"So you took the job?"
Startled, Nine nearly jumped out of her chair, knocking off her glasses. She was glad she didn't hear the lenses break. She didn't have any spares. Now she couldn't even see who had addressed her. After a little bit of fumbling around, she finally felt her glasses being pressed gently into her hand. She managed to slip the frames on again and found herself looking at a familiar face.
"Mr Tanner?" Bill Tanner, someone who Nine regarded as a friendly acquaintance, was smiling and leaning casually against her desk.
"Still as clumsy as ever, I see."
"Unfortunately, yes." Nine flushed red at the memory. Whenever M came to visit her in Dublin, her Chief of Staff, was always faithfully by her side. He was a nice enough fellow and he always had something interesting to talk about. Tanner found out about her clumsiness when she accidentally knocked a cup of scalding hot coffee over him. Luckily for Nine, he had a sense of humour.
"So I hear you go by Nine now?" Tanner was one of two people privy to her name, origins and background. M, of course was the other.
"Uh, yes, actually. M's orders"
"I never got a chance to explain to you that we now have a new M. Sorry. Anyway, Eve sent me here to show you to the agents armoury. She thought you might get lost looking for Bond down there." Tanner really did look genuinely sorry. Nine was glad to at least have a familiar face around the office. She was grateful for Eve's help, and made a mental note to thank her later.
She told Tanner that she would go with him as soon as she was finished writing the line of code she was working on. That was fine by Tanner, who then started up a conversation with Q across from them, who Nine figured, had likely been following their conversation. Nine soon finished up and let Tanner lead her down into the lower levels of MI6.
"I said to bring lunch."
"I did."
"A tiny little sandwich and a bottle of water."
"And a bag of crisps for you. In my defence, you weren't specific."
Nine was now seated with James Bond on the agent's armoury level of the building. All of the other 00 agents were on missions, so the two had the place to themselves. As soon as Nine stepped out of the lift, she knew she would not like it.
Guns adorned the walls here.
Little killing machines. Nine did not like it one bit, but she knew she'd have to get over it. This was her job now. Helping to protect one of the most influential countries in the world. Easier said than done. After all, if Great Britain fell, it was only logical to assume that her home, Ireland, would fall with it. At the moment, she was sitting at a table in the next door firing range with agent 007. Grudgingly, Bond accepted her offering of a bag of crisps.
"You're almost as bad as Q. At least you remember to eat, though. We need to remind him every few days."
"He's amnesiac?"
Bond shook his head, "No. Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if he had an eidetic memory. Q could easily bring down a small country if needed but he just tends to forget simple little things. Like eating. And sleeping. And occasionally, if he becomes drastically overworked, that he hasn't been home for a few days."
Nine understood perfectly, "I managed to break those habits after college. Is wasn't easy." she muttered. This didn't surprise the agent in the slightest.
As they ate, Bond began a long monologue explaining how guns worked. Due to her interest and studies in Physics, Nine found she could keep up with him quite easily. Bond showed her how to take firearms apart, their most important components, how things such as supressors and silencers worked all while she nibbled on her sandwich. Then 007 decided to move on to some actual shooting.
This level of MI6 was known as B double 0. Or BOO. Nine found this to quite ironic. Even though she had only met one field agent today, she had heard many scary stories about the nine infamous double 0's, and to be honest, they scared the bejesus out of her. Not only was this floor an armoury, it was an entire level dedicated to the 00 agents of MI6, complete with a fully facilitated gym, assault course, firing range and locker rooms. Of course, any weaponry used in the field were supplied by Q and his team. The firing range on B00 was slightly different to the one she had seen earlier on BQ. There were no computers here. Just four white walls and crude paper targets with black human silhouettes, which lucky for Nine, did not shoot back.
