Rhiannon, The Force of Nature

The Begging Escort

One of her former work colleagues at the Tea Drinkers Club visited Rhiannon at her record store and begged her for help.

Escort: "I know you are no longer a Tea Drinker and you have left the Tea Drinking life, but I am begging you for help. The brutal Russian who smacks us around is back and he is getting worse. He put two girls in hospital. I have managed to avoid him, but that will not last much longer. I cannot afford to not work. I have not got much to give you.

I know you have a new life and this record shop is better than the Tea Drinkers Club. I also know you have another life. I am terrified of the Russian. I am begging you to take him out or at least seriously hurt him. I do not know what else to do. One day he is going to kill one of us. The humiliation of me begging you is nothing compared to the terror I feel because of that brutal Russian. I will give you all the information I can get my hands on about when he is next going to be at the Tea Drinkers Club. I am sure we have photographs of him."

Rhiannon: What you are asking is a lot more difficult than you realise. I left that tea drinking life because of what it did to me. It is very difficult for me to even go near the Tea Drinkers Club. I am not sure this is the best decision for me, but go and get all your information, including the photographs, and bring it here. You may be able to convince me to help you.

Escort: Thank you. I will be back as soon as I can.

When the escort returned inside two (2) hours, she had a long chat with Rhiannon. The photographs seemed to be the most persuasive information.

Rhiannon: I will help you. This will be very difficult for me, but I will help you. If there are any changes to the arrangements, let me know. Otherwise, tomorrow night is the night.

Escort: Thank you.

Rhiannon: Is the building across the road from the Tea Drinkers Club still vacant?

Escort: Yes.

Rhiannon: “For reasons that need not concern you, that is both good news and bad news. I will go and check it out. You can come with me. I suspect you will need to play a role in this.”

It was closing time for the record shop, so Rhiannon closed the shop and she and the escort then went to inspect the vacant building. Unknown to both of them, the best location for a sniper was the office M2 used to take out the guy who was a problem for Rhiannon. Rhiannon told the escort she would use that office to do her work.

Rhiannon: Here are the rules. You will not go to work until this is over. You are going to stay in this office and mind my equipment. I do not tolerate defiance. If you do not do as I ask, you will regret it and it will be much worse than your terror of the brutal Russian. You will mind my equipment. You will not touch it. This is part of the sacrifice you must make for me to help you. You will stay here while I do what I do, so you remind me why I am doing it.

Are we clear on the rules?

Escort: Yes.

Rhiannon: We will go to my home, get my equipment and bring it back here. I cannot stress this enough. You will be completely loyal to me or I will kill you. Are we clear?

Escort: Yes. We are clear.

Rhiannon packed up her sniper gear, including a sleeping bag for the escort, and put it in her motor vehicle. She then drove back to the vacant office and put her gear in the office.

Rhiannon: I will sleep here tonight with you, then go to work tomorrow. I will be back here after work is finished. The action is planned for 8:00 pm tomorrow.

Are you confidant you can recognise the brutal Russian from this distance?

Escort: Yes. I am pretty sure he will arrive in his car, not a taxi.

Rhiannon: Let us hope he leaves in an ambulance.

When Rhiannon arrived at the sniper site from her work she told the escort to pack everything up except the sniper equipment. It will make leaving the scene easier.

As 8:00 pm approached, Rhiannon was completely prepared and all eyes were on the Tea Drinkers Club.

Escort: That is his car approaching the Tea Drinkers Club.

Rhiannon: OK. Quiet, please.

As the brutal Russian alighted from his car, he walked to the footpath and lit a cigarette.

Rhiannon: “Time to exorcise some demons.”

The first shot from Rhiannon was in the left knee of the brutal Russian.

Shots 2 and 3 were in his thighs.

Shots 4, 5 and 6 were in his head, as he lay on the ground.

Rhiannon: “Pack it up.”

She then packed up her sniper kit. The escort had all of the other gear packed and ready to go. They were out of the vacant office within five (5) minutes.

Five (5) minutes later Rhiannon was driving them to her residence, in silence.

Upon arriving at her residence, Rhiannon packed away all her gear.

Rhiannon: Your brutal Russian problem has been resolved. Your terror can now leave you.

Escort: Thank you, Rhiannon.

Rhiannon: Of course, You realise there is no need for you to talk to anyone about this.

Escort: Yes.

Rhiannon: The intimate details need not concern you, but I exorcised some demons tonight.

Are you sure you want to keep working as a Tea Drinker?

Think seriously about looking for another job. I do not expect it to be easy for you.

But I think it is worth trying for a better life than being a Tea Drinker.

Escort: Thank you again, Rhiannon. I am a bit overwhelmed at what you have done for me.

Rhiannon: “My service does not magically appear for free. I bear the cost of acquiring and maintaining all my equipment and skills. Even the bullets do not just magically appear, I have to pay for them. So long as you are employed as a Tea Drinker, you will also work for me. If you manage to get a different job, we will discuss other possible arrangements.

“You do not have money, so your currency will be information. That information will primarily derive from the Tea Drinkers Club and the Tea Drinkers who frequent that club. This is not a threat to get you to find another job. This is giving you some insight how I am able to be in a position to help you. People owe me favours. I call them in. People owe me their lives. They learn where their loyalty needs to be.

“You may stay here this evening and make your way home in the morning. Your silence also includes silence about where I live and that you have been here. I get to be effective, if people stick to my rules.

“Are we clear about my rules?”

Escort: “Yes. We are clear about your rules.”

Rhiannon: I will make us a pot of tea.

As they drank their tea, Rhiannon spoke to the Escort:

“Before we part company tomorrow, there are some people in my network I think you should meet. It is not trouble for you, quite the opposite. It will be quick. I have to get to work.”

Escort: OK.

Before Rhiannon went to work the next day, she took the escort to Mr Loan Shark.

Rhiannon: Mr Loan Shark, This is a friendly business visit. Good to see your two colleagues are here. This involves them.

My lady friend here works as a Tea Drinker at The Tea Drinkers Club. A Club I know all too well, unfortunately.

None of you chaps are allowed to go to The Tea Drinkers Club or any Tea Drinkers Club. You are to stay away from that life. This is not a negotiable condition of our arrangement.

There is an exception to that rule and I will explain it to you now.

If my friend here needs a ride home from the Tea Drinkers Club, she will call you and not me. She will only do so on very rare occasions, when there is no alternative and when her safety is at risk.

Mr Goon and Mr Brunette Criminal, Do you understand these arrangements? You will be the drivers.”

Mr Goon and Mr Brunette Criminal: Yes.

Rhiannon: If my friend is stupid enough to abuse this privilege, the consequences for her will be severe, perhaps even extreme.

I need my network safe and available. It is the only way we can function effectively.

Is everyone in this room clear on the rules?

Mr Loan Shark: Yes.

Mr Goon: Yes.

Mr Brunette Criminal: Yes.

Miss Begging Escort: Yes. I now have their business card with the telephone number on it.

