[Comprehensive British and American] How agents solve the single problem

36

Phoebe is really tired.

Although the Q in the working state does not prevent people from resting, it is a high-intensity and long-term confrontation. Even a professional James Bond feels tired, let alone a young girl.Phoebe was sore and her calves were swollen like hell, but she opened the window and ran out after making sure Merlin couldn't hear her.

It was already late at night.

Phoebe didn't know where she was supposed to go either.She did remember Harry's house, and she knew where Q's apartment was.But Phoebe didn't want to go to them. To be precise, the girl didn't want to meet any of Merlin's friends, because they would definitely send her back to Merlin.

Standing on the street, Phoebe couldn't help being in a daze: where should she go then?

If she was still a white cat, she could just find a hidden place to lie down on the spot and sleep comfortably.Go back when you are in a good mood at dawn, and continue walking if you are in a bad mood. No one cares about a cat's whereabouts. It is very difficult for Merlin to find her.

This is the habit of cats. If they stay outside for a long time, or are taken in by better people, it is not surprising that they will forget about Merlin and never go back.

But now Phoebe is not a cat.

A person cannot lie down casually, nor does he have no place to live.In the words of the book, it is "disrespectful".

The night wind felt a little cool on her face, and Phoebe shivered.She looked up to the corner of the street, and found that she followed the sound and light, and came all the way to a certain bar.

It was time for the nightclub to disperse, and many people left the bar in twos and threes.Most of the people were drunk when they came out, Phoebe looked at them curiously, and they were also looking at her - a blonde girl with a high ponytail, very different from the style of all kinds of drunks and coquettish women, Phoebe stood out here, it was so conspicuous.

"Night, night run, girl?"

Phoebe turned her head in a daze. There were two men, one of whom had a bandaged arm hanging on his chest.The injured man drank a lot, and he couldn't even speak clearly: "It's so late, it's not perfect."

"Ah," she saw the man's face clearly, "you are the one in the warehouse."

As they approached, the man in the bandage saw her face clearly.

"Yes, yes it is you!"

The man's eyes widened suddenly, and he suddenly sobered up. He yelled in horror: "Fuck, I don't want to go to the hospital anymore!"

His companion hurriedly supported the staggering wounded patient: "What's going on?"

The bandaged man struggled and waved his hands: "Quick, call Archie!"

Phoebe: "Huh?"

……

Phoebe hadn't figured out what was going on until she was taken to an apartment by two men who came out of a bar.

She just heard Archie's name and followed.After driving all the way, the man in bandages had come to his senses completely. He stayed away from Phoebe, glanced at her warily, and then knocked on the door.

A moment later the door opened.

Archie came out. He was wearing only a striped shirt and pajama pants, which had obviously been changed indiscriminately after being woken up from sleep.Archie looked at the two men very unhappily: "What the hell can't wait until the fucking Ming—"

I didn't finish the rest of the sentence, because Archie had already seen Phoebe.

Phoebe: "Good evening."

Archie: "..."

Bandage man: "I found her at the entrance of the bar, Archie, you have agreed with the government that you will stop testing each other, I think she is plotting something wrong!"

Plotting something wrong, the bar is a public place, it's impossible for a little girl like her to have evil thoughts about you big men.

Archie raised his forehead, some of the most vicious gangsters on the road were beaten psychologically by a girl who was less than 1.6 meters tall, and he felt ashamed to say it.

"Okay," Archie said unhappily, he looked at Phoebe, "you can go."

"But Archie..."

"Go away!"

"What about me?" Phoebe asked.

"...you come in." Archie let the door open.

Well, at least she has somewhere to go.

Archie's apartment doesn't look like a place where the second gangster would live-well, Phoebe always thought the second gangster should live in the boss's manor, old and classical, where fifty or sixty bodyguards would patrol the night Kind of, after all, that's how it's done in movies.

And Archie's residence is no different from ordinary people's apartments, except that the gun is placed directly on the coffee table in the living room.

"sit."

The man pointed to the sofa, then turned around to touch the wine bottle, and when he touched the whiskey bottle, Archie suddenly remembered: "Are you an adult, girl?"

