london_spy | House

It was a strange series of events that had led him here, and as he sat in the waiting room of the local A&E, Danny went back through it all hour by hour.

6PM: With class out Danny was back to hunting for the lunatic who'd been targeting fellow students, drugging them and then dumping them at home with no sign of sexual or physical assault. He'd stopped home, changed into club clothes, and set out.

7PM: he'd been walking from the tube to the club when a car started driving along side him- A familiar car. Rich's car.

The window came down, and Rich leaned out. "Get in," the man said, prompting Danny to flip him off.

Rich laughed, then spoke again. "I know who you're after- If you want them, get in the damn car, Danny."

8PM: Rich had dumped him down the block, having given him a list of what he knew. Apparently he wasn't a fan of this guy either, and while Danny wouldn't consider him a trustworthy source, it wasn't like he had much more to go off.

9PM: He'd headed into the club, spoken to someone Rich had suggested might be in on it all, and had let himself have a drink or two so he didn't stand out like a sore thumb.

10PM: Okay, maybe a drink too many.

11PM: He'd called a car, apparently now was the prime time. He'd used the correct service and rejected drivers until he found one who seemed to fit the bill.

11:15PM: The man had complementary water. It was sealed, and so he took one.

11:30PM: Everything was slow. Fuzzy.

<i>I warned you. STOP. FOLLOWING. ME.</i>

Was it midnight now? Danny squinted at the clock. He was still drugged, not bleeding, but he was certain his ribs were broken and his left eye was struggling to focus. But he had to wait. They said he had to wait.

His hand was shaking as he pulled out his phone. The screen was shattered but it was still working. Should he call someone? Text someone? No, best not. Best to just go it alone.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

drfeelbad

"You can be pissed at me, just be pissed with reality and not whatever you're making up to villainize me," House said without looking at him as they walked. "I feel bad enough as it is, okay?"

From:

london_spy

"I'm not trying to make you the villain, I like you," Danny replied. "...Whatever, let's just find your cop."

From:

drfeelbad

"It's all right, Danny," House said, sounding tired. They approached the fountain where Bond was supposed to meet them. "He's not a cop, exactly," House said. "At least, I don't think so."

From:

london_spy

"It's fine, as long as he wants to help," Danny shrugged.

From:

0_0_7

Bond was standing by the fountain, sharp eyes scanning the crowd for a familiar face. He finally spotted House and crossed to meet the pair.

"Dr. House," he said, then looked at Danny. Bond was a good spy, but even he couldn't hide the surprise in his eyes. "And Danny Holt. I'm starting to think I should have ignored your text."

From:

drfeelbad

House looked surprised. "You know each other?"

From:

london_spy

Danny tensed and took a step back.

"No. Your mate isn't a cop, he's a spook. Even if he hadn't known my name, I'd have pegged him as one. I used to fuck one after all," he said, spitting at Bond's feet.

From:

0_0_7

Bond looked down, then at Danny. Did he seriously just spit at him? That wasn't common.

"Why did you call me?" he asked.

From:

drfeelbad

"I tried to tell you he's not a cop," House cut in. "Christ, Danny, that was rude."

From:

london_spy

"I'm not talking to him, he's one of them," he told Greg, before turning back to Bond. "Did you know him? Do you know what they did to him?" he asked Bond, his voice barely more than a hiss of anger.

From:

0_0_7

"I can't do anything for you," he said, assuming this was just about Alex. "All that is top secret now. Goodnight, I suppose..."

He turned to go back to his car.

From:

drfeelbad

"Danny, do you want help or not?" House sighed. "If so, stop being a little shit. I get it, you don't like spies. Fine. But don't you think he's well equipped to deal with your problem?"

From:

london_spy

Danny was glaring at the back of Bond's head, and he swore softly.

"Fuck, fine. Fine. ...There's a man, he's drugging people, I don't know why. He's targeting young men mostly. I think- I think it might be some kind of human trafficking operation, but I'm not sure. When I got to the warehouse I was drugged, and I- Just remember boxes, and voices, and- I could be wrong, but if I'm right..."

From:

0_0_7

That stopped Bond in his tracks. He could handle morally grey and though he knew right from wrong, he was a killer through and through. Some things...he simply couldn't abide. And trafficking was one of them.

He turned back to look at Danny.

"Do you have dates and times? Any locations so I can access CCTV?" So Q could access them.

From:

drfeelbad

House stayed quiet, just relieved Danny had stopped acting like a child.

From:

london_spy

Danny glanced at Greg, then nodded. "I have names of ride shares, times cars were called, names of victims who were dumped instead of taken, and some vague timelines. Should be in the note I wrote before Greg texted you."

From:

0_0_7

"Is there anything else I need to know?" Bond asked as he pulled out his mobile to text Harry. He'd bring Q in if he had to, but Harry was a substitute Merlin and Bond didn't honestly think this was going to take Q's level of skills- no offence to Harry. He told him to meet him at Kingsman. He was listening, though, to everything Danny had to say.

From:

drfeelbad

"Thanks for this," House added, to Bond. "We're square, though - I mean, you strike me as the type who might need to call on a doctor in the middle of the night to take out a bullet or something, so feel free to stop by."

From:

london_spy

"You're not leaving us behind. We're coming. I'm coming," Danny said firmly.

From:

0_0_7

Bond snorted a soft laugh of disbelief.

"You're not coming. Go home, Danny. Stay out of trouble," Bond said.

From:

drfeelbad

"Danny," House said quietly, "this is wha you wanted. To make sure it's taken care of. There's no reason for you to go. I mean, I'm feeling pretty damn reassured, this man is just oozing competence."

From:

london_spy

He wasn't hearing House though, he didn't want to stand down.

"I'll leak it. All of his research, It'll be on Reddit before you can put a bullet in me, and I'll make sure your name's on it," Danny said, sick of feeling helpless and always being shoved to the sidelines. "Think you'll wind up in a trunk too? Or maybe it'll be your friends. Your lovers. Who'll they cut through in your life if it comes out and your name is all over it?"