Rhiannon: Thank you for your cooperation, chaps. We will now leave you.

Outside the loan shark business Rhiannon spoke to Miss Begging Escort:

“That is a little extra protection for you. Please do not abuse this privilege.”

Escort: Thank you, Rhiannon. I will not abuse this privilege.

Rhiannon: I have to go to work. Good-bye and good luck.

Rhiannon, The Force of Nature

During a bit of a quiet period at MI6, The Famous Five found themselves gathered in the office of Nicky Parsons.

Nicky: This is not a team meeting. This is just a get-together for a friendly chat.

The conversation eventually turned to Rhiannon.

Harriet: What happened to Rhiannon?

M1: One thing that happened to Rhiannon was we threatened to kill her, a lot.

M2: What Rhiannon does is not much different to what M1 and I would do, but we are constrained by the rules of MI6.

M1: That is an accurate assessment.

The Stuffy Shirts all looked at M1 and M2 with surprise.

M2: I am surprised that you are surprised. It seems you do not know me as well as I thought.

M1: “The news for today is that you three Stuffy Shirts are not the only enigmas in this organisation.

Understanding Rhiannon is not complex at all.

She met M2. She accepted that she was in the scope of an MI6 sniper every moment of her life with M2. Letting him down was not an option. The threats to her became diluted and then meaningless. She had and has no intention of being disloyal or unfaithful to M2. I misjudged her.

“Rhiannon got a new job and a chance at a new life. She learned new skills to protect and defend herself in her new life, the life that involves M2, a very dangerous life.

Rhiannon is fiercely protecting her new life.”

Nicky: Rhiannon is now a force of nature.

M1: Rhiannon reacted to her circumstances, some of which we forced on her. I admire what she has become, including being fiercely protective of M2. 

Also, I have no idea what you are talking about. Rhiannon is an ordinary record shop girl now.

M2 laughed. “Rhiannon is my favourite ordinary record shop girl.”

Emily: I remember when she first approached Nicky and I at the Minor Key Café. She could not possibly have known at that time this would be her future. It was her persistence that got us involved. And now she is a force of nature.

Harriet: I am glad you did not shoot me at the record shop, M2.

Nicky: Rhiannon, the ordinary record shop girl and force of nature, is on our side. I intend to learn to live with her.

Bank Robbers Learn a Lesson

It was just before 10:00 am on a Tuesday morning and business at the record shop was quiet.

Rhiannon to the Store Owner: This looks like a good time for me to go to the bank with the takings from yesterday. I do not plan to be long.

Store Owner: OK.

As Rhiannon approached the bank, something appeared to be off. Then she realised a bank robbery was in progress. Rhiannon located her firearm.

The would-be robber at the door of the bank took a precision shot to his left knee and he dropped to the ground in agony.

Cautiously, Rhiannon then entered the bank. The would-be robber apparently trying to control the customers took two precision shots: one to each thigh. He quickly made his way to the ground, also in agony.

The would-be robber at the teller took two shots from Rhiannon: one in each calf. As he lay writhing on the ground, Rhiannon walked purposely to him. She grabbed him by the hair and made him face her. She put her firearm to his forehead and said:

“Never rob banks in this neighbourhood.”

Rhiannon then ended his life with a shot to his forehead.

She then approached another teller: Can I deposit this money? I have to get back to the shop.

Teller: Certainly.

Their banking business was conducted very swiftly.

Rhiannon: Thank you, Mr Bank Teller.

As she was about to leave, Rhiannon asked loudly: By the way, did anybody see anything?

A chorus of “No” greeted her question.

Rhiannon: “Enjoy your day, everyone.”

She then returned to the record shop.

By the time Rhiannon was back at her record shop, police had arrived at the bank.

The would-be bank robbers were obvious and so were their injuries.

Police: What happened here?

The Bank Accountant: Some very clumsy bank robbers tried to introduce themselves to us.

Police: All three of them have gunshot wounds. One of them is dead.

The Bank Accountant: Like I said, very clumsy bank robbers.

Police: So, you have no idea how they acquired these gunshot wounds?

The Bank Accountant: A bank robbery is a very traumatic experience. I certainly did not shoot them.

Police: Did you see who shot them?

The Bank Accountant: No.

Police: Did anyone here see who shot them?

A chorus of “No” greeted the police question.

Police: I see. All you know is these clumsy bank robbers ended up with gunshot wounds?

The Bank Accountant: Correct.

Police: OK. We will clean this up as soon as we can and your bank can get back to business.

The Bank Accountant: Thank you. 

The Loan Shark Dilemma

Just over a week after the Red Note Records Hustle where Rhiannon used her newly acquired skills to secure the return of the money ripped off from her boss the record shop owner, she went to visit the loan shark who was involved in the return of the money.

The Loan Shark

When she arrived at the loan shark premises, Rhiannon spoke to Mr Loan Shark, who conveniently was at the premises at the time:

“Hello, Mr Loan Shark. My boss is very happy that her money has been returned to her. I am glad you were able to assist my boss in achieving the return of the money.

Hello, Mr Goon. I see your hand is healing. Good news.”

Both Mr Loan Shark and Mr Goon were a little perplexed by and apprehensive about the visit by Rhiannon.

Rhiannon: No need to be concerned, chaps. This is a friendly, social visit. To make it easier for you in future, you may call me Miss Rhiannon.”

In unison they said: “Thank you, Miss Rhiannon.”

Immediately upon doing so, a large man walked through the front door of the loan shark premises. He proceeded straight to Mr Loan Shark.

Rhiannon stepped back and against the wall. The new arrival seemed oblivious to her presence. He seemed familiar to Rhiannon, from her Tea Drinking Club days. She then realised he was a brutal Iron Curtain assassin and liked to get physical. Her memories of him were not fond and she could not remember any good stories about him, other than he paid well.

Whilst Yuri was having his terse conversation with Mr Loan Shark, Rhiannon checked her handbag and was pleased when she found her firearm.

Rhiannon then spoke out loud: “Excuse me, gentlemen. Would you have the correct time? My watch seems to have stopped.”

A somewhat confused Yuri turned around to Rhiannon. Before another word was uttered, Rhiannon shot Yuri in his left knee. She then shot him in each thigh.

Rhiannon: “Oh dear. That was clumsy of me.”

Yuri fell to the floor in pain.

Rhiannon to a shocked Mr Loan Shark: “Mr Loan Shark, May I use your telephone?”

A speechless Mr Loan Shark nodded and handed Rhiannon his telephone. 

Rhiannon: “Nicky Parsons, I was having a pleasant social visit with my new friend Mr Loan Shark, when a brutal Iron Curtain assassin paid him a visit. Yuri now has a problem with his knee and he is bleeding a bit from his thighs. I thought you might like to have a chat with Yuri. We are happy to wait here with Yuri until you arrive.

Nicky Parsons: Again, Rhiannon? I will try to find some colleagues and see you shortly.

