For RebaForever15. I get the darndest ideas when I have particuarlly crummie days :)

James marched across M's office and place his hands firmly on the desk and peered down at Mallory with nothing but contempt in his eyes.

"What's all this about an assignment?" he demanded "Clearly you knew that I was already on an assignment for M!"

"007, with all due respect M is a grown woman and clearly she is capable of handling matters in her own private life by herself" replied Mallory staring back at James with the same look of contempt.

"Sir you don't understand.." James started to say but was rapidly cut off

"No 007, it is you who does not understand. M does not have the right to use her agents as her own personal escorts no matter what the situation. You do not technically work for her personally. You work for MI6 and at the present time you are needed here do I make myself clear!" he said sharply

"Crystal" said James through clenched teeth

As much as he didn't like it and as much as he wanted to punch Mallory in the face for insinuating that M was abusing her authority, he really couldn't argue the point because he did in fact work for MI6. The fact that M was his immediate supervisor was a mere technicality.

"Now then I'll come straight to the point. A situation has come up in Pakistan involving one Josef Yousef, leader of a splinter terror cell. You are to go to Pakistan and track him down, but DO NOT Engage or otherwise harm him. Do you understand?" he said handing James a folder. " Here are the details. Everything you need to know is in there. You leave in one hour. And Bond.." he said in a rather arrogant tone "Don't cock it up this time! We do NOT want a repeat of Singapore."

"What if he engages Me?" said James somewhat sarcastically

"You have your orders, now get going." hissed Mallory

James left the office even more livid, if that was even possible, than when he had arrived.

"Tanner! Follow me, we need to talk" he said as he headed toward the lift

Bill did as he was told and followed James to the lift.

"Well how did it go? Did you talk him out of sending you on the mission?" asked Bill anxiously

"What do you think"

"How long will you be gone?"

'Not long if I have my way" he replied

"What do we do about M?" asked Bill as he looked around nervously to be sure they weren't overheard

"Look, I have no idea how long this is going to take. I need you or Eve to stay with her until I get back"

"How are we ever going to explain this to her?" Bill replied sounding almost bewildered

"Relax Bill. She's a lot stronger than you think. She may not completely understand exactly what it is that I do at the present time, but she knows it's important. She knew enough to send me here didn't she?" answered James with a slight grin

"Well yes but..."

"Don't worry. She'll be alright as long as she's got the two of you. If she can take on Mallory by herself then she can deal with this." he said as he entered the lift

"Anything in particular you want me to tell her?" asked Bill curiously

"Yes, as a matter of fact, Tell I look forward to investigating her Scarecrow theory in greater detail when I get Back. She'll know what I mean" he said with a wink as the lift door closed.

Eve arrived at M's flat shortly after James left to find M pacing about her sitting room wringing her hands and muttering a lot of incomplete and at times unrepeatable sentences. Eve had never seen her so angry.

"I cannot believe that self-righteous little arrogant twit. Of all the nerve Who the hell does he think he is? As soon as I am out of the office or a few days, he seizes the opportunity to usurp my authority, and claim my office as his own." she said angrily "If I were twenty years younger I would snap him like a twig and use him for kindling"

"M. Can I get you anything" said Eve softly in an attempt to calm her down

"NO!" she replied turning to stare at Eve who was clearly caught off guard by her sudden temper.

"Oh Eve" said M apologetically "I am so sorry, I didn't mean to take out my frustration on you, It's not your fault, Please forgive me"

Eve quickly crossed the room and pulled M into an almost motherly embrace.

"It's ok M. It's not your fault either and under the circumstances you have every right to be angry." she said as she rubbed M's back.

"O, think I passed angry about twenty minutes ago. I think we have now entered the realm of full fledged fury, What do you think?" She said with a weak laugh

"How about some tea?" asked Eve trying to be as cheerful as the circumstances would allow.

"Yes. That would be nice" replied M as she sat down at her desk.

While Eve was in the kitchen preparing the tea, M noticed that her laptop was sitting on the edge of the desk. "It would be very easy to log on and see just exactly what is going on" thought M as she ran her hand across the computer.

When Eve returned a few minutes later she saw M eyeing the laptop.

"I don't suppose you remember the password?" said Eve as she put the tea down

"What?" replied M curiously

"Well if you could remember the password then we could find out just where he's gone and what Mallory is up to"

"Why Eve you sly little thing, The thought hadn't even crossed my mind" said M with a devious little grin

"Well do you?' asked Eve

"Do I what?"

"Do you remember the password?"

"No. But I bet I know who does" replied M with a knowing crafty look

"Right. I'll call him. After all he is your assistant he's bound to know."

Eve quickly rang Bill and explained the situation.

"Well yes I do as a matter of fact" said Bill as he was attempting to carry his coffee and an armload of folders back to his office "Why do you ask?"

TO BE CONTIUNED...