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[TheREAL008]

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Kiev, Russia.
2006

His name was Jonathan Stamp, and he died violently.

Michael Astbury looked at the man he had killed with his bare hands. He was a double agent selling secrets from MI6 to the GRU, the Russian Spy Network that was still shrouded in mystery. Astbury's target was a man in his early fifties, pudgy around the stomache, bald head. He lay on the floor of his own office with a look on his face of utter pain.

He didn't go without a fight.

Michael had broken into the office of the former Recruitment Officer on orders from M who briefed Astbury that Stamp was a double for the GRU. It took awhile for Michael to locate him, first stopping in Macau, then Poland, Hong Kong, Nassau, and finally to Russia. Jonathan thought he might have been safer in the country of his new homeland. It took two days after Nassau to finally locate where Stamp finally was.

The struggle that took place in the former recruitment officer's office in Kiev was painful and messy. Astbury had tailed Stamp the following day. Recording the man's habits and daily schedule. The rest was predictible. Stamp entered his office after his dinner break and never knew what hit him in the back of the head.

Unfortunately for Astbury, Stamp fought back. Michael had his gun drawn out but Jonathan kicked Michael in the groin then kicked the gun out of Astbury's hand. Jonathan then picked Michael up and threw him from one corner of the office to another. Winded and bleeding, Michael kicked Stamp when he was close enough in the lower part of the stomache then sprang to his feet and connected his knee with Stamp's face. Jonathan fell on his backside. Astbury simply straddled the man and clamped his hands around the traitor's throat.

Jonathan desperately tried to fight back but Astbury kept his hands firm and increased the tightness of his grip. Michael could feel Stamp's windpipe crush and the final hiss of Jonathan's breath escaping his body. Michael quickly sprang to his feet, retrived his gun, went to stamps computer, scanned it for any information, then inserted a disc he was given from his controller, selected the D drive of the computer and pressed the run button. Activating the virus that was created to destroy all the information on the computer.

Alone in his hotel room a few hours later, showered. Michael faced the window looking out into the city. it would be a couple more hours before he would be retrived by his handler. He took a swig of the vodka he was drinking and thought back on the assignment. It was the first time he was ordered to kill someone. There was a feeling in his stomache that was likened to putty and he knew he would have to curb it.

Because there would be alot more work like this for him in the future.

[TheREAL008]

Moscow International Airport.

Having retrived his belongings and checking out of his hotel Astbury drove directly to Moscow and booked himself on the next availible flight to London. Unfortunately for him he'd have to land in Paris. Michael just wanted to be back in London so he could report, he hated delays but after all he could do nothing about it so he just took a seat by a window and looked out at the sky that was developing with rainclouds.

A bald man with a soulpatch, wearing a button down light grey shirt, black slacks, and a light blue tweed coat sat right next to Astbury. He gave Michael a quick glance over and smiled.

"Hardly the weather for flying is it?" The man asked.

"Depends if you choose to play the odds." Michael replied.

"I had no trouble desposing of the body, good work Michael. And the information?"

"Flushed." Michael answered. "You didn't tell me Stamp knew hand to hand combat Devon."

Devon coughed once."Sorry about that but M ordered me to leave that out. She wanted to test you."

Astbury softly laughed. "As if the mission wasn't enough of a test. Any thoughts as to why she witheld?"

"You can find out for yourself Astbury. She requests an audience with you as soon as you touch down from heathrow."

Michael gave Devon a puzzled look. Devon just smiled.

"You know why don't you?" Astbury asked.

Devon chuckled. "Yes I do, but I'm not telling you."

"Of all the senseless-" Michael began, but Devon cut him off.

"Now come on Michael. You and I have been working for close to three years now. You're moving on to bigger and dare I say more dangerous things. It's been fun Astbury but I need to move on and train younger pups."

Devon held out his right hand for Michael to shake.

"So I won't see you again?" Michael asked. Shaking his former handler's hand.

"Probably not. You'll be busy for quite a long time. But I do want you to know that I recommended you for what M's planning not only because of your background but because I think, no...I believe this is what you should be doing." Anyhow, good luck Michael Astbury. May the wind always be at your back."

Devon stood and took his leave, leaving Astbury to ponder on what all this was about. Even as a voice announced his flight to Paris Michael kept his mind on what was happening. He hated not knowing.

[TheREAL008]

When Astbury arrived to his flat, he quickl;y took a shower, swiftly shaved, then got dressed in his favorite black busniess suit, white button down collar shirt, and black tie with dress shoes. Checked himsefl in the mirror then sprinted out his door and into his car. He had never met M in his tenure as an MI6 agent, although he heard stories that she can be as sweet as a grandmother and yet be as mean as an irritated dragon who slept on the wrong side of the castle twoer.As he proceeded to drive to MI6 headquarters Michael did his best to remain calm and keep his compousre.

'Zen cool. In through the nose; out through the mouth.' He kept repeating to himself in his mind.

He showed his I.D to the guardsmen at the front gates of the building then drove his car into the garage and parked. He took the elevator to the main lobby then went thru another security clearence, having passed that he took the life to M's office on the top floor.

Stepping out of the elevator Michael calmly walked to the door of M's office. He gently opened the door to be greeted by a man in his late twenties, medium build, brown hair and blue eyes sitting at a desk by the door.

"Ah, Mr. Astbury. I'm Bill Tanner, glad to meet you."

Tanner rose from his desk and walked forward to Michael, extending his hand. "I take it you had a good flight?"

Michael shook Tanner's hand. "Nothing eventful, thanks."

"I'll tell M you're here." said Tanner as he walked to his desk and picked up his phone. "Astbury is here." He said then hung up the phone. "You're to go straight in."

The light on the door to the other side of the room blinked from red to green. Michael proceeded to the door then glanced back to Tanner who was at his computer typing.

"It's alright Michael, she's not going to eat your soul." Tanner commented, getting back to his work.

Michael opened the other door and closed it behind him.

M's office was huge. Flourished with modern furniture with a huge desk, two chairs sitting directly across from it. A couch behind a coffee table to the left. The desk was placed in front of a counter alligned with books and glasses.

"Take a seat Mr. Astbury." M greeted, swiveling the chair to face Michael. He took the right hand seat across her desk.

"I've read your file." She continued. "The son of an English father and an American mother. Dual citizenship in the United States and Great Britan awarded when you were 12 years old. Graduated St. Augustine High School in 1997 Served in the US Armed Forces as a Navy SEAL from 1998 until 2001. Then you were recruited into the SAS in 2002 until 2004. Then recruited into MI6 by Devon Sather in October of that same year. He has great things to say about you Michael, you should be proud."

M took her eyes from Michaels file and looked at him squarely in the eyes. Awaiting his reply.

"I am." He answered. "Devon and I worked as a team throughout my training as an operative. I'm a bit saddened by leaving a friend."

M nodded. "I suppose it had to happen sometime. What Sather taught you should hopefully stay with you. However according to this-" She patted the file "-you've seen plenty of action, and been in situations that called for your willpower and resources to be tested to thier fullest yes?"

Michael nodded. "That's correct. If you wish I can call my ex commanding officers for you. They can answer any questions you might have."

"That won't be needed." She replied. "I know of your actions in both the SEALs and SAS already. But what if I were to offer you a position that would require everything you have been taught, every once of skill you poesess, and every ounce of courage you can muster?"

Astbury was interested but he was still puzzled. "I don't quite understand."

"I'll ellaborate." M continued. "But for the moment whatever is said does not leave this room understood?"

Michael nodded.

"Right. As Director General of MI6 I'm given powers that can strengthen this orginization and enforce the defense of this country. Tell me Astbury, have you ever read any of our archived files, dating back to the cold war?"

"A few, whatever was deemed useful for a mission." Michael answered.

