Bond attended to Jo as she lay unconscious in the UNIT lab. Of course, both men had a slight difference as to where the "safest place" was for her: Bond wanted to use one of the Secret Service's safehouses, but the Doctor asserted that since he was driving, he knew where to go. Bond had only asked that they stop at a petrol station so he could fill the tank on his charge card, but after that they headed straight for the lab. Bond saw that Jo was still unconscious, but all right nonetheless, and he saw how worried the Doctor appeared. It was a feeling Bond never thought he would feel after his wife Tracy died.

 Bond rose and approached the Doctor, who was sipping tea and appeared lost in thought. "I see you haven't changed in your love of vintage vehicles, Theta...."

 The Doctor countered absent-mindedly. "Oh, you mean the TARDIS? Yes, she is quite old, but she still can get around."

 "Look, I'm sorry about what happened, but at least we now know the Master's behind this," Bond asserted weakly.

 "I know, but to what purpose?" the Doctor asked. "Usually the Master has worked towards much larger stakes - why get involved in something so simple as a kidnapping?"

 "You forget, old friend, that this is the Defense Minister's son we're talking about - the Minister has very important information. Information that usually results in a great number of corpses."

 Both men paused, and then a groan was heard - a very female groan. The Doctor and Bond approached Jo, who lifted herself into a semi-seated position.

 In a rather groggy sounding voice, she asked, "What happened? Where am I?"

 "UNIT HQ, Miss Grant," Bond said. "I....apologize for what happened earlier."

 Jo turned to the Doctor and said, "What's going on? Why is the Master involved in all this? How did I end up here?"

 "Give me a few moments to explain, Jo," The Doctor responded, and so began to fill Jo in on recent events....

 Jiang slowly made his way forward, seeking a way out of the school. The memories of the recent past were a jumble, with talk of "Time Lords" and "Planners" and other unusual titles. Perhaps these were British code terms for special agents and their employers. Or different ranks within British intelligence, or some kind of special project....perhaps these agents were special in more ways than one. Bond would have to be more than human in order to survive a shot at point blank range. Jiang decided that, when the chance came to murder Mr. Bond again, he would be sure Mr. Bond stayed dead.

 However, there was one thing that still burned in Jiang's mind: how his employer had abandoned him. This was a man with no honor, who thought of his employees as expendable. No one of Jiang's skill and prestige was expendable, and for his employer to think that....was unforgivable. Jiang would make sure that the bearded man's last thoughts were of regret, regret that not only had he played Dehuai Jiang for a fool, but that he could do nothing to prevent his own death.

 As Jiang made his way out of the school, he slipped into the shadows, and made his way slowly. The first stirrings of a plan began to settle in his mind, and he began settling on a plan of action. Soon, very soon, he would have his revenge against Bond, the others, his former employer...and he would enjoy every minute of it.

 "I am contacting you to update you on the status of the mission," he began.

 "Very good," a synthesized voice boomed. "Things are going as planned?"

 "Yes. We have the Defense Minister's son, are awaiting the Minister's decision on our offer, and have placed an operative for special elimination duties. Let us be assured that our mutual enemy will be eliminated, and shall bother us no more."

 "That is satisfactory. However, we are concerned about your utilization of the individual named Jiang. We believe he can be a potential 'random element', and may prove counter to our plans."

 "No bother, I have...use for Mr. Jiang. Even if he does attempt to go against me, I have a weapon that can....minimize his involvement."

 "Excellent. You shall keep us updated on progress. Make sure that our opposition shall be destabilized. Our plan is only effective if there is dischord within the local intelligence community."

 "I shall endeavor to do so," the Master responded, and after giving the proper signoff protocols, shut off the communications device.

 Of course, he had only allied himself with this party because they had the capability to assist him once he had escaped from prison. They could give him the technology that would allow him to spread his own influence over other worlds. They liked to think of him as their puppet, but as he reminded himself, he _was_ the Master.

 "Operation: Meltdown will take place as scheduled," he thought aloud. "But *I* will be the only person who shall benefit from it!"

 "I would like to know what steps you are taking to insure that the Defense Minister's son is located," M said dryly.

 Lethbridge-Stewart looked up, and grunted, "I am having my agents search everywhere. I have also had the Doctor and Miss Grant meet *your* operative to coordinate. In the future, I suggest you keep your nose out of our 'amateur' affairs."

 "I will *not* be countermanded by a militaristic bully who uses guns as a way of replacing their own impotence!" M insulted.

 "And I would suggest you watch your language, you pompous, number-crunching, bureaucratic guttersnipe," the Doctor's voice boomed behind her.

 She turned, and approached the Doctor. Jo and Bond filed in quietly behind her, as M berated, "Listen, Doctor, you might think this is the kind of territory for you 'Thunderbirds' types, but listen - this is a straightforward matter for the British government to handle. We are best qualified, and the only reason you are here is because a few strings were pulled."

