condensed master
Will Bonner "During the time that he was with me we never had the best of relationships. He's not likely to talk to me!" "Quite to the contrary. The picture he will still have of your background will probably give him enough confidence to open up." Will remained silent, hesitant to ask the inevitable. "All we want to know is where in the house his father keeps all his Government papers. You know - the secret stuff!" "Is that all?" was Will's cynical reply. "You've proven that you are good at what you do, and I think you can do it without compromising yourself." "When will I see him?" "The sooner the better. He's on that yacht most every day." The remainder of the drive home continued in silence. Will just gazed through the window at the passing scenery, but his mind was elsewhere. What threats had they used on Paul? It was best that the sadistic details were kept secret from him. His mind was labouring enough anyway. He left the car in Vermont with hardly a word. The atmosphere between them had darkened. A reflection portraying the indecency of the plot that was being enacted. This was totally alien to the logical progression of his electronics world and Will was feeling it engulfing him. Margaret was fully aware of what would be going on in his mind and pursued the matter no further. Just a short parting remark "Contact me if you need any help." It would be a one man band from now on, was the only thought in response to her remark. It took two days for Will's mind to settle down enough to visit the yacht club. The afternoon sun was bearing down on the marina as he walked along the wooden mooring bays, towards where the Garner's yacht would be tied up. A hot north wind had sprung up and the pinging noises of the steel wires slapping against the aluminium masts was breaking into his efforts to keep concentrated. The setting was idyllic and saturated with affluence, appearing to object to the very reason that he was there. The "Electron" was sitting majestically against the quay, it's steel hull polished to mirror-like perfection, ready to spring into life at the sound of the harbour master's cannon, signalling the start of a race. Will walked casually along as though to walk on past as he spotted Paul sitting on the deck, a beer in his hand. He stood up at first a puzzled look on his face which turned into a knowing smile. "Well I'll 328
The Reluctant Agent A Compelling Story of Espionage be damned, Will Brenner! What are you doing here?" Will looked across the deck but there were no bikini clad girls in sight. "I'm visiting 'The Flyer', Mr. Benson's yacht to see if his son Vic is on board." Will, changeing his direction, walked the few paces to the mini gangway and stepped on to the deck. "Would you like a beer?" "No thanks, I'll only stay a minute. Aren't you at the factory these days?" They both sat down on the slotted benches forward of the poop deck. Paul's body language was not portraying it's usual ego, and his facial expression was now one of seriousness. A look Will had never seen on this particular individual. Margaret's handiwork was now becoming apparent. "No, I've got other things to worry about." Both men fell silent and Will was beginning to feel uneasy. Should he launch straight into the fray or wait for further developments? No, better not do that. It would give Paul more time to recede from the nature of the conversation. "That sounded pretty ominous. What's up? Is your past catching up with you?" Paul went immediately on the offensive, a look of anger on his face. "What the hell do you know about my past, what did you mean by that remark?" Will gestured apologetically. "Forgive me for breathing Paul, I didn't mean to infer anything. You sounded down, that's all." Paul recoiled, slightly taken aback. "The tone in your voice sounded just the way I've felt on a good many occasions." "Did it sound that bad?" "Bad enough. I've had a lifetime of agro from people giving me trouble. Sometimes it was of matter of suffering in silence, but once in a while someone 'stepped up to the plate' and helped me through." Paul's eyes were staring and Will could envisage his mind working like a calculator. It was now or never. Would he open up or freeze? Had he moved too quickly? Paul looked across. "What sort of trouble have you been in?" "Big trouble. A matter of life or death actually." Paul hesitated. He was obviously struggling with his thoughts. "Yes, I have got some trouble, but neither you or anyone can help me." "Those very same words have echoed in my brain many times, only to be eventually proven wrong." 329
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The Reluctant Agent<br />
A Compelling Story of Espionage<br />
be damned, Will Brenner! What are you doing here?"<br />
Will looked across the deck but there were no bikini clad girls in sight. "I'm<br />
visiting 'The Flyer', Mr. Benson's yacht to see if his son Vic is on board."<br />
Will, changeing his direction, walked the few paces to the mini gangway and<br />
stepped on to the deck.<br />
"Would you like a beer?"<br />
"No thanks, I'll only stay a minute. Aren't you at the factory these days?"<br />
They both sat down on the slotted benches forward of the poop deck. Paul's<br />
body language was not portraying it's usual ego, and his facial expression was now<br />
one of seriousness. A look Will had never seen on this particular individual.<br />
Margaret's handiwork was now becoming apparent. "No, I've got other things to<br />
worry about."<br />
Both men fell silent and Will was beginning to feel uneasy. Should he launch<br />
straight into the fray or wait for further developments? No, better not do that. It<br />
would give Paul more time to recede from the nature of the conversation.<br />
"That sounded pretty ominous. What's up? Is your past catching up with<br />
you?"<br />
Paul went immediately on the offensive, a look of anger on his face. "What the<br />
hell do you know about my past, what did you mean by that remark?"<br />
Will gestured apologetically. "Forgive me for breathing Paul, I didn't mean to<br />
infer anything. You sounded down, that's all." Paul recoiled, slightly taken aback.<br />
"The tone in your voice sounded just the way I've felt on a good many occasions."<br />
"Did it sound that bad?"<br />
"Bad enough. I've had a lifetime of agro from people giving me trouble.<br />
Sometimes it was of matter of suffering in silence, but once in a while someone<br />
'stepped up to the plate' and helped me through."<br />
Paul's eyes were staring and Will could envisage his mind working like a<br />
calculator. It was now or never. Would he open up or freeze? Had he moved too<br />
quickly? Paul looked across. "What sort of trouble have you been in?"<br />
"Big trouble. A matter of life or death actually."<br />
Paul hesitated. He was obviously struggling with his thoughts. "Yes, I have got<br />
some trouble, but neither you or anyone can help me."<br />
"Those very same words have echoed in my brain many times, only to be<br />
eventually proven wrong."<br />
329
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