The weeks after the explosion were chaos. Total chaos. For an organization that prides itself on its ability to handle even the toughest of situations, we felt totally unprepared. We had been blindsided, and it was like life was moving in slow motion. Now we found ourselves holed up in the old emergency bunkers.

My life has been in full chaos mode ever since. Our old Q was killed in the accident, so, as the secretary, I had become the go-to for everything in Q Branch. I clicked open the email box to begin reviewing the requests of all the different agents and departments that "desperately needed something from Q Branch." They're shared urgency was frustrating to say the least.

"Jane Bradley," I heard a voice behind me call out. I turned slightly to find Eve Moneypenny walking through the glass doors towards my desk. After the events in Istanbul, she had been assigned to desk duty, and while no one would ever say it outright, I think it's a better fit for her, not for lack of skill in the field, but for her exceptional ability to overhear and eavesdrop on everything. Her position assisting Mallory was priceless in terms of information she overheard.

"Eve," I grinned while turning back towards my computer station, "How's Mallory this fine morning?"

Eve rolled her eyes, and I laughed. "Mallory's meeting with M right now, so they've sent me down here to deliver the news."

I paused briefly before continuing to sort through emails and memos on my computer. "What kind of news?" I asked suspiciously.

"They've selected the new Quartermaster for Q Branch."

I quit typing and turned to face Eve, and raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Oh don't give me that look, Jane. You're the new secretary for Q Branch. It's generally considered necessary for the Quartermaster and his secretary to know one another."

"Eve, I'm the longest lasting secretary the Q Branch has ever had, and I've only been here seven years. The last Q had me running circles all day and the one before that basically had me running the department. There's a reason I'm not an active field agent. It's because my insatiable desire for a stressful environment is satisfied right here."

Eve rolled her eyes and put her hands on my desk and leaned in close, "You're what keeps Q Branch going. M knows it, Tanner knows it, and soon the new Q will know it, too. I know you've tried to get reassigned away from Q Branch, but"

"But for now I'm just going to have to deal with it," I sighed. "I'm not avoiding it because I don't want to meet Q, I'm just completely overwhelmed right here." I looked up and pinched the bridge of my nose. "Alright, when am I meeting him?"

"M wants you to meet in her office in an hour. This one is different."

I opened my mouth to question her further, but we were interrupted by Mallory. "Moneypenny, we'll be on our way now."

Eve turned to Mallory, "yes sir, right away." She then turned back to me and with a stern look, raised one finger and said, "one hour," before hurrying up the stairs to meet Mallory.

Different? He's a Quartermaster. Aren't they all the same? Old men with a knack for creating useful knick-knacks?

The dinging from my computer brought me back to attention, and I began to sort through emails once more while counting down the minutes.

James, where are you.

I walked up the stairs towards M's office and knocked three times before entering. M was sitting at her desk with her bloody bulldog that had become the joke of MI6. It could survive anything.

"Good morning, ma'am," I greeted with a small smile, which she returned. M had been exceptionally kind to me after the events that had taken place.

"Ah, good morning, Jane. Thank you for coming. If you'll have a seat the new Quartermaster will be here any moment."

I nodded at Tanner who sat in a chair adjacent to M's desk and took the seat next to him. I had worked with Tanner on numerous occasions and was his direct contact to Q branch, and he was my link to M. I was the one who called him to inform M about the breach in MI6 after the last Q and his people discovered it.

There was another knock at the door, and the new Quartermaster entered the office. Yes, quite different indeed. I'd never seen a Quartermaster without a suit, and I'd never seen a Quartermaster that looked as if he'd wandered out of university and into MI6 purely on accident.

Oh dear. He's so young. I'm going to need some tea after this. Some very strong tea.

"Mr. Boothroyd, please have a seat," M directed. "Mr. Boothroyd, I would like to introduce you to Jane Bradley. She's been with us now for seven years, and I can assure you that you'll find no one better."

Mr. Boothroyd? Sometimes I forget that each Q has an actual name.

"Yes, thank you, ma'am," the new Q said before turning towards me with an arm extended. "It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Bradley, I look forward to working with you."

I smiled and shook his hand. "The pleasure is all mine, Q."

M stood and looked down at the two of us. "Q, I want to make something very clear to you. I am quite fond of Jane, and she is very busy. She's exceedingly loyal, and has helped us through these past weeks immensely. Be fair."

Q nodded but looked slightly befuddled. "Yes, ma'am, of course."

M smiled, "That'll be all Mr. Boothroyd. Jane if you would stay behind a moment."

Q rose to leave and turned from M to face me once more, "I suppose I will be seeing you shortly?"

I nodded, "I'll be down as soon as I'm finished here." With that he turned and walked out the door pulling his maroon cardigan down as he went.

Once he was gone I turned to M and laughed, "He certainly seems to be quite different from the last Q doesn't he? He must be something spectacular to be the Quartermaster at his age. He can't be much older than I am."

M gave me a look. "Yes, I know he's very young, but he's quite capable I can assure you. One of the absolute best in the world if not the best." She paused briefly, "Things in Q Branch are going to be different under him. You're going to need to help him along a bit. He's very internal, much more than the last Q was. Teach him to delegate. He's young and brilliant, but he is also young and inexperienced when it comes to leading others, though I don't think it will take him to long to figure it out."

"I'll do what I can to help him navigate his way. It's not my first time with a new Q."

"True," M said before staring me straight in the eye "Alright now down to business. Have you had any luck finding him?"

I smirked in return, "I've got a lead."