Sylum Advent 2020: December 27th

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This Advent there is a series of Snippets or Timestamps from a variety of stories & characters. Some of these will become larger stories, some will be as is.

Title: MI:6
Author: Bj Jones
Summary: It was time to leave
Sylum Timeline: Future Storyline
Author’s Note: This particular snippet was inspired by: Atomic Weapons by Epic North

“We have to leave now.” Bond entered the disheveled office, instantly noticed M was still at her desk, typing away at the computer. He stalked across the room, put his hands on the desk and stared down his stubborn mother. “Don’t think for one second I wouldn’t hesitate to toss you over my shoulder.”

“I have no doubt you would be that crass, my dear.” She didn’t even give him a second glance, instead focused on what was in front of her. A few more keystrokes, a ping, and she pulled the encrypted flash drive out of the laptop and placed it in her bra, then destroyed the laptop. “Is everything else ready.”

“Paul helped Moneypenny destroy anything useful, then escorted her down to the lower levels. Craig is with dad, Q may have cried when they wiped the lab, but all her work is hidden away. Yev set the charges in the server room, once he’s done, he’s getting Q and Moneypenny out through the tunnels.” James glanced through M’s office door, keeping an ear out for the elevator.

“All personnel have been evacuated, employee files destroyed. Emily got out with Ivan a few days ago. Hunt and his team are helping a couple of Double-O’s out of the city, and hopefully into Europe.”

She tossed her heels under the desk, grabbed the boots, slipped them on, to make it easier to get out of the building. With a resigned sigh she grabbed the cracked English Bulldog, wrapped it in a scarf and secured the item in the satchel. She ignored James’ small smile. It had been a gift from Craig, some snot-nosed politician had broken it ‘by mistake’, James had glued it back together. Paul had lifted the man’s wallet as he left the office.

“Mum…”

“I’m coming dear.” She shrugged off his hand, and walked over to the Cockatoo that was sitting in his cage. There was no way to take the bird with them, it had been a gift from Paul – well more like she enjoyed the bird’s snark, and took it with her when James had called that fateful night when he had turned Paul and his roommate. “Cockatoo.” He tilted his head, watching her intently. The bird knew more national secrets than the wannabe dictator destroying the country. “You know what to do.”

“What do you want?” In a perfect mimic of her voice.

She gave him a pet, then stoically turned and headed out of the office towards the back exit. James wouldn’t comment on the tears he saw in her eyes. They were halfway down the stairs, when the building shook.

M paused on one of the landings and looked up at her son. “They wouldn’t blow the building? I mean I know they are power hungry cretins, but blowing up the whole damn building to get the ‘bad guy’ is more America’s style.”

“I’m not sure there’s much of a difference right now. But they are too desperate to get their hands on what intel MI:6 has, specifically on them.” He moved past her, eased down a few sections, expanding his sense out, gun raised. “Still clear.”

“I’ve seen some arse backwards governments, but this makes King John’s reign feel like a fluffy wonderful, all men were created equal.” It didn’t take long before they ended up at the rendezvous, now they just needed to regroup with the rest of the family, and get the hell out of London.

“Darling.” Hilary Bray ran up to his wife, giving her a quick kiss on the forehead. “I was getting worried.”

“We stopped for tea.” She gave him a small smile, then glanced behind him to check on Paul and Craig, both looked a bit disheveled. She was sure Craig was worried for his Mate, but he was focused on the situation. “I’m sure Yev will be alright, he’s sneaky Russian.”

Craig gave her a rare soft smile. “Q and him hit it off instantly. I’m not sure who I’m more worried for in that equation.”

“Yev.” All of them answered, the tension lessening slightly.

“We do have a small problem.” Paul was always the one, who still after all these years, held himself in a formal fashion.

“Besides the government releasing all our agents’ names and photos, and declaring us traitors?” James gave his brother a look with one eyebrow raised.

“That’s a weekend gig.” He retorted back, getting the oldest of them to smirk. “A team breached the visitor entrance, and are making their way to the top floors.”

“That was expected.” Bray wasn’t sure if he was horrified that his whole family was in this mess together, or proud.

“It’s the ones they left behind. The street is filled with armed police, and I’m pretty sure the military.” He tilted his head, hearing at least two helicopters.

“What he’s not telling you, just as Yev got out, the tunnels were blocked and they now have boats on the water. There’s no way out, without being seen.” Craig glanced around the unconventional family, if this was to be the end – it was with them he wanted to be with. “They aren’t going to take us in alive.”

“No.” M took a deep breath, looking at her husband, then her boys. “Hilary, get Craig and Paul, out, while James and I…”

“Margaret.” Bray gave her a hard stare. “We go out as one, or not at all.”

“Joshua and David know what I do. They will survive, only to wait for me to come back so they can bitch about my houdini snake.” Paul would not leave his family behind.

“Yev would leave me for not standing with my family.” Craig pointed out. “And really, mom I’m not dealing with Abberline, because you sacrificed yourself, and took Grace with you.”

James’ chuckle was dark. “Then I say we go out the front door, they won’t expect it. Take as many of them out, and hope our legend lives on.”

“I can’t believe I’m going to die by some twat who is destroying this country, because his prick is two inches too small.” She took off her suit coat and tossed it to the side, settled her satchel, checked her gun, and then looked at each of her boys. “I’m so proud of all of you.”

