London Light

Substitute

When the target had locked eyes with Bond at the bar, Bond had felt a stab in his heart. The sadness and utter despair was almost palpable. Q had only given him a nickname, 'Danny', a blurred photograph and a list of times and places with the final rendezvous point at the beach. Nothing on the why, no background information or a simple alert to the fact that Danny had a slight resemblance to Q. Strictly need to know. As it had been since Bond's return after his affair with Madeleine.

With a shrug Bond tried to clear his head, returning his attention to the slumped figure in the stern of the boat. It had been surprisingly easy to slip the oxygen mask over Danny's head once he was under water. Bond had feared a panic attack or worse. It would have been easy enough for Danny to go through with the suicide. Take one big gulp of water before he reached Bond in the water. Instead, Danny had followed Bond's lead without question.

They reached their destination, a small harbour several miles away from the spot, where Danny had entered the water. Without meeting any people they were tying up the boat and switching to an inconspicuous car. Danny huddled under a blanket in the back and Bond set the car in gear. The last leg before they would meet up with Q in a safe flat.

Bond hoped it would be Q meeting them at the flat. He had felt like Q had done everything possible to avoid such a meeting since Bond's comeback. Even on the comms, Q had been cold and distant. Every time Bond had tried for their usual banter, it had fallen flat between them. Bond needed to speak to Q. In person. So much had been left unsaid between them since Madeleine. Bond knew he had made a mistake once everything had calmed down and he had had time to think things through. All the small signs had been there. Not just from Q. The trust he had in him, even now, after Bond had left Q behind, only to return without giving any explanations. Even now Q trusted him to follow his instructions without question. And Bond trusted Q, more than he ever had trusted any person before. Not even Tracy or Vesper came close.

Bond looked in the rear mirror. Checking on Danny, who seemed to be sleeping. Trust. How did Q and Danny know each other that this young man would trust a total stranger to safe him? Or was Danny suicidal, not caring whether he survived or not? Normally, Bond wouldn't care. He got the target, everything went according to plan, and that should be it. But he couldn't shake that image of a young, utterly devastated man off. Was this how Q had looked or felt, when Bond had left with Madeleine?

They arrived in the early afternoon. The flat was placed in the outer skirts of London. Q had made sure no CCTV was in the vicinity and the car could be parked in an underground carpark. Bond was wary anyway. Danny had been silent all the time and even now he just followed Bond like a lost and tired puppy. They took the lift up to the flat. Q opened the door.

"Danny, I presume?" Q said, opening the door a bit wider and letting them in. "Bond," Q added when Bond went inside. The tone of voice much less welcoming.

"You don't know each other?" Bond looked at Q, who mouthed 'later' at him.

"Surveillance," was all Danny said, as if that explained everything. He was almost asleep on his feet. Bond instinctively reached out to support him. Danny leaned into his arms, much to Bond's surprise.

"Second door on the left is the bedroom. You can take a nap, while Bond and I sort things out," Q indicated the door.

Bond half carried Danny down the small corridor. Pliantly, he let Bond undress him, and hummed a sleepy 'thank you' when Bond put him under the covers. Bond smiled despite himself. Trust. He wondered if Danny had any idea who his temporary flatmates were. Then again, Bond had no idea, who Danny was and why Q was interested in the man. Time to face some questions and seek answers. He left the bedroom door open and went back to the kitchen.