condensed master

The Reluctant Agent
A Compelling Story of Espionage
Japanese lines in the jungles of Burma were creative, daring, and controvercial. He
inspired great confidence in his men a force known as the “Chindits” to tolerate the
extremely adverse physical conditions. Malaria and malnutrition, with lice and
leeches adding to their misery. As a result apart from being killed in action many
did not survive.He walked up and down the ranks of men with his arms behind his
back, clutching a short cane or officer's baton. A shouted command echoed across
the quayside and they marched towards their awaiting transportation.
Disembarkation was now completed, but the ship would be in Bombay for
about a week, during which time troops that had either served their time, been
wounded, and for many other reasons, would be taken aboard and shipped back
home to England. Will had been to Bombay before and knew his way around,
enough to find the places that interested him. His duties had been drastically
reduced, leaving him with practically all of the week off.
He was looking forward to seeing more of the native areas, other than the well
known tourist sights. He always went alone, giving him the freedom of choice
without having to get a consensus. It had always been that way, even though
everyone was warned not to go into the native quarter alone, but he had two rules
that he rigidly kept to. Never go at night and never walking - but always taking a
ride in a gharry. There had been a couple of times in the past when he had found
himself in a problematic situation, and the gharry driver had come to the rescue on
each occasion.
Will remained on board for the rest of the day. There was plenty of activity on
the quayside, which was far from boring, as viewed from the ship's rail. That night
was to be the first quiet, trouble free sleep, he had experienced for some time.
The following morning, after a few early duties and a late breakfast, he had
decided to spend a leisurely day out in that part of the town, which was within
walking distance. It was a fine hot day, as he made his way out of the docks and
on to the red betel-nut stained footpath, leading into the town.
Aden seemed a long way in the past, but Will began comparing places. There
was some comparison, but the magnitude of poverty here was astronomical. It was
constantly only feet away, and impossible to get any relief without going into shops
or bazaars, where the traders would keep the beggars away.
The human influence was intense, thousands and thousands of people
everywhere, and the intensity would grow, the deeper into the native quarter,
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