Post by Tommy XKR! on Nov 17, 2007 23:04:45 GMT
Chapter I
Brooks Cemetery
Aristotle Schindler sighed. He was standing over the grave of his dead wife. Claudia Schindler had died 2 months earlier of lung cancer. She was 45, which to a Greek was young. Aristotle was 54, and looked it. His mother had been a German secretary in the 1950s. His father had been a Greek sailer. Schindler was childless but recently he had become entangled in one of the biggest projects undertaken by the British Government in a century. The building of the super-computer CALCUL8OR ARGO. It could calculate the path of a nuke and guide it to within 30 cms of the target, and with a nuke, 30 cms is miniscule.If successful, it would net him £90 million.
He was oblivious to the world around him thinking of his dead wife
..Their wedding day....how happy she'd looked...and then...
He was so absorbed in his memories that he didn't hear the twig snapping behind him.
He remembered how, the day of the funeral they had approached him...offered their condolences....and asked him to come in to see them on Monday.
He was finally shaken out of his thoughts by the cold, hard steel pressing against his back.
"Don't move an inch" said a voice as cold and hard as the gun he held in his back.
"You're going to walk to the north edge of the cemetery, and get into the black Honda waiting for you there, if you do not, I'll pull this trigger and you will faint...or at least look like you have. In fact you will be dead. If you understand, nod ever so gently."
Schindler knew well, they had warned him about this but why hadn't they taken any actual steps to preventing it?
"I'm waiting..." said the voice.
Slowly, resignedly Schindler nodded
"Good boy, now start walking"
He did so. The cemetery was deserted, where was the policeman or the few mourners? Then again, he reasoned, it was close to 10:30 and Brooks Cemetery wasn't in the best part of London...
He saw the car immediately, 67 G 87 TR license number. Useless unless he could get the information to someone.
He got in and the man with the gun got in after him, there was a burly man in the passenger seat and a driver.
"Go!" yelled the man and the car sped away...
Chapter II
The Chase
4 streets away, James Bond stepped out of a house on the main street of Denature, a village 3 hours south of London . Unusually for Bond, he had been visiting relatives for the first time in almost 12 years.
It was an uncle on his mother's side. Victor Delacroix was nearing his 63rd birthday.
"Well, thanks for stopping by it was great to see you since that Italian incident" he said
"Thanks Victor for everything it was...."
He stopped off as a black Honda 67 G 87 TR roared past him. He caught sight of a body slumped in the back. He thought he recognized the face...
Thinking fast he left his uncle and jumped onto his Lightning P28 motorcycle, pulled on the helmet and sped away
Shaking his head Victor turned around and walking inside...
Wolfgang Xenon looked in the mirror of the Honda and easily saw that they were being followed
"Hey, Boss, we got company!" he rasped
"Davis, you know what to do" the passenger replied
The man called Davis was the man from the cemetery. Now he drew out an Uzi sub machine gun and leaned out of the window to begin shooting at Bond.
Bond swerved easily when he saw the bullets racing towards him. It was almost 11pm and there was mercifully little traffic on the roads.
In the Honda Boss had a radio in his hand,
"Peter, we've got a black motorbike following us, we'll pass you in 30 secs, he won't be far behind so be ready"
In a court-yard 200 meters ahead of Bond a man hurriedly acknowledged the bosses command. He was in a large truck over-looking the road. He had his foot on the accelerator, waiting. Seconds later the Honda rushed past and gave 2 short blasts of it's horn. That was what he needed, he pressed down and the vehicle lept forward like a moving brick wall...
Less than 20 meters away Bond saw the truck and immediately realized what was about to happen. He acted with lightning precision he leaned back and to the left at the same time until the bike was skidding along horizontally. It was equipped specially for this maneuver and no sparks flew.
The bike slid easily under the huge truck. With several inches to spare.
The chase continued for several more blocks before they reaches Zanzibar Street with an articulated bridge. It was just starting to lift to let a ship past when the Honda smashed through the barrier and jumped the gap easily. Bond followed but the bridge was too high, He flicked a switch and a flame came out of the P28's exhaust, propelling it up the side which was almost 45 degrees by now. He was flying through
the air over the sea when he realized he was falling. Next second he had fallen into the icy waters below...
Bond staggered out. Dripping wet and raging with himself. He knew he recognised the car from somewhere but where? He noticed someone watching him. The man got out and walked over to him.
"Felix Leiter's the name" he said
"James Bond" said Bond
"I've gotta car over here" he said. Gesturing behind himBond
"It's 11:15 now" said Bond in a car 10 minutes later "We can get the 11:30 train to London, be there at 3-am, get my car back to HQ, be there at 4"
"Fine by me" said Felix, who was driving
James looked at his watch and yawned. It said that it was 2:58. Bond and Felix had just got off the train. He saw a news-stand with the morning papers on it with a large photo on the cover of Aristotle Schindler with a short head-line: KIDNAPPED PROFESSOR
Chapter III
Newspapers & Intrusion
Bond grabbed Leiter. "Felix!" he yelled. "Look"
Felix saw the paper and ran in to buy a copy.