"Right. Well, seeing that the political landscape pf the world is in constant flux and that terrorists activities gain strength day by day I'm going to be reactivating an old initative that's been defunct for almost 30 years."

"That being?"

The look in M's eyes got harder, and Michael couldn't divert his own away from her gaze.

"The Double O Section." M answered. "It takes two kills and you've already recived your first one. I'll pit you against one more target soon but for the moment I want you to know that this action I'm making will consist of three people. You, another man, and one woman. The work you'll be getting will be dangerous and sometimes dirty and your life will be at risk almost at all times. Do you think you'll be up for it Astbury?"

Michael paused, taking his eyes off M and gazed to the window at the far side of the room. It was raining heavily. Now he knew why Devon hadn't told him at the airport or anywhere else. Sather was a well known bluffer when it came to poker so it had to be a heavy hearted decision to not tell him.

"Who would I be reporting to?" Michael asked.

"Directly to me." M said. "You'll recieve missions in this office and you'll have your own on the previous floor. However Astbury, there is one thing I want to know right now before we continue."

"Yes?"

"You're basiclly a lethal weapon, do you think you could handle the pressue of this posting? You'll be called to accomplish tasks that will require to kill your enemy. You'll be a paid assassin for Her Majesty's government. Can you live with it?"

"I believe so M'amm." Astbury answered. He surprised himself by answering so quickly.

"Good. " M concluded. "Then report back tomorrow morning. 8 AM. That's all for now."

"Thank you." Michael said and left his seat and the office.

Michael wanted to head back to his car but instead he spent a good portion of his night in the archives department, searching through any information about the Double O Section.

[TheREAL008]

"Nathan Raine." M said dryly, after she allowed Astbury enterance into her office the following morning.

A picture of Raine was shown on a screen behind M's desk. A flatscreen computer moniter showed the image of a male with green eyes, short black hair that was beginning to gray at the sides and front, square jaw, thin scar across his neck.

Michael took the same seat facing M's deks and waited for her to continue.

"We've been watching him for some time now." She began. "He's an arms dealer that operated in Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Cuba. He's wanted by the CIA and FBI for helping to equip Bin Laden with the weaponary for the attacks on the USS Cole and from the confession of an informant who was arrested by Scotland Yard last year, he's suspected in the 7/7 attacks."

Astbury's intrest piqued up at the last bit of information. "Aside from the CIA and Scotland Yard, who else is looking for him?"

"The FBI and MI5 are in talks about a joint operation. Normally they don't work together but they believe Raine can be taken alive and given sancturary if he provides accurate information on other cells he supplies to."

"Ok, and why doesn't our department want this to happen?"

M narrowed her eyes at Astbury, then gave him a short smile. "The PM gave me an earful about the joint operation. He wants to send a message to both the Americans and to our sister department that Britan will never cooperate with terrorists. Politics aside I agree with him. We live in a world to where we can't really trust the Americans, or our other allies to be humane to our enimies."

Michael nodded. M had a point. "Raine have any known contacts?"

A new photo appeared. This one of a woman in her mid twenties. Long brown hair and blue eyes. Thin lips and a very petite frame.

"Her name is Maryann Rocker. Born in Germany and lived most of her life in America. She met Raine at an anti American troop rally in Tallahassee Florida in 2004. They're lovers and from what we could gather she has ties to an unknown orginization that funds global terrorism."

"How accurate is that?"

"It came from one of our section heads in Hamburg. I've asked him to do a background analysis of Ms. Rocker and from what he's gathered she appears to be clean on the surface but if you look past that she's connected to something much larger."

M pushed a button on her desk and the monitor was covered and in it's place a nookshelf appeared.

"Raine must be taken out of the picture." M instructed. "As for Maryann Rocker I want you to find out who she's working for. Get as much information as you can. Get sinide her circle, into her head if you can. Whoever she's working with they need to be shut down."

"So I don't kill her?" Astbury asked.

"Not quite yet. Obviously Raine and she will be together so work your way into thier trust. When the opportunity presents itself take out Raine before MI5 and the Americans get to them. If you can make it look like the CIA had targeted him for assassination all the more better. Since the double O section isn't really in operation at the moment to anyone outside this branch you'll be a complete unknown. Butr once Raine is out of the way send word as soon as possible. I'll then confirm your status within the department."

"Understood." Michael replied. He rose to leave.

"One more thing." M raised a hand for him to remain where he was. "If you get into trouble out there We'll have no accountability for you. As it is already you're working alone so don't get caught if you're faced with a situation to where you have to surrender or kill, understood?"

"Yes M'amm." Astbury commented. "Where am I heading to?"

"Lisbon." M replied. "Raine and her are at thier villa there right now. Observe them, find your way in. I understand there's a flight leaving this afternoon around Two this afternoon. I think you'd better be on it."

[TheREAL008]

Lisbon.

The man who arrived at Nathan Raine's house was in a foul mood. Locking the Range Rover doors and stepping out tosweep off his grey slacks and black button down shirt. He closed the automobile door then combed his brown hair, parting it to the left. The hazel eyes hid a trace of menace as he briskly stepped to the front double doors and knocking twice.

A moment later Maryann answered the door.

"Gotlieb." She greeted.

"I need to see him. Now." The man said.

"Come on in."

They both walked towards the living room where Nathan Raine was watching CNN, drinking a Tom Collins. The white shirt and beige kahki shorts that hung to the knees told the man known as Gotlieb that Nathan was enjoying his downtime.

Nathan looked over at the visitor. "Jean Paul. What's the occasion?"

"Stamp. His body was found yesterday by the Russian police." Jean Paul Gotlieb answered. "Who ordered his termination?"

Raine looked over to Maryann who just shook her head in denial, then addressed Gotlieb.

"It wasn't us. We've been lying low ever since we got here. How did he die?"

"I can't get the deatils." Jean Paul said. "All our informant told me was that he was dead and that his office has been cleaned out."

"That's unfortunate." Raine said, taking a sip of his drink. "You still want to go with the operation?"

"You don't have a choice. " Maryann began. "My orginization has invested too much money in this venture-"

"I know." Gotlieb said, sternly. "You needn't worry Ms. Rocker. Everything will go as planned. You can tell the head of your...orginization to rest assured on that matter."

Maryann didn't say much more, but she narrowed her eyes at Jean Paul..

"Let's talk about this during dinner tonight." Raine said. "Club Monaco. Eight O clock."

"Fine." Jean Paul said. He walked past Maryann and let himself out and drove away.

[TheREAL008]

Michael stared at the couple below on the beach making love.

He had arrived in Lisbon earlier that afternoon and was greeted at the airport by the assistant of station S which covered all MI6 activities around Spain. The assistant's name was Abigail, that's all Astbury was told as they greeted each other and made thier way to the little volkswagon jetta Abigail drove to a secluded spot where Abigail told Michael they would be picnicing ontop of a accessible cliff face.

"I got word from M." Abbigail said, he round face and bright brown eyes showed warmth. Her brown hair tied back in a bun and the usual civilan attire she wore make her look commonplace. Astbury thought she'd make a good field agent but kept the conversation on busniess. "Head of section S is on holiday in Barcelona but he advises you keep it quiet. I have a plan drawn out if you want to hear it."

"Sure, what have you got?" Michael asked.

Abigail handed Michael a turkey sandwich and a soda. "I know that Raine will be meeting someone at Club Monaco tongiht. He and his girlfriend, Rocker; have dinner there once a week." She informed him. "Raine suffers from an overactive bladder which causes him to head for the loo more than three times wherever he goes. Luckily there are no metal dectors inside the club at all, just goes to show you how trusting the club managers are. Anyhow whenever Raine breaks for the bathroom simply walk in after him and well...you know."

Michael nodded. The uneasiness in Abigail's voice at the ending of her briefing told Michael the woman wasn't used to this kind of work.