“We know.” James gave her a salute, then checked his own weapons. “Besides as long as we keep our heads, we’ll just wake up in the morgue. Hopefully Morse can get to us, if not it will be Jake.”

“I hate waking up in the morgue.” Craig muttered as they headed for the front doors.

The sound of glass crunched under their feet as they steadily walked through the lobby, and through the destroyed doors. With a confidence that most wished they had, the small family of spies made their way past the check-in point, through the heavy blast doors, and stepped into the street and faced their enemy.

James Bond, was quietly standing next to his father, they had fought many faceless threats over the years, this was only one more.

Craig Layer, stood next to Paul, the youngest of the family. His job was to protect him, though if Paul knew he would likely lose his stoic calm. They knew he was special and if this government got a hold of him …

Margaret, known only as M by everyone but those close to her, was at the center of her family – staring down the cowards, hiding behind riot shields and patriotism.

“You are hereby ordered to put down your weapons!” An anonymous voice demanded over the bullhorn. “You are under arrest for crimes against the Sovereignty of Great Britain.”

With a dignity only few could muster, M lifted her hand and flipped her wrist giving them two fingers, with a snarl on her face as she did.

“And you wonder where we get our bad habits from.” James gave his father a wink.

Hilary chuckled. “You’re all your mother’s sons.”

“Thank you.” Craig pulled a second gun from the holster that was nestled at his lower back. “How many do you think we can take down?”

“Twenty tops, they got riot gear, but we know how to get through them.” Bray’s gaze moved across the front line of men with riot shields, just behind them was armed mounted police. Paul had been right about the military, it had been many years since he’d seen troops used against the populace.

“Great so morgue trip it is.” Well he owed Yev for the scare he had at the beginning of the century, hell had that really been twenty odd years ago?

“Well, that is if they don’t toss our bodies into the Thames.” James snarked at his little brother.

“Or display our bodies outside London Tower.” Hilary gave both his boys a look only to pause when he noticed his youngest, had holstered his weapon. “Paul…”

M ignored them, mind working on how to get out of the situation, but she just couldn’t see any scenario but a bloody end. At her husband’s call she turned her focus to Mallory, reaching out as he stepped past all of them, settling in front just out of reach.

“Get your arse back here!” Craig hissed reaching towards him, stopping when the street started to shake slightly, as if a large lorry was rumbling down the street.

The silence that descended onto the street was deafening.

A sense of anticipation settled over everyone, even those who were watching on the tely.

The riot police stepped to the side, as the military moved forward, weapons raised. There would be no negotiating. This would only end with blood flowing in the streets.

They raised their guns in reaction, taking a step forward to make sure Paul covered. If they were to go down they’ll take out as many as they could, with them.

Paul stood with a calm that should have terrified all those watching.

He tilted his head slightly, raised his hands just as the first volley of bullets sailed towards them.

Only for the bullets to stop in mid air, hovering as if controlled by an outside force. The sound of all them hitting the asphalt echoed around the street.

The police and soldiers stared in shock, not sure what had just happened. Their response was to do what all men do when faced with something they don’t understand, they fired a second round. Only for those to fall next to the previous ones.

The shaking of the ground became more intense, as the grates were ripped out of the street. Street lights bent as road signs shook, all pulled out of the concrete and flew towards the police. Those with riot shields ducked behind, some still being tossed back when the weight of the debris hit them.

The mounted police couldn’t control their horse as they were being pushed back by an invisible hand. To protect their mounts, the officers yanked the horses around and moved away from the front line.

The military called for heavier weapons, only to stare down a more dangerous threat.

The metal fencing that surrounded MI:6, was now being used as a weapon. All of them dove to the ground as the sharp points of the fence were aimed directly at them.

Chaos reigned down, no one knew how to fight something they had never seen.

Paul was lost in the moment, expanding his abilities further, than anything he had done before.

“Paul.” M reached out to her boy. “You can let go now.”

He shook his head, tapped into that last bit of energy he had left, reached out and yanked all the weapons away from soldiers, then focused on every bit of metal they were wearing and pushed sending those still standing flying backwards.

Craig caught him as he passed out.

He tossed Paul over his shoulder, turned and headed away from the carnage. James and Hilary watched their backs, but at that moment no one was willing to make a move.

They all came to halt when a black van came screaming down from the Vauxhall Bridge. It drifted around the corner, until the back door opened to reveal Emily with an automatic weapon pointing down the street covering their escape.

M was always amazed how that woman could look phenomenal while ready to take out the enemy.

James got to the side door, just as it opened and a blonde gave him a smirk as he helped get Paul into the waiting vehicle. The rest climbed in as quickly as possible. The driver slammed on the gas and drove away from the building, at a high rate of speed.

Just as they passed the Vauxhall Metro Station … the area was rocked with an explosion.

The detonation had started from the Director’s office, and worked its way downward.

Destroying the building entirely, including those inside.

M glanced back with a proud smile on her face. “Good job Cockatoo.”

***

Joshua stared at the carnage left behind, barely blinking as he held David’s hand. They were sure for a moment they were going to watch the death of their Mate, only to watch with pride and horror as he tapped into his powers to save his family.

“We’re going to London.” David didn’t hesitate, just turned and headed for the door.

Joshua was only a step behind him.