There wasn't much
_________________________________________
KIDNAPPED PROFESSOR
with our reporter
Michael Brown
On Friday the 4th of June at 22:30 a London professor went missing in Brooks Cemetery. Professor Aristotle V. Schindler was last seen by a man out running near the entrance of the cemetery.
That time was confirmed by another by-stander as 10:30 p.m.
It is understood that he went in but there are no reports of him leaving it although a grave digger saw 2 men leaving the cemetery one of which fitted Schindler's description.
Police are searching the area
Anyone with information is asked to call 0800 4536281
_________________________________________
"Not much is there?" said Bond dubiously.
"No, but it hasn't been long" replied Felix. "My car's out this way, come on"
They arrived at Vauxhall Cross at 5pm. They made their way through the maze of blank corridors and nameless staircases. Felix waited outside while Bond went in to M's office. In the outer part, Moneypenny was sitting at her desk typing something out. With a flourish, Bond produced a tulip that he had bought while Felix had used the men's room. Moneypenny looked into his eyes.
"Oh thank you James" she said quietly
In one quick movement, Bond swiftly bent down and kissed her softly on the cheek. Before Moneypenny could say another word, the buzzer sounded and the light above the door went green.
He walked in without another word, or without another backward glance.
Bond sat down opposite M.
"Good morning 007" she said coldly
"Good morning ma'am" replied Bond cooly. He could tell she was rattled, but she was trying hard not to show it. The press would really go to town if they knew how much this job stressed her out.
"Have fun swimming?" she said with the ghost of a smile
"Thoroughly"
"Anyway Bond, an assignment has just arrived for you" she said, returning to her usual briskness.
"What is it?"
"Aristotle Schindler's gone missing"
"Where do I go and investigate?"
"We tailed the car to the airport, the occupants - one unconscious, matching Schindler's description - boarded a private plane bound for South Africa"
and that was when the bomb went off
The building shook, M's sherry glass fell to the floor and shattered.
Bond jumped to his feet.
"That came from the east wing" he said
"Q Branch" said M smiling
"Sould I go see what's wrong?"
"I don't think that's necessary" said M cooly
"I guess you're right" said Bond, relaxing
"Now, you've got to go to South Africa 007" said M briskly. "You'll meet up with 005 there."
Bond started. "005?"
"Yes 007" replied M solidly "005"
"But she's....she's a woman"
"How very astute of you"
"I must protest"
"There is no argument 007!"
"But she's got no training or anything!"
"She's a 00 Bond! End of story!"
Bond grimaced and walked out
When he passed her desk Moneypenny was out
He walked down to Q Branch to collect his airline ticket and car. As he passed through the door three men with fire extinguishers ran in before him. He found Q coming out of a test room coughing.
"Good Morning" he said cheerily
"Who says?" coughed Q grumpily.
He led him over to a garage.
"Your new Jaguar. All the usual refinements!" Q said more happily. "and your ticket"
"Q I'd love to stay around but I'm just going to open this baby up a bit. Y'know, feel all those horses."
"Grow up 007...."
5 hours later, he touched down in South Africa
Bond walked through the departure lounge. He saw a placard bearing the name "Bond" being held by an expressionless man in a white shirt and trousers. He walked over to him.
"I'm Bond" Bond said
"Follow me" said the man.
The man led him to a silver BMW. Bond got in. If this was a trap, he was armed with his Browning Mark I. Bond was at ease.
They drove for 30 minutes, not talking much. Eventually they stopped outside a restaurant. The man turned around in his seat and looking Bond straight in the eye.
"005's just dying to meet you, she's in there"
Bond got out and walked into the restaurant. It was empty. Bond immediately sensed the trap. He was about to turn around and run when his phone rang. He answered it.
"Hello?"
"Good Morning 007. Don't move. I've got a gun pointing at your head. So listen up. Get out of South Africa. Go out that door and drive back to the airport and fly away" the voice was expressionless
"Who is this?" Bond asked
"That doesn't matter" said the voice.
Bond slowly backed out of the restaurant and got into the car, which was empty. Of course, he had no intention of going to the airport. He instead headed to the hotel Mi6 had booked for him. He immediately rang Mi6.
"Tanner!" he barked. "Where am I to meet 005?"
"She was to meet you at your hotel at 1 for lunch" he replied. "Why?"
"Because the people who have Schindler just made contact" he said and hung up.
After his discussion with Mi6. Bond went over to the mini fridge and took out a bottle of the strongest alcohol he could find - some Irish Whisky - and downed a glass in one. Replacing the bottle in the fridge. He walked over to the door and shrugged off his jacket. Hanging it on the back of the door.