"B-but you needn't worry about cleaning up a mess." She continued, trying her best to regain her cheeriness. "I hired someone at the club to work with one of our lesser known man about disposing the body. He'll be at the club tonight working as the Janitorso he'll be at the restroom doors. The minute he sees you and Raine enter He'll lock the doors and post a out of order sign on the door of the Men's room. There's one window in the upper left corner that you can blimb out thru. It's always unlocked so you won't have to worry about an exit."

"Thank you." Michael replied. He had to hand it to Abigail, it was a well thought out plan. "However I want to see exactly who he's meeting with so I'll probably do it on his second run to the restroom."

"That's fine." Abigail answered.

"What about the Americans?" Astbury asked.

"They sent a Ghost." Abigail explained. "It's the new term for the NOC or what you might think of as a silent covert agent. His name is Adam Long and he's really good. he's also that man down there fornicating with that lovely young woman down there."

Michael took a brief glance at the lovemaking couple. Adam apparently was having a great time with his companion.

"I assume he knows where Raine will be also?" Michael asked.

Abigail nodded. "The Americans are too well informed. Long arrived yesterday and observed Raine."

Michael swore. "Which means that he might know things we want to."

"Exactly." Abigail said. "However thasnks to a tipoff to the Lisbon police it appears that Adam won't be making the rende-vouz tonight. Instead he'll be spending his time in a jail cell for poession of marijuana and hasheesh."

Michael gave Abigail a curious look. Abigail smirked as sirens could be heard in the distance which grew closer. In a matter of moments police cars surrounded the couple on the beach below, three cars, six officers with pistols drawn at Adam and his woman. In a matter of seconds Adam was arrested..along with his pretty mistress and the police cars disappeared.

"Well done." Astbury complimented.

"Thank you." Abigail said, then chuckled. "The CIA won't be happy about it but if I know them Long will either escape and go to ground or he'll buy his way out. Either way he's out of our hair and he won't be back in it."

After that they changed the topic to life in Portugal. Michael had never been before and Abigail filled Astbury in on specific locations and food and events he has to try whenever he gets a holiday off.

[TheREAL008]

Club Monaco.

Maryann and Nathan were the first tro arrive. It was fifteen minutes past 8 o clock that evening. They dressed casual to stand in with the crowd and took a table in the middle of the expansive dining room. Nathan ordered champagne and waited for Jean Paul Gotlieb.

Ten minutes later Michael and Abigail entered the restruant portion of the club and took a corner booth. Michael was able to see the couple in question The room was designed in art deco and dimly lit by wall mounted lamps designed to look like torches. It gave an impression of eating your dinner in the hallway of a midevil castle.

Raine's cellphone buzzed inside his inner jacket pocket. He grabbed it and switched it on.

"Yes?" Nathan greeted.

"I won't be able to meet tonight, something's come up." Gotlieb said on the other end of the line. "You two enjoy the time alone."

Raine hung up the phone and replaced it in his pocket. "Gotlieb won't make it. "He said to Maryann.

The couple called for a waiter and ordered thier food.

..........................................................................................

Michael observed Maryann and Nathan with curiousoty. he wondered who Raine was talking to and he wished to find out but he had to fight the urge to just walk over and make a scene to where the other patrons would be scared and run out of the restruant in terror. The plan alone was risky but he'd have to chance it, he was given an order and he'd have to follow it through.

He cast a glance to Abigail, she looked uneasy. He face pale and her eyes starting to brim with tears. Obviously she wasn't used to this kind of work. She was a paper pusher, a mere assistant forced into a part of the occupation no one truly wanted to know.

"You don't have to be here." Michael said. "As soon as I start you should go home and wait for me to call."

"It's not that." Abigail said, her voice cracking. "It just seems so...I don't know, in this day and age-"

"Don't think about it in those terms." Michael replied. A little forcefully. "Just breathe and repeat to yourself that you're doing a service to England. I'm the one who has to do the dirty work not you. The blood will be on my hands."

"And you can live with that?" Abigail asked.

"It's the job I was chosen for." Was all Astbury could think of saying. However Abigail was proving to becoming a liability. If he didn't get her out of here soon enough the whole mission could be compromised. Abigail gripped her tablecloth so hard her knuckles were turning white.

Astbury watched Nathan kiss Maryann quickly on her lips, then stand up from the table and proceed to the bathroom.

'Thank Christ.' Michael thought as he silently counted to ten then got up from the booth. He slowly walked to the Mens roomand noticed the porter standing by the doorway. He was asian, bald, wearing a white service uniform. He cast a quick glance to Astbury and nodded once briskly to say that aside from Raine, the restroom was completly empty. Michael casually walked inside and two seconds later the portter locked the mens room door and hung the out of order sign right on the face of the door.

Raine was sitting in the middle stall. The bathroom was completly white, walls, tile, urinals, toilets. The doors to the toilets were navy blue. Michael thoguht that the painters had a warped sense of humor as to the color scheme of the room. He unholstered the Walther P99 from underneath his right arm and with his left hand produced the silencer from his left hip pocket and installed it to the nozzle of the Walther.

Astbury simply walked to the front of Raine's stall and waited, the piustol drawn. He heard the shuffling of feet as Raine got to his feet, pulled yp his pants, zipped up, flushed the toilet and opened the stall door.

Nathan only caught a glance at Astbury as Michael pulled the trigger twice. hitting Raine square in the chest. Nathan didn't have a chance to cry out in any regester of pain as he stumbled backwards, sitting back on the toilet and silently died. Michael unscrewed the silencer and holstered the weapon then quickly stepped inside the stall and frisked Raine's body for the cellphone. he found it in it's usual spot. Astbury put the phone in his backpocket then closed the stall door.

He found the window of the bathroom unlocked as Abigail said it would be. Michael hefted himself up on his elbows, opened the window then easily crawled out and fell into a bush at the back of the club. he got to his feet and quickly scanned the area, no one was around so he walked away from the building and out of the area of the club. Caught a bus back to his hotel room and poured himself a stiff drink of scotch on the rocks. The job was done.

[TheREAL008]

MI6 Headquarters:
London.

The only time M would ever drink straight vodka was she was in a state of worry. She sat alone in her office, took a few sips of her drink, then stared at the celing. She sighed deeply and hoped Astbury was doing well. The job alone was risky enough and to send someone out with only one confirmed kill to his name, was that risking too much?

Suppose he got caught? Suppose he had made a mistake and got killed? Suppose-

M rubbed her temples. She knew exactly why she was having these thoughts; it was because of Astbury's age. He was young, past his twenties; but young nonetheless. Could he really live with what he'd been set out to accomplish depending on IF he completes the mission? Could she live with the notion that she was helping to mold a young man, the youngest in the remade Doble 0 Section. And what the hell was she doing remaking the bloody section in the first place? The section was outdated. It's glory days headed by a cast iron Admiral and commandos who relied on blood and guts cunning. Sure it was useful in it's time but it had been disbanded since the early 1980's. Why reactivate it now?

To this M also knew the answer. because the world was still full of evil, sinister, people who would do anything to bring Britan, her country, along with the rest of the world to it's knees. When she was given brief upon brief about an orginization funding the terrorists of the world M knew it would lead to unconventional warfare, the quiet kind that no one would know about except for her and a few others on her staff.

M's phone buzzed. She picked up the reciever.

"Joyce Carrington, as you requested." Bill Tanner said on the other line.

"Give me a moment." M said, then put the reciever back on the cradle.

Then there was the issue of the second candiate waiting right outside her door. A woman. The first to be a double 0 ever.

Was that also a mistake? Sending a woman out to do what was apparently a man's job? History was laden full of female assassins but they paid a heavy price. It was also noted by Kipling that the female of the species was deadlier than the male so the woman might stand a chance. M had her first assignment right on her desk and once she was sent out, there would be no turning back.

