Makarovia! Yes, I Know Where That is! Sophomore Year - 93. M

M

We introduced Stepan and Vesil to the Generals. It had been rude not to with Ed. You know the agents are more than just accessories. David went to his desk and got one of the chairs in front of his desk, brought it over, and sat with us.

We gave David the Readers’ Digest version of what we needed to have occur.

Ed nodded, “My government doesn’t approve of torture…”

David muttered, “They tried to kidnap them to get ransom!”

Ed sighed he was so put upon, “David, you persist to not let me complete or conclude a comment is why you are often incorrect. Weren’t you taught the one mouth and two ears policy growing up?”

David wasn’t at all bothered, “Sure, listen twice as much as I speak, but do you know how much I hear? No. Maybe that’s what I do.”

They really were good friends and got along just fine. They were almost polar opposites. David joked and most times didn’t worry about his “military bearing.” It was also why they were good friends of Peter and mine. Ed worried about his image with the men and women. David didn’t care. He followed regulations. Both were leaders and had a fuse. David could terrify anyone under his control, which was everyone except Ed. Ed practically transformed when his fuse set his anger loose. He earned the name General One Punch. Ed was also David’s straight man, but David took being the straight man, too. Ed had a sharp wit and sense of humor. I paused as I wondered if that was a prerequisite to come here. Almost everyone here was that way that we got along with.

Not now, Bunny! I’m too busy to chase you right now.

The main thing was keeping a sense of humor. That was why Helga’s assistant Georg didn’t stay on the job here. He had accompanied her to dinner the first night Peter and I met her. The one that thought much of the Holocaust was a lie. Especially with the Gay Holocaust. They were all criminals his father had told him.

Ed nodded a grudging nod. He looked at David and asked him, “What do you think if I say the name, Jon Fleming?”

David now went into deep thought, “Jon Fleming.” He repeated, “It’s ringing a bell, but…” He glanced up moving slightly into The Thinker-like position. The French bronze statue? The naked man whose chin is resting on his right fist propped up on his leg in deep thought since 1904. He looked up at Ed holding his hand in a halt position and said, “Don’t tell me, don’t tell me!” How could anyone dislike David?

Peter leaned toward me, “Ringing a bell?” He whispered. “Who’s ringing what bell?”

I held Peter there, “The name rang a bell of familiarity for him, but he hasn’t found the memory yet. The bell means he’s heard it before and it’s in there and he should be able to find it.”

“Oh! I know!!” David’s face lit up as he found the memory. “He’s a negotiator for MI6!”

Peter shook his head in shock, “I thought there wasn’t a real MI6!? That it was all James Bond and all that!”

“It is?” Ed asked with a grin. “The Secret Intelligence Service exists.” He nodded his head. “MI6 goes to other countries to investigate problems and report back. MI5 are the men and women who do it in the United Kingdom to stop the other countries’ from doing it in our home.”

David chuckled, “And get this! He did such a good job where he was, the SIS invited him to join them!”

“Which was where?” Peter asked.

“Scotland Yard.” Ed grinned.

Peter’s head went more than the usual single inch or two this time, “No!”

Ed was laughing more now, “Yes!”

“Would he work for us?” I asked.

Ed’s grudging nod became another long grudging nod. “If he’s not on a case now. Scotland Yard did work for private businesses and individuals.” He smiled at a memory, “He has negotiated many hostage situations and got some pretty tight-lipped people to be more forthcoming.”

“Is he unethical or something?” I asked.

“I don’t think so. As a matter of fact, he never hits anyone or even raises his voice much.”

“Then how does he...do it?” I asked.

“He uses his voice,” Ed replied. “He has this mellow tone that has a strong hypnotic effect on people.” He laughed, “Even the men there just to as an observer or stand guard say they surrendered control to him.”

I frowned, “I thought Great Britain was invested into finding this Consortium.”

“We are!” Ed stated.

Peter’s eyebrows knitted together, “If he could do that, why isn’t he?” He leaned closer to Ed. “I don’t mean for this to be taken as a threat, but it will sound like one. Those men can’t understand they can’t always get anything they want.” He held up a finger as I did to make a point. “If just one person is taken from here and held to get the ransom, the uranium flow and export will be threatened and that threatens your share,” he turned, “and yours.”

“I’m sure His Majesty and our Prime Minister have a team set up to do the investigation.” Ed tried to be reassuring.

“And just like them,” Burke jutted his head in Ed’s direction, “I’ll wager good money the FBI, CIA, and NSA...or what other groups of our federal agents work for is working on it now.”

“Olek would have told us about it if he knew,” I stated the obvious.

Ed’s frown grew, “I can NOT understand that.” He picked up his phone and called...this was weird. On Airman Suggs' desk rang and he answered. Airman Suggs had probably heard Edmond Hammond if he simply spoke louder. “Please call Arthur Wells. He’s the Director of the Secret Intelligence Services. The number should be in our database.”

Peter grinned, “Do you call 911 for emergencies?”

