Becoming Bond

Disclaimer: I do not own 007…seriously.

Summary: When one dies, another steps forward because the world always needs a James Bond.

Author's Note: Inspired by all the Bonds who have all shaped our hero in their small way. Hasn't been beta'd, there is some language and enjoy.

"Do you know why you're here Daniel?"

The tall, brooding man glanced up at her, his cold blue eyes narrowed in suspicion, anger and even fear. He looked like a caged animal, crouched over, tense and wary. She could see that he was just waiting for an escape path. She regarded him carefully, poor boy, he wasn't going to escape – there was no where for him to run.

"Do I look like I fucking know?"

His response came hard and fast. He was angry that much was clear. Not that she could really blame him – who wouldn't be angry? She had to admit breaking into this man's flat, abducting and drugging him was pretty bad. Though seeing him now she couldn't see it happen any other way.

This one was a fighter.

"Language," she quipped, looking through his incredibly thin file. She already knew the file off by heart, though every time she read it felt as if she was getting to know the man across her a little better.

"Language?" he repeated hollowly, "You fucking abduct me and then expect me to –"

"Yes, language," she said sharply looking up at him, "I won't take any of your bull crap – understand?"

He opened his mouth to respond but closed it shut as she continued to glare at him, careful to keep her chin a little higher.

He looked at his feet and said softly with a bitter edge, "Yes m'am,"

She felt a small smile tug at her lips. He was also a quick learner. She could see why Tanner had recommended this one. He would do well; there was no doubt in her mind. She looked through his file again, memorising the dates. This one, this Daniel, was young, only thirty-three, he'd have plently of years ahead of him. So he'd be thirty-six hopefully when they got him fully operational…maybe even earlier.

"So are you going to tell me why I'm here?" came his smooth voice as he glanced up, "And who the hell you are?"

She placed down the file and looked across at him. He shifted slightly under her gaze almost like a naughty schoolboy, waiting for her response.

"In the early fifties a man called Commander Fleming proposed the need for an agent, someone who was timeless, someone who could in theory never die," she started to say, still watching him. When he gave no response she continued, "Naturally he was laughed at, but one of my predecessors…thought differently and thus James Bond was born,"

"And what the bloody hell has that got to do with me?"

She ignored his question and went on, "Bond came into action in the sixties – a man called Connery volunteered. However men do not live forever and he saw it fit to retire. The next volunteer didn't even last the year – so we brought back Connery who by then was getting on,"

She stared into Daniel's harsh blue eyes. Once again he gave little if no indication of how he felt inside. He was definitely Bond material.

"We realised that men like Connery were rare to come by, men that would give their lifes completely for their country and not look back so we decided a different approach was needed,"

She let the sentence hang in the air, and glanced over at the two way mirror and nodded. Instantly Tanner entered carrying a number of thick files. He placed them on the cool metal table and left promptly. Daniel watched him leave with wide eyes and then looked at the files.

She carefully selected a rather thick file that sat third from the bottom. She passed the file to Daniel who grabbed with his free hand and looked through it. Now she saw a reaction. Before if he had been tense or afraid it was nothing to how he looked now. He swallowed deeply in an attempt to calm himself down and she could see the perspiration appear, see his eyes dart around the room zeroing on the guard and then at the door.

Several minutes passed as she watched a parade of emotions file across his face.

"You started to brainwash people?" he asked in a horrified voice still reading over the file, "Fucking brainwash people?" he looked at her, "What the fuck is wrong with you people?"

"Nothing really, its just business," she said coolly.

"Just business?" he repeated, "This was a real person who had a life –" he froze "Fuck, I'm next aren't I?"

"Yes,"

"You can't do this!"

"I believe we can,"

"I have a FUCKING LIFE!" he roared, clenching his fists, blue eyes wild with rage. He was definitely a fighter, but they'd have to reign in that temper. She wasn't going to have this Daniel – or should she say Bond? – run amok around the world.

"You can't do this," he said firmly, "I have a fucking life – I have a fuck – "

"I won't tell you again about language," she said shortly. He glared at her and she was reminded of her daughter back when she had been a teenager. She sighed; perhaps a more motherly touch was needed with this one.

Oh bullocks, he was going to be 007 for Christ sakes! She couldn't even believe she had even thought that.

"Daniel to put it simply – you don't really have a life," she said, "Why else would we pick you? Think about it carefully – why take someone who has a loving family, a good job when we can grab a good nothing nobody? No one will miss you Daniel,"

Those words seem to hit hard. He rose quickly, the handcuffs the only thing holding him back from launching himself at her. The guard at the door bristled but she really wasn't concerned. Daniel may have the true killer instinct but he wasn't going to hurt her.

"Calm down Daniel,"

"Calm down? Are you bloody joking?!"

"I only said the truth," she said evenly, "Don't feel so insulted Daniel – Moore, the file you have – he was like you too in some ways, a struggling comedian, in debt, drinking problem, we gave him a purpose and he became actually something. Dalton – well I won't even comment on him but once again he actually become something and Pierce?" she froze, thinking fondly of her first Bond, her stomach twisting slightly as his dead face appeared before her, "He actually figured it out and volunteered,"

She looked gravely at Daniel, "And then there is you. Orphan, had a promising career in the Navy before you just quit, now are in serious debt thanks to gambling, drinking and smoking –" she almost grinned, the drinking and smoking was one thing that would carry on when he became Bond, "and in truth – no one gives a crap about what happens to Mr. Craig,"

"Why don't you just bring back Pierce?" spat out Daniel saying her Bond's real name with a bit of venom.

"Why do you think Craig?" she said harshly, "Use your god damn brain for once,"

He stiffened at the remark. The two stared at each other for several moments, neither of them backing down. She had to say she liked this one. He was a good choice. Though an incredibly arrogant one at that – and she had thought Pierce was bad…

He sat down.

"Sorry,"

She was about to gasp in shock but stopped herself.

He didn't mean it. That was very clear and yet she could hear a trace of respect in her voice – not for the deceased, definitely not, But for her.

He was definitely…interesting.

"Why would anyone volunteer for this?" he suddenly asked, "If you knew that your mind would get fucked then why volunteer? Who would want that?"

"An escape, a chance to serve their country," she said simply, "For Pierce it was the former but Connery the latter,"

"And for the rest there isn't a choice," he said bitterly.

"Correct,"

He was thinking hard, his brow furrowed, staring at the file in front of him though not reading the words.

"I'm not going to remember any of this?" he asked, "Any of being me?"

"No,"

"And I don't have a choice?"

"Yes,"

"And I'll get killed if I don't comply?"

"That won't happen – you will comply,"

He nodded and looked at her, his blue eyes twinkling with amusement, "So the name was Bond? James Bond?"

This was definitely a good one.

Fin

Author's Note: Please note that despite using the Bond actor names the descriptions and yada are an entirely fictional potrayls and that in this fic the Bond movies/books do not exist either.