"I'm 19 years old." Phoebe replied, anyway, that's how Merlin filled out the information.

19 is an adult, but Archie withdrew his hand and instead took a bottle of soda from the refrigerator and threw it at Phoebe.

He took out a can of beer for himself: "Kicked out?"

Phoebe shook her head.

Archie: "Run away from home?"

Phoebe shook her head after a five-second pause.

Archie snorted, "So he ran away from home."

Phoebe said nothing.

"Listen," Archie said, opening the can of beer. "Finish your drink, catch your breath, give me the address, and I'll take you home."

Phoebe just watched him quietly.

She didn't refute or try to argue. The girl sitting on the sofa was obedient and quiet, her gray eyes still crystal clear.The more Phoebe is like this, the more Archie understands that this girl is difficult to deal with.

Most of the children who run away from home are to attract the attention of others, if so, she has succeeded in making such a big fuss.But now the little girl is silent and obedient like a little sheep, so she definitely doesn't want anyone's attention.

With Archie's years of experience with Johnny Kid, he'd wager that if Phoebe was sent home and Archie got in the car, she'd turn around and slip away.

Archie let out a sigh of relief.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"I just wanted to hang out," Phoebe replied honestly, "and then your people made sure I saw you."

"..."

Forget it, at least she met his men.

Although Archie thought a little girl who could put a professional thug in a hospital wouldn't be afraid of hooligans, Phoebe was a well-spoken young girl hanging out in the middle of the night.

In fact, Archie wanted to know what was going on, but he didn't miss the tired look on Phoebe's face.He thought for a while, then put down the beer can: "You will stay here for the night, girl, if you have anything to say, we can talk about it tomorrow."

"Hey?"

Phoebe was a little taken aback, she didn't seem to expect Archie to take her in.

"But I didn't bring a change of clothes or toiletries."

That's right, it was the first time he'd heard that he had to bring a toothbrush when he ran away from home, and he could see that the girl was a good girl.

Archie raised his eyebrows: "The guest room is on the left, you can do whatever you want."

This was the first time Phoebe had slept in a place where Merlin hadn't been since she became a human.

If Phoebe hadn't been so tired that her ankles wouldn't work, she would definitely feel emotional and secretly miss Merlin.But today Phoebe really exhausted all her strength, Archie threw the sheets to her, and the girl who had been running for a whole day almost fell into a deep sleep after touching the pillow.

...Merlin is not here.

Phoebe is really tired.Consciousness was ups and downs, James Bond's "You are too young" has been lingering in Phoebe's ears from the moment he blurted it out, and even brought it into sleep.

If she didn't meet Archie's men, she would definitely be sleeping on the streets.

Because out of Merlin's world, Phoebe as a human has nowhere to go.

The thought solidified, and Phoebe shuddered, then came to her senses.

It's already dawn.

Phoebe curled up with the sheets, and she took a deep breath. The fabric was full of strange smells.

The quilt is not new, it should be Archie's own spare.It still smelled faintly of soap powder and mothballs, the pungent smell of which made Phoebe wrinkle her nose.

The scene of last night came to mind, and it was fixed on the back of Merlin pushing her away.

Even though Phoebe hated the smell of mothballs so much, she buried her cheeks under the sheets, and the girl closed her eyes again, hoping that the strange smell could cover up her longing.

She slept for a while, until she heard someone knock on the door in the dimness.

"Phoebe? Wake up."

"...Merlin?"

Phoebe pulled the tip of a head from under the sheets, but it wasn't Merlin.Archie was standing at the door. He had already changed into his signature black suit, and the striped shirt inside was the same one from yesterday, without a tie, and the collar button was unbuttoned casually.

Seeing her awake, Archie turned his head: "Get up."

Ok.

Sloppy jumping out of the window and falling asleep in a hurry, Phoebe still in her yoga clothes.Archie's gaze stayed on the girl's clothes for a moment, then raised his hand: "The clothes are by the bed."

Phoebe's eyes widened, "Huh?"

Archie: "Just wear it and go out to eat something."

Said he left.Phoebe picked up the bag next to the bed, which contained a long-sleeved T-shirt and denim slip dress, even the tag.

