Music and Fashion

Around morning tea time the day after M2 visited Rhiannon at her record shop, The Boss made one of his unplanned and unexpected visits to the office of Nicky Parsons. He was pleased to see all three Stuffy Shirts were present.

As he walked through the door of the Parsons office and closed the door after him, he said:

“Oh good. We are the most bizarre people for happenstance. One of my photographers just happened to be in your neighbourhood last night on business that had nothing to do with you or your team.”

As he pulled a photograph from his jacket pocket and placed it on the desk in front of Nicky Parsons, the Boss said:

• Someday my Prince will come, Nicky. Someday my Prince will come.

When Nicky saw the photograph, she said: “No way.”

Harriet then moved to view the photograph: “Well, how about that?"

When Emily saw the photograph, she said: “I do not think they are drinking Russian Caravan tea”.

Nicky: I am pretty sure it is English Breakfast.”

The Boss: Well done, ladies. I hope M2 finds happiness.

The Boss then reached over, took the photograph and returned it to his pocket.

As the Boss was walking out the door, he smiled at the Stuffy Shirts and said: “Have a good day, ladies.”

The Boss Goes On an Errand

When the Boss reached his secretary, he said to her: I am going on an errand. I do not plan to be long.

Secretary: OK.

The Boss then took a train ride to the Rhiannon Record Store.

As he entered her store, her boss was serving a customer and Rhiannon was free at the service counter.

Boss: Good morning, Miss. I am hopeful you have small note paper with the name and details of your store on it. The kind of note paper on which I might write a note for a gift record.

Rhiannon then produced a small pad with note paper similar to that described by the Boss.

“Is this what you are looking for , Sir?”

Boss: This is ideal, Miss. And I am confident I will only need one.

Rhiannon: Take three, just in case.

Boss: As you wish, Miss.

The Boss then placed the three pieces of note paper in his jacket pocket.

Boss: You have been enormously helpful, Miss. Thank you. Have a good day.

The Boss then made his way to the train station and took a train ride back to MI6 headquarters.

Upon his arrival, he proceeded to the office of M2. Conveniently for the plan of the Boss, M2 was not present at the time.

The Boss then took one of his Rhiannon Record Shop notes from his pocket and proceeded to write M2 a note.

“M2

I hope you find happiness.

The Boss”

The Boss then placed the note in the middle of the M2 desk, under a paper weight.

He then returned to his office.

Four (4) minutes later, M2 was back in his office.

He saw the note:

• From his Boss

• On Rhiannon Record Shop note paper.

He said nothing.

He put the note in a pocket of his jacket.

Stuffy Shirts

As the Boss closed the door and left the office, Emily said: “Harriet, I thought you said your job was to kill romance.”

Harriet: I hope I failed this time.

Nicky said more to herself than anyone else:

• Would you stay if she promised you heaven?

• Would you stay if she promised you heaven?

Emily and Harriet looked at Nicky, saw the look on her face and said nothing.

Nicky has a Plan

Around 11:00 am the following morning, Nicky Parsons telephoned Hildegarde, the West German girlfriend of Agent Manchester, at her Carnaby Street clothing store.

Parsons: Hildegarde, It is Nicky Parsons. Do you get a lunch break?

Hildegarde: Yes.

Nicky: Can I interest you in having lunch with me today?

Hildegarde: Yes.

Parsons: Tell me a time.

Hildegarde: 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm

Parsons: I will be there shortly.

Hildegarde: OK

By 12:25 pm Nicky Parsons had made her way to the Hildegarde Carnaby Street clothing store. As they exchanged greetings, Nicky said: “The lunch venue is your choice.”

Hildegarde led Nicky to a café neither had previously attended. After the ladies placed their orders, they found themselves a table at which to sit.

Nicky: I have an idea that involves you and I want to see if it can work.

Does your clothing store do fashion shows?

Hildegarde: Yes. Occasionally. They are not very big.

Nicky: Do you have music at them?

Hildegarde: Yes. The boss knows a disc jockey and he helps her out.

Nicky: Somewhat similar to the way I met you, I met someone who works in a small record shop. I was wondering if the two of you could help each other out.

My idea is, at your next fashion show the record shop that employs my friend supplies the music you play. The advertising for your fashion show would indicate your store supplied the clothes, and her store supplied the music. Both shops could carry advertising for the fashion show and hopefully increase business for each of you.

I have not spoken to the record store lady. I thought I would start with you.

The fashion show might give us all a chance to see each other again and hopefully the troublemakers that keep me employed will stay away, so your fashion show can be a success.

Hildegarde: "I like your idea. I will ask my boss about it.

Why would this interest you?"

Nicky: I have an interest in seeing each of you succeed.

Hildegarde: I will ask my boss about it and if I need to sell it to my boss, I may get you to come along and sell it as well.

Nicky: In the meantime, I will try to talk to the record store lady and see if she is interested in the idea.

A byproduct of my idea is we get to have lunch together.

Hildegarde: You will be pleased to know that the clothing shop has had no repeat of the excitement the last time you visited.

Nicky: Hopefully they continue to stay away from your shop and your fashion show. You would be amazed how inconsiderate the troublemakers who keep me employed are of my working hours.

The remainder of the lunch break was pleasantly consumed by discussion of mundane matters.

Hildegarde: It is wonderful to see you again, Nicky. I am going to return to work. I will let you know what my boss says about your idea.

Nicky: Thank you for having lunch with me. It has been great to see you.

Nicky then made her way to the train station and caught a train to her neighbourhood.

When Nicky arrived at the Rhiannon Record store, there was only Rhiannon and the store owner in the store.

Rhiannon: Nicky, This is a surprise.

Nicky: "I may have another surprise for you. A friend of mine works in a clothing store in Carnaby Street. Occasionally they have fashion shows and music plays a part in those shows.

My idea hopes to get you, really this store, involved in one of the fashion shows. Her shop supplies the clothes, your store, this store, supplies the music. That is how the advertising for the fashion show would be presented. Hopefully business would increase for each of your stores. My clothing store friend will talk to her boss to see if she is interested. We have just discussed it over lunch. Now I am here talking to you about it.

So, Hello to you both. That is why I am here."

Store Owner: That is an interesting proposal. You have no financial interest in either business.

Nicky: My friends work in the stores. I have an interest in seeing them do OK at their work and the businesses that employ them do OK.

Store Owner: I am interested enough in your idea to discuss it with the clothing shop owner and see if the idea can work.

Nicky: I will let you know what my friend from the clothing store says after she speaks with her boss.

Thank you, ladies. I had better return to my work.

Rhiannon: Thank you for coming, Nicky.

Hildegarde Calls

Two days later Hildegarde telephoned Nicky Parsons and told her:

“The clothing store owner liked your idea. She was in the early stages of planning her next fashion show, which was scheduled for about 6 weeks time. So there is time for it to happen at the next show”

Nicky replied: “That is good news. I will give you the contact details of the Rhiannon record store and the two store owners can liaise with each other to see if they can make the plan work.

Another trip to Carnaby Street may be required.”

Hildegarde: There are worse things in life than a trip to Carnaby Street, Nicky.

Nicky: I seem to recall Carnaby Street has tea and muffins.

Hildegarde: And one or two clothing stores. Plus a fashion show.

Nicky: Hildegarde with the hustle. Nice work. Have a good day, Hildegarde.

Hildegarde: Have a good day, Nicky.

Meeting of The Stuffy Shirts

Nicky then telephoned Emily: Miss Abernathy, Are you free?

Emily: Yes.

Nicky: I will pop round.

When Nicky arrived at Emily’s office, she telephoned Harriet: Are you free for a Stuffy Shirts meeting?

Harriet: Yes.

Nicky: We are on our way.

Three (3) minutes later the Stuffy Shirts were holding a closed door meeting in Harriet’s office.

Nicky: Ladies, I have some very important Stuffy Shirts business to discuss with you.

The Carnaby Street clothing store that employs our friend Hildegarde is planning a fashion show for about six (6) weeks time. It seems to me that might be something which requires the attendance of the Stuffy Shirts.

There is more. I have a plan in respect of the fashion show and the owners of the two stores involved are interested in trying to make it happen.

The Hildegarde shop supplies the clothes for the fashion show, and the Rhiannon Record Store supplies the music. That is how the advertising for the fashion show would be presented. Hopefully business would increase for each of the stores. 

Emily: You propose we be tasked with the very important duty of attending the fashion show?

Nicky: Yes.

Harriet: Seems some Carnaby Street socialising could be involved.

Nicky: Indeed.

Emily: Fashion and music at Carnaby Street?

Nicky: Yes.

Harriet: This has Stuffy Shirts written all over it.

Nicky: Hildegarde can keep us up to date on how the fashion show is progressing. If you are curious, contact Hildegarde.

Emily: You know what is now required?

Harriet: Lunch?

Emily: Indeed.

Nicky: Bring your coat and handbag, while we collect ours.

Lady Harriet and Revelations

Just over a week later, Agent Emily telephoned Nicky Parsons: “Parsons, My office. Now.” And hung up.

Agent Parsons immediately went to the office of Agent Emily.

Emily to Nicky: Come with me.

Emily then hustled to the office of Agent Harriet and closed the door upon Emily and Nicky entering.

Emily: Agent Harriet, I believe that you are not really Miss Harriet, you are in fact Lady Harriet. Lady Harriet. Would you care to explain?

Harriet: Good morning, ladies. I am a cousin of the Queen.

Emily; But you are a ruthless killer.

Harriet: That is a bit harsh.

Emily: My apologies. A ruthless assassin.

Harriet: Much better.

Nicky: Lady Harriet?

Harriet: The men join the military. I joined MI6.

Nicky: Not concerned with the dying?

Harriet: I am trying to avoid the dying. At least for another 70 years.

Emily: So you are really Harriet Windsor?

Harriet: There are other names in my family, but you guessed correctly

Emily: Lady Harriet Windsor, What should we call you?

Harriet: Harriet. You call me Harriet. I am pretty sure M2 called me some other names recently. I prefer Harriet to those names.

Nicky: No security detail for you?

Harriet: I enjoy no more security than you.

Nicky: Lady Harriet Windsor has the same security as me, none?

Harriet: Firearms training comes in handy.

Nicky: Why should we risk taking you on missions?

Harriet: It goes with the job. I serve Queen and Country, just like you.

