Here's a chapter dedicated to the history of Q. Enjoy, my fabulous readers! 3


The young man, typing at the main desk in Q-branch, has always been known to them as Q. Not another word has even been breathed to anyone else concerning his real name. Q has always been Q. The employees assume he was given the title after the hacker accepted the high ranking position. That's where they're wrong, in multiple cases.

A smile quirks the corner of the Quartermaster's house as he listens in on Q-branch gossip. They always assume that Q is entirely too busy to pay any attention to the conversations in his own branch. And the young man is reminded why they address him as 'sir.' They are idiots, the lot of them.

There are three common topics that cycle out during the downtime Q-branch calls their breaks. Mallory has been a person of interest of late. Q-branch is still deciding how they feel about the newest head of MI6. Some are glad to see the 'old woman' go, while Q silently disagrees at his desk. M was the one who had insisted he accepted the job here.

James Bond is the big instigator of the sharp whispers and the flushed cheeks in the female employees. And also a fair number of guys. Every time the double-oh stalks into Q-branch, half of the workers almost implode with lust. Each glance from those glacial blue eyes sends some poor girl running, stammering about nonsense. Q knows that Bond knows what he's doing. He doesn't mind as long the bloody double-oh doesn't bother them while Q is trying to get some work done.

And Q-branch also likes to talk about their very own boss. Q doesn't even bat an eye when employees ask him personal questions fueled by the craving of the latest gossip about the young man. He just ignores the inquiry and deflects it.

All sorts of questions are asked. One of the big ones is what is Q's real name, age, and how the hell did such a young man become the head of Q-branch in MI6? Q has to stifle a chuckle. He remembers that day very well. The day he decided to hack MI6.


Alexander Holmes lounges in the small leather chair positioned before his desk, a cup of Earl Grey tea perched next to his right hand. After a long day of controlling middle schoolers, the cosy flat had relaxed the tense lines of his mouth and shoulders as soon as he stepped through the door. His jacket had been tossed onto one of the kitchen table chairs. The professional shoes lay in a haphazard pile next to the door.

Alexander Holmes tilts his head at a slight angle, studying the sleek laptop before him. It is the most expensive item in the flat and just buying it had cut into the young man's savings, . A substitute teacher doesn't make much in a year, but it had been worth it.

He remembers staring at the laptop when it first arrived at his flat. The perfect keys and the perfect screen had Alexander in paradise. No longer would he have to work off the slow-as-pond-water dinosaurs at the school. That was also a few months before the young man had discovered his aptitude for hacking. Coding lines in the endless lines of ones and zeros had a certain appeal to him. Alexander had been the perfect target for bullies. With his slim figure that didn't hold anything past toned muscle, his pale and freckled complexion, messy hair, and glasses labels him as the anti-social genius. The truth had stung Alexander in the years of middle school before he had told himself that one day he could take bullies and other hateful people on. He never imagined that he could accomplish that through just a laptop and wi-fi.

The young man's fingers stretch over the keys, thinking over his move. He itches for a challenge that could distract him from the bills he scrapes to pay and the stress of rambunctious teenagers. Alexander's homepage draws his attention. The news blasts headlines across the screen reading: MI6 UNDER ATTACK! HACKER BLOWS UP BUILDING, LEAVING EIGHT DEAD AND MANY IN CRITICAL CONDITION.

Alexander clicks on the link, bringing him to the article. It seems that MI6 was hacked into last evening. How good would you have to be to hack into a secret service? He wonders before an idea halts him in his tracts.

"There is only one way to find out, right?" He asks himself. The young man secures his connection, erases any sign of his laptop, and then begins to flitter through the web using spiders of his own design. Alexander makes sure to deflect his signal through multiple computers across England in a perpetual circle. It would not bode well for him if he was caught trying out his abilities. Jail doesn't seem to be a nice place to live, even if it is free.

After a few minutes of searching, Alexander locates the MI6 server. His fingers rest on the keys as the young man studies the impressive virtual fortress before him. Firewall after firewall encircle the collections of files that contain such compromising data. Curiosity has Alexander already noting the small flaws in the system's security.

A deep sigh fills the isolated flat. Alexander checks to ensure he is still anonymous . He is. Fingers flying over the keys, Alexander allows a small smile. This could be very interesting.


Tanner, M's personal assistant, reaches for his tablet when a small dings alerts him of a message. A few important figures in MI6 turn in his direction , distracted from the meeting set up by M herself. Ignoring them, Tanner glances at the screen.

URGENT MESSAGE FROM Q-BRANCH:

To M: We're being hacked!

The PA stifles a swear before schooling his features into a more professional expression. M glances over at Tanner when he motions in his chair.

"What is it, Tanner? It better be important." Snaps the stern head of MI6. She always remains professionally detached from the people that make up MI6. Tanner knows better than that. M cares about her operatives and her employees as much as she cares about her children. The cold mask had shattered when M had stared at the eight coffins for an hour after the terrorist attacked.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Ma'am. But I've just received an urgent message from Q-branch. They're being hacked again."