 "Oh, really?" Lethbridge-Stewart countered sarcastically. "If I remember reading your intelligence reports on International Electromatics, you had ascertained that they were, and I quote, 'no threat to any and all British interests'. Yet, if UNIT had _not_ taken control of the situation, we all might be under the thrall of Tobias Vaughn. So please forgive us if we seem a little incredulous about your effectiveness."

 "We would have sent Bond in investigate, but unfortunately, he was looking into the Drax affair. Let's face it, Lethbridge-Stewart, the only reason you're in business is because a few people think little green men are flying around in saucers."

 Sensing an argument beginning, Bond asked, "Have the kidnappers asked for anything - money, information, prisoner exchanges?"

 M turned and said, "Actually, yes - they want the codes for Operation: Meltdown."

 The Doctor and Jo noticed Lethbridge-Stewart's normally poker face drop in surprise. "I don't believe it....they actually want that information?"

 "What is Operation: Meltdown?" Jo asked. M gave them a very brief explanation, with a caution that "this was no place for civilians, Miss Grant."

 "Typical human stupidity," the Doctor asserted. "You can't decide who's going to be king of the hill, so you decide to destroy any and all hills ...and yourselves in the process."

 "Listen, Doctor," M asserted. "I don't know if you know this, but those were trying times. We were trying to stop a virulent, poisonous belief system..."

 "What - that maybe instead of rich and poor, there were people who had their basic needs met? That power is best shared rather than horded?" the Doctor countered. "Yes, that is a poisonous system...to those in power."

 "Doctor," Bond interrupted again. "The point is that at one point we *would* have considered that an option. However, we don't, and whoever gets that information starts a chain reaction. Every civilization has a breaking point, a point where they decide to either clean their house or set it ablaze. That is why people like you and I get involved - because each time we help clean house, it is one more time that we avoid destroying ourselves."

 "Doctor," Jo asked. "I wonder....how does the Master fit into all this?"

 M's face also grew pale at that point. "The Master? Now this changes things entirely."

 "Splendid," Lethbridge-Stewart asserted. "It's time we stopped all our petty bickering and get down to business. Our first imperative is to locate the Master's whereabouts, find out who his accomplises are, and act accordingly."

 "I remember mention of someone....planning? The Planners? I think the Master mentioned it..." Jo asserted.

 "I remember too," Bond said. "Who knows who it could be - a rogue element of SMERSH, SPECTRE...."

 "Fine - our strategy will be to find out who these 'Planners' are, locate them, and stop them from receiving the Meltdown codes," M asserted. "Bond, you and the Doctor are hereby ordered to locate who these Planners are, assess their threat potential, and to take whatever actions necessary to stop them."

 Both the Doctor and Bond nodded, and began to leave the room. The Doctor, however, then turned and said, "One request - Miss Grant is to receive full clearance. She is my assistant, and has full UNIT credentials. She would be an asset in the completion of this mission."

 Before M could object, Lethbridge-Stewart turned to Jo and said, "Miss Grant, I hereby order *you* to assist the Doctor in any way he deems appropriate. Let's make sure the Master doesn't set *this* house ablaze. M and I will stay here to coordinate our joint efforts in this endeavor."

 As M lifted the phone, The Doctor, Bond, and Jo left Lethbridge- Stewart's office.

 "Isn't this like old times, Theta? You and I at the Academy, charging off into our own adventures?" Bond asked.

 "Not really," The Doctor countered. "The most we would do is borrow a TARDIS, head someplace, and discover the local color. And I've been meaning to ask you, why _did_ you take the name of a orinthologist?"

 "Because 'Napoleon Solo' had already been taken," Bond responded. "Besides, would _you_ suspect a man named 'James Bond' of being a secret agent?"

 "It must be somewhat glamorous, globe trotting around the world, leading a life of danger," Jo said, trying to make conversation.

 Bond merely asserted, "It...has its moments."

 Just then, Benton entered the office. "Sir, I hate to disturb you, but you have a phone call."

 "Sergeant Benton, I must ask that we not be disturbed!" Lethbridge- Stewart asserted.

 "I think you should take this phone call, sir," Benton responded. "It seems like this bloke knows something about our current, er, affair."

 Lethbridge-Stewart picked up the phone. "Lethbridge-Stewart....how did you get this number?....yes........I see. Can you verify this?.....What did he look like?......Where are you now?....Stay there. I'll send someone to pick you up. You'll know them when you see them."

 As Lethbridge-Stewart hung up the phone, he turned back to M. "It seems we have a break in this matter - someone described meeting a 'strange bearded man' earlier tonight, thinks that it might be related to our matter. When I asked how he received our number, he said, 'I just knew'. I'll have the Doctor and Bond pick up this guy."

 As Lethbridge-Stewart rose to head for the Doctor and Bond, M said, "You know, this comes a little too easily for my taste."

 "It does for me too," Lethbridge-Stewart responded. "It's a trap. But at this point, we have no other choice than to walk into it knowingly..."

 To Be continued