Emily: What do you call The Queen?

Harriet: I would not call her Lizzy. A nuclear bomb would be safer than calling her Lizzy. I call her, Your Majesty.

Emily: She is your cousin.

Harriet: She is The Queen.

Nicky: A cousin of The Queen is an Intelligence Officer at MI6.

Harriet; And a member of The Famous Five.

Emily: So you really are a Stuffy Shirt?

Harriet: I am the stuffiest of Stuffy Shirts.

So now you know my story.

I will make you a deal, Nicky. You tell me your story and I will take you to meet The Queen. Not just a five (5) second Hello. I will give you the full deal.

But you tell me your story. All of it.

Nicky: You will not believe my story.

Harriet: Tell it to me anyway.

Nicky (Took a deep breath): "I am a time traveller from the year 2025. I am an MI6 agent from 2025, who has been transported in time back to 1962.

The first person I killed here, the one that interrupted my Saturday breakfast at The Minor Key Café, I knew to be a very dangerous Iron Curtain assassin and if I took him out when I did, I would stop him from killing a lot of people.

Once I killed him, I realised the difficulty I created for myself about my presence here and my knowledge. So I concocted the story about him being a creep.

My story is I am a time traveller from 2025. A time-travelling 2025 MI6 spy.

Now you know. You are the only two people who know, apart from me."

Harriet: That is a better story than being a cousin of The Queen.

Emily: I am not so sure about that.

Time-travel explains your scatterbrain moments, Nicky.

I do not have a story and certainly not one that can compete with you two.

Harriet: A time-traveller. I am probably not going to tell that to The Queen.

Nicky: You do not need a story, Emily. Your story is fine as it is.

Emily: This certainly is an unexpected turn of events.

Harriet: Time-Traveller, Would you and Miss Abernathy like to adjourn for lunch?

Nicky: Definitely, Lady Harriet.

Emily: I may drink a pot of tea myself.

Harriet: Lunch it is, then.

Rhiannon Roles Away The Stone

The reckoning for Rhiannon came in circumstances she did not expect. Every time she walked on the footpath outside her Tea Drinking Club she thought of M2 taking out the Problem Tea Drinker. Every time, without fail. It haunted her. There were a couple of days where she could not bring herself to go to work. Every subsequent day got harder and harder to go to work.

A small record store in her neighbourhood had a job advertisement posted on the store window. Rhiannon approached the store owner and said she would like to apply for the job, even though she had no previous experience working in a record store or in retail. Mrs 40Something Record Store Owner said she was not troubled by that apparent lack of experience. The two women spent quite a bit of time talking about music.

Mrs 40Something: If you are prepared to come back here tomorrow, just before closing time, I will show you what is required of the job, once the store is closed. If that works out, the job is yours.

Rhiannon: Thank you. I will be here.

The meeting ended and Rhiannon left the record store.

The following day Rhiannon returned to the record store, as arranged. She was hopeful, rather than confident. Mrs 40Something was welcoming and patient. Meeting number two went surprisingly well and at the end, Mrs 40Something said to Rhiannon: “The job is yours, if you want it.”

Rhiannon: I definitely want the job.

Mrs 40Something: Welcome to the music industry. You can start Monday morning at 8:30 am.

Rhiannon: Thank you.

As Mrs 40Something closed the record store door behind Rhiannon, Rhiannon could no longer hold back her tears. She was not concerned about the modest pay that came with the job, Rhiannon had what she needed, a chance of a new life.

This was the best Rhiannon had felt for some time.

When she started her record store job, Rhiannon had fewer problems than she thought might be the case. The small store and modest customer base helped Rhiannon acclimatise to her new job. Two weeks into that new job, Rhiannon contacted her Tea Drinking Club and informed them she would no longer be working for them.

The Minor Key Café

On a Saturday morning three months into her new job, Rhiannon walked past the Minor Key Café and saw Nicky Parsons apparently dining alone. Rhiannon made haste to her record store, which was located not all that far away. She purchased a copy of the 1961 album by The Miles Davis Sextet, Someday My Prince Will Come and hustled back to the Minor Key Café.

She entered the café and made her way to the Nicky Parsons table.

Rhiannon: Do you mind if I join you?

Nicky Parsons barely interrupted her eating, but gestured to a seat at her table.

Rhiannon sat in that seat.

Rhiannon: How are you?

Parsons: Still doing my dirty job.

Rhiannon: How is M2 doing?

Parsons: Really? How is M2 doing?

Rhiannon: Yes. I want him to be OK.

Parsons: Perhaps you should have given greater credence to those thoughts when you first met him.

Rhiannon: I have something I would like you to give him from me.

Parsons: Haven’t you done enough damage?

Rhiannon: It is a record of the 1961 album by The Miles Davis Sextet, Someday My Prince Will Come from the record shop where I now work.

Parsons: Someday My Prince Will Come?

Rhiannon: I no longer work at the Tea Drinking Club. I now work at a small record store not far from here. My new employer was kind enough to not ask questions about my past.

Parsons: A convenient transition to a new life for you.

Rhiannon; Not an easy one. The epiphany could not have occurred without meeting you.

I want M2 to be OK. Can you give him the record, please?

Parsons: You ask a lot. I am not sure you give much in return.

Rhiannon: If you will not give M2 the record, keep it for yourself. The gift is sincere.

I will now leave you to your meal.

It is good to see you, Nicky.

Rhiannon then got out of her chair and just before she turned to leave the café, she said to Nicky: Someday My Prince Will Come, Nicky. Someday My Prince Will Come.

As Nicky Parsons watched Rhiannon leave the café and then she finished her meal, Nicky was not sure what to make of Rhiannon. She left the record on the table while she finished her meal and she took it home with her when she was finished.

Harriet Goes To The Rhiannon Record Store

A few weeks later, early on a Tuesday afternoon Agent Harriet wandered into the Rhiannon Record Store. Harriet and Rhiannon were the only people in the store at the time.

Rhiannon: Good afternoon, Miss.

Harriet looked at Rhiannon and immediately recognised her.

Rhiannon: This is where I work now. Permanently. You are a friend of Nicky Parsons and Emily Abernathy. Please do not leave, Miss. Please stay and talk to me.

Harriet: Perhaps I should stay here and shoot you.

Rhiannon: You think about doing that, Miss, while I talk to you.

Harriet: What happened to the Tea Drinkers Club?

Rhiannon: I left that job when I got this job. A deliberate choice on my part.

Harriet: You are no longer a tea drinker?

Rhiannon: My tea drinking is now confined to purely your kind of tea drinking.

Harriet: A record store.

Rhiannon: My employer was kind enough to not ask questions about my past. This is my new life. It is a better life.

Miss, Please tell how M2 is. I want him to be OK.

Harriet: M2 is getting better. Still a particularly good shot and quite ruthless. Good qualities to have in our line of work.

Rhiannon: Miss, I could give you any number of gifts and ask you to pass them on to M2 from me. Perhaps you would pass them on, perhaps not. What I would really like is to see M2 again.

Harriet: That is quite some request.

Rhiannon: Perhaps you could invite him to this shop for me. You could come with him. You and your firearm.

Put your firearm away for the time being, Miss. Save it for when you return with M2. If the meeting goes badly, use your firearm and end this misery for everyone.

Alternatively, you could have some faith and believe I only want happiness for M2 and I want to be part of that happiness.

I have made plenty of mistakes, Miss. More than I care to count. I cannot erase my past. I can only try to have a better future.

Please invite M2 here for me, Miss.

Harriet: I will do what I think is best for M2. I have to return to work.

Rhiannon: Thank you for coming into the shop, Miss. And thank you for talking to me. Have a nice day, Miss.

Harriet Takes M2 To The Record Store

One Wednesday morning just over a month later, Harriet went to visit M2 in his office.

Harriet: I want you to come with me to a small record shop in the neighbourhood of Nicky Parsons.

M2: A record shop on a Wednesday morning?

Harriet: Sometimes that is the best time to go.

M2: OK.

Harriet: I have my coat and handbag. Let’s go now.

There was almost no conversation between Harriet and M2 en route to the Rhiannon Record Store, even during the short train ride.

As they approached the Rhiannon Record Shop, M2 said: Would you mind telling me what this is about?

Harriet: It is best we wait until we get to the record shop.

As Harriet opened the door for M2 and her to enter the shop, it was clear Rhiannon was the only other person in the store.

A happy, but nervous Rhiannon greeted them: Good morning, Miss. Good morning, M2. How are you?

M2 to Harriet: Did you know about this?

Harriet: It is why you are here. I will stay here by the door. Just listen to what she has to say. Then we can discuss my punishment.

Rhiannon: Please do not leave, M2. This is where I now work. You can come in and look at and listen to records any time you like. No more Tea Drinking Club for me. I am an ordinary record shop girl now. My boss was kind enough to not ask me about my past. This is now my future. I get to listen to a lot of records.

Please tell me you are OK, M2. Please tell me you are OK and that you will come back to my record shop.

M2 said to Harriet: You knew about this?

Harriet: There were some rules. I would do what I thought was in your best interests. I resisted my initial reaction to kill her. I might be wrong about her. You may have a chance at happiness with her and if that is your wish, I will not stand in your way. If she is shining you on, I will kill her. My desire to kill her is not as important as your happiness.

It is not for me to say what you should do. You choose and I will respect you choice.

There are other record stores around. You do not need to shop in this one, although I could understand why you might want to.

Rhiannon: I can barely stand up right now, M2. Please say you will come back and see me again.

M2: I am not sure what to make of either of you.

Harriet: I can live with your disappointment in me. You would not be the first man I have disappointed. The only way I could resolve this for me was to get you here as I have done, so you two could confront your situation. I could not justify denying you the possible opportunity of happiness, based only on my assessment Rhiannon. You may be more forgiving than me, M2. You are certainly a better sniper.

Rhiannon: I would prefer that the two of you stayed here, but if you have to return to work, I understand. I hope you will come back again, especially you, M2. More than anything, I hope you will come back again.

Harriet: I am going to return to work. If you want to return independent of me, that is perfectly understandable, M2.

As Harriet left the store she thought it best if she gave M2 some space, so she caught a bus back to MI6.

As Harriet left the store, Rhiannon could see M2 was preparing to leave also. She made her way to the Miles Davis records and selected a copy of Someday My Prince Will Come. She then walked over to M2.

