The Secret Hours – Audiobook by Mick Herron (Part 1)

‘The Secret Hours’ by Mick Herron (Part 1)

Part 2: https://youtu.be/Y5Ep-XauQJ8?si=yMxR8RACIsS0oj1e

A new standalone novel from ‘Britain’s greatest living thriller writer’ and author of the bestselling Slough House series, now a TV series starring Gary Oldman.

“An Instant Sunday Times Bestseller”

A gripping standalone thriller with a riveting reveal about a disastrous MI5 mission in Cold War Berlin – a dazzling entry-point to Mick Herron’s writing and an unmissable listen for Slough House fans.

“A BBC Radio 4 Book at Bedtime”

Two years ago, the Monochrome inquiry was set up to investigate the British secret service. Monochrome’s mission was to ferret out misconduct, allowing the civil servants seconded to the inquiry, Griselda Fleet and Malcolm Kyle, unfettered access to confidential information in the service archives.

But with progress blocked at every turn, Monochrome is circling the drain… Until the OTIS file appears out of nowhere.

What classified secrets does OTIS hold that see a long-redundant spy being chased through Devon’s green lanes in the dark? What happened in a newly reunified Berlin that someone is desperate to keep under wraps? And who will win the battle for the soul of the secret service – or was that decided a long time ago?

Spies and pen-pushers, politicians and PAs, high-flyers, time-servers and burn-outs… They all have jobs to do in the daylight. But what they do in the secret hours reveals who they really are.

Narrated by: Sean Barrett

Part 1 Length: 7 hrs and 40 mins

Part 2 Length: 5 hrs and 1 min

Full Length: 12 hrs and 41 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Basille an imprint of John Murray presents the secret hours by Mick Haron read by Sha Barrett part one Devon soon the worst smell in the world is dead Badger he’d encountered it on his morning walk down a Green Lane had caught the odor without seeing the corpse but had guessed what it was

Before returning letterer with the shovel whether they all smelled that bad or whether this one had expired of noxious causes he didn’t know as it turned out he couldn’t do anything about it either the creature had crawled into a tangled nest of roots to die and it would

Require heavy machinery and a strong stomach to recover it lacking the former and not wanting to put the latter to the test Max opted for a third way he’d walk a different route for a while and see if one of the local farmers shifted it in the meantime which was why he wasn’t

Sure the badger would still be there a couple of nights later when he was running for his life the first of The Intruders entered through the kitchen window Max hadn’t been asleep though anyone watching The Cottage would have been forgiven for thinking otherwise the lights were out

The curtains drawn he’d been lying in bed not so much struggling with insomnia as letting it do its worst when he’ heard the window Larch being finessed open a piece of wire sliding through the drafty Gap he’d been meaning to repair lifting the metal hook from its eye

Quieter than taking out the glass but a long way short of Silent he’ pulled on jogging pants and a sweatshirt slipped into a pair of trainers then froze in place caught between two lives trying to remember where he’d stashed his flight kit you could worry you were losing your mind

That they were coming too late and you long ago turned into whoever you were pretending to be Max yanek retired early academic still footling around with a history book but mostly just passing the days taking long walks cooking slow meals losing himself in Dickens the stairs were an out of tune

Orchestra of squeaks and whistles every tread announcing that Peter or the wolf were on their way unless you’d practiced descending and knew where to put your feet so almost noiselessly he reached the sitting room whose doorway was diagonal to the kitchen and plucked the poker from its stand by the wood burning

Stove not a great weapon for all its iconic status in fiction you needed High ceilings to accommodate your swing Max yanic understood a good swing he was the man you saw walking the lanes beheading dandelion with a stick who lived in a 500 100-year old Cottage in North Devon

And could be counted on to do the neighborly thing keep an eye out for the old fol whose company he was on the threshold of joining lit a pick after the bank Holiday Rush signed the petition resisting the makeshift industrial estate down the lane numbering 17 cabins now this and more

He’d been for more than 20 years and whether the locals took him at face value or gave less than a topy dam had become irrelevant or had done until someone slipped the latch on his kitchen window and climbed inside more or less gracefully breaking no Crockery dislodging no pans and moving across the

Flagged floor in careful silence intent it would seem on unlocking the back door and allowing his comrades Ingress or her comrades as it turned out whether Max would have jabbed her so hard at the base of the skull with the poker then slammed her head on the floor when she

Fell had he known it was a woman beneath the Breakin gear was something he could Ponder at leisure if he survived the night meanwhile he checked her for weapons she was carrying a taser which put her outside the range of opportunist burglar but no ID and nothing to

Indicate what she was up to but he had to work on the assumption that she wasn’t alone an assumption confirmed when he picked up the landline to hear the Deep Silence of a well on a windless night inside the cottage anywhere down this Lane his mobile made for a useful paper

Weight so sitting tight and calling the Cavalry wasn’t an option and wouldn’t necessarily have been a sensible move anyway sometimes it was the Cavalry you had to watch out for the cottage sat Midway down a sloping Lane and was half of a twinned peir in the other half lived old Dolly

Who had probably forgotten the time when she’d simply been Dolly certainly she’d earned the old by the time Max moved in and still regarded him as 3ars a stranger though he long reached the point where he was doing most of her shopping all of her firewood Gathering

And a strong 78 of listening to her bang on about immigration which left him less uneasy than her habit of leaving a gas ring lit to save striking a match for every cigarette the next Cottage along 100 yards distant had been emptied since Jonah triple horn had gone to live with

His daughter in exitor the cottage opposite Cottage By local tradition it had four bedrooms was a second home and invariably unoccupied during the week and further down the lane were other dwellings some housing young families some retired laborers and some homebased Industries it and retro clothing bespoke greeting cards and editorial services

And Beyond them on the other side of the Railway Bridge across which the London to Plymouth service rattled the field now playing host to the makeshift estate that had roused such local eye corrugated iron structures had been erected one at a time and makeshift barns built now storing the kind of

Heavy machinery you could dismember a dead Badger with since this Shanty Town’s Foundation traffic had multiplied tfold most of the vehicles heavily Laden Vans with scaffolding poles Tethered to flat beds as the drivers headed to renovation jobs in the surrounding area work which hadn’t extended as far as repairing the

Potholes their vehicles Left Behind even now as Max slipped out of the side window he could hear an engine coughing in that direction as if it were having one last drag before lying down for the night when he hid the ground he dropped into a Crouch and waited to see what happened

Next which was nothing for a while a pair of Little Owls hooted in the distance a familiar duet of hunt and swoop while on the main road a quarter mile away a lorry banjax the quiet haing Freight Westward there was cloud cover Max knew the skies well enough to guess what

Stars he’d be looking at this particular time and date but had to be content to see them with his Mind’s Eye only more practically from where he crouched he had a cross-section view of the lane and a full frontal of the cottage opposite which enjoyed enough shadowy places the baggy hedge in front

The no behind its out jutting porch to conceal a ninja Army but if there were an actual professional thread lurking there would they have sent a lone Warrior into his kitchen one he’d made pretty short work of come to that but it was pointless trying to second guess an

Enemy whose purpose he didn’t know the ows hooted again you could set your watch by them if you were a mouse it was probably wise to he wasn’t sure how long the woman in the kitchen would be out but no more than a few minutes would be his guess it

Wasn’t like calculated violence had been a habit even when he’d moved in circles where if not the norm it was at least an accepted accomplishment no the force with which he’d banged her head on the floor had more to do with outraged householder sensibilities than long dormant

Expertise it would be sensible though to at least attempt to Dawn the thought processes of the professional whoever they were they suspected already and would soon know that their first incursion had failed what they did next depended on their operational priorities they wanted to be quiet but

They also wanted Max and they might abandon thoughts of the former if the latter was within their reach or after all would be the outcome of pandemonium lights going on in cottages and a phone call to the police which might bring a rescue party but not within the next 30 minutes given the

Villagers isolation so it was a risk they’d doubtless take in which case he’d better formulate a response to an allout assault on the cottage legging it through the dark was the best he came up with and this wasn’t the worst idea ever they’ presumably arrived in a vehicle maybe more than one

But they hadn’t driven down the lane or he’d have heard so they had likely parked at the junction where another Lane headed to the main road and a choice of exit routes that would be their objective and whether he’d be lying back here with a hole in him or

Trusted up in the boot of their vehicle while they achieved it he couldn’t know the taser rather than say a knife or a gun or a cruise missile suggested that killing him wasn’t plan a but all plans have contingencies and if if they couldn’t take him alive they might

Prefer to leave him dead neither I come held appe peal for Max who if he could make it 20 yards up the road could slip through the Hedge and into the field where their vehicles couldn’t follow he knew the terrain they presumably didn’t he’d walked that field at night times

Without number he’d Lain on his back and admired the stars there which was not a habit he boasted about to the neighbors he wouldn’t claim to know every bump and Hollow but familiarity should give him an edge still he was a long way from being persuaded that this was the way to go

When the decision was made for him a familiar clunk and sigh told him the front door was swinging open the woman he laid low was back on her feet and her reappearance had galvanized The Waiting troops a shape two shapes materialized out of the darkness and ran to join her

There could be others if he was going to move it had to be now people entered his Cottage and over his head an eerie light broke through the window they were using torches and his zil clutter plant pots vases candles and sources came briefly alive casting ghostly shapes onto the

Night air slipping out of the Lee of the wall he crept round the Volvo whose keys were on a hook by the front door and onto the lane this was thickly hedged on both sides its surface rockier than it used to be thanks to the recent heavy traffic

It curved as well as sloped and the Gap in the Hedge allowing access to the field was at the point where the junction ahead became visible he was walking by memory trusting his feet his jogging pants were deep maroon with the top he’d pulled on had a silvery Sheen

And if there were Moonlight he’d Shore up as a ghost a disturbance in the dark the shape of half a man but there was no Moonlight there was cloud cover and The Black Vault of a February night and a bitter chill he was increasingly aware of and then no warning the twin

Headlights of a parked vehicle at the top of the lane pointing in his Direction he was pinned like a butterfly against a velvet cloth noises erupted behind him not a circus but a battery of urgent Whispers torch beams picked him out as he reached for the Gap in the

Hedge and slipped into the field it was like stepping through a curtain and finding himself backstage the light vanished and the only way of Turing up from down was by using his feet with arms outstretched so when he tripped he’d break his fall he tried to run the

Field was a set aside no crops just the rocky Rubble of soil grass and weeds if Max chose One Direction he’d come out on a lane another and he’d reach another field his eyes were adjusting the car’s headlights were creating a spooky glow behind him and then there were torches again as his

Pursuers reached the Gap in the Hedge and Spilled through it almost immediately he heard a cry of pain as one of his pursuers viers took a tumbled and broke Max hoped an important bone he didn’t pause concentrating instead on running without falling flat on his face but thought he could discern two

Separate beams of light playing across the ground how far behind him no way of knowing how far to the road another few hundred yards and the ground easier now he was getting used to it but that went both ways his pursuers would be picking up speed too and they’d be younger than

Him like most everybody else these days and fitter too an engine growled into life and everything shifted upper gear the bastards were no longer intent on silence whoever the bastards were but they couldn’t at least follow him across a dark field in a car an assurance that

Was of some comfort for 2 seconds until the motorbike broke through the hole in the Hedge filling the field like an angry bull time grows elastic at moments of stress apparently science supported this proposition though for Max it was lived experience the Evers slowing thought of his feet

Hitting the ground the speeding up of the racket behind him he gathered there were people who could identify motorbikes by sound alone but he relied on counting their wheels which was to say they were all the same to him though this one worse than most somewhere up

Ahead was a padlocked five bar gate on the other side of which lay a lane a little way down that lane was a turnoff a steep hill leading past two Cottages to a three-way jumction if he could reach there uncaptured and far enough ahead his pursuers would have to split

Up but all of that was in the future which was arriving too slowly unless you were riding a motorbike across a rough toned field spitting Stony soil behind you the light grew brighter and Max tried to run faster as if it were a near-death experience he was hoping to

Avoid 63 years old it was true it was the oldest he’d ever been at the same time it wasn’t like 70 80 but time would take care of that if it ever got back to behaving itself and the bright headlight was swallowing everything now clutching Max in its beam

He could see his own shadow rising up before him like a giant in a fairy tale it would turn and smite his pursuers pound them into the soil the motorbike was all but upon him he could feel its breath on his ass then the gate materialized out of nowhere he gripped

Its top and hurled himself over hitting the ground like a bean bag he’d be feeling that tomorrow if tomorrow ever came behind him the motorbike screamed in anger and Scattered Stony pellets Max could feel them settle in his hair he scrambled to his feet and half stumbled

Half ran down the road the motorbike revved once then twice perhaps bearing Steve McQueen in mind as he considered jumping the gate then roared back the way it had come pausing halfway to confir Max guested with the foot solders still slogging across the field it was biting cold but he was

Covered in sweat and had no idea what was going on somewhere in the darkness probably at The Junction at the top of his own lane a car came to life and more headlights split the night his motion became smoother as his legs found their Rhythm they wanted a Chase here’s a

Chase before the headlights could pick him out he’d reached the turnoff and was sprinting up the hill along a lane no more than 7 ft wide one of Devon’s narrow passages allowing only one vehicle at a time the memory of a recent walk was stirring his breath grew painful as he passed the

First cottage which like its companion was elevated above the lane itself its short driveway on which a battered Land Rover sat was down near vertical and its Garden Wall as tall as Max himself was an ancient thing of overgrown rocks held together by crumbling mortar and ambitious Moss he could hear the car

Slowing its occupants trying to work out where he’d gone whether he was still on the lane below or had turned up up this narrow passage and disappeared into its Shadows the second Cottage was a little further on this was what he remembered here the cottage’s Garden Wall was

Bulging dangerously at the level of a passer by’s head so played upon by time and weather that it looked ready to collapse to spew rocks and soil and earth across the lane perhaps that hint of impermanence was why the building was for sale a sign announcing the fact had

Been planted in the patch of lawn behind the wall Max turned up its driveway and grabbed the sign with both hands for sale and an estate agent details at to a 5-t wooden pole it came free from the ground surprisingly easily as if he were Arthur releasing a sword and he was King

Of the moment for as long as it took him to bury it again push it down into the crumbly soil near the bulging wall as far as it would go and then a little further the lane lit up the car had made its decision and was coming to collect

Him easier to conquer that Steep Hill on four wheels he his own legs were trembling now partly with the cold mostly with all this effort not so long ago his worst problem had been insomnia with the pole deep in the ground He adjusted his efforts no longer pushing

Down he leaned on it turning it into a lever the lane was a wash with headlights the bushes on the other side glittering with life he felt the Earth give the car was moving slowly as if it suspected something he leaned hard up putting all his weight into it it was

There almost just slight slly Out Of Reach that release he was straining for and the car growled louder and something splintered in his grip as if the pole had broken off in the ground and if so that would be it game over except it wasn’t because everything gave in the

Same moment there was a dull tumble as the first of the walls rocks slipped free and thudded onto the lane below and then the Earth was moving beneath his feet and with a roar Max felt rather than heard half of the garden spilled onto the road the rocks that had held it

In place tumbling first followed by the soil that had long been their burden great wet chunks of it with a looser grally content unfolding in its weight he gave one last encouraging push on the pole and stepped back sharply and the crunch he heard next was the car

Grinding into one of the larger rocks and coming to a graceless halt he h the pole in that direction and in a better life would have seen it pierce the windscreen rather than bounce off but you couldn’t have everything he jumped back onto the lane on the right side of

The barrier he’ just created scooping out a hand-sized rock as he did so and ran off into the dark lights came on in the other Cottage as a householder appeared Into the Night In Search of the cause of the earthquake while from the car two figures emerged one scrambled

Over the rocks in Pursuit while the other hung onto the door for a moment trying to gauge the damage and possibly contemplating insurance issues another headlight appeared at the foot of the lane the motorbike was back back max wasn’t looking at any of this he’ reached the three-way Junction and had

Taken the middle option 100 yards on he knew lay the opening to one of the green Lanes he frequented on his morning walks narrow tracks with Stony footing River beds in Waiting hemmed either side by trees and bushes and if you didn’t know they were there you’d miss their

Entrances a network of them mapped North Devon and once you’d entered their geography you could lose yourself Beyond hope of capture provided you made that transition unseen The Rock in his hand was a comforting Keepsake behind him someone was making heavy weather of pursuit the noise of their feet slapping the ground

Suggesting Swift motion was a novelty but the motorbike was there too growling in the distance and he didn’t expect it would take it more than 30 seconds to negotiate the obstacle he caused after which it would come roaring after him again eating the distance with a lot less labor than the overweight

Goon between them but 30 seconds in the dark and make up a small lifetime that much he remembered from the long ago a memory awake now in his bones sooner or later he would need a plan and before he’d got that far even he need to recover his flight kit provided these

Hooligans hadn’t found it already the entrance to the Green Lane was just yards away he was running as quietly as he could hoping he was invisible that the thug on his heels was too busy flirting with a heart attack to be paying close attention though also as

A contingency he was tightening his grip on the Rock in his hand flight kit it sounded like a piece of tourist equipment and so in a way it was though most tourists have a destination in mind and this particular bag was for those focused on departure his passport the

Word his designating ownership rather than identity but it was a passport he paid for and definitely bore his photograph plus a grand in cash and two prepaid credit cards worth $5,000 and €5,000 respectively one change of clothing a basic toilet kit which included hair dye and tinted

Contact lenses and a pair of insoles that would all gate enough to fool a computer well that was the notion though computers were more sophisticated than they used to be he’d spent years in the country becoming a bumpkin surveillance technology meanwhile had been hanging out in City centers picking up tricks

But you did what you could the bag was beneath a floorboard under Max’s firewood basket next to the burner in his sitting room a in place he was reasonably confident would have eluded this bunch of amateur but there was no accounting for luck and even if it

Remained secure he had to get back there undetected but one thing at a time here was the entrance to the Green Lane he risked to look back just making out the grumpy shape of a driver finding his land legs and took a chance hurling the rock with all the force he could manage

It missed its Target but not by much and his pursuer flinched as it whistled past his head and dropped to a Crouch at the exact moment the motorbike reappeared becoming a lump in the middle of the road the bike skewed to avoid its cone of Lamplight washing the hedge row

Yellow someone the cing man the bike rider shouted in fear or anger and Max slipped off the road and onto the Green Lane where he ducked behind the first tree No taller than he was and held his breath as the hedg r healed behind him and the long grass Drew its curtain he

Could feel damp seeping through his trainers and cold sweat on his back and arms his chest achd and the taste of old coins filled his mouth meanwhile rearrangements were being made the motor bike’s headlight leveled and found a straight line heading west a moment later the machine itself roared by

Leaving a deeper blackness in its wake and Max heard but didn’t see the luckless car driver Lumber past his breathing scored the night like tearing paper Max waited until it faded before drawing air himself feeling it enter his lungs like a baptism getting to His Feet Again made

Everything Creek things like this should happen to a younger man if they had to happen at all presumably someone had a good reason for setting all this in motion Max would enjoy holding their head down a toilet should that opportunity arise he made his way down the Green

Lane as swiftly as compatible with balance if it had been dark on the lane here in this shaded alley things were pitch the going slippery except where tree roots and Jagged Stones offered trip hazards instead the low branches were heavy and damp and he was whipped in the face every other step noise

Magnified in the dark and he felt as stealthy as a hippo but for now at least he’ evaded his pursuers whoever they were soon he hoped he’d have time to put his mind to that at the moment he was kept busy making sure he wasn’t eaten by the

Country it became a counting game every 10 steps he’ paused and stretch his hearing scratchings and rustlings were all he heard as the green Lan’s inhabitants warned each other of his approach once he stumbled and in the act of falling had a whole string of painful premonitions a broken ankle a painful

Night a quiet day the Green Lane would reach around him and by the time his body came to light it would be wrapped in Roots a rustic mummy but an outstretched hand saved him from worse than a Jarred skeleton he felt the impact in his teeth

But no real har done as he clambered up again his fingers curled round a stick as if the world were offering an apology nothing like a stick for helping maintain balance God he was going to be good at being old if circumstances allowed he reached to Junction with

Another Green Lane and without pausing turned left Sometimes the best decisions were the ones who hardly made the ones that made themselves for you though it was best not to make too severe an accounting it could start to look like the life you’d lived had been a series of accidents of unintentional explosions

And unwilled alterations another 10 steps and he paused to listen the motorbike was back with an earshot though it couldn’t possibly be heading down the Green Lane but it was Panic can be timec consuming and there were better ways of getting through the next little while Max had two obvious choices keep

Going or bundle himself into a clump of hedge and hope the bike would pass by without seeing him now that he brunched off from his initial route his chances of avoiding detection had improved by some precise mathematical element he couldn’t currently determine but math was a tricky bunch of bastards and he’d

Sooner trust his stick the motorcycle noise remained at a set distance or seemed to noise magnified in the dark but also played games of its own it could lurk round corners or jump over Hedges Max continued on his way trying not to hurry less haste more speed and

Other English word games the world was dark and strange and familiar all at once in his nighttime ramblings he’d never entered the green Lanes this was why they could swallow you whole without even bothering to spit you out idiots sometimes drove them in vehicles they didn’t care about anymore than they did

Nature but Darkness contained risks even idiots steer clear off rocks shifted Stones rolled and Roots reached out and grabbed you cars that could bully their way through daylight found themselves wrecked by nights tricksters pedestrians like Max moved slowly exploring the barely visible terrain with a stick and keeping one foot on the

Ground at all times somewhere behind him the motorbike roared and revved he hoped its rider was unprepared and wearing nonprotective gear when the stench hit him it was with the force of an avalanche as if gravity were rolling Boulders down a slope it was the dead Badger he’d not been aware he was

Approaching its ID and even now he couldn’t tell how close he was he it had gathered power since he’d first encountered it its atmosphere expanding like an untended chemistry experiment and his eyes began to stream his head to fill the worst smell in the world he’d

Undersold it calling it that it was the smell of an afterlife gone bad all the disappointments of Eternity bowled up into a single sensation and delivered with the subtlety of a shovel in the face the motorbike ceased its slow progress and growled from a crouching position when Ma turned a static glow

Lit the bushes 100 yards back where the green lenses met his watering eyes made the scene of collidoscope fragments of light scattering and reforming under which the motor hummed with indecision it would follow him or not there was nothing he could do about it he turned again and made his way forward

Half blind his rustling inaudible as long as the motorbike grumbled and the air he was walking into grew Solider with every step the Badgers death was crawling with life its corpse a feasting table for insects its putrid flesh its rotting fur a palace for famished worms the stink was unbelievable the darkness

Made it worse there was something in his ears too as if the animal’s death had scored a symphony in the night it was all drums and screaming strings and a conductor who’d lost the plot the motorbike was on the Move Max didn’t look back he stumbled forward stick in

Hand and a wave of noria splashed over him splashed all around he pulled the neckline of his sweatshirt over his mouth and nose but it made small difference light was picking him out an elongated Stickman thrashing his way down a quivering Corridor which grew narrower ahead and rockier under fooot

He must be passing the badger corpse now off to his left entangled in its rooted tomb and Christ the smell couldn’t get worse but it did like walking into a wardrobe and having the door closed behind you the motorbike was throwing shapes as it heaved and rattled over the

Stony ground its headlights beam a Wandering yellow scoop Max’s Vision began to clear leaves were dancing ahead of him and he couldn’t tell if it were a breeze or the motion of the motorbike sending turbulence ahead to rumage down the lane but either way he felt an approaching storm the sweatshirt slipped

Free of his nose and the stench redoubled but he was past the epicenter now and the motorbike hadn’t reached it yet still about 80 yards behind him its progress cautious its driver anxious not to spill on the rough terrain behind and its headlights glare there was only a

Grotesque lump as if driver and machine had fused into a single being this was how monsters were made Max had no idea why this melstrom had been Unleashed tonight he was well pissed off about it though there are advantages to being the one on foot in a motorbike pedestrian

Smackdown but none came to mind what arrived instead was a shift of focus using people changing the game taking what came to hand things didn’t have to be broken to need a fix her this wasn’t so much Max remembering who he used to be as the person he used to be realizing

He was now Max one or maybe both of them was gagging at the toxic shock but at the same time that shock was slotting into place in the world he found himself in here on the Green Lane was a sphere a snow globe a goldfish Bowl it was a

Perfect circle everywhere you looked and inside it was the worst smell in the world and outside was everything else and you were either in that sphere or not and right that moment Max’s Advantage was that he knew this was so and the man on the motorbike didn’t soon

He would and while he was adjusting to that new reality would be a good moment to interrogate his professionalism lots of people could do two things at once many had difficulty doing three deer was starting to clear and the motorbike was 20 yards behind truffling its way along the gly passage it human

Max could now see being tossed around like a rode r rer by the roots and rocks its Wheels were crunching over any moment now he took two more steps proing the ground with his stick as he moved then looked back any moment another step and again he looked back the headlights

Lare was sprawling between them and he focused on the ground it illuminated trying to map it it would be good to know where the worst rocks were the biggest Roots any moment the motorbike rocked and roared an impossible beast and Max had the sudden notion of himself

As a Horseless Knight facing down a dragon which bucked and steamed and wasn’t expecting what happened next that Max should fling himself towards it holding his stick like a lounce he was ready for the stench this time re-entering its sphere as the motorbike joined it from the other direction and

Knew without being able to see that the rider was already confused because this wasn’t right the Quarry didn’t become the hunter all the rider could do was wrench the bike sideways to block Max’s Escape The Escape wasn’t what Max had in mind what he wanted was the rider to

Experience the impact of the Badger’s last gasp which was happening now he guessed the bik slanted sideways across the narrow Green Lane was an effective barrier but the rider had thrown his head back in disbelief for horror or shock or whatever word best described being assaulted by Airborne filth his

Stick grasped lengthways Max leaped catching the rider chest High and the two of them piled onto the ground the bike tumbling with them trapping its Rider’s right leg and sending its headlights beam directly into the sky a yellow column in which insects swarmed it might have been all over then if Max

Could have got one headbutt in but the driver wore a helmet its visor raised but his temples and forehead protected his lungs weren’t doing so well though he gasped on impact taking in a bucket full of busy air and his face was screwed up in disgust one of his arms

Was pinioned by Max’s stick the other he raised feebly in an attempt to batter Max’s head but the tide was against him some moments ago he’d been upright and mobile asri a motorbike now the bike was asri him and he was breathing poisonous fog Max shifted position so his stick

Was across the man’s throat and pushed hard and as he did so he brought his face close to the enemies and bit his nose Jesus he hadn’t known he’d had that in him his victim squirmed and screamed his hot breath spraying Max’s face with germs but there was a time for worrying

About hygiene and another for just getting on with a job between his teeth was gristle and grit between the two men the motorbike trembled between one moment and the next the fight was done his victim wasn’t struggling anymore he was crying Max relaxed his Jaws released

His grip on the stick took careful aim and punched the man in the face just once partly for reasons of caution but mostly because he could still remember when his biggest problem was insomnia and now it was cold wet muddy and scared he got to his feet trembling the

Motorbike growled like a wolf he’d fought to its knees but it wasn’t going anywhere keeping his breathing shallow Max turned and stumbled away down the Green Lane where within a minute or two the foul air faded it took longer than that before the motorbike noise was just a background whimper mingled with its

Rider sobs when Max spat it wasn’t just saliva he cleared from his mouth he noticed he was muttering to himself and not in English either but it was a little late to worry about maintaining his cover back at Max’s Cottage the woman whose head he banged against his kitchen

Floor had taken a couple of syruptitious ibuprofen halfway through her assigned tasks find out where he’d go find his phone his laptop his diary but her head throbbed and she’d have her face like an oine Come Morning the only phone was a noia brick on his bedside table she

Dropped it into a freezer bag there was a laptop too old and battered and heavy but nothing resembling a diary her stomach was churning and she wasn’t sure whether that was the assault the medications swallowed dry on an empty stomach or the whole burglary Enterprise which hadn’t gone swimmingly well she’d

Be the first to admit and also the first to be blamed but there was always the chance she could redeem herself and the best way of doing that would be climbing back into the car heavy-handed sometimes guilty Souls packed for a swift getaway it was possible the bastard had an escape kit

Go home with that she’d be the next best thing to forgive him it could be anywhere of course but easy reach was the thing so she was checking his sitting room which had walls of unequal length and a curved window space both suggesting Hollow cavities and keeping

An eye on her watch at the same time when her phone trembled in her pocket it had been 60 minutes since the flag dropped which was way outside the ideal envelope when things went bad they went bad the way soap offerers did they got worse all the time and didn’t stop she

Leaned against the wood burning stove one hand resting on its companion firewood basket and took her boss’s call in a whisper anything phone and laptop letters postcards postage stuck to the fridge they hadn’t been money anywhere a few quit the boss paused then put a tracker on his car which answered an unspoken

Question he got away then no we’ve got him here it’s a promotional thing we’re giving away free trackers this week sorry Jesus he disconnected there were trackers in her kid bag fastened to her belt she looked the consumate professional all the tools hanging at her waist probably the reason the target

Had heard her climbing through his window rubbing the side of her head again she straightened up and left the room then re-entered walked back back to the stove opened it and peered inside nothing worth a look though and worth another 30 seconds to rout through the firewood basket again nothing she kicked the

Basket in frustration shifting it half a yard and left the room once more unzipping the pouch containing the tracker as she did so at the front door she scooped the targets car keys from their hook forget the wheel arches forget the exhaust pipe forget all the places guilty people checked she’d stick

The bastard thing under the passenger seat if he waited until they hadd gone and doubled back hoping for a motorized getaway she’d be the one laughing Come Morning oine faced or not the last Watcher departed at 6:34 as the first Builder’s van trundled down the lane towards the industrial

Encampment The Sky Had lightened enough that trees had shapes instead of character though the rolling clouds suggested that the morning would be smear and gray with a better than even chance of turning dismal once the Watcher’s car reached the top of the lane and made the right turn that would

Take it to the main road Max emerged from the Hedge in which he’d been crouching and creaked his way down to his Cottage the bird song normally a pleasure was unusually irritating this morning he needed a shower proper clothes and breakfast and was aware that a clock had started ticking he had to

Find out what had just happened before it happened again which meant he needed to be in the car and away as soon as possible he was in and out of the cottage inside 20 minutes locking up behind him and poking his head around old Dolly’s door

30 seconds later a half eaten fried egg sandwich in his hand a ruck sack on his back his neighbor was up by 5 most mornings in case he surmised they made smoking and being caginally illegal overnight every moment of sleep was a moment wasted I’ll be away for a while doll a

Few weeks maybe possibly longer and you’re telling me this because so you remember when you start starving to death while you’re running out of food I managed all right before you turned up we were 20 years younger then the queen mother was managing all right

The last of his sandwich in his mouth he opened her fridge most of the veg he’ bought last time was still there in varying states of Decay The only green thing hen roads had been made on was the bottle of Gordon I take it back you’re going to live

Forever he shut the fridge unless you’re already dead that would explain a lot come to think of it what was all the activity last night you have very vivid dreams don’t Gaslight me you shiftless Refugee speaking of which he turned off her gassing there are cheaper ways of

Lighting up you know and a box of matches wouldn’t hurt the planet tell that to the tree they’re made from suggest ability at work she reached for the cigarette she kept in her house coat’s pouch an action that for Max always brought a kangaroo to mind and your changing the

Subject it turns out I have unpaid bills someone came around to collect she nodded as if this confirmed a long held suspicion being a dead beats caught up with you has it always pay your debts that’s my motto unless it’s to your neighbor right did I ever ask you to do my

Shopping or did you just poke your nose in mention of noses wasn’t welcome Max made a face he hoped old Dolly wouldn’t notice I didn’t like the idea of you starving to death and someone moving in who kept the TV low I’ve been listening to the rubbish you watch for free all

These years and don’t pretend I owe you anything Max made the doof Doof Doof noise of East Ender’s drums and came forward to light her cigarette with the plastic lighter she kept for igniting the gas ring as he bent to apply the flame he kissed the top of her head gently pass off

Pedo don’t open the door to strangers Jonas’s numbers on that postcard next to the phone he’ll sort you out if you need anything what would I need my age it’s too early for the big questions stll another van rumbled down the road and she scowled bloody pikies someone should

Have a word with them always full of good ideas adjusting the Rockside which hung from one shoulder Max gave her a three-fingered salute which she returned half-heartedly with two of her own he imagined her still scowling as he drew the door closed and set off down the

Lane in his mind old dolly was always scowling it was difficult to picture someone acting entirely out of character 4 minutes later Abel was toing seven he was at the encampment at the far side of the village a mini industrial estate established by stealth and hoping to

Convince the local Council that it had acquired established youth status this was run by an exile from Plymouth known for complicated reasons as ner it was ner Who Bore the brunt of the Villager ey for having brought this makeshift Builder’s yard to their border though as

N pointed out when he could be bothered the field he purchased with what he consistently referred to as legal cash was separated by the railway line from the Village proper and is therefore outside your jurisdiction Squire a form of address he used gender neutrally this technical nicity notwithstanding no self-respecting

Locals set eyes on ner or any of his cohort without resort to that brand of freezing contempt perfected by teenagers French waiters and the English middle class which maximized n was all broken up about on the inside because it never showed anywhere else this morning as at every other hour

Of the day n wore a pork pie hat and a plaid waste coat over a white shirt and black jeans an unlet roll up in the corner of his mouth completing the outfit when he heard Max approaching over the Redundant cattle grid he was making coffee in a microwave hooked up

To a generator that had the kind of dry cough that would call for a lateral flow test if a human had it and benignly watching a man who looked about 80 trying to load a dishwasher into the back of a van you want to be careful

Squire he said as Max came into earshot and if it seemed he were addressing the elderly laborer his followup put that right get seen hobnobbing with the likes of me your poso neighbors love you TI and barel Max would have grinned at the idea of old Dolly being poso if he wasn’t

Feeling the effects of a sleepless night I think you mean feathered he said slipping the ruck sack off his shoulder and leaning against the wooden upright holding n’s corrugated iron roof in place the sheltered area contained a rocking chair a small kitchen table on which the microwave sat a standard lamp

A cardboard box holding three bottles of wine and a carton of milk a small lockable cupboard of the kind found next to hospital beds and which was indeed stamped property of exitor hospital and because the world was full of people and every last one of them unique a three

Sheld bookcase about a foot wide stuffed with teach yourself guitar manuals nowhere in Max’s field of vision was a guitar yeah I not but wait on that I will you the microwave pinged and Nissa removed his coffee it’s a bit non loadbearing if you catch my drift Max stood straight keeping a grip

On the bag with one hand and dipping into it with the other that must give you a nice secure feeling temporary structure need permission otherwise he wrinkled his nose as Max came nearer what’s that odor despite the 30C shower and change of clothes it was in his hair and clinging to his

Skin I’m using a new moisturizer you should sort it out square smells like dead [ __ ] bger it’s on my list he counted 100 T from the word of KY taken from the bag here’s my parking fee car ready as well as signing a petition against the

Encampment Max had stowed a car there a 14-year-old Sab he bought in exiter from a man in a pub this had been 18 months ago after it became clear that the camp wasn’t going anywhere soon and replaced Max’s previous parking scheme whereby he’ left his secret Wheels in a lock up

In Newton abot this had been okay as a fallback but its drawbacks included Newton abot being a Fair hike away if n had been amused at providing Max with a hideaway Garage in the camp at the same time as Max was adding his voice to the chorus of outrage at the Camp’s

Existence he didn’t mention it it was possible that such examples of man’s genian nature no longer surprised him that or the 100 quid a month stifled his own outrage adequately he made a vague wave towards a nearby structure similar to the one under which he was sitting but larger

Beneath whose tin roof were various shrouded shapes almost certainly cars as you laugh it Squire every went then it should go now provided times worly wats it hasn’t wrought its Rusty changes he sipped his coffee and made a face whether of approval or disgust wasn’t easy to determine maintenance and

Bin that was never part of the arrangement it had been was how Max recalled it but there was little Point arguing he handed the notes to n who stuffed them into his waist coat pocket without counting and couldn’t resist asking do you own a guitar n no why just

You seem anxious to learn how to play oh yeah right no I am learning still doing the theory though Square coffee cff in his left hand he minded holding the instrument twiddling the fingers of his ride say I actually pick one up I’ll already be an expert know what I mean

Max sort of did patching the car keys up from the belly of his bag he gave the same three-fingered salute to n that he’d bestowed on Old Dolly and headed off to rescue his car from its canvas shroud watching him leave n tapped the roll of cash in his waste coat pocket

And called encouragement to the octogenarian struggling with the dishwasher you want to bend your KNE Squire don’t want to do your backing not a your age then he poured the rest of his coffee away pulled a book from his shelf and started to read part two monochrome then and

Now as everyone in the know knew and many on the fringes guessed the establishment of the monochrome inquiry announced with less fanfair than the PM’s mini break at Peppa Pig World was intended to leave the service rattled there was history there prior to his Ascension the Prime Minister had enjoyed

A sabatical as foreign secretary a period of what one Observer described as bubble WRA diplomacy with the emphasis on bursting bubbles rather than offering protection its low lights included an extended sentence in a foreign prison for a British subject innocent of wrongdoing and a number of Indiscreet