The alarm in her blue eyes sharpens. She nods to the other members present, promising to continue at a less pressing time. Tanner collects all his things quickly and follows at M's shoulder.

"How the hell can they get hacked twice in two days?" She demands, keeping up a pace that has them rushing down the halls to Q-branch without appearing flustered. Tanner types back a response to Q-branch and gives her a confused glance.

"I don't know, Ma'am." The PA admits. He holds the door to Q-branch open for her. M whisks by, her heels clicking on the stone floors. Computers perch on desks surrounded by half-unpacked boxes. Every single employee in the room types with a frantic pace. No one looks up when M and Tanner approach.

"What's going on here?" M demands again, her sharp eyes snapping around the messy room. The lead technician steps away from his own computer, his brow furrowed in concentration.

"Someone's gotten into our system! Everything we've tried to do hasn't worked, ma'am!" Matthews reports, waving them over. He points to a window with over two dozen red dots pulsing on the screen.

"I've managed to track the signal, but it bounces through all these computers in a continuous circle. None of these computers are controlled by the hacker."

M glares at the locations. The signal has been reflected through Argentina, The US, Bolivia, Russia, Thailand, England, and many more countries. Her hand slaps the table.

"We cannot let them attack again!" She orders the room. "We've already lost eight -"

All the monitors go dark. Q-branch goes quiet. Employees type commands into their keyboards, but nothing changes. As suddenly as they went dark, the screens flicker back to life. Matthews pounces back onto his computer, swearing after a moment.

"He's in!" He says in awe, green eyes reflecting the monitor's glow. Pages flick across the screen at a rapid fire pace. " He's has access to every file. "

"Do something about it!" Barks M, pacing back and forth. She can't send out an operative to kill an unknown hacker! What happened to espionage? The age of technology has given everyone the potential to topple governments.

The temporary head of Q branch rattles of orders as he types. He swears with more imagination when the screen goes white. He types in a long string of binary coding and hits enter. The line of coding fills the top line of the page.

.I really do not want to waste my time decrypting binary code. Type, please.

The three of them stare at the line of text that appears on the screen. The silence stretches.

.You do speak English, yes? All your files are in English, after all.

M motions for Matthews to move and then types out a response.

..Stealing and destroying files will land you in jail.

.I am well aware of the fact. I assume this is the head of the department. M, is it?

..You have some cheek hacking into MI6.

.So it is M.

M tears her gaze away from the computer and makes the move to get up. Matthews waves her back down into the seat.

"No, you're keeping him occupied! We might be able to force him out again."

..Yes.

.I am sorry to hear about the attack on your office.

M bristles at the computer before attacking the keys.

..Are you going to blow us up again? Like you did last time?

.What?

.That's wasn't me. I'm a white hat.

"A white hat is a hacker that breaks in for the sport." Matthews explains, typing on a separate computer after rebooting it.

..You hacked into MI6 just for the sport.

.Well… That and curiosity.

..Curiosity?

.Yes. I wanted to see how good the hacker would have to be to get in.

The typing halts in a short pause.

.And I was bored.

..What person hacks into highly secure files to escape boredom?

.Someone like me, I guess. And I wouldn't call your files 'highly secure.'

M sighs and shares a look with Tanner. The PA reads the interaction with the faintest hints of amusement.

.You have too many fractures in your firewalls and your encrypting codes are too simple. I could list a hundred other faults, too. No wonder the hacker didn't face much of a challenge when he hacked in. It is good for keeping the good hackers out, but not the best. That needs work.

..You didn't seem to have a problem hacking into every single page and file on here.

.That's because I am a lot better than the average crowd. And you agree.

The corner of M's mouth curls up despite herself. The hacker seems to be content just… chatting with her. He has a lot of cheek hacking into them.

.And do tell the lead counter-hacker or whoever you got trying to tail me that I find their fruitless efforts quite adorable.

Matthews splutters in outrage while Tanner fails to hide a smile behind his hand.

..You can't blame us for trying.

.No, I can't. But stop it. I really don't want to destroy your computer. I am a white hat and I would like to keep it that way.

Matthews stops typing on the computer and yells for everyone else to just stop.

..You're bloody good.

.Did it take you that long?

..I have an offer.

M holds her breath as she types her reply out. If this hacker is one of the best, he would make a great asset to MI6 after the way he blew their security protocols out of the water.

Alexander sips at his Earl Grey, savoring the slight, sweet taste of sugar. The message from M stands out on his screen in sharp contrast. The young man toys with his mouse, pleased that he doesn't have to run a dozen of programs now that he's not trying to be traced anymore. The head of MI6 seems to know when they are beaten.

.Go on.

He types after a long minute. Alexander can imagine the tension that crackles in the air at MI6. They've been hacked the day after a fatal attack on the building. All thoughts must be on the poor souls who died.

..I have a job offer.

Alexander leans forward, his mind racing to piece this into the situation. MI6 had to be motivated. And then he knows why. MI6 wants him on their side so he wouldn't dare to attack them again. Such compromises couldn't be tolerated with such sensitive data.