Rhiannon: “Before you go, M2, I have a gift for you.” She then gave him the copy of Someday My Prince Will Come.

“Thank you for coming M2. It has been good to see you. You are a good man. Please come back, M2.”

M2 took the record, said “Thank you, Rhiannon” and left the store. He then returned to MI6.

Some Day Her Prince Will Come

Not 5 minutes after M2 returned from the Rhiannon Record Shop encounter, Nicky Parsons was in his office with the Someday My Prince Will Come album Rhiannon gave her to give to M2.

Nicky: I have been wrestling with this for some time. I have no idea what the correct thing to do is. I have killed a lot of people in my time, a lot of people. Killing people is far easier than this. Rhiannon approached me one Saturday morning some time ago in a café near my home. She gave me this record and asked me to give it to you.

Nicky Parsons then produced the Someday My Prince Will Come album and gave it to M2.

M2 then produced the copy of the album Rhiannon had given him at her record store.

M2: “You women need to better coordinate your approaches. I have just returned from the Rhiannon record store, with Harriet, where Rhiannon gave me this copy of the album.

I hope I am never part of a mission you planned that is this uncoordinated.”

Nicky: Oh. This is embarrassing. I do not profess to be an expert at this. Like I said earlier, killing people is much easier. Rhiannon said she wanted to see you again. My immediate reaction was I should just kill Rhiannon, but I resisted that temptation.

M2: That is the story Harriet told me in the Rhiannon Record Shop about two hours ago when she had her earlier encounter with Rhiannon.

Nicky: I am much more comfortable advising and planning on killing people than doing this.

I have no idea what you should do. We do a dirty job. It takes its toll on us. If you can find happiness, that is worth pursuing. If Rhiannon can bring you happiness, I have no intention of standing in your way. Killing her solves a problem, but it may not be the correct solution. You have done a lot for Queen and Country. Do this one for you. Do what you think is best for you.

M2: Not sure that was the advice I expected to hear from you.

Nicky: The best I can realistically offer you is, if it goes wrong, we will kill her.

Do what you think is best for you, M2. You deserve to be happy.

M2: Probably a good idea I did not kill you the day I gave you the Mission Report. It was very tempting.

Nicky: I certainly appreciate you exercising restraint on that occasion.

You are a good man, M2. Do what you think makes you happy.

I am going to return to my office.

The following day, after a thoroughly unproductive work effort, M2 left work early and made his way to the train station. Records were on his mind. When he got off the train at the Nicky Parsons stop, he made his way to a café near the Rhiannon Record Store.

He watched the store as closing time approached. M2 watched Rhiannon put up her Closed sign, as he walked across the road towards her shop. As Rhiannon stepped on to the footpath, M2 was on the footpath outside her record store.

Rhiannon could not contain herself when she saw M2: “You came”, she exclaimed, with not a care in the world that anyone might hear her. She then essentially threw herself at M2.

With Rhiannon in his arms, M2 was not concerned at all about what anyone else might think.

Rhiannon: I have something very important to tell you, M2.

Rhiannon then put a big smooch on his cheek.

Eventually M2 returned to the café across the road from the record store with Rhiannon, where they stayed until closing time demanded they leave.

Rhiannon had been given her second chance. It was up to her to ensure she did not blow it a second time.

Russian Caravan

The Minor Key Café

Nicky Parsons and Emily Abernathy were having morning tea at the Minor Key Café. As they were enjoying their tea and muffins, they were approached by a well dressed, well presented, attractive young woman.

“You ladies seem to appreciate the delights of drinking tea. Do you mind if I join you? My preference is English Breakfast, although I have consumed my share of Earl Grey.”

Nicky and Emily looked at each other perplexed. Nicky replied: Take a seat.

The Guest continued: You ladies do not look like you have much of a taste for Russian Caravan. In my work, I have intermittent contact with a Mr 40Something who has quite the taste for Russian Caravan tea. I do not like to disappoint him. He pays well. So I am always well stocked in Russian Caravan. Mr Russian Caravan also has an interesting accent. I thought he may interest you. Is there somewhere we can go to discuss you keeping an eye on Mr Russian Caravan, or are you happy to continue the discussion here?

Emily: Miss, I think you may have confused us with someone else.

Guest: Your modesty is understandable. I do not make a fuss about my job. It tends to have unpleasant consequences when the fuss happens. I watched your friend take out a rather nasty chap one Saturday morning many, many months ago, in the alley beside this café. I am well aware you two ladies are not secretaries. Good shooting at the street festival, by the way.

I do not mean to be rude, ladies. Are you interested in Mr Russian Caravan? I can let you know when he is next scheduled to attend my work, so you know who to watch. Or should I go away and not bother you further?

Nicky: Yours is an interesting proposition. You provide us with a potential target, but we are not to compromise you or your place of work. Your proposal seems to be resplendent with potential for collateral damage. Assuming we are able to photograph this chap coming and going from your Tea Drinking Club, there is no guarantee others will not become aware of your Tea Drinking Club in the process.

Emily: Once the photographs are on our files, they are on our files. They are evidence for use as the situation demands.

Guest: This Tea Drinking Club is very different to the one where I work

Nicky: I am not disposed to discourage you from drinking tea here.

Guest: I am happy to stick to English Breakfast and Earl Grey and not rain on your parade with Russian Caravan. I have also been known to consume the occasional scone.

Emily: My proposal is that we give you our work contact details and you give us your home contact details, as well as the location of your Tea Drinking Club. We will try to minimise any collateral damage.

After producing a blank piece of writing paper and a pen from her handbag, the guest proceeded to write down her home contact details, as well as the location and contact details of her Tea Drinking Club.

Guest: You can write your relevant details on the bottom half of the paper I used, cut the paper in half and then everyone will be happy.

Once the contact details were swapped, the Guest again spoke: Thank you, ladies. It has been lovely meeting you and I will trouble you no further today.

As she was rising from her chair to leave, the guest said:

“By the way, Agent Abernathy, although I was not there to witness it, my guess is that you are the lady who put fabric softener in the pot of tea of a couple of Iron Curtain trouble makers.

Enjoy the rest of your day, ladies.”

The guest then left the Minor Key Café.

Would You Stay If She Promised You Heaven?

Nicky Parsons introduced M2 to the Tea Drinking Club escort and temporarily left their company. M2 was rather taken by her beauty and how she presented.

M2 to the Escort: “I am going to let you deal with the ladies. And I am going to call you Rhiannon, because with you, I would never win.”

Nicky Parsons returned to them promptly.

M2: I will leave you ladies to it. Please excuse me.

The Escort: I just had an unusual exchange with M2. He said: “I am going to call you Rhiannon, because with you, I would never win.”

Nicky Parsons smiled and said to herself: Rhiannon. Will you ever win?

Nicky then asked the escort: Do you think he would stay if you promised him heaven?

The Escort looked perplexed.

Nicky: It is OK. I will take care of it. And as uncomfortable as it may be for you, I quite like the idea of calling you Rhiannon.

Problem at The Tea Drinking Club

In the process of researching and surveilling Mr Russian Caravan, M2 learned that Rhiannon was having a problem with a male she knew through her Tea Drinking Club. Rhiannon chose not to tell Nicky Parsons about him. M2 added the Problem Tea Drinker to his surveillance list. M2 became very familiar with the routine of Mr Problem Tea Drinker. So much so, he set up a sniper room almost directly across the road from the Tea Drinking Club.

2:00 am was approaching and Mr Problem Tea Drinker was the only person walking on the footpath in the vicinity of the Tea Drinking Club. M2 had Mr Problem Tea Drinker in the sight off his sniper rifle.

M2 said: “For Queen and Country” and put two clean shot rounds in the forehead of Mr Problem Tea Drinker, who promptly fell to the ground. His tea drinking days were over.

M2 then packed up his sniper kit and left his sniper room. Once he was on the footpath, he found a public telephone booth and called the situation in to MI6. He told them to send a clean up team to the Tea Drinking Club.

M2 then returned to MI6 and completed his Mission Report. He did not go home. He got some small patches of unsatisfactory sleep in his office.

As soon as Nicky Parsons arrived at work, she was surprised to see M2 waiting in her office with his completed Mission Report.

M2 spoke to Nicky: “There are some days when I really do not like you. The things you make me do. Rhiannon had a problem at her Tea Drinking Club. I took care of it. For Queen and Country. Here is my Mission Report. I will never win.”

M2 then left the office of Nicky Parsons.

It is accurate to say that Nicky Parsons was in shock. She shut the door to her office. Reading the M2 Mission Report would have to wait until she processed what she just heard.

Three M2 statements just kept playing on repeat for her:

• There are some days when I really do not like you.

• The things you make me do.

• I will never win.

After about 20 minutes Nicky recovered enough of her equilibrium to telephone Emily and asked her to come to her office.

Emily attended without delay and when she arrived she was greeted by something she had never previously encountered, a clearly shaken and distressed Nicky Parsons.

Nicky immediately said to Emily: Can you read this Mission Report, please. There is no way I can read it.

Emily: “Certainly”. And she took the Mission Report from Nicky to read.

The silence in the room while Emily read the report seemed strange.

It did not take Emily long to read the report.

Emily: Did you know Rhiannon had a problem with a Tea Drinker at her Tea Drinking Club?

Nicky: This is news to me. I know M2 is very upset, and that is putting it mildly.

Emily: M2 took care of the problem Tea Drinker.

Nicky: The one person in all of MI6 that you do not want to have to take care of a problem for Rhiannon, was the person who would do the job best. He warned me. He said he would never win. He wanted out because he knew she would never deliver the heaven she promised. Queen and Country made him stay. And he did his duty, even though it was crushing for him.

Emily: M2 took out a problem that had no connection to the Iron Curtain.

Nicky: M2 took out a threat to an MI6 information source.

Emily: This is not a controversial Mission Report. No further work flows from it. It can just be filed away in the vault.

Nicky: Good. No more reports on M2 from this. No doctors, We will have to try to help M2 deal with this situation with as little external fuss as possible.

Emily: How are you feeling?

Nicky: Glad you are here.

The Boss

Within seconds of that conversation, the Boss entered the office of Nicky Parsons. He then closed the door and stood with his back to the door.

The Boss: “Do not misunderstand my stance and positioning, ladies. I merely do not want us to be interrupted.