Another buzz on M's phone. SHe quickly snatched it up and placed it to her ear. And a stern warning to Tanner about rushing her.

Instead Bill had news from Lisbon.

"Signal just came in from Station S." Tanner began. "Raine has been retired and Astbury awaits for further instructions."

M smiled. She would never let it be known but she was proud of the boy. Astbury had proved himself.

"Tell Station S that Astbury is to observe Maryann Rocker but make no contact. I repeat, make NO contact."

"Understood." Tanner replied and rang off.

M went to her computer and opened one a file for her potential Double 0's, and typed in the confirmation for Astbury:

Michael Astbury 008: Status confirmed.

"The first of a lethal trio." M whispered.

She saved the data, then closed the file and pressed the button for the green light. Feeling better prepared for the interview with Joyce Carrington.

[TheREAL008]

Jean Paul Gotlieb, coffee mug in hand looked over on his deck at the sunrise. His girlfriend sleeping on the bed he ahd made love to her on. Last night was a perfect night for him. With recent events looming in his mind it was great to just enjoy some time alone with his companion and not have to think about the deal with The Orginization.

The red and white striped bathrobe he wore itched alittle, it always did. He took a sip of his black and lightly sugared coffee and took in the morning air. Remembering the quiet candlelit dinner at home, the dessert, and the lovemaking that took place for hours on end. Jean Paul took a seat on one of his deckchairs and closed his eyes. With the surf moving and the seaguls active overhead, and the day so crisp and blue, he couldn't imagine a more perfect day to be alive.

However the sudden sound of a third voice which seemed to appear out of nowhere shattered the mood of the morning.

"Where were you last night Gotlieb?"

Jean Paul opened his eyes. Maryann Rocker was standing in front of him. Her eyes were bloodshot, as if she were crying...apparently heavily. She looked as if she hadn't slept, her hair was disheveled, her clothes tight fitting, and black from her shoes to her long sleeved shirt.

"What do you-" Jean Paul was about to ask, but Maryann cut him off.

"Nathan is dead. He was murdered at the club, in the restroom. Convienant, no?"

"I- I don't understand."

"Then let me make it clear for you." Maryann began, venom in her voice. "You hired someone to get inside the club and kill Raine. Obviously your hired hand took the kitchen exit out of the club or he slipped out of a bathroom window. Why Jean Paul?"

Jean Paul sprang to his feet and stood toe to toe with Maryann, locking his eyes with hers.

"I was here, all night. With my girlfriend. It wasn't me or any of my men. We have an arrangment."

"We had an arrangment." Maryann coreected. "We're buying from someone else."

"Waitaminute-"

"Forget it Jean Paul. It was you, I know it was you. Your relationship with Raine wasn't all that...nice. I know you disliked him and me. You didn't approve of my orginization and our plans. But that's ok, the wheel turns for everyone Gotlieb."

Maryann started walking away south along the shoreline, leaving Jean Paul on the deck. She turned around to look at him one final time then turned back around and continued on until Gorlieb couldn't see her anymore. Along with wondering what all that was about he quickly walked back inside his house and into his bedroom to wake his girlfriend.
..........................................................................................

That afternoon Michael was at the office for Station S. A small house that belong to the station Head, it also served as a safehouse for MI6 agents who were either in trouble or were bringing someone in for interrogation. That morning Astbury searched through Raine's cellphone. He found a repeated number in the recieved call logs, on the cellphone it was an unregestered number but with Abigail's help he was able to find out who the caller was.

"His name is Jean Paul Gotlieb." She said as she sifted various information onh her computer. The room they were in was cramped and offered slight room for moving. Michael noticed the filed box Abigail was issued on the floor near the trashbin.

"Who is he?" Astbury asked.

"Arms dealer." She answered. "Born of German and French descent. Parents and other family unknown."

"What's he famous for?" Michael asked, wanting to cut to the chase and skip all of Gotlieb's vital stats

"Got his first start in the IRA in the late eighties. Then after the cease fire of the mid ninties he left to supply arms to various terror cells through western europe and central asia. Credible in the russian mafia, along with a few chinese triads."

"Where does he live?"

Abigail typed franticly. "Ocean villa, he owns two acres of beachfront property." She took a pad that was on a nearby table and a pen that was by the monitor and wrote down the address.

"Here you are. When do you plan on seeing him?"

Michael took the slip of paper from Abigail's hands, then pocketed it.

"Tonight. Late. Thank you Abigail."

"No problem." She replied. "If there's anything else Station S can provide, just call."

Michael smiled. Then took his leave.

[TheREAL008]

With the lights not being on in Gotlieb's villa Adam Long figured his mission would be easier that night. He poked his head out of the water and proceeded to swim to the shoreline. His dragonskin tatical suit allowing him easy movement in the water. The only heavy object; the SCUBA tank on his back. He only used the SCUBA gear when he was on vacation in Tampa Bay or even Nassau and part of him wished he was on leave right now but his superiors had told him after he was bailed out of jail that he was to complete the mission.

That mission changed upon learning of Raine's death. He was told that the people he was dealing with were unpredictable and Adam was sure of it now. Gotlieb's phone had been tapped for a week and the call to Nathan Raine was only a small piece of information that would be helpful to the CIA. However what nagged at him was how he was found out so quickly. He was ordered to bing in Nathan Raine alive and someone had put him out of the way in order for Raine to be assassinated. Sitting on a hard bed in a solitary cell he could only conclude that a rival company had set him up. He made a mental note to find out later.

He reached the shore and took off the SCUBA tank and flippers. He ran up to the sliding glass doors that were in the back of Gotlieb's villa. He checked the door on the left and surprsingly found it unlocked. He silently thanked Gotlieb for not having to use his lockpicks. From his shoulderpouch he took out a small handheld maglite flashlight and turned it on. Scanning the bedroom he found the bed unmade, on the nightstand to the right of the bed was Gotlieb's laptop; it was turned off. Adam switched it on and proccded to roam thru the rest of the Villa. The two bathrooms, guest room, kitchen, and small library were empty. Which just left the living room. Adam slowly walked inside. He couldn't be entirely sure but he thought he saw something in the chair facing the television. It appeared to be human in form. Long wished he had nightvision goggles but he crept alittle closer and narrowed his eyes. It was Gotlieb and he appeared to be sleeping. From his hip pouch Adam drew out a silenced H&K with his right hand. With his left he nudged Gotlieb on the shoulder.

"Wake up Gotlieb." Adam ordered.

There was no sound or movement coming from Jean Paul Gotlieb. Adam nudged alittle bit harder.

"Gotlieb!" He shouted. "Let's go."

Still nothing from Gotlieb. Adam swore and walked to the lightswitch on the wall to the far right. Then he understood.

Jean Paul Gotlieb was sitting in his chair and would never be getting up again. His eyes were closed and his throat was cut. Dried blood ran from his open throat to his chest, down his body and a good portion of the carpet. Adam swore, holstered the gun and grabbed his cellphone from the right shoulder pocket and dialed a number.

"What's going on Adam?" Miranda asked. Miranda was a runner for the ghost division of the CIA. She stayed in a safehouse and ran errands for operatives, andmonitored the police band.

"Gotlieb is dead." Adam replied. Sounding very pissed off. "His throat's been cut and from the look of him he's been dead for about six hours."

"Get out of there, now."

"Will do. Can you do something else for me?"

"What would that be?" Miranda wondered.

"Find out if any rival companies are involved. Russians, Brits, Germans. I want to know. Someone's trying to foul up the game."

"Will do. Head to extraction. I'll inform the police."

