As predicted, Richard's earlier introduction secured a spot on the team preparing the foundation's new advertising campaign. His debut was accepted with enthusiasm and after the program launched, Richard was among the selected guests at a celebratory cocktail party.

Here, among the wives and escorts of the participants, he met finally Cora Whycliffe.

Sparkly, bouncy, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed was the definition applied to girls like Cora Whycliffe at one time. Short dark hair. Big green eyes and a mouth designed for kissing. At mid five feet in height and a balanced one twenty in weight, Cora moved with delicious ease on an admirable frame.

Richard was immediately taken with her open and sincere smile and wasted little time in gleefully initiating his directive. He fastened himself to her all through the evening, monopolizing the dancing and the conversation.

By the end of the night he had managed a future lunch date and even a chaste peck on the cheek when they parted. Richard imagined Nathan contentedly nodding his approval.

Five months after his first meeting with Cora, Richard had become an accepted addition around the Whycliffe home; occasionally sharing meals and a couple of family affairs.

With the enthusiastic touting of his abilities to her father, Richard was eventually interviewed by Whycliffe's advisors, resulting in his input for things promotional concerning the charity.

Richard applied his training and skill to create worthy advertising pieces, demonstrating his value through a number of successful campaigns. Eventually he managed to convince his employer that some travel to the area where Peter Killdrew conducted his business would be advantageous for research purposes.

An opportunity to show prospective donors an on the ground picture of where their generosity was being applied.

With Dalton's blessing Richard was given the green light on his suggestion and assigned to accompany his initial target, a reluctant Peter Killdrew. Aside from the undisguised animosity displayed by Peter the exercise was far easier than expected. Over the course of a few months, Peter only made half a dozen trips and Richard was able to compile a decent file on his contacts, modes of identification and locations where transactions took place.

Nathan received the reports with hallelujahs and abruptly Richard was directed to break off his contact with the Whycliffes and go underground until a full debriefing could be held. He objected, insisting he would be burning a bridge he could never rebuild. His objection was overridden and Richard, against Agency rules, met with Cora for a final time.

He manufactured a family emergency that would take him out of the country for some time and that he would speak to her father about taking time off. Cora was devastated. She had moved beyond the caution of assessing their relationship and was assuming further steps, possibly even leading to marriage. Richard avowed his feelings and concerns, the deceit a vile taste in his mouth. The family heard Cora's story and were all stunned.

Richard hadn't even said goodbye, he'd simply vanished from their lives.

The duplicity was painfully accepted with the oft repeated reminder of how it was required to complete his assignment. Still the bubble of deceit hanging over every aspect of the relationship left him disliking the man he had become. It seemed there were no limits to his moral deficit.

3 - Debriefing

Nathan was all Mister Jolly when the debriefing began. Richard had succeeded with admirable skill and within an acceptable timeframe. Congratulations were effusive and Richard gradually began to shake his earlier discomfort and feel more than a little pride in his accomplishment. The lingering guilt over Cora gradually dissipated.

The meeting took place in a safe house located in a small suburb of Dover. The amenities were few and Murray, Nathan's man, was obliged to see that the refrigerator and the bar were both stocked sufficiently.

Richard had a small bedroom with an ancient wardrobe and a couple of hangers. The bed was a single, with a worn duvet the only cover. The pillow might as well have been a sandbag. He questioned a few of the conditions and was informed that debriefings were not social gatherings and that he would be getting little use of the questionable amenities if the inquisitors were dissatisfied.

"Inquisitors? I thought you would be debriefing me." Richard said to Nathan.

"Alas, son, the Agency Gods prefer compartmentalization. The people you will be meeting specialize in this aspect of our business. Of course I will be present and ready to keep the wheels off the shoulder, so to speak, but I will have little input otherwise."

"You make it sound like I should be worried."

"Not at all. They may get a little personal and it would be prudent not to react. Just give them the information they ask for and forget your emotions. All the information remains classified in the Agency files."

