Chapter 5
Bond slips through the front door and makes it to the elevator taking out two security guards on his way. Q tells him the floor and interrupts the video signal.
Ziva and Tony watch wide-eyed as a man in a silver suit downs two security guards with ease and gets in the elevator to see the feed cut out just as he enters.
Ziva pulls her gun and stands on the side of the elevator doors with Tony taking the other side.
McGee and Abby look over from the desk surprised.
The door dings open as Tony moves forward first. Bond pulls him into the elevator and disarms him in second tossing him to the ground with an added rap on head.
"Where is she?"
Ziva then moves and Bond takes her wrist but she fights back. Ziva lands a blow to his side as Bond takes her gun and pops the cartridge out as he did with Tony's.
"You're not allowed in here and who is she?"
They battle for control as Tony...head groggy...gets up. Tim and Abby are so shocked that they just stand and watch as Ziva dodges and strikes at the man.
"I'm looking for M."
Bond has had it with this Mossad agent…what is the Mossad doing here anyway…he can tell by her fighting style where she's trained and he has dealt with them before.
Bond doesn't want to hurt her…they're allies but he no longer wishes to be beaten up any worse than he already is. Bond flips her on a desk and pins her there as another man and woman look on in shock.
People exit the elevator and M walks out purposefully as she takes in the scene of Bond battling the Mossad agent…Eli David's daughter.
"BOND! Leave the Mossad alone! Do you always have to leave a swath of bloody destruction everywhere you go?"
M's voice cuts the air like a knife and everyone snaps to attention at the sound. Bond steps away from the woman and moves towards M.
"M…you all right? Tanner no troubles then?"
"I'm fine Bond…could you at least apologize for this…you could have called and we could have picked you up."
Bond pulls Ziva up and hands both her and Tony's bullets back to them.
"Sorry but you were between me and my job."
Bond speaks to the rest of the room waiting for the explanation of how and why this man managed to get into a building on a Naval base in lockdown mode.
"I followed a suspicious man here… this is his photo. He was in the hotel after someone invaded your room with a gun and tried to kill you but found me instead. He referred to us as terrorists."
"What…TERRORISTS…us? Why in hell would a group of Marines think we are terrorists?"
Gibbs takes the phone from Bond and hands it to McGee.
Tony speaks up finally. "Your name is Bond…oh please tell me it's James…James Bond."
Bond shoots Tony a look and takes a step towards him with violent intent saying very slowly. "Yes…yes it is...what of it"
Ducky steps between them. "Here now…let's go to the conference room and work this out peacefully. Mr. Tanner, M this is the rest of the team…"
M steps forward and extends her hand to them in turn, starting with Tim.
"I think I can manage Ducky. You must be Mr. McGee, Miss Sciuto, Mr. DiNozzo and Miss David…how is your father dear…I haven't spoken to him in an age."
The foursome stands before her looking surprised and perplexed.
Tony moves towards M smiling down on her with his best and most charming smile taking her hand and bringing it to his mouth. Bond instantly stiffens and moves to intercept him causing Tony to pull away quickly.
"I was just about to ask the charming lady if I could get her anything to drink. It is rare that we entertain guests like yourselves and I wanted to be courteous."
M frowns at Bond and rolls her eyes.
"Enough posturing Bond I don't think I am in any danger from these people and we need to solve this issue before I go to the banquet. Mr. DiNozzo I would love some tea if possible and thank you for your kind offer."
Abby smiles and moves in front of M.
"I will assist Tony can we get you any food ma'am?"
"Anything would be lovely Miss Sciuto."
Abby curtseys to M. "Please call me Abby…ma'am."
Tony and Abby go for snacks and the rest move to the conference room.
Bond is beside M and whispers. "Did she just curtsy to you?"
"Some people have manners Bond…and it is sweet of her to do it."
Ducky smiles at M. "Abby is the sweetest girl I know…oh and you are to Ziva."
Ziva smirks and M grasps her hand. "Come sit by me Miss David and tell me how your father is. I do not know if he ever mentioned that we had met."
"Oh yes…he told me to aspire to great heights because the head of MI6 was a woman and that if I ever had to deal with you…not to get on your bad side."
M sits at the head of the table and Ziva on her left with Bond standing behind M and Vance on her right.
M laughs at Ziva's tale. "Eli said that, and here I thought I put my best foot forward that day."
"Oh you did, but he said he could see the storms raging behind your blue eyes…it was purely instinct."
Gibbs continues to stand watching the scene as they all clamour to do the older woman's bidding. He wonders how long M has been M and how often she has had to deal with Eli David.
Ducky is obviously smitten with her.
"I will go make sure they are doing all right with the tea…I have trained them to make it properly but they may need assistance."
M smiles at him and nods to Tanner to begin organizing his files and M places a phone on the table in for the group to see.
A voice sounds from it. Hello…M…Tanner.