"Will do. Adam replied. He looked at the carpet and was glad to see no footprints, switched off the living room lights and went out the way he came. Thankful he was wearing gloves. He didn't care about leaving footprints in the sand, the wind would take care of that. He exited the house and picked up the SCUBAtank and flippers and ran along the shoreline until he was near the extraction point. he put on the flippers and SCUBAtank and swam out to an awaiting speedboat.
..........................................................................................

Michael Astbury was just about to head out of the door of his hotel room when Abigail rang his room.

He quickly picked up the reciever. "Yes?"

"Just heard it on the police frequency." Abigail began. "Gotleib has been murdered."

Michael swore, harshly. "How long do you think I have until they arrive?"

"I can buy you some time." Abigail answered. "I know the chief of police. He and the section head are close friends. He can call the responding units back for twenty minutes only."

"Not much time" Michael considered. The drive alone would be five minutes. He disliked having a small window timeframe to work in but he had to take what he could get.

"Do it." He said, and abruptly hung up. He quickly left his room and decided to take the stairs instead of the elevator. He was only on the third floor so taking the steps wasn't much of a problem. He sprinted to his red Mitsubishi Eclipse that was oon loan from Section S, open the car doors, put the keys into the ignition, closed trhe doors and drove off to Gotlieb's house.

Five minutes later and just like Adam, Michael entered Gotlieb's house thru the sliding door enterance. He quickly scanned the house, found the body, went back to the library for anything important and found nothing useful. Just books and some documents from Gotlieb's legitimate busniess. Then he remembered the laptop that was turned on in the bedroom. He exited the library and ran. He sat on the bed and checked the computer.

Michael hit alittle bit of paydirt. Jean Paul Gotlieb left a few numbers of clients, a few addresses of warehouses some weapons were stored. But what grabbed his intrest was the address of Maryann Rocker and Nathan Raine. Obviously no one would be there but it was worth checking. Astbury shut the laptop off, unplugged it, wrapped the cord around the laptop and took it with him. He could hear sirens approaching so he made his exit and wiped off any prints his fingers touched on the sliding glass door with his black shirt.

The sirens were growing closer. Astbury ran to the left of the house and thru the foilage, over part of the small front wall and back to his car. He placed the laptop on the passenger side and drove back to the headquarters of Section S.

[TheREAL008]

London:
Two Days Later.

"The house was empty?" M had asked. "Just like that?"

Astbury had searched Maryann Rocker's house a day before. He drove to the addrerss in daylight and found the front door open and the house completly empty. A sign that Maryann left in a big hurry. Upon hearing this news M told Michael to come back to London and report.

"Every room bare." Astbury answered. "Which means that she hired a crew to get her things out or else her and Raine didn't have many belongings there at all."

M took two glasses and a bottle of scotch from the left counter in her office and poured, then handed Michael a glass.

"Where is she now?"

"Abigail says Maryann might be in Paris." Michael replied. "She contacted Station F and they said that Rocker was known to frequent some prime locations around the city."

"What about Gotlieb?" M wondered, mostly to herself. "What was he doing with Raine and Rocker?"

"Maybe he and Maryann were partners?" Astbury speculated. "Arm in arm. Raine might be suppling weapons to whatever orginization Rocker belongs to and possibly Gotlieb was going to supply a target?"

M took a sip of her drink. "It's feasible. Any thoughts on who killed him?"

Now Michael took a sip. "It could have been Maryann. Maybe whoever the Americans sent to collect Nathan Raine."

"Find out." M ordered. "If it was Rocker then you'll know what to do. If you come across the American operative, find a way to get him out of the equation. We don't need an incident turning our allies into our foes."

Michael stood to take his leave. "Yes M'amm. I'll head for Paris tonight."

"Astbury?" M called as Michael had turned his back and started walking to the door. Michael turned back to face her. There was a sudden lightness in her eyes.

"Be careful." She said.

Michael nodded then walked out her office door. The last time she thought about sending someone so young on a mission as dangerous and apparently messy as this, she would have consider herself out of her mind. But now, she was proud of Astbury for handling everything thus far so well.

[TheREAL008]

Astbury's flat:
10:00 pm

Later on that night as Michael was back at his flat and in his ultramodern kitchen making a sandwich before heading out to France the phone for his busniess rang. MI6 agents were instructed to have two phones availible. One for common use and the other for work related use. Which generally meant the phone was a direct and secure link to M or her secetary only.

Michael picked up the phone on the second ring. "Hello?"

"Change of plan." M said. "Maryann isn't in Paris, she's in Monaco."

"Any idea why she's there?" Astbury asked.

"Section S put in a request to our field man in France about her, apparently her place in Paris is cleaned out also. "

"Interesting." Michael observed. "She's on the run?"

"It would appear so." M answered. "Our French office confirms that she's in Monaco and that she has a private table at the Belle Epoque casino tomorrow night."

"She's collecting traveling money." Michael observed. "Why?"

"That's for you to find out." M informed Astbury. "Leave for Monaco in the morning, put yourself into the game since she'll be accepting all players. Tanner will be transferring a sum of twenty million pounds into a account in Monte Carlo. He'll call you first thing in the morning with all the details."

"You want me to bankrupt her?" Michael asked.

"Yes, and there's a catch. The Americans are sending someone in to collect her. It's become a joint operation I'm afraid. The CIA aren't to happy about Raine. They've been bellyaching to the PM about international relations. I'm sorry to say you'll have to work alongside of whoever they've sent."

"Not a problem." Michael answered.

"No mistakes Astbury." M ordered. "I don't know how good you are at Baccarat but we can't lose that money. If you can pull it off we'll get the money and the yanks get the woman. Apparently the americans want to know who it is she's running from."

"They have any ideas?"

"If they do they're not being friendly with the information. However if they do catch her I'll put strain on them to find out. Good luck 008." M said then hung up.

Astbury put the phone back in it's place, ate his sandwich and cooked up a side dish. So much for an overnight trip thru the interconnecting tunnel from England to France. But on the other hand it was god that he would be able to get a decent night's sleep at home for once. He took a Gunniess out of his fridge then grabbed his Walther P99 and headed into his living room.

His first thought was the number she had given him. 008, somehow it fit him comfortably. Like he was tailor made for it.

He set the drink and gun on the coffeetable across from the couch. He took the weapon apart piece by piece to make sure all the compoents were clean and in working order. He took a sip of his beer then reassembled his gun. He leaned back in his couch and thought about the latest news. Two houses cleaned out in two days, a supposedly high stakes baccarat game to take place tommorow night, and Jean Paul Gotlieb's unexplained death to send Michael's target into sudden flight.

Maryann wanted to disappear, without a trace. But who from? Michael wondered. Who or whom had that kind of power nowadays to install that amount of fear? Astbury wondered if Maryann were responsible for Gotlieb's demise, it would explain why she was in such a hurry to vanish. Of course it could also be a trap, and he wished he could have talked about the possiblity to M. What if it were a trap for Maryann to fine Nathan Raine's killer? He reached for his beer and took another sip, if it were Michael would just have to play it quietly; pass himself as non persona grata. That's right Ms. Rocker no need to suspect me, I'm not the one who killed your lover; wink wink.

Then there was the american. Michael hoped he or she wouldn't get too much in the way, he silently wished that they would stick to the shadows and just retrive Maryann at the end of the game...win or lose.

He finished his beer and retrived his gun. He threw the bottle away and walked into his bedroom. He placed his gun under the pillow he slept under. That was a common rule to all filed agents. He undressed then slipped into a pair of silky swimshorts and went to sleep.

[TheREAL008]

The first suprise of the morning as Astbury awoke to a knock on his front door. He put on a pair of pants and a t shirt and headed to his front door. On the other side was a middle aged man, dressed in a royal blue suit and brown hair named Giles who was sent from M to deliver Michael's new car. A black Aston Martin DB9 for Astbury's trip thru the channel tunnel to Monaco. He thanked Giles (Who served as MI6's auto serviceman) then packed his bags and began his drive.

