The Rather Less than Secret Agent's Ball
Part 5 : SpiritChaser : Episode 1
The control room is oddly quiet for a few moments as the elderly group of ex-spies consider Tara's departure and Steed's pale face and tired eyes.
"We all have to obey our orders John, it's part of what we do, who we are.", Bond's words seem to have little effect.
"It would have been so easy, why couldn't I do it for Tara after all we'd been through, why?"
Cathy Gale takes Steed's clenched fist in her hands and speaks softly, "John, we all knew that we were always second place, that the country always came first, we all knew John including Tara, she just needs time to remember that."
Steed gradually becomes more relaxed on hearing Cathy's comforting words.
"You look as though you could do with a drink old boy.", Bond quickly finishes off his own Martini, "I'll go get Angelo"
"No need James, I can get a message to him from this terminal", Emma's fingers quickly move over the keyboard, "That's odd, according to the machine Angelo's no longer in the building!"
Steed's attitude quickly changes, "He wouldn't leave at a time like this."
"I'm not so sure about that Steed," Cathy Gale's voice comes from behind the bank of surveillance monitors, "he's driving out the front gate in a Land Rover."
Steed swiftly moves to examine the monitor screen, "I think it's time we started finding some answers, James, John go after him!"
"There's only one problem with that Steed," replies Bond "Drake seems to have disappeared as well."
Steed glances quickly around the room with a disbelieving look, "Right Cathy you and James go after Angelo, I'll see if I can track Drake down with Emma."
"Steed are you sure you'll be fine?", Cathy's concerned tone brings no emotion from Steed's face.
"I've never felt better Cathy, now you'd best hurry, Angelo looks to be heading North."
At Steeds words Cathy Gale follows Bond quickly through the control room entrance and along the corridor towards the garage.
"Shall I drive?" Cathy knows her question will provoke a rather negative response.
"No I think I can manage Cathy, after all your Emerald Green Triumph Trophy 1200 may be rather nippy but it's not exactly designed for high speed chases with two on board is it now."
"I just thought you'd maybe had one martini too many to go tearing around the countryside, I'm sure I could handle your Aston Martin.", a wry smile is ever present on Cathy Gale's face.
"I'm sure you could Cathy, but for one thing I haven't had too many and for another only I drive my DB7 GT.", Bond's attempt to hide his annoyance is wavering, much to Cathy's delight.
"I was just a little concerned James, after all it would be rather embarrassing if we got pulled over by the Police."
"We are not going to get pulled over by the police and if we continue this discussion the chase is going to be rather pointless, as Angelo will be halfway to Abergavenny by the time we leave."
"That's fine James, no need to lose your temper.", Cathy adds as she gets in the passenger seat of the Aston Martin.
After a rather less than subtle engine revving, the Aston Martin thunders out of the garage and on out the main gates, spreading the gravel drive out into the road. Bond stares intently at the road ahead, ignoring the roadside foliage as it speeds quickly by. Cathy Gale has a quiet smirk on her face as she does up her seatbelt.
"We should catch up to him in no time, at this rate James."
"That is the general idea, we'd have real problems if he manages to get off road."
"Yes, I suppose you're right. Don't worry James I do have faith in your ability to drive one of these,", Cathy's calm and relaxed attitude seems to irritate Bond slightly, "what special extra features does it come with?"
"What do you mean, special extra features?"
"Machine guns, bullet proof glass, I'm not in the ejector seat am I, James?"
"No, the only thing I have is Satellite navigation, and that comes as standard with the DB7 these days.", James gives a slight sigh.
"Well I guess we all have to grow up sometime James, put away our childish things." Cathy's faux sympathetic look still teases Bond.
James' slight disgruntlement quickly changes into a more intense disposition, "Look, there he is.", the car accelerates slightly, the prey firmly within Bond's sights.
The Aston Martin quickly gains on the Land Rover, Bond edging the car's front bumper closer and closer to the tail of Angelo's vehicle. The first short sharp collision pushes the Land Rover forward with a violent jump. Bond grimaces at the Aston Martin's scratched paintwork and again pushes the car forward more forcefully. The Land Rover leaps more violently and twists in the air, it lands unbalanced and Angelo's frantic efforts at the controls cannot prevent the vehicle capsizing into a roadside ditch.
Bond brakes the Aston Martin immediately but still needs to reverse two hundred yards to return to the overturned Land Rover and the small body of Angelo, lying in the ditch after being thrown through the Land Rover's front window.
Cathy quickly rushes from the car to Angelo and searches for a pulse.
"It's no good James, he's dead"
"Damn we needed him for information.", these words were barely out of Bonds mouth before Angelo suddenly jerks up, his small squat body sits there for a moment and looks round with a puzzled glaze on his face.
Cathy gazes in disbelief at the reanimated figure and leans in to touch him, her fingers sensing his face, there is a flash of movement from Angelo and a whip crack sound. Cathy was flung backwards a few feet through the air and lands on the grass verge. Bond is already rushing towards Cathy as Angelo gets to his feet and begins a purposeful striding towards the road. Bond squares up to the small butler on the edge of the road. The quizzical yet confident stare on Bond's face is soon replaced by a look of astonishment as Angelo strikes with a swinging arm and sends James Bond crashing into the nearby ditch. Angelo wastes no time in getting to Bond's Aston Martin, adjusts the seat as far forward as it can go and drives down the road, his bald head just visible through the side door window.
Cathy manages to recover her composure after a few moments and quickly goes over to James still recumbent in the ditch.
"Are you alright?" Cathy offers James her hand.
"Yes I'm fine.", replies James managing to stagger out of the ditch with Cathy's aid.
"You know James, a man in a rather mud caked tuxedo has a certain appeal.", Cathy openly laughs as James tries to brush his dinner jacket free of the mud and assorted vegetation that clings to it.
"So do you have any idea what just happened as I do not appreciate being thrown into a ditch and having my car stolen."
"I have a few ideas James, why don't we discuss them as we walk to the next village it's just a couple of miles down the road."
The bedraggled couple begin to walk away from the overturned Land Rover down the gently winding country lane.
"There is one good point Cathy, we haven't actually lost Angelo just yet, there's a trace hidden in the DB7, it ..."
"...comes as standard, yes James I know."
Copyright 2001-2003 Chris Cowan