M2 taking care of the problem tea drinker is not the problem. The damage done to M2 in taking care of the problem tea drinker is the problem.

By the look of Nicky Parsons, I would say that you two ladies are well aware of the situation.

Some considerable time ago you two agents went on a mission with a very raw M1. Afterwards I suggested M2 spend some time with M1 and help him come to terms with what he had just experienced.

I suspect healing M2 will take considerably more than spending some quiet café time with one or more of The Famous Five. Especially as Rhiannon seems to be an ongoing information source.”

Emily: How do you know all this?

The Boss: “You two ladies are not the only enigmas in this organisation.

Healing M2 will take some time. Please let me know if you need any help with that healing process.

Emily, I think Nicky would benefit from not being at MI6 today. Take your time. No need to rush. Perhaps you could telephone my secretary every hour or so to see whether there have been any developments or your attendance is required.

I think I will return to my office now. I have faith in you, ladies.”

The boss then returned to his office.

M1

M1 spent the day going over all the information MI6 had on Mr Russian Caravan, again. The evidence was clear. He was an innocent man. A Russian now living in London, who very simply genuinely enjoys Russian Caravan tea. He also was a single man who happened to be a client of Rhiannon the escort. His employment was irrelevant. He was not involved in activities that were in any way a threat to the United Kingdom.

By about 3:00 pm M1 had located the contact details of Rhiannon and telephoned her at her home: “You should come and see me. You can be here by 4:00 pm. There is no reason for you to be late. We will find somewhere where we can chat without unnecessary eyes and ears.

4:00 pm.  Do not be late. If your desire is to be late, I can help you out with that. 4:00 pm.”

Rhiannon was a little unsettled by that telephone call, but not enough to risk being late for her 4:00 pm meeting. When she arrived at MI6, she was promptly greeted by M1.

M1: Let’s go for a walk. I know a park that is lovely this time of day.

That greeting did little to balance the equilibrium of Rhiannon, but she was not about to test her luck with M1, so she complied with his request.

The walk to the park occurred in silence, apart from the sounds of the city.

Once they arrived at the park, Rhiannon could see they were the only humans present and the birds had little interest in them.

M1: “Your mojo does not work on me. I work with three beautiful women and there are several more on staff. Killers with killer looks. The things I have done for them.”

There was no chance of the Rhiannon equilibrium stabilising now.

M1 continued: “I have reviewed all the information we have on your Mr Russian Caravan. The evidence is clear. He is an innocent man. A Russian now living in London, whose only crime could be said to be he genuinely enjoys Russian Caravan tea. I am not sure enjoying Russian Caravan tea is a crime.

Your man happens to be single and one of your Tea Drinking clients. His employment is irrelevant. He was not involved in anything that was in any way a threat to the United Kingdom.

What you did not tell us was that you had a problem with another Tea Drinker at your Tea Drinking Club. We took care of your problem for you. More particularly, M2 took care of your problem for you.

You can consider that service we provided to you as payment for your information provision services. You ended up a long way in front on that deal.

All things considered, it seems a good time for you to retire from the vocation of providing information to MI6. Your welfare and well-being can then be a problem for someone else.

We did not need to put Mr Russian Caravan on our books. We did it because of you and now we know far too much about an innocent man.

M2 then took care of your problem because you were providing information to us. A good man was crushed because of your false alarm.

M2 should never have met you.”

This was completely unexpected by Rhiannon and her unbalanced equilibrium was making comprehending all this information more difficult.

M1: There is nothing you can do to repair the damage you have caused to M2. The best thing you can do is leave and not subject him to more of your damage.

If you are having trouble processing this information, tell me something positive you have provided to us.

Rhiannon offered nothing in reply.

M1: Yours is a starless sky, Rhiannon. Upon my return to MI6, I intend to inform them of your retirement from providing information to us. MI6 thanks you for your service. You are now free to return to promising heaven and never delivering, but without the support and protection of MI6.

As M1 turned and made his way back to MI6, Rhiannon stood dead still, unable to move or speak. It took Rhiannon just under ten minutes to leave the park and commence her very uncomfortable journey home. 

Mission Report Curiosity

Shortly after the multi-faceted adventure that was the street festival in her neighbourhood, Emily read a mission report from another team and something seemed off about it to her. The report included a reference to an Iron Curtain bad guy who appeared elsewhere in intelligence material she had read. He was not dealt with in any significant way by that mission report.

Emily telephoned Harriet and invited her to her office so they might compare intelligence information. In short compass Harriet was in the office of Emily reading the subject mission report and perusing the accompanying photographs.

At least one of the photographs stood out for Harriet. She recognised the man to whom Emily was referring as a companion to the Iron Curtain bad guy they took down at the street festival.

Harriet suggested they adjourn to her office, where there was more material she thought was relevant.

Emily agreed and once they were in Harriet’s office, Harriet produced some photographs from her intelligence resources, which identified the bad guy they were discussing.

Their new Iron Curtain Bad Guy target was not an obvious problem on the day of the street festival, but the new information from Emily brought him to their attention now.

Emily and Harriet agreed this new Iron Curtain Bad Guy may be a current problem they need to look at and perhaps subject to some surveillance. So they put together an Intelligence Briefing that Harriet would deliver to the MI6 agents in the next day or so.

Intelligence Briefing

The following afternoon Harriet told the gathered MI6 agents this was one of her unusual Intelligence Briefings. A new target had appeared on her radar and she was providing information about him. She requested any information the agents may have on him to also be provided to her.

Harriet told her intelligence briefing the new Iron Curtain Bad Guy was a Disaffected Intellect.

• He presented as an individual holding himself out to be an intellectual.

• His real danger lay in his calculated efforts to identify, cultivate, and recruit disaffected individuals within Western society.

• Those might include disillusioned academics, disgruntled civil servants, or ex-military personnel – people with access, knowledge, or influence who feel alienated.

• His ultimate objective was to erode Western institutions from within, creating long-term, homegrown threats that are insidious and deeply damaging, rather than obvious external aggressions.

• He was a quiet infiltrator, using persuasion and ideology to turn internal vulnerabilities into potent weapons for the Iron Curtain Communists.

It was necessary to observe him initially, so his organisation could be infiltrated and then dismantled, preventing the problem from appearing elsewhere.

After the Intelligence Briefing Agent Harriet was approached, in company with Agent Emily, by a member of the team who submitted the subject mission report. He said he had more photographs that did not make the mission report, as well as other bits and pieces. Agent Harriet asked him to bring all that material to her office and she and Agent Emily would go through it, to see if any of it was helpful.

Within 10 minutes the three agents were in the office of Agent Harriet going through the new material. Emily noticed a flyer advertising a private film showing in a local Community Hall in Hard Bop Circle, taking place in less than two weeks. That flyer quickly became the focus of their discussion. It seemed MI6 might have a concrete, time-sensitive operational target.

Harriet: Those film events often are used as recruitment ploys.

Emily: I might make some enquiries to see who owns or manages the Community Hall.

Harriet to her male agent colleague: “It is very early in the investigation, but this looks like it might become a raid on the night of the film event. My guess is it would involve your team and the Nicky Parsons team, which includes Emily and me. If you or your team have any other material about our new target, I would be grateful if you provide it to me. I will let you go back to your office and Emily and I will keep looking into this.”

Their male colleague then returned to his office.

Emily: Harriet, While you were chatting to our colleague, I telephoned the Hard Bop Circle Community Hall. It is run by the Hard Bop Circle Charitable Trust, not the local council. If I want to hire the hall for an event, their procedure dictates that the key to the hall is only picked up on the day of the event.

Harriet: Perhaps you and I could pay them a visit and see what their booking records reveal. As far as I know, those types of venues maintain records of bookings for financial and organizational purposes. I suspect if our target wanted to rent their hall, he would be required to make a proper booking with a formal application. Therefore there is likely to be a paper trail.

Emily: Good idea. Tomorrow morning we can take a trip to Hard Bop Circle.

It turned out the Hard Bop Circle Community Hall administration were very happy to help two lovely young ladies from the government, who were just checking to see if the correct booking records were being kept.

To the surprise of Emily and Harriet, their new target, Mr Disaffected Intellectual, had used his real name and address to book the Community Hall. The agents were grateful he decided to be so helpful.

MI6 Surveillance and Raid Planning

Upon their return to the office, Emily and Harriet rang Nicky Parsons and invited her to Harriet’s office for chat about their new target. She accepted the invitation and promptly attended.

Agent Parsons liked their idea of surveilling Mr Disaffected Intellectual at his home, as well as at the Hard Bop Circle Community Hall on the day of the proposed film event. She also liked their idea of watching the collection of the key to the premises from the Hard Bop Circle Community Hall administration centre.

Discussion then moved on to whether raiding the film event was a viable option. A two team raid was proposed: the team who submitted the mission report that started the enquiry and The Famous Five, led by Nicky Parsons.

Assuming all went to plan with the discussed proposal, once Mr Disaffected Intellectual was secured at his recruitment event disguised as a film night, his residence could be raided and see what material he kept there.

Harriet then invited the members of both teams to a meeting room, where the proposed surveillance of Mr Disaffected Intellectual and the raid of the film event and his residence, led by Agent Parsons was discussed. There was no objection offered to either the surveillance or the raids.

Emily proposed that another MI6 team be recruited specifically to surveill the residence of Mr Disaffected Intellectual. That would leave the current two teams to concentrate on the film event raid. The new team could liaise with Agent Harriet, as necessary, regarding their progress.

The room agreed with the Emily proposal.

Agreement having been reached, Emily proposed that residential surveillance commence immediately (or as soon as the new team could get organised).

Agent Harriet was already on the telephone inviting the leader of the proposed new team to their meeting. And in less than 10 minutes Agent Harriet was briefing him on the proposed surveillance mission. He assured Harriet his team was ready to go immediately.

Harriet told the room:

• She would adjourn to her office with the team leader to arrange the surveillance mission of the Mr Disaffected Intellectual residence; and

• Agent Emily would take over the further discussion of the film night raid.

Emily: “Can the Mission Report team shortly attend the film event venue, the Hard Bop Circle Community Hall, and familiarise yourselves with it and its surrounds? It would be helpful to know the entry points and exit points. And if any of the surrounding buildings present complications.

We have only a short period of time before this film event. Let us use that time wisely.”

Team Leader: Sure. We can go tomorrow morning and commence our assessment of the venue and the neighbourhood. Unless there are objections?