Michael's second surprise was that once he arrived in Monaco a few hours later and checked into his huge room at the Metropole Palace Hotel he recived a message to meet a friend at the restruant downstairs. He left his clothes in his suitcases, closed the door of his room then headed downstairs, taking his time. He caught the elevator alone so he unholstered his Walther P99 from the shoulder holster, which kind of dug at the ribs but couldn't really be helped, took the safety off then reholstered. Michael rarely liked surprises so he would take no chances.

There were only three people in the restruant. A young couple speaking in german and a lone man who looked to be about the same age as Astbury. He had short black hair and tan skin. A thin nose and black eyes that looked directly at Michael. He was dressed in a Michigan Wolverines polo shirt and black jeans with Nike shoes. He looked out of place considering the location he was at and when Michael recognized the man as the American operative who was arrested on the beach he tensed alittle.

"Hi." the man greeted Astbury in a calm tone. "The name is Adam Long, I'm a friend from Virgina."

Michael walked over to Adam and shook his hands. "Astbury." He greeted. "Michael Astbury."

Adam chuckled alittle. "I already know that part. Sit down please."

Michael took the chair oppisite Adam and inspected the menu on the table. "You must be the person who requestioed the partnership."

Adam nodded. "Something like that. More like my superiors talked to your boss. By the way, she has quite the temper."

Michael shrugged. "I wouldn't know yet."

Long laughed. "We know all about you, Langley that is. We even know about the resurrection of your department. Talk about guts and glory commando stuff. Interesting work if you don't mind me saying but since you're half AMerican Michael I just wonder who your loyality really belongs to."

A waiter came and Michael ordered a breve mocha, Adam ordered a hot cocca. What the american just said struck a nerve with him, nor did Adam's tone of voice comfort him either.

"What do you mean?" Michael wondered. Trying to keep the mood civil.

"I don't mean any disrespect but-" Adam broke off, thinking of the right words to say. "-I mean let's face it, you're american too so why not just let me handle this? It was us that first started to tail Rocker."

Michael understood, it was about supposed jurisdiction. He figured that if Adam was really aiming at that he wasn't going to get it.

"Were you also the first ones to kil Gotlieb?" Michael asked, locking eyes with Long.

Adam sat back in his chair as the waiter brought them thier drinks.

"Not me or my department." Long answered. "We assumed it was you."

"It wasn't me, however I wouldn't have minded to question him." Astbury admitted.

"So if it wasn't you, and it sure as hell wasn't me. Then who?"

'That's what we're in Monaco for." Michael answered. "I take it you're playing against Maryann tonight?"

Adam took a sip of his drink before replying. "What she's managed to do was just send out an open challenge. I signed myself and you up the minute she announced, which was last night."

"Who else will be at the table?"

"Wendy Stephens." Adam began. "She's a canadian soap opera star who's now going to be in a cameo with Timothy Dalton for some movie, Married to a television executive. Next two are the Dieps; middle aged chinese couple who gamble for fun and adventure. Now comes a wrench in the works: Hanz Simi. He's a pacific islander who just so happens to be a professional poker player. Apparently it's an off season for him so he's decided to try his hand at a european game."

Michael whistled. He agreed that he could be a problem if he were to clean Maryann out.

"Any chance he could be persuaded to get out of the game?" Michael wondered.

"Not a chance." Adam answered. "I've talked to him and he's going to stick it out. He hasn't got much sense but whatever. I've got two undercover FBI people to back Simi just in case. You know, protect the innocent. Also one girl from Liverpool, Katie something...I forget the last name."

"How many people with Maryann?"

Adam smiled. "Just one. He's a contract killer who ever law agency in the planet wants. His name is Sean Valen and he's about as dangeroud as a black widow spider. He's clever, cunning, and a defenatebiblical plague on legs if he's given the opportunity to practice his tradecraft."

Michael nodded. It made perfect sense for Maryann to have just one partner. This Sean Valen was probably hired to protect her and her alone. It was an obsticle that he and Adam would have to work through if they wanted to get to Rocker herself.

"So what's the plan?" Michael asked.

"It's simple. " Adam explained. "When I get the shoe you and I play, I'll be sloppy and act as if I don't know the game. It won't be much of a stretch since I barely know anyhow. You clean me out and then you wait until it's just you and Maryann. However if it's anyone else and her then just observe and afterward make sure she goes nowhere. The money is safe. I made sure of that already. So no matter who really wins everyone at that table gets back what they lost, except for Maryann of course."

"And if she does win?"

Adam smiled. "Nab and grab, I know it's not much of a plan but it's solid and it will work. Trust me Michael the CIA did this kind of op in 2004. Worked wonderfully. As soon as I'm out of the game I'll handle Sean you just make sure Maryann basiclly stays at that table."

Edited by TheREAL008, 15 April 2007 - 07:36 PM.

[TheREAL008]

After the meeting Michael and Adam seperated and decided to meet again during the game. Astbury then drove around the town and kept his thoughts on the game. He should have asked Long about where Maryann was staying but then again thought about a diffrent matter. All he had to do was make sure either he or someone else had defeated her tonight, then let Adam do whatever it was he did best and capture Rocker for her possible trip to some american federal prison where she would be questioned about whatever orginization she belonged to.

An hour later he returned to his hotel and took a nap. When he awoke Michael went back down to the cafe and had a dinner of smoked ham cutlets, broccoli and melted cheddar cheese, rice, two oven made dinner rolls. He had a dessert of choccolate cake and an espresso to go along with it. he paid the bill then returned to his room where he showered and shaved. He put on his tuxedo which Michael found to be very comfortable and walked three blocks to the Belle Epoque casino.

Astbury checked his watch as he entered the huge double french doors leading into the open area of the casino. The walls were a pale yellow-ish white, the carpet of the entire place a deep set purple and the drapes that hung over the windows a maroon red. He scanned the faces of the people in the casino: they were faces that shown laughter, eyes that were lit up in victory or saddened by defeat. Faces to names Michael couldn't towards; strangers who would have no idea of what would be going down tonight. He shrugged his shoulders and walked down the four steps that lead into the grand hall where the blackjack and roulette tables were. In a far corner he could see a row of slot machines. Astbury walked over to a blackjack table and tried his luck for a few minutes. He did pretty well considering that it was possibly the only card game he was really expert at.

Michael continued to play a few rounds until a hand touched his left shoulder. He looked up to see Adam who gave Michael a curt greeting. Michael played one more hand and won with a count of 19 to the house's count of 12.

"You ready?" Adam asked. He was dressed in a tuxedo also, later on Adam would say to Astbury that he hated formalwear of any kind.

"Not really." Michael admitted.

"No choice." Adam said, and they both laughed at the remark. The two of them walked out of the main hall and took a left down the main corridor marked Salle Priviy. They were both patted down for weapons by the main guard of the room. Next to him stood Sean Valen, keeping his eyes on the two but saying nothing.

The walked over to the barman inside and ordered absolut citron and orange.The Deips were there sitting at a table talking to themselvs in chinese. Maryann was sitting in the croupier's seat shuffling a seperate deck of cards. She was wearing a black and red gown with her hair tied back. Her eyes glanced over at the two newcomers then adverted back to the cards. The shoe was at her right side which seemed undisturbed.

"You get a glimpse of Valen?" Adam whispered to Astbury. "He means busniess tonight."

Michael nodded. "Maryann probably gave him orders to kill whoever wins aside from her. We'll have to be careful none of the others are hurt."

Hanz Simi walked in the room next. Upon first viewing Michael wouldn't want to meet up with him in a dark alley. he stood 6'7 and had the bulk of a freight train. He was a heavyset man with a shaved head. His smile on the other hand told Michael and Adam that he wasn't here to kick in the actual sense, just have a good time at the table.