Just then, there came a knock at the door. Bond grabbed his gun and pointed it straight at the door.
"Who is it?" he called
"Rebecca Dawson" called a female voice back.
Bond opened the door cautiously and a woman of about 30 walked in. She had shoulder length black hair. Watery blue eyes and one of the most beautiful mouths Bond had ever seen.
"Good Evening 007" she said. When she spoke, her mouth hardly moved, she would've made a fantastic ventriloquist if she hadn't gone into espionage. And that voice...the voice that sounded as if a thousand angels were singing. Bond had made love to plenty of women, but only ever loved a handful. Just by walking in the door and saying that she had Bond's affections. Ali Kerim Bay's words came floating back to him from all those years ago..."My friend, she's got you dangling" Bond thought to himself: Well Kerim, you're right and I don't give a damn
Coming out of his fantasy. Bond gathered his wits and replied: "Good Evening 005. How was the flight?" She had come all the way from Sydney
"Disgusting, but that's not important. We're on a mission 007!" she said angrily. Bond held his hands up in mock surrender "Just trying to make polite conversation." She blushed "I'm sorry, I'm tired and cranky and I need a nice, comfy hotel bed." She looked around. The adjoining door to her room wasn't visible to where she was because it was blocked from view from the wardrobe door, which Bond had left open. "Where is my room?" she asked "Bond gestured around the room in which they were. She looked around again. This time seeing Bond's things around the room. In the wardrobe. On the desk. She turned to Bond aghast. "007!" she said incredulously. Bond cracked up laughing. She started too, realizing that he wasn't serious. He showed her the door to here room.
"You go freshen up and in 15 minutes, we'll head down to the restaurant. Hows about?"
"See you in 15 minutes then" she said and walked into her room. Closing the door behind her, Bond heard the lock turn in the door.
"So she still doesn't trust me thought Bond miserably "But not to worry...that'll come soon"...
The next day, Bond woke up, ready to go. He picked up his phone and dialled 524, Rebecca's room number.
"Good Morning 005" he said.
"Good Morning" 005 replied in a crisp, business like tone.
"Have you had breakfast?" asked Bond.
"No, I haven't" she said, lightening a bit. "I decided to wait for you"
Bond was taken aback by this thoughtfulness. "Thanks!" he said
"See you down there in 10?" she said.
"I'll be there" he said and hung up. All the while he was in the shower and getting dressed, he couldn't stop smiling.
He walked down to the restaurant with his laptop under his arm, intending to track the number that had called him. He'd checked last night and indeed there was a number, but when Bond had rung it no one had picked up. He couldn't see 005 down there so he placed his order with the waiter and sat down at a table. He booted up the programme and entered the number, the answer came up after a few seconds
++++++
+21 021 327 197
FOUND 1 MATCH:
Fredrick Askar
21 Belview Drive
Shandler
Cape Town
South Africa
Occupation: Systems Admin at GlobeTec INC.
Notes: All 327 numbers are employees of GT inc. (common abbreviation of above)
+++++++
Just then the waiter arrived with his breakfast and 005 walked in.
She ordered her breakfast. Bond turned his laptop to her and she read what it said.
"I take it that this is the number that called you in that restaurant yesterday" she said
Bond nodded as his mouth was full of scrambled egg.
20 minutes later they finished up. They walked out to Bond's new car - a Jaguar XKR - and drove off. In search of Fredrick Askar...and some answers...
"GlobeTech is just here" Bond said, pointing to a cul de sac on the map. It's about 45 minutes away. You up for it?"
"Yeah, let's go" said Rebecca "but what do we do when we get there?"
"I dunno, I'm making this up as I go" Bond quickly raised his hands when he saw 005's face "Joking!"
45 minutes later Bond rapped smartly on the main door. A blank man opened the door. "Sorry, we're really busy, do you have an appointment? cos if not we can't let you in. We're just too busy"
Bond indicated the briefcase in his hand. "This is a personal delivery of 5,000,000 US dollars for Mr. Askar" he said.
The man's face lit up. "Follow me!" he said and led Bond and Dawson through a corridor to a door marked "F. Askar"
They went in. Askar was thin and balding. He had his feet up on his desk. "CEO" was written on a plack on his desk.
The man went over to him and whispered to him. He nodded.
"Thank you for this kind donation Mr....?"
"Bond, James Bond"
"Mr. Bond" Askar smiled.
"Would you like a receipt?"
"No thank you, my secretary. Ms. Kennedy will have that taken care of"
"Would you like anything before you go?" asked Askar
"Yes" said Bond, drawing his gun. "Information"
Askar gasped. "What is the meaning of this?"
Bond leveled the gun at him. "Who are you working for?"
"GlobeTech Inc" said Askar quickly.