Leons on a number of continents the only context in which the word continent might be applied to The Minister’s activities while such Behavior was regarded by those around him as priced in warranting no more than shrugs or backs slabs several of his Newfound friendships raised concern at Regent Park that The Minister’s predilection

For being whed and Ned overcame Scruples about the company he kept was hardly headline news but the roll call of those he was carousing with was starting to resemble a casting call for a bond villain after an incident in Gdansk in which the foreign secretary had allowed

A new Chum to install a dating app on his official phone one which he was assured was 200% discreet it was felt that enough was enough and his then boss was informed that her minister of state had come dangerously close to giving a foreign intelligence service access to the restricted Downing Street network

With an alacrity which suggested that she’d been waiting for the opportunity she sacked him whereupon he in turn paray his new found victim status into a leadership bid the rest was history in the long-term sense of being both tragic and fical but whatever tactical Advantage the incoming PM had gained from the

Park’s interference he nevertheless regarded it as an act of preemptive treason which ultimately led to the monogram inquiry and the notification of its schedule that reached Regent Park after circulating Westminster the inquiry will be paneled by an allpart party body it ran with two independent appointees to ensure objectivity it remit to investigate

Historical overreaching by the intelligence Services its duration open-ended any and all matters regarding potential misconduct by officers of the service in pursuit of official instruction are to be regarded as material to the inquiry all officially held informational resources save those pertaining to live operations are to be made available to sitting

Members or in other words unlock your doors open your cupboards this can’t be serious was the verdict From Below decks the governor will have him on toast was an opinion generally held he’s just emptied his kettle on a basket of rattlesnakes because among Junior officers at the park as the headquarters

Of the intelligence Services located at Regent Park was familiarly known it was so firmly believed as to have become more nearly a law of physics than mere Article of Faith that in any contest between Its Top Banana more formerly called first desk and the PM it was the

Latter who’d be queuing at the dentist afterwards carrying his teeth in a Soden handkerchief but in first desk’s office with its frost tubl glass wall overlooking the boys and girls on The Hub the reaction was curiously muted it’s his idea obviously but I suspect his head gnome has had more than a little

Input this being Anthony Sparrow the PM special advisor and in the eyes of many glove Puppeteer he probably imagines he’s just stolen the keys to the sweetie cabinet she continued he be needing fresh underwear as we speak but even so she did not in the view of the young woman

Who was her administrative assistant That season seem unduly worried by the prospect it seems more than a little victory this woman offered somewhat uncertainly first desk didn’t answer and the assistant whose name was Arin gray wondered if she’d spoken out of turn her appointment was still a daily source of

Wonder to her even if its actual duties boarded on the mundane she collected mail she managed the diary she fetched and fered and above all she carried out a kind of temporal origami to ensure that all first desk’s commitments were met in the allotted time frame but she didn’t generally have conversations

Above and beyond good morning and yes ma’am she was starting to recalibrate her expectations beginning with wondering what job she’d have come lunchtime when first desk spoke it’s a preliminary inquiry not a select committee she said its function will be to amass a coherent body of evidence and I wish them luck with

That but if they’re given access to our records won’t they find it I mean a Edition anything can be made to look like misconduct if it’s examined from the right angle oh doubtless and just between you me and anyone who’s ever read a newspaper or watched TV the services hands haven’t always been

Entirely clean when it comes to operational practices it’ll shock you I know but some of my predecessors might even have been a little less than well we can’t say Lily white anymore but you get my drift even leaving aside the one who was a fully paid up asset of the Russian

Secret Service she didn’t add there were some details that even the parks archive chose to draw a veil across but it’s not finding the material it’s knowing what to do with it start tugging at a loose thread from a tapestry like ours and you’ll be years in the

Unraveling no we keep records for our own devices not to provide a readymade history for anyone who comes looking between the work names and the coded location this monochrome outfit will be lucky to piece together who did the coffee around yesterday let alone who shagged who in a safe house in

1987 a deliberate town playment they be looking for criminal activity so let’s not lose sleep over a minor irritation it’s all just politics then it’s all just politics and we know how long politics takes any finding the PM hopes to make stand up will take years

Of Investigation save four to ER on the caution side and I give him 18 months TOS he’s a walking non-disclosure agreement and if his domestic entanglements don’t undo him his disregard for the truth will no [ __ ] things up is a legacy project with this one forget about him now and save time

Later now what did I just say about a coffee run when Arin had left first desk turned to other business or at least appeared to in reality her mind continued to churn over the monochrome memo gray seemed competent and might even last a few months but whatever her other

Attributes she had a significant inability to keep interesting information to herself which was a more common failing in Regent Park than might be hoped for given that it housed the Secret Service so first desk’s trashing of the memo would be all over the park by close

Of play nothing to see here nothing to worry about the boys and girls would kick the topic around a while longer but something else would soon grab their attention this hopefully being along the lines of an in-house romance rather than say a terrorist atrocity and the level of concern would drop back to

Negligible which was mostly she thought now where it should be because it was as she had said while the PM was capable of following through with a course of action provided the gratification was immediate and overwhelming anything involving p was less likely to reach fruition true the fact that he instigated the inquiry

Indicated that he had support on the limitations committee which was a less important way of saying that she herself had enemies there but this was hardly news no first desk ever had the complete backing of the committee and her tendency to go off message when circumstances required had long

Tarnished Her Image in the eyes of some of its dustier members no this was an empty thread a bit of of Dick waving to Signal the PM’s Fury at earlier slights but as well known as he was for carrying grudges he was also currently carrying a

Wagon load of debt and it wouldn’t be long before solving his liquidity problems took precedence over anything else on his too list so the boys and girls at the park would be better employed getting on with their actual jobs than wasting time fretting about an inquiry that would go nowhere slowly end

As used to be said of by the time Ain returned with coffee first desk was operating in regular mode which is to say that she accepted the offering without looking up from her screen but if she appeared to have put monochrome out of her mind several issues continued to gnaw one was the

Question of how the PM would go about solving those liquidity problems and how big a headache that might cause for those in his orbit the other was a more General irritation and should really be dismissed forth with the nagging of awareness that times without number what started out an inconsequential piece of

Mischief could gather quiet momentum the way a drip drip drip in an otherwise Silent House heralded the ceiling collapsing under the weight of water yes this should really be dismissed but still it would be as well to prepare a contingency plan she was first desk after all contingency plans

Were what she did so she returned to the memo of that had Westminster in a tizzy and studied it once more paying careful attention to its phrasing it was 2 years after that morning that a dark- skinned woman in her 50s wearing a knee length beige raincoat and carrying a blue umbrella

Stepped on a loose Paving Stone while crossing Bishop’s gate and drenched her left trouser leg in dirty water if she were the type to swear she might have let rip and wouldn’t have been alone the city was full of angry pedestrians hooted out by Angry drivers and sworn

Out by angry cyclists while angry buses trundled Past full of angry passengers And The Angry Sky rained angry rain and the angry morning would never end but she kept any Fury to herself her mind now throbbing with extra tasks when to get to the dry cleaners and what to wear

On the alternate days of the week Chia marked these trousers for gisel de Fleet managed to cross the road at last without being sideswiped by vicious Road users and half limped the rest of the way to her destination the wet fabric of her trouser clinging nastily to her leg like a wound

Dressing monochrome was her destination monochrome her journey too the Grays and blacks and whites of London in the rain on full display all its Grime and filthy litter its Pavements reflecting the clouds takeaway wrappers and discarded face masks bundled in the gutter causing puddles to swamp the side streets she

Had to make diversions to avoid getting her feet wetter as as she toiled past cycle rags and East scoter Bays past the lobbies of tall buildings that encroached on pavement space before reaching the Grim Black Bridge across which trains rumbled giselda turned right this was a far narrower street

Though it broadened after 100 yards featureless walls giving way to a parade of Gentile tow houses she was ashamed to admit she couldn’t identify their era but Georgian seemed to fit and then a string of lowrise blocks most tenanted by media companies and creative agencies whatever her daily observation these

Might be but there were vacancies to plenty of vacancies available for long or shortterm lets attractive of his space in the heartland of London startup District estate agents threw words at the wall and hoped some of them stuck but it wasn’t the attractive space or the creative location that had led to

This street being her daily destination it was economics a few short years ago hustling young firms would have wrestled naked for the opportunity to house their workers here postco many of those workers would even now be setting up Zoom calls in their kitchens the Monday morning commute a memory from a fever

Dream giselda was reaching for her lanyard as she approached the door was stringing it round her neck one handed the other still hosting her umbrella as she mounted the steps then shaking that umbrella free of rainwater while Clive the door man buzzed her into the lobby good morning Mrs Fleet she’ long ago

Given up trying to impress Miz upon him I’ve known better Clive and it’s barely 8:00 a.m. the trouser leg clinging to her own was making her feel clammy all over a tabloid lay on the reception desk strikes to continue screamed the headline which as a summation of the

National weather was either wul vague or admirably concise she she took the lift once cve had activated it a security measure that was a hangover from the building’s previous tenants she wasn’t sure which of those firms was still active if any they had all had interesting sounding names hodg Podge

Trackless indigo mean which was never a sign of robust longevity the new working from home Norm embraced as a lifestyle enhancement by the young and thrusting had gone hand inand with the shedding of employee benefits the position of zero hours contracts and a rise in mental health issues among workers official statistics

Offered Rosier pictures average salaries had risen across the board according to a recent government release but painting by numbers was an illusory business when you act lower paid jobs the average rose without anyone becoming richer and when people tightened their belts companies whose focus group names obscured their

Actual functions tended to go to the wall which was how monochrome had come to be housed here a year’s lease having been taken up at a fire sale rate and negotiated downwards when an extension proved necessary past two semi busy floors past two totally vacant Fifth and top not

Enough of A View to Crow about more than enough stairs to make fire drills a pain in the calves using her lanyard to beep open the door she propped her umbrella in the wastepaper basket and hung her coat on the stand in the reception area as ever

The imprints on the carpet tiles had her mentally Furnishing this otherwise empty space a desk a receptionist chair a table on which no doubt fashionable magazines had been strewn two visitors chairs arrayed around that table and a cabinet of some sort behind the reception desk where Griselda liked to

Picture coffee equipment can I get you something while you’re waiting latte capuccino or the vegan equivalent but she really should stop bitching about the imagined conditions previous occupants are luxuriated in or if that was too difficult at least find new things to [ __ ] about Reception Area aside monochrome Kingdom consisted of to

The left a conference room and to the right two offices the largest of these had been claimed by Sir Winston the other was used by Griselda herself by Malcolm Kyle and by the other panel members when work or emails or on online shopping demanded their attention plus a

Small breakout area a name enjoying blackly humorous connotations post virus and a bathroom with three cubicles whatever entertainment the breakout area had once posted a dodam Arena or maybe a mini golf course had been reduced to three plastic chairs a small fridge and a kettle on one wall hung a white board

On which a long erased message could still be made out you can all [ __ ] off home now it was possible the previous occupant’s existence hadn’t been as idilic as she liked to imagine entering the office she put her briefcase on the table which was its sole feature aside from the stack of

Plastic dividers against one wall these once used to Shield the members from each other when they were in session looked smeared and greasy even when newly wiped and sitting between them had made Griselda feel like a supplicant in a welfare office their removal had been a relief though she had insisted they’d

Be retained in case a new variant bounced into being like a nasty little spacehopper meanwhile their absence promoted according to Sir Winston a more relaxed atmosphere a more Collegiate Nexus of relationships and this was possibly true though it was difficult to imagine how a more fractious Vibe might

Have been achieved even now the panel resembled a workshopped demonstration of a passive aggressive Recovery Group setting her phone to charge giselda rut in her handbag for a brush then half limped that damn puddle along to the bathroom to repair the damage but the bathroom was occupied It could only

Be Malcolm nobody else would arrive 40 minutes before the day’s session was due to start let alone take sole possession of a bathroom with three cubicles in it smothering her frustration gelda stalked back to the office to prepare for the day ahead when the door rattled Malcolm Kyle

Was fixing his tie in the mirror at an early point in his not over long life he was 32 he’d received a parental lecture on the importance of First Impressions and as a result now found himself rotting ties and rying laces before entering a meeting paranoic early for appointments even those involving people

He’ long since lost the opportunity to impress Malcolm found his list of necessary adjustments kept growing in addition to a comb and a cloth for buffing his shoes he now carried tweezers in case nasal hair sprouted without warning one day he thought in a rare bout of self-awareness he’d find

Himself hefting so much equipment he’d be unable to leave his flat would’ ever be anchored there tweezering and combing and incessantly adjusting his appearance all the while nagged out by a glimmering suspicion that nobody cared how neat he was or wasn’t nobody thought about him at

All could only be Griselda at the door who else would be here this early and Griselda anyway what kind of name was that a parents might as well have had her christened wearing a witch’s hat brisela his boss sort of he should probably vacate the bathroom he sniffed

The air anxiously then squirted two brief blasts of minty breath freshener over his head before leaving can’t be too careful avoiding the office where Griselda would be lurking Malcolm made for the conference room which was comfortingly empty he’d already stacked the day’s papers on his table there for

Distribution to panel members who this morning on day 371 of proceedings would hear evidence from witness 136 371 days spread over 2 years that he’d never get back this is where careers were lost in the gaps between the pages of the calendar when he’d been informed by his

Actual boss the DM that he was being seconded to this panel monochrome it’s called his first thought was that it would be a useful entry on his CV an inquiry whose findings would be poured over by anyone who wielded power down Westminster way which meant that his

Name would be on all those powerful lips Malcolm Kyle cator selector ratif second chair true but on panels like these once you discounted the actual members who were at best an interchangeable array of backbench lightweights quasy famous names and a stiff trollied in from the

Lords to add a dash of her and focused on the admin staff who were to make sure that whatever was supposed to happen happened and nothing that wasn’t did the second chair was the sturdiest on which to sit first chairs were chose not so

Much as a safe Pair of Hands as a handy pair of maragold disposable once soiled second chair was the backup plan the one called on to provide the true picture in the event that the findings didn’t match preliminary expectations being selected for this role was a promise of promotion a

Promise that remained implied obviously when you moved in these circles almost everything went unsaid so in the weeks before monocrome kicked off Malcolm did his research and found that one giselda fleet was to be first chair and she surprisingly was nobody this too was a good thing if

Nobody was running the inquiry second chair would was an even more exalted role but her appointment was a puzzle from her point of view it would feel like preferment which meant she must have done something to earn it the obvious solution was that she’d slept with someone though that seemed unlikely

Once he’d met her so perhaps she had done someone a favor though what kind of favor she’d been in a position to do was another head scratcher the kind of nobody she was was home office stamped she ran interference in the Personnel Department which effectively meant overseeing the dozens hundreds sometimes

Thousands of appointments the home office made in the course of a year whether to a departmental role to an Affiliated research post or simply as an approved supplier of equipment or Commodities which was less about making the decisions approving those appointments and more to do with ensuring that each individual’s

Paperwork went to the right address it was possible she’d helped someone fill out a form correctly but you could get apps that did that and abs didn’t secure seats on Boards of inquiry though facilitated a lot of decision- making by those who did but none of that mattered

Or not in the short term whoever Gisela fleed was and however she’d come by her supposed patronage Malcolm Kyle currently carrying bags for the deputy manager of the cabinet secretary’s office and by his own Reckoning the second highest achiever of his Year’s intake there was a strair PP from mlin

Who could do no wrong was going places either monoc would provide a Launchpad for a full-blown investigation into wrongdoing by the intelligence services in which case he’d be a golden boy or he’d be called upon to explain how Fleet had driven her bus into a wall which

Given the Civil Service ethos would earn even greater Kudos winwin or that was how things seemed back before day one since then that Launchpad had more closely come to resemble an accident site all it needed was a bunch of flowers tied to the nearest railing that though would have required people

To be paying attention instead all he heard when he fixed his tie in the mirror when he buffed his shoes when he prowed around the conference room table Distributing the day’s papers was an empty echo of his crumpled up Ambitions blowing like litter across a vacant

Lot that and the faint faint sound of a strair PP laughing day one had been spent in a waiting room an almost beautiful joke in retrospect there are waiting rooms and there are waiting rooms and if some are intended to make the waiter comfortable others fall short of that ambition their

Chairs a little too nasty their adornments a little too cheap others still are never intended to promote relaxation at all the room Malcolm and giselda had found themselves in 2 years ago had been of this variety for Malcolm it was a taste of what it might be like

On the the wrong side of a power Gap he thought about mentioning this to Griselda whom he had met for the first time the previous day but something held him back the room in question was two floors down in Regent Park gaining access to the headquarters of the intelligence

Service had been a surprisingly Swift business beforehand Malcolm had assumed that a rigorous security procedure would be imposed something like boarding an airplane to meet the Princess Royal accordingly he had taken care to divest him self of anything that might be construed as a weapon including painful

As this was his comb and had even considered wearing laceless shoes though that would have involved buying a pair but in the event they were ushered through the gates with something approaching welcome if there were a few Smiles in evidence the words first desk is expecting you were clearly uttered

He’d heard stories about first desk’s office down on the Hub as the center of operations was called it had a glass wall which could Frost to opacity at the flick of a switch all very James Bond he imagined a swivel chair black leather and a white cat there was aware he was

Crossing the line from rumored foel into fictional villainy but still in a short while from now he’d be face to face with the real thing which was more or less the case though not in the anticipated way because as it turned out his imagination was given free reign for the next 3

Hours which was how long he and Griselda sat in a bare windowless room no table just two bucket seats one of which had the rubber knob from one of its feet missing giving it a terminal case of the wobbles the floor was tiled and scuffed on a wall hung instructions about what

To do in case of a fire in place of the usual floor plan was a diagram of the room they were in a square outline with the single door marked use this door the instructions read do you think they’re trying to make us nervous he’d asked giselda adjusting his spectacles

Trying Malcolm would have laughed that off but a nervous frog had him by the throat and was squeezing gently he had gone to the door after a while mostly to make sure it wasn’t locked that’s what he’d been expecting by now to turn the handle to no effect

To Rattle the door and then to break down into a rage or Terror whichever burst through his defenses first Rage was unlikely to be honest but the door hadn’t been locked and he’d open it on the same Corridor down which they’d walked earlier now with a table at the

Far end behind which sat a man who was royally uninterested in Malcolm and barely appeared to hear what he was saying which was anyway a jumble of words that might have defeated even a well-intentioned listener waiting ours first desk thirsty appointment busy people the hard stare drove him back to the room

Where Griselda appeared to have entered a state of Zen calm it’s a game she told him her eyes closed don’t even think about trying to fight it I’m going to make a complaint about this you do that anofficial complaint the best kind you’re not offering much support

Malcol trust me the best I can do for you is encourage you to sit down and suck it up because nothing you do will improve the situation and you’re only making yourself stressed how come you know so much about it he could hardly believe he’d said those words

Aloud every black woman does he could hard to believe she’d said that either as the minutes ticked into ions he found himself thinking of his boss in the cabinet secretary’s office the DM the deputy manager and with what little reluctance she’d agreed to his sment you take care Malcolm sees the day

He felt like the day had ceased him grabbed him by the ankles and dangled him upside down his liver and lights were all a tumble had she known this might happen he’d been her faithful second her loyal Lieutenant that she really sent him to walk the plank

Without a word of warning and was a certain straw head PP in on the joke checking his watch you’ll be in Regent Park dungeon now Mom Chuckles all round nice cup of tea when the wait ended it did so without warning or apology despite absolute silence in the corridor on

Whose floor Malcolm’s shoes had tip tapped like a billy coats on a bridge the door opened and a woman entered her expression that of someone fulfilling an unpleasant Duty she didn’t introduce herself she didn’t need to we’ve been waiting for 3 hours Malcolm told her the tremble in his voice attributable to he

Hoped barely suppressed rage though he was acutely conscious that one wrong move and he’d succumb to tears instead three hours yes said first desk she was an exceedingly handsome woman late 50s he was no great judge with immaculately tended light brown hair which hung at her shoulders and wore a gray skirt and

Jacket over a white blouse it was by now afternoon but she appeared as fresh as if just risen from an unbroken 8 hour sleep she carried nothing he’d have expected a folder or file alleger heavy with his and griselda’s sins now your monochrome we its admin staff prila said

It was the first time she’d spoken in a while and Malcolm was impressed despite himself at the steadiness of her tone we all know how these things work the admin staff is the inquiry the rest is stage dressing you have premises near Liverpool Street I gather yes and a

Panel’s been drummed up or summoned up or whatever it is you do with panels beat them come to think of it now there’s an idea are you trying to frighten us good God no she looked genuinely grieved if I was trying to frighten you trust me you’d be left in no doubt about

It now monochrome you’ll be calling Witnesses I’m told whomsoever we choose prela said by this stage Malcolm was so disoriented almost convinced he’ nodded off while reading Orwell that he didn’t even find the use of whomsoever amusing I’m sure you’ll exercise that power wisely we could call

You you could first desk’s attention was solely on gazela now you could summon me before your panel and subject me to all kinds of questioning you could keep me tied up for days on end weeks even it would be a kind of Revenge for you wouldn’t it pay back for having been

Kept waiting in this rather functional little room for however long it is you’ve been here 3 hours 3 hours Gela confirmed and if you did that do you know how I’d respond can you imagine what my reaction might be relda was silent no that’s right you can’t best

Keep F that way don’t you think there were all sorts of things he could have said all sorts of gritty sardonic responses that would have crushed first desk like a cartoon piano she’d have waddled around shapeless for a while then popped back into being with a befuddled sork while he Malcolm gazed on

Unimpressed and nerveless this almost cheered him up for almost a second first desk said now your remate is quite clear as are your rights of access you can summon up any file from the archive that you wish to see any at all that’s far beyond the leeway any inquiry has been

Allowed in the past it’s almost as if someone has it in for the service don’t you think as if they were hoping to inflict humiliation and reputational damage my goodness it’s the kind of license that would put whoever initiated this inquiry in an extremely strong position where their intention to

Augment their own powers at the expense of Regent Park don’t you agree she let the question remain unanswered for a full 7 seconds I said don’t you agree briselda said it’s certainly one way of looking at it that’s right it is anything to add and now she turned her

Gimlet Gaze on Malcolm who had been feeling a spectator promoted to a speaking part his mouth dried he swallowed nothing and croaked we simply carrying out instructions of course you are the battlecry of the jobsworth since time immemorial now a few details you won’t need to take notes you’re unlikely to

Forget any of this first desk stood straighter or seemed to Malcolm wasn’t really sure this was possible now the sad truth is whoever wrote up your remit was a little LAX when it came to the small print your right of access refers to informational resources only and

Makes no mention of ENT secure premises and as they stand your security clearances wouldn’t get you into the recycling room so take a good look around and soak up the atmosphere because this is the first last and only time you’ll be allowed into the park any future attempted Ingress will be treated

As a hostile act as for the archive well that’s here in the park so you can forget about prizing its contents and running your grubby little fingers along its lovely shelves with me so far it was nowhere else for them to be you have the right to examine any case File you want

That’s been established to activate this right submit a request to my desk in writing specifying the reference number of the file in question and I’ll make sure a copy is dispatched to your offices that I take it is the manner in which such proceedings are conducted it wasn’t a question but Mal

Found himself nodding anyway it was a relief to be on familiar ground if only for a moment he had studied the regulations concerning the conduct of such inquiries and was certain that first desk could accurately relay one of the methods by which classified documents could be transmitted to a

Panel it was good to know that however hostile she might be she did not intend to actively impede their progress the goodness of this knowledge lasted not quite as long as a sneeze but those reference numbers will need to be correctly transcribed as civil servants you’ll hardly need reminding that any

Inaccuracy will be met with refusal and indeed I regard such sloppiness as a waste of my extremely valuable time such irritation on my part will result in a strongly worded letter of dissatisfaction being sent to your current heads of Department again are you with me again through lack of choice

They were good then we’re on the same page oh and a cataloging system by the way is a tribute to Deus nice Oxbridge boy like you and she addressed Malcolm won’t need reminding that he created the cron Labyrinth so if you do happen to stumble upon an accurate reference

Number well my congratulations in advance you have earned whatever emoluments are coming your way she opened the door and paused on the threshold Not Looking Back someone will be down to show you out do not attempt to leave on your own we won’t be meeting again goodbye the door swung shut behind

Her they sat in silence for 5 minutes Malcolm feeling as if he’d just been hammered into the ground like a tent Peg relda might have been feeling the same way he couldn’t tell the man who came to lead them back into the world impossible not to see it in such terms they’d

Wandered into a grim fairy tale and wanted only release didn’t speak as he showed them to the lift the table at the end of the corridor had disappeared so had the best of the day back on London streets the light had dwindled to a dull gray film and rain was starting to

Fall we’ll get the wording amended he said as they stood on a corner waiting for a break in the traffic she didn’t reply we’ll have monochrome terms and conditions adjusted simple as that this time tomorrow we’ll be back there listening to a gravel and then we’ll be

Down in the archive with a wheelbarrow and we will bury that place under 10 tons of [ __ ] Malcolm she said softly what he was trembling again but knew it for rage now knew it for undiluted anger what they won’t adjust the wording Sparrow would never allow it she shook

Her head softly as if breaking the news of A Pet’s death it would be an admission of defeat an admission of weakness and we both know that Sparrow the PM none of them will ever admit anything of the sort cars hummed past their wheels beginning to spray rain

Water behind them they will do what they always do and pretend this never happened and we will do as we always do what’s that our jobs we’ll keep doing them until we’re told to stop come on a coud slowed and flashed its lights for them and she led him across the road in

Safety for reasons he could never articulate because they were unfair and he knew it part of Malcolm blamed Gisela for what happened that day she was first chair on monochrome it should have been up to her to prevent its being defanged and neutered even before it had set up shop

There had been a principal at stake and also his career that day should never have happened it shouldn’t have been allowed to happen or if it had to happen it shouldn’t have happened to him no it was 2 years later and he still hadn’t decided whether the wording of

The original remit had been drafted by an idiot or by someone very clever nor had an explanation been forthcoming as to why the wording couldn’t be redrafted gisela’s Theory remained all they had to go on and the more time went by the more plausable it seemed this was

Westminster and London rules were in play which right below never apologize never explain stated never admit you made a mistake besides when the situation was reduced to first principles it became pointless to agonize over the details the purpose of monochrome was to [ __ ] with Regent Park and the one thing first

Desk had made clear was you do not Fu with Regent Park maybe whoever worded the remate had been honey trapped into leaving this loophole there or maybe the limitations committee had suckered number 10’s hatched men into walking up a Garden Path only to lock the door behind them leaving the stupid idiots

Shivering on the lawn but in the end like everything else it didn’t matter how it didn’t even matter why all that really mattered was that in the Grand National of his career Malcolm Kyle was riding a donkey and as it labored around the course for the

371st time the only glimmer of hope he could remember had been quashed months previously when the PM who set monochrome running had suffered the inevitable conclusion of his pinfire of the vanities and been sacked by his own party Malcolm had had got drunk that night not so much in celebration of that

Event or not only as in anticipation of his own releas monochrome had been The Offspring of a personal Vendetta and while it was true that in Westminster circles things happening swiftly were against the natural order the first thing an incoming prime minister looks for is allies and no newbie would want

Regent Park on their back before they’d had a chance to repay for the flat So within a week or two or so Malcolm toasted himself he’d be back where he belonged in the office of the Deputy manager to the cabinet secretary a campaign medal a fixed to his chest and

The respect of his peers for a job not bollocked or not through any fault of his own a we hotu that had expanded and Bloated and here he still was his bright glittering future a catastrophe as unfixable as a trodden on Bobble from last year’s Christmas

Tree he’d been fiddling with the knot of his tie again while these memories carousell around his head its previous symmetry would have been destroyed though he had no mirror to check but what the hell the only one who might notice was Sir Winston and even Malcolm no longer cared what he thought picking

Up the stack of papers relevant to witness 136 he began to allocate each set to a seat round the table the career might be a car crash but the job still had to be done if malcol morning had been shot through with painful memories gelders had been little better then again

Several decades older than Malcolm she’d grown used to that and if unlike her younger colleague she’d never had much time for London rules that Unwritten guide to self-interest that powered the careers and choices of so many Westminster denisons she had at least collected a number of observations that

Went some distance to explaining how this environment worked she’d long been aware for example that those who gared more power than wiser Minds would have allotted them tend to think themselves above the reach of law what added shame to that awareness was remembering how easy she’d found it to be sucked into

That way of thinking in her case the price of her soul had been a party invitation not just any old bash though relda had attended one of the infamous Downing Street Garden parties thrown during the first lockdown in weaker moments she told herself she’d gone a in

A state of disbelief how could this be happening on the day that a government Minister had warned of the dire consequences of flouting covid restrictions but in fact she’d had no such compunction instead she’d Fallen prey to the obvious if furtive pleasure of being Among The Chosen her attendance

Underlining her position in the Charmed upper Circle or so it felt at the time in retrospect it simply rendered her complicit in a Vulgar Display of misplaced confidence she had imagined herself among the PM’s favorites but the PM as events so frequently demonstrated didn’t have favorites he had human

Shields she’d eventually received a fixed penalty notice and hadn’t ever pretended it was a badge of honor or equated it with a speeding ticket the fact that few people around her seemed to find the statutory punishment worthy of comment made her feel no better but shame aside what made the

Occasion hard forget was that it had been the first on which she’d met Anthony Sparrow then the PM’s special advisor Sparrow had been as clear an illustration as anyone might require of the dangers of believing oneself immune to public opinion he’d been riding high and would continue to do so for some

While and if the immediate impression he left on others was one of Rumple stillin meets the penguin his self-image if his interminable blogging was any clue placed him somewhere between montin and Nostradamus on that afternoon he’d interrupted a conversation Griselda had been audienc to two of the younger

Members of her Department had been celebrating their importance by mansplaining to their immediate colleagues how crucial their roles were Sparrow’s effect on his performance would have astonished anyone who hadn’t known who he was the appearance of his unemp graceless figure causing the self- congratulatory pair to dwindle into repetitive babble embarrassing as their

Display had been it caused grisela equal discomfort to see Sparrow’s pleasure at their squirming especially when Once they’d stumbled into silence he’d asked their names making a point of repeating them it had been like watching a lion adding a pair of Christians to its to-do list which might have been why giselda

Offered her own name too to reduce the moment to one of General introduction the more empathetic of her colleagues picked up the Baton and if the episode were not entirely detoxed it was at least rendered less vicious Sparrow though had stared at Griselda while the circle completed its roll call

An unsmiling assessment that had gone on far longer than she was happy with her name aside they didn’t exchange words but within a fortnight she’d been summoned to his presence at an hour just outside the working day if that initial encounter had triggered this summons he

Made no reference to it instead he kept us standing in front of his desk while he made careless amendments to a memo before without looking up saying I’m told you’re capable of keeping accurate records that’s part of my job yes and of conducting interviews for the previous month during

Her line manager’s covid absence giselda had been interviewing hopefuls for research posts in her own department and two others which fell under the same home office umbrella most candidates she spoke to being public school and Oxbridge educated had proved more rebant than herself and she’d emerged from at

Least one encounter with a vague sense of having failed the interview but she didn’t suppose Sparrow wanted to hear about that I have some experience yes he grunted as if she’d interrupted a Chain of Thought Sparrow’s office within the Warren that was number 10 was large and functional though attempts had been made

To stamp eccentricity upon it in place of more traditional artwork framed progressive rock album sleeves adorned the walls marilon gentle giant yes while an array of basball caps hung from hooks evidently intended for more sober out ofwar on her chaired against one wall next to a door she hadn’t entered

Through sat Sparrow’s famous Satchel the door Griselda supposed accessed the PM’s room she had a sudden image of sparrow summoning the prime minister to his presence while not looking up from whatever memo claimed his attention State education it says here and UE EA that’s right not the traditional route

To the home office she didn’t reply though his own educational background in common with about 90% of the local population had followed a path well trodden by Family footsteps Sparrow liked to present himself in common with about 60% of the local population as a self-steering Maverick who had broached

The establishment Citadel by Dent of guile cunning and panach but I suppose ticking the obvious boxes helped he was referring to her skin color she supposed along with her gender not that those advantages have propelled you to particularly giddy Heights it has to be said he really said that she thought he

Really just said advantages I’d have risen higher if not for the bullies and the bigots she told him or would have told him or even should have told him as she tried herself later but the truth was the bullies and the bigots were among the more minor obstacles she had faced and

In many ways the easiest to deal with because if the Casual racism she encountered on a daily basis was at least overt the institutional variety embedded in the structures within which she worked tended towards the impalpable veiled and obfuscated by Civil Service procedures that had been hallowed by

Time and bore no relation to the personal circumstances of any officer as one ancient email had put it this had been in response to gisela’s suggestion that the Department’s classic film club choice of zulu did not perhaps project an image in keeping with its purported values her subsequent reputation as a

Troublemaker hadn’t stopped her though or not in the early days and she had a tribunal ruling in her favor to prove it but she’d also had long periods of stasis years spent behind the exact same desk while the colleagues around her changed after a while the message had seeped through Don’t Rock the

Boat besides she was tired those same years having peeled away some of life’s wallpaper revealing the stained plasterwork beneath a bad marriage a difficult daughter no not difficult impossible how could such a perfect brilliant and beautiful young woman have into existence it challenged all logic but the fact remained that wrangling

Melody into adulthood had drained Griselda of energies she’d once enjoyed and her moments of principled resistance had become fewer and farther between her last spirited episode had been at the Garden Party when she tried to deflect Sparrow’s contempt from its frankly appropriate Target and look where that had got her sitting here

While the embodiment of privileged White manhood have dismissed her career with scorn her Kenyan mother would have rolled her eyes and carried on her Essex born father would have invited Sparrow outside giselda preferred fighting her own battles or that was the phrase she’d have reached for but experience had Tau

Her that the happiest Battlefield encounter was one you walked away from unscathed and there was no fight she could have with Sparrow which would leave her the Victor strangely she had the feeling he was about to offer her something but whatever it was she already knew she didn’t want it give me

No challenges set me no targets that bumping noise she used to worry about the sound of her own head hitting the ceiling she was used to it now having a ceiling prevented you drifting away but these thoughts were getting in the way of her being here and listening to what Sparrow was

Saying there’s to be an inquiry internal though the results will doubtless be available for public consumption an inquiry have we the department I mean has something happened I wasn’t aware of any problem I’m sure your department could be found to have committed more than enough errors to Warrant investigation

But no this is a different matter one the PM is Keen on pursuing I see no harm in it it might even prove a handy strategy in the long run which is the only kind we’re interested in he seemed about to head off down a whole

New Corridor as if embarking on one of his directionless blogs but reigned himself in no we’re planning on taking a look at the intelligence Services he might as well have specified extraterrestrial life for all the relevance it had to Griselda the intelligence Services soall there’s frequently a lack of

Common Sense let alone actual intelligence and there’s long been concerned that the current administ ministration is beating its own pathway rather than following the government’s lead but what you’ll be focusing on is the frequent lapses in discipline over the years and the damaging consequences these have had we’d like these to be

Above the fold as they say the bullet points I’m sorry I’ll be focusing on well what did you think you’re doing here for I usually run policy decisions past you I what it is is it’s a potentially a fact finding exercise your findings will point the way towards a

Fuller investigation into how Region’s Park is straying Beyond its remit into areas of ethical dubiousness or actual illegality once we’re at that stage we’ll have some serious bodies to sit on the panel for the time being we’ll find the usual bunch of scarecrows your job the current objective You’re simply

Exploring the Min shaft think of yourself as head Canary it didn’t seem worth pointing in out what the head Canary’s inevitable fate was he almost certainly knew and definitely didn’t care Mr Sparrow this is a signal honor and I’m grateful you thought to consider me for the role but it’s outside my

Skill said and not something I’m competent to handle that would be entirely up to you of course I’m not in a position to make anyone do anything they’d rather not the mere thought of doing any such thing was enough to bring a curl to his lip but

Refusing would leave you in a vulnerable position I’m sure you’re aware we’re looking at cutbacks across whiteall removing a few snuts from the public truff that sort of thing it’s popular with the voters though can make life uncomfortable for those in the firing line he waited two moments for this to

Sink in though did not seem to require a response shall I continue with the details it’s not a new appointment as such you’ll be on suc Conant paying conditions to remain as is but there’ll be various bseries to draw upon and some limited expenses you’ll probably get a

Few lunches out of it he glanced at her figure seemed about to add something and decided against it a list of probable panel members will be with you by the end of the week I’ll let you know when it’s been whittled down how long is this expected to last

We won’t be setting a term first couple of months should give you an idea of the probable scope but you could expect this to keep you busy the next couple of years well into the next Parliament more than likely so this is independent of the current

Government no it’s the PM’s baby but I’m not expecting to lose an election in the near future he gave the first smile she’d seen him give possibly the first he’d ever attempted he might have been reading instructions from the back of a box unless someone [ __ ] something up of

Course that’s the real art of politics Miss Fleet knowing when the next [ __ ] up stew and arranging for a human sandbag to be standing in the way afterward she recognized this as the key moment in their conversation the point in which he revealed his Outlook always decide who’s to blame before