Rhiannon: Good news, Yuri. My friend the government agent with a taste for Iron Curtain assassins is coming here very shortly to visit you.

Yuri then started yelling at Rhiannon, through his pain.

Rhiannon: There is no need to yell, Yuri. And you should save your energy for when my friend the government agent gets here. I expect she will want to have a long chat with you. I understand she even has secure hospitality for chaps like you.

Yuri continued yelling at Rhiannon.

Rhiannon walked over to Mr Goon and spoke to him: “Mr Goon, Pay attention. This is a learning exercise for you.”

Rhiannon then located her firearm again and walked to Yuri on the floor of the loan shark premises. Yuri was still yelling and had progressed to threatening Rhiannon.

Rhiannon: “Watch closely, Mr Goon.”

She grabbed Yuri by the hair and repositioned his head so they were facing each other. As Yuri opened his mouth to yell again, Rhiannon put the barrel of her firearm in his mouth.

Rhiannon: You have a big mouth for a brutal Iron Curtain assassin, Yuri.

She then shot him three (3) times in his mouth.

There was no more talking, yelling or breathing from Yuri.

Rhiannon then let go of the hair of Yuri and he slumped to the floor. She then went over to Mr Loan Shark and asked to use the telephone again.

The telephone was provided to her.

Rhiannon rang MI6 again: May I speak with Agent Emily, please? She works with Agent Nicky Parsons. She is not available. There is another woman who works in their team. May I speak with her? Harriet? Yes. That is her name, Harriet.

Agent Harriet, It is Rhiannon from the record shop. There has been a bit of excitement at the premises of a loan shark friend of mine near my record shop. Unfortunately Yuri, the brutal Iron Curtain assassin did not survive the excitement. Perhaps you could bring a team to clean up after Yuri. I would have told Agent Nicky Parsons, but she is already on her way here. I will fill you all in when you get here.

Harriet: That is some quiet life you are living. I will organise a team and see you shortly.

Rhiannon: Thank you.

Rhiannon ended the telephone call and spoke to Mr Goon: “Good to see you have not fainted, Mr Goon.”

Nicky Parsons then entered the premises with Emily and M1.

Rhiannon: Nicky, Emily, M1, Hello. Yuri got a bit lippy after I telephoned you and he started threatening me, so I took care of him.

Yuri was a surprise visitor for me here today and he brought back rather too many unpleasant memories. He liked to get physical. He was not prepared to wait until you arrived to do his talking. Anyway, Yuri will no longer be killing anyone.

Emily: Have you considered putting intermediate gears in your gearbox, Rhiannon, instead of just drive and turbo-charged overdrive?

Rhiannon: I will try to bear that in mind the next time I am threatened by a brutal Iron Curtain assassin, Emily.

Harriet and her clean up crew then entered the premises.

Harriet: Your new hobby is quite something, Rhiannon.

Rhiannon: It did not look like Yuri was inviting Mr Loan Shark for tea and muffins, Harriet.

Nicky Parsons: OK. We will clean this up. There is one less Iron Curtain bad guy to trouble us.

Rhiannon: I have got to get back to the record shop. I will see you all later.

MI6 cleaned up the scene and then returned to headquarters.

Mr Goon spoke to Mr Loan Shark: If Rhiannon was not here ...

Mr Loan Shark: I am not sure I want to think about if Rhiannon was not here.

Record Shop

A Wednesday morning just over two weeks later, the manager of the café across the road from the record shop visited Rhiannon in the record shop. There was no one else in the shop at the time.

Café Manager: “Rhiannon, I have just had another distressing telephone call and I do not know where else to turn. At 4:00 pm today I will be getting another visit from criminals who want me to pay protection money and I do not have the money to pay them.”

Rhiannon: Protection Money? How long has this been going on?

Café Manager: About two months.

Rhiannon: You should not have to pay protection money and we do not need criminals in this neighbourhood.

Café Manager: I have not told the police because the criminals said not to get them involved.

Rhiannon: Would you like me to be with you in your café when these criminals visit you at 4:00 pm?

Café Manager: Yes, please.

Rhiannon: How many criminals are there?

Café Manager: Usually two or three.

Rhiannon: You can stay here and compose yourself. I will make a telephone call.

Rhiannon the telephoned the loan shark: Mr Loan Shark, It seems there is going to be something of a situation near my record shop at about 4:00 pm today. I will need your Mr Goon to come and assist me. Have him be at my record shop at 3:45 pm and tell him to come prepared. Is that going to be a problem?

Mr Loan Shark: Miss Rhiannon, It will not be a problem. He will be there and he will be prepared.

Rhiannon: When I say prepared, Mr Loan Shark, I mean the kind of prepared that gave Dietrich the German Communist a problem with his knee. Have I made myself clear?

Mr Loan Shark: Yes, Miss Rhiannon, you have made yourself clear. He will be there and he will be prepared.

Rhiannon: Good. This is another community service you will be doing. Helping rid the neighbourhood of criminals.

Mr Loan Shark: I understand, Mis Rhiannon.

Rhiannon: Thank you, Mr Loan Shark.

Mrs Café Manager, You can stay here and listen to records with me until you feel like returning to your café.

Café Manager: Thank you, Rhiannon.

As 3:45 pm approached, Mr Goon arrived at the record store. He was wearing an overcoat and when he opened it, he showed Rhiannon he was prepared.

Rhiannon: Good work, Mr Goon. I had to go home to get better prepared.

The café across the road is being forced to pay protection money. At 4:00 pm today that practice will stop. I will be the one doing the talking to the criminals and you will be my back up. Now you understand why you are here.

Mr Goon: I understand, Miss Rhiannon.

Rhiannon: “Let us go and find somewhere to sit in the café.”

As Rhiannon and Mr Goon took their seats near the service counter, Mrs Café Manager attended them and said she would get them a pot of tea.

Mrs Café Manager was serving them their pot of tea when the three criminals arrived.

Mrs Café Manager: That is them. They have just arrived.

Rhiannon: You go and deal with them and do not mention we are here.

Mrs Café Manager: OK.

The criminals then made their protection money demand on Mrs Café Manager.

Mrs Café Manager: I cannot pay you. I do not have the money.

The Chief Criminal: You have to pay us. And you have to pay us, now.

Rhiannon then located her firearm and shot the Chief Criminal in each of his calves. He fell to the floor. She then shot him in his left knee.

The other two criminals were surprised and stood frozen temporarily.

Rhiannon continued: “Get on the floor.”

Rhiannon then approached the blonde criminal. She grabbed him by the hair and put her firearm in his face.

Mr Goon had his firearm drawn and was standing over the brunette criminal.

Rhiannon: There will be no protection money paid today or ever. You are going to write down your names and address on the paper the Café Manager gives you. You do not want to argue with me and you do not want to lie to me.

Mrs Café Manager then gave each of the three criminals a piece of paper and a pen.

The blonde criminal said: No.

