Building A Mystery

 Intelligence Briefing

Upon their arrival at work, Nicky and Emily found themselves directed to the major conference room, along with many of their MI6 colleagues, for an intelligence briefing.

As they were taking their seats, Emily was involved in a brief conversation.

Emily: “Agent Harriet.”

Agent Harriet: “Agent Emily. Some East German rascals today.”

Agent Harriet then addressed the gathering.

“We currently have an East German visitor to our shores enjoying the hospitality of one of our safe houses. He has something of an appetite for killing. Quite an appetite, actually. Our East German visitor is helping us with our enquiries. So impressed are we with his progress, there are no immediate plans on our part for his return to East Germany.

“Unfortunately two (2) of his East German compatriots have arrived here also. Apparently not to sample British cuisine, but to return our guest to their homeland. The appetites of this couple, Mr 40s and Miss 30s, are comparable to our safe house guest. They do not mind doing a spot of killing.

“Photographs of our East German visitors are on the board, as you can see. As usual, Profile Folders of our rather unfriendly visitors can be prepared, should they be required. These three (3) East Germans are nasty and dangerous. We are keen to keep our current guest enjoying our hospitality and we would like his two (2) colleagues to join him. Probably in separate safe houses.”

“Be careful. Hopefully these visitors can be apprehended before they do any damage.”

“This briefing is now over. Enjoy the rest of your day.”

All the assembled agents then returned to their respective offices, except Emily and Nicky.

Emily spoke to Nicky: Do not go back to your office. Stay with me, I have a plan.

Emily approached Agent Harriet: "Agent Harriet, I want to encourage a couple of male colleagues to take you up on your offer to prepare Profile Folders. Have you got time to hang around while I try to convince them you do not bite?"

Harriet: Sure. This sounds like fun.

Emily: Then we should adjourn to my office.

Emily: Nicky?

Nicky: I am going to your office.

As soon as the trio arrived at her office, Emily telephoned M1: "Collect M2 and bring him to my office with you. I have something for you."

M1: An uncertain “OK”.

M1 went to the office of M2: Emily The Enigma has something for us in her office. I am going. Are you?

M2: Emily The Enigma? OK.

Within a couple of minutes they were in the office of Emily and they noticed Nicky Parsons and Harriet were also present.

Emily: Chaps, This is Harriet. She just gave us an intelligence briefing. I am sure you were in attendance and paying attention. Harriet offered to prepare Profile Folders on the charming people who keep us occupied. I want you to take her up on her offer, often.

Please introduce yourselves to Harriet. I assure you she does not bite.

Harriet, This is M1.”

M1: Good morning, Agent Harriet.

Harriet: Good morning, Agent M1.

Emily: Harriet, This is M2.”

M2: Good morning, Agent Harriet.

Harriet: Good morning, Agent M2.

Emily: Amazing. Your heads did not explode and you did not stop breathing.

Harriet burst out laughing.

Emily: Now when there is an intelligence briefing you can approach Harriet for a Profile Folder, so you will be better informed about the undesirables that keep us occupied and employed.

Nicky Parsons: Works for me.

Harriet: Thank you for breaking the ice, Emily.

Emily: “Happy to help, Harriet. And I am sure you will see more of M1 and M2, so they can become more familiar with your excellent work.

OK, Harriet. We have taken up enough of your time. You can return to your office, if you like.”

Harriet: Thank you, Emily. This has been delightful.

Harriet then returned to her office.

Emily: You are still breathing, M2. Congratulations on surviving that traumatic experience. Harriet does excellent work. Her Profile Folders are great assets and she definitely does not bite.

M1: We might leave you and Nicky to your work now.

Emily: Thank you both for coming.

As M1 and M2 returned to their respective offices, Nicky said to Emily: "They might even approach Harriet."

Emily: We can only hope, Nicky.

Klaus and Gretchen

Nicky and Emily were on the train on the way to work. As the train was slowing to approach Sunshine station, Nicky noticed somebody she recognised on the platform. Nicky grabbed Emily and quietly said to her:

“Do you have your work handbag with you?

Emily: Yes.

Nicky: The silent one?

Emily: Yes.

Nicky: A situation is about to unfold.

Nicky grabbed Emily gently by the arm and they proceeded to the exit doors of the train carriage. As soon as the train stopped, they exited the train.

Nicky walked directly to a man in his 40s. He was standing with a woman in her 30s.

Nicky walked briskly and as she approached Mr 40s, she drew her firearm.

His back was turned to Nicky and she put one round in his right calf and another round in his left thigh. Mr 40s immediately fell to the ground.

Emily then drew her firearm and put a round in the left calf of his female companion Miss 30s. She also immediately fell to the ground.

As Nicky walked briskly towards the fallen couple, she said harshly to them:

“Stay on your stomach, Klaus. You too, Gretchen."

Nicky proceeded to the fallen couple, accessed her handcuffs and secured the hands of Klaus behind his back.

Emily accessed her handcuffs and secured the hands of Gretchen behind her back.

Nicky: Have you got this? (Looking at Emily) I need to make a call.

Emily was standing over the fallen and now handcuffed couple, with her firearm drawn at them: Make your call.

Nicky quickly proceeded to a public telephone on the train station platform.

After dialling a number, she said: “Get a team to the situation at Sunshine Station Platform 5, now. Do not dare waste any time. You do not want them to bleed out.”

Nicky then returned to Emily, who was still standing over Klaus and Gretchen.

Nicky: Klaus, where is your firearm? Do not be silly, Klaus. I do not need an excuse to finish you.

Klaus: My right coat pocket.

Nicky took the firearm from Klaus and put it in her coat pocket.

Emily: Your turn now, Gretchen.

Gretchen: Same. Right coat pocket.