"No, I mean really" said Bond "Your mobile phone called me yesterday, I just want to know why"
"Okay....Okay...On Monday night, these men came into my office. They told me to do that or they'd kill me."
"Who were they?"
"Don't know"
"What did they look like?"
"The one doing all the talking was short and stocky, and had a scar down one side of his face."
"What happened then?" asked Bond
"They left"
Bond had an idea how to go about this. He leveled the gun and took aim again. "Thank you Mr. Askar, goodnight" he said and fired the gun twice. Askar crumpled to the ground....
They left the empty briefcase in the office. It contained a bomb that Bond was going to detonate after leaving.
They drove to the gate and 005 went in this time. She was looking for a record of the cars that'd left on Monday night, around 7:00 which was the time Askar had told them they had left.
005 returned soon.
"It's a Black Daimler registered 78 SE 5643"
Bond depressed the accelerator and they shot off.
They had been driving for an hour when 005 turned to him.
"James, that motorcycle..."
"...is following us I know"
The pressed two panels either side of the steering wheel and an array of switches appeared...
An array of switches appeared. Dawson gasped. Bond flicked one of the switches, marked 'rocket'.
Out of the second exhaust, a mini rocket about 6" in diameter shot out. It hit the motorcycle and it exploded.
Suddenly Bond's mobile phone rang shrilly. He answered it.
"Bond here"
"007, we've got a lead on Schindler" He was spotted boarding a cargo boat at Cape Town by SatInt*"
"Did we get a name on the ship?" Bond asked.
"The Astro"
"Where is she now?"
"Still at Cape Town. Find her. Use your Licence to Kill if nessisary. Take 005 with you"
"On my way"
He hung up.
He turned to 005.
"Schindler is in Cape Town"
"Let's go!" she said eagerly
An hour later, they arrived in Cape Town docks. M, who had rung earlier with the lead on Schindler, had texted Bond with co-ordinates for the ship. They parked the Jaguar and walked up to the ship.
"So they think that Schindler is here?" 005 asked.
"Yeah, we have to find a way on" Bond replied.
Just then a burly sailor walked over to them
"Sorry sir and miss, but you must go. This private"
"Tell me, we want a tour of the bay. Can you take us?"
"No sir, you look. This cargo ship. Not tourist boat."
"OK" Bond raised his hands in surrender. "We're going"
The man led them to a gate. Bond whipped around and punched the man hard in the face. The man crumbed to the ground.
"Now let's go!" he said and began running toward the ship
"How are we gonna get into the boat?" 005 shouted as they ran.
Bond pointed to a pile of boxes that were beside an open port hole.
They clambered up the boxes and squeezed through the window. It was a bathroom. Bond creeped to the door and looked out. A deserted corridor. He slipped out. 005 following right behind him. They padded along. They went into a door that was standing ajar. It was marked "ARGO: STRICTLY PRIVATE!!" Bond stepped in and gasped. Standing on a table was Argo. The super computer. It was the size and shape of a typewriter, but much more modern looking. 005 went over to it. She gasped.
"Read the screen!" he said hurridly.
Bond read:
______
Missile Type: Neuclear; Class A
Date Fired: Wednesday; 14-Nov-07; 16:32
Impact Time: Wednesday; 14-Nov-07; 16:42
Target Co-Ordinates: 21; 25; 67; 141
______
"Can you tell where we are now?" asked Bond "In co-ordinates"
005 flicked a couple of switches.
"21; 25; 67; 141" she said
That explained the lack of anything on the ship. A Nuclear Class 1 here would wipe out most of Africa, if not the whole Southern Hemisphere. And the dust cloud...Bond shivered.
"Rebecca, you've used machines like this before. Can you try and revert the command?"
"Yeah. But what'll you do?" she asked shakily.
"I'm 99% sure that Schindler's on this ship. I'm off to look for him"
He ran along the little corridor. Hearing for the tiniest sound. Suddenly a scream bent the air from the door next to him. He forced the door open.
There was Schindler, but he was in a terrible state. Standing over him with a dagger was Hans Deiter. A sadistic German # 4 on the C.I.A's most wanted. Bond charged at him. Deiter turned but too late. He went flying down the stairs next to him. Bond turned his attention to Schindler. He was terrible. Bond could see 3 missing fingers.
"Come on!" we're getting outta here!" he yelled and helped Schindler up. They ran back to where 005 was.
Soon they were on deck and running to the gangway. Something made Bond turn around. There stood Deiter. Blood all over his face. But a long barreled Colt was steadied in his hand.
"Good Bye. Mr. Bond!" he said and pulled the trigger thrice. The first hit Bond in the shoulder and the other two in his chest. Bond went flying. He hit the rail and went tumbling over it. He fell into the murky waters below. Deiter's knife, which he had been holding, silently fell to the murky depths below. It came to rest in the sand, pount down. Like an underwater cross....