“No,” Ed answered. “Ours is 999.” His attention was diverted by a voice we heard softly behind us. “I don’t care if he is in the loo. Have them page him, text, or whatever.” Then his words took on an edge, “If he doesn’t, I know the Prime Minister, and His Majesty will want to hear me.” He was nodding and looked at Airman Suggs replied which was a chuckle.

Ed dipped his head a little, “I can do it, but after a while, shouting just hurts my throat.” He pointed at the phone, “Arthur Wells.” He sighed. “Now, that man is the stuffy Brit and he can be the biggest ass.” Ed shrugged, “But has a good success rate and will watch the budget.”

“Maybe he’s doing some things right?” Peter suggested with a shrug.

“Maybe,” Ed nodded.

“Yuri would have questioned that,” I said.

“Who just came from two weeks off,” Peter finished with a nod. “Perhaps he simply caught up with things and hasn’t gotten to them. You and I know he’s very thorough.”

“He is!” I agreed, “He mentioned this very problem at breakfast. And he would keep us up to date.”

Then we heard Airman Sugg as his volume when up. “...and General Hammond is a busy man. I have the numbers for the Prime Minister on Downing Street and Buckingham Palace.” Airman Suggs was vigorously nodding at what he was hearing. Why do we do things knowing the other person couldn’t see. “I’ll pass that along.” He held his right hand up, fingers spread, and lowered it; raised his left, lowered it, and held his right up again. Fifteen minutes.

That was when the door opened as a female Airman in her twenties came in with a strap held loosely in her hand. The familiar small sound of metal against metal told me what was there before I could see. Then the breathing we could hear as she came around Airman Suggs’ desk.

It was an English Bulldog! He greeted Airman Suggs and got a ruffled pat. The verbal greeting was too low to hear and understand. What little bitty tail he had was wagging! He was making his rounds. He knew he’d smelled new people here and saw us and trotted over to us. He got to David first, gave him a sniff that his tail resumed wagging a little. "I know you." You could practically hear him say that! Then he came to me and the tail went faster. I never understood before when someone told me “he’s so ugly he’s cute.” I like dogs! He wasn’t ugly. He had a big personality, but I was a beagle person. I loved a few of them. His breathing difficulty was clear as the nose that wasn’t that much on the dog’s face. Add the excitement of new people and you were going to hear it.

Ed smiled as the dog greeted every new person and went to do it again.

Ed chuckled and said, “I introduce to you, Winston Churchill.”

The dog barked once to say, “Hi, that’s my name.”

I reached down as Ed was talking and gave the dog a rub and pat. He was all dense muscle under the brown and white fur and about fifty pounds. “Of course, he is!” I laughed. “I should have recognized him.” I looked at Winston Churchill and said to him, “You look just like your photographs!”

Ed chuckled again, “We just call him Churchill.”

Churchill barked his confirmation again. He was a very happy dog! I believe you have to love dogs to call yourself British.

Ed returned the conversation to what we were speaking about. “We will endeavor to get to the bottom of this,” Ed said.

“Ed,” David began as he shook his head. “Couldn’t you just say, we’ll find out or something like that?”

“Yes, I could,” and Ed dropped the reply with no further comment about it. “The pirate was female?”

We spent the next few minutes going over what happened. Her attempts and failures, including the pirates that came to the Big Bar while in Athens and Cosmo’s getting stabbed.

I know it had to be Ed who made that rule. He does not like a lot of noise! He might be worse than Grandma’s gal-pal Carla Bowers. My landlord, Ms. No noise? I heard a soft ring of a phone from Airman Suggs’ desk. It really was! Not the sharp piercing ring that would jar your attention like most phones. I hate that. And alarm clocks. I wonder if any calls were missed because of that. Airman Suggs was still here and he and the Generals had a working relationship with them and their language had evolved. Airman Suggs motioned at the phone and pointed to Ed.

This was a little funny when the phone on the General’s desk rang softly, but Ed didn’t answer it at first.

I smiled at Ed’s lack of action and shook my head, “So, which grade will you be in the fall? Ninth or tenth.”

Peter looked at me in shock. Even Stepan and Vesil were looking uncertain. David just laughed. Ed’s eyes only looked up at me as he laughed quietly. He wasn’t offended.

“Oh, come on! No one teases Ed?” I said, but there was no doubt in my voice whether he took it well or not. “Aw, poor lonely Ed!” We had a history and I knew he was fine.

David nodded, “You know I do.”