Archie asked his men to buy a change of clothes casually, but he didn't expect it to be so casual.

The few times I saw Phoebe, the girl was dressed very expensively. Even the light yoga clothes were enough for his men to buy a whole set of outfits.

But I have to say that pretty girls look pretty in anything.After changing her clothes, Phoebe walked out of the room. She wore a white T-shirt and a denim skirt. Her long blond hair was scattered on her shoulders. She hadn't worn shoes yet, and her slender ankles were exposed. She was in a mess of youth.

Alright, this looks more like a little girl who ran away from home.

Archie put down the sandwich: "What are your plans?"

Phoebe: "What time is it?"

Archie pointed to the wall clock on the wall.

Seeing that the hour hand stopped at twelve o'clock, Phoebe exclaimed and covered her mouth: "Oh no! I made an appointment with the home that adopted stray cats to pay a return visit today."

A while ago, Archie's people asked me to leave while carrying cat grass, and Phoebe's return visit task was also suspended for a few days.She had made an appointment to continue today!

Archie: "I'll take you there."

Phoebe: "But...but my cat grass..."

Why is that thing again!

She left home in the middle of the night, no matter whether it was flowers or grass, she was definitely not around.Archie was very helpless: "That kind of flower——"

"It's grass."

"Whatever it is, where did you get it, girl?"

"Florist," Phoebe said seriously, "cat grass is grass, it obviously doesn't grow flowers, why does Archie have to call it flowers?"

"..."

Then the flower shop near the low-rent housing welcomed Phoebe, a repeat customer.

Not only her, but also three burly men with an average height of more than 1.8 meters and wearing black suits with unhappy faces.

After buying cat grass, Phoebe stood on the street, with three thugs holding a pot of cat grass behind her.Archie opened the car door: "Is this enough?"

Phoebe: "Hmm. Why didn't the florist take my money?"

Archie: "..."

Phoebe: "He should take money, Merlin said you can't be petty."

The second leader of the gang frowned, and looked at the thug closest to him: "You didn't pay?"

Thug: "..."

The thugs who were named turned around silently holding the cat grass and went back to pay the money.

"Where's the place, girl?" Archie asked.

Without thinking, Phoebe gave the tenant's address.

Archie's surprised expression flashed when he heard the room number, and Phoebe keenly grasped the change in his expression: "Is there any problem?"

"Nothing," Archie said, "just you know the tenant."

"Hey?"

"He blew up our car outside the warehouse."

It's just such a coincidence.

Phoebe has seen the information filled out by the adopter. The hostess filled out the form, and she just wrote Couple in the column of residence status.

She never expected that her partner turned out to be a gang member who was almost hung up by Archie and sent into the sewer to feed crayfish.

When Phoebe knocks on the door, the hostess who opens the door nearly faints when she sees Archie visiting in person.

She opened the door tremblingly: "Ah, Archie, I don't know anything, your people have come to search around, I really—"

Archie: "Where's the cat?"

Hostess: "... what?"

Before she could react, Phoebe walked straight towards the bedroom.

Her hearing is far superior to that of humans, and the moment Phoebe entered the door, she heard the sound of the small cat kicking and running.

The girl grabbed the hem of her skirt and squatted beside the bed: "Kevin?"

A thin "meow" sounded from under the bed.

Archie: "Your ears are so good."

Phoebe hurriedly turned her head and shouted, "Don't come over, you're scaring Kevin!"

Archie stopped immediately.

The hostess was stunned, she had never seen anyone speak to Archie in such an arrogant tone.

However, Phoebe didn't care what other people thought. She stretched out her hands under the bed: "It's me, Kevin."

She waited patiently for a while, and the kitten under the bed finally moved. It carefully poked its head out from under the bed. It was the cow cat that was the first to approach Phoebe outside the manor.

Phoebe picked it up, and the cow cat whimpered, and crawled into Phoebe's arms, meowing and meowing incessantly.

"Ah, is that so?" Phoebe sighed, and she scratched the cat's chin. "Don't be afraid, their goal is not you."

"Meow."

Phoebe stood up, and she walked towards Archie with the cat in her arms: "Your hands came down several times, they are too fierce."

Archie: "..."

