contained?"
"Yes, he's ready for questioning. My dear, if you will follow me." M said to Lily.
She got up and followed M and Q as they left the room with Bond. They went into the basement and entered a dark room. Bond went through another door.
Duplin had his hands cuffed in front of him as he sat in front of a table. Bond sat at the other end and tested his elbows on the table.
Q, Lily, and M watched in another room behind a glass window. Lily held her breath as she watched.
"So, where would you like to begin?" Duplin asked, smiling.
"Let's talk about Lily. How did you meet her?" Bond asked.
"She was very young. I helped with the orphanage she was in, you see. I was a young man an she was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen."
Lily's breathing got heavier. Q held her hand tightly and swallowed.
"She was fond of me. One night, I had a little too much to drink and...she came into my bedroom when she heard me yelling. I was drunk, you see. Wonderful night, it was."
Bond stared at him and continued with the questioning.
"How did you feel when she left you to find me?"
Duplin's face hardened and he replied, "Why did she need to find you?"
"That's not an answer."
"You know why and you won't tell me, Mr. Bond." Duplin's eyes began to fill with rage.
Lily felt herself tremble but Q kept holding her hand.
"You'd better tell me...or I'll hurt her. I'll make her bleed right in front of you."
Bond remained calm. "Answer the question."
"I'll kill her...I will kill her! Let me see her! She'll tell me!"
He was standing now. Lily glanced at M. "Please, don't make me go out there."
He shook his head. "Don't worry. Just calm down."
"Lily! I know you're watching us! You'd better get out here and-"
Bond lost his patience and struck Duplin in the face. He fell over and started laughing.
"I'll find out. I always get what I want."
Bond gritted his teeth and marched out of the room. Suddenly, Duplin got to his feet and approached the glass. He started banging his fists omit and yelling.
"Where are you? Lily! Lily, come out! Lily! You'd better tell me or I'll come in there and kill that boy and Bond."
She covered her ears and shut her eyes. Agents rushed in and dragged him away. Q pulled Lily into a hug and shushed her gently. M looked at Bond and sighed.
"You should get some rest. All of you."
Q took Lily to the safe house with Bond following them.
A/N: Wow it's almost been a week since I last updated...my bad. So, according to my knowledge, this story isn't even five chapters long yet...I think. I get caught up in writing and I usually can't find a good spot to cut the chapter. So, this chapter might be pretty long but I hope y'all like it either way. Way too excited for "Spectre" and curous as to how they're going to work with the new M, and the old one...I'm assuming it's about Judy Dench since I didn't see any Ralph Fiennes in the trailer...which sucks, but I'm pumped either way. Hope you liked this chapter and more to come...