Emily took the firearm from Gretchen and put it in her coat pocket.

Nicky: Our friends should be here shortly, Klaus. They will treat your wounds for you in a nice comfortable secure location.

Emily: You can go with our friends, Gretchen. They will be happy to treat your wound.

Nicky: You must be here on business, Klaus, because you do not look like you are on holidays. Our friends are very interested in your business.

Emily: Gretchen, you are in luck Our friends have arrived.

As a team of MI6 operatives approached Nicky and Emily, Nicky said: “Klaus and Gretchen here are very keen to tell you about their business.”

MI6 Agent: Thank you, ladies. We know just the place for that conversation.

The MI6 operatives then took Klaus and Gretchen to their motor vehicles and departed the scene.

Within a couple of minutes a train arrived which Nicky and Emily boarded and they continued their journey to work.

When they exited the elevator at work, Nicky and Emily were greeted by another MI6 agent. The exchange was brief:

“Do not go to your offices. Go straight to see the boss.”

Nicky and Emily then proceeded directly to the office of the boss.

As they arrived at his office, the boss was waiting with his door open: “Agents, come in and tell me about the excitement at Sunshine station this morning.”

As soon as they were seated, Nicky spoke to the boss:

“Earlier in the week we received an intelligence briefing contending that Klaus and Gretchen, as I call them, East German spies with assassinations in their history, were in London to retrieve (or try to) a fellow East German spy who is currently in a safe house helping MI6 with their enquiries.”

Emily: We shot to subdue them We could have taken them out.

The Boss: This East German spy they were apparently desirous of recovering?

Emily: He is not the type of chap you invite over for dinner.

The Boss: He has a bit of an appetite?

Nicky: For killing.

The Boss: OK. Klaus and Gretchen are being relocated so they can help us with our enquiries. And so their wounds can be treated. Nice shooting, agents. That Saturday extra practice at the shooting range came in handy.

Nicky: You know our focus is the job, Sir

The Boss: And it is quite a focus. Thank you for your work, agents.

That is quite a bit of excitement for one morning, agents. In fact, that is enough excitement for an entire day. Why don’t you two agents take the rest of the day off. I will see you back here tomorrow.

Nicky: Thank you, Sir.

Emily: Thank you, Sir.

As the agents left their boss, the looks on their respective faces was one of pleasant surprise.

Emily: Agent Parsons, this calls for a cup of tea.

Nicky: And a muffin, Agent Abernathy.

Emily: We shall adjourn to your office, Agent Parsons.

Upon arrival at the office of Nicky Parsons, Emily said: Agent Parsons, I propose we make our tea and muffins part of an adventure?

Nicky: An adventure, Agent Abernathy?

Emily: Not one that will tax you, Agent Parsons.

Nicky: Why not. Let’s go.

The agents collected their handbags and coats and proceeded to the train station.

Joe's Discount Supermarket

As Nicky and Emily approached Joe’s Discount Supermarket, Nicky asked: “What is going on?”

Emily: "It seemed a good opportunity to familiarise you with this environment. And we can also have lunch around here and make a relaxing day if it.

We do not even have to shop at Joe’s. We can just walk around the store. It is an orientation exercise."

Nicky: OK.

Emily and Nicky meandered through Joe’s Discount Supermarket, occasionally commenting how the layout of this store differed from their usual haunt.

When they approached the vicinity of the public telephone Nicky used to telephone Emily during her recent scatterbrain moment, Emily said to Nicky: “Convenient of these stores to have public telephones.”

Nicky replied: “You would be amazed how they make you thirsty.”

Emily: Is that our cup of tea calling?

Nicky: It certainly sounds like it.

Emily: Then we shall adjourn to a tea drinking establishment.

Nicky: Indeed.

Whilst Nicky and Emily were having their tea, muffins and lunch at a café nearby, after their leisurely orientation stroll through Joe’s Discount Supermarket, Emily said to Nicky:

“If you feel the need to do your shopping at Joe’s in future, rather than our usual haunt, you are now more oriented with its environment.”

Most of the conversation during their leisurely lunch had nothing to do with work, missions or disoriented shopping experiences. It was delightfully mundane, just as they liked it.

On the way home, Nicky took more note of the train ride. What train they boarded and what stops were relevant.

Nicky also said to Emily: “I think it is easier if I stick to shopping at the grocery store we usually attend.”

Upon alighting the train, the agents took a leisurely walk together to their respective homes. When Nicky was about to go her home she said to Emily: “Thank you for the adventure, Miss Abernathy.”

Emily replied: You are most welcome, Miss Parsons.

Another Situation and More Steak Sandwiches

About a week later, Nicky Parsons, Emily Abernathy, M1 and M2 were at an indoor situation in an apartment building securing a foreign agent, with their firearms drawn.

All appeared to be progressing according to plan, when Emily yelled at M1:

“ M1, What the heck are you doing? How many times do I have to tell you to focus on the job? The voice of Emily portrayed quite some anger.

At that moment the equilibrium of everyone in the room appeared to be upset.

Emily then turned 90 degrees and emptied the contents of her firearm into a foreign agent who had appeared in the doorway.

Nicky Parsons then proceeded to approach Foreign Agent 1, the original focus of their attention, and placed her handcuffs on him.

Emily cooly proceeded to the now fallen Foreign Agent 2 and said: “He will no longer be a problem.”

She then walked over to M1, patted him on the shoulder and said: “Good job, M1.”

Nicky: M2, do you want to call this in to MI6?

M2: After some stuttering, “Yes, certainly, Agent Parsons.”

About 20 minutes later their MI6 colleagues attended the scene and took the foreign agents back to MI6 headquarters.

After those MI6 agents left the scene, Emily said to M2:

“The steak sandwiches are on you this time, M2".