M answers. "Hello Q we are ready can you display the information we need to share with the NCIS team?"
Tony, Abby and Ducky return and distribute tea for their guests as McGee stands to assist with the monitors.
M places her hand up. "Mr. McGee please sit…Q will control your systems from London…and before you jump to conclusion all this information will be removed and none of your own information will be touched I assure you."
Gibbs cannot believe that Vance and McGee are not more concerned but this woman seems to make people do whatever she wants barely raising her voice. The only time her voice changes is when she deals with Bond…that one is danger to the core…one of MI6's killing machines…he has met the type before.
"Last year we came into contact with an organization called Quantum. They are an international conglomerate of people with criminal intent that infiltrate governments, businesses and military positions throughout the world to manipulate markets to profit themselves through all kinds of legal and illegal activities. We curtailed them and took one prisoner for at time. Mr. White informed Bond and I personally that they had people everywhere and he proved it."
Vance spoke up. "How?"
Bond stood propped up against the wall with his arms crossed in a lazy manner but his intense posture relays a readiness to strike at any moment.
Gibbs has seen it before and sees it in Ziva now as she occasionally glances at the British agent keeping him in her line of sight at all times.
Bond answers for M. "He escaped with a bullet in his leg after M's bodyguard of 7 years, Mitchell pulled a gun and tried to shoot her in the chest."
The room looks at M unable to imagine how she escaped or why anyone would threaten such a woman. Except for Gibbs who smirked and shook his head understanding exactly how dangerous this woman is.
M notices that Agent Gibbs is remaining aloof and finds something amusing about her near death experience. Even though Bond is standing behind M and his posture turns aggressive for a moment, M seem to expect his change in posture behind her and puts her hand out in such a manner as to say hold.
"Mr. Gibbs…you are distressed by our presence and you're disappointed that your team…but for you and the Mossad, Ms. David are relaxed…mollified by me personally…is this going to be an issue because I did not want to come here at all…Ducky assured me that this was the correct course of action and that is the only reason I came."
"I have nothing against you…at all. I just can't believe how easily you do it…without any effort…they would run a marathon for a tilt of your head and a smile. They don't even notice it's happening. You raise a finger and your trained killer changes his posture…Ducky you've likely has picked up on this…I can't be the only one to see it."
"Yes, well it goes with her job Jethro…there is no need to make it sound insidious in nature."
"May I continue?"
Vance frowns at Gibbs. "Yes, ma'am please do."
"Q uncovered a series of contacts and money transfer between Quantum and someone on your Marine base here…a Captain Reynolds account has been the recipient. In doing research it appears that Mr. White has a quantum member in the organization who may have been paid to kill me while in the U.S. It may not be the Captain but we cannot be sure. Bond rushed to us with the information and stopped him from rigging our car with explosives and got run over for his troubles."
Tony blurts out. "You're kicking us to the curb and you were the one that was hit by the car yesterday?"
Bond nods as Tony and the rest looked on Bond with grudging respect.
Bond adds. "Their intel is not good because if it was they would have known M had to attend a second meeting…therefore the men on the council cannot be involved."
Gibbs frowns. "Still it is an assumption that they are even Marines to begin with. The car was stolen and the owner is dead in Ducky's lab. It doesn't seem like something good Marines would do."
Bond looks at Gibbs. "You assume all Marines are good? That is a bit naïve for a naval investigator isn't it?"
"Marines live by a code, maybe you don't understand."
Bond stands at attention suddenly. "No, what would the British know about loyalty and Naval tradition…Commander James Bond Royal Navy at your service, and cleaning up your mess. Speaking of mess there is another dead Marine in M's bath…his hand to hand combat training were somewhat...lacking in effectiveness."
M rolls her eyes. "Boys…boys...there is no need for this posturing if you please…let's continue with the task at hand before you feel the need to compare the size of your prospective navies."
Abby, Ziva and Tanner chuckle at M's observation.
Gibbs looks at Vance. "I will take the team and work the scene…McGee you work on Captain Reynolds from here. We know who killed this one so we will just go collect the body. We are working against the clock here people if they plan to strike it will be at the banquet tonight…Ducky are you coming or do I need to call Palmer?"
"I will join you Jethro in a moment. Since you cannot go back to your hotel I will offer for you to stay at my home…I have enough room for you, Bond and Tanner…your two men may have to make arrangements."
Ducky grasps M's hand giving her the key and address.
"Thank you Ducky…I will have to discuss this with my team."
Gibbs and team leave the room and he directs Tony and Ziva to take one car and he will drive Ducky. It is time the two of them have a little chat about loyalties.
M has Q disengage access to NCIS systems and the director and Abby offer to give them some privacy.
Vance lets them know that he can only stall another 30 minutes and then they risk the system or someone seeing them.
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M looks at Tanner and Bond. "I think we will have to take the good doctor up on his invitation. We cannot go to the hotel again. NCIS will do the leg work on this and we will go to the banquet so that I can make contact with those who the PM directed me too."
