How 009 Met Galahad

001

"One Scotch on the rocks," you told the bartender while sitting down on one of the empty stools.

You had already checked the area for the designated target but she was nowhere to be found, so you allowed yourself to let loose. It wasn't your usual neat drink, but you were so tense that you welcomed anything to relax your muscles. Something about the atmosphere of the hotel bar was throwing you off. Perhaps it was the dimly lit lights, or the musky scent of cigars lingering in the air, whatever it was, you didn't like the feeling of it.

Lifting the glass up to your lips, you allowed the diluted scotch to enter your mouth.

"Something feels rather odd Q."

To an outsider you seemed to be talking to the open air, but you were talking to the man all cozied up behind his computer. Your quartermaster was a peculiar man, or rather boy. He was far too young to be creating destructive weaponry, but as you had also proven, age was no guarantee of efficiency. Similar to Q, you had broken several MI6 traditions. For instance, you were the only female in the double 0 program as of late, and the youngest.

"Everything seems normal in the security footage," Q responded nonchalantly.

That's what worried you the most. Everything was too seemingly normal. You were going after a deadly corporate terrorist with classified material that threatened the national security of Great Britain. There should have been more suspicious activity in the hotel, but there wasn't.
You were assigned to eliminate Gina Zanetakos, and all copies of classified material that was in her possession. She was allegedly in Manchester to reveal some classified documents to a client, and it was your job to make sure nothing slipped out of her mouth.

"009, I see the target. She's walking towards your 3 o'clock."

You inconspicuously turned your head to get visuals on the target. There were three men eyeing her from afar and you assumed they were her bodyguards. After all, she was an expensive asset, and whoever was employing her certainly would not want to lose her. But there was one man in particular that caught your eye. He was dressed too impeccably well to be a bodyguard. By the looks of his suit and mannerisms you could that he was a fighter; his built and the shape of his suit gave away the firearms he was carrying.

As you continued to analyze him you realized that his eyes were also on you. For a moment your eyes met with his and you allowed your eyes to linger. Turning your head away too quickly would make you seem more suspicious, so you tried to play it off as flirting. After several seconds of eye contact you slowly turned around and finished the rest of the scotch. The handsome man in the bespoke suit was getting on your nerves, something about the glasses and neatly parted hair was throwing you off, and you needed the numbing agent to calm your nerves. He didn't seem like an ordinary business man, he seemed lethal.

After thanking the bartender for his services, you turned around to take one last look at the mysterious man. Luckily, he didn't notice because his eyes were locked on the terrorist.

Quickly, you stood from your seat and slipped out of the hotel bar as discretely as possible.
You were waiting in the bar for the target. Before eliminating her you were ordered to destroy all the classified files she had in her possession. Knowing her Russian heritage, you knew that the terrorist would come down for a night cap, so you had been waiting patiently.

Now it was your chance to slip into her room.

You walked towards the elevators quickly and swiftly. You were extra on edge now. The man in the suit could have brought backup, and you were not going to allow pretty boy and his friends to jeopardize this mission.

Your unusual tension did not go unnoticed by your observant quartermaster. He had been your handler in too many missions to miss your sudden change in demeanor.