Rhiannon immediately shot him in the forehead, to the shock of everyone in the café. His criminal days were over.

She then approached the Chief Criminal: “I want your address, criminal. Both work and home address. If you think you are in too much pain, then I will have to kill you. Make your choice.”

The brunette criminal had written down his name and addresses and given it to Mr Goon.

Rhiannon: “Good job, Mr Brunette Criminal. Now write down the name and address of your friend who is bleeding here.”

Mr Brunette Criminal: I do not know his home address.

Rhiannon: Write down what you know.

Mrs Café Manager gave Mr Brunette Criminal more paper and he began furiously writing on it.

Rhiannon: Your future is looking bleak, Mr Chief Criminal. You are going to give back to Mrs Café Manager all the money you have taken from her. Your name and addresses will help in that process.

The Chief Criminal then gave his piece of paper with his name and addresses on it to Rhiannon. She then gave it to Mr Goon: Do they match?

Mr Goon then compared it to the information Mr Brunette Criminal provided and nodded. He then gave all the paper to Rhiannon, who put it in her pocket.

Rhiannon: "So far, so good, criminals.

Mrs Café Manager, How much money have they taken from you?"

Mrs Café Manager: 700 pounds.

Rhiannon: Mr Chief Criminal, You owe Mrs Café Manager 700 pounds. If that debt is not paid in full today, that debt will become 1,000 pounds. You have to pay interest on your loan.

Have you got 700 pounds on you, Mr Chief Criminal?

Chief Criminal: No.

Rhiannon: How much have you got?

Chief Criminal: 300 pounds.

Rhiannon: Give it to Mrs Café Manager immediately. If you decide to be clever in the process, I will kill you. Choose wisely, Mr Chief Criminal.

Mr Chief Criminal then produced 300 pounds from his pocket and gave it to Rhiannon.

Rhiannon then gave it to Mrs Café Manager.

Rhiannon: Count it to be sure how much you have been paid.

Mrs Café Manager: 300 pounds.

Rhiannon: Your problems keep escalating, Mr Chief Criminal.

Give the keys to your motor vehicle to my colleague.

Mr Brunette Criminal then gave the keys to their motor vehicle to Mr Goon.

Rhiannon: Mrs Café Manager, May I use your telephone.

Mrs Café Manager then gave Rhiannon the telephone.

Rhiannon: “Dietrich, Hello. It is Rhiannon from the record shop. How are you? How is the knee? Do you think you can find any other those degenerate German Communists you fund to take care of some criminals who want a business in my neighbourhood to pay protection money? Are you sure, Dietrich? Are you sure you want to disappoint me? That is unfortunate Dietrich. I was hoping you would be more helpful. Especially after all we have been through.

I may have to talk to you later, Dietrich.”

Rhiannon then telephoned Nicky Parsons: “Nicky, Are degenerate criminals who wanted the café across the road from my record shop to pay protection money of any interest to you? Got any raids in the works that could benefit from human shields?

Nicky Parsons: Rhiannon, Have you thought of retiring and working in a record shop?

Rhiannon: This business comes to me. I do not seek it out. Plus I do not fancy the prospect of being asked to pay protection money, so I decided to deal with these criminals. One career came to an end today. Another guy has a problem with his knee and some bleeding.

Nicky Parsons: Still just two gears in your gearbox, I see.

Rhiannon: My effective gear would be more effective if you were more helpful today. I cannot interest you in the boss of these criminals? I got them to write down their work and home addresses, as well as their names.

Nicky Parsons: I am restricted to dealing with Iron Curtain bad guys. Your criminals do not qualify.

Rhiannon: Thank you, Nicky. Enjoy your day.

Rhiannon: Mr Brunette Criminal, Write down the name, work address and telephone number of the boss of your organisation.

Mrs Café Manager supplied him with more paper and he did as he was asked.

Rhiannon then retrieved the paper and telephoned the boss.

Rhiannon: "It does not matter to whom in the organisation I am talking, some of your crew tried to demand protection money from a café in my neighbourhood this afternoon. One of your guys is dead, the Chief Criminal will now have a dodgy knee for the rest of his life and he has some other wounds and Mr Brunette Criminal has been more cooperative.

You owe the Café Manager the $700 you took from her and I expect it to be repaid today.

Mr Chief Criminal would talk to you, but he has my gun in his mouth."

Mr Goon then shoved Mr Brunette Criminal and he yelled: “She is telling the truth.”

Rhiannon: “I do not need much of an excuse to kill Mr Chief Criminal. Get the boss down here and bring the 700 pounds with him.”

Rhiannon then rang Mr Loan Shark: “Mr Loan Shark, I think you should come to the café across the road from my record shop. Come prepared and bring all the muscle you can get together. There is someone demanding protection money and I am putting a stop to it.”

Mr Loan Shark: I will see who I can hustle up.

Rhiannon telephoned Nicky Parsons again: Nicky, I suspect there is going to be an ugly confrontation. Are you sure you do not want to be here? It would be handy if M1 brought his sniper rifle.

Nicky: Who have you threatened?

Rhiannon: The boss of the protection gang.

Nicky: Two gears: Calm and trouble.

Rhiannon: Got to go, Nicky.

Rhiannon: Mr Brunette Criminal, When your work colleagues arrive, you will identify them. Your life depends upon it. Are we clear?

Brunette Criminal: Yes.

Rhiannon: Surrender your firearm.

Mr Brunette Criminal handed his firearm to Mr Goon, who gave it to Rhiannon.

Rhiannon: Where does the Chief Criminal keep his firearm?

Mr Brunette Criminal: Inside his jacket, on the left side.

Rhiannon: Mr Chief Criminal, Surrender your firearm or I will take it. If I have to take it, I will punish you.

Mr Chief Criminal surrendered his firearm to Rhiannon.

Mr Loan Shark then arrived and walked over to Rhiannon.

“I came prepared and so did my colleague.”

Rhiannon: “Good. We are waiting for their boss to arrive.”

Mr Brunette Criminal then said: “He is here.”

Mr Brunette Criminal spoke to the guy in the fur overcoat: “Boss, Things did not go so well.”

Mr Fur Overcoat: What is going on?

Rhiannon then shot Mr Fur Overcoat in his knee and his thighs.

Rhiannon yelled: Get on the floor.

Mr Fur Overcoat had fallen to the floor and his two offsiders lay on the floor.

Rhiannon: “Mr Loan Shark, You can check them for firearms. If they move, shoot them.

Mr Fur Overcoat, it was an enormous mistake forcing my friend to pay protection money. We do not want your kind in this neighbourhood. You owe her $700 pounds. Pay up."

Rhiannon then walked over to Mr Fur Overcoat, grabbed him by the hair and forced his head to look at her. She then put her firearm against his forehead.

Rhiannon: “You have 30 seconds to produce the $700 pounds you owe my friend.”

No movement from Mr Fur Overcoat.

Rhiannon: 20 seconds.

Still no movement.

Rhiannon: 10 seconds.