Anything goes wrong it makes the subsequent investigation much simpler back to business you’ll hear from someone about premises and so on there’ll be a budget you’ll need to handle expenses and fees for members but if you have any sense you’ll pass that on to whoever ends up your sub I’ll have

Someone bring you up to speed it’s well below my pay grade he looked down at the papers on his desk again and she wondered if that were that that having finished talking he expected her to fade away what for God’s sake was his home life like or did he just sit behind his

Desk all night plugged in to recharge Gisela he said suddenly yes no I meant your name your parents watch a lot of Disney cartoons I never thought to ask he nodded as if that were the answer he expected then indicated the door with a knot of his head someone will be in

Touch it sounded more like a threat than a promise that was how she came to run monochrome other Minor Details the word Petty fogging was used more than once were handled by lesser beings from Sparrow’s office hours of work can vary depending on witness availability so you’ll be expected to maintain

Timekeeping records if you fall under your weekly obligation make the hours up at a future date the notion of a future happening was a comfort it had occurred to her that if she were kept from her desk for longer than a year it might be handed to someone else or removed

Entirely and then too there was the nagging suspicion that her unexpected elevation if it could be so described was a tactical move by a disinterested player London rules again we had all in it together might have been the public Mantra but everyone knew that you never

Took a ride in a hot air balloon without knowing who you’d throw overboard first as for panel members expenses stationary requirements and so on your sub can handle all that her submarine her sandwich ridiculous what the Mind threw about you sub meaning subordinate because if gelda fleet was so

Insignificant as not to have a junior answering to her then why were Sparrow’s seconds wasting their time briefing her has that appointment been made she’d been handed a manila folder and this was her introduction to her sub her Junior her ongoing Thorn In the Flesh Malcolm

Kyle memory gave way to the present and malcol himself came came into the office mumbling a greeting his tie unexpectedly a skew day 371 was underway monochrome day 84 witness number 68 Mr L G reduction level two fi exempt distribution key a to F panel s Winston day president the

Right honorable sh Mansour MP Mr guy Fielding Miss Deborah Ford Lodge Mr John Moore Mr Carl singer secretary first chair Miss giselda Fleet assistant second chair Mr Malcolm Kyle excert from interview Sir Winston day now you’ve come to us because you have serious concerns about the administration processes at Regent Park

Which is Mr LG yes WD which is the center of operations of the intelligence Services here in the UK LG yes WD and you’re a former agent of those Services is that correct LG for nearly 2 years Miss Shireen Mansour Mr G before we begin can

I just make sure that you understand the gravity of what you’re about to do any testimony you uh deliver that pertains to classified material LG I understand that SM must remain within the confines of this room if any of it is repeated outside you could well find yourself

Liable to prosecution under the official Secrets act LG I understand WD well on behalf of the committee I offer you our appreciation LG you’re welcome WD now your written approach to the committee suggests that a bullying C culture pertains at Regent Park you’re aware that this isn’t precisely the remit of

The current inquiry LG I have literally nowhere else to turn WD I see LG literally WD then perhaps we should begin Miss Gisela Fleet before we do so Sir Winston WD go ahead GF Mr G before we begin there are one or two matters it’s necessary to address you say you

Were employed by the intelligence services for nearly 2 years LG that’s correct GF but records indicate that your actual period of employment was 13 months and 8 Days LG I was rounding up GF I see and it also says that the reason for the termination of your

Employment LG I don’t see that that’s relevant GF the reason for the termination of your employment was that on three occasions you used service equipment on service premises LG this is not relevant GF to access pornographic material of a particularly abusive nature and the officer who reported this activity resulting in a disciplinary

Hearing and the subsequent termination of your employment LG she’s a lying [ __ ] GF is in fact the woman named in your testimony as the officer you claimed to be the chief instigator of this bullying culture SM particularly abusive pornography LG it’s an addiction who’s really the victim here SM

Inaudible the deposition of LG was terminated at this point the above testimony was not included in the draft report that existed at the time of the closure of the monochrome inquiry and would not have been included in any final report had such a document been prepared

To deal with the hrum details of the panel members convened to sit on monochrome some names will be familiar others less so of the former deorah Ford Lodge was the glamma appointee an Espionage novelist whose recent dealy about a mole hunt in the upper echelons of what she referred to as the fair

Ground had her pegged by summer as the heir to lare one of an admittedly long list of Lees and if some Observers questioned the appropriateness of her appointment to a panel adjudicating on the activities of the real world intelligence Services rather than its fictional counterpart most accepted that

This was how things worked these days a Twitter following in the hundreds of thousands was a more certain indicator of expertise than say a career spent studying the topic at hand of the rest Shireen Mansour a northern constituency labor MP who had weathered 32 years in the Commons was

Regarded by all who had never worked with her as a reliable operator while guy fielding and John Moore back benches both were experienced committee sitters happy to make up the numbers whenever warm buttocks were required on paded seats provided the padding also applied to the expense accounts that neither had

Ever troubled hanser at much was presumably a tribute to how carefully they weighed each thought before putting it into utterance Carl singer meanwhile was the face of modern British entrepreneurship lacking only an endearing foible or two like a taste for helium assisted flight blatant megalomania or a much taller wife to

Have him elevated to the status of a household name singer company actually a string of Affiliated companies whose interdependent Financial relationships would have resembled on any accurate diagram instructions for a three-legged KY to be performed by 13 drunken quadrupeds had most recently bothered the public at the height of the covid

Crisis when it was awarded a multi-million pound contract to furnish the NHS with PPE and in a development that was startlingly unexpected actually managed to fulfill the contract so anyway its PR department announced with great Fanfare and if the quoted delivery Figures were subsequently disputed by NHS administrators alongside a daming

Critique of the reliability of the equipment that actually turned up the headlines had been written by then and the News Spotlight moved on attempts to refocus it met with weary contempt there is nothing more Despicable thundered the then Health secretary than seeking to undermine the achievements of those

Making very real sacrifices in the battle against this evil virus the health secretary left his post shortly afterwards to spend more time with his mistress but soon enough secured employment as a spokesperson for singer Industries for his own part singer made occasional noises about going into politics but so

Far had restricted himself to issuing regular pats on the back to the current administration his appointment to the panel was largely due to his interest in the security services singer Industries portfolio included several firms whose operations covered areas more traditionally patrolled by organs of the state and was known to be interested in

Expanding further into this area finally an adding much needed gravitas was s Winston day whose features seemed molded to Adorn a bust or possibly a stamp and whose forehead was so evidently bulging with gray matter that it would have been impertinent to inquire too closely into the actual achievements his half century

Of Public Service had produced his recently published Memoirs possibly cast light on his Enigma but given that such details were not provided until after the 30-page mark they might as well have remained State secrets Sir Winston was happy in the role he’d been allotted in as much as it

Allowed him to bark questions at strangers an occupation he pursued with such alacrity that it boarded on the vocational and he might have made a name for himself as an interrogator had he paid much attention to the answers but he was doing his duty and that was the

Main thing or so Sir Winston believed and as nobody contradicted him it was almost certainly true on the morning of day 371 all the appled members arrived within an 8-minute time span though none in such close proximity to another that anyone had to share a lift it was the first

Time they had gathered since the week before last and such gaps were fast becoming the norm the spaces between convened days growing ever larger in Pace with the diminishing number of witnesses with testimony deemed worth hearing that last condition had become more stringent since day 279 which would

Have been the inquiries Nadia had the word not implied subsequent Improvement today giselda and Malcolm aside Carl singer was first to arrive singer was a middle-aged man in whom youth could still be seen mostly through his choice of Footwear relda had never warmed him largely because he seemed

Keen that she should though in a way that suggested he was intent on expanding his demographic rather than his Friendship Circle he was on his mobile as he entered his tone Curt and business and his greeting to Griselda was engineered via eyebrows alone she caught a whiff of his cologne as he hung

His raincoat on a hook something Woody why was that not a surprise she frowned slightly miming Fierce focus on her iPad as one by one the others peeled in bringing a little of the weather with them The Damp air the coats beaded by rain the presence of traffic last was

Deborah Ford Lodge who had taken time to Gussy up before making an entrance or at the very least run a comb through her jet black hair easily the youngest and most attractive of the company she neither took this for granted nor let her standard slip today she was dressed

Beneath her raincoat as if it was spring John Moore and Guy Fielding in contrast had arrived decked out for monsoon season and more than ever looked like two halves of one dismal hole then again on their best days they had the appearance of men who had spent their m

Decades slipping around the back for a smoke a rare example of appearances failing to deceive and she Gisela fleed she found herself thinking how did her appearance strike them fact was it probably didn’t much she was there that was all a fixture of the inquiry they’d pay more attention to

An espresso machine Malcolm had disappeared busy with the day’s admin there were expenses claims to be made as the end of the month grew near though she suspected this was more to do with avoiding company than ensuring said company’s needs were met that was okay something had gone out of Malcolm a

While ago if he never possessed much of a spark he had at least resembled someone who got out of bed in the morning intending to achieve something before crawling back into it these days it appeared that crawling back into bed was as much of an ambition as he could

Muster everything else was just killing time she to do something about this talk to him if Malcolm had a full-blown bragd down there would be an accompanying HR headache which he didn’t need any more than she needed the actual one drilling into her head small but as sharp and insistent as a dentist’s

Tool our venerable president the last to arrive again I see speaking of dentists tools Shireen mansur’s frequent observations regarding Sir Winston were sharp and pointed G Elder suspected that she believed the president’s role should have been hers though it remained mysterious why she would have wanted it but perhaps once

Your ambition stretched beyond the hope that you could make it safely through the day it knew no limit girl singer said seeing as he’s the one we can’t start without and he prefers us all to be here when we do start that’s the most efficient way of beginning proceedings promptly wouldn’t you

Agree I need a ven diagram first said Mo and anyone read the Chancellor’s piece in the telegraph Fielding asked about the need for alternative funding of the Emergency Services I thought deliver was already self-funding he made a fair case said singer do you think so because it sounded like a death nail to

Me the last thing giselda wanted was a political debate and the next to last would be any other kind I think I hear the lift she said well good said Moore I was worried today session will be canceled at the last moment yes wouldn’t that be awful said

Mansur you’d have to claim your attendance fee without actually earning it as with many committees in the absence of a testifying witness the panel members settled for tearing one another to Pieces instead monochrome day 187 witness number 86 Miss J D redution level two foi exempt distribution key A2 f panel

Sir Winston day president the right honorable Shireen Mansour MP Miss Deborah Ford Lodge Mr John Moore Mr Carl singer absent Mr guy Fielding secretary first chair Miss grazilda Fleet assistant second chair Mr Malcolm Kyle exert from interview Sir Winston day and that was the year you had your second

Child Miss J D yes WD again by Mr Steven Buckley JD that’s correct WD and were you still involved in the I’m sorry I can’t quite recall the JD it was called Millennials against oppression Mr John Moore ma JD what Miss Gisela fleed your preferred per form of address was M AO

Is that right JD Mao yes WD and your belief at this time was that Mr Buckley far from being the activist he claimed to be JD yes WD was in fact working for the intelligence Services JD yes as an undercover agent WD and his task so you believed was to

Undermine Mao with the ultimate intention of having its members including yourself prosecuted for subversive activities for activities designed to undermine the state JD that’s right Mr Carl singer can I just ask WD of course of course CS what form did these activities take the subersive activities JD oh well well it was more

Of a planning stage CS a planning stage JD yes that’s to say we hadn’t actually actioned any of our yet which can I just say I’m actually glad about now CS I see JD I appreciate that we might have been a little misguided WD indeed and to get

Back to the topic at hand Mr Buckley was at that time also a member of Mao is that correct JD he seemed to be yes WD and what exactly was your purpose in forming a relationship with Mr Buckley JD well it was to keep him occupied to lull

Him into a false sense of security WD with a view to JD ensuring that his mission failed Miss Deborah Ford Lodge and this lulling of Mr Buckley is involved with bearing two children by him yes JD it was a long-term situation Miss Shireen Mansour Miss D

Steven Buckley was not in fact an intell operative was he JD no SM you were quite mistaken in this belief J D well only in the end SM I’m sorry j d well all the time I believed he was an undercover agent he might as well have been don’t

You see because all the time I thought he was that’s how I acted as if he was spying on me and I was pretending not to know that’s what he was doing miss giselda fle Miss D none of the testimony you’ve delivered in front of this committee actually concerns actions undertaken by

The intelligent services does it JD GF it relates rather to actions undertaken by someone you mistakenly believed to be a member of the intelligence services and whom throughout your 5-year relationship you thought was deceiving you and your fellow Mao members though he was in fact a member of Mao himself

JD yes WD I see J D he was just an ordinary man dfl are you still together Miss D J D God no the testimony of J D was not included in the draft report that existed at the time of the closure of the monochrome inquiry and would not have been included

In any final report had had such a document been prepared it had indeed been the lift which did indeed contain Sir Winston which meant that they could have one of their Where Do We Stand now conversations most of which could be replaced in their entirety with the

Phrase same place as last week brazila sometimes wondered how many similar groups were convening around the capital on any given morning deeply embroiled in meetings whose only resolution going forward was that another meeting take place in the near future which might be the bare minimum requirement for any

Group’s survival but lacked a certain firmness of purpose before he could initiate such discussion however Sir Winston had to divest himself of his reain gear which included gashes a source of Fascination to Griselda for whom there had only ever been a rumor in children’s books straps and buckles not

For the first time she wondered about the fetishism of the upper classes about their Clinging On to the ways of childhood the nannies and the school dinner menus the club ties and about the wisdom of putting those mired in their own pasts in charge of all our futures

But these thoughts were not conducive to a day’s work so she shunted them aside as Sir Winston adopted a well- met Heir and demonstrated his ability to communicate across any number of divides by addressing the assembled company as one just as Malcolm re-entered the room everyone had a good

Weekend since the only answer to this in polite company despite the weekends in question having run the gamut from interminable arguments with Offspring mansur and Fleet through the usual world of constituency pubs M and Fielding a brief perisian Jaun complete with ballet and Michelin starred grub toome interested money singer an earsplitting

RA with spouse followed by an 11,000 word writing Jag Ford Lodge to an unbroken 30 three hours in bed with two pizzas a bottle of vodka an Apple TV plus Kyle was yes this was juli uted by various voices and if the ensuing moments of Silence indicated that the

Company was reliving any particular aspect of its separate weekends that silence wasn’t any more fraud than it was companionable to fill it those who’ brought indoor shoes changed into them while checking their mobiles while those who hadn’t simply checked their mobiles satisfied that his genial inquiry had

Established him as a figure on whom the rank and file could rely for a spot of paternal interest Sir Winston whose own weekend had involved a rather Pleasant time in the country as a guest of the party chairman moved his tobacco pouch from one pocket to another and his pipe

From that pocket to the one the tobacco pouch had occupied it was good to be organized and important to set a standard that let’s be frank squirt Kyle looked like he’d let a squiddle do his tie this morning and there was no excuse for that but it wasn’t like anyone was

Looking to Young Kyle as an example of anything Sir Winston cleared his throat and those around him tensed in anticipation so he said where do we stand now if cost was the main reason that these offices had been chosen for monochrome the conference room went somewhere towards justifying the

Decision on practical grounds being uncomfortable enough to dispel any notion that the proceedings it hosted were frivolous and not quite austere enough to pretend to any Grand purpose that said it was designed for full accessibility should circumstances require in the center of the room long tables were set as a three-sided square

With panel members sitting on either flank Sir Winston at the head and Griselda next to him her chair at a slightly oblique angle to the table to signify her lesser status to her left were Moore singer and Ford Lodge to Su Winston’s right fielding and Mansour Malcolm meanwhile sat at a school desk

Arrangement in a corner of the room a position which seemed to say more about him every day at the open end of the arrangement was the witnesses chair next to a low table on which sat a jug of water a glass and a box of tissues windows with

A view of the back of an office building in the next street along would adorned with six rows of Venetian blinds at least one of which was always slightly out of syn Malcolm sometimes wondered if Clive from downstairs came into the offices out of ours and subtly [ __ ]

With the Furnishings he was aware that this was improbable and in fact approved of Clive in as much as Clive addressed him as sir but it wasn’t always possible to dismiss outlandish fancies once they’d landed paranoia was parasitical it dug its Talons in and fed off what it

Found Malcolm had reached for his comb without meaning to smuggled it back into his breast pocket hoping no one had noticed the daily procedure underwent few variations if a witness were being heard this happened in the morning only occasionally extending past the lunch hour if the panel were meeting to

Discuss what s Winston described as matters arising and the others as expenses specials this happened in the afternoon when no witness was to be called and no discussion deemed necessary only Griselda and Malcolm attended the office their non-panel sessions revolving around the examination of witness testimonies the transcription of depositions which o to

Their potentially classified nature and the limited budgetary resources for administrative assistance fa to Malcolm despite his near sedentary typing speed and the trolling of public records to identify material of interest there was little of this most news stories suggesting possible wrongdoing by The Spook Services dissolving into dra less matter when reached

For in a folder mark miscellanies because you couldn’t be too careful were kept clippings and printouts of the Grimmer hints encountered over the past two years a suicide of someone known to have worked in the shadow World a fatal accident involving a person of interest but these were Whispers nothing more

Followup investigations yielding an open verdict in one case of finding a misadventure in the other if monochrom had had access to Regent Park’s archive it have been a whole Dark World to explore Malcolm for one grew more convinced of this with every passing day but the doors to that Treasure Trove

Remained firmly shut and boy did the days pass hints had been made at the outset that running the inquiry might be less than fulltime but the reality scotched that notion for the panelist there were the expenses and the opportunity to put the entire thing out

Of mind for days at a stretch it was drudgery but reasonably well paid and didn’t last more than a few hours a week but for Malcolm and giselda it was daily servitude a rational bureaucracy would have applied the brakes but the wheels of Westminster were like The Wheels On

The Bus they went round and round and round and round all day long some of those days of course were worse than others monochrome day 279 witness number 116 Mrs E F reduction level two foi exempt distribution key a to F panel s Winston day president the right

Honorable Shireen Mansour MP Mr guy Fielding Miss Deborah Ford Lodge Mr John Moore Mr Carl singer secretary first chair Miss brazel def Fleet assistant second chair Mr Malcolm Kyle excert from interview Sir Winston day if youd just like to tell us in your own words words Mrs F the reason for

Your appearance before this panel e f i saw it in a magazine that you were investigating wrongdoing in the intelligence Services WD we were in a magazine Miss Gisela Fleet there’s been a certain amount of media coverage Sir Winston WD humph and could I ask what

The magazine was EF the one that little man runs who does that thing on the Telly WD I’m not sure I Mr John Moore would this be have I got news for you WD have you got EF that’s right JM Sato yes Mr Carl singer you mean private eye then the

Magazine EF that’s right private ey JM which wasn’t especially complimentary about our procedures Mr guy Fielding it’s not especially complimentary about anything that’s rather the WD if we could just thank you so Mrs F you saw an article in private eye and decided you had information that might be relevant

To our um our mission EF that’s right on account of I work at gchq that’s the place that cheltonham you know pause JM we’re familiar with gchq thank you EF yes well only the magazine which I don’t read myself only there was a page pinned

Up on the notice board it said you were looking at malpractices and the like in the security services WD ah yes that’s correct EF because there’s stuff going on at gchq you should definitely know about definitely pause WD would it be possible for you to provide us with some details as to the

Nature of this stuff EF well all sorts I mean take the canteen everyone knows it’s run at a loss but it’s packed to the gills every lunchtime I mean how can that be you answer me that Cs and this is the information you’ve come to share with us

EF well that’s what it said in that article malpractices and I’m not pointing the finger but has whoever runs the canteen being asked to explain where all the money is going that’s all I’m saying WD the money TF if I could interrupt Mr chairman WD if you really need

To TF just a point of consistency Mrs F in her original office of testimony stated that she worked for gchq now she’s saying that she works at gchq it’s a small Point WD it’s a very small Point GF but it might be best to be sure we’re not going up the blind

Alley Miss Deborah Ford Lodge I agree language is too important to be used in a careless manner especially in WD yes yes dfl especially in proceedings such as this CS these WD yes all right if it’ll save all this palava Mrs F if you wouldn’t mind I’m going to ask you to

Clarify your position at gchq EF I work there WD yes we’ve got that far but could I ask you to be more specific EF Mondays and Thursdays WD just those two days EF well not when the Monday’s a bank holiday WD I’m not sure I GF could you tell us which

Department you work in Mrs F EF I’m on the cleaning staff WD you’re on the cleaning staff EF what I just said WD but you don’t actually you’re not employed by gch you itself EF we do have security clearance you know which is just as well the state of the toilet

Some days WD thank you Mrs F EF all I’m saying you’re in charge of the nation’s security you could be a bit more careful with your toilet doings the testimony of EF was not included in the draft report that existed at the time of the closure of the monochrome inquiry and would not

Have been included in any final report had such a the document being prepared the above is notable for being the last reliable set of minutes submitted by Malcolm Kyle subsequent transcriptions though signed off by the chair were rarely accurate in detail and never a complete record of testimony

Provided everyone needs a code name so they’ settled on ratty and Toad he was ratty toad was his mole and in the inreasing the unlikely event that monochrome bore fruit he’d be first to know of course the fruit wasn’t the kind monochrome had been intended to pick but

Any Harvest counts tonight A February evening the scheduled contact would be by phone there was a certain nostalgia in this once upon a time in another place phone calls required rigorous protocols phones were chosen with care usually in busy locations the railway station the post office and the conversation’s subject matter bore no

Relation to its meaning nowadays in a world whose surveillance techniques have become so sophisticated you’d hesitate to have a chat with an earshot of your fridge precautions still mattered but at least you no longer had to put a coat on in rat’s case you simply retired to a

Windowless room flipped the switch that activated White Noise interference and answered a mobile the prepaid unregistered one that took calls from only one number then you answered it not saying anything waiting for toad to break the silence it’s me said Toad and what do you have there was more silence

The kind Mobile Supply if their user is in a corridor all of whose doors are closed just the usual that sound so disappointed you have no idea what matters to me only that I pay well for hearing it so toad began the recitation the month’s Witnesses the discussion that ensued their increasingly fractious

Nature and the lack of anything amounting to hardcore evidence of wrongdoing by Regent Park 5 minutes later it was done without anything having been said that rang Bells pulled strings or caused rat’s brow to forrow he waited a count of five to allow toad time to wonder whether information of significance had been

Unknowingly delivered then said the money in your bank this can’t carry on much longer there was an interesting open-endedness to this toad could be referring to monochrome itself or the Betrayal of its workings or Toad’s own reluctance to continue in the role of Traitor which was not as ratty could

Have explained an accurate epithet to be a traitor you first had to have faith otherwise it was all just gossip it’ll carry on for as long as it does he said as will our conversations it was possible that toad had a different opinion about this but since ratty terminated the call at that

Point this didn’t matter unheard objections were like unacknowledged Offspring if no one knows about them could they really be said to exist he didn’t go in for philosophical rumination on the other hand he was prepared to see the funny side of most things provided the joke wasn’t at his

Expense fish cakes were £5 for a packet of two or three packets for £1 the saving was obvious the underlying issues were did Malcolm want to commit himself to three fish cake meals in the short to midterm future and how much room was there in the freezer compartment if he’s not over llarge

Fridge he tried to visualize the space in question but all he came up with was an Arctic image a vast emptiness into which he might wander and not return for some time the fish cakes were cod with a mushy pea mixture involved in the coating which sounded acceptable but not

Perhaps a way of life so he loaded only the single packet into his trolley focusing on the 7 pound outlay he’d save and moved down the aisle recalling a TV commercial featuring a middle-aged gay couple shopping in a supermarket the healthy choices being made the mock squabbling over the chocolate biscuits

The shared joy of the savings on offer the hand contact they left the store Supermarket shopping as relationship Adventure it was every bit as close to reality as those adverts showing happy young things squealing their pleasure at a casino site instead of say a fat man in a tracksuit smoking

Outside lab Rooks that it was a gay couple made it better or ought to but it didn’t he paused at the fridge wondering about cheese cheese was on his list he never went anywhere without a list but he hadn’t thought about what kind and didn’t seem able to work that out now

Guier he liked a piece of guier he’ like Brie too but his budget demanded that it’d be one or the other not for the first time he resolved to be more sensible about shopping to start patronizing one of the cheaper chains even if it required a longer trip

Anything to diminish that sense of dread when the credit card bill dropped into his inbox when Malcolm had arrived in London fresh from Cambridge it was to take up a room in a shared house with one University friend and three strangers and for a short while it had worked

Nicely the new people were friendly and welcoming and he had high hopes of the original friendship which had once or twice twice edged into something a little more physical at College developing further but this didn’t happen or at least it didn’t happen with Malcolm it did with two of the other housemates and

Things stopped working nicely and there was a big meltdown one weekend by the Monday of which it had been agreed by all parties save Malcolm himself who turned out not to have a vote that the atmosphere would be vastly improved by his absence since then he’d been living in a

One b in walthamstow whose rent accounted for 64% of his monthly paycheck it didn’t feel like he was living the life he’d planned it certainly didn’t feel like he ought to be spending £5 on two fish geges he looked down at his trolley apples oranges a lot of vegetables so he

Was doing something right then he turned at the end of the aisle and bumped into someone coming the other way could have been a meat cute in other circumstances in these though it was a woman whose trolley heat sideswiped and a un too stable trolley either their collision

And she’d been moving fast really quite fast indeed caused it to Veer sideways banging into the freezer compartment upon which the damn thing tled onto its side sending shopping flying a slew of packets of pasta and string bags of fruit of ready meals and cartons of

Juice and pintes of milk and jars of Olives or Capers or whatever all of it everywhere nightmare God I’m sorry damn damn damn I’m sorry so sorry could you just please Malcolm abandoned his own trolley and scrambled to set the Fallen one upright a task which sounded easier than

It proved to be a bottle of wine almost joined the buffet on the tiles and wouldn’t that have made an Unholy mess as it was there was chaos not entirely dissipated by the outbreak of fellow feeling among other Shoppers the nearest of whom began Gathering up the tumble

Chopping and stacking it back in the trolley while a store assistant went for a mop and a hazard triangle a broken bottle of Pata sat in a red puddle a man wearing a bow tie gave Malcolm hand with the trolley Easy Does It the woman who shopping this had been

Had gathered herself somewhat was studying the produce being reloaded into her wagon she looked like she was having second thoughts had she really been planning on buying all this all bashed about it was significantly less appealing she was young to be doing such a big Shob so Malcolm thought but what

On Earth did he mean by that and had red hair mostly trapped in place by a green Berry freckles the sleeves of an oversized jumper poked out from the sleeves of her long Overcoat I might have been going a little fast she said dangerous these floors can be someone assured her

Conversation in these situations was a free- for all I’m very sorry said Malcolm though he too thought she’d been going too fast a mob was on its way hoisted by an overall woman also wielding a bucket do you have everything she leaned in conspiratorially I think I’m going to

Abandon this broken Pastor tented tins heed done the same if he could be sure of not being recognized next time he came here the man who walked away from his shopping they were asked to step aside somewhat curtly by the bucket and mop and Malcolm found himself momentarily a

Skew what had he been thinking doing pushing two moments ago his trolley there it was he turned to make another apology because the three or four he’ issued so far didn’t seem enough but the young woman was gone her reloaded trolley stood against the freezer no longer the center of attention and now

Resembling in the ill stacked halfhazard way its contents were organized the food bank collection by the exit the man with the bow tie had evaporated and the woman clearing up the tomato paste was muttering under her breath Malcolm shook his head he wanted to be out of here he

Didn’t care what remained on his list he made his way to the self-service checkout where there was no queue for once and began loading his purchases onto the machine fruit and vegetables first under the bag of oranges he found the envelope winter trees scratched the skyline and through their outstretched

Talons first desk traced the wing lights of a westbound airliner they had been a time she could barely notice an evening airplane without wishing she was on it but the years had a way of laying such aimless desires to rest among other things they did that tonight just gone six she let

It fly returning her attention to the colored lights and concrete of the South Bank across the river a typical London Vista the hustle and bustle of the city that can’t relax two different beats from two different sound sources collided Mid River and on the banks the traffic and the people danced to

Whichever they pleased behind her a car slowed and a door slammed the car pulled away footsteps approached she turned to meet them Chancellor good evening first desk then that’s ridiculously formal isn’t it maybe so but the office was more important than his holder rather than

Point this out she said oh best to keep things on a professional footing that that’s why we’re here after all well you have the advantage I have no idea why we’re here it was a slight nervousness to this admission which was as it should be when the head of the intelligence service

Suggests a quiet chat only a fool would fail to feel queasy that same head said I was interested in hearing your views on the current situation outside the Westminster bubble the term current situation covered enough ground to build a city on Russia spiraling inflation the virus climate

Change the energy crisis the NHS knife crime the royal family cancel culture petrol prices I’m a celebrity and sex trafficking some of these overlapped inside the bubble it only meant one thing party leadership oh my loyalties R entirely with the PM and yada yada yada first desk hand conducted an invisible

Orchestra for a moment then cut it off you’ll be loyal unto death obviously but supposing you wanted him to fall under a bus because if it helps I have a set of bus timetables you can borrow oh please why would I even want to think that he’s

Only been in office 6 months I think the country’s in agreement we’re in turnaround the country’s in agreement we in a hand card heading for the traditional destination are I hear enough Doom warnings from the leftwing media and if you’re simply going to vent of a dinner engagement I’m laid for I’ll

Leave you with your thoughts your dinner’s not for 27 minutes let’s walk they did so first desk allowing the silence to widen enough for the chancellor to fall into I’m not interested in hearing declinist nonsense we have a new leader new standards to meet honesty Integrity transparency accountability

They’re all back on the table we accept that mistakes were made but we’ve moved on that’s what good governance is about we might disagree that good governance is about burying your mistakes but that’s by the by let’s face facts a reckoning is coming party gate the care home death toll the 20 billion

In Co response funds that went missing we can agree that everyone’s forgotten about all of that but spiraling mortgage rates no your party broke the pound last year which is why it’s now polling lower than a sunk punt You’ be better off calling an ambulance than a general election but

That can’t be avoided forever and when it does and the few survivors are marooned on the opposition benches the top job will be up for grabs again as I’m sure you’ve worked out for yourself the chancellor gave her a sideways look are we actually having this conversation no you’re not

Recording there’s such a thing as deep fakery remember if I need tape of you Whispering treasonous nothings I’ll have a couple of my desk jockies fix one up she let two paces intervene before adding joke you’re not famous for your sense of humor are you I quite literally have

Trained assassins in my employee if I say something funny it’s best to go along don’t you think without waiting for an answer first tesk reached inside the black leather tote bag on her shoulder and produced an A4 sized envelope don’t open this just yet tuck it out of sight here’s an

Idea the chancellor had automatically taken hold of the envelope when it was offered but looked to be already regretting this move what’s inside let’s call it a bus timetable you’re familiar with aaban de of course the payday loan man among other career highlights these had included online gambling a national

Chain of Escape rooms and virtual reality porn currently he was the favorite to bag the vetting Services tender that had Arisen under the green shoots initiative doing background checks on applicants for sensitive government positions and there was a view that he could get half the job done

By ruling out anyone on his customer lists were you aware what a close friend of your boss’s predecessor he is there fell a pause no not that close first desk clarified it painted an interesting picture though the chancellor said and the pair shared a moment about back to

Business I’d heard def can be generous to his friends I mean the PM was always scrupulous about declaring gifts and holidays famously so but he was understandably hay about details I I mean he had a country to run who can keep on top of every last box that needs

Ticking someone with staff but you’re right def has been a very generous man and continues to be so as these Tims will show the chancellor stopped walking can we leave the forign games to one side what exactly are we talking about potential outcomes your new boss might have an expiry date tattooed on

His forehead but your old ones not yet accepted that the work event over sorry I meant party once the dust settles after the next election he’ll come creeping out of his Treehouse you think he’ll be back like Co I’m sure he’ll be with us forever which is an argument for booster shots

If ever there was but yes I’d say the biggest threat to any future Ambitions you might Harbor isn’t a current colleague it’s the prospect of the man with the Mandate reemerging as your party’s Savior and your party being too shellshocked by election loss to remember the lies the corruption and the

Toxic narcissism he brings with him so if you want to assume the leadership mantle you’ll need to be sure you’re equipped to deal with the king of the zombies first and he’s who you really plan to drop a bus on isn’t he and maybe another

Bus on top of that one just to be sure first desk nodded at the envelope in the Chancellor’s hand as we were saying def is a generous man in fact I think you’ll be surprised quite how generous a veritable fairy Godfather which in his case is a particularly half

Description is this another gay slur no first desk’s voice had altered she wasn’t playing games now it’s more of a Disney reference the fairy Godfather standing over an infant’s crib and grunting wishes you know only in this case it’s Daddy’s wishes who making come true the chancellor had come to a hold

And was looking across the river the so security officer visible stood 50 yards off hands at his sides watchful and alert nevertheless first desk came quite close to say what she said next you’ll see from the those documents that an avalanche of costs has come the former

PM’s way in recent years legal costs associated with the super injunction which as you know means we shouldn’t even be discussing the fact that it’s in place quite but here we are and the issue of this particular super injunction is well an issue he eth or 9th is anyone still keeping

Count a couple approached arm inarm and the security man made himself 3 in taller but the pair paid no attention to anyone but each other as they passed for a moment their conversation lingered and then it was gone first desk continued and even if anyone were they prevented

From doing so by the aforementioned super injunction the acquisition of which has been cripplingly expensive but luckily for the PM those costs have been met by his good friend Mr def the chancellor said ancient territory whatever the former PM’s domestic shortcomings they didn’t then and won’t now impede his public Ambitions besides

If there’s a super injunction in place what use is your evidence oh you just have to show it to the right person the chancellor considered this for a moment def yes this isn’t so much a case of following the money as running after it shaking a stick let the freest know this

Is the reason his tender for the vetting service is being rejected and he’ll get the message leaving your old boss high dry and low on funds and your own path that much clearer you want me to ensure that his bid fails that’s not my decision yours is the loudest voice in

Cabinet if you can’t swing a simple veto do you deserve to sit in the big chair this wasn’t worth a direct response you seem very certain you know what the future holds because some things never change there’ll always be sock puppets thinking they’re Messiahs and there’ll always be

Money men behind them and the money men don’t like being in the Limelight it leaves them open to awkward questions such as where did the money come from is that the real reason for all this to keep the freeze from musling in on your territory it’s a good 50% first desk

Admitted let’s face it any problems the service has with funding and resources aren’t going to be solved by Outsourcing they’re going to be solved by funding and resources and he’s a dark horse are Mr dues he has obscure Origins you might even wonder if he wants to own a vetting

Office to avoid the process himself Russian I think even your old boss would have noticed that’s not a great look no he has a Dutch passport which could mean he’s Dutch I’ll Grant you but another way of looking at it is he’s a porn pedling lone Shar who’s made

Millions exploiting the poor the vulnerable and the weak just this once could that not be enough my God an idealist how very dare you but first desk smiled even if it were thly posted on maybe an environmentalist one stone two birds how’s that for husbanding resources the chancellor said

Obscurely no wonder he was always frightened of you the lights on the South Bank tilted and wheeled in the background and in return for this helping hand career’s guidance in return for this I suppose you’ll want that what’s it called monochrome I suppose you’ll want the monochrome inquiry

Terminated to be frank I don’t understand why it’s still ongoing it should have been put out with the rubbish when number 10 had the cleaners in or were there too many empty bottles for it to fit in a recycling sack I’m aware you think is part of a

Vendetta but you should understand that it’s long been felt Regent Park is too independent that’s not an ideological standpoint more of a cross-party consensus the noise first desk made Might Have Been agreement might not have been and one it’s hard not to agree with dirty tricks like this it’s why no one

Likes you we’re the Secret Service we’re not here to be liked and you fly that flag proudly the chancellor gave these next words some thought before he was pm he was a minister of the crown you cost him that job did you think that endeared you you

To the rest of us there was no entrapment no black bagging just routine surveillance and an impartial report largely impartial no Minister who does their job without endangering National Security has anything to fear from the park so you say but you can’t blame us for wanting to see you kept in check they

Walked in silence for a dozen yards and then the chancellor said all right NY about spiking to’s guns not that I entirely trust you or by your Nostradamus act but we’ve had enough of Dirty Money swallowing British assets I’d rather not see it edging in on British security

Concerns thank you first desk said the fact that putting British Assets in the hands of Dirty Money had been a governmental priority for the past three administrations didn’t seem worth raising and trust me or not I never forget a favor received noted the chancellor signal the security man who

Waved towards the road the cars puring became a quiet growl can I offer you a lift thank you no the walk will do me good the chancellor nodded and a moment later first desk was on her own she waited a while and then content that she was unobserved lit a cigarette

And stared into the water if the city never relaxed the river seemed to sometimes studying it gave A Moment’s Peace and speaking of Peace it would be a relief a small one to have the monochrome panel silenced it might be a joke but it had gone on long

Enough and as with an infinite Brigade of monkeys there was always the possibility it would stumble on something significant well it wouldn’t now checking her watch she decided to be on the move she had another two appointments this evening another two senior cabinet ministers to meet another two envelopes to deliver the same

