The first stage

The first stage

Sic Transit Gloria Mundi

An excerpt

'Well did he agree? Morgan asked her, as soon as she returned to the agency New York's branch office. 'He agreed alright he just wished to know if you're behind it.'

'I see,' Morgan muttered and hung off. 'She did convince him as I was sure that she'll do.' Morgan told his deputy.

'So listen Jeff send someone that you can count on to meet him tomorrow night.

'Alright Bill but how are we going to deal with him, if he'll rush to our arms?' 'If he'll accept our offer and land here next Monday, you'll have to take your annual leave; Mike will be the one to take him under his care, and when you'll return he'll have to get used to you again.'

'I'd rather serve a year or two as the San Francisco branch's head, that would be a better solution I believe; or we may refresh his knowledge in living in seclusion, and send him abroad on some urgent mission. ' 'We'd better see how it would come off, and if he'll give us a positive answer we'll talk it over again Jeff. But yes that idea of yours Jeff could be the right solution, okay but only if he'll agree to rejoin us, and then I'll let you run the show as you believe you should.'

'Okay Bill I've got the right man for it.' Jeff Swenson assured his boss and took politely his leave and went to his own office. He inaugurated his own office just three months ago, but did not have a secretary yet; and it seems that he won't have one, until he will replace Bill as the division's head when Bill will retire; his collaboration with Bill to oust Thurston paid off well. He thought as he sat next to his desk in his empty office, which he hardly used as most of his daily work was carried out in his boss office. He dialed the operation chamber phone number, raised the receiver to his ear and waited till of the operation chamber members will answer him. 'Oh it's you Red; tell Galen that I'm waiting for him in my office.' Swenson did not have to wait too long, his most trusted man reached his office after a couple of minutes; as soon as he was informed that the boss wants to see him. 'Oh there you're Ben, do sit down.' Jeff asked him politely as soon as Ben shut the office door behind his back.

'Listen Ben I've got a special mission for you.' Jeff opened up as soon as his subordinate sat down facing him, with a countenance that expressed total obedience. 'It's a top secret job, which you'll have to carry out in stages; provided that the first stage will be accomplished successfully...'

'Is it a humint mission abroad sir?' The alarmed Ben could not refrain from interrupting his boss before Jeff ended the mission overview.

'Come on Ben I've no intention to give you up, and send you to some forlorn hole abroad; I want you to meet someone in New York tomorrow night, and persuade him to rejoin the agency. Well that's the first stage, and if it will end up in a positive manner, which means he'll agree to rejoin us you'll be his sole operator.' Jeff cleared his throat loudly, and watched intently his subordinate.

'Is he a green horn that I'll have to train from the very first basic elements of clandestine activity?'

'Well not at all Ben he's an ex agency agent, he resigned some seven months ago, and you'll have to persuade him that we've an urgent need for experienced and capable men.'

'Who's that man do I know him, and what chances do I've to persuade him sir? I mean if he'll reject the idea of rejoining us, would it be considered as my failure?' 'You don't know him, but he was accosted already by Irene, and she thinks that he's ripe; so we believe that the first stage will be an easy job Ben, but if we're wrong we won't blame you of course. On the other hand if he agrees and we believe that he will, you'll be promoted and you'll have an easy job of a about three months, in which you'll clean the rust of him; and when he'll be sent abroad you'll travel to meet him once a month, or in a more frequent sequences if there'll be such a need.'

'So where am I supposed to meet him sir?' 'He'll be waiting for you at the Times Square Diner and Grill from eight thirty on, he'll surely be there some five minutes earlier. He's fair headed blue eyed tall and lean young man, and you won't need a print to identify him; simply because he'll be the sole guest that would sit all alone next to one of the tables there.'

'And what if he'll sit next to the bar counter?' Ben asked with a short laugh. 'He's an experienced agent and when he'll realize that he's the one that needs to wait for you, he'll sit next to a table and watch intently the bar's entrance.'

'So you must know him rather well, don't you sir?' 'Yeah I do know him but don't you dare to mention my or Bill's names, if he'll bother you with personal questions you'll tell him that he's supposed to be trained in seclusion, because of the top confidential mission that he's supposed to take on.'

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