Mr Fur Overcoat was defiant.

To the shock of everyone, Rhiannon then put three bullets in his forehead.

Rhiannon: The debt has to be paid. Check his colleagues for money. Also, take any car keys they may have.

Mr Loan Shark, I assume you will be able to sell their motor vehicles for them and give the proceeds to Mrs Café Manager.

Mr Loan Shark: Yes.

Rhiannon: The lives of you criminals are shortening by the second. Produce the money you owe Mrs Café Manager and you may live.

It is tawdry, Mr Loan Shark, but take their watches etc as well. A disreputable second hand dealer may give you a few dollars cash for them.

Mr Brunette Criminal, Is this all your crew here now?

Mr Brunette Criminal: Yes.

Rhiannon: How are we going for cash, Mr Loan Shark?

Mr Loan Shark: 500 pounds, some change, a couple of watches and 2 sets of car keys.

Rhiannon: Mr Loan Shark, Could you make any use of Mr Brunette Criminal? Think carefully. He is not allowed to disappoint me.

Mr Loan Shark: Yes. I believe we could discipline him, so he becomes productive and he does not disappoint you.

Rhiannon: That is your lifeline, Mr Brunette Criminal.

Rhiannon then walked over to the two criminals who accompanied Mr Fur Overcoat and shot them in the head.

The people in the café exclaimed in shock.

Rhiannon: Never threaten me. Never threaten my friends.

Mrs Café Manager, Shortly you should have all the money that was taken from you returned to you.

Rhiannon walked over to Mr Chief Criminal and put her firearm against his forehead. He had lost quite a bit of blood by this stage.

“You have a choice. I call the police and you take responsibility for all of this or I kill you. There is a few of us here now. We could use you for target practice. I should add, I have no intention of calling an ambulance for you.”

Mr Chief Criminal said nothing.

Rhiannon: It seems appropriate that I use your firearm to kill you, Mr Chief Criminal.

She then put two rounds in his forehead. His criminal days were over.

Rhiannon: Thank you, Mr Loan Shark. I have the contact details of Mr Brunette Criminal. You may wish to take note of them for yourself. It seems pretty clear now he is aware of his future if he disappoints me.

Mr Loan Shark: I have them. My colleague and I will now return to our business.

Rhiannon: Mrs Café Manager, May I use your telephone again?

The telephone was then given to Rhiannon.

Rhiannon: Nicky, Mrs Café Manager will get her money returned to her. There were some deaths, but only bad guys. So, it turns out we did not need your help. Enjoy your day. I have to go.

Police Arrive

Two uniformed police officers then walked in to the café.

Police: What happened here?

Mrs Café Manager: Some men called on me and demanded that I pay them protection money. I said I did not have any money to pay them. Shortly afterwards their boss arrived with more men and an argument ensued.

Rhiannon: They were violent and unreasonable men. Not gentlemen, at all.

Police: Some of them seem dead.

Rhiannon: Like I said: violent and unreasonable men.

Police: Who are you?

Rhiannon: I am a friend of Mrs Café Manager. I am from the record shop across the road. It is scary that there are people demanding we pay protection money. I am here to support Mrs Café Manager. I think you will find no one else in the café saw anything.

The Police looked at Rhiannon and then asked: Did anyone see anything?

A variety of “No” rang out from those in the café.

Police: Five men dead and no one saw anything?

Rhiannon: It is shocking having these criminals in the neighbourhood.

Mrs Café Manager: The entire episode terrified me.

Police: OK. We get the picture. None of you saw anything about these five men dying.

Rhiannon: Five dangerous criminals, who wanted Mrs Café Manager to pay protection money.

Police: OK. We will wrap this up and clean it up.

When the police left the café, Mrs Café Manager spoke to Rhiannon: Thank you. This could not have been resolved without you. It is a small gesture, but please stay and have dinner with me here this evening.

Rhiannon: I was happy to help and I will gladly dine with you this evening. 

Red Note Records Hustle

A few weeks after the incident in the café across the road from the Rhiannon record shop, the store owner approached Rhiannon and said she was sure a manager from Red Note Records was ripping her off. She had been given a bill for 5,000 pounds by Red Note Records and there was no way she could pay it. She had been through the books of account of the business and there was no way that bill could be correct.

Rhiannon: You are sure you are being ripped off?

Store Owner: Yes. Certain.

Rhiannon: I have a plan. Call the manager of Red Note Records. Get him to come here immediately, because you have an offer to make to him. I am happy to telephone him, but I think it would be better if you did it.

Store Owner: You have a plan?

Rhiannon: Yes

Store Owner: Are you sure you know what you are doing?

Rhiannon: Yes.

Dietrich From Red Note Records

The Store Owner made the call. Dietrich from Red Note Records would be at the record shop in two (2) hours.

When Dietrich arrived, the store owner introduced him to Rhiannon.

Rhiannon: Dietrich. That is a German name.

Dietrich: Yes.

Rhiannon: Help me out here, Dietrich. Explain to me how my boss owes you 5,000 pounds.

Dietrich: “Certainly.” He then began to explain why he says the record store owner owes 5,000 pounds.

Rhiannon interrupted Dietrich and asked her boss: Is this true?

Store Owner: No.

Rhiannon: You are sure?

Store Owner: It is not true.

Dietrich ignored the women and continued with his explanation.

Rhiannon then located her firearm and shot Dietrich twice: once in the thigh and once in the knee.

Rhiannon then spoke to Dietrich:

“Dietrich with the German name, Here is what is going to happen. You are going to do as I say and then we may consider whether you are entitled to medical treatment.

You are going to repay my boss, a very decent woman, all the money you have ripped off from her. I even have a plan for you to secure those funds immediately.”

Dietrich was writhing on the floor of the store in pain and bleeding quite a bit.

Rhiannon: “Pay attention, Dietrich with the German name. I am not happy about you bleeding on the floor of the store. I have to temporarily close the store because of you.

Rhiannon the shut the door to the store and put up the Temporarily Closed sign.

Rhiannon: Dietrich, My boss was kind enough to give me a job here. You are not going to take it from me. I have friends who are very interested in Germans like you. I am going to call them and they are going to help me ensure you repay my boss the money you ripped off from her.

MI6 Get Involved

Rhiannon then telephoned Nicky Parsons: “Nicky, Dietrich with the German name from Red Note Records has been ripping off my boss. He is currently bleeding on the floor of the record shop. He is not going anywhere. The gunshot wounds to the thigh and knee took care of that. I thought you might like to come with me when I took Dietrich to a loan shark, so he can get the money he owes my boss.”

Nicky Parsons: Rhiannon, What have you done?

Rhiannon: Helped out my boss who was being ripped off by a German Communist hustler.

Nicky Parsons: I will be at your record shop shortly.

The store owner was in shock. She could not believe what she was seeing from Rhiannon.