Conversation to have she was a great believer in spread betting when it came to democratic outcomes Mozart sl21 d94 slotus Berlin Open brackets PM close brackets this was handwritten on the top right corner of the gray cardboard folder that the envelope large brown its flap sealed with tape contained the man

With a bow tie the woman with the berry somewhere in the middle of that melstrom one or the other or someone else had placed the envelope in Malcolm’s trolley secreting it under his shopping and now here he was back in his flood fish cakes uncooked a large glass of shiras in his

Hand trying to will it out of existence while a one-word situation report wrote itself [ __ ] on the way home he had nearly walked into a street light so intent had he been on looking over his shoulder he had stared at the windows of houses expecting to see shadowy figures

Twitching curtains and what about his mobile had it been hacked was he transmitting his location to the intelligence services and what difference did that make seeing as he was heading home the envelope on the table openly in his possession was a crime in progress any moment now his

Door would be reduced to splinters his flat crawling with uniforms in possession of State Secrets it didn’t matter that he had no clue what they were that the file remained unread of course he had opened the envelope he would say repeatedly in a small basement room in Paddington green he imagined it

Was advertising matter some gimmick the supermarket had adopted money off vouchers or who knew some sick individual had planted pornography among his apples and oranges or some tired heart a love letter but you already knew it was neither of those things didn’t you sir of course I did the large glass of

Shiras had become a half full glass of shiras but it was still large he had drawn the curtains and now he was the one peeping out two floors below the street looked normal for a February evening dark with a hazy halo around the lamps on the pavement

Opposite a dog walker ignored his charge as it took a dump on the Curve someone slouched past smoking a car and then another car way up high in the sky above an airliner red lights winked behind cloud cover the sound of the engine they were attached to following

At a lazy distance no drone strike imminent monochrome the creaky thwarted inquiry with all the forward impetus of a slapped mooss had just gone live or so at any rate he was supposed to believe but the fire could contain anything if it was a hoax then he was sweating over

Nothing rather than being an illegal receipt of classified documents he was the punchline to a Regent Park prank How likely was that he made himself sit and take the question seriously it was possible Regent Park wasn’t cooperating with monochrome was pretending it didn’t exist but there might easily be enough ranker there for

Someone to attempt sabotage and steer the inquiry onto the Rocks true Regent Park was going into managed decline regardless of any finding monochrome might make with privatized companies taking up its slack betting procedures some aspects of data management other ancillary functions these were being hived off this was little more than the

Redrawing of administrative boundaries but probably felt like the end of civilization if you were riding a Regent Park desk which would be reason enough to run a spoing operation so that was scenario 1 his heartbeat was returning to normal this was what he did he reminded himself he

Ordered facts into reasonable columns in this manner the world could be made to seem sensical scenario 2 it was real some disaffected agent of the state had just handed him a piled file whose contents would blow a ho through tomorrow’s headlines that was a far more frightening possibility since put

Malcolm back in the crosshairs special police were on the staircase their black van Round the Corner the file on the table glowed like radioactive waste a third scenario it was both things at once real and not real a hoax and the truth he finished his shiras while his

Mind folded around this grasping for the light beneath the bushel perhaps the file was real containing actual historical Dynamite but the impending explosion was intended as a distraction nothing more something to occupy the headlines which currently shouted nothing but woe the spiraling cost of living the rumble of distant

Wars the creaking infrastructure of a Nation giving up imagine instead of that weeks in which the media fell over itself reporting some old spook Scandal recent enough to have contemporary traction but long enough ago to leave the current Administration untarred the ’90s say q1 d94 the sins of a different era dragged

Into the light and served up with enough spook glamour to keep everyone happy which meant Malcolm was safe he was the current play thing of some shady government department but he was safe because the whole point of that scenario would be to have the file delivered to monochrome where its contents could be

Discussed and duly leaked to the press his money would be on singer or possibly Ford Lodge no one was going to arrest him he was having his strings pulled that was all well he thought at least that would result in movement because he’d long since stopped being an effective second chair here now

Getting up to refill his glass he could admit that if only to himself he’ long stopped doing his job and was just waiting for it to be over so he could get back to the heart of whiteall where he belonged his role on monochrome was to miss nothing and make sense of it

Afterwards but his mind was out of the window half the time and his Shand 30% accurate at best everything was recorded obviously but his transcriptions in recent months had been P to non-existence and once he and Griselda sat down to write off the final report she’ know that too so wherever else

Monochrome ended up pointing its finger Malcolm was front and center their elction of Duty was the worst a civil servant could do even if no one cared about the overreaching of the service anymore Malcolm really should find it in himself to care about that all of which got him where nowhere

Was the honest answer nowhere except a little drunker and a little more scared three scenarios and there might be a fourth a fifth a sixth that hadn’t occurred to him but however many there turned out to be he’d read enough books seen enough films to know what happened

To the psy and that role currently had his name all over it he tugged the file back in the envelope already trying to forget the catalog coding on its cover Mozart q194 Otis Berlin Open brackets BM close brackets but KN it would Buzz through his mind like an earworm all

Night Mozart didn’t that indicate the level of clearance required don’t even think about it he thought but couldn’t help himself he resealed the envelope coaxing its stickiness back into life yes Mozart was the clearance level M A frodi and twinge of a misre but it suggested a plan of action or at any

Rate a Port of Call he raised his glass to his lips again and drank this had better be his last he wasn’t going to get any sleep tonight but he need to be fresh as he could manage in the morning DM it was as if he were being sent a

Message leaving his wine unfinished Malcolm took one last look out of the window then went to brush his teeth before lying down in the dark the alarm didn’t wake giselda because she’d been awake for some while a familiar Carousel of worries spinning her around the same old circuit until

She felt like uncollected baggage in an attempt to reclaim herself she Rose early and tried to show Bleak thoughts away then dressed and prepared the table for Melody’s breakfast even though she wouldn’t emerge until after Griselda had left lectures don’t start till 10 mom Juice Glass moly Bowl yogurt spoon she

Couldn’t help it her little girl was a young woman now able to lay her own table but if there were some things you couldn’t do for your child there were others you could then she opened her laptop and investigated her finances a 10-minute ritual practiced several times

A week which always left her feeling worse but which had to be done life in the red it was starting to feel as much in a dress as a condition and if it were in a dress it was one wished upon her as if she’d been placed in witness

Protection she’d awoken one morning to find the conditions of Life had changed though most of its externals remained familiar the house was the same house her child still lived in it the Wardrobe remained full of her clothes the drawers of her Cutlery except it now seemed her husband

Had a gambling habit and that was a news flash she’d known he enjoyed the occasional flutter on National occasions the national itself the boat Ras the FA Cup but hadn’t been aware that it had metastasized into a daily Obsession have to fix its attention on less obvious competitions such as which of two

Cartoon boxes on an online website might knock the other down it was a way of rendering the irrelevant crucial she supposed and had wondered since if that had been the point perhaps life with Griselda had been so lacking in consequence that Ray had reached for the nearest means of ADD

Adding the freeone of risk but at the time it hadn’t occurred to her to interrogate the subtext of this new situation she’ been all wrapped up in discovering its dimensions and the different ways in which the family’s Outlook had changed their savings were gone his pension was gone there were

Unpaid bills and mounting debts it was startling how swiftly an apparently secure Foundation could crumble like a tapped merang this was how people living through earthquakes must feel for a while after Rey had confessed his addiction relda had assumed that it was something they’d work through together

That with the right help Ry would recover The crucial part of that was finding the right help when the fun stops stop the adverts recommended which was not dissimilar from suggesting that if you found you had a serious heart condition do yourself a transplant you needed others to lend a

Hand so he did also he said he reached out to a group of people with a similar condition Gamblers Anonymous he described them and this much was true they were all gamblers and he didn’t tell her any of their names but before his association with them was through they owned

Everything he’d ever signed his name to including the house which had been at the time their actual address not long afterwards he’ made his final withdrawal from their joint account this being himself so now she lived here with Melody in the red a rented two-bedroom flat in Bethel Green in which she never

That she could recall had a good night’s sleep at work she had let it be known that she and Rey had separated but that was as much as she cared to reveal in the corridors on which Gisela worked there were weaknesses she didn’t want to

Show bad luck was held to be conent ages and failure a condition requiring self-isolation divorce or separation didn’t fall into that category or half of White Hall would be quarantined but it was unwise to open the doors to speculation it helped that she’d always remained at a distance from her

Colleagues her Troublemaker reputation having lingered long after she had actively contributed to it and for a while the usual order of things was flipped her workplace became a sanctuary while her new home was where the trouble why didn’t you stop him her daughter’s inevitable complaint I didn’t know about

It why didn’t you know about it you’re married and marriages hold Secrets giselda thought marriages are made up of secret hours and hidden moments and there were things you couldn’t explain to your daughter no matter how Brave and intelligent she was things too wrapped in shame and failure to reveal it was

Difficult to explain their decline except in the broadest terms that life was not fair that things were not equal necessary as such lessons might be there were gentler ways of delivering them and Griselda would have preferred to defer them indefinitely until melody was say a 100 she closed her laptop having

Confirmed that a payment had been made if instantly swallowed by debt it was like trying to seal a dam with elastoplast but if the source of the money brought no pleasure It produced little guilt life was not equal life was not fair and it sometimes put you in a

Corner if what you did to get out of it didn’t always redown to your credit that was hardly front page news or not anymore it wasn’t before leaving the flat she quietly opened Melody’s bedroom door and checked that her daughter was safe and soundly sleeping then she made sure she had all

She needed for the day and set off in into it he knew because office Legend wrote it large though there were few things office Legend wrote small you were basically a Conquering Hero if you had the same Tesco meal deal 5 days a week that the DM took breakfast in the garden

Behind the seavoy every morning rain or shine what that breakfast consisted of Malcolm didn’t know a banana and a bottle of orange juice a moly pot but you didn’t need small detail to fash in a big picture you could paint someone’s existence based on their choice of Footwear and an Instagram

Post so he was there first thing pausing at the flower stall by the garden’s gates to buy something small bright and colorful on a glum and overcast day London being rolled over by a great gray carpet there were fers that he bought and overpriced as spur of the moment

Offering he was already regretting as he scanned the path ahead trying to to identify Janet becket’s presence among the scattered Walkers those with phones in hand and destinations in mind those with hands in pockets and no place to go and the occasional bench occupier sipping coffee eating a sandwich puzzling out wle or

Staring at the sky Miss Becket was a small woman but that didn’t make her difficult to spot on the contrary people left space around Miss Becket a career civil servant one who never need rise higher than she had done because the job she had might have been established with her in mind there

Might have been a prin waiting Deputy manager some people were born for the role of Deputy promote them and they’d freeze in place rified by the prospect of policymaking but stand them behind a chair a little to the right and they’d be in their element implementing every suggestion dropped from on high she

Would never then be everyone’s boss but she was his boss boss for the time being or had been before his sment and therefore the appropriate lap into which to drop his problem he could see them pouring over it together it seems to me Malcolm you’ve got yourself into a

Pickle but the whole point of her being his Superior was having direct access to her own Superior I think we’ll take this one upstairs don’t you a small twinkle leave it with me and there she was on a bench up ahead not much bigger than a child but dressed

In a manner no child of the 21st century would tolerate her shoes had buckles as if she featured in a nursery rhyme and why did she choose to eat her breakfast here of all places Malcolm did not question the notion that having decided to eat her breakfast here once she might

Go on doing so every working day of her life it was only the initial impulse that escaped him out on the road the morning plowed on here in the gardens the day waited a brave black bird crossed in front of him running out from Shrubbery running into more he’ reached

Miss beckard before deciding how to attract her attention which turned out to be irrelevant she saw him before he was ready Malcolm Miss Becket he replied in that very short moment realizing that he had done the wrong thing come to the wrong place was living the wrong life it

Wasn’t surprised that added that exclam Lil to Janet Becker’s greeting it was shock what are you doing here he noticed he was holding the bunch of freezers out as if offering a cross dog a biscuit those AR for me that wasn’t a question no of course not no I was just

No Miss Becket was drinking coffee from a reusable cup or as such items had once been known a cup a folded square of Grease prooof paper lay on the bench’s armrest adorned with a few faint CR drums office Legend had long since passed this story down from graduate

Tongue to graduate ears but to actually turn up and witness it to see Miss Becket at her morning ritual was Akin he now realized to storming into her bathroom while she dressed he had committed one of those sins which when they happened in actual Legends required The Sinner to absent himself for decades

Slaying beasts and purging himself hoping this would do the trick I was just Ing and thought we both know that’s not true even if it had been Malcolm would likely have admitted that it wasn’t Miss becket’s affronted stair was doing the work of rack and poker what are you

Carrying the flowers oh therefore not the flowers my briefcase precisely you’re on your way to work over by Liverpool Street if I’m not mistaken which I’m not she didn’t need add and yet here you are so don’t tell me you were just passing I needed to talk to you and you

Chose to do so here on my private time really Malcolm I would have thought even you would know better than that which was unfair had there been any question asked to protocol the correct manner of going about things in the church in which they both served Malcolm would have been

First to supply the answer with a possible exception of One strair PP there was no even you about it and even as he was allowing that mutinous thought to form he could see the same knowledge taking root behind Miss becket’s eyes because however much a martinet she might be she was not

Unjust he might be to blame turning up like this in her private moment her secret hour but she was the one who had leveled an unfair imputation she raised her cup to her lips but he didn’t think there was anything left in it she was giving herself room to move that was

All it’s not proper Malcolm bearding me like this no I’m sorry I wouldn’t be here but it’s important a wind ruffled the grass giving the impression of a page being turned there had been false hints of spring lately one day in three and reminders that winter had barely started

In the other two Malcolm wor an Overcoat of plain gray and black silk gloves which sounded an affectation but weren’t he’d bought them at a camping shop assured they were the choice of Mountaineers Miss becket’s coat was equally plain equally gray the Malcolm suspected that an examination of the

Lining would reveal a famous name her gloves though were furry mittens currently resting on the bench next to her being unsuitable for the task of addressing a panini she noticed him making the deduction perhaps at any rate she reached for the breakfast wrapper shook away all traces of its use and

Tucked it in a pocket out of sight if it’s important enough to disturb me you better get it off your chest this wasn’t quite an invitation to join her on the bench but Malcolm chose to treated as such he put the freees to one side as he sat his briefcase he lay

Across his knees he might have been a doctor delivering bad news I’m on monochrome as you know she ra to hand I’m not permitted to hear any complaints or listen to any observations about monochrome and its proceedings as you well know there’s a chain of report chain of being she might as well

Have said there’s a great chain of being I know this isn’t a complaint it’s about something that’s happened it was outside working hours she looked at him the freezers weren’t the only mistake he now knew in his time outside inside the department his memories of the DM had evolved or

Degraded or done something he had recalled her as the voice of authority the one to whom all issues were taken to have them broken down into their component factors categorized alphabetized mentally sheld until they ceased to exist in any meaningful form and as such no longer constituted a

Problem more times than he could recall he had left her desk side feeling lighter the intractable conundrum he had been carrying rendered a series of unimportant details to be left in other people’s pitchon holes that was the skill he’d been hoping she’d bring to bear on his problem now what he hadn’t

Taken into account was how much of her magic depended on her desk its solidity emphasizing the official nature of her Outlook even now she was simply a woman in a garden but he had come this far and he might be wrong so he soldiered on

Told her as briefly as he could of the appearance of the envelope in his his shopping trolley the previous evening suppressing the details that came back as he spoke and which alone seemed to make the experience real the broken jar of Pata the bow tie the Solen mood of

The cleaner sent to Mar the debris up nor did he mention that he had barely slept before he had finished she was shaking her head it was clear that he had done the wrong thing or failed to do the right thing which in the corridors they both haunted were one and the

Same you shouldn’t have allowed this to happen I didn’t have a choice it was just there when I was unpacking my trolley official Secrets a classified folder taking possession is embroiling yourself in Espionage she used the term embroiling as if it denoted a particularly labor intensive manner of food

Preparation I didn’t take possession of it I don’t want anything to do with it you brought it with you he took that as another invitation nothing and have liked more right then than to unload the file onto the DM as if she were a convenient pigeon hole to

Walts away among the Blackbirds and phone warblers weightless again he had unclasped his briefcase was holding the envelope out to her before she’ finished speaking there was distaste in the way she declined to take it from him have you examined it of course not then why is the seal

Broken I took it out of the envelope of course I did but I haven’t read it haven’t even looked at it really it has a classification on the cover yes it’s I don’t want to know do you recognize the classification as being part of the Regent Park taxonomy no she looked puzzled Malcolm

Started to explain that despite the inquiries remade he hadn’t had access to park files but this too came onto the rather large heading it was turning out of things that Miss Becker did not want to hear about enough there’s a possib ility then that this is not what you

Think it is that it might simply be a prank late in the night at an hour when crocodiles still roam the streets he’ come to the realization that his life contained nobody prepared to put time and effort into making him feel uncomfortable it looks genuine I failed to see how you could

Make that statement given your assertion that you’ve never laid eyes on an act ual genuine file Malcolm too would have been hardpressed to explain why he felt this way but it was there in his bones in his God for all his desperate hypothesizing it had been there since the moment he

Had laid eyes on the down thing which was why everyone inside Miss Becket not entirely accepted looked to him now like an agent of the state I’m disappointed in you Malcolm there is an ethos a way of conducting oneself that I would have thought you

Had embraced no that’s not fair of me I know you’ve embraced it I’ve witnessed it at work but why have you let yourself down now I didn’t know what to do and you thought this was an answer to turn up here and dump it in my

Lap it still seemed good enough as far as Malcolm was concerned Miss beckard side I can’t help you with this you must return it to its rightful place the fewer people who take possession of it the better you must realize that social distancing if you like he said I’m not

Sure how to do that do I just turn up at Regent Park you put it into a bigger envelope and send it back she sounded impatient and he could understand why put like that it was fairly obvious I wasn’t sure the post could be trusted he lied it doesn’t have to be

Trusted it just has to provide a post box then it’s out of your hands monoch chromous nonsense he found himself saying it’s as if I’m being punished for something literally nothing is happening there it’s empty complaints about things that don’t matter the final report is going to sound like like like

An end of term right up for an absolute no hoper we’re afraid young Johnny hasn’t fulfilled his potential in fact we’re rather concerned he has no potential to fulfill he realized too late that the voice he had adopted was an approximation of Miss becket’s own I’m sorry but it

Is and I’ve told you none of that falls under my jurisdiction I don’t want to hear it and it’s remiss of you to put me in such a position he couldn’t help it the whine that crept into his voice this was the real reason he was here of course the

Envelope was merely the excuse he wanted to make an appeal to State his case he wanted to come home I just want to get back to my actual job back on the ladder you know that’s not possible but we’ll be soon monochrome can’t last forever not unless not unless something brought it

To life something like the appearance of unexpected evidence which might light a fire under the piles of damp kindling that had acrude causing an actual Blaze instead of a damp patchy smolder but the way Miss Becket was shaking her head ever so minut ly made it clear that he’d

Gone too far and there was something else besides I’m not sure that was ever the plan Malcolm I’m sorry to have you return to the exact same position she fixed her gaze emphatically upon him as she spoke when she did this nobody ever noticed how small she was it would have been like

Noticing how little a virus weighed it’s been 2 years things move on what does that mean exactly that the department isn’t the same as when you left adjustments have been made and when something’s running smoothly well it doesn’t make sense to make further changes it’s not policy

Actually but that’s that’s not what I was told when I was asked to help on monochrome I was told it was a sment that I’d be reinstalled in my old job once it was done in a job yes nobody’s suggesting otherwise but more than likely not in the same department and

This is a good thing Malcolm we all have to move on at some time spread our wings and see what we’re capable of but and if you were prepared to vouch safe that a change of scenery wouldn’t be unwelcome Birmingham say or Newcastle that would be very helpful and the road to

Seniority is less steep out in the well they are hardly the boond doogs anymore are they a lot of exciting challenges for a young man prepared to put the effort in Malcolm could see his future taking a handbreak turn right there in front of him could see it sing across the path

Taking out that passing pedestrian that letter bin he’d come looking for assistance and perhaps some nod of recognition that he was involved in bigger things that he was not inconsequential trust you Malcolm to catch the eye of Regent Park and instead he was being told he’d be sent into

Exile he could well imagine seniority being easier to acquire in the hill towns and provinces of the nation he’d have a parking space and a name plate on his door and he saw himself on the phone trying to call London and being constantly put on hold he thought this

Is the real reason for monochrome it was just an excuse to get rid of me Miss beckard Was preparing to stand the expression I’m so glad we had this little chat hovered unspoken in the air I’m sure you’ll get on splendidly she said as if his future were already

Settled and remained only to be lived every challenge is an opportunity isn’t that what they say that depends who they are he wanted to reply conditioning though was a sturdy leash she pulled her mittens on and looked around as if seeing the gardens for the first time a small smile

Worked its way to her lips my father used to bring me here she said he worked in the suro Malcolm thought that’s one of the small details you don’t need when you’re looking at the big picture but what he said was that’s nice he looked back once after walking off in the opposite

Direction but she’d already disappeared into the February morning the freers though still lay on the bench as if marking the place where someone would have been of importance to someone else had died if there are moments during that morning when the sun breaks through the gray pudding bowl over London allowing

Brief scatterings of beauty to brighten its Heights and lighten its lows painting rainbow smudges on oily roads and causing pigeons Wings to glitter as they burst into flight such moments don’t reach the lower floors of Regent Park one of which houses the archive its repository of Secrets and lies the light

In the archive is blue except when movement is detected along its aisles in which case it softly ascends to a warmer more reader friendly yellow though in truth there is rarely much movement in this long room in which the odd cby hole Nestles between accordion style racks of shelving pushed closed when their

Contents aren’t required in an Ideal World or a world anyway that the archive chatan would find ideal this room this whole flooor would be temperature controlled the better to prolong the life of its files and folders many of which are succumbing to the vicissitudes of age they peel and crumble at the

Edges the clips and bands that hold them rust and crack the sticky labels pasted on their covers dry and drift to the floor but the memories they hold remain intact available to be recalled and reinterpreted even on occasion revised rarely though does they blossom or Bloom the archive has long ceased to

Grow or at any rate Grows by minute increments only when a lost detail emerges requiring adjustment this generally comprising nothing more than a kiss with a rubber stamp decomissioned Declassified deceased when the past meets the present the present always wins but the victories are fleeting mere technical Knockouts the present wins every battle

But the past always wins the war elsewhere in the park history accumulates at a brisker rate the digital Cloud where newer secrets are stored holding more pixels than actual clouds hold raindrops and while this is turning out to present security problems of a Kind previously unencountered things haven’t yet reached the pass

Where wise Minds decide that the old ways are best so for the moment the future is allowed to unravel at precisely the speed of time while the past can continues to brood in its Chambers yielding up Secrets only when forced to do so by those brave enough to confront the archives

Water who moves through her queendom this morning causing the overhead lighting to slip from Blue to Yellow as if her arrival had caused the Dawn and like the dawns her progress is slow but smooth she Glides in fact a vehicle of choice an electric wheelchair but this

Places over much weight on the word choice left to her own devices she would travel these aisles without assistance but then if that were still possible it is likely she wouldn’t be here at all that if it weren’t for the occasion that robbed her of her lower limbs her path

Through life would have taken a different course this though is speculation an attempted reading of a present unaffected by the past and as she has been known to put it herself all manner of [ __ ] gets thrown about by those wielding crystal balls the past lies on shelves all

Around her and her rubber stamps can do nothing to change it whatever the nature of the adjustment she makes reclassified redacted resolved this isn’t altering facts but turning them to catch another light the way one might change a landscape by looking at it from a different place the wheelchair arrives at a

Particular set of shelves their sides facing outwards to present what appears to be a blank wooden wall with vertical features at regular intervals and its occupant reaches down to a metal wheel and turns it counterclockwise whereupon the rows of shelves separate at the points of fracture allowing access to their

Stacked contents the Hydraulics involved out complex and the system is regularly oiled but still there’s effort involved as there always is when shifting history this shows on her face partly obscured by the heavy makeup she wears makeup that might have been applied by a child

So thickly as it plastered on it is a mask designed to make people turn away as if its wearer has long decided she wants no part of their attention that she would rather slip between gaps in the shelving than suffer unearned pity the Gap that she is creating now is

Soon large enough to allow that escape and once it reaches the desired width she executes a neat swivel her chair cherry red with thick V El armrests turning with a gray spone of long practice before easing down the newly created Corridor lined either side with case histories and situation

Reports halfway along she stops and runs her hand along a row of files and folders some contained in boxes others Slimmer requiring cardboard envelopes only as in every other shelf in the archive the contents have been tightly arranged leaving no space to add further files there is little need to the period

Of History to which this area relates is unlikely to generate further content that said as her fingers run along the spines they encounter a gap just wide enough to insert one more folder provided it had only the barest bones to offer on the topic it covered the woman

In the wheelchair attempts to slip her little finger into this fissure but cannot do so she nods thoughtfully and then carefully shuffles the folders either side of the Gap until it no longer exists what would almost certainly have never been noticed by anyone but her has now

Been obliterated taking with it a small slice of History the record of which has either escaped or dropped into a well of its own making time will tell unless it doesn’t time can be the best Keeper Of Secrets of all and holds them inside its hours and days places no one ever

Looks task completed the wheelchair reverses along the passage into the aisle where it pauses while its user turns the metal wheel clockwise putting everything back the way it was the shelves slide closed and the wall is reformed the fractures remain now and while they are barely paper thick there’s always the possibility that

Something will leak out its motion so subtle so undetectable that even the light won’t notice as if nothing were happening beneath it at all all that’s happening now is the we wheelchairs withdrawal as its user retreats to a copy hole and busies herself with the doings of the day

Around the rest of the archive the yellow light dims as if dawn has had second thoughts and peace descends whether this is the Natural State of Affairs here or a temporary victory over the forces of chaos held captive in its folders is hard to say but what is

Certain is that everything becomes very quiet and soon the only sounds are those of one woman breathing and the past doing nothing at all you put it into a bigger envelope and send it back well of course you bloody do thought malol and bought just such a bigger envelope before descending once

More underground and making his way to Liverpool Street but something had altered envelope in one hand briefcase in the other he entered the building to the usual greeting just you today is it Mr Kyle it was there was no witness hearing scheduled and Griselda was spending the

Day at the home office where she was expected to keep track of her old job while the inquiry was in progress there was no need to rehearse any of this for Clive I’ll do the lift for you then he had never worked out how to interact

With the cves of this world men who were older and in demonstrably inferior jobs that involved the tiny practicalities of life plumbers you could defer to mechanics dishwasher repair men anything involving expertise but those whose job involved opening a door what were you supposed to say to them

Sorry thanks life all in work he heaved a sigh of relief as the lift door closed as it trundled up the building he reflected Sly on griselda’s position spending the day playing catchup with her old job men and her old job was being kept warm for her this while

Malcolm was cast into outer Darkness Nottingham was it somewhere his mind had failed to grasp hold of the way prisoners in the dark might refuse to take in the sentence handed down Sunderland he imagined a year hence sending a postcard to Griselda which she would glance at from her whiteall desk

Puzzled contempt on her lips before tossing it into the shredder all right for her being a woman probably helped being black certainly did a wave of self-disgust accompanied this but hell no [ __ ] it wasn’t fair it wasn’t [ __ ] Fair he kicked the lift door then started guiltily he had no

Idea if the lift was monitored Clive might be watching him his eyes narrowing [ __ ] on the fourth floor he let himself into s Winston’s room one of the minor acts of rebellion he indulged in when reasonably certain of not being caught he left his briefcase there and visited

The bathroom where he underwent the usual rigar of Tire straightening and cough checking once he’d washed his hands there’s no one here to notice he told himself but he’d reached that heightened state where he considered his every move to be under observation sometimes this was a benign

Surveillance allowing him to feel he was passing a test at others it was a glimpse into life under a totalitarian Authority Act innocent no be innocent especially when not this time after entering sir Winston’s room he locked the door behind him the office larger than the other contained nothing of

Interest a table two chairs and a window with a view of the building opposite its reservation for sir Winston’s use was a polite fiction involving the pretense that Sir W might have important confidential phone calls to make a fantasy On a par with his appointment to the inquiry being due to a particular

Strain of Acuity rather than just a willingness to turn up and claim the attendance fee but such observations were easy to make in the safety of One’s Own head what Malcolm needed what he craved was a moment of release stuff your pension the Sir Winston of the world

Wanted a good talking to and he Malcolm Kyle was the lad to deliver it or at least he was when in an empty office putting the innocent envelope on the table he placed his briefcase on the floor and removed his coat and scarf and hung them on the hook on the door after

Checking his phone which held no messages he put it in his coat pocket everything about these actions suggested a man in charge of his Destiny he sat and from his briefcase withdrew the original envelope and removed the file when he placed this in front of him

He must have looked for all the world exactly what he was a civil servant about to review paperwork Mozart q194 sl/ Berlin Open brackets BM close brackets all he wanted was a small guarantee an assurance that he’d be back in his own Department before long that his life his career would continue on

The trajectory he’d grown accustomed to before monochrome he remembered his thoughts about Janet Becket that she was a born deputy and a himself a similar role standing behind a chair a little to the right and he’d be in his element implementing every suggestion dropped from on high perhaps dreams should be

Made of brighter things but Ambitions should be realistic otherwise most of us are doomed to failure the file was a cardboard folder held together with both paper clip and rubber band the clip had grown Rusty in a way familiar to Malcolm who had sved the contents of many a filing cabinet

But the rubber band was new or at any rate didn’t snap like a desiccated worm when he removed it playing detective he examined the edges of the folder for a moment it felt to him as if there were a second ligature Mark as if this rubber band had replaced another which had

Dried and broken apart when last this file was opened he unclasped the clip it was opened again now this wasn’t a crime he was in full possession of the necessary clearance first desk’s own words he had access to all officially held informational resources save those pertaining to live operations no way was this

Live of course appended to that permission was a protocol intended to be strictly adhered to as all such protocols were you have the right to examine any case File you want to activate this right submit a request to my desk in writing specifying the reference number of the file in

Question there was no available fantasy in which first desk smiled after saying these words and added though obviously I won’t hold you to that Malcolm opened the folder the first thing he saw was a photograph sliding out from among other papers as if eager for attention black and white it showed three people

Standing by a wall two men and a woman one of the men was in the middle which seemed off key to Malcolm he was large and beaming and wore a wide brimmed hat pushed back on his head though enough hair crept out to reveal it as Fair perhaps even blond longish certainly he

Had one arm around the waist of the woman to his left who wore in addition to a mid thigh dress with big buttons a shy Smile as if she weren’t sure this assignation should be made public unless the photograph was playing tricks she was as tall as the first man and a

Little taller than the second had mousy looking hair hair which fell to her shoulders and was pretty in what Malcolm interpreted as an insecure way as if her prettiness were a late blooming gift still something of a surprise to its recipient all this from how she was

Standing and the way her left hand tugged at the hand around her waist not in an additional gesture of fondness but more to wart him off so Malcolm thought anyway as for the remaining figure he was strangely expressionless caught between two moods was how Malcolm read

The moment about to turn one thing or the other nice or nasty his hands were jammed inside his pockets like his male companion he wore a baggy suit and a huge L Lael drain coat unlike him he gave the impression that these were the clothes nearest to hand when he’d been

Called upon to rise that day and head into the world no this second man was less comfortable than the first whose confidence was underlined by the jaunty Tong of handkerchief poking out of his breast p pocket Berlin 1994 the files classification number gave him this much he stared at the

Photo a few moments longer not because it had more to tell him but because it postponed The Next Step he had opened the file yes but anyone might do that simply to ascertain that it was what it appeared to be a Regent Park document pointless to post

Something to the park that didn’t belong there it might contain anything a collection of newspaper clippings a set of recipes someone’s notes on a lecture Series so far there was nothing illegal in his activity on the contrary this was due diligence he was a civil servant

With a file in front of him he could claim a pavlovian defense but first things first review the contents it wasn’t an epic believe me Malcolm thought I’ve seen some Whoppers containing only 17 sheets of paper each stamped zero circulation the first three comprised what looked like the standard archiving form for the

Period information added by typewriter on dotted lines date Department required clearance level this was Mozart before Malcolm’s time but security clearances were once graded according to a supposed hierarchy of musical genius moart was presumably High the remaining 14 Sheets Were A typed report which Malcolm scanned without reading the typing made

It seem older than it was because anything created on a typewriter even an electric one looked like Inaba now a neatly handwritten DC initialed each page though there was no clue as to who this might be but so far so good he opened the folder ransacked the tomb and

The door had yet to be kicked in by Angry the door handle rattled his heart lurched Malcolm is that you chisel de Fleet he shoveled the paperwork into an untidy pile and crammed it into its folder malcol I yes yes it’s me he attempted to jam the folder back

Into the envelope but it caught on the flap more rling Malcolm would you open the door just a minute why are you locked in Malcolm unwanted teenage memories ignited in his mind his mother rattling a similar doorknob Malcolm attempting to make the similar paperwork disappear just coming giving up on the envelope he

Grabbed his gcase and mashed everything inside it he fumbled with the clasp but his fingers were thumbs and when he tucked it underneath his chair it drooped open desperate to reveal Secrets but it was a bunch of papers that was all and Griselda was hovering he could feel her her presence her growing

Impatience the same thumm fingers made a meal out of unlocking the door and once he’d done so he pulled it open so bruly it almost caught him in the face don’t act strangely he warned himself but the first words out of his mouth were what

Are you doing here what am I doing here what are you doing this is Sir Winston’s room stepping past him she entered the office looking round suspiciously he’s not into day that doesn’t give you the right to occupy it and why lock the door privacy what do you need privacy for

There’s nobody here she glanced at his laptop open on the table Malcolm what I hope there’s nothing going on here what’s that mean going on are you accusing me of something no I’m simply wondering why you’re acting strangely if I’m acting strangely it’s because I didn’t expect you here I

Thought you were at the home office today it got shifted I’m going in next week and stirred why why what do you mean why I wasn’t told why and it’s got nothing to do with you anyway why are you acting like this has something happened of course it hasn’t nothing

Ever happens because she was staring at it he leaned across and closed his laptop I hope you w w what rilda bit her lip shook her head looked away then looked back at Malcolm I know you’re not happy in this job that’s fair enough but I do expect

You to behave like a professional and not some stoppy teenager and if you’re in any way accessing inappropriate material that’s an outrageous then you’ll be subject to for the usual thing to say sanctions which as you well know are very serious do you understand what I’m saying I understand that you’re

Falsely accusing me of something vile I should warn you that I’m in close contact with the DM the deputy manager of the cabinet secretary’s office we had breakfast just an hour ago so I’d be careful about Hing slanderous accusations around if I were you very careful he was trembling and his heart

Was pounding and his hair probably was all over the place he had to fight the urge to reach for this comb giselda meanwhile had pursed her lips she was focused though on his entirely innocent laptop rather than his guilty briefcase setting his mouth in what he Hop was an

Expression of grim determination he folded his arms then decided this was too defensive a gesture so unfolded them and placed his right hand on the back of the chair he’d been sitting on but he leaned too heavily and the chair almost overbalanced grabbing it before it could fall he kicked the briefcase underneath

Disgorging its contents onto the floor a cardboard folder 17 sheets of paper and a photograph what’s that nothing but the speed with which he attempted to shuffle the spillage away gave the lie to this he might as well have had a blue light flashing on his head Malcolm it’s

Nothing look could you give me some space please I’m sorry about using S his room but I didn’t think I was doing any harm it’s not like he keeps anything in here a few old copies of the Daily Mail Plus a pair of Weddington boots for some unfathomable reason and the view is

Better even before that was out of his mouth he’d known it for a mistake the view was exactly the same she was staring at the collection of papers he was touching to his chest if he’ actually intended to produce the worst possible outcome it’s unlikely he’d have managed anything quite so ludicrous

That looks like a file it’s just personal papers there was an almost kind expression on griselda’s face as she reached across and plucked from his grip the cardboard folder then read aloud its classification moart slg1 d94 slotus Berlin brackets PM a little elaborate for a personal filing system would you say he didn’t

Respond moard that’s a high level security clearance or used to be is this what I think it is Malcolm found himself admiring s Winston’s view which was when you got down to it slightly different to the one next door the same neighboring building yes but from a fresh perspective the moment had probably

Passed for pointing this out though it’s a park file yes from Regent Park he found himself nodding dumbly for a moment she said nothing but stood staring at him the folder clutched in her left hand her right hand stroking it lightly as if it were her new favorite

Thing again he had the urge to comb his hair he needed to get a grip if only there was something to hold on to he flexed and unflexed his fingers where did you get it from malol Malcolm reached for the nearest available lie but there wasn’t one well I don’t know he

Said they sat at the table a careful chairs distance between them the papers were stacked in numbered order Pages 1 to 17 with the photograph on top Gilda had studied this for a while without saying anything while Malcolm explained what had happened in the supermarket the trolley crash the young woman with red

Hair the man with the bow tie there were Spooks everywhere they haunt unlikely places but you’re not certain it was one of them she wasn’t really sure why she was asking it was clear that Malcolm wasn’t certain about anything eventually he said I’m not sure who else it could have