He was tempted to ask Phoebe how she knew, but on second thought, the occupant had mentioned this when the door had just opened.Archie glanced at the shivering cow cat: "We have no other choice, girl, who told its male owner to blow up our car, have you ever thought about the consequences of someone sitting in it?"

certainly.Phoebe sighed. She hoped that Merlin and Q could catch the culprit as soon as possible, and she also didn't want Archie's people to scare the cat. However, they couldn't have both, and Kevin could only be wronged temporarily.

"Okay then," Phoebe patted the cow cat's head, "next time they come, you can hide under the bed and don't make a sound, it won't hurt you."

"Meow."

The hostess who opened the door didn't understand Archie's purpose at all. She looked at Archie who still looked like you might get angry at any time, and then turned to look at the young girl holding the cat: "Uh, Archie, Didn't you come here to ask questions?"

Archie: "Phoebe."

Phoebe: "Ah."

Then she remembered that she should say hello to the master.Phoebe smiled shyly and freed her right hand: "I'm sorry, I forgot when I heard Kevin's voice. I'm Phoebe. I made an appointment with you for a return visit."

hostess:"……"

Phoebe: "Archie, where's the cat grass?"

Archie turned to look at the three men standing at the door, and the thugs put the cat grass on the table knowingly.

hostess:"…………"

Under normal circumstances, what needs to be done in the adoption return visit is to observe the living environment and the state of the cat, and then chat with the adopter.But if Phoebe does this, the last link can be omitted. It is better to ask the cat itself than to ask the adopter.

So there was a picture of Archie and the residents sitting on the sofa and looking at each other, while Phoebe was squatting in the corner and whispering to the cat.

It took Phoebe a long time to convince the cowcat Kevin that the strangers who broke into the property were not malicious. The cowcat's ears finally returned to their normal position, and it relaxed and stayed at Phoebe's feet. Rubbing back and forth, snoring non-stop.

Archie stared at Phoebe for a while, then turned to look at the female resident: "You really don't know anything?"

Of course it refers to the matter of bombing the car.

The hostess shook her head hastily.With Phoebe around, Archie's tone of voice eased a lot, and he even put away all the swear words on his lips.

Although I don't know the relationship between this little girl and Archie, this kind of interrogation environment is much better than that of the sewer.

Therefore, even if she knew nothing about the situation, the female resident was willing to cooperate with Archie.

"I don't know anything, Archie," she said earnestly. "I-I didn't know Tom did anything like that when you took him away. God, he did it!"

Archie sneered a few times.

"You'd better have nothing to do with it," he said, "or I can guarantee the cat's safety, but not yours."

"I really don't know anything!"

The woman opposite was a little flustered.

She tugged at the hem of her clothes, trying to recall the clues: "Tom just said suddenly that he has a new way to make money, someone appreciates him, and he will soon be able to get ahead. The day before the accident, Tom received a call, saying yes Go somewhere and never come back."

"Where?"

"I have no idea!"

As soon as the hostess raised her voice, the cow cat hiding in the corner meowed in fear.

"Don't be afraid."

Phoebe picked up the cat from the ground and rubbed the top of the cow cat's head with her cheek: "It's okay, I'm still here."

Milk cat Kevin: "Meow."

Phoebe: "..."

Her figure stopped suddenly, and the girl looked back at Archie cautiously. He was asking a question and didn't look at him at all.

After making sure that no one was paying attention to her, Phoebe lowered her voice, leaned close to the cow cat's ear and said softly, "What did you say?"

Cat: "Meow."

Phoebe's gray eyes suddenly changed.

Almost savage aggressiveness flashed in the clear eyes, and Phoebe tightly held the cat's hand: "Archie."

Archie paused.

He let go of the woman who was about to cry, and turned his head.

The girl in the corner of the room was holding a cat in her arms, kneeling on the ground, her blond hair shining brightly in the sun.It was a picture beautiful enough to be photographed and placed in the window, but Phoebe's eyes were as sharp as a leopard ready to prey.

"At the Viking Bar," she said slowly, holding the cow cat in her hand, "the caller has a Spanish accent."

three hours later.

Returning to visit the cat, it’s already nightfall, and the bar is just about to open.