Brooks Cemetery
Aristotle Schindler sighed. He was standing over the grave of his dead wife. Claudia Schindler had died 2 months earlier of lung cancer. She was 45, which to a Greek was young. Aristotle was 54, and looked it. His mother had been a German secretary in the 1950s. His father had been a Greek sailer. Schindler was childless but recently he had become entangled in one of the biggest projects undertaken by the British Government in a century. The building of the super-computer CALCUL8OR ARGO. It could calculate the path of a nuke and guide it to within 30 cms of the target, and with a nuke, 30 cms is miniscule.If successful, it would net him £90 million.
He was oblivious to the world around him thinking of his dead wife
..Their wedding day....how happy she'd looked...and then...
He was so absorbed in his memories that he didn't hear the twig snapping behind him.
He remembered how, the day of the funeral they had approached him...offered their condolences....and asked him to come in to see them on Monday.
He was finally shaken out of his thoughts by the cold, hard steel pressing against his back.
"Don't move an inch" said a voice as cold and hard as the gun he held in his back.
"You're going to walk to the north edge of the cemetery, and get into the black Honda waiting for you there, if you do not, I'll pull this trigger and you will faint...or at least look like you have. In fact you will be dead. If you understand, nod ever so gently."
Schindler knew well, they had warned him about this but why hadn't they taken any actual steps to preventing it?
"I'm waiting..." said the voice.
Slowly, resignedly Schindler nodded
"Good boy, now start walking"
He did so. The cemetery was deserted, where was the policeman or the few mourners? Then again, he reasoned, it was close to 10:30 and Brooks Cemetery wasn't in the best part of London...
He saw the car immediately, 67 G 87 TR license number. Useless unless he could get the information to someone.
He got in and the man with the gun got in after him, there was a burly man in the passenger seat and a driver.
"Go!" yelled the man and the car sped away...
Chapter II
The Chase
4 streets away, James Bond stepped out of a house on the main street of Denature, a village 3 hours south of London . Unusually for Bond, he had been visiting relatives for the first time in almost 12 years.
It was an uncle on his mother's side. Victor Delacroix was nearing his 63rd birthday.
"Well, thanks for stopping by it was great to see you since that Italian incident" he said
"Thanks Victor for everything it was...."
He stopped off as a black Honda 67 G 87 TR roared past him. He caught sight of a body slumped in the back. He thought he recognized the face...
Thinking fast he left his uncle and jumped onto his Lightning P28 motorcycle, pulled on the helmet and sped away
Shaking his head Victor turned around and walking inside...
Wolfgang Xenon looked in the mirror of the Honda and easily saw that they were being followed
"Hey, Boss, we got company!" he rasped
"Davis, you know what to do" the passenger replied
The man called Davis was the man from the cemetery. Now he drew out an Uzi sub machine gun and leaned out of the window to begin shooting at Bond.
Bond swerved easily when he saw the bullets racing towards him. It was almost 11pm and there was mercifully little traffic on the roads.
In the Honda Boss had a radio in his hand,
"Peter, we've got a black motorbike following us, we'll pass you in 30 secs, he won't be far behind so be ready"
In a court-yard 200 meters ahead of Bond a man hurriedly acknowledged the bosses command. He was in a large truck over-looking the road. He had his foot on the accelerator, waiting. Seconds later the Honda rushed past and gave 2 short blasts of it's horn. That was what he needed, he pressed down and the vehicle lept forward like a moving brick wall...
Less than 20 meters away Bond saw the truck and immediately realized what was about to happen. He acted with lightning precision he leaned back and to the left at the same time until the bike was skidding along horizontally. It was equipped specially for this maneuver and no sparks flew.
The bike slid easily under the huge truck. With several inches to spare.
The chase continued for several more blocks before they reaches Zanzibar Street with an articulated bridge. It was just starting to lift to let a ship past when the Honda smashed through the barrier and jumped the gap easily. Bond followed but the bridge was too high, He flicked a switch and a flame came out of the P28's exhaust, propelling it up the side which was almost 45 degrees by now. He was flying through
the air over the sea when he realized he was falling. Next second he had fallen into the icy waters below...
Bond staggered out. Dripping wet and raging with himself. He knew he recognised the car from somewhere but where? He noticed someone watching him. The man got out and walked over to him.
"Felix Leiter's the name" he said
"James Bond" said Bond
"I've gotta car over here" he said. Gesturing behind himBond
"It's 11:15 now" said Bond in a car 10 minutes later "We can get the 11:30 train to London, be there at 3-am, get my car back to HQ, be there at 4"
"Fine by me" said Felix, who was driving
James looked at his watch and yawned. It said that it was 2:58. Bond and Felix had just got off the train. He saw a news-stand with the morning papers on it with a large photo on the cover of Aristotle Schindler with a short head-line: KIDNAPPED PROFESSOR
Chapter III
Newspapers & Intrusion
Bond grabbed Leiter. "Felix!" he yelled. "Look"
Felix saw the paper and ran in to buy a copy.