His Team: No objections.

Emily: “This is a summary of our proposed mission:

• Surveillance of the Mr Disaffected Intellectual residence.

• Watching the collection of the key to the Community Hall premises from the Hard Bop Circle Community Hall administration centre on the day of the film event.

• Raiding the film event at the Hard Bop Circle Community Hall.

• Raiding the residence of Mr Disaffected Intellectual and see what material he kept there.

If there are any new developments, can you please promptly inform Agent Harriet and / or me. OK. I think we are done for the moment. Thank you, everyone.”

The meeting ended and the agents returned to their offices.

Agent Harriet Updates

After the first day of surveillance on the Mr Disaffected Intellectual residence, the team leader had a conversation with Agent Harriet.

Relevantly, he reported: Mr Disaffected Intellectual lived alone in a semi-detached house in Hard Bop Circle. He had no visitors. There was good street access to the front of the premises via a driveway.

Harriet: That is very helpful information. The plan is to raid that residence after the raid on the film event is complete. There is every reason to believe that your team will also be the raid team for those premises and Mr Disaffected Intellectual is unlikely to be present for your raid.

Team Leader: Thank you. I will keep that information in mind as we continue our surveillance.

He then returned to his office.

Later that day the Mission Report Team leader gave Agent Harriet an overview of their observations of the Hard Bop Circle Community Hall:

• "The surrounding buildings presented no apparent complications.

• Rectangle shaped building.

• A back entrance to the hall and a laneway access to the rear of the premises.

• A front entrance to the hall and a street that provided access to the front of the premises.

• A side door on each side of the hall, but no complicating side laneways.

I will put this information in a short memorandum to you, so you can include the information in your Mission Folder."

Agent Harriet: Obviously all those entry / exit points will need to be covered during the film event raid.

The Mission Report Team Leader agreed.

Agent Harriet: I like your team for providing the personnel to watch the collection of the key to the Community Hall premises from the Hard Bop Circle Community Hall administration centre on the day of the film event. Do you have any thoughts to the contrary?

Mission Report Team Leader: No.

Harriet: I think it would be helpful if we took photographs of that key collection, as best we can. We can use them when we chat to Mr Disaffected Intellectual after the raids.

Mission Report Team Leader: I will have my photographer as one of that small surveillance team.

Harriet: Thank you for your update. The planning of this mission seems to be moving along productively.

The Mission Report Team Leader then returned to his office.

Film Event Day

First thing on the day of the scheduled film event Agent Harriet gathered all the teams in an MI6 meeting room and went over the plan for the raids.

Harriet: "I have prepared a Mission Folder for each of you. Today is the day for Mr Disaffected Intellectual. Let it be the day we put an end to his Iron Curtain recruitment program.

• The Mr Disaffected Intellectual Residence Surveillance Team will also be the team that raids his residence.

• The Mission Report Team will watch the collection of the key to the Community Hall premises from the Hard Bop Circle Community Hall administration centre and then proceed to the film event to join the raid.

• That key will only be available for collection after 4:00 pm today.

• The raid on the film event at the Hard Bop Circle Community Hall will involve The Famous Five and the Mission Report Team. It will be led by Agent Nicky Parsons.

• I have recruited a dedicated MI6 Telephone Mission Coordinator for this mission. Once the Community Hall access key is collected, have a team member telephone the Coordinator, so we know how the mission is progressing.

• Likewise, once the film event raid has been effected, have a team member telephone the Coordinator, so the Residence Raid Team will know they can commence their raid.

• I expect the photographer from the Mission Report Team will have a busy afternoon and evening.

Are there any questions?"

No questions were forthcoming.

Harriet: "OK. I will let you return to your offices. Your team leaders will let you know when your time has arrived. Thank you, agents, and good luck."

The agents then returned to their offices.

The Residence Surveillance and Raid Team then met to go over the Mission Folder contents and confirm their raid plan. Their meeting was not very long and they then resumed their residence surveillance.

Shortly prior to 4:00 pm the Mission Report Team was in place to watch the collection of the key to the Community Hall premises from the Hard Bop Circle Community Hall administration centre. By 4:25 pm their photographer was busy photographing Mr Disaffected Intellectual as he attended to collect the key. The collection was also observed by a team member, who was inside the premises at the time. 

Once their target exited the administration centre, a team member telephoned the MI6 Telephone Mission Coordinator to confirm that the key had been collected.

The Film Event Raid

The Mission Report Team then proceed to the film event to join the raid.

Once they arrived at the venue there was a logistics conversation with Nicky Parsons and The Famous Five:

• M1 would cover the Rear Entrance with a Mission Report Team member.

• Emily and Harriet would each cover a side entrance, partnered with a Mission Report Team member.

• Nicky Parsons, M2 and the remaining Mission Report Team would cover the front entrance.

The 6:00 pm event start was approaching. The MI6 agents moved in to position.

By 6:00 pm five (5) people had arrived at the film event, other than Mr Disaffected Intellectual. By 6:10 pm the lights in the Community Hall were turned off and the film commenced.

The MI6 agents waited ten (10) more minutes before they launched their raid. Their breach of the premises was silent and swift. Mr Disaffected Intellectual was an easy grab for the armed MI6 agents. He was at the rear of proceedings operating the film projector.

With all the armed MI6 agents by that stage in the Community Hall, the lights were turned on and the five (5) apparent film fans were subdued and handcuffed, without resistance.

A Mission Report Team member then went to the public telephone booth on the footpath outside the Community Hall and telephoned the MI6 Telephone Mission Coordinator to confirm that the film event raid occurred without a hitch.

The five (5) prospective recruits in attendance at the film event were promptly taken to MI6 headquarters.

As was Mr Disaffected Intellectual, who was about to commence his enjoyment of the MI6 hospitality program for Iron Curtain sympathisers and agents.

Raid On The Residence of Mr Disaffected Intellectual

Around 6:40 pm a member of the Residence Raid Team telephoned the Mission Coordinator at MI6. He was told the film event raid went down without a hitch. The planned residence raid could now go ahead.

The raid then took place. Mr Disaffected Intellectual had an unsecured office at his residence, where he seemed to do his recruitment work. The raid team found lots of interesting bits and pieces in that office and they were taken for more intense consideration back at MI6 headquarters.

Of greatest interest to the MI6 agents from the raid was a book Mr Disaffected Intellectual seemed to use to write down the names and addresses of all the people he contacted with a view to recruiting them.

MI6 Headquarters

When they returned to MI6 headquarters Agent Harriet told the Mission Report Team leader any future work that derived from what became known as The Recruiting Ledger, would be the responsibility of the Mission Report Team.

Agent Harriet told The Famous Five the entire mission had gone down without a hitch and the six (6) new friends of MI6 were currently enjoying MI6 custodial hospitality.

Agent Harriet: Well done, team.

Agent Parsons: Well done, team. Well done, Agent Harriet. That means it is time for food.

Agent Harriet: A meal, not just a snack.

Agent Emily: And several cups of tea.

M1: A meal.

M2: A meal.

Agent Parsons: The venue choice is yours, Agent Harriet.

Street Festival

Crosstown Shuffle

During her lunch break on Thursday, Agent Harriet attended a record store and purchased three (3) copies of the 1960 Lou Donaldson album The Time Is Right. When she returned to work, she telephoned both Agent Nicky Parsons and Agent Emily Abernathy. She told them she required them in her office immediately for a very important meeting.

There was no argument from her agent colleagues and they promptly attended her office.

Harriet: “Take a seat ladies, while I close the door.”

When she returned to her desk, Harriet located two (2) copies of The Time Is Right Lou Donaldson Album.

As Harriet presented the first copy to Agent Parsons she said: “Crosstown”.

As she presented the second copy to Agent Abernathy, she said: “Shuffle”.

The agents quietly took the record gifts, as Agent Harriet continued:

“Ladies, There is a street festival in the Emily neighbourhood on Saturday that requires our attendance.”

As Agent Harriet was speaking, Agent Parsons was also perusing her gift record. In reply she said: Track 6, Crosstown Shuffle. Nice work, Agent Harriet. I am in for Saturday.

Emily: Stuffy Shirts at my neighbourhood street festival. Count me in. And thank you for the record, Harriet.

Emily: Is meeting at my apartment at 11:00 am Saturday convenient, Ladies?

Nicky: Yes.

Harriet: I will do the Crosstown Shuffle.

Nicky: Excellent. And thank you for the record, Harriet.

Harriet: You are welcome, ladies. I bought a copy of the album for myself as well.

Emily: By the way, Agent Harriet. You were correct. This is a very important meeting.

Laughter then filled the room.

Emily Neighbourhood Street Festival

The Stuffy Shirts were having a very pleasant lunch at an outdoor café during the street festival in the Emily neighbourhood.

Harriet looked at the passing crowd and said: “I do not believe it.”

She then reached into her handbag and produced a photograph of a dangerous Iron Curtain assassin and placed it on the table, secured by her hand.

Nicky Parsons: (Somewhat exasperated) Really?

Harriet: Yes. Small work handbags, ladies.

Emily said: “Always come prepared” as she produced her firearm.

All three Stuffy Shirts then fixed their aim on the Iron Curtain Assassin.

Nicky Parsons: For Queen

Emily and Harriet: And Country. 

Six (6) rounds were then put into the Iron Curtain Assassin: Two (2)in his forehead and four (4)  in his chest. His street festival was over.

Harriet then went inside to the cafeteria staff and asked to use their telephone. She called the incident in to MI6 and requested an immediate clean up team. She then returned to the Stuffy Shirts.

Emily: You would think they could show some respect for our working hours.

Nicky: This guy was showing consideration, of sorts, for our taste for tea and muffins and the like.

Harriet: Still, a nice ambience at the street festival while we wait for our clean up colleagues to arrive.

Emily: It seems we need a fresh pot of tea.

The MI6 clean up crew arrived before the fresh pot of tea and the Stuffy Shirts filled them in on how the situation developed. The conversation was brief. The work of the clean up crew was swift and the Stuffy Shirts returned to their table just before the fresh pot of tea arrived.

Young Thief

Roughly 40 minutes later, a young thief was foolish enough to try to steal the handbag of one of the Stuffy Shirts. A man at a nearby table grabbed the thief and had a conversation with him.