Been if it was Park product which seemed likely then the park was its obvious Source but that was the final obvious thing about it neither had forgotten Their audience on monochrome first day with first desk since then having been deprived of any useful tool with which to accomplish it they’d been allowed to

Proceed with their task without further interference and this possibly wasn’t interference but actual support so why would first desk have had a change of heart and why this roundabout way of expressing it it was certainly true that she never did anything straight that she could do sideways and she had any amount

Of talent to call upon red-headed or bow tied but if she were behind this strange game then there was no telling what the rules were and if she weren’t the instigator she was likely the target which meant monochrome had just been loaded and pointed in her Direction somehow that didn’t seem a

Safe thing to be part of the other possibility was Anthony Sparrow but Sparrow was a busted flush gisela’s essential opinion of him that he was a man who wouldn’t need to be hungry to grind your dog into sausages hadn’t faltered but Sparrow had disappeared some while ago with a speed

And thoroughness suggesting that a deity was answering prayers or a fairy grunting wishes true his deeds lingered behind him like an unflushed toilet but the man himself was out of the picture and if he were to reemerge from the Shadows she doubted he’d do so in an

Understated way this was a man who tossed imaginary hand grenades over his shoulder on leaving a room subtlety had never been his medium Malcolm had said the DM says we should just post it back to the park the DM had a point I bought an envelope but you decided to read it

First Malcolm was quiet for a while he reached for the photograph held it a laugh as if studying it a new nothing about it changed or ever would she told me there was no way back he said at last to my old job they can’t sack you this

Was a fundamental truth they couldn’t sack you it was called the civil service for a reason and sacking you would be the height of ill manners Malcolm muttered something which sounded like Sunderland prela looked at the pile of papers whatever story they had to tell it was in her possession now or

Monochromes rather the toothless committee which had wasted all these months chewing empty mouthfuls where did you put the envelope for posting it back it had slipped to the floor Malcolm bent to retrieve it what stopped you doing that nothing I mean I haven’t stopped doing it I just haven’t done it

Yet because you were going to read it just sitting here with the file in front of them made her as guilty as he was and the longer it went on the worse it got she remembered Sparrow telling You’re simply exploring the Min shaft think of yourself as head Canary the

Self-satisfied smirk that he wasn’t actually wearing but hovered behind every word he said not that those advantages have propelled you to particularly giddy Heights malcol said there’s nothing to stop us looking at it it’s there in our terms and conditions the whole purpose of monochrom is to examine old case

Files for evidence of wrongdoing if that’s what this is if it’s evidence of wrongdoing why would the park put a Cofe in our hands he didn’t answer besides we’re supposed to request files via first desk except we’re not able to do that are we up until now

We’ve not had the faintest clue how to go about identifying them the job parameters were laid down quite clearly breaking them now won’t do anyone any good it would do monochrome could we might actually get somewhere Malcolm what’s first desk going to do anyway bang us up in her basement we’ve already

Been there this isn’t a joke it’s a serious matter he slapped his hand down on the Otis folder with a suddenness that made her jump this is serious or it might be but the last two years have been a joke and we both know it even Sir Winston probably suspects it just

Because you’re not enjoying the job it’s not a job this time he seemed to surprise even himself his words not quite a shout but almost bounced off the walls and windows like invisible rubber balls for the moment both waited for them to subside then more quietly he said the PM

Wanted a war with the park and first desk spiked his guns from the off monochrome should have been scrapped then and there and we both know it instead we’ve had our careers ruined or I have just because two narcissists treat Westminster like it was their private rest slinging and we’re supposed

To do as we’re told and make no waves it’s never been a job it’s been a political game until now he slapped the Otis file again now it’s a job we should put it before the committee those things which had always made him fly ridiculous to grisela his

Neatness his formality somehow made him formidable now I thought you were frightened he straightened his glasses I am a bit but I’m I’m also cross riselda looked towards the window not that there was anything in the view to help her she tapped the file as if asserting an equal

Ownership what if it’s a fake what if we being set up oh like we’re being tricked into looking at evidence that’s really a pile of crap I wonder what that’ll feel like relda couldn’t help it a small snort of laughter escaped her encouraged Malcolm said besides look at it it’s old

It’s not that old but she knew what he meant the paper the typ face the photograph faking this would have required experts then again Regent Park had experts as did other intelligence Services she took a breath it would be safer not to know the answer to her next

Question but something compelled her to ask what does it contain I haven’t read it yet seriously 17 Pages a case File a burlin operation in 1994 that’s all I know she shook her head but wasn’t sure why this was what you did you made gestures responses as a

Way of filling space while wondering how to respond we could end up in serious trouble prison time trouble yes but would we really if it was just me yes but both of us the whole p pel the panel haven’t seen it not yet but we could distribute it and then what you think

The whole of monochrome Sir Winston Shireen would find themselves in the dock it was Malcolm’s turn to shake his head but this time with purpose when it was just me it could be a criminal act when it’s all of us it’s a clerical error someone cooped up and put the file

In our hands what were we supposed to do with it in a supermarket trolley that’s nobody’s idea of correct procedure this is the park we’re talking about who knows how they operate but what if it’s not the park what if it’s another service entirely Moscow or anyone really

These days these years there was no shortage of foreign services that might enjoy leading the park down a garden path or even drowning it in a garden pond but Malcolm was shaking his head we’re already a joke and if it does turn out to be a hoax well we’ll find out

Soon enough won’t we when we call witnesses witnesses it’s an operation file that’s 30 years old what are the chances everyone named in it is dead already yes but Distributing it calling Witnesses you’re playing with fire you mean we are or you are rather me I’m second shair you’re the one who makes

The decisions and here was the Nu of it the sharp end yes she was first chair which meant first in the line of fire Malcolm might have discovered he had balls after all but that didn’t mean he was putting them on the Block she looked at the other envelope

On the table the one he’ bought to send the file home in safest all round in the long run there might come Sound and Fury from first desk but any official action would involve admitting a file had been leaked which would be an embarrassment so yes they could make use of Malcolm

Brand new envelope and wash their hands of this before things went too far and then settled back into their established torper Malcolm inwardly seething about the derill of his career gelda suffering in Silence the way she’d learned to do the hard way don’t make waves all of which meant she realized

That she had accepted that the file was real that it was monochrome business and not a red herring which meant in turn that reviewing the was part of her job and whatever else she was or had been grisela fleet was a career civil servant doing her job was what kept her lights

On that was a good reason she could find another if necessary she reached out and took the thin bundle between finger and thumb as if trying to gauge its importance by touch alone but this was only delaying the moment Malcolm had removed his glasses and was polishing

Them on the thick end of his tie but his gaze remained upon her somewhere inside that petulant uptight young man was an arrogant [ __ ] trying to get out she hoped she wouldn’t regret extending it a helping hand she sighed you win he raised an eyebrow let’s do our job she

Said hours later dark had fallen again rain come and gone after Malcolm had made the 8-minute dash to the office off his supply shop after he’d asked for change for the photocopier to be told with a roll of the eyes that it took cards like after he’d fed classified

Documents through a public machine to see seven copies emerge collated and stapled after he’d inevitably caught a glimpse of the contents because he was a reader and this was what readers did they looked at a page of text and absorbed a quantity of it without meaning to after he’d made the 11-minute

Dash back to the office a little more out of breath and inevitably weaving webs on his way around the slivers of information he’d absorbed about Alison North about prinsley miles after he had packed the copies into the envelopes he bought and booked the usual Courier for an early pickup and delivery a one-man

Band chosen for his cheapness he didn’t operate after 6 after they’d sat down again and Leed through separate copies of the file together after it had become clear that here at last asked at last was evidence of serious wrongdoing by officers of the service after he collected himself a little and sat

Quietly and drunk a cup of tea reflecting that for all his bravado it was Griselda who’d made this happen which triggered a squirt of extra shame at his earlier thoughts about her after he decided that she might possibly have her own reasons for acting but that this hardly mattered because everyone had an

Agenda after he’d packed up at last and headed home giving Clive a cheery goodbye because they were all in this together after he had at last closed his eyes and to what would have been his great surprise had he been awake to notice it fallen asleep with barely a

Murmur after all this after all this Wheels were set in motion by text and phone call and Burn After Reading email and before the day was done the Otis file had begun its work the way a fuse ignites and consumes itself before creating wider damage that was the night before the

Night the team came for Max yanic invading his Devon fastness the worst smell in the world is dead Badger part three London now she knew who was calling before she reached for her mobile an intuition confirmed when her screen proved blank no private number no unknown caller just

The gift of a ringing phone nobody on the line except of course there was somebody on the line sh Mom first desk didn’t insist on Mom but it was accepted office code if you were pissed off or El lipitt that was what you called her shely wasn’t a liix

Sple how’s the leg same as no improvement then it sounded to Shelly like she was reading off a script I have my weekly PT session tomorrow I’m sure you’ll have the report before I’ve done my lesses up much more of the attitude and I’ll have it before you’ve untied

Them if I make myself clear yeah she did first desk didn’t need to put a spin on Shell’s medical assessment she could decide in advance what that assessment would say how can I help you this morning that’s better I’ve been hearing strange stories which are my least favorite kind

Concerning Max yanic none of yours have I not mistaken formerly one of mine he was reassigned to John Bachelor being reassigned to John Bachelor ought to be some kind of euphemism said first desk like being sent to centry you know having no one pay attention to you or

Call you up or do their job I can’t be held responsible for what happens while I’m on medical leave yes that sounds like it would be fair doesn’t it what happened an attempted abduction by the look of things attempted best guess is he uh sarted the Bad actors but

He’s no longer on the scene well he wouldn’t be would he in the circumstances in the event of enemy action evade and drop from sight that was actually written down somewhere Pres be to offset the chance that it wouldn’t occur to anyone to do precisely that and then contact your friendly said

First desk isn’t that how the leate rule concludes I’m no longer his friendly sherley said as we’ve established I went on medical leave and Bachelor took over and a quick glance at the contact logs indicates that Bachelor has had about as much Hands-On time with yanek as I’ve

Had with Vladimir Putin so if yanek goes looking for a friendly face who’s he most likely to pick you or Bachelor we wen’t never that close said Shirley she allowed her face to go Misty as if she were dissolving into a flashback it was best to adopt the

Expression your listener might expect to see it was all checklist stuff the usual questions any odd encounters any strange phone calls W any competitions you didn’t enter and nothing flagged up if it had done you’d have known about it at the time I haven’t seen Max since the

Accident since when I’ve been on medical leave yes I remember once a month I did the duty run and that was a long slog let me tell you North Devon might not be the North Pole but it’s not clam either you have the services gratitude for

Doing the job you were paid to do up until you stopped doing it and he never mentioned anything to frighten the horses not even to worry them what sort of evidence was left behind well that would be neat to know Shelly and you not so much need to know as can’t be

Asked Shelly reached for the cigarettes on the floor by her chair before remembering they weren’t there and hadn’t been for 22 days and 11 hours thank you I’ll add that to the contact diary I’m keeping you know for the tribunal hearing if you don’t have

It on tape it wasn’t said isn’t that a proverb or something is there anything else I can help you with yes you can give me an assurance that if Max yach makes contact with you in any way shape or form and I’m including having a dream about him

You’ll let the park know before it’s finished happening Julie noted I won’t spill out the consequences of your failing to do so that’s big of you Mom yes that’s the reason I’m so popular reluctant as Shelly was to allow her boss the last word it’s always satisfying to disconnect first so that’s

What she did putting away her phone she said well didn’t take her long did it Max nodded thoughtfully I’m looking forward to signing her leaving card thought first desk in front of her along with the day’s ongoing clutter coffee cups and scribbled notes a tube of hand lotion

Minutes awaiting signature lay a folder thicker than it had any business normally she’d access Personnel records digitally but there were medical documents attached to this one which would breach data regulations to do so she’d been told just one of the many irritations that cropped up whenever this individual required

Attention Shirley McVey attached to housekeeper in the section unofficially known as the Milkman whose role it was to offer care and support to clap out Spooks and please please somebody complain about that she thought milk men somebody please make an official Complaint I could do with a stress

Busting encounter and I will squeeze you like an orange there was a photo on the inside cover of mcv’s file of course alongside the usual statistics height weight hair eye color da da to rehearse which would doubtless come under the heading of objectification besides What mattered

Was the medical leave MC had been on for the past 8 months medical leave first desk had long suspected was fraudulent what was Ghost paying for pity sake Beyond being irreducible to blunt diagnosis didn’t show up on an X-ray didn’t respond to treatment like those Phantom ailments children invent for

Their imaginary friends to score a day off school any other line of work she have been put out to pasture and good blooded writtens but she’d been canny enough to coton onto some small type in the employee rigs so here we were 8 months later with MCV still on full

Salary still absent from Duty and a hell of a bigger pain in first desk CL than anything currently afflicting her own limbs she snapped the folder shut paper clipped to the cover was a page from a memo pad ask about her bloody leg shall I return that to the yes no she allowed

Herself a weary moment during which her laptop pinged a notification limitation meeting 1 hour you’ll only have to fetch it up again next time she’s given a pass by her physio which will be tomorrow Harry tucked the file under his arm and made no movement towards the door he’d grown to recognize those

Moments when first desk needed to vent and every time he was present when it happened it boasted his position everybody in power needs someone to confide in be on the right side of the door when that happened you became indispensable a work related injury I could get behind that first desk said

She was staring through her glass wall at the boys and girls on The Hub whose own injuries rarely amounted to more than a stubbed thumb but who monitored the doings of agents in the field who daily faced the possibility of Life altering damage and pain and death but her work consisted of making

Cups of Tea for pensioned off Joe’s and listening to their War Stories while eating biscuits if she was claiming to have contracted diabetes is she might have a point so it wasn’t line of duty we’re supposed to agree it was but what happened was she fell and broke her leg

Leaving a lian’s premises and instead of being treated to a slow hand clap by those of us who could walk down a staircase without injury she now has a union rep threatening civil action if we dare suggest she’s not in line for a Victoria Cross or contact her about

Anything other than her salary and benefits without a damn good reason and I have to remember to ask about her [ __ ] leg every time we speak she has a union rep don’t even think about it first desk closed her eyes briefly trying to dispel an unpleasant

Memory 3 years ago some bright bulb on HR decided to re-employ most of housekeeping including all Milkmen under fixar contract with a direct line of report to Cornwell house Cor well house was the mothership for auxiliary staff whose security clearance was second level at best which means it has since turned out

That there’s wiggle room in their tnc’s so yes Shelley mcve has access to a union rep you on the other hand work inside this building which means if you break your leg I can have you shot besides which as Harry almost certainly knew though it remained officially enough the corridor’s topic

Cornwell house along with the rest of housekeeping completed its transfer under the so-called green shoots initiative in 6 weeks though still under government control it would have independent phisical identity meaning among other things that any outstanding claims against it had to be settled before then one way or another Shirley

Mcvey’s grievance didn’t have long to run right enough not to raise a topic guaranteed to boil blood har said instead if she’s faking injury why not have someone spy on her her assign her a full-time surveillance crew you think we’re made of money and now you’ve had

Your fun could you get on with some work I want last quarters inter agency cooperation stats updated and distributed to all second desks by 1600 yes ma’am and any word that comes in on yic reaches me the moment afterwards yes ma’am do you want police forces briefed

No he might just be counting the dozens it was an old school phrase making sure his tail is clear she clarified sometimes a bad actor will flush a Joe just to find out who his Handler is because nine times out of 10 that’s who the Joe runs to and the bad guys follow

Him so he counts the dozens which means waiting 12 hours or 24 before reaching out to his friendly his Handler to make sure he’s alone you think that’s what he’s doing it’s possible whatever happened happened the night before last so he’s had time to count down the clock and

Yachik doesn’t have a Handler but old habits die hard it was an irritation was what it was some ancient neighbor had made a phone call to the local cops about nighttime disturbances which had triggered an alarm on the Hub all over the country there were clapped out

Spooks haunting little houses and on top of everything else on her plate first desk had to ensure that any time a bell rang it didn’t mean that one or other had had the past reach out to claim them which was barely credible in this case yachik was of zero significance why

Would anyone Target him he’d had some friends around it had got Rowdy and they were now touring the local cat houses on the other hand we don’t know for sure he’s been targeted he might just owe money to a neighboring hardkiss so let’s keep an open mind shall we it’s

An education mom don’t push your luck one more thing your new PS starts tonight she’s called can she shoot straight I believe so then I don’t need to know her name thank you that’ll be all so Harry disappeared in a flurry of efficiency leaving first desk to gaze at

The closing door she liked Harry but if much more venting went on in his presence she’d have to get rid of him the last thing a first desk needed was someone who witnessed her frustrated moments she remembered what was her name Ain gray another promising personal Friday who’d seen and

Heard too much for comfort so ended up in the archive that seemed appropriate the archive was where you put things you wanted to forget there were days she reflected will you put everything there if you could you taking anything for that Max indicated Shell’s leg just over to

Counter stuff have thought you’d want something stronger she Shrugged Jesus you could drop hints or you could start chopping trees down because I would if I’d recently been wrestling motorbikes do you want some aspirin Max or a drink that’s kind both thanks yes it had been the night before last

But the memory lingered mostly in his joints after recovering his back back up car from n he driv into Birmingham taking it slowly which attracted attention on the motorway but enabled him to gauge who was simply pissed off with his caution and who if anyone wanted to know where he was going but

Any eyes on him showed only the blunt contempt of the road user for the speed bump once in the city he’d gone to ground in the traditional way there were hotels where they gave you a robe hotels where they didn’t give you a robe and

Hotels where if they did give you a robe you wouldn’t want to wear it and Max found one of these a few streets away from the bulling checking in as Earnest Bowman he’d come this close to writing blow fold the rest of the day he spent whole up thinking through possibilities

All of them began in the past and none gave a clue to the future he had a passport and a flight fund he could cab to the airport and lose himself abroad but he was getting too old and too sore to do that he was a man who walked

Country lanes behead in dandes with a stick or at least that’s who he’d been for so long he didn’t much fancy pretending to be anyone else whoever had come for him it hadn’t been the park if the park wanted him it could issue an invitation and once he’d arrived drop

Him down a well there’d be no need for nocturnal shenanigans on the other hand given that they hadd known where to find him it was likely his nighttime visitors had a source in the service which ruled the park out as a place of comfort at least for the time

Being Shirley limped back with whiskey in two glasses her cane which had a crooked handle in the shape of a wolf’s head and was evidently from an outdoor good shop rather than a medical facility leaned against her chair he didn’t know her well and they’d only slept together

Once that had been what 3 years ago he remembered it was their second meeting and she’d made some gry comment about the distance she’d had to travel about how Devon got further away the more you drove towards it afterwards in bed he’d said something about hoping it had been worth the

Journey but she just grunted so she said now sitting back in her chair it’s not the park looking for you unless that was a Double Bluff no she’s capable of subtlety I’ll give her that but if it’s her who’s gunning for you and she thought I was involved she’d

Send the Heavies round on principal she poured whiskey into both glasses and passed him one or outstretched an arm Max had to lever himself up from the sofa to collected he felt bruised all over nobody told you what a drag it was getting older or at least people did

Tell you but you ignored them because they were old even so she continued it wasn’t a bright idea coming here it’s the first place a professional would look they weren’t professional you said they came kitted out tasers doesn’t sound like a ravage gangbanger professional in the sense

They were paid Max admitted but they didn’t have a clue he took a sip of whiskey it tasted really really cheap I shouldn’t have got out they should have had me hog tied on the Garden Path he leaned back again no they weren’t service not ours not anyone’s because he’d been thinking

About this in that cheap hotel room in Birmingham on the drive into Oxford where he’d shed the car this time for good on the train into London where he’d played catch me first on the Underground for half an afternoon professionals don’t burst into tears when you punch them in the face

Not even after you’ve bitten the tip of their nose off professionals don’t Flinch in the dark where you love a rock their way they let it bounce off them while tracking its trajectory in Reverse he’d put the flight kit to use by then his eyes were now unnoticeable

Blue and his hair and trimmed beard leaning towards Brown he still looked like Max but was now trying to look like he didn’t on the other hand given that he wasn’t actually Max to begin with it was possible the disguise was a roaring success anyway whoever he was there’d be

Nobody following him on the tube no one collecting his movements on CCTV feeding his image into software now in place of that there was someone who’d hired goons to what that remained obscure kill him or snatch him he couldn’t say but at this stage the who was more

Important cheap or not the whiskey was doing its work a couple of aspirin didn’t hurt either she might have read his mind so now we’ve established that whatever’s going on is not the park maybe you should plan your next move anyone would think you wanted rid

Of me I’m not your Handler Max I was your Milkman and I’m not even that anymore medical Leaf remember your file was handed over to John Bachelor John Bachelor who may not be the most reliable card in the deck but is possibly the drunkest but he does have this Advantage

He is now on your case and I’m not Max said I met him once after that we had an arrangement I’d sign off on his feedback forms he’d send me 20% of his fee very sackable very the risk was all his and I guess he drank enough to put

It out of mind besides no one ever found out until now the point is I barely know him and I don’t trust him in as much as all I do know about him is he can’t be trusted and you trust me that’s sweet I barely know you either though we did

Have a moment I recall she said max That’s History shouldn’t have happened and I think we agreed to pretend it never did I’ve got no intention of making your life difficult he kept his gaze steady resting his glass on the arm of his chair not when you have so much to deal with

Already well just being here and I’ll be long gone before he gets home what’s his name by the way she paused gram gram and is gram in the business God know he works for Network real really that’s interesting maybe I’ll stay and have a chat after all he leaned forward

Confidentially did I ever tell you my Cottage is near the steepest rail incline in the country you’re not chatting with him not about anything don’t worry train talk only it’s unlikely how long ago Dian will come up Max sat back could I have another shot of this filthy

Whiskey I might be developing a taste she waited him out her face a hard mask he said all I want to know is who might have accessed my records recently I am not on good terms with the park as you might have noticed but you’re not based at the park anymore

You’re at where is it Cornwell house just check my records that’s all I’m asking you make it sound simple it’s not as easy as all that let’s do it on the honor System then I’m always told how good you britz are at that do your best

That’s all I’ll ask do your best and I’ll be long gone before gram Cuts back and all memories of our indiscretion will remain forever sealed I’m I’m telling you they won’t even let me in the building won’t know until you try and even if they do surely

Give it a go yes and then I’m out of your hair he counted to 13 in his head before she made her response big number but it was the answer he wanted which was the main thing there had been a time when they were an excuse to leave the building but

More frequently now Gatherings of the limitations Comm the Park’s fiscal Watchdog happened in Regent Park itself in one of the rooms with a view of the outside world today bare Lim trees and leaf strewn paths dog walkers traffic wardens grown men on electric scooters first desk sat with her back to

This partly because she liked to know who spent more time on The View than the agenda and partly because this was where the best chair was one or two had dodgy height adjustment controls and she didn’t relish the indignity of attempting to raise or lower the seat in front of

Witnesses Oliver Nash was leading the meeting he had either lost a little weight or found a better tailor and either way wasn’t enjoying it as much as he ought to never a good sign in a man who steered a budgetary oversight committee his discomfort wasn’t difficult to

Pass that Nash was a park supporter had never been in doubt it was he who had decided that this was a more fitting venue than a whiteall conference room largely because it allowed him to visit the Hub afterwards and enjoy a moment on spook street but he was for all that

Embedded in a bureaucratic Machinery of government and never likely to bring it grinding to a halt on the contrary he was here to implement official whims and being clubbable approachable and generally less apt to bite your hand off by way of friendly greeting had more support on the committee than first desk besides

The committee as a whole wasn’t exactly composed of free thinkers one or two were capable of independent thought but when the whip came down none would throw themselves in front of a foregone conclusion all over whiteall the match sck remains of once promising careers warned of the consequences of doing

That when the room was full and the door closed there was the usual 4minute melee while the weather and the headlines were given a going over before the meeting settled onto familiar tracks previous minutes approved the first quar over spend projections delivered the current hiring freeze of admin and support staff

Renewed through all this first desk sat on her hands I sought this job to serve the service she thought not to oversee its slow dismantlement the occasional glance came her way devoid of sympathy no one in the room was glad about these embarrassments but all had more sense than to make

First desk an object of pity the third item on on the agenda was what she was saving her powder for green shoots an update Oliver’s voice on cruise control until now changed register slightly she guessed had the opportunity Arisen he’d have gone a stage further and put body

Armor on item three people following the successful ongoing transition of housekeeping to a more H Market driven system cavenet has agreed that vetting procedures and background checking that is to say the work generally falling under landscaping’s remate should be the next area looked at in terms of streamlining and Associated

Cost savings part of what we’re calling the green shoots initiative the prime interest here is coming once again from Fabian de who you might remember showed interest in housekeeping But ultimately decided to stay his hand given cavenet decision not to allow any individual to have a majority share in more than one

Decentralized Department most likely under his ages then but always allowing for another Contender to materialize we’re considering as with the previous procedure an 18-month Handover period during which initial difficulties can be resolved and long-term issues identified everyone on board with that good on to item four then instead of

Laughter this was followed by an expectant hush broken only by the squeaking of chair legs against the floor as one left than tactful member pushed himself away from the table to get a better view of the upcoming entertainment which took the form of a query from first desk

Successful I’m sorry I’m sure you are Oliver but that’s by the by no you describe the transition of housekeeping duties as having been successful I’m wondering what criteria you’re adopting to arrive at that conclusion if they involve the late or non-existent provision of goods and services then yes I’d be the first to

Agree the new dispensation is proving something of a Smash Hit if on the other hand you bend towards the notion that success requires at a bare minimum the Fulfillment of promises made and undertakings given then your use of the word stems from either a willful ignorance of the situation or a willful

Distortion of the true State of Affairs which is it I’m aware as Ola of teething problems but uh teething problems we’re talking major dental work here the delivery of services we once took for granted has become non-existent or facedly inadequate and this isn’t simply a matter of inconvenience without

The necessary support structures in place the smooth running of the park and by implication the security of the nation itself becomes problematic put at its simplest Oliver and to pluck three examples at r random the park requires fully functioning Laser Printers it needs vending machines it crucially and

When I say crucially I’m speaking as someone who attends Cobra meetings and has war room access so I know what I’m talking about it is crucially in need of secure waste disposal because when classified materials being disposed of we’d all sleep better if we knew it wasn’t being recycled which is what

Happened last month Oliver shredded material was taken from the park and delivered not to a destruction facility as laid down in the legally binding transition protocols but to a recycling plant do you want to dismiss that as a minor inconvenience I’m sure it was an oversight with no serious consequences

Are you Oliver are you very sure and forgive me for banging on about this but it strikes me as important for some reason how sure would you say is sure enough bearing in mind that if there do turn out to be serious ious consequences those consequences could quite literally

Be devastating in the sense of causing Devastation I think you’re overstating the case and I think you’re underestimating the damage already done with this ludicrous and Ill thought out privatization scheme we’re not calling it I know we’re not calling it privatization but that doesn’t alter the

Case now as it happens def’s interest in taking on Landscaping is on the way but be that as it the fact remains we’re looking at divesting the service of what could be in the wrong hands a sailable commodity information about many hundreds of our own citizens and where’s

It going to end Oliver shall we scrap what’s left of our Frontline operatives and start hiring whoever’s cheapest maybe we work will diversify from Office Space to office drones and we could sack the boys and girls on The Hub replace them with school levers because that

Would save us money in the short term whatever it costs in the end which will be our national security feel free to pass that back to Cabinet if anyone’s listening there to advice that is and not just giving the situations vacant columns Nash who had already raised one eyebrow raised the

Other I’m not sure where your information regarding def’s change of heart comes from and maybe we’ll discuss that later in the meantime we all appreciate your strong feelings on the matter but there’s no need to descend into abuse we’ll have to agree to differ on that no that’s not how this works

This is a difficult time but we have to work together we weather this storm together saging what we can believe it or not I have the park best interest at heart and in calmer times we can set about rebuilding our vessel but meantime we have to tread delicately let’s not

Forget there’s still an inquiry underway one whose eventual report monochrome is a waste of time I know that’s a general feeling but it’s also the case that the very fact that it’s sitting the very fact that the government chose to initiate such an inquiry is indicative that the park is

Not in good odor and I’m not giving away Secrets when I say that it hasn’t been since the West taker’s bombing before my time as first desk but very much during your time as an active and Senior figure with the service he looked disappointed and I didn’t think that

Weasel words were quite your style first desk in fact looked shamefaced a new experience for everyone in the room no that was wrong with me graciously said and besides all that I took a call from Sir Winston this morning as it happens he added an explanatory footnote Sir Winston is

Cheering monochrome everyone already knew this though it was possible some had forgotten it seems there’s been a uh let’s call it an upgrading of the material falling into monochromes perview experienced first desk Watchers noticed her go into alert mode though this was outwardly signaled by nothing more than an impatient twitch of the

Nose meaning what exactly her tone suggested that whatever the answer was it would be an iritation on a level with a broken fingernail or lost comb meaning that a Regent Park file has come into their possession though he wasn’t clear how this came to be he was seeking clarification as to

The legality of subjecting it to examination I see and your advice was I didn’t provide any I’m not that foolish I’m glad to hear it every pair of eyes in the room was on first desk she said the independence of a government sanctioned inquiry is of course

Sacac however we will need to be clear as to the provence of the file you’re talking about there’d be little point in monochrome bringing its Mighty wisdom to bear on fake news as you say but in the meantime fake or not it’s in Monogram’s hands and Sir Winston has informed me that tomorrow’s

Session has been brought forward to this afternoon I can only assume that at least some panel members intend to treat the file as legitimate evidence but this isn’t really on our agenda shall we move on there was a pause as if all those around the table had momentarily failed

To realize that this coming from the chair was a rhetorical question of course said first desk back to item three then well perhaps a refreshment break first said Nash Cornwell house in an ideal world would have gate posts and pillars and ornamental pineapple set in niches either side of its front doors which

Would be reached by ascending Stone steps instead it’s a modern four-story brick building squeezed between two more venerable institutions down a narrow lane behind mansion house the lane is cobbled the Pavements uneven and the facing wall of a severe and dirty Stone stouted on top with broken glass shy had

No idea what lay behind this magical Garden or private zoo in London anything was possible and grew more so than nearer the river you got she was still inwardly cursing Max yach when she arriv arrived and buzzed herself through the single width glass front door with her employee guard her place of employment

Was nowhere she wanted to be even more so now she was on sick leave than when she’d been working and what was she supposed to achieve anyway her instructions were clear enough and use a little discretion yes Max had said but had he ever met her colleagues they were

Presumably capable of discretion when discussing their STDs with their doctors or hiring Hitmen but in most most other circumstances experience suggested otherwise by the time she was hovering back up the lane her surprise appearance would be the sole topic of conversation on the premises and every word she hadd

Uttered would have been passed within a syllable of its life on the other hand her marriage maybe not perfect and Max hadn’t been her first picadillo but she’d been making an effort lately above and beyond the confinement her injury had imposed grahe was sweet man and they’d been

Together 12 Years a record worth persevering with she was done with adventures and wanted him to remain part of her life nor did she want to spend great chunks of that life apologizing for past misdeeds and even sweet men hired lawyers no she didn’t want Max spilling beans to her husband and while

Part of her thought Max might be bluffing she wasn’t confident enough of that to take risks so here she was in Cornwell house for the first time time in months tucking her card into her pocket and reacquainting herself with her environment which on this level consisted of a foyer the size of a

Market Barrow hosting only a lift decorated with an outof order sign and a staircase that wrapped around the lift shed and was steeper than it first appeared for a moment sherley stared at the sign which had an air of permanence then at the security camera above the

Door giving a fishey view of her mood to someone somewhere [ __ ] that she mouthed adding a two-fingered salute in case whoever’s lip reading skills weren’t up to speed holding her cane like a ski pole she began her assault on the stairs pausing on a tiny Landing to find a

Brush in her bag into her hair first rule when breaching enemy territory look like you mean business upstairs through architectural slight of hand the floor space achieved more depth a narrow open plan office accommodated eight workstations none of which had ever housed Shelly Milkmen were peretic

Workers or so designated no need for you to put down Roots dear as her line manager had expressed it you could hot desk as and when instead of actual real estate she’ had a locker big enough to Stow roughly half of what she carried

About on a daily basis and a hook in the kitchen on which to hang a mug this had not always been the way back in the park she’d had a one-third share of an office a filing cabinet and a kettle but the hiving off of the department though it

Had promised to be an upgrade its own premises more Independence and accelerated promotion structure had turned out surprise surprise to be the Prelude to a fundamental restructuring the full details of which were just coming to light as was her line manager by unhappy chance steaming across the floor threading between the workstations

At which sher’s co-workers the the landlocked Brigade who had responsibility for procurement facilities management and various other administrative burdens but no Hands-On client contact beavered away or that was the impression they likeed to give some among them sh figured had more in common with weasel as for her line manager she was

More of a badger if her relentlessly harrying nature was anything to go by she had Shelly well and truly in her sights her name was Bobby laa Shelly I didn’t know you were coming in today no I was passing OST your appointment nearby thought I’d stick my head around the

Door I thought it had been agreed that you’d stay away from Office premises until all this has been sorted out the word unpleasantness was elided as if the very syllables were rolent of the situation they applied to saying hello to colleagues with whom you’ve always got on so well a Snappy

Comeback was usually desirable in any encounter with Madame Bobby well that or knuckle dusters being away for so long being off sick you start to miss people you know think fast I was going to bring some donuts in but they’d run out she was spotting faces in the background Pete

Martin Lizzy Lane Zade Zade sad wasn’t so bad she could talk to Sadie and then in the background to the background something else the view from the rear of the building offered a partial glimpse of tower bridge but that sliver of Post Guard London was obscured today by a piece of

Hardboard fastened over a section of window a man in blue overalls the global uniform of the Practical class was measuring the frame and keying the results on his phone donut world run out of donuts the Situation’s more serious than I’d realized Shelly would have made a lousy

Spy Shelly decided she had nothing to offer that except a change of subject someone attempted to escape I see ah Galla’s humor the prerogative of the subordinate what happened a Breakin nothing to worry about nothing to worry about there have been a number of incidents locally the police are already

Aware well that’s a relief just being aware of something coun as active investigation surely somebody scaled a wall broke a window and opened a few drawers Martin had his squash racket taken and a purse went missing I’m always telling everyone not to leave valuables in their desks and I can’t be held responsible

When instructions are ignored the windows being fixed and we can forget all about it now do you want to step back here here was where the inoperational lift stood it was hardly a confessional but was a might less public the same or a similar OU of water

Notice had been taped to the left door Shelly wondered whether blue overalls would turn his attention to this next but it was unlikely he’d get round to it before she had to make the downward Journey it’s as well you put in an appearance Bobby continued some things are easier tackled in

Person not really here for riding R short was the phrase look just between us I hear rumors you’re to be offered a payoff little lumpsum easily more than your injuries worth just to clear the table before I new overlords move in I’m sure my solicitor yes here’s a thing

Best not to overburden your solicitor with too many details Bobby laa had a look about her one that suggested she’d face down big bluffers over Smoky card tables what I’ve heard is the first offer you get will be the last hold out for a bigger payoff and you’re likely to

Find yourself on the wrong side of a professional Hard Ball Match they might just sack you and see how you do on on the rebound now if if a tribunal’s satisfied your injuries real and not the fantasy of a burnt out employee who can see her lottery numbers coming up you

Could do well out of that but that’s a big if shell a very big if indeed is that a thread Bobby because it certainly sounds like one not remotely in fact and here she touched Shelly lightly on the elbow I’m saying this as a colleague and not your line

Manager piece of friendly advice but it was offered without a smile you’re embarrassing me now I should have made more of an effort to Source donuts oh we’re too busy to sit around snacking in fact it’s probably best if you don’t bother your colleagues now will you be all right on the stairs

With your stick I can manage not too much of a disability then I have a high pain threshold makes conversation more bearable when did it happen by by the way when did what happen the break-in does it matter a few nights ago three kids do they reckon well it wasn’t a pro

Job they left glass all over the floor and a squash racket seriously they didn’t take any of the laptops all securely docked you need a crowbar to release one and you couldn’t do it without breaking the machine so no everything’s and nobody’s worried that someone might have lifted the contents of a

Laptop Bobby bursted her lips forgive me are you here to bother colleagues or as a representative of neighborhood watch it’s a legitimate concern wouldn’t you say given our client base there’s nothing classified on the office laptop shell the databases contain nothing that would reveal client identities as you know if security had

Been compromised by a childish Act of hooliganism I’d have been the first to raise the alert but after consideration I came to the conclusion that there was no sense raising an outcry over a bit of smashed glass now was there anything else because the business of the department continues with or without your

Participation good to know which earned her an impatient CH that she could still feel protruding from her neck when she reached the bottom of the stairs that aside it was true she thought as she limped back up the lane through the drizzle it was true that the

Database wouldn’t allow a third party to pinpoint the whereabouts of say Max yach on the other hand it would indicate that said max yach’s current Milkman was John Bachelor and pinpointing bachelor’s location was mostly a matter of finding the nearest pub another rainy afternoon painting London dismal colors tracking along a