There wasn't much
_________________________________________
KIDNAPPED PROFESSOR
with our reporter
Michael Brown
On Friday the 4th of June at 22:30 a London professor went missing in Brooks Cemetery. Professor Aristotle V. Schindler was last seen by a man out running near the entrance of the cemetery.
That time was confirmed by another by-stander as 10:30 p.m.
It is understood that he went in but there are no reports of him leaving it although a grave digger saw 2 men leaving the cemetery one of which fitted Schindler's description.
Police are searching the area
Anyone with information is asked to call 0800 4536281
_________________________________________
"Not much is there?" said Bond dubiously.
"No, but it hasn't been long" replied Felix. "My car's out this way, come on"
They arrived at Vauxhall Cross at 5pm. They made their way through the maze of blank corridors and nameless staircases. Felix waited outside while Bond went in to M's office. In the outer part, Moneypenny was sitting at her desk typing something out. With a flourish, Bond produced a tulip that he had bought while Felix had used the men's room. Moneypenny looked into his eyes.
"Oh thank you James" she said quietly
In one quick movement, Bond swiftly bent down and kissed her softly on the cheek. Before Moneypenny could say another word, the buzzer sounded and the light above the door went green.
He walked in without another word, or without another backward glance.
Bond sat down opposite M.
"Good morning 007" she said coldly
"Good morning ma'am" replied Bond cooly. He could tell she was rattled, but she was trying hard not to show it. The press would really go to town if they knew how much this job stressed her out.
"Have fun swimming?" she said with the ghost of a smile
"Thoroughly"
"Anyway Bond, an assignment has just arrived for you" she said, returning to her usual briskness.
"What is it?"
"Aristotle Schindler's gone missing"
"Where do I go and investigate?"
"We tailed the car to the airport, the occupants - one unconscious, matching Schindler's description - boarded a private plane bound for South Africa"
and that was when the bomb went off
The building shook, M's sherry glass fell to the floor and shattered.
Bond jumped to his feet.
"That came from the east wing" he said
"Q Branch" said M smiling
"Sould I go see what's wrong?"
"I don't think that's necessary" said M cooly
"I guess you're right" said Bond, relaxing
"Now, you've got to go to South Africa 007" said M briskly. "You'll meet up with 005 there."
Bond started. "005?"
"Yes 007" replied M solidly "005"
"But she's....she's a woman"
"How very astute of you"
"I must protest"
"There is no argument 007!"
"But she's got no training or anything!"
"She's a 00 Bond! End of story!"
Bond grimaced and walked out
When he passed her desk Moneypenny was out
He walked down to Q Branch to collect his airline ticket and car. As he passed through the door three men with fire extinguishers ran in before him. He found Q coming out of a test room coughing.
"Good Morning" he said cheerily
"Who says?" coughed Q grumpily.
He led him over to a garage.
"Your new Jaguar. All the usual refinements!" Q said more happily. "and your ticket"
"Q I'd love to stay around but I'm just going to open this baby up a bit. Y'know, feel all those horses."
"Grow up 007...."
5 hours later, he touched down in South Africa
Bond walked through the departure lounge. He saw a placard bearing the name "Bond" being held by an expressionless man in a white shirt and trousers. He walked over to him.
"I'm Bond" Bond said
"Follow me" said the man.
The man led him to a silver BMW. Bond got in. If this was a trap, he was armed with his Browning Mark I. Bond was at ease.
They drove for 30 minutes, not talking much. Eventually they stopped outside a restaurant. The man turned around in his seat and looking Bond straight in the eye.
"005's just dying to meet you, she's in there"
Bond got out and walked into the restaurant. It was empty. Bond immediately sensed the trap. He was about to turn around and run when his phone rang. He answered it.
"Hello?"
"Good Morning 007. Don't move. I've got a gun pointing at your head. So listen up. Get out of South Africa. Go out that door and drive back to the airport and fly away" the voice was expressionless
"Who is this?" Bond asked
"That doesn't matter" said the voice.
Bond slowly backed out of the restaurant and got into the car, which was empty. Of course, he had no intention of going to the airport. He instead headed to the hotel Mi6 had booked for him. He immediately rang Mi6.
"Tanner!" he barked. "Where am I to meet 005?"
"She was to meet you at your hotel at 1 for lunch" he replied. "Why?"
"Because the people who have Schindler just made contact" he said and hung up.
After his discussion with Mi6. Bond went over to the mini fridge and took out a bottle of the strongest alcohol he could find - some Irish Whisky - and downed a glass in one. Replacing the bottle in the fridge. He walked over to the door and shrugged off his jacket. Hanging it on the back of the door.