"But not inaccessible."

Nathan smiled fondly at his protégé. "Have faith, son. We've all been there and in the end it is relatively painless."

"Not a ringing endorsement, Nathan."

Murray stepped into the room and announced the arrival of the team.

Richard settled himself in the designated chair and took stock of the couple before him. The man, who took the closest chair first suggesting he was the leader, was tall with wavy grey hair and very dark blue eyes. His skin had an indoor pallor, giving him the appearance of ill health. He told Nathan to put out his cigarette and remove the ashtray from the room. Richard smiled to himself; that was like an amputation to Nathan.

The other member was a woman. She was dressed smartly in a cream blouse with a simple pearl necklace and a fashionably short, navy skirt that showed of a pair of admirable legs. Her hair was short, chestnut in colour and cut close to her head. The glasses were designer and accentuated her eyes.

The man undid his suit jacket and pulled at the crease in his trousers, settling comfortably on the chair. He removed a small recorder from his pocket and set it on the low table between them, turning it on and describing the time, date, subject matter and the name of the agent.

Richard cleared his throat and waited.

"Your directive was to gain access to one Peter Killdrew of the Whycliffe foundation by way of the daughter of the Foundation president."

"It was." Richard cleared his throat again.

"Exactly how did you accomplish that objective?"

"Exactly as you stated it; through Cora, the daughter, and then through her father."

"I didn't ask for a repeat of my statement; I asked how it was accomplished."

Richard glanced at Nathan, who returned a slow, assuring blink.

"I courted the daughter and through her, ingratiated myself with her father."

"How?"

"How what?" Richard felt his dander rising.

"How did you ingratiate yourself?"

"I pretended a great fondness for Cora and I applied myself diligently to her father's tastes in my role as a designer in his advertising department. She also spoke to him on my behalf."

"How long did this diligence require?"

Richard's teeth set on edge and he stared at the man with open hostility.

"From the first day until Nathan pulled me in."

"Specifically." The tone was imperious.

"The time period was well within the Agency requirements," Nathan broke in. "I think that should be satisfactory without the minutes and seconds."

The man flushed slightly and glared at the recorder.

"That was quite a feat." The comment came in an amused tone from the woman.

"Cora was particularly vulnerable; it shortened the time considerably." Richard watched the man fiddle with his tie.

"You do know that when you left without a word, the action was too much for her and she fell ill, entering a rehab institute for mental and physical care."

Richard's mouth fell open and he stared over at a placid Nathan.

"How long into this... shortened time... before you met Killdrew?" The man continued seeing that his tie sat perfectly flat against the pale green shirt.

"Why wasn't I informed?" Richard sat forward in his chair.

"Need to know. Answer the question please."

"Then why was it necessary to mention it now?" Richard clenched his fingers on the armrests.

"You're required to answer questions not ask them, Carstairs." The statement was delivered with eyes averted and a tired expression.

"I met him right at the beginning and had a few contacts after that, until about seven months in, Dalton let me join him for research purposes." He glared at Nathan.

"What kind of research? What did you do, precisely?"

"Research for promotional ideas, locations, atmosphere. I also studied the intended flow of the money Peter was distributing."

"How did he take that?" The woman again.

"I suppose he was annoyed but Dalton was his boss and balking might have drawn unwanted attention to his activities."

"You said, intended flow; what did you mean by that?" The man again.

Richard glanced at Nathan again and received an imperceptible shake of his head. The inquisitors weren't cleared for knowledge of the Agency's personal interests.

"Exactly that. In order to give donors a sense of how their generosity was being used."

"And how would you describe that?"

Richard gritted his teeth and leaned forward menacingly. Nathan quickly interrupted, suggesting a break and a spot of tea, directing Murray to provide the necessities.

What he really wanted was to steer the questions away from the distribution aspect and for a chance to have a cigarette. The man made an annoyed sound, stood and retired with his partner to an adjoining room to talk.