Nine had almost always preferred theory to practical work. Theory was easier to remember, and due to her clumsiness, she had a tendency to mess up anything practical. Still, she made an effort. She held the weapon like Bond showed her. She reluctantly let him adjust her stance, even though she hated when people got close to her like that. At one stage, he came up behind her unexpectedly, his hands had settled gently on her waist to correct her posture. She instantly froze up. Bond, of course, noticed and apologised, but to Nine's relief, did not question her. After some time, she managed to hit the white corner of the paper target. She'd established she was somewhat of a terrible shot, so she considered this to be quite an achievement. Bond, however, had given up all hope.
"So, how was weapons training?"
Nine groaned inwardly. She had gone to find Moneypenny in that famillair white office ("MI6 really love their white..." she noted) after she was finished with Bond downstairs. It was nearly time to go home, but Nine went up to the secretary's office with a muffin wanting to thank her for sending Tanner to help her earlier. The two ended up chatting and, upon Eve's insistence, sharing the fresh chocolate chip muffin. Nine was glad to be friendly with someone besides Tanner and Steve. Eve was eager to know what her first day was like, so Nine gladly answered most of her questions.
"Terrible. Couldn't even hit the target. The only useful thing I managed to pick up on was how to remove a firing pin."
Moneypenny shrugged, "That's better than nothing. I know an agent who nearly shot their instructor on their first time."
"Bond was smart enough not to walk in front of any weapon I was holding. Why do you ask anyway?"
Moneypenny popped a piece of muffin in her mouth, smiling brightly, "Because I really am concerned for your wellbeing... And I also happened to hear that you and Bond were caught snogging down on the firing range!"
Nine's eyes widened in disbelief. She was totally and utterly speechless. The man was more than twenty years older than her! Her first day and already her colleagues were gossiping about her? As if she wasn't nervous enough already! Nine's delayed reaction seemed to prompt Eve to come to conclusions.
"So its true!" Eve exclaimed.
"What's true?" Q had just exited the lift carrying a stack of files and papers. Nine almost died on the spot. Just her luck, her boss just had to walk in and get the wrong idea. She tried to calmly to deny it, "It's not true!" Of course she had to turn red and stutter. Just to make it more uncomfortable, she HAD to turn red and stutter. Lovely.
Moneypenny was laughing now. Nine knew now she was only joking and didn't really believe that absurd accusation. Unfortunately, Q didn't get the hint.
"What's not true?"
"Bond snogged Nine!" Eve was still giggling.
"Again, not true!" Nine groaned.
"Office rumor?" asked Q.
"Obviously!"
Q shook his head, placing the pile of heavy looking paperwork on Eve's desk and searching for a pen, "Just don't let it bother you, it's never true. If we believed such rumors, I'd be gay and shagging Lenny the post clerk for the past two months-"
Moneypenny was interested now, "Really? I thought that one actually was true!"
Q was not amused. He signed a sheet of paper he had forgotten about earlier before replying calmly, "It's not."
"So then you're not really-"
"No."
Nine felt a little awkward. At least the attention wasn't on her anymore. Of course Bond had to pop up out of nowhere and join in the conversation, "I'll need that in writing, Q!"
Q scowled in annoyance, but Bond continued anyway, "And what exactly are people saying about me?"
"You really want to know?" Q had what looked like a mischievous glint in his eye. Nine was a little afraid. Bond flashed that infamous smile of his, declaring that yes, he did indeed want to know what his colleagues were saying behind his back.
"Alright then, Bond. According to office rumour-"
"I've slept with half of the staff?" exclaimed the agent in mock disbelief. "Untrue! It's around a fifth, give or take a few-"
"You're actually a woman."
Silence. Complete and utter silence. Bond couldn't even come up with a retort. How Q managed to keep a straight face, Nine had no idea. Nine kept her eyes to the floor, trying desperately not to smile or laugh. She tried to hide a grin behind her hand. Eve Moneypenny made no such attempt and snickered, "That shut you up, didn't it James?!"
Bond walked away back to the lift, most of his usual swagger gone. He was frantically muttering something about a Charlotte from Legal with a grudge. When they were sure he was gone, Eve and Q shamelessly burst out laughing. Q picked up his paper mountain and headed towards M's office smirking, "Somehow, I don't think his ego shall manage to bounce back from this one..."