Rhiannon: This is an adventure you will regret Communist Dietrich. I have no patience and no sense of humour for people who try to rip off my boss. If you are minded to call for the police, I am happy to tell those police that you have been ripping off my boss and that you threatened us. I am sure they will have a jail cell where you can recover from the attention you are getting here.

Nicky Parsons then arrived at the record shop with Emily and M1.

Rhiannon let them in to the store and then did some introductions.

Rhiannon: Nicky, Emily, M1, This is my boss and the Communist bleeding on the floor is Dietrich. He was ripping off my boss.

The MI6 agents and the store owner exchanged greetings.

Rhiannon: Nicky, I am sure there is a loan shark around here. Do you know his address?

Nicky: Yes.

Rhiannon: Good, because that is where we are going. There is no need to argue, Nicky. The loan shark will explain the next part of this puzzle.

The MI6 agents did not argue and they took Dietrich the bleeding German Communist to their motor vehicle with them.

Rhiannon: Do not worry, boss. I will get your money back and take care of Dietrich for you.

Rhiannon then joined the MI6 agents in their motor vehicle and they went to see the loan shark.

The Loan Shark

When they arrived at the loan shark premises, Rhiannon spoke to Dietrich: “You are going to enjoy this adventure, Mr German Communist.”

Once inside the loan shark premises, Rhiannon was ahead of Nicky Parsons. Emily and M1, were behind them, holding Dietrich, who was clearly in pain and having trouble standing. Eventually Dietrich fell to the floor.

Rhiannon spoke to a loan shark staff member: Send the big guy out. Do not argue and do not make me wait.

As the loan shark big guy appeared, he was greeted by Rhiannon and her firearm.

Rhiannon: “Mr Loan Shark, I have some business for you. The German Communist bleeding on your floor needs a loan from you to repay the money he ripped off from my boss, a record store owner. My friends here from a government agency that has a taste for German Communists will help you with the loan details. We would not want anything to go wrong.

“In case I am not making myself clear, I am well aware what you do is illegal and ordinarily you would expect these government agents to shut you down and take you in to custody. But your special talents will be very useful on this occasion. So it is a version of business as usual.

“Pay attention. I do not want to have to repeat myself. Dietrich the German Communist needs a loan of 5,000 pounds from you, on your usual terms, so he can pay back the money he ripped off my boss. There is plenty of time left in today, so my boss should be able to be repaid that money today.”

The MI6 agents watched and listened in stunned silence.

Rhiannon: “Dietrich the German Communist can get medical treatment when the loan is completed. Are we clear so far, Mr Loan Shark?”

Loan Shark: Yes.

Rhiannon: “If Dietrich the degenerate German Communist does not obey your loan terms, then your goons can do what they do to people who do not pay your loans. I am specifically endorsing what you do for this degenerate German Communist, who ripped off my boss. We then have the delightful situation of British criminal thugs disciplining a degenerate German, who funds Iron Curtain Communists who want to attack our country. You can look at it as you finally doing something patriotic.

“It is time for you to start the paperwork for the 5,000 pound loan, Mr Loan Shark. If it takes longer than 30 minutes to complete, you are going to have trouble walking, Mr Loan Shark.”

Emily and M1 then sat Dietrich in a chair at a table in front of Mr Loan Shark.

Rhiannon then turned and shot the loan shark staff member they first encountered when they arrived in his left hand.

Rhiannon: “Really bad move challenging me, Goon. Get down on the floor.”

The goon got down on the floor and was in quite some pain because of his hand.

Rhiannon approached him. She grabbed his hair and pulled up his head to speak to him. She put the barrel of her firearm in his mouth.

“If I have any more trouble from you, I will kill you. Are we clear?”

The goon nodded.

Rhiannon: “This is not the way to impress me, Mr Loan Shark. My patience is running out. I brought you significant business, Mr Loan Shark and your goon thought it was a good idea to challenge me. You are still in business because of me. These governments agents could shut your business down and arrest you, but you are being allowed to continue trading. That is because of me, Mr Loan Shark. You now owe me. You will now give me your telephone number. In fact you will give me your business and home telephone numbers. If I ever need muscle in the future, you will provide it. I suggest you start with this goon. I know what I am getting with him and he knows better than to argue with me.”

The goon said “OK”, with the gun of Rhiannon in his mouth.

Rhiannon: Are we clear, Mr Loan Shark?

Mr Loan Shark: Yes. We are clear. Here are my telephone numbers.

Rhiannon: “It would be a mistake to not be available, should I choose to telephone you, Mr Loan Shark.

“Goon, I will take my gun out of your mouth. You will then write down for me your work telephone number and your home telephone number. Have I made myself clear?”

The goon nodded.

Rhiannon removed her firearm from the mouth of the goon. He immediately found a piece of paper and wrote down his telephone numbers and then gave the piece of paper to Rhiannon.

Emily whispered to M1: Do you know this Rhiannon?

M1 shook his head.

Mr Loan Shark: The loan just needs to be signed and witnessed.

Rhiannon: “Sign the loan, Dietrich.”

“Goon, You will witness his signature.”

Mr Loan Shark: All the paperwork is complete.

Rhiannon: Now you will take 5,000 pounds in cash to my boss, so she can put it in her bank and be rid of the degenerate German Dietrich. I am sure you have a suitcase for the task. As you can see, there are government agents here to help you focus your attention.

Mr Loan Shark: I will need 15 minutes.

Rhiannon: You can have 10 minutes. And I will need to use your telephone to call my boss to make sure the money goes in to her account.

Mr Loan Shark gave Rhiannon the telephone: “Boss, So far the adventure has gone pretty much as planned. We are now making arrangements to transport the money you are owed in cash to your bank. Please tell it to me and we will meet you there in 15 minutes. Thank you.”

Rhiannon: “The hard part of your patriotic duty is almost over, Mr Loan Shark. Once the cash has been deposited into the bank account of my boss, your need to deal with us will end. I am sure you will not be stupid enough to try anything after this is done. You can focus your attention on Dietrich, the degenerate German Communist.”

“In case you get any funny ideas, Mr Loan Shark, you will be in handcuffs for the motor vehicle journey to the bank.”

The Bank

The drive to the bank was uneventful.

Rhiannon met her boss at the bank and told her 5,000 pounds in cash had been secured and was ready for deposit into her account.

Rhiannon dealt with the bank staff: “This suitcase contains 5,000 pounds in cash. That money was taken from my boss by a criminal we have with us. It is now returned to my boss and is to be deposited into her account. My friends, the government agents, are here to make sure neither the degenerate German criminal nor the money man misbehaves. I trust I have made myself clear.”

Bank Officer: “I understand, Miss. We will count the money and then deposit it into the account of your boss.”

Bank Officer: All is in order, Miss. The 5,000 pounds is now in the account of your boss.

Rhiannon: Thank you. Would you write down the balance of the account now and give it to my boss, please.

Bank Officer: Certainly, Miss.

Record Store Owner after the bank officer gave her the note with her bank balance on it: “Thank you. And thank you, Rhiannon. This would not have been possible without you.”