Shage lane having treated herself to an over-engineered salad from a pop-up Booth giselda felt her phone Buzz I understand you’ve come into possession of a file it was one of the prerogatives of being first desk that you didn’t introduce yourself that’s correct I’d be interested to know how that happened I

Wish I could illuminate you it was wished upon us a fairy godmother an anonymous donor there’s a saying about gifts from mysterious sources perhaps the educated Mr Kyle could quote it for you i’ be sure to ask in the meantime I’d like that fire returned already done she

Had the pleasure of feeling she’d wrong foot at first desk it was doubtful that happened often as she reached Bishop’s gate a bus blared past in the way buses did when you were a board one you were mostly aware of halting progress a series of mini shuffles between traffic lights but

The ones you observed Sailing by when you were on a pavement achieved impressive speeds first first desk said right yes I can only assume it’s on its way from the post room I take it there’s been no distribution of its contents yourself presumably accepted myself and the educated Mr Kyle

I suppose that was unavoidable and monochrome too of course which earned her a moment’s silence deciding that since she’d made it she could break it she said yes I’m afraid there was an administ ative [ __ ] up this end before the nature of the file was fully appreciated our temp had it copied and

Distributed so all the panel members are in possession of the contents I wasn’t aware you had temps strictly speaking we don’t but there was a backlog building so we borrowed someone from the home office and well you know how it is sometimes people can be too efficient the answering silence made her

Wonder if she’d gone too far but when the reply came at last it was Riley delivered but I can’t say I found that a recurring difficulty what do you plan to do next we have an afternoon session momam no harm in throwing in a little honorific full panel a witness has been

Called yes well always nice to be kept out to speed there was another pause while options were audibly weighed depending on how close her finger was to the button first desk could have a team of dogs descend on the monochrome offices before gisel across Bishop’s

Gate which would be one way of course of revealing how much of a threat Otis was besides threat or not the simple fact of its being in monochrome possession it’s having ended up in Malcolm’s shopping trolley must for a control freak like first desk be like having someone go

Through her shoe collection mismatching pairs nevertheless she reached the other side of Bishop’s gate un abducted first desk said very well I’ll expect to see the minutes within an hour of the session closing I’m not sure as for the long-term viability of monogram I suggest you don’t get too comfortable

It’s not only good things come to an end i’ have Mr Kyle check the terms and protocols if it’s within our remit I’ll have those minutes dispatched once they’re ready her heart was pounding when she entered the call sometimes you know you’ve made an enemy the anger and

Bluster leaves you in no doubt first desk Cal was a different story relda would have preferred a screaming match she was back and Clive was on his feet to prepare the lift good afternoon Clive everything well all Ticky boo Mrs Fleet so winon here first really what I said to him I said

You bucking for a promotion sir wion Clive was reaching into the lift activating the button because you you’re certainly the Eager Beaver today and what did he say to that he said fifth floor please which was where Griselda found him in his office door open he was

Holding a stapled sack of papers 17 Pages thick not that grisela could count them but there was no doubt what the document was can I ask where this file came from from the park Sir Winston I thought that was clear from the note I circulated but my impression was the

Facts definitely were that we weren’t receiving material from the park that there was a distinct lack of cooperation from that direction relda said there’s evidently been a change of heart but whatever the reason we have this new material before us and access to a new field of inquiry

It would be remiss not to pursue it Sir Winston folded his arms and something about the action reminded Griselda of the pipe in his pocket it was the arms themselves she realized those an his legs he was a pipe cleaner of a man spindly and archaic these qualities informed his speech it

Would be equally remiss n it would be illegal an act of gross Folly to submit a file before the panel which lies out with a remid which is classified material and subject to the usual restrict and reservations classified material falls within our remid it’s there in black and

White s Winston always has been and yet custom and practice have made it clear that in reality no such material is ever laid before us until now I can only assume that government priorities have changed or indeed Regent Parks perhaps it would be best to await clarification on the matter before going

Into session I’ve just spoken to First desk as it happens she’s well aware of our intentions and approves of them if she didn’t giselda said you could be quite sure she would have made that plain besides we have a witness arriving soon everything’s underway a witness witness number 137 with the possibility of

Another to come so Winston grunted and rustled the papers in his hand if this goes pearshaped for any reason there’ll be no doubt in my mind who’s responsible and I won’t be shy about making my feelings clear that’s understood sir Winston and this witness will be here this

Afternoon yes said Griselda funny isn’t it how it all goes painfully slowly until it doesn’t an advantage of having limitations committee meet in the park was the very short space of time it took to return to her office afterwards or on this occasion during having had her say on green

Shoots first desk invented an emergency not caring how transparent this was and had called grisela Fleet before reaching the lift called the post room before the lift arrived and called the Roth of God down upon the helpless intern who answered but yes a package had arrived

That morning and yes it should have been on her desk 2 minutes later however he’d been placed under strict instruction not to leave the post room unattended for any an explanation or even an excuse had no doubt been appended to that fragment but the lift had arrived and first desk was in

It the package was on her desk by the time she reached her office and 10 minutes later she was leaning back in her chair staring at the wall she’d frosted to obscure her view of the Hub which didn’t mean she didn’t know who was knocking before she called

Enter in the way of young women Ain gray had changed since first desk last laid eyes on her her hair she now wore in an intricate plaid currently draped over her left shoulder she wore glasses too which was also new there might be an affectation shifting identities changing

Cover wasn’t solely a spook Street preoccupation and the young could do so without inviting suspicion where first desk to follow suit a crisis would be diagnosed whether personal or geopolitical nice to see you aarin how have you been I good yes thank you ma’am I’ve been

Fine how about you I’ve been first to desk maybe you remember the symptoms constant stream of headaches constant pains in the ass case in point she tyed the Otis file on her desk in front of her look familiar close the door Aran gray did so and stepped

Further into the room room glancing at the visitor’s chair in which she was not asked to sit she looked thoughtful that wasn’t an invitation to ponder the great Mysteries first desk said it was a question you’ve been working the archive does this look familiar it’s a file I can’t tell one

From another no but luckily it has a catalog number stamped on it does that help Ain said I can tell you it’s high clearance and not far pre-digital in fact if the compression program starts up again it could well be in the first batch I’d hatte to get the idea you’re

Prevaricating that might make me think youve something to hide let’s start with first principles how in the name of John the [ __ ] carry can serve his product go walk about he can’t and yet here we are Erin said I meant it couldn’t be taken other than with permission of the archist and

How often is that grounded all the time there are always studies going on historical reaal material required for training purposes a whole shelf load of material was sent to Oxford just last week Oxford short hand for the Spooks College could this have been Part of That Consignment yes but you’re not sure I

Wasn’t involved you need to ask the archist oh believe me said first desk I’ll be doing that Ain turned to go but before she reached the door first desk said Erin that fer you prepared on green shoots yes ma’am it proved useful Ain nodded once she’ left first

Desk laid her hand flat on the Otis file for all the world as if trying to secure its contents it wasn’t often she had the feeling of being on the outside looking in and she didn’t enjoy it then again whoever had put this game in motion wouldn’t enjoy it much longer

Either she just had a text from the chancellor fulfilling a promise monochrome would be history by the end of the day which didn’t mean first desk wouldn’t find whoever was responsible for the league and mush them into a past that thought left her smiling as she reached for the button that unfrosted

Her glass wall and allowed light from The Hub to spill into her office moving nothing but subtly rearranging it all might I ask that we lower the blinds no one responded to this at first perhaps because no one was sure to whom the request was addressed this silence didn’t phase the

Witness who sat pleasantly awaiting a heard decision she seemed aware that having fallen into the Embrace of her committee no conclusions could be swiftly reached at last prela said is the light bothering you there was no light or very little a gray luminescence smudging the window was more a reminder that Darkness

Would fall than that daylight had settled at times like this monochrome seemed aptly named I just feel it would be more appropriate somehow Sir Winston cleared his throat singer and more exchanged a glance grela said Malcolm would you he scraped his chair leg across the floor in Rising making his acquiescence appear sullen

Sorry that wasn’t he moved down the RAR Windows Ling then slightly angling the slats so that a hint of the day painted the room in horizontal stripes he then made to adjust the overhead lighting in compensation but the witness deerred could we leave that as it is thank

You Malcolm hesitated for a moment awaiting confirmation from Griselda which did not come and dialed the dimmer switch back to where it had been with the lighting adjusted the witness relaxed a little there was aware that few present would have registered change in her demeanor there were benefits

There were advantages to her appearance and while no introductions had been made protocol apparently she’ done her research and identified those she was facing the young man who had adjusted the blinds Malcolm he was Malcolm Kyle the black woman was Griselda Fleet the brown woman sh mansur and so the white

Woman was Deborah Ford Lodge these last two in fact were familiar faces frequently appearing on different pages of the same newspapers of the balding self-important men it was easy enough to pick out Sir Winston day which meant that one of the others was John Moore and the other guy

Fielding it probably didn’t matter that she couldn’t tell him apart she suspected that long acquaintanceship wouldn’t necessarily make that task easier Carl singer though was also a face weathered by newsprint and pixel and one that had possibly had a little work done this observation the witness

Made with no sense of judgment that we create our own masks was a truth she’d long accepted but it was time to get down to it Miss fleet was initiating proceedings such initiation involving the usual boilerplate attending classified proceedings important nonetheless listen just to ensure that the members

Attending are familiar with the protocol governing today’s session which we’ve not had occasion to invoke before we should start by stating for the record that in accordance with standing regulation 14104 we will be addressing you throughout by the work name you were assigned during the operation under discussion similarly any agents or

Operatives mentioned before this panel who are alive and still in the employee of the intelligence services will also be referred to by the work names they were assigned during the operation under discussion are you comfortable with that she said and if I W would my discomfort override standing regulation

14104 I’m afraid that question requires a yes no answer which leaves me sorely tempted to reply yes no all right all right yes I’m comfortable with that she hadn’t even earned a hard stare fleet’s eyes remained focused on the notepad in front of her the pen in her

Hand which had remained poised over the paper while the above exchange endured now made its Mark Malcolm Kyle shifted in his chair for the benefit of the panel he meled in an undertone hone to perfection in a series of wood panel offices his shoes she imagined would be buffed to

Mom he yes quite for the benefit of the panel could we ask you to state that name clearly please you’re asking me to cast my mind back quite some way Fleet looked up again you couldn’t call it a hard stare nevertheless her gaze met the witnesses with unflinching directness perhaps we could establish

Before we go any further she said that the matters under discussion are very serious in view of your situation no one present should be more aware of that than you thank you for pointing that out so it would be appropriate if these sessions could be conducted in a formal manner

Sessions oh I doubt very much we’ll cover everything this afternoon you will be required to attend on any further occasions that we stipulate so keep the smart arery under control or expect to spend your foreseeable future at har beck and call of course she said and then rather

Amused that among her first submissions to monochrome would be not only an outright lie but one that all present recognized as such said my name is Alison north thank you preliminary is over it was s Winston’s turn no Miss North is there anything you need before we begin but L of water perhaps

Or a whole new identity she thought a different set of memories a heightened awareness of when to tell the truth when to fudged oh she said I think I have everything I need then perhaps we can begin said Sir Winston day please yes she said ask away world’s highest mountain Bas to

Summit Everest K2 Mont Blanc oh can’t even say it these proper words or what Mona key what I said never heard of it anyway it’s obvious Everest I don’t think so nah you wouldn’t John because you’re an idiot in it any fool NOS words punctuated by the

Slapping of a palm on the keyboard of a pub quiz machine the answerers Everest lights spun and bloopers blooped or whatever you might call the electronic flatulence of such a machine when it’s declaring an error it couldn’t have been less subtle thought John Bachelor if it had blown a dwindling trombone honk or

Issued divorce proceedings [ __ ] like I said yeah well don’t [ __ ] you say it again John because nobody likes a [ __ ] speaker based to Summit I don’t even know what that [ __ ] means John all all I know is this machine swallowed my [ __ ] money again which is why it

Deserves some of this this being a kicking hard enough to have alerted the bar man were the kicker in question not someone most bar men would have gone a distance to avoid noticing he wasn’t a big man but didn’t need to be what with the dead eyes and the Way Sparks kept

Popping from his ears unless they were an optical illusion caused by poorly filtered aggression in fact were it not for his accent pure South London or the fact that he had several times in John’s hearing vouch saved that he had been born here lived here all his life and

Would go to his [ __ ] grave here know what he meant John John would have had him down as Scottish he was aware that this might have been viewed as racist in some quarters but was also aware that those quarters did not include the fox and bucket I think it’s seen the error of

Its ways now it’s a [ __ ] machine John it can’t say nothing nothing a final kick and he was done scooping up his pint glass he shambled to a booth in the corner John tagging along behind tagging along because it was hard to see how he could do otherwise this is how relationship

Sometimes worked you noticed you were in one worst case scenario you were wearing a ring other times like this you were too many drinks the wrong side of Nightfall to do the full diligence so found yourself Brown new friends with unlikely candidates this afternoon it was the quiz machine had done the damage

John Bachelor wasn’t the sort to feed cash into those things because by their very nature they were always hard by somewhere he’d rather spend his money but he was generally prepared to offer advice to those who were it wasn’t that he was a fountain of general knowledge

But he had spent a lot of time hanging around quiz machines C John get out down you my shout it said a lot about bachelor’s feelings that the day day was going sideways that even this for the moment it took him to finish his beer and push the glass across the table

Didn’t feel like the clinching argument it so obviously was but he decided as he watched his new mate stumble to the bar you couldn’t always trust your sense of Doom if you did you’d never get out of bed or with supposing you were lucky enough to be in

One besides sometimes the clues you picked up on owing to your well-honed ability to read a situation what with having been fully trained by Regent Park experts half a millennium or so ago turned out to be bent pennies for example how his new friend had known he

Was called John had rang an alarm given that Bachelor had somewh ago ceased giving his actual name to people he met in pubs but when Sparky which was what Bachelor was calling him in his head not having been offered an alternative also went on to address the ban two other

Drinkers the quis machine and his own cigarette packet as John he allowed himself to calm down on that score still going to be a long afternoon though cheers he said when Sparky returned with two pintes only a small amount of each slopping onto the table it’s all right

Any his new friend said obscurely raising his glass to his mouth the fox and bucket was mostly empty which wasn’t a huge surprise as pubs went it was somewhere between D and dismal meaning it entertained Lo but enjoyed visiting custom on a one-time only basis John had been among

The former for a few weeks now having put a root down the situation too precarious for a plural after acquiring a flat sitting job just that long ago the owner acquaintance of acquaintance more than friend of friend was working in the states and wanted someone inue to

Water plants and feed the cat John was fine with watering plants or was when he remembered but he’d found the cat dead in the bathroom three more mornings back I mean Jesus could he ever get a break since then he’d been responding to all inquiries about feline Health with

Shameless lies and planning for an Abrupt departure not having known what to do with the corpse and vaguely assuming its owner might want a ceremony of some sort in due course he double bagged and stashed it in the cloak cupboard in the Hall that’s how nice a

Flat it was it had a cloak covered in the hall but there was no point getting a touch it was unlikely he’d be offered the same G again apart from anything else there’d be no cat sitting required but for the time being he was a fox and bucket local which was as

Damning an indictment of his life and career as a long service medal to a [ __ ] shoveler assistant where had it all gone wrong where to start divorce the cost of living the inability to put together a deposit on a rental let alone a mortgage some seriously bad financial advice

Capped by worse Financial decisions all in the past of course but whoever said there was no point crying over spilled milk hadn’t noticed how much milk cost lately fact was it had doubled in price in recent memory which if you valued yourself in terms of how much milk you

Could afford meant you were worth half as much as previously so spilling it was heartbreaking to be honest and if you couldn’t cry when your heart was broken it was something wrong with you any one AG stayed in his seat when a beer was offered say what you like about beer at

Least you could drink it try doing that with spilled milk year in hand the world was slightly better which wasn’t to say there weren’t plenty of ways it could still spin out of orbit hello John said max yanic looming out of nowhere how have you been the events we’re here to discuss

Took place in the spring of 1994 obviously we’re not expecting you to have total recall of this period but we would ask you to take care not to embellish your memories we’d rather have an honest inability to provide accurate manuia than have you invent detail in an effort to please or impress

Us I’ll make sure I don’t go out of my way to do either during the time in question you’d been working for the service for less than a year is that correct it is and yet you were assigned to Berlin was that usual for an agent of such recent

Standing no said Allison but then I wasn’t an agent this caused a fluttering of brows among the company a shuffling of paper it would be simpler she said if those listening were of with the terms in use at the time agent was not a word that would be applied for example to

Anyone with a desk job we were simply offic officers officers of the service agents were those who worked on hostile territory in service terms this meant anywhere outside the park I see I beg a pardon was it usual in for an officer of your limited experience to be assigned to the Berlin

Desk given the importance of that uh station it wasn’t unprecedented I was clerical staff and every station needs Clarks when permanent staff are on home leave It’s Not Unusual to have junior level assistance rotated out to relieve them but my sment the Berlin Station wasn’t for routine reasons there were

Circumstances and they were spook FLW I’m sorry that was what we called it at the time a flu bug a nasty one came in from Hong Kong or somewhere in that region and laid waste to the park during March and April of 94 they’d call it SARS if it happened

Now it puts strong men on their backs which meant there were limited numbers of hail healthy Personnel to assign to foreign duties I wouldn’t normally have been in a frame for such an assignment but that aside such cment were a familiar method of supplying staff to undertake routine

Administrative tasks tasks that you if not fully qualified were at least perfectly competent to undertake Allison smiled faintly perfectly competent yes singer made a noise that turned into a cough and said excuse me and a routine administrative task is how this a condiment was presented at the time initially

Yes though that was not in fact the case no said Allison after a pause it wasn’t the case finding Bachelor hadn’t been the most demanding task once Shirley had returned with news of the Cornwell house Breakin he’ persuaded her to do one last favor this Zade what about her a mid

She’s not openly hostile hard to tell whether that was cynical Outlook or bold statement of fact but you played with what you had so she’d do your a turn if you asked nicely Christ I don’t know she might call in air support we did lunch a couple of times that’s all but since

This and she grimaced pointing at her leg I’ve been made out to be the wicked witch of whatever no reason to think Zade feels any different but worth Max thought finding out as things stood he was as much in the dark as he’d been two nights previously scrambling down the Green

Lane but at least it now seemed likely that John Bachelor had been the cause of that particular roller coaster ride Bachelor after all had known where Max was which put him in a small group and while Max didn’t know much about Bachelor he did know this he’d sell his

Job for the price of a round tell her you need a current address for your replacement that you need to pass on crucial information that’s just come to light like what well I don’t no my birthday she stared just a thought if I can point you in the right

Direction you’ll [ __ ] off yes nicely put no hard feelings she said fishing out her phone but I’m starting to feel like this is a lot to pay for one stray shag he let her make the phone call in peace closeting himself in the bathroom and quietly running inventory telling

Himself it was professional interest on the shower shelf sat bottled product Joe Malone ESOP AA gra wet shaved or anyway had one of those little kits in a leather bag in the cabinet he found a Frugal array of overthe counter remedies antihistamines aspirin an ancient looking bottle of

Cough medicine which was sticky to the touch he rinsed his hand listening in the living room Shelly had made contact with Sadie friendly by the sound of it it went on for another 5 minutes and 5 minutes after that Max had the lowdown on John Bachelor who it turned out was a legend

At Cornwell house known for changing his address twice a month and claiming relocation expenses despite repeatedly being informed that no such emolument existed you had to admire his persistence or if you didn’t you had to heave a sigh of relief that this particular car crash was someone else’s

Max Googled his latest living quarters trying not to dwell on how easy it proved to worm information out of the supposed guardians of former Spooks while shley watched at last asking didn’t you have one of those noia bricks yes but it was one thing to play the Lite while beheading dandelion with

A stick another to deny yourself an advantage when on the run so among the items in his flight kid had been a smartphone there was a downside they were trackable but anyone looking for you had to know about it first which in this case would mean having access to

His bank records and noticing the monthly charge if his unknown enemies were that good he’d not have got this far besides they were always loose threads you could build an identity out of whole cloth but as soon as you put it on you noticed how the sleeves rode up

How it was already wearing away at the elbows bachelor’s current burrow was s of the river so you’re what you’ll check out every Pub in the area Max waggled his eyebrows in response and then what I’ll ask him who he sold me to we already know the answer to that Max he

Sold you to someone who has money your point being that people with money in London are the nastiest on the planet that’s why they come here it’s their playground whereas he was a hick when they’d come hunting him on a Green Lane he jammed their wheels but he was on

Their territory now whoever they were and stick his neck out too far they’d behead him like a dandelion have you asked yourself who you’ve upset no one lately he said he thought of old dolly or no one rich letun face it Max you’ve done nothing lately whatever this is about

It’s ancient history the time he’d spent in the bathroom it it had been impossible to avoid his reflection ancient history sounded about right so be careful okay that was a farewell thanks Shir and you know sorry she didn’t rise to see him out pointing to her leg as an

Excuse he took the tube enjoying the arterial views of the city as allow people with money he thought never got to see this the ordinary the workable there were the bloodless Vantage points of hedge Fen highrise and laundered helipad of course they didn’t come to unscheduled halts underground either we

Apologize for the delay to your journey when Max emerged he was on the other side of the river but under the same gray sky he used his phone to locate bachelor’s current flat in a surprisingly upscale block and again to pinpoint point the nearest pubs it was mid-afternoon would his Quarry have gone

To ground so soon and then he recalled who he was dealing with and thought yes in the end he was seven pubs into his Odyssey when he tracked him down the fox and bucket was on a corner with tables outside for smokers and Dusty Windows through which passers by could

See what they were missing which included a row of booths against the far wall each with a big wooden table a curve Bonet and a scon with a bulb shaped like a burning candle in one of these sat John Bachelor holding a pint glass in a way that

Suggested it was all that was keeping him upright Max had met him only once but had no difficulty recognizing him his appearance even through a Dusty window was of a man nearing the end of his rope and not an especially reliable rope at that you wouldn’t want to try

Hanging yourself with it there one conversation of the kind during which you learn far more about the other person than an in-depth discussion of their habits and hobbies would get you i’ focused on how little Bachelor received for in-person catchup sessions and how that little was inclusive of

Expenses just turning up at Max’s door cost him more than 20% of what he was earning witnessing bachelor’s verbal contortions had been like watching a 5-year-old explaining gravity in the end Max had acquiesced to his scheme more to avoid having this conversation again than because he’d felt there’d been

Injustice besides there was never a chance that his relationship with this Milkman would follow the same path as that with his predecessor which didn’t mean it couldn’t offer surprises hello John how have you been hi Christ what Max Max Max said slid onto the bonquet forcing John to budge along he reached

Anxiously for his drink as he did so the aggressive force field around His companion fizzed and sparked you looking for trouble pal not remotely just after a quiet word or two with John here Jon doesn’t look happy about that I’m fine really no he’s an old friend Maxis an old old

Friend in the context of the fox and bucket an old old friend might mean anything from childhood sweetheart to last Tuesday’s imaginary Confidant Max said and once we’re done I’ll buy around and get out of your hair heal it didn’t require a lot of thought sweet Sparky inched out of the booth

Leaving the pair alone so John how have you been making friends I see no yeah well fine just fine how are you Max what uh what brings you all this way and how’d you find me anyway or is this just his voice trailed away as if his

Brain were catching up with his tongue and recognizing the futility of completing that sentence there were only three other people in this half of the pub bachelor’s recent companion included and all were a reasonable distance away nevertheless Max lowered his voice to say no John no coincidence I came

Looking and you were easy to find but then you’re not living in Deep Cover like I was but guess what turns out I was easy to find too wonder how that came about do you wonder that too John Jesus Max I don’t know leaks at corwell house do you think the woman who

Had you before I came along uh her name is mcvi or something she had a bit of a rep max a bit of a rep yeah the thing is John that won’t fly no there’s only one way they could have found me and that’s if you pointed them in the right

Direction now I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt and say maybe maybe this happened without you being aware of it but it did happen John and I need to know how because that might tell me who Bachelor looked down into his pint and for a moment Max had the idea he was

Preparing to jump into it and drown that was okay Max will pull him out and try again but when Bachelor looked back up there was something other than self-loathing in his expression I know you don’t think much of me but there’s no reason why you should but I only cut Corners with you

Because you didn’t need me if I’d had danger signals or I’d thought for a moment there was a breath of worry I’d have been there for you I swear it I’d have called in the artillery because I may be a joke at Cornwell house but I take my clients seriously more than

Anything I mean it he looked like he thought he did thought Max no one approached me no one and if they had I’d have sent up a flare Max said okay then let’s take it a step at a time no outright overtures but any strange encounters lately I’m talking in

The past couple of days any new friends appearing out of nowhere he glanced at bachelor’s Earth while companion who had drifted towards the quiz machine again an unleaked cigarette dangling from his lower lip him no he doesn’t even know my name pretty sure he called you John he calls everyone

John okay where do you keep your records I assume you do keep records s Place everyone does he tapped his breast pocket on my phone never out of your sight I do sleep occasionally good to hear tell me about your sleeping Arrangements Bachelor stared at him for a

Moment I lied down I close my eyes nice to know something come easy but I’m asking about nocturnal security not your bedtime routine where do you leave your phone overnight I keep it with me next to the bed yes always Jesus I’m not a robot usually usually but sometimes maybe getting to

Bed the details get hazy Bachelor took a pull on his pint as if illustrating Max’s Point well okay you know how it is so think think about things that might have happened while you were otherwise engaged there were so many possible answers to this so many philosophies as

Yet unlogged it took Bachelor some while to gather some together anything at all out of the ordinary run well the cat died Bachelor said after a while died how did it die I’m not a vet I got up in the morning it was dead they on the bathroom floor so it

Just dropped down dead must have gone I don’t know heart attack do cats have heart attacks take me through this slowly you have a cat how old was it was it healthy it wasn’t mine it belongs belonged to the guy who owns the flood I’m sitting and who I haven’t told about

It yet he’ll not be pleased the look that flittered across his face was an indicator of just how not pleased and with what consequences Max remembered Bachelor having confessed he’d slept in his car more than once but we’ve all got problems some more pressing than others look I really need

To pay it you know the jents can I just do that I’ll come straight back you will you know how I know because you wouldn’t want to go sneaking off without your phone and your wallet Bachelor handed them over with such eagerness it was as if he wanted to

Make it clear that sneaking off never entered his mind with Bachelor gone Max looked at the phone if these things could talk he thought but he already had a working picture of Bachelor getting home some nights in a blackout and if he was lucky waking up in bed where he left his phone

Was a matter of chance in his trouser pocket in the dishwasher behind a radiator the one thing anyone looking for it wouldn’t have to worry about was him waking up and shelling out grief a quick in and out unless they Disturbed the cat and Max knew enough about cats

To know they could make inconvenient noise when they wanted Bachelor wasn’t a vet he’d said it himself and Max wouldn’t trust him in a hungover state to identify a broken neck faint music drifted across from the Pub’s other room for no sane reason memory threw up a different dive in a

Different country and a ragamuffin Jazz Trio playing something haunting it came and went just as both doors opened at once the one leading into the other bar and the one onto the street through which a woman stepped there was no reason he should have recognized her because he’d barely

Seen her the first time when mostly he’d been banging her head on the floor but there was a clue in that her face was the color of Obin besides the way she was looking at him gave most of the game away and the part that it didn’t was

Covered by the man coming in from the other bar Max hadn’t been out of the game so long he didn’t recognize a professional he stoed and had a quiet word with the couple at the far table who picked up their glasses without a word and proed out through the door he’d

Just come in by leaving only Max himself and John’s recent drinking buddy Sparky he was leaning against the quiz machine A sly smile buttering his face the newcomer stopped by him too and slipped him some notes he folded carefully before sliding into a pocket really good to meet you Max

Called shall I pass on your best to John [ __ ] off the woman arrived at his booth and laid her Palms flat on the table just so we clear Max told her I’m a lover not a fighter she raised a palm long enough to point at her own

Face it makes you more interesting he said nobody’s going to say she looks dull you’re coming with us now and if I don’t want to then we hurt you enough to render your objections inaudible and you come with us anyway don’t get me wrong I’d rather you

Resisted how was your friend the one with a motorbike you P his stab nose off how do you think he is just a tip said max he cried like a baby did he mention that on your feet a companion had stationed himself one side of the booth blocking a swift

Exit which anyway wasn’t on the cards extricating oneself from a bonk G wasn’t the easiest of tasks even with the full cooperation of everyone present Max grimaced sucked his belly in and eased himself upright the woman took a step back she wasn’t visibly armed but given their recent history it was safest to

Act like she was there’s a car outside she said back seat or boot don’t give me ideas she led the way Max behind her and her companion bringing up the rear A procession that got them halfway to the door before John Bachelor appeared from The Gents hurling a plastic swing bin

Which hit the man full on the head he staggered into max who stuck a foot between his legs and shoulder shoved him while he was hitting the floor the woman was reaching inside her loose fitting jacket taser Max remembered he was having one of those Slow Time moments

Whose only use is as a conversation starter afterwards she’s going for a taser he grabbed her arm but she DED backwards e easily evading him once upon a time his stupid brain informed him you could have scooped up a nice heavy estray from a table and crowned her with

It best on offer now was a single stem vase from which a plastic flower poked her hand appeared from her pocket holding instead of a taser a baton that untel escop with a flick of her wrist a 3ft long switch you’re kidding he told her come on what is this a bad movie

Behind him Bachelor said careful Max yes thanks he knew to be careful he knew what sticks could do she whipped it onto the table next to him sending that little vowe flying I’m good with this she said I love when both your cheeks and ruin your face like you did to me

You broke into my house what did you expect a companion was getting to his feet shaking dancing stars out of his head take the other door John I’ll be fine I didn’t know they’d read my phone MAX I know didn’t know Sparky was their Lookout Max didn’t bother answering was

Too busy focusing on the Baton she flicked its tip in his Direction and he felt a stinging sensation on his cheek resisted the temptation to raise a hand to its source but felt his heart racing and had an Impulse to laugh even as the door behind the woman opened allowing

Him to grin at the newcomer nice timing she wasn’t fooled and didn’t look around which suited Max because he wasn’t bluffing Shelley mcv’s cane came down heavily on the woman’s head splitting in two on contact the light in the woman’s eyes went out came back on again and

Then sort of popped and she sat down heavily when Max looked around Bachelor had picked up a chair and was either hiding behind it or working out how to use it in a fight while the man who just got to his feet was prepping himself for Action to speed things up Max smacked

His elbow into the man’s Temple and when he hit the floor again Bachelor hit him with the chair unless he just dropped it but give him the benefit Max said to Shelly you followed me I worried you’d get into trouble she was breathing heavily and

Had her eyes fixed on the woman on the floor ye of little faith said max he fetched the Batton and as he straightened up realized the bartender was watching from behind his counter sorry about this I’ve called the police yeah we can’t stay sorry then to

Surely we only need one of them she looks lighter my thoughts exactly they scooped her up and bundled her out meanwhile back in the monochrome offices witness 137 was getting into her stride part four Berlin then all witness 137 new as she explained to herself afterwards was the

Instruction she hadd been given IR 3-2 1015 a.m. which decoded meant interview room 3 second floor down the time was self-explanatory and the agenda would be lifecraft she assumed because a foreign assignment involved new banking procedur living arrangements any amount of detail designed to consolidate a daily

Existence while she got on with the task in hand which in line with her lowly status as a firste trainee housekeeping division was purely admin assess daily procedures and work-related outcomes precisely what a work-related outcome was remained obscure perhaps this was an initiative test but however it was looked at the

Posting while superficially glam Berlin Station was a headline operation the city was still the Spooks Zoo even though the wall was Rubble would swiftly embed itself into daily drudgery an eye run over these figures a finger run down this column so anyway she had told herself the previous evening after news

Of the imminent posting had arrived in her pigeon hole a way of tamping down the excitement because this her secret self told her was as good as it got a junior spook not field material heading abroad and so soon those around her better qualified many of them would be spitting

Feathers when the news broke if half of her contemporaries weren’t flat on their backs mainlining hot lemon and feeling sorry for themselves she’d not have been in with the faintest shout but first there were Hoops to be jumped through because life in the park for the fledgling was an unceasing

Bewilderness of obstacle and hurdle the schedule included compulsory gym sessions during which trainees were treated like those police dogs made to leap through flaming Windows scuffle under fences and run through lengths of tunnel actual instances of which she imagined rarely presented themselves in the dog’s working lives similarly no Junior spook in

Housekeeping might legitimately expect to have to scale a drain pipe or repurpose a haird dryer as a deadly weapon or at least not unless their domestic lives significantly deteriorated but more frequently situations arose aimed at inducing mental and emotional stress Mind Games in which there was no

Winning line to cross simply a process to undergo results were graded on a spectrum and at which end lay the pot of gold depended on the division you were applying for there were rumors of applicants for research divisions unwittingly revealing themselves to be field proficient and undergoing a swift

Change of trajectory psychop pathic Tendencies it was muttered it rarely happened the other way around but perhaps that was because those who fancied themselves as James Bond couldn’t face a desk career however classified in nature though if that did ever happen it might be entertaining in

A desolat sort of way and then there were the endless complications of joining an organization whose watch word was secrecy even if its prevailing ethos was obfuscation so they were asked spent traping down corridors requisition forms in each hand for a service card without Which movement within the building was

Solely tramed for a service phone without which communication was severely limited for a list of written assignments failure to complete which would bring training to an abrupt halt hunting for an office with no identifying name plate and whose occupant if they were ever Tracked Down would happily inform you that newly

Computerized systems meant that such needs could only be met when the applicant had completed the mandatory forms digitally having first acquired a valid username and password available on receipt of the appropriate paperwork yes in time such paperwork would be replaced by online Transmissions no that time had not yet

Arrived lad to have been of help it was possible that such small nightmares were themselves ways of stress testing a fledglings mental resilience but equally likely that they were the quence of an organization outgrowing its resources not everything was an initiative test unless it was all that being so she should have been

Prepared for anything when she knocked on the door of ir 3-2 at 10:15 a.m. on a cold day early in 1994 and was invited to enter But of the faces she might have expected to encounter on doing so none belonged to the man behind the desk in the center of the room

Please he said sit down I yes thank you sir the slightest twitch of what might have been irritation shaded into benignity so smoothly it was possible to believe it had always been intended as such oh we can dispense with all that David will do because this was David

Cartro who had once been pointed out to her in the lobby at the park there’s the man who drives the whole shebang but he’s not first desk no she couldn’t now remember who had told her this one of the previous year’s intake Susan Fiona but he’s the one who makes

The big decisions or that’s the rumor like any large organization Regent Park ran on rumor except when it was flying on legend that one time apart she never laid eyes on him though he of from featured when conversation among the fledglings turned to the higher Powers his precise role was difficult to

Determine since his actual job title was obscure or at least proved impossible to pin down despite The Insider knowledge some of those debating the point claimed chief of internal resources perhaps or head of domestic strategy makes him sound like a burer someone objected and those with Oxbridge memories almost everybody nodded in

Agreement what was certain was that there was no desk involved not first desk obviously but not second either though that particular job title was going through a boom period second desk Ops second desk comms second desk strategy time was second desk had meant just that opine one methusa the burden

Of 14mth service heavy on his shoulders you had an actual role an actual domain but David cartride was the exception to the rule book the one that demanded an appendix to itself a mixture of Rasputin and Rob Speer it was said to in person he looked kindlier than either

Description suggested ey forehead with light brown hair starting to whiten and alert blue eyes behind spectacles one of two pairs he wore on a chain round his neck the easier to switch to reading mode when required lips rather full not something she found attractive in a man but it

Suited David cartride she decided underneath his twed jacket he wore what might be a Woolen waste cat and below that a dark blue shirt whose top button was undone his fingers were long their nails neatly clipped a man clearly who ensured that he was all in one piece before leaving the house more

Importantly a man who was immensely busy what with being a Legend So What on earth was he doing here gracing her send off with his presence an open file lay in front of him and while she was as practiced as any would be Mahari at reading upside

Down its topmost sheet was blank aside from a paragraph of neat ruler straight handwriting so small she might have needed a magnifier were it the right way up and I he said we’ll call you Allison which was when she understood that the whole thing was an embarrassing mistake

He thought she was someone else and she would now have to explain this to him while somehow maintaining the fiction that it was her fault not his that she had inv vagled her way into this interview though without evil intent and that he vastly senior in rank and

Indisputably male had made no error of any kind and then all that went away to be replaced by a single thought work name he was watching her expectantly I’m already used to it good good and Allison North as she now was and would remain for some while smiled her

Agreement now Berlin been there before she shook her head that’s fine no experience necessary as they say read the dossier there were dossers on every placement location supposedly updated by monthly though Allison wasn’t sure the Berlin entry had been tackled in years most of it read as though the wall still

Stood and Berlin remained subdivided check points and conning Towers spotlights and barbed wire but then there had always been stories about those posted there about how those who spent time on the Berlin desk never really came home but remained mired in a different reality perhaps the unaltered dossier

Was intended to allow a glimpse into that separate domain the one in which Berlin’s Spooks still moved even if to outward appearances its fittings and Furnishings had been replaced then again perhaps it was about under resourcing once more I’ve looked at it she said it’s helpful if sure of a nostalgic bent yes