Just then, there came a knock at the door. Bond grabbed his gun and pointed it straight at the door.
"Who is it?" he called
"Rebecca Dawson" called a female voice back.
Bond opened the door cautiously and a woman of about 30 walked in. She had shoulder length black hair. Watery blue eyes and one of the most beautiful mouths Bond had ever seen.
"Good Evening 007" she said. When she spoke, her mouth hardly moved, she would've made a fantastic ventriloquist if she hadn't gone into espionage. And that voice...the voice that sounded as if a thousand angels were singing. Bond had made love to plenty of women, but only ever loved a handful. Just by walking in the door and saying that she had Bond's affections. Ali Kerim Bay's words came floating back to him from all those years ago..."My friend, she's got you dangling" Bond thought to himself: Well Kerim, you're right and I don't give a damn
Coming out of his fantasy. Bond gathered his wits and replied: "Good Evening 005. How was the flight?" She had come all the way from Sydney
"Disgusting, but that's not important. We're on a mission 007!" she said angrily. Bond held his hands up in mock surrender "Just trying to make polite conversation." She blushed "I'm sorry, I'm tired and cranky and I need a nice, comfy hotel bed." She looked around. The adjoining door to her room wasn't visible to where she was because it was blocked from view from the wardrobe door, which Bond had left open. "Where is my room?" she asked "Bond gestured around the room in which they were. She looked around again. This time seeing Bond's things around the room. In the wardrobe. On the desk. She turned to Bond aghast. "007!" she said incredulously. Bond cracked up laughing. She started too, realizing that he wasn't serious. He showed her the door to here room.
"You go freshen up and in 15 minutes, we'll head down to the restaurant. Hows about?"
"See you in 15 minutes then" she said and walked into her room. Closing the door behind her, Bond heard the lock turn in the door.
"So she still doesn't trust me thought Bond miserably "But not to worry...that'll come soon"...
The next day, Bond woke up, ready to go. He picked up his phone and dialled 524, Rebecca's room number.
"Good Morning 005" he said.
"Good Morning" 005 replied in a crisp, business like tone.
"Have you had breakfast?" asked Bond.
"No, I haven't" she said, lightening a bit. "I decided to wait for you"
Bond was taken aback by this thoughtfulness. "Thanks!" he said
"See you down there in 10?" she said.
"I'll be there" he said and hung up. All the while he was in the shower and getting dressed, he couldn't stop smiling.
He walked down to the restaurant with his laptop under his arm, intending to track the number that had called him. He'd checked last night and indeed there was a number, but when Bond had rung it no one had picked up. He couldn't see 005 down there so he placed his order with the waiter and sat down at a table. He booted up the programme and entered the number, the answer came up after a few seconds
++++++
+21 021 327 197
FOUND 1 MATCH:
Fredrick Askar
21 Belview Drive
Shandler
Cape Town
South Africa
Occupation: Systems Admin at GlobeTec INC.
Notes: All 327 numbers are employees of GT inc. (common abbreviation of above)
+++++++
Just then the waiter arrived with his breakfast and 005 walked in.
She ordered her breakfast. Bond turned his laptop to her and she read what it said.
"I take it that this is the number that called you in that restaurant yesterday" she said
Bond nodded as his mouth was full of scrambled egg.
20 minutes later they finished up. They walked out to Bond's new car - a Jaguar XKR - and drove off. In search of Fredrick Askar...and some answers...
"GlobeTech is just here" Bond said, pointing to a cul de sac on the map. It's about 45 minutes away. You up for it?"
"Yeah, let's go" said Rebecca "but what do we do when we get there?"
"I dunno, I'm making this up as I go" Bond quickly raised his hands when he saw 005's face "Joking!"
45 minutes later Bond rapped smartly on the main door. A blank man opened the door. "Sorry, we're really busy, do you have an appointment? cos if not we can't let you in. We're just too busy"
Bond indicated the briefcase in his hand. "This is a personal delivery of 5,000,000 US dollars for Mr. Askar" he said.
The man's face lit up. "Follow me!" he said and led Bond and Dawson through a corridor to a door marked "F. Askar"
They went in. Askar was thin and balding. He had his feet up on his desk. "CEO" was written on a plack on his desk.
The man went over to him and whispered to him. He nodded.
"Thank you for this kind donation Mr....?"
"Bond, James Bond"
"Mr. Bond" Askar smiled.
"Would you like a receipt?"
"No thank you, my secretary. Ms. Kennedy will have that taken care of"
"Would you like anything before you go?" asked Askar
"Yes" said Bond, drawing his gun. "Information"
Askar gasped. "What is the meaning of this?"
Bond leveled the gun at him. "Who are you working for?"
"GlobeTech Inc" said Askar quickly.
