Agent Chetiri

Chapter 33

Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes.

-Oscar Wilde

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(December 15, 2013- 9:43 AM)

London, England

M sat in his office, staring at the television screen with a displeased expression. He let out a sigh and pressed two fingers to his temples. M had known that the current situation with Alexa was not particularly good, but he hadn't expected it to be this bad. Eve looked up at the sound of her boss's troubled sigh and quirked an eyebrow. "Something the matter, sir?" she asked.

"Get Q in here. He won't like this, but he needs to know," M said.

"Alright. I had some files to bring by anyway, so I'll go down," Eve said as she stood up to go. She left the office and strode down the hallway to the Q-Branch. Eve had a feeling that Q would be a bit moody, as she had heard about what had happened with Kate (along with everyone else in the office). She hoped that they would overcome it and fix their relationship, especially since they were working on a mission together.

She pushed the door open and walked calmly into the Q-Branch. Q stood at his cluttered desk, typing madly at his computer. He did not seem to register that she had come in and was working ferociously on what seemed to be a map. Eve knew that he was trying to track down Alexa and felt bad as she watched him silently fret over the young woman. It was obvious that he had been working tirelessly, and she wondered exactly how long he had been here.

"When's the last time you slept, Q?" Eve called as she walked into the room. Q didn't say a word and Eve let out a sigh.

"William, has he been here all night?" she said as she turned to the man in the corner. He nodded and let out a sigh.

"He hasn't slept a wink, and he's been in a mood all morning," he said. "I know how he feels. He's like me, whenever I disagree with my Sara, except worse."

"He's been working like mad to fix what he screwed up-" Ryan muttered.

"I'm not deaf. Get back to work, both of you," Q snapped from his side of the room.

"My, my. Testy, aren't we?" Eve said as she approached him. She set the files down on the table and leant over to look at him.

"Not now, Eve," Q said, looking unamused.

"I've been sent for you," she remarked. "And it's a good thing I came by, not James. It would be far worse otherwise."

"Whatever M sent you for can wait. I'm busy, so go away," he said brusquely.

"If it can help you find Alexa, then I know you won't want it to wait," she said. He stiffened at the sound of her name and looked over at her. Q looked haggard and sad, and she felt a pang of guilt as she realized that she was the bearer of bad news.

"What do you have?" he said.

"News. M needs you in his office," she said. Q reluctantly left his computer and followed her down the hall.

"Don't tell me you stayed here all night," she said as she went up the stairs with him.

"Technically, I didn't. I went home to shower and look for any clues that she left behind. Other than taking her weapons, Alexa left nothing behind to tell me anything. She's disappeared," he sighed.

"You won't like what M will say, I reckon," Eve muttered. Q's stomach lurched in fear, and he found himself unable to say anything.

They entered the office, and Q walked up to M's desk. "What is it?" he said.