condensed master

The Reluctant Agent
A Compelling Story of Espionage
panelling, and the covers replaced.
The whole episode had now taken on a more menacing aspect. Before, if
caught, it could have been mistaken for a simple burglary but in possession of the
documents the outcome would be far worse.
After rechecking that nothing had been left behind they made their way back
through the house towards the secluded entrance. Everything had gone without a
hitch and Will couldn't come to terms with it. Every step he took he was expecting
something diabolical to happen. They hesitated in the foyer of the entrance.
"You go first Alec. I'll reset the alarm and make sure the door is locked. See
you back at the car."
The act of setting the alarm took only seconds and Will released the lock on
the door and pulled it closed. The clicking action of the door interrupted the still
night, but it also seemed to provoke a violent, noisy reaction, in the driveway.
Shouts and scuffling continued for a few more seconds as Will froze in the
doorway behind the shrubs.
He stared down the driveway only to see Alec wrestled to the ground by three
men. They were not in police uniform, probably from a private security firm. As
he watched they started to kick him and stomp on his back. Will could feel every
impact as his mind flashed back to the beating he had received from the military
policemen in Chesapeake Bay. He felt the overwhelming impulse to go to Alec's
assistance but the sudden realization that he was also in danger descended on him.
The activity, as they began to secure Alec, was coming to an end and one of the
men had started to look around.
There was only one way to go and Will took off in the direction that would
take him to the back of the house. Tightly gripping the small document pouch, he
precariously made his way over the rocky beds that had been purposely placed
there to prevent the soil from eroding down the steep incline. Skidding, and
sometimes falling to his knees in an endeavour to get away, he was at the same
time, trying to control the panic that was taking over.
The rocks unexpectedly changed to flat concrete and he realized that he had
stumbled on to a porch with low brick walls on two sides. He stood looking for
an exit that would take him out of harm's way, but at that instance the lights from
the windows above flooded the area.
Pure instinct, and the desire to survive commanded him to leap over the wall
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