M's Office, Thursday

[mi6_m]

The office was decent enough, M discovered, although not quite the digs she was used to. Still, it had a window, and enough space to move around the desk that she didn't cramped. Maybe even by the end of the term, it would feel like it belonged to her

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[nadiathesaint]

Nadia arrived not long after Marty, looking tired, but determined. "You wanted to see me, ma'am?" she asked coldly.

[mi6_m]

"I did."

M waved a hand toward one of the chairs opposite her desk, and pulled a file from a stack in front of her. "Miss Santos. Tell me why you enrolled in my class."

[nadiathesaint]

Nadia held up a plain manilla envelope. "Frankly, ma'am, I think you may already know that, along with a great deal more. I'm sorry to say that I was unable to return the favor," though the bags under her eyes probably indicated that she'd spent quite a bit of time on that.

[mi6_m]

"Good. If you'd walked into this office with any information on me whatsoever, you'd be the first on a very short list of people I'd have had shot."

She spoke with a calm assurance, her voice carrying a hint of sternness but no particular attempt to threaten.

"No, Miss Santos, I don't know why you enrolled. There are assumptions I can make, but I'd prefer to hear it from you directly. I don't like to make assumptions."

[nadiathesaint]

The defensiveness of Nadia's pose was subtle as she made an effort to remain cool in front of this mysterious person. "As you're obviously aware, I'm currently enrolled in an espionage training program for the Argentine government. And, obviously, I am also enrolled here, at this school. I completed the program this upcoming summer, but I have an . . . interest in keeping up in the field and continuing my studies on the subject. Your class had seemed like the perfect opportunity." She made no effort to explain the time shift that had resulted in her being in two places at the same time. Her only consolation was that there was no way M could know about the ultimate result of her training program, since it hadn't happened yet, for most people. "Who are you?"

[mi6_m]

Nodding, M listened, appreciating that Nadia was laying out the bare facts and didn't seem to be trying to cloak the details.

"I can't say that I understand how it is you can be both here and there, but I've been given enough information about this place to know that probably won't be the strangest thing I encounter. Do you have plans for when you complete your education here?"

After all, it couldn't hurt to see if there was a potential for doing some actual recruiting.

At Nadia's question, a very subtle smile ghosted across her face. "You can call me M. I'm with the British government."

[nadiathesaint]

There was no reason for Nadia to try to hide that information, since M had obviously already located it. She didn't think she'd given her much of anything she didn't already know.

And based on what little Nadia did know about this new professor, it wasn't hard to figure out what she might do for the British government.

"I plan to return to Argentina and serve my country as I've been trained," she said simply. "Might I ask why you're not in Britain now, doing the same?"

[mi6_m]

"Sabbatical," M replied succinctly, with a tone of voice that suggested she thought the idea was a ridiculous one. "And that's an admirable goal, Miss Santos. Perhaps we'll find ourselves working together one day."

She made a mental note that Nadia was probably not recruiting material, being already too deeply rooted in the Argentine government. But it never hurt to know the people who were eventually going to be one's contacts.

"My other reason for calling you here, is to see if you might be interested in a position as my assistant."

[nadiathesaint]

Nadia considered this, inwardly smiling at the tone with which M talked about the "sabbatical". "So you're rather hoping we'd be working together sooner than 'one day'." She paused to think. "The information you have on me isn't entirely secret, a lot of people here know that I have attended training. Still, I would prefer if you keep it to yourself. If you're willing to do that, I would be happy to take on the position."

[mi6_m]

"Miss Santos, I am in the business of gathering information, not sharing it. So long as you're able to follow a few very simple rules, we'll get along just fine."

The stern quality of M's tone was offset by the fact that she gave Nadia her full attention, and by the tiny quirk of a smile that lasted only an instant.

"First, you will not attempt to break into my office and go through my files. Second, you will follow my instructions regardless of your personal views. Third, you will call me if you find yourself in trouble."

A cell phone was slid across the desk toward Nadia. "And I don't mean the sort of trouble that would land you in detention."

[nadiathesaint]

The street brat that still lived in Nadia's brain bristled at being told explicitly not to break into M's office. Still, if she were going to do so, she'd need rather more information on the woman and what she was capable of rigging up. It wouldn't be quite like breaking into Alfred's office at Cafe Fina, after all.

She nodded slightly, reaching out to pick up the phone. "What sort of instructions should I be expecting?"

[mi6_m]

"At the moment, simply the task of assisting me with my class. You'll be sharing that role with Martin Blank, I expect you're acquainted."

M ticked off a short list of expectations. "Take role, assist me with demonstrating the technologies we'll be discussing, be ready to help any students who appear to be falling behind, collect assignments and tests. Beyond that...it's always possible something else may come up, and if it does then you'll of course have the option of refusing any extra-curricular assignments."

[nadiathesaint]

The idea of getting to participate in "extra-curricular" assignments that might come up for this woman thrilled Nadia, but she just nodded. "Alright. And yes, Marty and I know each other. He'll probably be less than thrilled to see that I'm TAing for you, as well, though."

[mi6_m]

"I don't require that my people like one another, only that they can maintain a professional relationship," M replied, dismissing the problem as if she was certain it wouldn't be an issue. "Welcome aboard then, Miss Santos. I'll see that the administration is informed of your position. Do you have any other questions for me?"

[nadiathesaint]

Most of Nadia's initial questions could be easily answered by the knowledge that M was in "the business", so she shook her head. "Not right now. And if I do, I'll assume that I'm to. . . ." she held up the cellphone.

[mi6_m]

"Just so long as your middle-of-the-night calls are limited to emergencies, yes."

M nodded, her expressions softening a little at Nadia's acceptance of the position.