“Put that back and get out of here. Do not mess with these ladies. They will kill you.”

The thief was not immediately persuaded.

Nicky Parsons then noticed the conversation and said: “A thief.”

Upon seeing and hearing Nicky Parsons, the man at the nearby table said “This will not end well for you, Mr Thief.”

Emily produced her firearm and shot the prospective thief in his right thigh.

Emily to the thief: “Just wait there until our colleagues arrive.”

Harriet: This looks like a volunteer for a human shield.

Nicky: Precisely what I was thinking. I will call in for transport for him.

Nicky then went to a nearby public telephone and called MI6 to request a transport team attend for their new found volunteer.

Nicky returned to the Stuffy Shirts and spoke to the thief: “We have an adventure for you. You will find out its details later.”

Emily: “When our colleagues arrive, they can treat your wound for you. No need to panic.”

Harriet: “The adventure will be memorable for you.”

Nicky Parsons greeted the MI6 transport crew before they arrived at the table with the Stuffy Shirts and the thief. The conversation was brief and the thief offered no resistance when he was taken into MI6 custody.

Harriet: When I heard the street festival was advertised as colourful, this was not what I had in mind.

Nicky: Emily told you previously her neighbourhood was colourful.

Emily: So long as this kind of colour arises only when either or both of you are here, it will be fine.

Monday Morning

When Nicky Parsons arrived at work Monday morning, Harriet, M1 and M2 were in her office.

Parsons: This is interesting.

Harriet: Obviously we are having a team meeting to organise a raid. Never let a human shield go to waste.

Nicky Parsons then telephoned Emily: Emily, Team meeting in my office, now.

Within five (5) minutes Emily was in the office of Nicky Parsons and the team meeting got underway.

Parsons: Agent Harriet, The floor is yours.

Harriet: There is a tailor shop in BeBop Circus that has a large contingent of Iron Curtain clients. My information is that three (3) particularly nasty chaps will be present at 3:00 pm today for a suit fitting.

Emily: So, an adventure for our degenerate thief friend?

Harriet: Precisely.

Harriet: I think this is a three (3) team raid. So Nicky might organise the other two (2) MI6 teams.

M2: Like the bookstore raid.

Harriet: Yes.

Parsons: Why not. Monday is a good day for an adventure.

Harriet: Conveniently, our degenerate thief is still being held in the cells downstairs in this building.

Emily: Wonderfully considerate of him.

M1: It seems no positional changes are needed, so M2 and I will be on equipment and driving duties.

Parsons:

• M1 and Agent Emily will cover the back entrance.

• M2, Agent Harriet, Mr Degenerate Thief and I will take the front entrance.

Harriet: I have prepared a Mission Folder, which you can all read before we meet back here at 1:30 pm.

Parsons: I will let you know if I have any trouble recruiting the two (2) extra MI6 teams. Otherwise, it is back here at 1:30 pm.

The team meeting then ended and the agents dispersed to their respective offices to read the contents of their Mission Folders and prepare for the raid.

Harriet also telephoned the custody agents holding Mr Degenerate Thief to let them know he was going on an adventure later that day. They assured Agent Harriet they would have him available for her.

The 1:30 pm Famous Five team meeting was brief. There were no hitches in their preparation for the raid. So it was off to the car park, collect the handcuffed Mr Degenerate Thief for his adventure and then make their way to the BeBop Circus tailor shop.

En route to the raid venue, there was no conversation in the motor vehicle. No one wanted to spoil the adventure surprise for Mr Degenerate Thief.

Upon their arrival, the agents alighted from the vehicle and put on their protective jackets.

It was about that time when Mr Degenerate Thief again heard the street festival man from a nearby table say to him: “This will not end well for you, Mr Thief.”

Instructions to the raid teams, including the two extra MI6 teams, from Agent Parsons were brief: “We all know the drill for this. Let’s go.”

Agent Parsons had one arm of Mr Degenerate Thief and M2 had the other. They were pulling him to the front door of the tailor shop.

As they paused at the front door, M2 spoke to Agent Parsons: “Happy to do this for you, Agent Parsons.”

Parsons: “As you wish, M2. Mr Degenerate Thief, You are enabling some on the job training.”

M2 grabbed Mr Degenerate Thief tightly and placed him in front of him.

M2 said: “This is your adventure and it will be memorable.”

M2 then breached the front door of the tailor shop with his colleagues behind him.

The response of the Iron Curtain assassins to the interruption to their suit fitting was predictable and unfriendly. They chose to greet the MI6 agents with gunfire.

M2 held Mr Degenerate Thief tightly in front of him. The adventure for Mr Degenerate Thief was about to reach its pinnacle. He took most of the gunfire from the Iron Curtain assassins, as the other MI6 agents fanned out and surrounded the assassins. M2 held his target well and having taken almost all of the gunfire from the assassins, there would be no more stealing for Mr Thief. His time had expired.

The trigger-happy Iron Curtain assassins being fitted for their suits did not expect a breach from the rear. A couple of well placed rounds to their calves saw them drop to the floor and neutralised. In no time at all the three (3) assassins were in handcuffs.

The raid went very smoothly. The Iron Curtain assassins were captured and Mr Thief got the adventure his behaviour deserved.

Nicky Parsons looked at the now dead body of Mr Degenerate Thief lying motionless on the floor and said: “Your friend at the street festival table was correct. This did not end well for you.”

Nicky Parsons: Good job, team. All of you.

Agent Harriet was already on the tailor shop telephone calling the raid situation in to MI6 and the clean up team would soon be in attendance.

Nicky Parsons spoke to the Iron Curtain assassins just before the MI6 clean up team took them away to MI6 headquarters: (Pointing to the now very dead Mr Degenerate Thief) “This is what happens to you, if you do not cooperate with us.”

The MI6 agents all made their way to their motor vehicles and returned to MI6 headquarters.

As they were driving back to MI6 headquarters, Agent Emily said: “Did someone say detour for a cup of tea and a bite to eat?”

Harriet: Indeed, they did.

M1: Yes.

M2: Absolutely.

Nicky: Detour for a cup of tea and a bite to eat it is, then.

Emily: Good job today, M2. You can choose our food venue.

Parsons: Good job, M2. Good job, everyone.

Shooting Range

Just over three weeks after the tailor shop raid, Agent Parsons held a Famous Five team meeting in her office.

Parsons: “How is everyone with their firearms training?

The reason I ask is the three Iron Curtain bad guys were captured at the tailor shop raid are apparently having memory problems and are not cooperating by providing MI6 with the information we want. I thought they could accompany us to the shooting range and we could help them with their memory lapses.”

M2: An important part of shooting training is to ensure you do not hit the wrong target. Having a live volunteer or three would be very useful for that practice.

Emily: Their presence could really help us focus on the targets.

Harriet: Very considerate of them to volunteer to help us with our firearms training.

M1: We do not want mistakes to occur when we go on missions. It is very helpful of them to volunteer to assist us with improving our skills.

Parsons: Can we go to the range today?

M2: Short of a mission, and happily we are light on them at the moment, this firearms training seems a priority.

Harriet: I just rang our custody people, the Iron Curtain bad guys are immediately available to accompany us to the MI6 shooting range, if that is our wish.

Parsons: OK. Can you collect your jackets and coats and be back here in 15 minutes.

M1: M2 and I have got the driving duties covered. No need to trouble any other MI6 agents.

As the three handcuffed Iron Curtain bad guys were being walked to the motor vehicles, Nicky Parsons said to them:

“We have an adventure for you. I am sure it will help you with the memory troubles you appear to be having."

When the team and their companions arrived at the shooting range, Emily said to everyone:

“Amazing luck for us. The shooting range people told me when I telephoned them earlier, we would be the only agents present and the entire range was at our disposal.”

All five agents accompanied the three Iron Curtain bad guys to their position on the shooting range, where they were each secured to a target on a lane. M1 and M2 seemed to be rather enthusiastic about tying them to their respective targets.

Apart from acknowledging the three volunteers were properly secured to the targets, there was no conversation during this process.

The five MI6 agents then assumed their positions in their respective shooting lanes.

The initial rounds of shooting saw the agents stick to their paper targets.

The silence was then broken by Emily: “Thigh”, as she put a round in the thigh of the first Iron Curtain Bad Guy.

Harriet put a round in the thigh of the second bad guy.

Nicky completed the set and put a round in the third bad guy.

M1 and M2 then loaded rubber bullets in their sniper rifles.

When they were ready to shoot, M1 said: “Ladies”.

The Stuffy Shirts then stood down and M1 and M2 fired many rubber bullet rounds at the Iron Curtain bad guys, mostly in their chest.

Having completed their shooting, The Famous Five made their way to the targets.

As Nicky Parsons detached and secured the paper targets, she said to her team: “Good shooting, team.”

Parsons then spoke to the Iron Curtain bad guys: 

“I thought we made it clear to you at the tailor shop, your obligation was to cooperate.

Careless of you to get yourselves in the path of live fire.

There is no point in any of you screaming. This is a shooting range. No on can hear you.

Are your memories getting any better?

We have plenty of time today to work on our firearms training.

In case you were wondering, you will not be getting any medical treatment until we return to MI6."

By this time M1 and M2 had returned to their shooting positions and reloaded their sniper rifles with rubber bullets.

As M2 said: “Ladies”, the Stuffy Shirts moved out of the firing line.

M1 and M2 then fired several rubber bullets into the knees of the Iron Curtain bad guys.

Agent Parsons continued to the Iron Curtain bad guys:

“I think I will get the MI6 agent to whom you have refused to provide information to attend here and interview you now. He can bring an MI6 doctor with him.

I have no patience for your lack of cooperation. Cooperate or we will finish the job.”

One of the Iron Curtain agents spoke, through the pain: “Bring your agent here and bring a doctor.”

His two bad guy colleagues said “Yes” several times in agreement with him.

Agent Parsons: “Wait here while I make a telephone call.”

Within five minutes Nicky Parsons was back and she confirmed the MI6 agent would soon be in attendance and he would bring a doctor with him.

When he and the doctor arrived at the shooting range there was a fairly short conversation between them and Agent Parsons about the developments with the Iron Curtain bad guys.

The MI6 agent then said to Agent Parsons: “We will take it from here. Thank you for your assistance.”

The Famous Five then proceeded to go through their usual shooting range clean up and left the range.