"Good evening everyone." Hanz greeted.

Maryann asked how did he do, the Diep's waved at him, Michael nodded a greetings to the newcomer and Adam said hello.

Wendy Stephens entered next. She had a deep set long red hair and jade eyes. Her lips were perfectly oval with the hint of ivory teeth when she smiled to everyone in the room. She was dressed casually. Wearing white slacks, a black halter top and a long white sportcoat, a black purse sluung over her right shoulder. Her hair fell down to her shoulders and curled at the ends. Wendy looked to be in her mid to early forties and to Astbury's mind was easily the most sexy woman in the room. He found himself transfixed to her gaze as she sat at a corner table and dug inside her purse for a cigar and lighter.She put the cigar to her lips and lit up, taking a deep lungful.

"Beautiful woman." Adam observed. Tracing Michael's gaze to her.

"She is." Michael agreed.

"Too bad she's married." Adam replied. Patting Michael on the back of his left shoulder.

Katie was the final one to enter. She had her brown hair in a ponytail and wore a long black and gold gown that hung from her shoulders and gave off a good view of her cleavage. The dress hugged her figure as if it were a second skin. Her blue eyes looked towards everyone at the room then she walked over to the bar and took a next to Astbury and ordered a scotch on the rocks.

Katie cast a glance to Michael and Adam. "Hullo."

"Greetings" The two men said at the same time. "Last but not least." Michael said.

"The story of my life." Katie said, taking a sip of her drink. "Excited to play?"

"My friend here and I have a bet that I could take everything by the final hour of tonight's play." Adam said cheerfully.

"How much is riding?" Katie asked.

"Ten grand." Michael replied, before Adam could make a remark. "Care to join the sidebet Mrs-?" He held out a hand.

"Ms. Whittle." Katie replied, shaking Michael's hand. "Katie Whittle. And I'd be glad to take your money."

Michael laughed. Adam was about to say something when everyone at thier tables stood at attention as Maryann rose. Suddenly more people came into the room, spectators of the two day event.

"Ladies and Gentlemen." Maryann anounced. Her accent was defenately american, no trace of any german to her from outside appearences. She walked over to one of the waist level bars and addressed the players.

"The game is Baccarat. The prize is one hundred and forty million pounds plus an additional hundred to the winner of the tournament that's been taken out of my own private account. You have each been asked todeposit the sum of twenty million pounds into a joint account that the winner shall recieve the access number and password to via the manager of the casino-" Upon hearing this a small man with a shaved head and a soulpatch waved his hand as if he were a tourist hailing down a taxicab. '-has access to. Are there any questions before the game begins?"

No one in the room said anything. The Dieps stepped from thier previous table and took thier seats aroundthe baccarat table. They looked at each other and Mr. Diep quickly kissed his wife on the cheek for good luck. Maryann watched the two and gave a short laugh.

"And with that will everyone else come up and take a seat?" She asked. "For everyone playing and the spectators who have just now entered: let the games begin."

Edited by TheREAL008, 15 April 2007 - 07:37 PM.

[TheREAL008]

The first hour of play saw the Dieps totally destroy Hanz Simi.

Hanz played with an egotistical coolness as he ganbled and bragged about his various poker victories. The game began with an opening bet of 20 million. Wendy labeled Simi a showboat and Adam cautioned him about gaming wisely, to which Hanz didn't listen. Simi played against the Dieps until he was totally cleaned out. Then the shoe was passed to Adam.

Adam played off against Astbury as the earnings totaled up to 35 million. True to his word Adam played carelessly, acting as if he had never before played baccarat. He pretended to be clumsy and slightly dimwitted while Astbury on the other hand played levelheaded. He and Wendy exchanged a few words and Michael could have sworn that she was undressing him with his eyes. Adam on the other hand kept his attention on Sean Valen's movements along with his cards then as soon as Adam knew it he was defeated.

"Guess I'll stick to blackjack." He said as he rose, bowed to everyone at the table then took his leave.

Two people already eliminated and the battle was still going to go a long way.

Maryann anounced that the banco for the next play was 50 million.

Astbury passed the shoe to Katie who in turn played against the dieps. Katie played like a true professional while the Dieps gave her no quarter as well. It was a battle of skill and will and everyone around the table felt tensions rise. The Dipes conversed with no one but themselvs and after an 90 minutes play they were defeated. The only time they spoke english was to congratulate the girl on her victory then they left the table.

Maryann kept her eyes on Katie during the whole match as Katie kept her eyes on Maryann also. Michael couldn't be sure but something told him that the two knew each other before.

The last play of the evening was beteween Wendy and Maryann, the banco now at 75 million. They played for two hours with Wendy progressivly taking plaques from Maryann then having the tide turn on Wendy. Maryann had defeated Wendy with a nine against Wendy's eight. Cleaned out, Wendy gave a short laugh; wished Maryann bon chance on the next part of the game then took her leave.

'So, it's just down to us three.' Michael thought as he rose from his seat and headed over to the bar. Katie was there before him and waiting for the bartender to approach her.

"You played a good game against the Dieps." Michael greeted. "Care to tell me how you did it?"

Katie cast a deep look at Astbury. She smiled as the waiter approached him. She ordered a bacardi on the rocks while Michael ordered a scotch and soda.

"It was hard." Katie finally confessed. "They played like a well oiled machine. To be honest it was a miracle I won against them. Your battle against the american looked easy. I wish I played against him instead."

Katie spokle with a liverpool accent. She seemed cheerful with her performance with the game thus far, but Michael wanted to know if she had a connection with his quarry.

"I noticed you locking eyes with our...hostess." Michael said gently. "Let me guess, you and her went to the same school in Liverpool?"

Katie smiled, then she finished her drink. "Not quite." She replied. "I just felt something....threatening when she looked at me from her position. So then I figured why not use fire against fire?"

Something about what she just said didn't ease Michael's mind. He finished his drink then set it on the bar.

"Care for something to eat? Or are you too tired?" Michael asked.

"I could eat something." She agreed. "Care to join me? I have a wonderful view of the riveria at my room and I want something diffrent to take my mind off cards."

Katie said it with a flirtatious look in her eyes and face. She brushed her hips against Michael's then slwoly proceeded to leave the room. Michael quickly followed her, they locked arms together and they walked back to Katie's hotel where they took the elevator to the fourth floor to her room. Ordered a late night dinner and champagne from room service, then made love for hours until the sun came up. Sleeping in each other's arms.

[TheREAL008]

"We're blown." Adam said. "Totally and completly."

It was early the next morning. Michael and he were having breakfast back in the restruant in the Metropole Palace Hotel. Astbury left Katie's room and hotel at sunrise. Glad that the night spent with her wasn't a complete waste. WHen he got back into his room he showered and shaved then recievedf a call from Adam to meet him for breakfast. The two of them were sitting in a corner booth drinking coffe, Michael was eating hot oatmeal with eggs and bacon while Adam dined on steak and eggs. The resrtuant was slightly busy with the early morning tourists and a misture of elderly and younger groups on thier way to the beaches, stopping in for a pit stop.

Adam's news caught Michael by surprise.

Adam took a sip of his coffee. "The FBI people I hired to protect the other players installed wiretaps throughout the villa where Maryann and Sean are staying. They weren't happy about it of course but tyhe CIA has a way of having the feds cooperate with us."

"Ok, so what was said?"

"Mostly it was Maryann informing Sean about us. How she got the information is anyone's guess."

Astbury reflected on what was just said. "Mole?" He asked.

"It's possible." Adam agreed. "However it's not like MI6 to have an insider considering how security is like a well oiled machine."

"America knows too much." Michael quipped.

Adam laughed. "Hey, we share and share alike." Then he got serious. "There's a chance it could be us but it could be another possibility also."