Archie's face was very ugly. He didn't expect to go around and go back to his own territory - the Viking Bar is Johnny's property, where Tom and the Spaniard discussed blowing up their car.

"Archie." The manager greeted them as soon as they stepped through the door.

"Did Tom come here before the accident?" Archie asked directly.

"Uh."

The manager was startled.

"I'm not very clear about this, I have to check the surveillance video." Managing a bar, the manager always has his own means. "Why don't you and...this lady sit down first, what do you want to drink?"

Archie knew exactly what the manager was hesitating about: Phoebe in a denim skirt didn't look old enough to enter a bar, but he brought it in, and the manager didn't dare to question it.

"Are there any non-alcoholic drinks?" Archie asked.

"I'll serve this lady a Coke," said the manager.

It was dinner time right now, and there were not many guests in the hall.After Phoebe sat down and took the Coke handed over by the manager himself, Archie said, "Now you can talk."

Phoebe: "What?"

Archie: "How did you know Tom was dating the Spaniard here?"

Phoebe blinked.

She couldn't say it was told by Tom's adopted cow cat. Phoebe thought for a while: "I met Tom's girlfriend before, and she adopted my friend."

This is not a lie.Although Phoebe did not post the adoption information, she basically met all the adopters.

"so?"

"I overheard it," she replied casually, "I didn't think about it that much until you asked about the phone call."

That's what Calvin the Cowcat told Phoebe, and she vaguely relayed the information to Archie, but how he interpreted it was his business.

And Archie doesn't seem too convinced by Phoebe's words.

But thinking about it before and after, she didn't reveal many details in her narration, so she couldn't hear the flaws.The man just picked up the whiskey that the manager brought over: "I'll take you home after this is over."

Phoebe: "..."

Archie: "Why, a whole day isn't enough for you to relax?"

I didn't see Merlin for a whole day.

Phoebe had never been so long away from him since cat to man.

What is Merlin doing now?Will he be anxiously looking for himself?Or in fact, he has already found it, and at this moment he is looking at her through various high-tech means.

Thinking this way, Phoebe raised her head and subconsciously searched for the monitoring equipment in the bar.

"Girl, what are you looking for?" Archie asked.

"It's nothing."

Phoebe looked away.

"Archie," she began, "are you going to have a problem with someone you... trust?"

The man smiled.

Holding the whiskey glass, he showed a "sure enough" expression: "So it was a quarrel with a close person."

"No, I was rejected."

"Confess?"

It doesn't seem to be the case, Phoebe thought about it carefully, and then seriously corrected: "Go to bed."

Archie: "........."

Why this expression again, Phoebe was a little confused, she didn't need to match the word.

And Archie was really shocked. He held up his whiskey glass and even forgot what he wanted to do.The second in command of the gang simply put down his cup, hesitating to speak several times.

Phoebe added: "Actually, this is not the first time."

Archie: "...Are you sure the guy you like likes women?"

Phoebe: "I've seen the guy he's dating."

Phoebe had seen Merlin go on dates when she was a white cat, almost twice, not counting the scheming witch Millie Center, both women, so Phoebe thought it should be fine.

It's just that Merlin never brings guests of any gender back to the apartment for the night.

"You met his date," Archie said complicatedly, "and you're living with him now."

"Ah."

"Let me confirm first," Archie stretched out his hand, "You and the person you like have no blood relationship, or adoption relationship, or any other relationship stipulated by law, right?"

"No."

"Then he's such a jerk."

"Merlin is no bastard!"

Archie laughed, and he reached out, and the man's palm fell on the edge of Phoebe's jaw, and with a movement of his thumb, he pinched Phoebe's chin.

"You should look at your face, girl," Archie said, "beautiful enough, just like a character walking out of a painting, he gets along with you day and night, but refuses to share your feelings, if he is not a jerk, then This person's thoughts are too deep, stay away from him, he is not alone in this world."

Merlin said the same thing.

She looked at Archie in a daze. He did look a bit like Merlin, but Merlin was much gentler than him. He seldom wore a suit, and more often he chose a cardigan with a sunny taste.

Likewise, there was no pungent mothball smell on Merlin's sheets.