Ed chuckled, “It was what he didn’t say that bothered me. He was busy? If it was a meeting that would have been said.” He picked up the phone at the end of the fourth ring. “Thank you for taking a moment from your busy schedule to speak with me.” Okay, you have to listen as two proper English Gentlemen were being snippy. You need to see their House of Parliament. Or was it the House Lords? Both? Whatever, it was a great show! Really. I wondered how they got anything done. I got his irritation by Ed’s tone. “Please update me on the progress of any task force dealing with this Consortium. Have you managed to make any progress with Nelson Carter or Penelope Baldwin?” Something was being said, but Ed interrupted him. “One moment, please.” He looked at his computer monitor and the display on the telephone. “I prefer to look a man in his eyes when they speak with me. I know you’re in your office. Activate your video conference on your computer.” Ed did a bit more and the large monitor in the center of the room revealed...this man was a “proper” English Gentleman. About the same age as General Hammond. His black hair around his ears and at his temples was a whitish silver. At the top of his head, the hair was receding. He was perfection in his appearance. He knew so. Dressed in a blindingly white shirt with a red tie perfectly tied in Double Windsor and perfectly centered with his collar. I wondered how he managed that! Tie pins don’t always work and… How’d you get in here? Go rabbit! Shoo!

Ed got up and walked to the center to be seen. “You were telling me there was a complication.” He waved at Peter and me. “I introduce you to His Highness Prince Petro Ivanov and His Highness Prince Eric Ivanov.” He turned to us. “Gentlemen, this is Arthur Wells, Director of the Secret Intelligence Service.”

Peter smiled, “There’s a complication? What complication?”

Mr. Wells wasn’t prepared for this. If looks harmed people, General Hammond would be writhing on the floor. It was all very...subtle. “Perhaps complication is not the correct word, Your Highness.” He leaned forward on his desk, “There have been other cases that had priority…”

“What!?” I blurted standing up and coming beside Ed. “You are aware that just this past October armed gunmen stormed our home in Boston threatening everyone’s life there including Queen Alla and His Majesty King Olek. Prince Petro and I had plans for a honeymoon we had to change when it was leaked where we were going,” I watched as Mr. Wells was nodding, but I wasn’t done. “That pirate tried to get us twice. The first was just west of Sicily and then in Athens where one of our agents and friend nearly died! We’ll be lucky if we can get him to learn to walk again!”

Mr. Wells nodded again. “I understand that, but the Conservative and Unionist Party, Labour Party, and the Liberal Party with some others objected to hardly any more than housing and feeding them. The other problem is that this is a matter for Makarovia to handle.”

“Fine!” I said, “Release them to us and we’ll take care of it. This affects many different countries, not just Makarovia.” I waved at General Hammond. “Then why are they here? They are your military. If it were Prince George, Princess Charlotte, or Prince Louis you would have to because they are British.” I didn’t know where the camera was, but I walked a little closer to Mr. Wells. “Try this one on for size. If anything happens to any of us, your supply of uranium stops.” I waved at Stepan and Vesil. “We have Security Agents that could do it. I have NO doubt about that. If we could, we would, but you hold two people that need to answer some questions whether or not they want to.”

Peter stood and came over to me. “There has to be someone that can do it. What about this Jon Fleming? I’m told he has a non-threatening way of getting to the truth.”

Mr. Wells sighed with a nod, “Yes, he can do it when he gets back. He’s on assignment.”

“But he’s coming back,” I said hopefully.

“When the job is done,” Mr. Wells said. “You know how he does it?”

“Hypnosis.” I answered.

Mr. Wells nodded, “He can hypnotize anyone using his voice, his voice and a watch, or crystal or even a pen. He can even do it without the person knowing they were being hypnotized. When he uses it, he can get people to tell him the truth and they never know they did. Even the agents from other countries who are trained NOT to talk will surrender. It takes more time with just his voice, but it works.”

“We’ll pay for his time,” Peter said.

“No,” Mr. Wells smiled sadly. “This not just a business partnership, we’re allies, and friends. Any debt is being paid by what we’re getting to help you.” He grimaced, “I’m no politician. I never wanted to be. If anyone asks, I tell them about the threat to the supply. It will get done. I’ll call back.”

“Call the palace and ask for Yuri,” I smiled. “He’s the Head of Security.”

Mr. Wells picked up a phone as he nodded, “Yes, I’ve spoken to him a few times. Is there anything else?”

I shook my head, “Not right now.”

At first I wasn’t sure how our conversation would go, but it turned out nicely.

“Belated congratulations, Your Highness,” Mr. Wells smiled. “We’ll discuss more later.”

Turning to Ed, I frowned, “He was nice!”

Ed nodded and raised a finger, “This time. You’d never guess he was a Scallie.”

“A what?” Peter asked.

“Why would we know he was...whatever you said?” I asked.

“His accent!” Ed stated wondering why I didn’t notice. “He’s from Liverpool!”

“Everyone I know from England sound funny to me,” I said. “What’s wrong with the one he has?”

He shrugged, “Nothing, but he should sound like one of the Beatles.”

“Where did you grow up?”

“Birmingham.”

“Okay,” I shrugged. “So?”

He sighed and patted me on the shoulder, “I forgive you.”

“So,” Peter said. “Mr. Fleming is doing 007 stuff…does that mean Mr. Wells is M?””

Ed shrugged, “Yes, it does.”

“I preferred Dame Judi Dench,” I said. “She was my favorite M.”