Bond does not look at all happy about the new arrangements. "I should investigate this Reynolds...take him out of the picture before he can get to get to you M."
"Bond, it is bad enough that you already killed a Marine that they will not actually be able to admit that it is you...you are a ghost and even though you admitted it they know that you will never stand trial for it...I take it Johnson wiped the room down before he left to collect us?"
"Yes...I hope that Gibbs takes the occurence as self defence...he didn't seem to like us much."
Tanner nods. "I agree...a very hostile man. This puts Dr. Mallard in a difficult spot...helping us and his own team not prove that Bond killed that man."
M plays with the house keys in her hand.
"Yes it does Mr. Tanner and now we have to impose on his hospitality and stay at his home."
"We need to drop by the hotel first...I have a package to pick up."
M and Tanner look confused. Bond smirks at them.
"I had my dress uniform sent over yesterday for tonight."
"Oh and who says that you are even invited Bond?"
"I thought I would be your escort but now that you got yourself a date M, I am your bodyguard. Tanner doesn't even have to go now and can relax and watch the telly while we dance the night away and avoid getting shot."
M scoffs. "I have a date to dance with Bond and you had better not cause another international incident."
"For you M...I promise to be on my best behaviour."
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"Out with it Jethro…you are very angry with this situation."
"I've got two dead Marines and the damn head of British secret service in the middle… killing our men without impunity…there is no way Bond will stand trial and give that man's family any peace. The room was likely cleaned and even though he admitted he shot the man we will never hold him. Bond will escape on his own or the state department will release him to appease M and Britain."
"The man was going to kill M and Bond if he could have managed."
"No offence Ducky but M is a dangerous and manipulative woman."
"Why do you dislike her so much…Bond I can understand…he is a cold-blooded one…except where M's concerned."
"I don't dislike her...I don't know her yet and you don't really know her either...Bond and M, they have a relationship Ducky?"
"Not as far as either of them know. For M I think it's maternal…she would think anything else unprofessional, and well the age difference. For Bond…she is far more to him than he or she realizes."
"I don't want to see you get your heart stomped on Ducky, and if you didn't notice…Bond was sleeping in her room…the killer found him there instead of her…or did you miss that."
"No, It didn't but there is a simple explanation...that is the bed I tended to him in so it would be natural for him to be convalescing in it again."
"I will give you one thing Ducky."
"What is that Jethro?"
Jethro smiles at Ducky with a glint in his eyes.
"M is one fine-looking woman."
Ducky smiled. "That she most certainly is Jethro. Why is it that the ones we're attracted to are always difficult beautiful women who will definitely leave in the end?"
"I don't know Duck…too bad though. I wouldn't mind getting to know her better as long as her lap-dog is in the kennel."
Ducky laughs and becomes a little melancholy. M will leave…back to England and her duty but he still admires her and hopes for more.
"There are many similarities between you and Bond, Jethro...you are both dangerous and are men of few words and loyal to a fault."
"Where do your loyalties lie in all of this Ducky? With Britain or with us?"
"I don't think that is fair to ask...your first loyalty is to the Marines you joined as a young man as mine was to the SAS, however if you were stationed for years in Canada or Australia and built new relationships there and were loyal to that team also...who would you pick?"
"The Marines...argh...I guess you're right. I just forget sometimes that you grew up and trained somewhere else...I forget that you are not American. Ziva's the same...she has her father and the Mossad."
"Exactly...we are different. Ziva and my life experiences as youths and the culture imprinted on us in our youth is something that lasts forever. One basic example is tea...I taught them how to make and properly serve that tea which they did excellently today...even DiNozzo."
"Yes...your influence is felt but I guess I always pushed it to the back of my mind after knowing you for so long. Ducky you are very British and so is the head of MI6 so I can see the attraction...the pull she has is...well I thought I would have to hose off DiNozzo with some of the looks he was giving her."
"Yes well, M does make an impression. I saw her today in full boss mode and I swear I felt the earth move."
Gibbs laughed. "I look forward to seeing that...hopefully directed at Bond. I'm surprized we didn't have to stop Tony from Connery impersonations the second he said his name."
"So am I...I think after their tussle in the elevator and watching Bond take down Ziva, made Tony wary about pushing MI6."
"I just hope no more Marines have to die because of you girlfriend Ducky."
"I can agree, preventing the deaths of any more is our focus but Jethro...if it comes down to a Marine trying to kill M while I am there...I will defend M."
"I know you will Ducky, we all will. I just hope we can make sense out of why this is happening...if this Quantum thing is a reality we need to get rid of these weeds...the sooner the better."
"Weeds are a good analogy for what is going on...she is an English rose after all."
Jethro smirks and shakes his head. "Ducky...you've got it bad don't you?"
"Yes, Jethro...I think I do."
To be continued...