Merlin would not make physical contact with her casually. In Merlin's perception, it was already extremely rude behavior to pinch her chin like Archie did.

Phoebe was still more used to the polite, calm man.

But he said himself that he hoped Phoebe could have her own life, her own world.

Archie was also looking at Phoebe who was lost in thought, and he withdrew his palm: "I have to check the surveillance, Phoebe, is it okay for you to sit here alone?"

Phoebe came back to her senses: "No problem."

I think so, this is Johnny's territory, and there will be no trouble.And even if there was, Archie felt that he was more worried about the person who provoked her than Phoebe.

So the man is about to leave: "If you want a change of drink, just go straight to the manager."

Phoebe picked up her Coke.

At this time, the number of people in the bar began to increase. People came in and out in twos and threes. Phoebe looked at the crowd and listened to the music, her thoughts still stuck at the moment when she left last night.

Phoebe, who has just become a human, doesn't feel that her life... cats have changed. Humans also have to eat and sleep, so she accepts sudden changes well.

But the more things to learn, the more troublesome Phoebe felt. She hated restraint, hated rules, and hated one after another.But being a human would bring Merlin a completely different attitude. After much deliberation, she gave up the chance to change back.

It wasn't until last night, standing on the street that she had nowhere to go, that Phoebe really realized that Merlin alone wasn't enough.

To be honest, Phoebe is still very sad when recalling Merlin's back when he left.But she vaguely understood that there was a reason for his hesitation—even though Phoebe still couldn't figure out the reason, Merlin had a good reason for everything he did.

He doesn't think it's appropriate, and it may really be inappropriate.

So troublesome.

Phoebe bit her straw and sighed sadly.

"Anything on your mind?"

"!!"

The sudden sound startled Phoebe, and she looked up to see a tall man sitting down familiarly.

It was a stranger, who looked about Archie's age, and he smiled when his eyes met. He looked particularly enthusiastic with his Mediterranean resemblance.

"Thiago," he said, "I didn't expect to see minors here."

"Hi Thiago, I'm Phoebe."

Phoebe nodded politely.

"But I'm an adult."

The man named Thiago raised his eyebrows and looked at the Coke in Phoebe's hand. His face was sharp and angular, and his profile looked like an art sculpture in a museum.

"Then Phoebe," fortunately the man didn't continue to dwell on this question, and she naturally had a way to come in, "Are you here alone?"

"—she's with me."

Another voice suddenly appeared.

But Phoebe knew the voice, she knew it was James Bond without looking.

The Mediterranean-looking man paused, glanced at Phoebe, then at James Bond, apologized, got up and left.

Bond sat down unceremoniously.

Still impeccable tailored suits, still pretty blonde. Agent 007 held a glass of martini: "Now you still suspect that you are not beautiful enough?"

"Hey?"

"Men's been accosting at the bar, ma'am."

Phoebe continued to bite her straw. "How do you know I'm here?"

Bond: "I'm a secret agent."

Well, this sentence can explain almost all the problems in the world.But it was Bond who said it, and Phoebe thought of someone else.

She didn't speak, but Phoebe's thoughts were particularly easy to guess: "I'm sorry it's me, but I have something to do with you."

Phoebe: "What is it?"

007 took out a brand new mobile phone from his coat pocket.

"You don't have a mailbox," he explained, "that's the only way to do it."

Bond handed the phone to Phoebe, and she took it over to see that a long letter was displayed on the screen.

"Q reported your situation to Mrs. M," Bond said calmly, "and Mrs. M thinks you have potential. If you want, she wants you to join the training program of MI6 for six months. Once you pass Train and you'll be a civil servant in the British Government."

"An agent like you?"

"Probably not Agent 00, but who knows, you're only 19."

"I'll have to think about it."

"Of course," Bond was not surprised at all, "if you make up your mind, just use this phone to call the number in the phone book, and Q will arrange everything that follows-of course, even if you disagree, he is willing to continue To help you test, of course, you have to spend your spare time."

"Thank you."

Phoebe puts away her phone, and thanks to Archie's men for the clothes, there's even a pocket on the denim skirt.