Rhiannon: “Thank you, Mr Loan Shark. You are free to go.”

The MI6 agents removed the handcuffs from Mr Loan Shark and he left the bank.

Rhiannon to the MI6 agents: “The degenerate German Communist is all yours. Do whatever you like with him.”

Rhiannon: “Dietrich, You picked the wrong target. Never cross my path again and never cross the path of my boss again.

Nicky, Emily and M1, Thank you for helping out. You made this a lot easier for me.”

“Boss, let’s go back to the record shop.”

Nicky, Emily, M1 and Dietrich then went to MI6 headquarters.

Rhiannon and her boss returned to the record shop.

The Record Shop

As they were cleaning the blood from the floor of the record shop, Rhiannon spoke to her boss:

“I used to do a very different job. I now realise it was dangerous and I was cavalier about my personal safety. I am grateful to you for giving me this job. I like this job and want to keep it. My boyfriend is a government agent and his job is very dangerous. Meeting him helped me realise how dangerous my previous job was and the danger that is a part of his job. I decided to enrol in self-defence classes and I joined the shooting gallery. I take my safety and security a lot more seriously now.

Dietrich should never have ripped you off. You are a good person. I was happy to use the skills I now have to help you and to try to get your money back. I helped Dietrich get a loan from a loan shark to repay the money he ripped off from you. He will have to deal with the loan shark now. That and his knee injury will remind him never to bother you again.”

Store Owner: I am grateful to you, Rhiannon.

Rhiannon: This job gave me a chance at a new life. I was happy to help you out. 

Rhiannon Acquires New Skills

Rhiannon Goes To Self-Defence Classes and Joins The Shooting Gallery

The day after her reconciliation with M2 was a good day at the record store for Rhiannon. More customers than usual were in the store and they were in a purchasing mood . She also had plenty of time to think about what might be her knew life with M2. She decided it was time to take her safety and security more seriously. Rhiannon decided to sign up to self defence classes and join the shooting gallery. Something she should have done in her other job, but she did not appreciate the danger she put herself in, until she met M2 and his work colleagues.

When she was not doing necessary things at home or spending time with M2, Rhiannon was either at self defence classes or the shooting gallery. Now she had started, she decided to take her personal security very seriously.

About 2 months into her self-defence regime Rhiannon got an opportunity to put it into practice and not by choice. A Tea Drinker she had not seen for over a year visited her record store. Initially Serge was only concerned with records but when he saw Rhiannon, he wanted to discuss Tea Drinking.

Rhiannon told Serge she was no longer in the Tea Drinking business and he should look for a new companion. Serge ignored her information and persisted with his request for a Tea Drinking episode. Several times Rhiannon asked Serge to leave the record store, but he refused.

Eventually Rhiannon tripped Serge and sent him to the floor of her store. She then located her firearm from her hand bag and put 2 rounds in the left thigh of Serge. The subsequent pain and bleeding curtailed his request for companionship.

Rhiannon immediately telephoned Nicky Parsons:

“Come to my record store immediately, unless you want Serge to bleed out. I am very confident he is of interest to you. My recollection is that he is an organiser of the type of troublemakers that keep you employed and he definitely drinks Russian Caravan tea.”

Nicky Parsons: “Rhiannon, What happened?”

Rhiannon: “I will tell you when you get here. Your troublemaker bleeding on the floor of the record shop is bad for business.”

Nicky Parsons: “We will be there as soon as we can.”

Rhiannon ended the telephone call and then put a Temporarily Closed sign on the door of the record shop.

She then went over to the bleeding and writhing in pain, Serge: “I asked you to leave the store, but you refused. Now you have brought trouble to your door. I can assure you, this is an adventure you will regret.”

15 minutes later Nicky Parsons arrived with her team of MI6 agents. They secured Serge the Russian Caravan Drinker and cleaned up the mess he left at the record store.

Nicky asked Rhiannon what happened.

Rhiannon: It seems I was in a dangerous job before and did not realise it. I am in a different kind of dangerous world now, so I thought I would take some precautions. Serge The Tea Drinker here apparently thought he needed to put my precautions to the test. It turns out they work.”

Nicky: A firearm?

Rhiannon: I joined the shooting gallery and self-defence classes. My conversation with Serge did not get around to that aspect of my new life. I do not have handcuffs, like you. I was not looking forward to keep shooting Serge in the thigh to subdue him, while I waited for you.

Can I open my shop again?

Nicky: "Yes. We will take care of this for you. We can chat more about this later."

Having cleaned up after Serge, Nicky and her team took Serge back to MI6 headquarters.

Rhiannon then reopened her record shop.

MI6 Custody

Nicky Parsons took Serge to an interview room in the MI6 custody area and had a conversation with him.

Parsons: “You will get medical attention when this conversation is over, so pay attention. You are not very clever. All you had to do was what the lady in the record store asked you to do: Leave her alone and leave the store. That would have seen you continue with your life. You would not have come to our attention.

“But you knew better and now we know about you. You have 48 hours to tell us all about your operation as an organiser for Iron Curtain agents and sympathisers. If you decide not to cooperate with us, we will use you as a human shield in one of our future raids. We may even find a comparable adventure for you. But we will not be wasting a lot of time and resources on you. Cooperate with us and you live. If you do not cooperate, your life will be short.”

Parsons: “I am finished with our new guest, Serge, for the time being. The doctor can see him now.”

Nicky Parsons then returned to her office.

Beverly The Tea Drinker

A week and a half later a female former work colleague from the Tea Drinkers Club wandered in to the record store. Initially her interest was in records, but when Beverly saw Rhiannon, she decided to bother her, just as she so often did at the Tea Drinkers Club.

Fortunately for Rhiannon there was no one else in the store. Rhiannon was in no mood to tolerate any more of her rubbish. She made it clear to Beverly that she was no longer in the Tea Drinking business and unless she was going to buy records, Beverly should leave the store immediately.

Beverly thought being a pest was a better option, so she persisted. Rhiannon sent Beverly to the floor of the record store and said to her: “You are really going to regret this meeting.”

Rhiannon then went to her handbag and located her firearm, which she put in her pocket. She then pulled Beverly from the floor and walked her out the front door of the store. She put the Temporarily Closed sign up and locked the record shop door.

Rhiannon then yanked Beverly across the road to the alley behind the café.

Rhiannon: "When I said I was no longer in the Tea Drinking Business what I meant was that I was no longer in the Tea Drinking Business. You were a problem to work with when I was in the Tea Drinking Club, you are not going to be a problem for me at the record shop.”

Beverly had never seen this Rhiannon before and she did not know what to do.

Rhiannon then produced her firearm and put two rounds in Beverly, the first in her left thigh and the second in her right knee.

Rhiannon continued her Beverly tirade: “Never cross my path again. And tell everyone at the Tea Drinkers Club I am no longer in that business and do not bother me in this life I now have.”