"No, I mean really" said Bond "Your mobile phone called me yesterday, I just want to know why"
"Okay....Okay...On Monday night, these men came into my office. They told me to do that or they'd kill me."
"Who were they?"
"Don't know"
"What did they look like?"
"The one doing all the talking was short and stocky, and had a scar down one side of his face."
"What happened then?" asked Bond
"They left"
Bond had an idea how to go about this. He leveled the gun and took aim again. "Thank you Mr. Askar, goodnight" he said and fired the gun twice. Askar crumpled to the ground....
They left the empty briefcase in the office. It contained a bomb that Bond was going to detonate after leaving.
They drove to the gate and 005 went in this time. She was looking for a record of the cars that'd left on Monday night, around 7:00 which was the time Askar had told them they had left.
005 returned soon.
"It's a Black Daimler registered 78 SE 5643"
Bond depressed the accelerator and they shot off.
They had been driving for an hour when 005 turned to him.
"James, that motorcycle..."
"...is following us I know"
The pressed two panels either side of the steering wheel and an array of switches appeared...
An array of switches appeared. Dawson gasped. Bond flicked one of the switches, marked 'rocket'.
Out of the second exhaust, a mini rocket about 6" in diameter shot out. It hit the motorcycle and it exploded.
Suddenly Bond's mobile phone rang shrilly. He answered it.
"Bond here"
"007, we've got a lead on Schindler" He was spotted boarding a cargo boat at Cape Town by SatInt*"
"Did we get a name on the ship?" Bond asked.
"The Astro"
"Where is she now?"
"Still at Cape Town. Find her. Use your Licence to Kill if nessisary. Take 005 with you"
"On my way"
He hung up.
He turned to 005.
"Schindler is in Cape Town"
"Let's go!" she said eagerly
An hour later, they arrived in Cape Town docks. M, who had rung earlier with the lead on Schindler, had texted Bond with co-ordinates for the ship. They parked the Jaguar and walked up to the ship.
"So they think that Schindler is here?" 005 asked.
"Yeah, we have to find a way on" Bond replied.
Just then a burly sailor walked over to them
"Sorry sir and miss, but you must go. This private"
"Tell me, we want a tour of the bay. Can you take us?"
"No sir, you look. This cargo ship. Not tourist boat."
"OK" Bond raised his hands in surrender. "We're going"
The man led them to a gate. Bond whipped around and punched the man hard in the face. The man crumbed to the ground.
"Now let's go!" he said and began running toward the ship
"How are we gonna get into the boat?" 005 shouted as they ran.
Bond pointed to a pile of boxes that were beside an open port hole.
They clambered up the boxes and squeezed through the window. It was a bathroom. Bond creeped to the door and looked out. A deserted corridor. He slipped out. 005 following right behind him. They padded along. They went into a door that was standing ajar. It was marked "ARGO: STRICTLY PRIVATE!!" Bond stepped in and gasped. Standing on a table was Argo. The super computer. It was the size and shape of a typewriter, but much more modern looking. 005 went over to it. She gasped.
"Read the screen!" he said hurridly.
Bond read:
______
Missile Type: Neuclear; Class A
Date Fired: Wednesday; 14-Nov-07; 16:32
Impact Time: Wednesday; 14-Nov-07; 16:42
Target Co-Ordinates: 21; 25; 67; 141
______
"Can you tell where we are now?" asked Bond "In co-ordinates"
005 flicked a couple of switches.
"21; 25; 67; 141" she said
That explained the lack of anything on the ship. A Nuclear Class 1 here would wipe out most of Africa, if not the whole Southern Hemisphere. And the dust cloud...Bond shivered.
"Rebecca, you've used machines like this before. Can you try and revert the command?"
"Yeah. But what'll you do?" she asked shakily.
"I'm 99% sure that Schindler's on this ship. I'm off to look for him"
He ran along the little corridor. Hearing for the tiniest sound. Suddenly a scream bent the air from the door next to him. He forced the door open.
There was Schindler, but he was in a terrible state. Standing over him with a dagger was Hans Deiter. A sadistic German # 4 on the C.I.A's most wanted. Bond charged at him. Deiter turned but too late. He went flying down the stairs next to him. Bond turned his attention to Schindler. He was terrible. Bond could see 3 missing fingers.
"Come on!" we're getting outta here!" he yelled and helped Schindler up. They ran back to where 005 was.
Soon they were on deck and running to the gangway. Something made Bond turn around. There stood Deiter. Blood all over his face. But a long barreled Colt was steadied in his hand.
"Good Bye. Mr. Bond!" he said and pulled the trigger thrice. The first hit Bond in the shoulder and the other two in his chest. Bond went flying. He hit the rail and went tumbling over it. He fell into the murky waters below. Deiter's knife, which he had been holding, silently fell to the murky depths below. It came to rest in the sand, pount down. Like an underwater cross....