.For 'Queen and Country?' Not interested, sorry. I already have a job.

He replies, as honest as he's ever been. The young man doesn't want to spend his life being babysat by the government because he hacked them when he was bored. Besides, MI6 has no way of tracking him back to hear.

..I haven't even told you what you would be doing.

Alexander chuckles and finishes his tea. Typical government officials. They like to think they'd always get their way.

.I have a job already. I have no need to be placed behind a desk with your government thugs breathing down my neck to make sure I am not out of line.

..Do you have an honest job?

The young man snorts this time and types back his reply.

.Yes. A substitute teacher doesn't involve hacking into government files.

..You barely make enough to make ends meet, yes?

.I hardly see how this is relevant.

..There is a position here that has been opened recently. Your payment would be triple what you are getting now.

The mention of a stable income interests the young man. Alexander reclines back into his chair, fiddling with a lonely ballpoint pen. Not worrying about the rent would be a nice change, after all.

.What do you want?

..We want you on our side, Mr. White Hat. You will be in charge of our Q-branch, which deals with all the equipment that our operative receive before a mission. They also cover the technology aspect of MI6, which would interest you more. Your payment would start at about £20,000 at every quarter. If you prove to be invaluable, we can discuss your payment later.

.My name isn't White Hat.

Alexander corrects, stalling for time while he thinks out the pros and cons. £80,000 is a lot of money in a year. As a single man, he could live comfortable. Very comfortable indeed.

..Please, correct me.

.I would be a bloody idiot if I gave you my name. For hacking purposes, I am Q.

..Why Q?

.I am a very good at scrabble.

..Do you accept my offer, Q?

Alexander has already decided by the time M asks the question. His fingers tremble a bit as he types out his response.

.I do.

.I've always wanted to be a spy.

..Good. Welcome to MI6, Quartermaster.

.I suppose you are going to want to meet me.

..Yes.

Alexander exits out of his programs without hesitation. His location would be blinking on some electronic map for everyone to see.

.I also suppose that I am going to have some company within the next ten minutes.

..Yes.

.To take me to MI6.

..Yes.

.And I haven't packed anything.

..We are well aware of the fact, Q. We will supply you with your own flat closer to the center of London. Your possessions will be moved.

.Ah… I guess I'll be meeting you soon.

..Yes.

.I'll get out of your system now. I guess it was a good thing I decided to hack today.

..I would agree.

Alexander closes the last program and sags in his chair. Bloody Hell! Of all things that could've happened, being offered a job was not one the list of scenarios. The young man tilts his head back and laughs until his ribs hurt. What would Mycroft say to this?!

He gets up from his chair to make himself more presentable. A few stray computer parts litter the coffee and kitchen tables. Alexander snags them and tosses them into the bin. He pulls out his most decent clothes, but nothing too formal. He knows men in black suits and dark shades would appear in his flat but that doesn't mean he has to follow their fashion codes. The young man wriggles into a red cardigan, cleans his teeth, brushes his hair, and adjusts his glasses all within the span of a few minutes.

Alexander packs his computer in his case with gentle motions. He gives it a friendly pat before he zips up the case. The young man sits in his leather chair, waiting. Nervous fingers dance across his knees, flowing through lines of imaginary code. Everything would be fine. He just got offered a job at MI6!

The sharp ring of the bell brings him to his feet. He sets his face into an unreadable expression and squares his shoulders before opening the door. As predicted, two man stand in the door in black suits and even blacker shades. Muscles bulge beneath the tailored fabric.

The two men study him behind their shades. The young man lifts his chin and arches an eyebrow.

"I do think your employer wants me at MI6 as soon as possible."

"Of course, sir. This way." The man on the left replies, motioning down the hall. The hacker glances back at his flat one last time and gives the wall an affectionate pat. He's lived here for the past two years and it was the first place the young man owned.

Alexander Holmes is the young man staring around the small flat. Q is the young man who steps outside with the two agents from MI6.


"Sir?"

Q jumps, giving the employee a stern glare. From the woman's expression, she has been calling him for a few minutes.

"Are you alright, sir?" She inquires. Victoria-Q's mind supplies- takes another step forward and offers a small stack of papers to him. Q accepts them with a nod.

"Sorry. I was thinking of some improved coding I could test out."

"It's no problem. We know how busy you are."

The young man watches her walk away with a small smile. As stupid as his employees are, they mean well. Q-branch isn't too bad compared to a class of students, Alexander decides. The young man chuckles to himself before beginning to flip through the paperwork.


Look at that! About three thousand words for you to enjoy! I was able to do all of this in a day, thanks to a really boring BIM class. I enjoy it, but do I really need to learn how to work Microsoft Word 2010? I have it!

Can anyone else tell that I couldn't help making Q one of the Holmes Boys? He just fits so well into that category! Alexander Holmes. Doesn't that have a nice ring to it? ;P

Please reply! It makes me so happy and you might even get rewarded with longer chapters. It inspires me to please you!