Bond didn't turn his head until Phoebe pocketed the phone.He looked up and down Phoebe's new clothes, as if he wanted to comment on it, but in the end he didn't talk about it.

"Want to hear the truth, Phoebe," he said.

Phoebe raised her eyes in surprise, "Please."

Bond: "From your point of view, I don't suggest that you accept Mrs. M's invitation. It is very hard to be a secret officer."

"Merlin must think so too."

"No matter what your wishes are, Merlin's considerations are rarely wrong, and his suggestions are definitely more valuable than Mrs. M."

"What about from your point of view?"

"You're asking an 00 agent, ma'am."

The implication is that no one is forcing James Bond to be 007.

Phoebe nodded, "I see."

Bond: "The Spaniard did not appear in the surveillance, maybe you can also ask other small animals nearby."

Phoebe: "..."

Bond: "I have a mission."

Of course, Agent 007 would not make a special trip to the bar, just to pass on a message to Mrs. M—there are so many employees in the entire MI6, where is the need for 00-series agents to run errands?

"Well," Phoebe said, "Q found me?"

Bond, who had been absent-minded, smiled.He looked at Phoebe, with a hint of teasing in his light blue eyes: "What do you think?"

Phoebe's heart skipped a beat.

She watched Bond leave his seat and head straight for the bar.

Across the crowd, James Bond stops next to a man.

Well, it looks like Q didn't find her.

Phoebe's heart fell to the ground when she touched Merlin's iconic appearance.She saw Bond whisper something to Merlin before turning and blending into the crowd.And Merlin who was sitting by the bar turned his head.

Merlin who went in and out of the bar didn't wear the hunting jacket and sweater. He wore a turtleneck sweater under the gray jacket, and still had glasses on the bridge of his nose.This prevented Phoebe from catching the man's eyes for the first time, but Phoebe knew he was looking at her.

Merlin also had a whiskey glass by his hand.

He picked up his whiskey glass, got up from his seat, and moved his long legs in Phoebe's direction.

Phoebe subconsciously clenched the straw near her mouth.

She tried to look away, but Phoebe realized she couldn't, so she just stared at Merlin and walked up to her.The tall man asked politely, "Can I sit down?"

"Ah."

Merlin sat down after getting approval, and he put the wine glass on the table.

Beyond the smell of alcohol, the smell of cigarettes, as well as layers of human voices and music, the familiar breath still rushed over, enveloping all of Phoebe's senses.

Phoebe closed her eyes in the dark.

She thought that even if he avoided the light, Merlin would probably be able to detect it.

"The clues you got are not useless," Merlin said calmly, "At least now I have the call records."

"When did Merlin find me?"

"When Archie's men go to the mall to buy petite denim skirts."

"But you didn't come to see me."

"I've got a whole Royal Service logistics, girl," Merlin paused, "and you're safe."

"..."

Phoebe said nothing.

The man beside him sighed, and he took the wine glass to his mouth: "I know this is really stupid."

It's not just as simple as being a jerk.

If it weren't for the public, Phoebe would have jumped on Merlin and bit him as hard as last time.But it's obviously not the right time, and Phoebe knows very well that this is Merlin's style.

Even someone else sitting next to him is likely to be dealing with emergencies in his glasses.

"Not only do you know where I am," Phoebe said with her head lowered without looking at Merlin, "you also know why Bond is looking for me."

"Mrs. M is willing to give you a job."

"you will not."

"I won't, the number of royal agents is fixed, and unless a field agent dies, we will not consider recruiting new agents."

Phoebe took a deep breath.

She let go of the straw, which had been ravaged so badly that the plastic had long been out of shape.Phoebe was aggrieved: "Others, other friends, Harry, Eggsy, Roxy, Q, Bond, and Archie, they would never have so many demands. On the contrary, Merlin, who is obviously the closest person, Why do things always make people unhappy."

"Because your existence means nothing to me, girl."

Phoebe froze.

The words fell to the ground, shattered into pieces, and pierced into Phoebe's heart like a sharp knife.But soon Merlin realized that Phoebe had misunderstood his words, and he sighed and raised his hand.

A large hand hovered at the side of Phoebe's face, his hand almost wrapping