condensed master

The Reluctant Agent
A Compelling Story of Espionage
You've never failed to come up with the goods to-date, have you?" Will remained
silent. This man would be going back to Sydney and his business was with Ed, he
would sort things out with him afterwards.
Ed and the agent concluded the meeting with a summary of the details and then
they left. Will heard the car start up outside and take off towards Melbourne.
When Ed returned to the office he crossed the room with his hand held high in the
air, like a policeman on traffic duty.
"I know what you're going to say, but let me have my say first. None of this
was my doing, I've been told what I must do and I know the predicament you are
in. I tried to get them to send somebody down from Sydney, but they wouldn't
have it. What arrangements we have are just between us and I'll do my best to
keep up my end of the deal. But to them it means nothing. Believe me, they'll come
down hard on you, if you don't give them what they want."
Will felt completely despondent. He knew that Ed was probably telling him
the truth and he was floundering with no other option available to him. "They do
have another electronics boffin in Sydney then?"
"Yes, just one."
"Would you do something for me Ed?"
"If I can."
"If you recruit somebody that can provide the electronic services you need,
will you tell me and leave me alone?"
"Yes I can do that, but the organization will never let you off the hook because
of what you have been involved in. The only way I can describe your plight is that
you have one foot in and one foot out of the organization. A reluctant agent, so to
speak. For my own part, as long as I get the job done in Melbourne, it won't
matter one way or the other who I use."
"I'd better stop wishing you dead then, hadn't I?" Ed smiled and nodded his
head in agreement.
The journey back to the apartment progressed in silence until it was time for
Will to get out of the car. "It will happen one Saturday afternoon or evening when
their offices are closed and they won't be interrupted. I'll let you know in good
time and we'll talk about the details then."
As Will walked up the road towards the apartment he was thinking of only one
thing. No matter what transpired he would be concentrating on saving his own
175