James,

Hope you enjoy your vacation. After that whole Marcus Switchen affair, you've earned a week or two to yourself. Get yourself some sun. Enjoy a tropical drink or ten. Enjoy some of the local colour. Meet a nice girl and try not to put her in a position where she might get sliced in half with a laser or blasted off into space.

And James, I shouldn't have to remind you, but you're off duty. Try not to kill anyone.

Happy travels,
-M

Ah, nice of M to write. Work's been a bloody mess since the new year, literally and figuratively. Christ, Bond, you've almost died nine times this year, and it's only mid June. No one can go that long without some sort of a break. So just relax, listen to the waves lapping onto the shore, and savor every sip of whatever it is this gorgeous little native girl keeps bringing you.

What was her name? Something that hardly rolled off the tongue, I'm sure. Began with an A I think- Wait! What is that? Just on the horizon. Good lord, is that a naval attack fleet? Where the hell are my binoculars? I could have sworn I- there they are. Russians. But what are they doing off the coast of Barbados? I should phone M.

Wait. No. I'm on vacation. Just put the sunglasses back on, lay back in your chair. This isn't your battle. Just close your eyes, Bond, get some rest, ignore the pontoons racing towards the shore, you're in a safe place now. Pay no attention to the armed men pouring out of the pontoons, they're not going to bother you. They're racing past you now, don't open your- ok, you opened your eyes, but don't make- ok, just wave, smile, be cordial, they'll leave you alone, I'm sure.

Oh good. They're gone now, no doubt razing the nearby towns. You've napped through louder explosions in the past, Bond, and you can do it again. Give it a shot. Zzzzzzz...

M,

Having a great time in Barbados. Heard that you sent a few 00's down here to sort this whole Russian thing out. They seemed a little miffed that I didn't lend them a hand, but, you know, Off duty and that. I guess it's true, everyone hates a guy on vacation.

What ho,
-Bond