Beverly was crying in pain and bleeding rather a lot.

Rhiannon: I suppose you want me to get help for you?

Beverly: Yes. Please.

Rhiannon: You deserve to bleed out here. I know some people who might help you. I will telephone them.

Rhiannon then calmly walked to a public telephone nearby and called Nicky Parsons:

“I had another problem at the record shop. A female from my former job. I took care of it. She is lying in an alley behind the café across the road from the record shop, bleeding. She is not going anywhere. The round in her knee took care of that. You can come and get her, if you are interested. She might be useful to you as a different form of bait.”

Nicky Parsons: I am not sure I believe what I am hearing.

Rhiannon: Suit yourself.

Parsons: I will get a team to attend and deal with her.

Rhiannon: OK. I will wait near her instead of returning to the record store.

The call then ended.

Rhiannon returned to the bleeding and incapacitated Beverly: “You are in luck. My friend said she will come and deal with you.”

Have you learned your lesson? Never bother me again.”

Beverly: Yes. I will never bother you again.

Rhiannon: It would also be a really good idea if you kept your big mouth shut. Have I made myself clear?

Beverly: Yes.

Rhiannon: The good news for you is you should still be able to walk. But that injury to your knee should remind you to never bother me again.

Five minutes later Nicky Parsons and her team arrived. They secured Beverly and prepared to take her back to MI6 headquarters.

Nicky Parsons: This is a Rhiannon I have not seen before.

Rhiannon: I had a problem, two actually. I dealt with them.

Nicky: We might chat later about how you deal with these problems.

Rhiannon: I want these troublemakers to leave me alone.

Nicky: I doubt either of those two troublemakers will bother you again. Nevertheless I would like to get together with you in the near future and discuss how you might deal with troublemakers. Even though your methods have been very effective so far.

Rhiannon: May I return to the record store now?

Nicky: Yes.

Rhiannon: By the way, it was good to see you, Nicky. Catch you later.

Rhiannon then returned to her record store and the rest of the day was uneventful.

MI6

When they returned to MI6 headquarters, Nicky Parsons ensured Beverly was taken to the custody area. A brief conversation ensued: “When our medical people have finished treating your wounds, you are going to be kept here until we decide what to do with you.”

Nicky then proceeded to her office and completed her Mission Report on the Beverly adventure with Rhiannon. When it was completed, she took it immediately to Emily and they discussed it.

Emily: This is an interesting report, Nicky. It seems selling records has enabled Rhiannon to develop some new skills. I am pretty sure she did not have these skills when she was a Tea Drinker.

Nicky: I think we should try to have a conversation with Rhiannon about how she might manage these new skills.

Emily: They are effective skills, but they might draw attention to her she does not want. Telephone her now and see if she is interested in meeting with us to discuss these new skills.

Nicky: OK.

Nicky then telephoned Rhiannon at her record shop.

“Rhiannon, It is Nicky Parsons. Are you free to get together after work today to have a chat about your recent incidents? I propose to bring Emily with me.”

Rhiannon: “Sure. We can go to the café across the road from the record shop.”

Nicky: “Thank you. Emily and I plan to be outside your shop when you close for the day.”

Rhiannon: OK.

Emily: Looks like we are catching an early train home today.

Café

True to their word, Emily and Nicky were outside the Rhiannon record shop when she closed for the day. The three women then proceeded to the café across the road.

Once they were settled, Nicky spoke to Rhiannon: “There is no doubt your newly acquired skills are useful and effective, but you might want to give some more thought to how much attention you draw to yourself when you use them. Especially your shooting skills.”

Rhiannon: Both of them we bothering and annoying me. They would not leave me alone.

Nicky: I am not disputing that they got what they deserved. But you need to be aware of the attention you draw to yourself when you shoot someone.

The attention of Rhiannon was drawn to three large men who entered the café and sat at a table against the side wall, not a long way from where Rhiannon, Nicky and Emily were sitting. They joined another man who was already seated at that table.

Rhiannon waited until the new arrivals were settled and the she spoke to Nicky and Emily, as she removed her firearm from her handbag and put it in her pocket:

• “Will you ladies please excuse me? There is something I need to take care of.”

Emily and Nicky looked at each other perplexed as Rhiannon made her way to the table with the new arrivals.

There was one man in particular at the table who appeared to be in charge. Rhiannon made her way directly to him. She produced her firearm and put three (3) rounds in his head, without hesitation. He died instantly. Rhiannon then addressed the table: “Get on the floor. All of you.”

One younger man hesitated. Rhiannon shot him in the forehead and said: “I said get on the floor.”

There was no hesitation with the rest of the men. They hit the floor promptly.

Rhiannon then said: “Nicky and Emily, These are your guys. They are Tea Drinkers. Russian Caravan Tea.”

A shocked Nicky and Emily located there firearms and made their way to the table where Rhiannon was operating. The agents produced their handcuffs and secured the men on the floor.

Rhiannon then made her way to the café service counter and asked to use the telephone. There was no objection. Rhiannon telephoned MI6 and said: “Send a clean up crew to the café across the road from my record shop. There are some Iron Curtain guys here who are keen to experience your hospitality.”

She then thanked the staff for allowing her to use the telephone and returned to Nicky and Emily.

Rhiannon: “The first guy I shot is a money launderer for the Iron Curtain bad guys and he likes to drink Russian Caravan tea. He is not pleasant company at all. The second guy is not known to me, but should have done what he was told. I dealt with him before he posed a threat. When I say money launderer, I mean a lot of money.”

By the way, I heard and understood what you said and I will try much harder to heed it in the future, but the money launderer was a particularly nasty chap and he got what he deserved.”

Emily: I think we have heard enough of the details for the time being.

Nicky: Our colleagues did not waste any time getting here. I will talk to them.

Nicky Parsons spoke to the attending MI6 agents and asked them to put the handcuffed men in the MI6 custody area. She would then deal with them there.

There was no objection from the attending MI6 agents and the clean up was swift and efficient.

When the MI6 agents left the café with their new companions, the café manager approached Nicky, Emily and Rhiannon: “Please stay and have dinner on us. You ladies help keep us safe.”

Rhiannon: I am in no hurry to leave.

Emily: I am rather hungry.

Nicky: Looks like we are accepting your very kind offer. Thank you

Rhiannon: Thank you.

Emily: Thank you.

The three women then returned to their table.

Emily: I thought the record shop was supposed to be a quieter life for you, Rhiannon.

Rhiannon: Usually it is. I will do my best in future not to bring unnecessary excitement into my life.

Nicky: Your shooting is brutally effective. What happened to the Rhiannon who gave me the Miles Davis record?

Rhiannon: She still exists. But I had to suppress her to deal with some problems that arose. I am quite happy to go back to that life and leave the excitement for you two ladies.

Emily: This certainly turned out different to the way I expected.

Rhiannon: The food has arrived and a pot of tea, for which we are grateful. So we can focus our attention on the food and mundane matters now.

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.