Summary: Benedict Ormond Holmes had never wanted any power when he started working at MI6. But as an explosion rocked the building he saw no other option but to take his career, and the whole organisation to a whole new level…
Rating: M
Word Count: 33,678
Status: Complete
Link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13534445/1/Challenge-accepted
Chapter 1: Becoming Q.
"All right, where to next?" Asked Benedict Ormond Holmes, or Ormond Greaves as the minor employee of Q-branch of MI6 was known as, whilst staring at his screens. Normally, MI6 didn't track its agents, they didn't feel the need to keep track of them apparently. But this request had come directly from the British Government and you did what you had to for family.
"Hamburg." Was the reply over the com in his ear. He started typing.
"Got a plane ticket booked, first class. And three different hotel rooms at different price ranges for your needs. And, brother dearest, do try not to pull the same trick as you pulled in India? The conspiracy theorists are starting to notice a pattern."
"But I get ever so BORED, little brother. I will contact you when I get there." And the connection was broken. He sat back and closed his eyes with a sigh for a moment before he straightened up again and started to painstakingly remove any evidence of his presence from the system. That done, he walked towards the door of the office.
Before he could open it the corridor beyond was engulfed in orange flame and an invisible force slammed into him.
When he came to, all was dark around him. The room was relatively intact, thanks to the blast proof door that probably saved his life. It was a good thing he had decided to use Q's office tonight for his mission with Sherlock. He tried to remember who was all in the building tonight. Blast the complete Q-branch management was here. Q was running the department downstairs while R and the rest of the department heads were in a meeting on the top floor, in the direction of the source of the blast. If they hadn't made it, it meant Q could probably use help right now.
The door was cold to the touch so he cautiously opened it and stepped into the blackened corridor. Debris littered the floor along with a few badly burned bodies. The one in front of the door had remnants of a white lab coat smouldering among the patches of charred flesh. There were still enough recognisable features for him to make an identification. Q. The blast had killed him instantly, he knew, he had learned enough from Sherlock about how explosions worked to know that.
He hurried towards the back staircase and ran down to the R&D department.
When he opened the door the room beyond was completely intact but it had descended into utter chaos. People were running around trying to secure experiments, data and weapons, while others were unsuccessfully trying to get in touch with other parts of the building. He knew this could not continue. Someone had to take charge. He hesitated for a second.
Because he hadn't started working for MI6 to take control of it. His desire for anonymity was one of the reasons no one knew his name, the reason why he had started at the bottom of the food chain. He'd gone to MI6 because he loved hacking computers and here, he could do it legally and out of Mycroft's reach. It was just a hobby really. But if he didn't step in now, he wasn't sure he liked what he'd become. Because these were his colleagues he could help, even though he only knew them in passing. Because his country was in danger and he could make it safer. Because he was a Holmes and with that name came responsibilities. And it was time for him own up to it.
He sighed as he made the decision that would change the rest of his life and slipped into the Holmes' stance and projection that had been trained into him since childhood. It made him look powerful and in control. It also made him look like Mycroft. He let out a piercing whistle, the one he knew irritated his brothers enormously because they couldn't emulate it, and the whole room stopped and looked at him. He quietly relayed his orders.
"We are activating safety protocol Alpha and are officially on war footing. Retreat to your back-up locations with whatever you're required to bring. Anyone injured is to take nothing and make for the main entrance, the rest of you will use the tunnels and emergency exits. Take only portable stable prototypes, all others are to be put in the blast chambers with the rest of the explosives. Make sure all agents in contact either go dark or retreat to secure locations. We go dark in 5 minutes. Expect function in the back-up locations to recommence in two hours."
The room came into motion again but the chaos lessened as people did what needed to be done. He stood there for a moment before he realised he didn't really know what he needed to do now. The evacuation procedures for employees were quite straight forward. However now he was management personified. He needed to do this right.
The evac procedural guides were kept in a filing cabinet outside of Q's office with the other procedural guides. The dusty cabinet was a never used eyesore and many considered it a waste of space but it was something every office was required to have. Right now, it was a godsend. He found the right folder and leafed through it, scanned the checklist at the end and got to work. He found a secure briefcase in storage and gathered all hard drives and codes he was required to bring. Once done, he scanned the room. Almost everyone had left already. The last of the explosive's experts were waiting for his orders. Seeing as that everyone was ready, he nodded to the experts and watched as they flipped the switch, which caused a low rumble to go through the room. He was the last to go out the door that led to the escape tunnel and as he did, he flipped an inconspicuous switch at the foot of the door, the room beyond and the rest of the building lighting up blue as a thousand volt of electricity flooded the systems, destroying anything remaining.
He emerged out of the drainage system in a park some distance from the building. The streets were eerily quiet for it being the middle of the day so apparently, he was in some sort of evacuated zone. He could hear the alarms of many police cars, ambulances and fire trucks from the direction of his former office building. With a sigh he pulled out his phone.
Brother, please leave a message on your earliest convenience. MH
He sighed again. Thinking about where to go. He knew he could easily go to Mycroft's house but he didn't need his majesty to stick his nose into the affairs of MI6. Especially since it was Mycroft that behind the scenes had been leading the move to make MI6 merge with MI5, despite his objections. And while he now was the management of Q-branch, he had none of the access codes of the senior bunker.
Home wasn't an option either, he knew, which left one place. Luckily it only was an hour's walk away.
Spotting a nearby crossing with CCTV he started walking in the direction of Baker street, discretely passing through three consecutive cameras' leading in that direction before ducking into an alleyway. He kept walking, now actively avoiding any cameras.
Its empty, doors open to your phone only and perimeter guards are stationed. MH
'Thank you, brother.' He thought. 'Now I only have to disable the millions of bugs you have littered the flat with.'
After an uneventful walk he slipped in through the back door of 221a and made his way to the first floor, scanning with his phone as he went. Surprisingly he only found one camera, pointed down through the staircase towards the front door. He gave it a small salute as he ascended and it blinked in return. He went through one of the doors on the landing and entered the living room, which had been cleaned and tidied but still screamed Sherlock. He gave it a thorough inspection but all bugs had been removed. Apparently, Mycroft had changed his mind about MI6. Deciding that he needed to make his new management position known, he pulled out his phone.
No bugs, brother? I appreciate you letting me run my domain.
He started to set up his company laptop and equipment on the kitchen table, trying not to think about what had been done on its surface. He boiled the kettle after he found a clean mug and earl grey next to it. Not long after he'd settled, he received a reply.
It's official, Q. Ormond Greaves died in the explosion. Benedict Holmes is reclusive enough to keep. MH
Oh dear, he'd better sent a quick message to Sherlock then, but before he could start typing, he received one.
I hear you died, brother. Try not to haunt my flat for too long. Sorry about missing your funeral. SH
He couldn't resist replying
Don't worry about it. I missed yours too. Q
Will contact you in a week. SH
Good, that was one less thing to worry about. His setup complete it was time to get to work. With ease, he broke into the computers in the safety bunkers of the different sites, something he was going to have to work on when there was time. He put his headset on and initiated the conference call.
"Good evening everyone, my name is Q. Let's get started."