He laid his pen down and removed his glasses folding the arms neatly before allowing them to drop into their chains caress you would expect ing lifecraft of course she nodded all that will be taken care of there was a knock at the door and a young woman came in ignoring

Allison she bent and whispered something in cartright’s ear thank you Diana I’ll deal with it later Diana since that was her name left cartrite went on but there’s something else that requires attention in Berlin I mean that’s why we here there was something cold in those blue eyes something his spectacles had

Concealed Allison thought Rasputin Rob spear yes okay she could see that now assess daily procedures and work rated outcomes that was how the memo had run and this was what her task would be except that wasn’t the story at all was it no that was the cover what he was

About to tell her was the story so tell me she thought and in that moment became a spy the Station House was on a mid city street which must once have been prosperous and was still lined with trees some caged behind railings to prevent the depredation of dogs one side

Was given over to retail premises grocery stores and Bakers a small supermarket and the other to what were once professional premises with proud front doors at the tops of flights of stone stairs the dentists and doctors and lawyers once descended with watch chains and waste coats and wallets but

The houses were shabby now their Stone facades having taken a pting over the years and their steps were chipped and broken accidents waiting to happen a group had gathered on one flight their appearance suggesting that a certain kind of professionalism still held Sway and a number of eyes watched her

Progress as if awarding points for comportment looking for the Spooks baby someone called in English three houses down with the fancy door laughter accompanied this Allison was too British to respond the next house along was dead its Windows boarded up and tagged with names so ornately sprayed so intricately imagined that

They were illegible to the amateur eye false identities r large and indecipherable she did didn’t want to look back but felt the stairs on her shoulders as she walked past it the next house too and then heard another spillage of laughter as she found herself looking up a flight of steps in

No better repair than the others leading to a front door on which had been painted a cartoonish ghost a white Omega shape with round black eyes seriously when she wondered later about this gross breach of security young Allan who was for a while her main s SCE of local information explained that

Anyone who might want to know where they were already knew the Spooks Zoo Berlin was called and the thing about suos was the animals were on display there was an intercom and when she pressed the buzzer she was asked in German who she was and what was her

Business on the first day wearing her new cover it took her a moment longer to answer the first question than the second the door clicked open as she stepped through it onto an unsh chabby hallway to be greeted by someone she expected was the building Security man

At the park they’d started referring to these as the dogs but who didn’t especially look the part in as much as he was needle thin and about 70 he did though have a gun under his jacket she saw it quite clearly when he reached to take her service card which still felt

Shiny and stiff everything about her screamed newbie including that slight start she gave at the gun another figure appeared from a doorway to the left Alis in North it not only wasn’t a question it sounded like an instruction you’re here from London the speaker was from London

Herself to Allison’s ear but she made the city sound as if it were a failed project on a distant continent I’m Teresa house mother she did have a mother is air about her but the kind of mother who’d eat her young at the first sign of a harsh winter her

And her sharp looking suit made Allison worry she’d gone the wrong way with her half length denim skirt and red sweater thank you anel I’ll take it from here welcome Miss said anel his voice was as thin as his arms Theresa said we’ll do introductions later he said you’re a go straight

Up that this didn’t altogether meet with her approval could be gauged by the torness of her lips as they shaped the words he likes to catch them early he says Mr Bruce said Allison Robin God no miles you were to go straight up to miles’s office top floor you can’t miss

It by myself it’s a staircase not a labyrinth you want to leave your coat again she felt herself watched as she began her Ascent these two she supposed with the more expert scrutineers given their employment by the British intelligence service but the going over she’d had from the ladies on

The corner not all of them had been ladies had felt more rigorous somehow they’d seen right through her first glance this pair still thought she was who they hadd been told she was Allison North from London who was to go straight up to miles’s office where she could assume her role of

Spy top floor was six stories which felt like a lot of flaw Espionage she thought ought to be a more crabbed business shouldn’t take up this much space there were offices on every floor most with their doors closed and there were notice boards on several of the landings which also struck her as

Unnecessary back in the park the walls were clear legislatively ordained notices regarding health and safety practices aside three floors up she took a peek at what was on offer someone was selling a scooter someone else was looking for a new apartment one without a naturist landlord without was underlined three

Times there was a plea that a Missing Scarf be returned it was decorated with Disney characters and had great sentimental value none of it classified information in fact she reflected you might even think it made for good cover allowing for the fact that anyone standing here

Would know it was nothing of the sort but perhaps this was the biggest secret of all that spies were just like everyone else especially when you locked them in an office she continued up to the top floor well miles’s room was one of three the only one with its door not wide open

Displaying an uninhabited space there’s a chap there at the moment David cartright had said you’ve probably heard of him he gave a name Allison had vaguely he had something of a reputation of the mixed variety he was either as clever as a barrel full of monkeys or so

Twisted he could see himself coming back not for the first time she reflected that much of the services slang belonged to the second world war which probably had something to do with the age of those in its driving seats she wondered too whether its moral Outlook dated back

To the same era and whether this was a good thing or a bad thing too much there to reach a conclusion about in the time it had taken her to nod a response to cart’s comment I’ve heard of him yes well there are those who say

He’ll either be running this place in a decade’s time or buried in one of its Sellers and which are you she dared ask but he merely smiled briefly as if admiring her move you’ll be reporting to him he glanced down at his sheet of paper though she was was certain this was for

Show that any details he might rely on for the purposes of this conversation were already fixed in that brain behind those owlish glasses prinsley miles that’s his Berlin work name so that’s what you’ll call him prinsley these things are assigned randomly there’s some kind of he waved a vague

Hand algorithm they call it goodness only knows I assume brinsley has or what do they say the right kind of vibe though I imagine he goes by Miles which he evidently did she knocked feeling her breath come faster there was a noise from within which she took as

Invitation and she entered the room prinsley miles was standing behind his desk his body angled towards the window which had evidently been gazing through but his head turned towards her first impression here was a man who was going to to be larger in the future and was only just managing to contain himself

Now he was average height so might be taller if he didn’t slouch but his shoulders were broad enough that he came across as bullish and not someone you’d Force into a corner his hair the color of dirty straw looked like shampoo was a twice weekly luxury and several days

Stubble graced his cheeks and Chin his hands one of which rested on the window frame while the other hung by his side which thumb hooked into a trouser pocket were Bear’s Paws modified for human use and his fingers were thick and blunt but his eyes were what Drew Allison’s

Attention they were gray and calm and watchful and possessed of a certain Grace watchful she repeated underlining the Ridiculousness of that observation wasn’t that what eyes were for but she had the sense that once he saw things they went unforgotten he was recording as much as seeing and she felt herself memorized as

She stood in the doorway Her Image stored in his mind in case she should prove useful later other details his suit was well cut but shiny at the Cuffs his shoes were scuffed an ashtray on his desk contained a single stub on the wall hung a smear glass

Print of a bridge spanning a European river she had the feeling that everything about the man perhaps everything in the room had been constructed could if necessary be dispensed with at a moment’s notice only to have a different man leave the room and walk into a different identity that

Would itself be complete and singular but she didn’t know why she thought that on face value he was just another man still south of 40 brinsley miles not his real name but the one she would know him by you’re out of breath he said and if

It wasn’t quite a growl a little more smoking would see it there there’s a lot of stairs it’s worth it for the view it was difficult to gauge the sincerity of this remark The View much of which he was blocking was concrete and autoban a gray bound Spectrum across

Which at this time of evening dashed red and yellow lights going and coming but perhaps he was reading within it the possibilities of travel point if I may without appreciating the interruption the witness a sense what time of day is this exactly does that matter Sir Winston looks around as if

Mastering his troops it’s a question of detail if we’re to rely on your testimony as being an accurate summary of events we need to be sure that you have sufficient grasp on them there are one or two nods from around on the table including from heads which do not look

Up from the papers in front of them it was late afternoon early evening but there was still activity in the uh station house it didn’t keep normal hours I see there was mostly someone around but people worked as and when they chose it wasn’t unusual for miles

To go back to the office after a night out it doesn’t sound very awes dogs it was how things were done she shifts in her chair different time different place as you say may I continue he waves aily and she does so I’m Alison North she said congratulations I’m supposed to report

To you so report I mean that’s what I will be doing I have haven’t done anything yet no how long have you been here I arrived this afternoon and nothing’s happened yet you’re not doing Berlin properly are you so she told him about the taxi ride from the airport whose driver had

Appeared to be learning his core skill on the job and the apartment she’d been loaned a flat share in the kitsberg district one of the embassy’s support staff an events manager was on compassionate leave her mother having recently died back in barkshire Allison was occupying her bedroom and sharing

The rest of the space with Cruella Cara yes is she a friend of yours mil said and you’re here to keep us on our toes I’m to conduct a compliance study yes he Leed Cruella is the best place to start then word is there’s not much you

Won’t go along with you get enough drink inside her she pretended not to hear that so if you let me know where my offices I’ll start settling in office he gave a low whistle not much more than a rattle between front teeth they’ve spoiled you back at that shiny

New park over here we take what we can get which in your case would be a desk on one of the landings we don’t have a spare chair mind I’ve turn bucket do you I’ll also need a computer and someone to talk me through your network

And assign me a password and all the rest only a bucket might come in handy there’s two lavs and one of them’s constantly blocked someone around here and I’m pointing no fingers someone’s entire need of a whole new diet he was holding a cigarette suddenly

It wasn’t clear where it had come from I blame the street food personally it’s a lot of it about and some people well temptation’s just another name for opportunity right I’d rather you didn’t smoke he smiled apologetically I heard a guy in a bar the other night a woman said that exact

Same thing to him he told her and I’d rather you didn’t menstruate so that makes us even one of his hands was padding around his desktop searching for matches his gaze didn’t leave Allison’s face I thought that was rather rude of myself is this meant to impress me he glanced around deliberately misreading

Her oh there are worse places to work and you know what they say uncluttered desk uncluttered mind I’m not sure they do say that and I meant your manner not your surroundings he found a box of matches and plugg the cigarette into his mouth well pardon me

All the way to [ __ ] back but just to make sure we’re on the same page I’m the one in charge and you’re the visitor right or did I get out of bed the wrong person this morning when he struck the match the head flew off a little blazing Beacon

That landed on the carpet fizzing to itself Allison stepped across and grounded out underfoot burnt spots here and there suggested this wasn’t an unusual occurrence once she looked back at him he was having more success with his second attempt and the smell of Cheap Tobacco drifted across the

Room reaching deep inside herself she brought out the woman who could have been head girl getting out of bed the wrong person would likely be an improvement she said but as it is if this is to be an urable experience for either of us you’re going

To have to behave like a civilized man I’m not only here to make sure the Berlin office has been running according to official protocols and procedures I’m also invited or not your guest which means I expect to be treated with respect and if that bows too high you

Can at least refrain from treating me with contempt do we understand each other he stared for a long while his face partially wreathed in Smoke his cigarette was sighing and then quietly but unmistakably he farted there’d be moments in the years to come and this was information she did

Not share with the panel listening this was a thought she hugged to herself in her secret hours in her shutway life many moments when she’d wish she’d turned then and there and left that office walked back down those NeverEnding stairs and lost herself in the thrumming Berlin

Streets there are so many pivots on which a life spins wheels and wheels within Wheels but instead of embracing any other possible future she said is that your final answer he grinned broadly showing uneven teeth we’re short on staff right now he said that flu bug going around so there’s TK

Space in most offices if you don’t mind emptying the odd drawer the computer guy is called Benny and he’ll see you cleared for Network usage though I gather the system crashes or Burns or does whatever you call it when it’s not working properly about four times a

Week any problems with that and you talk to Benny or whoever’s nearest but you do not under any circumstances discuss it with me Cora’s a stuffed animal Enthusiast who’s been decorated for services to virginity so you needn’t worry about strange faces at The Breakfast Table and I smoke in my office

Whenever I feel like it there’s a petition going around and you’re welcome to sign it but I should warn you that’s what blocked the LA last time welcome to Bing she chose an office on the next floor down a larger and tidier space than miles’s room and found herself sharing

With a woman named CES who was hardly ever there and a constant timid presence known as young Allan that whether this was with reference to another older Alan nobody explained she soon learned to address him in that manner herself he didn’t seem to mind another Interruption it is uh

Brinsley miles I GA he’s still with us I mean not just on the planet and so forth but the actual service yes the question is addressed to Griselda who has no need to consult our iPad he’s still alive yes and still employed by the service and

Will he be gracing us with his testimony though these questions like the former are aimed at giselda rather than at the witness they seem to amuse the latter whose face rearranges itself for the smallest moment into a private smile but that might be a trick of the light that’s the intention yes nobody

Else pays much attention to the exchange it having become clear to all that Sir Winston must make his voice heard at regular intervals perhaps fearing he will cease to exist if he fails to do so or perhaps simply concerned to earn the fee his presence commands for now he is satisfied that he

Too is still on the planet and still audible he mods and when that proves not enough to start the world turning again says quite quite please go on so the witness goes on the sad truth of a spy life is you live the cover this was what Allison

Discovered in Berlin her assigned task was one that needed doing if those around her weren’t to start wondering what she was actually up to so she she had to absorb and understand the processes that kept the Station House running the messages the outcomes the deliveries messages was the in-house

Term for tasks and operations the details of which fell outside her remit but focused on the Fallout from reunification an arc full of former Eastern block agents had joined the Exodus when the Wall came down and some were keen on selling their Wares and others equally keen on hiding theirs

Under bushels though whether this was because they were naturally shy or because Treasures kept under bushels attracted higher prices was the abiding question but one way or the other there was a fire sell still burning and some of the goods on offer were fake and some

Of those kept hidden were fake too which meant hours of intelligence work applied to chasing down rumors and setting traps for ghosts around the Station House the word was that Miles was the man you wanted when ghosts needed trapping miles had been a ghost himself or as good as had

Been a fixture behind the wall when casting Your Shadow upon it offered you good odds on being shot he might look like he’d given up a career as a ticket tout in favor of one selling double glazing but he was the closest the Station House had to an oracle which was

A handy position to be in Allison reflected if other people’s trust was your stock in trade outcomes were what they sounded like the bottom line reached when an operation closed this happened in ours in some cases as long as it took to get the weasel offering you his or her

Birthright good and drunk and weeks and others but sometimes they endured for months or even years toing the paperwork Allison caught glimpes of these Ops like catching sight of a whale out at Sea a sudden view of a broad back rolling over before the creature returned to the

Depth measured in spooky ear such beings were ancient and Mild as she knew was involved in all such operations though his name rarely appeared in the files the assets they centered around were from the Dark Ages those who’d spied for the west from the other side of the wall

And who remained there now it was gone but still required care and consolation not least the cynical might say because walls could be rebuilt and dark times fall again but these were the exceptions the vast majority of the work product involved day to day encounters with minnows whose scraps of information were

Small change straw and never gold to many Loose Ends too many casual asides instead of nailed down certainties David cartright had said leaning over the desk towards her they supposed to be running an outpost of the intelligence service whose brief as the name suggests is to capture Intel Intel

Likely to indicate threats to Her Majesty’s dominions not to around strip bars dishing out Sterling to anyone with dirty pictures of their sister to sell but the operational work of the Station House was the background to her assigned task not its focus she was here as a temporary compliance appointee a

Mission to clean the cogs and strip the gears to verify that paperwork was filed according to Regent Parks approved taxonomy itself undergoing significant overhaul since digitization had taken hold to check that expenses were accounted for in the approved manner that registry was cating and stacking files appropriately with deification

Levels strictly observed the in-house system was graded according to a local joke the clearance levels ran from sausage to schnitzel but nobody minded a bit of local humor provided the grades mirrored those that would apply when the work product was transferred to the park became in the jargon deliveries it was

On this material analyzed and and interpreted by the boys and girls on The Hub that future policy would be based it was then of no little importance cartright’s phrase that the deliveries be sound and I want to hear about the outgoings how much is ending up in the

Pockets of supposed assets whose product is fool’s gold Gib dabs of Gossip it is likely found in local Scandal Rags as in the corridors of whatever Ministry or Barracks they pretend to be attached to I thought all the important Ministries were in Bor but the important Marketplace is

Berin already that soon into her meeting with David cartright Allison’s world had turned upside down she had entered the room a newb one of the park tadpoles a flare for assessment Gathering up history was her speciality she had a talent for spotting recurring patterns and had been tagged by the resident

Moscow gazer as a future star and never d destined for Street work but what cartright was preparing her for by the sound of it was precisely that she was to be parachuted into Berlin to cast her amateur eye over the workings of a service substation why on Earth had this Fallen to

Her and I’m interested in incoming product why they’re making the choices they’re making because they’re supposed to know the difference between phet Steck and dog food you need need me to find this out for you I need someone on the ground who can take bearings you’re supposed to be

Good at that acquiring quite the reputation she tried hard not to blush mostly succeeded besides if I send someone who knows the ropes they’ll be treated like a tax collector nobody likes having their workings checked and all substations start behaving like fortresses sooner or later they know

What it’s like out there and we know so all that’s their Outlook some truth there I won’t deny we can’t we shouldn’t be trying to second guess those doing the groundwork but but that’s what you’re doing after a while it becomes unavoidable making the odd misstep we

All do that we’ve all chanced our arm on a bargain only to get it home and find we’ve been had the designer sweater whose sleeves come off the Lo that spelled wrong we’ve all placed our faith temporarily in snake oil artists Allison who never unknowingly invested in shorty Goods

Nodded but turning down highgrade intelligence offered on the chap that makes a mockery of everything they there to do has that happened for the first time his gaze turned Stony do you think I’d mention it otherwise no I just meant but she hadn’t known what she’d meant so didn’t finish the

Sentence miles isn’t in charge of the whole shebang however much he likes to act like he is he’s the one who knows the streets and he’s done the hard time staring at the wall from the opposite side so he should know what’s what and you want me to observe him

Observe yes I want you to observe him you think he’s turned turned was the word you heard in the movies on TV turned was when you stopped being whoever you were and started being someone else unless it was when you stopped pretending to be someone else and went back to being who you

Were it occurred to her even as she was saying the word that they could have been discussing miles’s sexuality as much as his loyalty if you were going to be turned Berlin was very much the place where this might happen she’d read enough about the city and heard from

Friends for whom it was a club’s Paradise to know that much but cartright said let’s not get ahead of ourselves no I understand you’re there to observe he repeated and the rest as she mentally added later David cartright had a number of things he wanted from her even aside

From the housekeeper’s tasks she’d officially be assigned to the verifying the checking the bookkeeping it’s a regular posting we send someone to work through compliance issues once every couple of years someone from the Fresh intake who’s had time to memorize the protocols and hasn’t yet grown blasé enough to take

Shortcuts over at the Station House they’ll know you for who you are and who I am will be Alison North she thought I’d encourage you to try to win mil’s trust but that’s not an especially likely outcome so I’ll just suggest you try not to

Annoy him too much I suspect he can make life uncomfortable for those he’d sooner not be working alongside this was offered as if it were a late birthday gift something to be valued and apologized for in the same breath but you’ll be fine don’t worry

I’ll be in touch she made her way out of the room but he called again as she opened the door and Miss n yes don’t catch the flu will you I don’t want to have to have this conversation twice it might have been meant as a joke

But somehow wasn’t which brought to mind Rasputin and Rob spear once more a reminder that this twinkly man was hard as Nails a bastard wrapped in benign swaddling and now here in the Station House that Miles was not in charge of the H sh bang was something she had to

Keep reminding herself of the actual housem as he was usually referred to was Robin Bruce and Allison quickly gathered that he was both popular and effective or had been until an affair with the wife of a local dignitary had rendered him first distracted by an erotic Haze and subsequently following its demise

Semi- drunken and cheerful and apt to break into fits of Fury with no apparent cause there were Whispers of smashed coery launched at the walls with no warning there were ominous silences which dragged on all day and there was no sign of a controlling presence though he occasionally put himself together

Long enough to demand that all work product due for dispatch to the park be run past him by the relevant case officers which when this inevitably proved too much for him round about the midm morning Mark led to afternoon’s fractured by Havoc that his staff

Conspired to act as if none of this were happening or at least that it constituted business as usual was one of those realities of office life which Allison took in her stride it would have been normal in London so why not Berlin No for Allison whom 9 months in the park

Had rendered unshockable as far as Tales of marital infidelity went the detail that struck her was local dignitary it had a pre-war air as if the affair had been scripted by Somerset M or out a pinch gram green as for Bruce himself he might have

Fallen out of the pages of one of those author’s novels not so much for his appearance as for the self-pity he radiated Allison’s first encounter with him intended to be a swift sit down over coffee became a grueling morning session in which he was cast in the role of

Interviewer come psychoanalyst A Part which demanded to simulate interest and compassion coffee in the office became a three course lunch most of which he drank and ended in a clumsy pass punctuated by the glass of wine he poured into his lab this did not go unnoticed on their return to the

Station House where Theresa who had th a little but only enough to show Allison that underneath the ice lay permafrost let her know that it’ be nothing personal Char it done DD he he’s in a state that’s all that [ __ ] tore his heart out he does seemed rather

Distracted poor s he’s had his hand up every passing skirt lately put lipstick on a pig and he give it a go she put a sympathetic hand on Allison’s elbow he’s just wanting to prove he’s still in the game it seemed to Allison he was back in the Pavilion but she’d received the

Message loud and clear the Station House boss was not himself and any attraction momentarily felt for the new girl was a symptom nothing more and so the wheels went round and round by her second week in she found herself quite liking young Allen who offered shy advice about eateries and

Shortcuts and the vagaries of the local transport system and was intrigued by Sicily whose duties took her out of the office most days though Allison never worked out why as for Miles he too was mostly off the premises but generally turned up towards the end of the Working

Day or the beginning as he put it of the working evening he’d be more or less freshly turned out and she soon noticed that he shaved every third morning he had a rotation of three suits two dark one of which was subtly striped and the third gray his two ties were bright and

Plain a single note red a neon green and he didn’t welcome comment on either arriving around 6 he’d call for coffee and Allison would hear him talking to whoever delivered it a conversation that was never more than a burbling murmur from her desk on the next flight down but often ended in

Laughter once during that first week she was more or less alone in the building the day staff having departed and the night crew still gathered on the ground floor and she crept up the stairs to his room where a lamp still Shone though he had departed on his night’s Mission an hour

Before the door was half glass the wavy kind and the light through a fuzzy pattern on the corridor wall through the glass she had a distorted view of miles’s domain the desk whose messiness was apparent even through this prism the filing cabinets against one wall their drawers not quite

Closed the newspaper strewn about there was a coat stand in the corner an Overcoat dangling from it like a body hung up to dry she put a hand to the door knob but didn’t turn it it would be locked everyone had a key to their own office

And Theresa kept a master set in in her room on the ground floor from which she could hear noises now Hells goodbyes dispersals her heart was beating like a tin drum she wasn’t cut out for this she felt like she’d just run up those stairs twice rather than crept up than once and

Her body must be leaving clues of its presence here there’d be traces of her sweat and breath staining the air and heed sniffed them out when he reappeared this could happen in the small hour he came and went at will like a cat earlier that day she’d been up here to see them

And his floor had been covered in paperwork not the angry disorganization of a man failing to make sense of anything but the deliberate arrangement of entries from separate files as if miles were attempting to map a path through a labyrinth only he noticed she’d wondered if she ought to offer to

Help it was a form of Labor she was more suited to the creation of a route through chaos then this somewhat half attempt at Hands-On espionage staring through wavy glass at a distorted mess of Clues but he had glared at her nothing personal it was as if she would an unexpected obstacle encountered

During a hike and her heart had thumped badly on her way back down much as it did now whatever the maze he had been constructing it was gone now hacked back into separate pages and shuffled out of sight that same morning she’d missed a phone call that arrived when she was in

The bathroom young Allan had taken it your landlord back in London I mean she had a land lady back in London yes something about needing access to service the boiler could you call him back of course funny young Allan said returning to his work almost like a coded message isn’t

It she called the number her fictitious landlord had left from a box several streets away they were nearer public phones but she had an idea that the Station House might keep tabs on them though how they’d go about this remained an unstructed possibility in her mind how are we getting

On without Carr’s twinkly presence it was easier to hear the Rasputin the r spear his voice was in a hurry and expected results it’s a little chaotic they’ve had the flu here too so it’s all hands on deck yes I’m sure a touch of testiness but what about

Miles I haven’t had the chance to talk to him much talk to him what good would that do he’s hardly likely to tell you anything he keeps his office locked well of course he keeps his he’s a spook he’s not going to leave his door wide open

She was keeping a mental list of the things that Spooks do and Spooks don’t Spooks lock their doors that seemed natural do what you can in the office that’s a priority obviously but she waited knowing what was coming he has a reputation they all do

Here in Berlin did he mean here at the station house or was he talking about Spooks still those who’d been Joe’s and learned to live day to day hand to mouth grabbing what they could along the way for the night life he likes to get out and

About she was going to wait for him to say it in words to use vocabulary and not insinuation go along with him make it an accident make it whatever but watch him listen to him while he’s got his guard down that’s what you need to

Do is that why you picked me for this job sir what because you’re a woman you mean yes but of course it is what kind of business did you think you were getting into I’ll sort it out young Allan asked on her return adding you could have used

The phone here you know but then you’d have known it was a coded message what she hadn’t told David cartrite what she couldn’t have put into words without sounding foolish was that she was beginning to know what miles’s Footprints looked like she could see them in the files she trolled through on

The pretense of verifying that substation protocols were adhered to he mostly went unnamed but there’ be initialed emendations attached to type written records the initials not always his own or not Brinley miles’s but the lettering was similar which were more often offered as observations than as matters of fact

Small bursts of intuition that could turn an operation on its head this interested Allison who knew that intuition was a slippery thing sometimes it was born of a lifetimes experience in Joe country learning the landscape reading tracks on the snowy hillsides or it could be calculated treacherous the

Way a card sharp can read the hand you’re holding because he was the one dealt it but that wasn’t the sort of insight that would be welcomed in a report this time it’s Carl singer who interrupts I’m sorry rather embarrassingly he’s raised a tentative hand as if hoping to attract

A teacher’s attention are we to understand that David cartright who I gather was something of a mover in the shadows an emance gree yes Sir Winston allows his wisdom to fall on the assembled company like a benediction without ever holding the highest office himself he was a close advisor to at

Least three first discs thank you sir Winston there’s something in singer’s manner which Rings not entirely true from the hand raising to the over punctilious way in which he addresses the committee chair so a grand of the park at the very least and now we to understand that he

Mistrusted this Winsley miles thought that he might might be a traitor silence Falls breaking it at last giselda says I think that’s a question for the witness was it m North asks Oh I thought he was addressing a meeting Malcolm Kyle stifles What Might Have Been a cough Miss North says

Cartride knew that Miles had spent time behind the wall that he’d been a Joe which few of those wearing suits at the park had ever been miss Deborah Ford Lodge says a Joe is the agent in the field Allison fixes her with a stare that would level a lesser ego that’s

Right and what cartright said was if miles had decided to fold his tent the wrong way he wanted to know about it she pauses there was a tendency at the time there still is For Those Behind desks at the park to adopt fairly colorful language I think it makes them feel more

Active in the brief silence that follows de for daughter’s pen can be heard scratching across her notebook all right if I go on please do I was talking about miles’s intuition it might have been real enough because just a day or so after cartright instructed me to spend time with miles

Outside the office miles invited me out for the evening but only because she’ we laid him on the stairs it was after 8 and the Station House had adopted that Echo air places of work assume once the day shift has departed she was young enough that this

Made her feel more adult as if she’d been left in charge she’d been working through a stack of expense accounts destined for Regent Park ensuring that each submission was accompanied by receipts and fell under one of the approved headings miles’s sheet showed everything listed on the right hand side

Under a caption she quickly ascertained he’d added himself miscellaneous well that covered the Waterfront here were receipts attached with no indication as to what goods or services they related to and several were little more than sums strolled on scraps of paper some of these were nicely rounded figures others were

Simply gross none of this caused her great surprise and the fact that Robin Bruce had approved the sheet meant that if the park wanted to query any of it it was him they could take it up with the burden of leadership Bruce’s own accounts were neater despite the chaos of his current

Style his receipts amended by hand to indicate their validity petrol it added or dip lunch dips were diplomats lunching them part of his job that when it occurred to her to check the receipt from their own lunch together there it was again dip lunch she was more amused

Than scandalized but none of this was indicative of treachery the only odity she found among Bruce’s accounts was a slip for cash withdrawal us 5,000 from house funds at the top of which was printed in Bruce’s NE capitals basilisk she was still scanning documents for another such reference

When she heard miles’s office door close and the scratching of his key in the lock and cling the nearest folder to her chest she scrambled to make sure she appeared on the staircase as he was descending it was her first sighting of him that day he wore the suit with the

Stripe the green tie the overcoat and a scarf decorated with Dumbo I see you got your scarf back he gave her a strange look what are you War about doesn’t matter could we talk about your expenses claim no only it doesn’t Accord with the official template is that a fact

It splashed some After Shave on in the recent past which almost but didn’t quite mask the odors of tobacco and liquor whiskey she assumed there had been a bottle of whiskey a German brand on top of a filing cabinet in his room that first time she’d been in there its

Level had dropped Glass by glass in the Fortnight since as far as she was aware he wasn’t in the habit of offering it to visitors which meant he’d got through almost a whole bottle by himself inside 2 weeks I need you to fill it out again

Properly you have it with you it was tued against the folder she brought with her so she unpeeled it and handed it to him he glanced at it nodded crumpled it up and tossed it down the stairs Fair adult I hear you had a little adventure with Robin that’s overstating the case well

Jesus it’s gossip and old courtroom testimony you want some advice very much not if the head of house makes a pass at you don’t pour a glass of wine on him either uncross your legs and offer it up for the good of the service or use the bottle and slap him around the

Head she said he poured it over himself miles laughed a sudden sealed bark okay that makes sense Robin’s hand eye coordinations been shot to beats since fra blasen gave him the elbow and I speak as one who stood next to him at a urinal you hungry not since hearing that

He shook his head if you’re going to let the odd course notion put you off your food around this place you lose more weight than you can afford to around this place or just around you I am this place now get your coat I could eat a

[ __ ] I beg your pardon I could eat a horse what’s the matter your ears need syringing offer it up for the good of the service she thought give me a minute she said which was as long as it took him to hail a cab the house three doors along

Was relatively quiet this evening with just a pair of women dressed for the beach adorning its front steps they watched as miles clambered into the taxi leaving Allison to walk around the other side got yourself a real smooth Operator there baby she heard then miles gave the driver instruction she didn’t catch and

They were on the move one of the women waving them off with the hand not touching a parasol sometimes life happened like this one moment you had a plan your evening mapped out in increments the next you were been taken you didn’t know where but if she was expecting a tour

Guide she was disappointed because other than a rapid Exchange in German with the driver Miles said nothing as the car plowed through streets That Grew lighter and and broader past any number of restaurants that looked like they’d do the job and then narrower and darker

Again as if the journey was some kind of parable restaurants gave way to takeaways and Corner shops and boarded over premises that might once have been either from some boarded over Windows slivers of light extruded glinting off the rows of motorbikes parked outside garages and tattoo parlors a shop with a

Giant inflatable parrot in the window posters peeled from most available surfaces a mixture of pop and politics when the cab came to a halt it didn’t seem to Allison that they’d arrived anywhere miles produced banknotes he didn’t lounce at and passed them to the driver in return he received

What looked like half a dozen receipts once on the pavement he stood motionless until the taxi was out of sight you bring me to the nicest places she thought got yourself a real SME operator there there was a row of shops ahead four of them each specializing in sexual

Novelties or that was how she interpreted the slogans plastered to their windows but the Novelties on display wouldn’t have struck a Victorian as Innovative the Shar front manakins attired in faux leather lery which was almost certainly not as cheap as it looked a blow up doll its mouth an

Astonished o had slumped against one window and Allison wouldn’t have been surprised to hear it complain of a headache the backdrop was a montage of naked women in the throws of ecstasy no men inside on the pavement a group had gathered smoking joylessly as miles led her past she felt their gazes brush

Against her without lingering long I should be made of plastic she thought or imitation leather anything but real real was a turnoff the early evening had shaken off the working day it was darker and colder than when they had climbed into the taxi she resisted the temptation to

Shrink further inside her coat it would have looked like she was trying to hide beyond the four SE shops was an amusement arcade though any amusement it broker was as genuine as the Ecstasy on Offa its soundtrack was Lou Reed Serena in New York not Berlin and the tune

Lingered in the air for 20 yards as it faded miles stopped at an open doorway it said recesses obscured by a bead curtain that wouldn’t have looked out of place in the 1970s kitchen the man outside was obviously a bouncer black jeans black T-shirt black jacket black

Hat and greeted miles like an old friend but without using his name when miles pushed through the curtain its rattling noise triggered a distant memory she couldn’t pin down on the other side a flight of stairs descended the light was dim the walls red and the stairs uncovered carpeted short of a sign

Suggesting they abandon all hope it couldn’t have been less welcoming so she felt little surprise that behind the heavy wooden door at the foot of the stairs a strip club waited or a club in which stripping was taking place though nobody seemed interested a bar took up

Most of one wall and a red sticky carpet most of the floor M had stuffed his Dumbo scarf into a pocket and Shrugged his coat into the waiting arms of a young woman wearing a flesh colored leotard without glancing behind him he Then followed another similarly clad to a table against the

Far wall with little obvious choice she did the same the room wasn’t full but it was Fuller than it had a right to be given the time of day and the day of the week Addison this might have been a Puritan streak rising to the surface had the notion that strip gloves prospered

Only once the working day had been drowned in drink here the atmosphere seemed almost preprandial meanwhile a skinny girl in her teens worked her way out of some complicated underwear I’ll have a whiskey Miles said sluming into a chair with his back to the wall a professional habit Allison

Guessed somewhere he could stay alert to the room though also the best view available of the stage large whatever’s cheapest no ice they were both looking at her EXP expectantly she asked him do they do wine take a wild guess red then she turned to the woman

In the leotard a glass of red wine please mes loosened his tie and turned his attention to the skinny girl now all but naked gting to Tainted Love to Allison it seemed not so much erotic as an illustration of a desperate life choice or the absence of

Choice did we have to come here yes why because if we were in Paris we’d go to a restaurant and if we were in Amsterdam we’d go to a brothel or an art gallery she said it’s possible one of us might he conceded around them conversation

Bubbled like eggs in a pan she was far from the only woman in the room even apart from those who obviously worked here some of whom were leaning against the bar chatting with customers even clothed she could see there were strippers because the clothes they were wearing

Would have made her feel naked she hated feeling this hated what it said about her she wasn’t uptight wasn’t approved would she have liked to know that these women felt good about their lives miles lit a cigarette she hadn’t noticed him unpacking from a box there was an

Ashtray in front of him but he tossed the used match over his shoulder anyway as if in deference to local Superstition it hit the wall and dropped to the floor She stared did you want a cigarette no then shut up this is where we’re having dinner the food’s surprisingly good I’d

Be surprised if it’s actually food but at least the drinks which arrived that moment were real miles picked his up and she thought he was about to offer toast not sure it would be the one she’d go along with she let her glass sit on the table but all he

Was doing it turned out was admiring his alcohol by the lights spat out overhead a glittering disco ball slowly rotating rearranging the colors in the air he said so how’s the what are we calling it your visitation your examination visitation how’s it going she said it’s going please Your

Enthusiasm is giving me the bends it’s ploud work that’s all working my way through your protocols messages outcomes deliveries deliveries expense claims too that’s going to the heart of the matter you know what it’s like at the park they keep a tight hold on the purse strings is your first foreign holiday

Well it’s not EX exactly a spook speak anything that takes you away from your desk is a holiday oh right yes how long are you in the job anyway a year 18 months more like 10 sweet Jesus I came in the top quarter of my intake they should drop the bottom three

Qus just to keep standards up which would put you way down there in a Dan’s cap thanks for the support he Shrugged modestly and tasted his drink Allison tried hers too it was fne it was very ordinary so what earned you the dream posting it’s a regular thing she told

Him reminded him you should know about this he’d been an agent long enough and they always sent a newbie part of the training yeah see that’s what’s puzzling me I’ve never been in house while an audit’s been done on account of I’ve had real jobs to do which keep me out of the

Way risking life and limb for her M that sort of thing fair enough she’s clocking on can’t be expected to do it herself but from what I’ve heard when they’re going over the books they send a heavy team in not a fledgling because if they do find anything dodgy someone needs

Leaning on that’s something you’re good at Ellison North it was a hint of mockery in his use of the name leaning on people we won’t know until I’ve tried it she said princely miles he laughed and returned his gaze to the dancer to Allison’s eyes he didn’t seem remotely

Aroused or even much interested in the emerging nudity or the method by which it was achieved he might have been watching someone waiting for a bus without being invested in whether it turned up or not she said and whatever you’ve heard you heard wrong it’s standard to Ubi David cwright told me that

Himself his eyes remained fixed on the dancer but something inside him shifted the old bastard did he really he weren’t alone anymore the newcomer had arrived so quietly so unobtrusively it startled her hello miles he said only he didn’t say miles he used another name he was a