As they were about to get into their motor vehicles, Nicky Parsons said:

“ Good job, team. My watch says it is time for late lunch.”

Emily: My watch says it time for lunch.

Harriet: M2, That cafeteria of yours is calling.

M1: Lead the way, M2. Food is calling.

M2: Food it is.

The Consequences Mirror

 Dresden Leipzig sought to relive some of the tedium and boredom of his new 15 Minute City life by going for a walk in his neighbourhood. Leipzig was struck by the magnitude of surveillance cameras that populated the neighbourhood.

He was not really keeping track of time during his walk. Leipzig was gone from his apartment from between an hour and a half to two hours and when he returned home, he found himself locked out of his apartment, for reasons unknown to him.

He passed the time in the evening walking the streets to the City centre.

That venture saw him encounter city security officers, who informed him he was in breach of the recently implemented curfew.

Leipzig: I was not aware of the curfew.

Security Officer: Notification was sent earlier today to the computer in your apartment.

Leipzig: I am locked out of my apartment for reasons not known to me.

Security Officer: That is not our problem. You are in breach of the curfew. We will now arrest you and take you into custody. Needless to say, this will adversely impact your carbon footprint score.

Leipzig enjoyed some comfort during his time in the watch house cell, he had no companions to share or aggravate his misery.

When the security officer greeted Dresden the next morning, the officer told Dresden they had decided not to put Dresden before the court. He was free to make his way home. They were also confident there would be no problem for Dresden accessing his apartment when he returned there.

Dresden knew better than to argue with or complain about his treatment to the security officers. It was an exasperated and infuriated Dresden who walked home from the City watch house.

Sporadically seeing billboards proclaiming:

• Enjoy your 15 Minute City, Infidels. This was the life you wanted.

on his way home did nothing to lighten the mood of Dresden.

New Regime

The New Regime was determined to revamp the legal system and that change would be personally overseen by The Chief of The Stasi.

Court was in session and The Chief of The Stasi entered the Court, visibly possessed of a firearm.

Stasi Officer: Everyone keep quiet and do not move.

A court administrative staffer was foolish enough to ignore him and moved.

Without flinching, the Stasi Officer trained his firearm on the defiant court administrative staffer and ended her life.

Stasi Officer: I said do not move. Do not even think of calling security. You will live, if you do what I say.

Stasi Officer: Judge, There is a New Regime and that regime is going to do things very differently. This time properly. You will do as I say or you will suffer the consequences.

Judge: Looking a little perplexed.

Stasi Officer: Judge, Telephone your mother. Do not argue. Just Do it.

The Judge telephoned his mother, as requested.

Stasi Officer: Put it on speaker, Judge.

The Judge complied.

The Mother of the Judge spoke to the Judge: Son, why are there men with guns here?

Stasi Officer: "Hello, Mrs Judge. The Judge is learning the importance of doing things the way the New Regime wants things done, not the corrupt way the old regime did things.

I am sure the Judge will want to comply and not try to be a hero.

Have a nice day, Mrs Judge."

The telephone call ended and The Chief of The Stasi left the Courtroom to pursue other duties.

The Following Day

The following day The Chief of The Stasi returned to the court. This time he had colleagues with him and they were all obviously brandishing firearms. He also brought with him Mrs Judge, the mother of the Judge.

As soon as the Stasi Officer and his entourage entered the courtroom, he said:

“No one is leaving this courtroom and do not even think of speaking or moving.

Mr Judge, It was made explicitly clear to you yesterday that a new regime was in power and the law will comply with the wishes of the new regime.

You have shown by the judgment you have just given that you have no intention of complying with the law of the new regime. Such defiance will not be tolerated.

You mother was part of the explanation process yesterday. She is here today to witness what happens to people who defy the new regime.”

By now two armed new regime males were positioned either side of the Judge, with their firearms drawn.

The Stasi Officer continued:

“You now have a choice Mr Judge: Do it yourself or we will do it for you."

One of the new regime males then placed a firearm on the bench in front of the Judge. There was absolute silence in the courtroom. Everyone could see there were several firearms trained on the Judge’

The Stasi Officer continued: “Eat it, Judge, or we will do it for you.”

It was then that the true horror of the situation into which the Judge had placed himself became clear to him.

The Stasi Officer: “You do not get a second chance, Judge. Eat it. You have 30 seconds.”

The Judge picked up the gun, but seemed to hesitate.

The New Regime officers did not hesitate. The life of the Judge was ended immediately, and in front of his mother.

The Stasi Officer: “It is unfortunate your son chose to be defiant, rather than compliant, Mrs Judge. We are confident you will not make the kind of mistake he made. One of my colleagues will now drive you home.”

“To everyone else present in this courtroom, defiance will not be tolerated. Could one of you administrative people get a new Judge to this Court immediately, please.”

A female administrative officer then telephoned someone: “There has been a situation in Court 17. We need a new Judge here immediately.”

Within 10 minutes a new Judge was in the courtroom.

The Stasi Officer addressed him, as he observed the now deceased Judge being removed from the chair:

“You will reverse the orders made in this case by your now late colleague or you will enjoy the same fate as him. Should any of your colleagues choose to defy the New Regime, your future will be the same as his.

The lawyers here will help you make the correct orders.

Should anyone choose defiance, we will find you and extinguish you.”

The Stasi Officer and his entourage then left the courtroom.

Princess of Language Hypocrisy

The Princess of Language Hypocrisy was in line at the Electricity Company, waiting to pay her Utility Bill, which was due that day. In her company was a male companion.

Relevantly they had the following conversation, where she opined in respect of her male companion:

“Oh, people will say, That’s what he said. That’s not what he meant.”

The male companion looked at her and answered:

“I meant what I said. How could you take it any other way?”

The demands of the Electricity Company interrupted further conversation. The Princess of Language Hypocrisy presented her bill to the staff member and said she would like to pay the entire amount on the bill.

The Electricity Company staff member appeared to process her credit card payment in settlement of the bill. All appeared in order, so The Princess of Language Hypocrisy and her male companion left the premises.

Three (3) days later The Princess of Language Hypocrisy was contacted by the Electricity Company to inform her that her Utility Bill remained unpaid. The Princess then made a second relevant trip to the Electricity Company, accompanied by what she thought was the relevant paperwork confirming the subject bill had been paid.

When The Princess eventually saw an Electricity Company staff member in relation to the bill, she presented her paperwork claiming it supported her contention that the subject bill had been paid.

The Electricity Company staff member responded:

“Madame, We have conducted a review of your account and of the subject transaction to which you refer. Our staff member dealing with you on that occasion is clear. When you said you wanted to pay the bill, she knew that is what you said. She also knew That is not what you meant. Accordingly, the funds from that transaction were applied elsewhere.”

“Madame, You are not being punished because you are an unfaithful wife, nor are you being punished because you are a climate hoaxer. You are being punished because you have not paid the subject bill. As the subject bill remains unpaid, Carbon Credit penalties will apply to you, until such time as the subject bill is paid.”

“Madame, If you are having trouble accurately remembering the day in question, we have reviewed the video recording of your attendance upon us that day.

Relevantly we note you told your male companion:

“Oh, people will say, That’s what he said. That’s not what he meant.”

All that has happened with you Madame, is that you have been subjected to your own ideology.”

“Perhaps you could take some time to consider your position, Madame, while we serve other customers, and then you can tell us whether you want to pay the subject bill. If that bill is paid, Carbon Credit penalties for late payment will not apply to you.”

Roughly 15 minutes later The Princess was approached by three (3) large male regime security officers. One of those officers spoke to The Princess:

“We note you have not paid your Utility Bill. We also note you are an unfaithful wife and a Climate Hoaxer. It looks like you would benefit from a Three (3) month stint in our 15 Minute Cities Re-Education program. That program will help you correct your thinking.”

Within an hour, The Princes of Language Hypocrisy was receiving her induction to the 15 Minute Cities Re-Education Program. The Regime Officer conducting the induction said to The Princess:

“All you had to do was pay your Utility Bill. Instead, you insisted on drawing attention to yourself and now you are being inducted into this program. Welcome to Your Actions Have Consequences.”

The Princess was uncharacteristically silent during that conversation and induction program.

15 Minute Cities Re-Education Program

Just over a week after spending a night in custody for breaching a curfew, Dresden discovered the new regime was keen to share more of its hospitality with him. He was visited at his home by security officers, who informed him he had been enrolled in a 15 Minute Cities Re-Education Program and his attendance was required immediately.

Surprisingly, for someone who previously strongly advocated for re-education programmes for Infidels, Dresden was less than enthusiastic that he should have to attend one.

Even in the induction program for the 15 Minute Cities Re-Education Program, the message was clear:

• The Infidels have a choice: Epiphany or Eternal Damnation in 15 Minute Cities.

That message was repeated relentlessly during the Re-Education Program.

During the actual Re-Education Program more messages were repeated relentlessly:

• Every single piece of the 15 Minute Cities comes from the Infidels.

• The Infidels are the problem.

• Infidels should be given no respite from the hell their religious fervour and zealotry created, unless their epiphany is genuine and permanent.

• Unless they have an epiphany, the damnation of Infidels in the 15 Minute Cities will be eternal, without relief.

• The whole idea of 15 Minute Cities in the New Regime is to show that they are a bad idea and should never be implemented.

• The only people in the 15 Minute Cities are the people who advocated for them.

The lecturers at the Re-Education Program did not miss their targets. Dresden Leipzig and The Princess of Language Hypocrisy were focal points. They were seen as regime recalcitrants and relentlessly punished.

Not revealing the indiscretions of the other was seen as a serious breach by the lecturers and significant punishments were meted out to Dresden Leipzig and The Princess of Language Hypocrisy, including the imposition of Carbon Footprint penalties.

It is difficult to say that attendees of the Re-Education Program were dehumanised, given it was the very type of program for which they advocated for Infidels of their religious zealotry.

The Princess of Language Hypocrisy had a great deal of difficulty understanding the rank hypocrisy of her position.

That position of:

• "That's what he said. That's not what he meant."

could equally be applied to her in a regime that relentlessly implemented a:

• "This is your ideology. This is what you wanted" ideology.

The Princess wanted to control the language, but she did not want that ideology used against her.

Her stay at the 15 Minute City looks to be long and painful.

