I wanted to at least get them back in the same location before I leave for vacation :)
Sergei spent the remainder of the afternoon taunting M every chance he could get while they waited for "Her Husband" to arrive with whoever was on the phone.
"I really would have thought that your husband would have been more careful" he said with a laugh "You didn't train him very well did you?"
"As I've told you before, he isn't my husband" she snapped
"That's what you say, but I've had Anya do some digging and the court records don't lie. You were married over three months ago, what I want to know is how you managed to keep it a secret?" he said with a grin as he leaned down and nibbled on her ear lobe
"Oh for the love of God, do you mind!" she said angrily pulling her head away
"My dear, the love of God is what you're going to need to stay alive" he replied suddenly very serious
M just glared at Sergei as they heard a knock at the door
"Come in" he snapped a he turned to face the door
"Sir, they are here"
A few hours earlier at the safe house, everyone was receiving their final briefing on the mission.
"Just so we are all clear on the matter, rescuing M is the main objective here, I don't give a shit if we capture Sergei alive or dead, SHE is the top priority understood?" said Jack adamantly
"Yes Sir" was the reply from the Agents as they all turned to leave for their appointed positions
"James...a word please" said Jack as the others left
"What did you want Jack?"
"Are you absolutely sure you want to do this? There is still time to come up with another plan?"
"Jack" James began "Unless a winged monkey comes flying out of your arse with a golden telegram marked "Better Idea" then this is the best we have, and I'm not wasting one more second, understand" he said calmly
"Alright then" replied Jack as he started to turn away and then suddenly turned back and punched James in the face, sending James flying backwards into the wall
"Come on Jack, you're going to have to do better than that" replied James as he got up
"Ok...you asked for it" he said punching him repeatedly until James finally put his hands up and then went to look in the mirror
"There" he said examining his face "That should do the trick"
"You just be sure and tell her when this is over that this was YOUR idea" replied Jack as he put his hand on his friends shoulder "Go get her James, and remember, I'm right behind you"
"Are you two ready" asked Victor as he poked his head thru the doorway "What the hell happened to you?" he said looking at James' bloodied face
"We can't have this lunatic thinking I gave up without a fight" replied James with a wink
"The car is outside" said Victor with a note of apprehension in his voice
"Now you're clear on the order of events?" asked Jack
"Yes" replied Victor "I arrive at the fortress, deliver James to Sergei, make him think that we don't believe the evidence we've been sent implicating him, ask for the Secretary and once we have her, I turn the dial on the watch and you begin your assault"
"You forgot one thing" said Jack
"Oh and what is that?"
"Remember to put in your ear piece, you may need to turn that dial sooner than planned if things start to go pear shaped" replied James as he slipped in and out and then back in to the modified hand cuffs
"James, did you remember that little cap gun thing?"
"Yeah...it's strapped on my leg near my knee, and it's not a cap gun. It can fire two rounds accurately from a short distance" he said sounding a bit irritated
"And just how do you plan to get to it genius?" asked Jack
"The magic of Velcro." he replied with grin "Just rip and grip"
"Yeah, Yeah, just get going and keep your head down"
M fidgeted in her chair as Sergei eagerly waited for his visitors.
"It won't be long now" he said with an add grin
"You're really enjoying this aren't you" she snapped
"I just love to watch you squirm" he whispered in her ear as he forcefully pulled her to her feet and held her to him as he kissed her hard
M was struggling against him when they heard a knock at the door and he quickly released her from the embrace.
"That will be my guests" he said cheerfully as he crossed the room and answered the door
M leaned back against the desk, trying to catch her breath when she looked up and saw James with his hands tied behind his back, and bruises on his face being led into the room by an armed guard and a rather tall, middle -aged, distinguished looking man.
"Victor" said Sergei as he kissed the man on both cheeks "Welcome"
"Sergei" he replied as he quickly glanced around the room until he spotted a rather pale and tired looking M "I've brought you a gift" he said motioning to James
"So this is him the famous 007" replied Sergei as he eyed James "He looks taller than I remembered, but then again the last time I saw him, he was sitting down with his arm around his lovely wife"
James glared at Sergei before turning his attention to M who looked visibly shaken by his appearance
"Are you alright?" he asked with obvious signs of concern in his voice
"Yes" she replied hoarsely
"Come now...is that any way to greet your wife?" Said Sergei as he grabbed M's arm and pulled her until she was standing in front of James
James bent down as M leaned into him and rested her head against his chest
"Just play along with this" he whispered in her ear
"I thought we agreed that you wouldn't take any unnecessary risks" she said as tears began to form in her eyes
"That was before you decided to go to your office by yourself" he replied "I decided that if you could break the rules then so could I"
"You never were very good at following orders were you" she said with a weak smile
"Not when they are foolish orders"
"James" she said as she reached up to cup his face "I love you" she whispered
"I love you too" he replied as he leaned down and kissed her "Don't ever forget that"
"That's enough" snapped Sergei as he reached over and pulled M away from James "Take him" he said to the guard, who immediately dragged James from the room.
"Where are you taking him?" asked M with alarm
"I have plans for you two, but this isn't the appropriate location" he replied
"Sergei, if you have no further need for me, I believe we had an agreement. One husband for one secretary?" said Victor desperately trying to change the subject
"So we did...Bring her in" he said to his guard
A few moments later Anya appeared with a clearly exhausted and battered Eve.
"What is it you want with her anyway?' asked Sergei curiously
"We have need for what you might call a scapegoat and she fits the bill quite nicely" replied Victor as he walked over and inspected Eve
"A scapegoat for what?"
"It would seem that misleading information about you has been leaked to our government, and as it has been proven to be false, we need someone to take the blame, and who better than the Secretary to the head of MI6, caught in the country illegally" he replied with a smile
Eve's eyes widened in horror as she listened to the conversation. She only began to calm down when she glanced back and forth between M and James and by chance happened to catch him wink at her.
Jack sat in his appointed position, listening to the entire conversation and growing more anxious by the minute
"Shit" he said loudly
"What is it Sir?"
"They're going to move them" he said angrily "It was bad enough when we thought we were going to have to try to rescue them from that room, but now we have no idea where they're going to take them"
"Relax Sir" said one of the Russian agents. "We have a few guards placed in and around the fortress, and Mr. Bond gave them some of those little exploding disks, so no matter where they take them, we WILL find them"
As Sergei and Victor finished their business, M began to have a sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach. She knew that James had to have a plan or he would not have allowed himself to be paraded in here like a lamb to slaughter.
"Thank you for the gift" said Sergei sarcastically as he walked Victor to the door
"I am sure you will put him to good use as I will put her to good use" he replied as he motioned to Eve
Victor grabbed Eve by the arm and headed down the long hallway toward the car. Eve struggled slightly until Victor leaned toward her and whispered in her ear.
"Just keep walking" he said "I will explain later"
Once they had turned the corner, Victor reached into his pocket, pulled out an earpiece, leaned down, and spoke into what appeared to be a button on his jacket.
"If you can hear me, now would be a very good time" he said just above a whisper
TO BE CONTINUED...