Short thin man with dark hair trained back across his head so closely it looked like a plastic mold his eyes were Twitchy and His Hands might have been too but they were jammed into his trouser Pockets those trousers had seen better days so had the jacket she formed

The impression they’d been bought off the peg by somebody else he was smiling and his teeth were small and sharp and gray none of these details seemed to matter to Miles who continued staring at the stage even though it was vacant now its recent occupant having completed her

Task and retreated into the Shadows behind not going to introduce me to your new friend his voice was readyy and insecure picky bow Miles said in a flat voice Alison North Allison Dicky B Allison’s a visiting fireman aren’t you Allison she’s here to make sure there aren’t any Cinders about to burst into

Flames and Dio is a resident what shall we call you Dicky I want to say rat catcher except you’re not so much a catcher as a rat when you get down to it all this without looking Dicky’s way he’s having a laugh Miss aren’t you miles sorry about that slip names are

Tricky things when they change on you everything’s tricky to the constantly challenged and you’ll know when I’m having a laugh Dicky you’ll know because I’ll be laughing his face saying this was set like concrete he could as easily imagine an Easter Island statue having the giggles Dicky said to Allison you’re new

In town I can tell you can tell because I’ve just told you said my that’s what visiting means I’d know anyway Dio’s voice had the artificial ment of a confirmed Bachelor addressing an infant people new to Berlin they have this daed air to them I wasn’t aware I looked dazed well no

Dazed that’s overstating it you have this fresh look that’s all puts the rest of us to shame miles finished his drink and looked at Dicky for the first time flattery how far do you think that’s going to get you bear in mind we’re in a strip club just trying to be nice yeah

Well forget being nice and stick to what you’re good at Dicky which is making sure nobody notices you he placed his Empty Glass on the table and raised a hand for the waitress that very much includes me I will I will I am only and here Dicky retrieved his fingers from

His pocket and pushed them through his slick black hair like a rat in a cartoon if you could sub me for a couple of nights I just need to get my ducks in a row know what I mean there’s something stirring in the undergrowth miles just

The sort of thing you like to hear about about I’ve heard this song before I definitely remember the refrain it goes give me all your money while I take a dump in your hat because last time you came to me with a Golden Goose that’s what I remember ending up covered in not

Glory just [ __ ] from the head down not like last time swear to God my hand on your heart miles if you think I’m letting your hand anywhere near my vital orens youve another think coming old son same again this to the waitress newly arrived at their table Allison

Hadn’t finished her wine yet had barely started it nothing for me thanks Dicky had settled into the spare seed and I’ll have he’ll have a long hard look at himself mil said and then when the waitress frowned spoke a few sentences in German she Shrugged collected his Empty Glass and returned

To the bar he went on and another thing last time we got up close and personal I remember a certain property being mentioned on sale for a certain price only when further inquiries were made it turned out the price had skyrocketed on account of the seller having become aware of my

Interest which is what it always comes down to with you doesn’t it Dicky always pulling the old onew Shuffle and instead of being right in front of me you’re behind me with something large and pointy in your hand do feel free to contradict at any point miles miles pantomimed someone finding a

Handle poking out of their back almost as if the favor you were doing was for somebody else entirely it was a misunderstanding that’s all miles stared at him with no visible expression he might have been examining a light bulb trying to work out by appearance only where whether it still

Worked I’m not carrying water for anyone else sure you’re not I mean we are friends right Dicky Dicky Dicky miles reached across and laid his hand on Dicky’s forearm giving him what was probably a mild fraternal squeeze the look on his companion’s face Mor from beseeching to anxious we can enjoy the occasional

Drink we can share the occasional story money might even change hands time to time but we can never be truly friends you understand why because that’s how it goes on spook Street no because I can’t stand the side of you now [ __ ] off Dicky and Dicky what

Stay [ __ ] off when miles released his arm and Tio rubbed it before standing up he nodded at Allison very nice to meet you Miss North Allison wasn’t sure of the etiquette but Dicky seemed familiar enough with it slipping through the crowd and Vanishing before reaching the

Door again she had that image of a rat in her mind they could vanish too the moment you took her eye off them which made it difficult to know whether it was preferable to be looking at a Rad or not to be able to see one miles with an air of unconcern which

Didn’t seem Fain was in the room his fresh drink sat on the palm of his right hand as if he were weighing it you weren’t very nice to him no what gave me away telling him to [ __ ] off or saying I couldn’t stand the sight of

Him you seem to know each other well enough you could have told him he was a friend friends are just strangers you haven’t pissed off yet that’s not as clever as you think it is I doubt even Dicky B’s as clever as as I think he is and I think he’s a [ __ ]

[ __ ] you swear too much she regretted the words as soon as they were out of her mouth the oral equivalent of sticking her head over the pared but she simply grinned and took a first taste from the glass in his hand Allison said what did he mean

Anyway that he wasn’t carrying water for anyone else he meant he doesn’t sell gossip to anyone but me but was lying Dicky B would carry water for whoever asked provided they had the price of a shot of rum or an Alka Seltzer depending on the time of

Day he can’t be all bad or you’d have jened him long ago he’s good at following people mil said I’ll give him that otherwise he’s a [ __ ] up he weighed his glass again and fuckups are dangerous if I had my way they’d have a department all to themselves keep them off the

Streets while you make sure the strip clubs are safe someone’s got to do it and what else do you do listen to people like Dicky B and give them money for the stories they tell it’s most of what I do yes what did you think that it was all Tuxedos and Aston

Martins they call Berlin the Spooks Zoo you know that right what happens in a zoo is the animals get fed you shouldn’t lose sight of that and who feeds you is that what gright sent you here to find out no you’re going to have to learn to

Lie better than that and something else you’re going to have to learn what with a swiftness that almost amounted to Conjuring the glass that had been on his palm was Suddenly at his mouth was suddenly empty how to make your expenses CLS seem both plausible and necessary

He raised The Empty Glass and their were just appeared as if part of the same magic trick miles made the universal gesture for another round I still haven’t finished mine we add that to your list of things that need work oh and here he was stuffing something into her hand you’ll need

These a bunch of receipts crumpled into a single Bowl in the meeting room more or less silence that prevails when a group of people are listening to an individual speak is starting to strain at the seams Shireen manso has a persistent dry cough never shaken off after a bout of covid

The Omicron variant she insists on specifying as if this were an upmarket brand more in keeping with her status while guy fielding and John Moore not the most attentive of the company at the best of times both seem occupied with other matters a surreptitious game of Sudoku in one case and an ongoing

Struggle not to fart in the other the amount of note taking Deborah for Dodge is engaging in suggests she may be multitasking listening to Allison North with one part of her brain and achieving her daily word count with the other and Sir Winston having laid down a marker with his earlier Interruption thus

Establishing that he is awake and paying attention is quite possibly no longer awake and almost certainly not paying attention only Carl singer seems fully on message studying Miss North as she delves into her Memories the furrowing of his brow indicating that he is sharing her journey of pH he would no

Doubt employ if the need arose as for grisela Fleet and Malcolm Kyle their status of civil servants puts Beyond question their Devotion to the proceedings and their concentration is as total as it is unobtrusive nevertheless Miss fleed part of whose occupation it is to attend to

The needs of the panel is not unaware of the general drift taking place and feels it important not to allow this to go too far as it risks testimony slipping by without being given due weight she therefore decides that now would be a good moment to call a 20-minute recess

To allow bathroom needs to be satisfied and cups of tea or coffee taken Mr Kyle if his commitment to the monocrom inquiry might be questionable is never less than punctilious when it comes to refreshment bregs and has Kettle and biscuits organized before the assembled company has risen and stretched and

Straped chairs back under tables there is the memor of ftic conversation it being the convention that discussion of testimony is frowned upon during breaks especially those at which the deposing witness remains present Mr Kyle opens the window and fresh City Air breezes into the room while the panelists collect their favorite

Cups but Allison North remains at the table in the center of the room Mr Kyle approaches and asks if she needs anything she does a cup of coffee but she makes no move from her allotted position leaving it to him to fetch her drink and carry it back as he places it

On the table within her reach she Ms a thank you but this is clearly an automatic response and might have been triggered by the new Air now circulating he backs away a little unnerved by her preoccupation and her coffee sits untouched while Allison herself remains inside the memories she has awakened a

Narrative continuing unheard by the company a private recollection long locked away in a corner of her mind after that first night there were others she didn’t recall what they’d eaten if they even had but remember drinking more than she was used to which was a drop in miles’s ocean that he’d

Managed to make the bottle in his office last nearly a for I now seemed worthy of comment though a comment she kept to herself as to whether she’d enjoyed herself or miles’s company that wasn’t relevant tried to win miles’s trust cartright’s words to which Allison’s footnote was and how better than to

Watch him drink he seemed to want an audience at least some of the time because every other evening or so he’d appear at her office door as she was getting ready to leave buy you a drink it wasn’t a question or even a generous offer given that he expected to be

Bought drinks at least as much as he bought them at the end of the evening he’d present her with the receipts he’d collected some of which related to rounds she’d paid for it was a game she thought he didn’t care about the money he just wanted to be on the right side

Of any hustle going and she wondered whether that was part of the drive that had sent him over the wall as a Joe or something he brought back with him when his undercover life cracked apart at the same time she wondered whether that undercover life had ever really been

Abandoned miles was as open and relaxed as an iceberg that she couldn’t be sure whether the submerged majority was frozen solid or fiercely burning only once did she think she caught a genuine reaction from him when the three of them because they were a trio by then found

Themselves in a club with a band in the corner violin upright Bas and drums Otis had been telling her about how the Young of the East many of them saw reunification as occupation with established operators from the West Cruising Into sought after jobs in universities businesses even the police

Force making themselves unpopular in the process which meant there wasn’t a lot of cooperation going on with the new boss class and when you applied that equation to law enforcement it allowed a certain leeway to the criminal element drug dealing was enjoying a Heyday and hadn’t exactly been been in the doldrums

Beforehand Otis was capable of remaining in lecture mode indefinitely but he’d not got much further than that when they noticed miles was paying even less attention than usual was focused instead on the band after waiting a beat to see if the spell would break itself otus said nice

Tune miles grunted you want me to find out what it is no what I want is for you to stop banging on like a social studies broadcast and order some drinks I’ve known t total is quicker to the bar pus had had a word with the basist regardless and told Allison later that

The tune was called Sleep safe and warm I never thought our miles had a musical Soul his name wasn’t really Otis of course but that was the name plastered on the folder it would ultimately capture these events at the time they called him rutka though that wasn’t his name either sometimes it

Could be difficult to keep up with all the pretend grisela fleet has reassembled the weapons of her trade iPad notebook tin of mints reading glasses pencil because she’s always preferred pencils depends and who cares what this says about her self-confidence and is ready to restart the session just as soon as the chatter

Has died down this can take a while and she is usually reluctant to call the panel to being conscious that the majority of the witness testimonies they have been listening to lately have been well tedious interminable Tales of accounting errors epic narratives of withheld identities but today is different Alison

North has a story to tell and though all present having had access to the folder that person or person’s unknown slipped into Malcolm’s shopping trolley know the Bare Bones of her taale and cannot fail to be painfully aware of its outcome the details she is offering put Flesh on her

Skeleton it is Ain grela decides to viewing the artist’s model rather than a mere sketch and the artist model deserves consideration a clearing of her throat suffices to alert the panel members that their attention is now required and all but Sir Winston break off their audible

Musings his focus is the weather and his uncanny ability to gauge its d eral fluctuations a more than useful gift when one is planning one’s outerwear before leaving home for the station he pauses for effect or perhaps a smattering of Applause and Griselda ceases the day and now we should resume

Miss North are you ready Miss North is ready you’ve described an evening spent with brinsley Miles I believe it was on a similar evening that you first encountered the man referred to in the repor is Otis is that correct it is correct and Otis Gela notes is another work name

Yes no it boils down to this an agent has a work name and will of course be absolutely aware of what that name is an asset however or a Target or even an innocent unwittingly involved in a service operation will have a code name of which they are entire ignorant and

Which will never be used in their presence but you’re going to be calling him Otis throughout again it is Mr singer who requires clarification doesn’t that mean that your recollection can’t be viewed as being entirely reliable I mean that is to say that it won’t be wholly

Accurate oh it will be accurate Miss North submits it just won’t be entirely true I not sure I follow well I may have got that the wrong way around she pauses and seems for a moment to be about to dissolve back into her Breaktime Rivery and forget about those attending on her

Words but she holds herself back from whatever Brink she was approaching the names are the least important part of it I mean I’m not the same woman I was then myself whatever name you call me by the panel digest this in silence or at any rate Gisela does she cannot speak

For the mental workings of her companions Miss North appears to be waiting grisela says tell us about otus please tell us about otus and for some reason the day of the aborted picnic is the first occasion that comes to mind ridiculously enough given what else occurred in his

Company but perhaps it was the car that triggered this reflex a pearl white 1969 Chevrolet Camaro convertible with a red interior which made Allison feel like she was in Greece you’re kidding had been her reaction when the pair arrived at her apartment building on her fourth Saturday morning in the city sounding

The horn until she appeared at her window where did you steal this from a rock and roll song O’s pretended offense it’s a design classic not a teenager’s play thing well you’re certainly not teenagers Allison agreed it was El’s car it turned out he had bought it he

Explained from an under secretary at CL Ali the yank Embassy miles interpreted sprawling across the back seat like a Roman emperor in his Chariot not that I’d encourage you to mix with that crowd Ottis said you know why they call diplomats dips because it short for because they’re all

Pickpockets steal your name Nick your boyfriend rob you blind now you want to watch out for the embassy lot in case they sell you a car mostly said miles where are we going Alison asked the gr of an said ortis you love it a lake to the southwest of the city

She read about it in an inflight magazine a picnic she said of course she turned to miles you packed a picnic I brought a bottle food a rug glasses they’ll probably be a kebab fan otus was wearing a pink jacket and cream colored trousers putting Allison

In mind of an ice cream sunday miles wore one of his regular suits recently enhanced by a fresh stain on the lapel when he’d evidently attempted to wipe away with a damp cloth spreading whatever it was over a slightly larger area his green tie was knotted an inch

Lower than usual to Mark the weekend you’re not exactly dressed the part she told him I had a leather jacket once he said made me look like Van Morrison Well that’s not so now like Van Morrison looks like now oh I’m sorry Otis was the driver she’d have expected borderline oblivious to other

Road users but prone to over notice pedestrians to whom he would offer relationship advice or style guidance that young man there the girl he was with it wouldn’t last 10 minutes he was her starter boyfriend you could tell by the stiff arm around her shoulders not so much seeking contact as claiming

Territory despair though the two women just the way they were walking down the street should be taught in schools otus used both hands to express his admiration Allison used one of hers to force them back onto the steering wheel unabashed he segued straight from the women’s statement lipstick to Allison’s

Own unadorned features you don’t wear much makeup do you oh I wear it usually when I feel like hiding you don’t feel like hiding today the way you’re driving I feel like entering a nunnery m said we’ll probably pass one we’re passing everywhere else cig have you seen the brunenberg

Gate yet I haven’t seen anything she said I’ve been working she wasn’t to see the gr of Van that day either because machine gun fire ripped the day apart before another word was spoken an onslaught causing Allison to shriek a notice to swear and Myers to react in no

Way at all and the car to swer wildly across the road while horns blared and brakes salled beneath that was a sound like the sea going out and then a thump which was the car hitting the curb andalis insides leaped inside her the car making choking noises while as she

Learned afterwards once her senses had Dred themselves back into place a black cloud rose up behind it keeping its shape far longer than seemed plausible it brought to mind the cartoon spook painted on the Station House door though this one was grinning a hand was placed on her knee I you

Okay I thought she thought it was gardenfire Miles said I think my heart stopped just a little engine trouble Otis said it does this and you didn’t think to warn me but Otis was dismissing Automotive failure with a breezy hand this is not a problem this is exactly

What happens most of the time just needs a little TCL a snort from Miles you need to get your Tas in the rfo treelet acronym Allison explained when Otis raised an eyebrow her heart was beating again no mistake about it was making a break for Freedom she folded an arm across her

Chest and uh right flipping order where was it you’re from again Regent Park or Pole’s wood passing traffic indicated the usual levels of concern directed to those whose cars don’t work by those do the Camaro had at least reached the side of the road or the front of it had the rear

Was jutting out causing something of an obstruction come for a drive miles quoted let’s take your little friend for a spin he lit a cigarette oblivious to or in defiance of the smell of Petrol in the air I might have known a JT with you would have all the Dignity of a sidecar

Funeral why not entertain the lady otus suggested while I deal with the practicalities he dropped his jacket onto the seat and rolled his shirt sleeves up as he went round to the front of the car ignoring a jeer from a passing Volkswagen there’s an idea Allison said

Her voice shaky a tap dance card tricks I heard a joke the other day is it offensive only if you’re French I don’t want to hear it and disabled maybe if Fe maale I definitely don’t want to hear it report it back to cartright yet the change of gear so slick she nearly

Gave an honest response which was presumably the point I he’s not in my line of report he’s he’s he wouldn’t even know who I was his eyes were closed again but she couldn’t help feeling that he was studying her closely nevertheless but you’ve encountered him it wasn’t a question which he felt

Compelled to respond well yes obviously I mean he’s around the park a lot which he wasn’t but miles wasn’t to know that and she needed a reason in case more information SLI out why she might be familiar with that sleeveless pullover or the glasses he wore on a chain around his

Neck I’ve heard he’s a grandpa now said miles for a moment she chewed this over as if contemplating all the Futures that might have wait David cartright’s grandson then pity the poor kid I think that might be it otus said still bent over the motor with a bonnet

Up or Hood rather an American car it was probably a hood try the ignition Allison she shuffled into the driver’s seat and turned the key nothing happened not entirely the response I was hoping for o is admitted there’s a bar over there m said without indicating any particular

Direction but then there was always a bar over there or if not over there over here anytime she was with miles outside the Station House and anytime otus arrived there’d be a bow sooner or later still she often thought of him as he’d looked that day standing ight in front

Of the crocked car in his shirt sleeves grinning despite the spanner in the morning’s works it wasn’t the first time they’d met of course but memory has a way of choosing its touch tones and there was little point in arguing without now a man of substance the phrase went

And it was to do with materiality with worldly Goods a man of substance was landed and housed Allison didn’t know then whether Otis was either of those but he was substantial first glance told her that much not fat but big and loaded with the ability to Swagger even then

She could tell this was a quality which wouldn’t abandon him if he were homeless he’d have the same lordly Carriage pushing a trolley down the street piled with his only possessions Shaggy blonde and big child he wore two days of stubble as if it were a fashion statement rather than neglect and his

Eyes were the kind of blue you got in books eyes that were piercing or possibly cold though that couldn’t be right because Otis himself came over as warm a person you’d want to be standing next to in a bus shelter on a snowy night positively burning with something

Call it energy call it a luminous capacity for friendship he was the sort of man you expected to find on spook Street one who’d spend all night swapping stories and drinking you under the table and in the morning carry you off to a small Cafe only he knew about where they

Poured you a breakfast that set the world to rights a myth in other words Otis wasn’t a man he was a legend she had evidently had too much to drink her mind was in the wrong gear spreding along streets without pausing at Junctions reaching a destination she hadn’t known she was headed

For she’d met him a few hours previously it might have been the fourth occasion she’d spent the evening with Miles might have been the fifth but she was pretty certain it was the one she’d asked him why he valued her company as with some other questions she’d

Voiced this puzzled him what makes you think I do that she indicated their surroundings another club this one without strippers at least or without strippers who were on the clock no shortage of female forms though she noticed if you wanted to be somewhere with a high proportion of

Women you had to come to a club like this on the streets men outnumbered women 5 to one perhaps it was the way they dressed that put put women off Allison hadn’t seen so much paramilitary gear and short backs and sides since watching footage of a skinhead

Rally the Techno clubs where the young men flogged must be like indoor battlefields at least the clubs miles favored had seating and table service and the music was a background Lil not an oral assault you keep bringing me to beautiful places everyone else has FLW that was a slap in the face there

Was two or near enough it was presumably the same strain that had laid waste to London and even Theresa had succumbed after some days struggling in like the Marty she wanted you to think she was instead of the idiot she was being so Allison was currently sharing her office

With nobody young Allan being on his second day of absence and sesily well it was hard to tell with cesal but Allison had only a vague recollection of what she looked like the flu this is why I was sent to Berlin and it’s why miles has taken me under

His wing don’t tell me if germ warfare’s ever declared that the germs won’t win such were her thoughts when otus stroe into shot her first impression being that here was a man occupying that hazy ground somewhere between an oak tree and the captain of a pirate

Ship when Dicky B had sidled up without warning miles had reacted by taking Hot Shots at him his indifference as to whether or not they struck home making the encounter all the more excruciating but when Otis arrived bearing a common deer tray champagne so the label claimed and two glasses plus a

Shot of the bar’s cheapest Scotch no ice thus confirming his credentials as miles as familiar miles went so far as to Grant a welcome or at least refrain from granting a dismissal by this time Allison was starting to learn the code book she couldn’t have put his feelings

Into words but was able to eliminate certain possibilities murderous rage overweening Joy sir Madam the finest bubbled Elixir this hostelry has to offer plus some awful piss in a short L for the loud with a comedy tie his voice was grally and the accent reasonably local but the vocabulary was a

Surprise not de miles the sign on the door mentioned as strict entrance policy no barbarians I slipped at ugs on guard Judy your sister’s phone number placing the tray on the table he stage whispered to Allison are you here of your own free will say the word Isis caugh you to

Safety that’s useful thanks I’m Otis by the way this monster hasn’t the manners of a zubr warhog though he does have the looks and the charm as you’ve doubtless discovered already Allison Allison North very glad to meet you Allison North are you one of his spook crew that gave her pause is

There anyone in Berlin who doesn’t know what you are she asked miles well I thought the couple next table along was still in the dark he said Sly but that cat’s out the bag yes you’re right guard said otus sliding the whiskey across the table m courted before it achieved liftoff and

Raised it in ironic salute Otis ignored this being busy pouring Allison a glass of the Fizz while raising the now empty tray high with his free hand a waitress materialized would you mind thank you so much I’m just passing through Allison said how do you know miles about as well

As anyone can he overdo The Man of Mystery don’t you find even allowing for the needs of of the job I’m an open book said miles you know that but a lot of your pages have fallen out said Otis anyway shut up Alison is going to talk to me how are you finding

Berin Allison it’s different I’m sure you’re right if it was the same we’d have abandoned it years ago his face crumpled into what she would come to recognize as his habitually self-mocking expression it was a carrier bag of her face she’ decided since sometimes it was empty

Waiting to be filled at other times it bulged here and there never in the same place twice alcohol probably played a part in this drugs too perhaps and it didn’t detract from his looks strangely provided you were okay with the well-traveled heavy baggage type who put up with all the [ __ ] if

It’s just ordinary [ __ ] okay then it smells different that’ll be the beer and sausages she rolled her eyes no I apologize you’re right he put a finger in his mouth and held it up as if testing the air the winds blowing in from the East tonight what you’re smelling is

Cold from factories car exhaust judr cars that’s what they mostly run on bad and beer and sausages said miles forgive him said Ottis he thinks it’s funny to make inappropriate comments when I need a lesson in the use of appropriate language mil said I’ll not be looking for it from a slack George

Squid otus leaned across the table and tapped the glass against M’s then against Allison’s to her he said fasten your seat belt it’s going to be a bumpy night tell me more about Berlin oh God said miles Berlin said Ottis ignoring him you have to understand that for years bin

Was a city unlike any other in the world more than a city it was like some giant car crash where everyone stops to look at the damage and a bottle gets passed around and before you know it there’s a party underway right here at the accident side where the Flames haven’t

Even died down yet you sound dangerously like a poet dangerous is what poets ought to be dangerous and drunk please you haven’t damaged your L yet which he meant metaphorically though it could have gone either way slightly entranced and aware that she was slightly entranced Allison raised her

Glass to her lips she wasn’t sure it was real champagne the bubbles were authentic though and danced on her tongue waking It Up Above All Berlin is a liberal City you can’t enjoy yourself in Berlin if you don’t have a liberal Soul miles groaned otus ignored him and liberalism

Is always aided by a little compulsion don’t you find it’s best to be tolerant when you’re outnumbered and everywhere interesting in the city you’re outnumbered by punks and hippies and quers case said andison gay people what they prefer to be called Gay queer queer is a horrible

Term well it’s what the ones I know call themselves but tell you what I’ll introduce you to a few you can explain to them what they like to be called before she had time to take offense he was topping up at L here a peculiarity of the local champagne once opened it

Must be drunk inside 30 minutes or it falls flatter than uh then uh he turned to Miles tell tell me something flat your conversation Allison said if it’s local then it can’t actually be he roared drowning out her objection Otis occupied a chair she thought the way a duve might

And his attention seemed split three ways between her the room and miles but mostly miles she had the sense that even when he wasn’t watching miles he was observing him as if miles left un tended might turn nasty Otis was offering another toast while simultaneously summoning the

Waitress who when she arrived bought a tray with another glass of whiskey standing order otus explained then said to Allison a short history lesson very short because the more time things take the less drinking gets done here in the West in West Germany there was conscription but not in Berlin because

Berlin already had so many soldiers that adding more into the mix especially native German ones well he lowered his glass and clasped His Hands Together briefly then made them explode in a hubub of waggling fingers it would have been a recipe for excitement Mars grunted he seemed to be

Part enjoying Otis’s Assumption of the Limelight part scornful of the theatricality involved you have to bear in mind while listening to this man he warned Allison that his 2/3 [ __ ] to every oneir bollocks and yet each word is Crystal true Otis went on no conscription in Berlin so it became something of a

Canada something of a Canada for West German Youth of the non-military mindset do you take that meaning the way American Kids headed for the border to evade the draft said Allison but I’m not entirely exactly and of course along with the anti-military mindset come certain other values Anarchy and dop said miles oh

Sorry did I tread on your punchline Otis ignored him he was focused on Allison now as if this lecture were a form of Seduction anarchists and dead heads yes and artists of every kind from piss to postapocalyptic and musicians most of them making very loud noise with very

Little Harmony and most of the men of course this is one of the upsides you’re going to find to being here there are an awful lot of single men in Berlin what makes you think I’m looking for a man I don’t mean to imply you’re looking for

One just that it’s difficult not to find one unless you really try miles snorted Alison decided to bypass the topic of the Romantic quest in which she was not engaged I haven’t actually seen that much of the place I haven’t had a lot of free time well we shall have to put that

Right she half expected miles to put up a roadblock here and point out that Allison’s time was his and his alone to allocate and you love it that’s axiomatic am I using that word correctly do I look like I care miles asked he’s old sweetness and Shi isn’t he I heard

Him say that once Otis clinked his glass against hers once more you love it he repeated because the best thing about Berlin is if you don’t love it just wait 24 hours it’ll reinvent itself that must keep the tourist board busy yeah I’m mostly occupied spreading the word about the coming

Recovery even in the hubub she could hear the inverted commas around that word 10 years from now 20 billion will be the financial capital of Germany maybe of all Europe but you don’t think so no he paused yes I don’t know maybe but Berlin has a habit of avoiding its obvious Destiny so

Maybe this is what it will always be a city of dreamers and dope smokers she said and anarchists and neon Nazis he gave it a sideways look not all dreams are happy ones did you go after here what do you think I think she said carefully you’ve

Been here long enough to pass as a native that would be my wide-eyed idealism showing through no she said I think it’s more the dangerous poet [ __ ] me sideways miles put in his tone more than usually disgruntled if I have to listen to you two falling in love I

Might just puke all over the table Otis laughed but Allison echoed miles’s disgruntlement with a little of her own love at first sight she wasn’t going to fall in love with Otis that wasn’t what she was in Berlin for at all and now Sir Winston stirs uneasily

And Barks or she thinks he does and then she unscrambles the last few moments and his noise becomes is all this detail required she pays the courtesy of considering the question no she says at last I don’t suppose it is well then but I’m not doing this for your benefit I’m doing it

For mine so if you want to hear anything you’re going to hear all of it that’s not how this inquiry works I won’t pretend to be on the inside track when it comes to whiteall gossip Allison says but even I’ve heard that this inquiry doesn’t work at all

A screw up start to finish is one of the Kinder assessments so given I’m the only witness with anything to say that you couldn’t find on Twitter might it not be best to just let me get on with it too surprised to do anything but raise his tattered eyebrows Sir Winston allows her

To do just that so Otis became a fixture though she afterwards puzzled that he hadn’t done so sooner for it quickly became evident that he and my were Companions of long standing who knew each other the way card chops know the deck each could read the other by studying the back of his

Hand she also realized that the clubs they now frequented were not those miles had taken her to before she first met Otis so had miles deliberately been keeping them apart if so why and why the current change of heart but it wasn’t simply more often than not that Otis was

With them it was 10 times out of 10 and sometimes felt like a Le given the height and width of his presence and the fact too that they sometimes encountered each other outside of miles’s company one lunchtime a few days after they first met he was waiting outside

The Station House when she left on her way to a sandwich at a nearby cafe should you even be here was her greeting is it top secret he responded well yes sort of with the cartoon ghost on the station front door gave the lie to that anel’s attempts to scrub it away

It only emphasized its presence muddying its edges so that it appeared more spectral more spooky maybe miles painted it otus said that’s ridiculous why would he to stop anyone else doing worse already she knew him well enough to know a longer explanation was forthcoming he took her arm led her

Along the street he knew a little place they could have a quick meal a quicker glass of wine no one would even know she was gone it wasn’t that she agreed with any of this or made a conscious decision to fall in with his design it was more

That it started happening and continued to do so before she’d made any objection berin is a city of Spooks he told her as they walked always has been nobody worries about them they worry even less when they made fun of and that’s going to happen believe me so you

Still been first and make fun of yourself pretty soon everyone remembers the punchline no one recalls the joke like hiding in plain side like just standing around in plain side so people forget you’re hiding he offered her a cigarette and she refused she was smoking sometimes in

Berlin but not yet in broad daylight besides it’s not like he’s behind the wall anymore miles has a whole different set of games going on she must remember that that Miles was no longer behind the wall a lot of the time it felt like he still was are you a spook

Otis I refused to answer on the grounds that it might incriminate me which was a yes unless it was a no she said I thought you were taking me to a little place next time but now let’s just walk there’s things I can show you I’m Sur to

Be right back will they send out the dogs she thought for a moment he meant something else I don’t suppose so then let’s head east east was nearer than she had supposed but then here more than anywhere else she’d been East was a matter of crossing a line at first that

Line was imperceptible Berlin remaining Berlin the architecture hadn’t changed nor had the sky but it was grimier she slowly noticed buildings having a pattern n of neglect not apparent in the west she was reminded of a splitscreen detergent commercial a bed sheet before and after and soon other differences

Appeared flags and Banners hanging from buildings a mixture of cultural icons The Velvet undergrounds banana political statements the hammer and sickle the golden cresant and those which had become a blend of the two the bearded bered Chay Otis not her noticing squaders This Is How They mark their

Territory there’s a lot of them there no way you’d want to be a landlord that’s for sure a quick smile went with this as if he were recording a private joke there are many squats in East Berlin squats where people live squats where people throw parties Berlin is where you

Come to when you want to throw a party or just to recapture the one you were having when the rest of the world grew up you make it sound like one big commune it kind of is everyone welcome so you’ve got the punks and the dreamers the junkies and the Jokers the Swant

Quad hoping to recreate time past and all the hippie fuckups who haven’t come to terms with time present and all they want is a party perhaps party under sell it what did they call them in London in the’ 60s happenings I was invited to any being two when the decade ended but maybe

You’ve heard of them since they were called happenings yes I’ve never been really sure what they amounted to though I think George Harrison attempted to levitate the Albert Hall once did he succeed if he had said Allison it probably wouldn’t be the Beatles he’s remembered for they were passing a vacant space

Between buildings where a man whose boots didn’t match was punishing a stray Breeze block with a hammer its head wrapped in tape which came halfway down the handle this muffled the noise to a subdued Doof Doof which might have been the point more likely the tape was to

Keep the head from flying off he’s making wall said Otis it looks like he’s smashing one up yes but when he’s broken it into bits he’ll sell the chunks to tourists his voice became comic roll up roll up get your genuine be of Berlin Wall pieces of History buy them

Here but he tossed the man something folded over several times to give it purchase on the air a bank note when the wall was up the East was like the 1950s Russian cars bad teeth smuggled jeans and no telephones and the war was everywhere not the Cold War the

Real one smashed up buildings and Pock marked walls bullet holes you know never mened he finished his cigarette and tossed it into the gutter it wasn’t warm he wore a thick black coat though it was only thigh length and underneath it a suit of dark gray well it’s still like that

Reunification happened so fast we’re still catching up still chasing the ever receding spectacle of an economic Miracle yeah didn’t you say I was AO spectacle Miracle Wall fall no nice all this it looks like a city but it’s really a black hole you’ve got a lot of investors

Lining up pouring money into it then going away empty-handed because all that’s happening are the parties and the clubs Pi no you like tno I’m not really glued up on it well all you need to know is it’s got a beat and you can take jobs to

It which means you need space which barely enh has its bades all the empty supermarkets all the empty stores all the places the money disappeared that’s what the parties are about they’re celebrating the freedom one when the Wall came down but because all they’re doing is celebrating the freedom never

Takes off you sound like a Die Hard capitalist I am a concerned citizen that’s all by birth H listen Alison this is Europe not tight ass England you can be a citizen of anywhere you choose you think Miles considers England his home she said I’m not sure what goes on in

Miles’s head probably safer that way he produced his packet of cigarettes again stared at it for a moment then shook his head and put it away you’re not really a spy are you despite his earlier levity on the subject something serious in his tone took her by surprise I can’t talk about that

I mean whoever pays your wages you’re not a professional liar but miles is you know that don’t you she laughed but it was forced are you warning me about him I should be wary of my virtue is that what you’re saying I’m saying you should be careful

That’s all I like you Allison I like miles too but he’s not safe company and he stayed in Berlin for a reason which is he’s hunting a tiger he picked a strange place to do that it’s a zoo remember of course we have tigers but tigers in zoos are safe

It depends which side of the bars you’re on they’d reached a junction in which a car had stalled a crowd of youngsters had gathered around that whether their intention was to get it moving again or strip it clean wasn’t obvious I should probably be getting back Allison said said releasing herself

From Otis’s arm she hoped to pass somewhere she could buy a sandwich but in the end went hungry that afternoon strange to recall details like hunger all these years on but she can if required add weight and color say that the smells of other lunches kept

Reaching her desk a hot soup warmed up in the Station House kitchen or a spicy concoction carried in from a nearby stall and describe how they tormented her all afternoon explain how fished she was by the time evening rolled around and she was able to eat this would not

Be lying would be mild fictionalizing at worst such embellishments provide context and encourage hidden details to emerge the past lies behind a wall but memories given encouragement clamber over invention can give birth to truth another example of Wheels which within wheels and she knows about Wheels Allison

North but none of this is what the inquiry wants to hear a few less dangerous poets a few more operational details as it is memories are beginning to flow through her unbidden now the tap’s been turned it’s as if she’s reliving in fast motion those weeks that took place in another Millennium and

Feel like it it seems to her that the life of Allison North was a fully achieved cycle complete unto itself with little or no connection to her subsequent existence apart from the obvious her burlin days had been lifetime spent in lockdown and she feels about them the way she does when a song

She remembers dancing to plays on desert island discs if she shuts her eyes she can almost pretend she’s not pretending when she imagines herself still there still dancing as for the conversations she has been recording calling they didn’t take place on any single occasion are fragments from different days different

Meetings but running together in her mind it has she finds a certain Elegance to look back on those separate episodes as a single continuous happening like anyone else Allison North is prone to seeing her past as if on a screen when she recalls events she’s watching herself participate in them

Rather than recreating the sense of having them happen to her which makes her curreny situation an anomalous one she is both spinning the web and caught in its Center so when the web breaks which it does now it’s a dizzying moment one in which the past comes crashing

Down on the ruins of the present this moment is heralded by a note Struck from a bell in another room or that’s how it reaches her though the actual noise is no more than a ping the tolling of an incoming text as is usual on such occasion S no

One is at First Clear whose phone is responsible and therefore everyone reaches for their own but out of the assaulted fumblings Clarity Rises I’m sorry says gisel def Fleet and then clears her throat and repeats herself I’m sorry bones are laid aside expectant faces turn her

Way a message from the home office she says it seems monochrome has been discontinued with immediate effect in the blur of chatter which follows only Griselda Malcolm Kyle and witness 137 remain seated while the rest of the company after a few moments of indecisive shuffling about reached the

Communal decision to treat this as an unexpected exat in this mood they leave the room their chatter becoming a buzzing behind doors then a murmur then a memory not all of them have taken all their papers in the conference room the three figures remain as if still wrapped in the web so

Recently spun there its strands and filaments sticky on their surfaces a clock times they have no idea where at last Malcolm stands so he says and begins to stalk around the tables collecting abandoned Pages unnecessarily arranging them in order both women watch but neither offers comment when the task is done he

Stacks the papers on his own corner desk clears his throat says it again so his voice has a curious flatness to it like that of a man interrupted while deep in fantasy that seems to be that then and so it does