The attack upon Dresden Leipzig by the regime was brutal and relentless. This was what he wanted and this was what he was getting. Leipzig was used as an example of everything bad the re-education program lecturers wanted to emphasise. It is accurate to say there was an attempt to make him a pariah even in a community of Infidels.

The sun was never going to shine for Dresden Leipzig. There would be no new dawn. There would be no new day.

Opportunity Knocked, Innovation Answered

On what was an otherwise unremarkable day for him, Quatorze, a friend of Stourton, was minding his own business at a coffee shop, when he noticed a male known to him, Umburto. That male had a female companion. Quatorze then recognised the female companion to be Limoges, the wife of Stourton. Limoges and Umburto got very familiar with each other.

Quatorze overheard Limoges making plans with her lover to get together later and those plans did not resonate well with Quatorze.

A text message to Stourton was required, he thought. The text message he sent read:

“We have not seen each other for too long. Dinner at The Steakhouse Bar tonight at 7:00 pm. No excuses. Be there.”

The reply from Stourton read: “OK, tonight is Steak night.”

The Steakhouse Bar

Quatorze was the first to arrive at The Steakhouse Bar and he secured a table for he and Stourton. He waited until the food ordering was done and served before he delivered the bad news.

Quatorze: “Limoges, the event planner wife of yours was kind enough to interrupt my lunch by planning the wrong kind of event. She was planning the infidelity two-step with another male known to me, that male obviously being not you.”

Pausing his eating, a stunned Stourton replied: "What do you mean?"

Quatorze: "Your wife was always about the glitz and the glamour. The big events, the fancy parties. But she ignored the most important event of all: your marriage."

It is not really a surprise to see her so caught up in her own world and her own desires,  planning events for others, that she would neglect what should be the most important person in her own life."

Stourton understood enough of what was told to him, even if he did not process all of it.

The men finished their meals. Conversation between them did not dwell on the infidelity of Limoges, but focussing on other topics was difficult for Stourton.

Quatorze did not press him, he tried to be supportive. It was the kind of bad news he did not enjoy delivering, and to the extent that he could, he tried to be supportive.

The Kidnapping

As far as Limoges was concerned, her marriage had become predictable and dull. In stark contrast to the exciting job she did. Of course, she took no responsibility for her marriage not producing the excitement and variety she apparently craved.

Stourton being a fairly high-level engineer at a pharmaceutical company developing a revolutionary new energy source was not enough to meet the excitement needs of the now very important and demanding Limoges. As she got caught up in the excitement of her event planning, she became prone to gossiping. Applying some circumspection to sharing details of work information her husband shared with her did not occur to her.

The paths of Limoges and Umburto crossed at one of her planning events. He seemed younger, vibrant and exciting, in contrast to the solid predictability that was now apparently a problem for her husband. So the dalliance started and it became an affair.

Limoges was also an interesting moment of excitement for Umburto. His work had not delivered the results he desired, so he left his employer for a rival company. What Umburto did not tell Limoges initially was that he worked for the same pharmaceutical company as her husband. A company that was making real progress with a breakthrough drug. Umburto desired his own kind of results, so he took his disgruntled self off to a rival company.

With her mind focussed acutely upon herself, Limoges did not think too much about the work information her husband shared with her. She also enjoyed moments from time to time where he was definitely not good enough for her and sharing his information with others was not beyond her pettiness.

The disgruntled Umburto was happy to hear information from Limoges about Stourton and his new drug. He may be able to use that information to advance himself. The life of disgruntled Umburto was resplendent with poor choices. The pharmaceutical company employer he left, when he worked with Stourton, was having success with a breakthrough drug. The rival company for whom he now works was desperate to gain a competitive edge.

The poor decision-making of Umburto to share the information about a new drug from his former employer to his new employer triggered catastrophic consequences. The desperate to gain a competitive edge, rival company hired a group of criminals to kidnap Stourton and force him to reveal the secrets of the new technology. If this pharmaceutical company crew could monetise their stupidity, they would be very wealthy.

Quite a contrast was now in play, thanks to the lack of thinking of Limoges and Umburto. The new employer of Umburto saw Industrial Espionage as a legitimate motivation for the kidnapping of Stourton. Umburto was their useful idiot in their plan to circumvent the hard worm and intellectual dedication that is so much a part of most success.

Proper research was not a constituent component of the business plan of the new employer of Umburto. They did not bother to research the group of criminals they hired to kidnap Stourton and force him to reveal the secrets of the new drug.

The day after Quatorze revealed the infidelity of Limoges to Stourton, the criminal masterminds put their plan into action and kidnapped Stourton. The criminals told Stourton, if he does not cooperate and give the criminals what they want, they would kill his wife.

Now in the custody of the kidnappers, Stourton assessed the situation as one where he faced an uncertain future. Stourton took the view that if these geniuses were true to their word, he would not feel unhappy about the outcome. He adopted the approach of telling the criminal mastermind kidnappers that he does not negotiate with terrorists.

Upon hearing their captive Stourton declare that he does not negotiate with terrorists, the kidnappers did not respond well. Two (2) of them departed the scene and attended upon the location of Limoges, where they proceeded to shoot and kill her. Predictably, chaos ensued.

Shortly thereafter the criminal mastermind kidnappers, and now murderers, were arrested and charged with kidnapping and murder.

Locating the geniuses who kidnapped Stourton did not take the police long and he was freed to return home.

The Police Perspective

The nightmare was not yet over for Stourton. The police felt they needed to spend some more time with him.

The humourless Detective Harper interviewed Stourton at the city centre police station.

Harper to Stourton: "So, you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time?"

Stourton: "Correct, Detective. I was minding my own business, and suddenly, I was kidnapped."

Harper "And you are sure you do not know why you were targeted?"

No hesitation from Stourton. "I am certain. I have no enemies, no outstanding debts. It was a random act of violence."

Detective Harper had no evidence to suggest Stourton was not telling the truth.

Harper: "Alright, then. We will do our best to find out who is responsible for this."

"In the meantime, I suggest you try to relax and let us handle this. You have been through a lot."

The Train Station Interlude

Stourton left the police station and proceed home after his eventful day, happy that he had not been charged with any offence. There was no reason he should be charged with any offence, but things had not gone well for him recently.

He made his way to the train station and waited patiently for his train.

Helping pass the time during that patient wait was a conversation her overheard between two lawyers known to each other and waiting for their respective trains. As is the want of lawyers, they shared a war story. This one was colourful.

The Bank Job Gone Wrong

The professional bank robbers entered the bank. They had planned this heist meticulously, down to the last detail. They had studied the layout of the bank, its security systems, and the routines of its employees. They had even gone so far as to create elaborate disguises to help them blend in with the crowd.

But as they were about to make their move, chaos erupted. Two drug-addled individuals, clearly under the influence of heroin or methamphetamine, stumbled into the bank, shouting and swearing at the top of their lungs. The robbers were taken aback, and from that moment, they were put off their game.

Oblivious to the danger they were in, the two junkies continued to cause a commotion, drawing the attention of both the employees and customers of the bank. In their panic, the robbers were forced to act quickly, but their usual precision and coordination were thrown off by the sudden and unplanned junkie interruption.

The attempts of the bank robbers to carry out their plan were thwarted. They found themselves struggling to keep up with the unpredictability of the situation. The junkies continued to cause havoc, making it impossible for the robbers to complete their heist without being detected.

Just as the robbers were about to give up and abandon their plan, the police arrived on the scene. The chaos created by the junkies had tipped off the authorities, and now the robbers found themselves surrounded by blue lights, sirens and police.

In a desperate attempt to escape, the robbers tried to fight their way out, but they were no match for the police. They were quickly subdued and taken into custody, their plans foiled by two very drug-affected junkies they might have included in a better thought out plan.

The reputation of the most professional bank robbers in the business had been shattered, all because of two junkies high on drugs. It was a bitter pill for them to swallow, and one that would haunt them for the rest of their days.

Unsurprisingly, the two junkies were oblivious to the impact they had just had on the lives of the bank robbers. The junkies were taken away by the police, still high on drugs and still causing havoc wherever they went. Their actions had inadvertently saved the day, but they would never know it.

The trains then arrived for the lawyers and the overheard conversation ended.

Homeward Bound

Stourton did not have to wait much longer for his train.

When he arrived home, Stourton closed the door to his residence and to this sorry episode in his life. The silence of the apartment was comforting to him.

He made his way to his entertainment cabinet and browsed his collection of recorded television shows. He selected an old DVD, the kind he had not watched in years, its details hazy in his memory. It was just an hour of dated drama, perfect for switching off. He settled onto his couch, the familiar opening credits of "Fatal Obsession" flickering onto the screen.

Fatal Obsession

The air thickened around her, a suffocating blanket of dread. An ultra-feminist, utterly consumed by a narrative of male menace, she stepped off the train, the station’s artificial calm doing nothing to quell the rising tide of her fear.

“He is there.” Her mind screamed, a phantom presence at her back. “He has seen me.”

As she walked, the familiar sounds of the suburb warped into sinister omens. Every rustle of leaves, every distant car engine, became a confirmation. She picked up her pace, her knuckles white around her bag strap.

“He is closer. I can feel him.”

A relentless loop of danger, her internal narrative tightened its grip. 

For just a fleeting, panicked moment she glanced over her shoulder, seeing only the shifting shadows that her paranoia shaped into a man following her.

Her conviction solidified into chilling certainty. This was not just fear; this was a pursuit. Her walk quickened, then lurched into a desperate sprint. She swerved abruptly down a side street, her breath ragged. The pavement became a blur beneath her, the world a disorienting rush of colour and noise.

“I have to lose him!”

She cut hard through a narrow alley, then burst onto a busy main road, headlights flashing like malevolent eyes, horns blaring in what seemed a deliberate cacophony. Oblivious to the true dangers, her focus was fixed on the unseen malevolent male figure she imagined to be at her heels.

A car horn blared, a prolonged, angry shriek. But to her, it was white noise. She charged forward, a desperate, fragmented desire for freedom overriding all sense. The heavy traffic on the main road became a fluid, terrifying gauntlet. The fast-moving motor vehicle was upon her before the terror could truly register. A sickening thud, a screech of tires, and then, silence.

Just a few paces behind, her cousin Marcella stumbled to a halt, panting, her arm outstretched. "Wait! I just ... I just wanted to ask you about ..."

As the closing scene of Fatal Obsession finished, Stourton fell asleep.