"Someone at the table." Astbury replied.

"You got it, and that's what I'm betting on."

"Well if we're going to speculate, you notice the locked eyes beteween Maryann and Katie last night?"

"Somewhat." Adam confessed. "What about it?"

Michael took a final sip of his coffee. "The minute Katie even came to the table Maryann tensed up. Like she knew something about her."

"Interesting, anything else you care to fil me in on?"

"Well, when I spent the night with her she avoided any question I put to her about Maryann or the game. I asked her how long she had been playing and she told me that her father had taught her when she was fifteen back in Liverpool. there's something else: She has a tattoo of a scorpion on her right wrist. Nobody saw it yesterday because it was covered up by her watch."

"I don't follow Astbury."

"Usually it's a way someone is inducted into a secret society or orginization." Michael answered.

Then it dawned on them both.

Adam threw a wad of bills on the table and the both of them ran out of the hotel. Michael led the way to Katie's hotel, taking the elevator to the fourth floor. However when they both of them got there the room was empty. Michael swore and Adam dialed a number on his cellphone to which he got no answer.

"The guys aren't picking up." Adam said, a tone of urgency in his voice.

They rushed out of the hotel and hopped into Astbury's DB9 and drove into Maryann's villa. Adam giving perfect directions on getting there.

The villa was directly on beachfront property and the front door was wide open. It was a clear cloudless day and the seagulls were already in ful sqawking mode. They got out of the car and split up to encircle the house. Michael taking the left side and Adam the right. They both met up at the back enterance that would look out towards the clear blue water. There appeared to be no movement inside the house so they walked back to the front door and steped inside.

The inside of the house was decorated in ultraodern furniture. No one was in the kitchen but when they both walked into the living room Sean's body was found lying on the couch. he could have been mistaken for sleeping except for the gunshot wound in the center of his forehead. Michael rushed into the master bedroom to see Maryann's naked body laying in a pool of blood on the bed. From what Astbury could see her throat had been cut.

"Jesus, Mary, and Joeseph." Adam whispered as he entered the room. Astbury, out of instinct opened the double closet doors and out poured the two FBI agents. Like Sean Valen they suffered from gunshot wounds to the head.

"This is getting too messy." Adam said, wondering how he was going to report this.

"First things first." Michael said. "Call the manager of the casino. Tell them that Ms. Rocker has left the country and has forfeited the game. Make sure everyone gets thier money back. We'll have to give a full report to our surperiors but at least they'll be glad to know they haven't lost any money...I think."

"Ok, then what?" Adam asked.

"Then we find out who Katie spent her morning with." Michael asnwered; inwardly growing angrier at the situation.

[TheREAL008]

She was there the whole time, and no one took any notiuce.

Katie obviously waited until Michael had left her, then sprang into action. In Astbury's mind it explained Maryann's uneasyness at the table. She must have packed her things, checked out of her hotel, driven to Maryann's place, then coldly and professionally murdered her and Sean Valen, Maryann's companion; with ruthless precision.

Straight after he and Adam left the villa Astbury called in Station F to handle the cleaning up. He made a full report to Head of Station F which M would now be reading this very moment. Michael was advised by F to wait at his hotel until furthernotice. Adam Long in turn made a report to his superior and Michael assumed that he was instructed to also wait where he was at.

After an hour of sitting on the heavily padded seat watching television, Michael rose to his feet and switched it off. He went to his mini fridge and grabbed two little bottles of stright vodka and poured them into a tall glass. He then walked out into the balcony of his room and reflected on the day's blunder. She had played hgim like a harp and Michael willingly walked into it. For all he knew it could have been Katie herself who had tipped Maryann off about him and Adam....

He winced at that thought. He wished tyhe woman was right here next to him. He'd strangle the life out of her if she actually were. How long had she been in Monaco planning her course of actions. Waiting for Maryann to show. More importantly, Michael wondered just WHO it was who sent her, and for what purpose?

And now with Maryann dead, the trail had gone cold. Michael Astbury's first assignment as a double 0 agent and he had made a complete fool of himself.

He shook himself out of the reverie. It wasn't over, Katie was still out there somewhere. She would be found, he would find her. As god as his witness he would and he's make her talk until she screamed a confession. He decided there and then that she wouldn't recieve a quick kill. She'd feel it, whatever Micahel would have in store; she'd feel it and then she would beg him to put a bullet into her.

His hotel phone broke his train of thought. He picked up the reciever, glad to be hearing from Adam.

"I'm reassigned." He said without any emotion in his voice. "Standard operating procedure for us I'm sorry to say. If you find her, good luck."

"You in any trouble?" Michael asked.

"Nah." Long replied. "It would have been one thing to catch Maryann and a bonus if we discovered Ms. Whittle but we tried. No harm no foul."

Michael wished he could believe that. But inside himself he felt a deep resentment at letting M down and Adam also.

"Anyhow, I'm going home, I'm goiung to be getting drunk all the way back and I'm going to forget about this mess. It was great working with you Astbury, hope we have another case together soon."

Adam rang off and Micahel felt an unwanted sense of closure.

"So the opposition has won." Michael whispered to nobody. He wanted to throw his glass of vodka against the far wall, to get the anger he was feeling inside of him out.

A few minutes later his cell phone rang. It was M and Astbury sudden;y felt like a scared pup cowering in a corner.

He switched the cell on.

"Hello M." He greeted.

"Station F sent me the report." M said, her voice crisp and curt. "Bad luck, but at least no one goes home bankrupt. I'll be assigning someone to clean out both Rocker and Gotlieb's swiss bank accounts. Seeing as they won't be needing any form of money anymore."

"What about Katie Whittle?" Michael asked, doing his best to keep the anger down.

"She'll turn up." M advised. "As of now you're on fortnight's leave."

Michael sighed heavily. "Understood."

"Don't make it personal 008." M ordered, but speaking softly. "Katie was a blind, you couldn't have known so don't let it eat you up inside. This isn't your fault."

"That doesn't make the situation right." Astbury replied.

"It never does." agreed M. "But for the meantime let it go, there's nothing more for you to do. Is that clear?"

"Yes M'amm." Michael replied.

"I recommend Nassau." M advised. "Perfect holiday spot if you ever wanted to get away from a hetic workweek."

And with that M rang off. Astbury smiled at the small tone of mischief in her last few words.

Perhaps M was right, Michael wondered. Maybe a vacation is exactly what he needed.

[TheREAL008]

Two days later:

Katie lay peacefully under the afternoon caribbean sunshine. She lay on a towel on her huge deck of her house naked. Knowing that the suntan she would be recieving would be a good one. Men would be trying to pick her up tonight when she went to her favorite bars and clubs and she would tease and flirt, maybe kis a fewmen and even women she didn't even know and of course the thrill of taking a lucky man, or woman...possibly even both to her home tonight to cap off a good week, and the the successful completion of a job well done.

She decided that once after her meeting with Javier she would go into the most chic shop and buy the most expensive, sexy, dress the island had to offer. After all she thought she had deserved it; Rocker had betrayed the orginization for killing Gotlieb and the price for that betrayal was a quick death. Katie wanted it to be slow and painful but she was ordered to be careful as Maryann was under the watch of the british secret service and the central intellegence agency. Maryann's incompitence had almost cost the orginization the operation but luckily it could be salvaged and other contractors could be contacted.

Katie then opened her eyes and got to her feet, she walked towards the shore then straight into the water. Her body felt great within the ocean, she felt as if she belonged to the sea like a hand fits a glove. After a few minutes she got out of the water and headed back into her house. She showered and dressed into blue jeans and a black button down cotton shirt and tied her hair back, ate a quick lunch then checked the time; an hour before her meeting. She grabbed her car keys and headed out.

During her drive she had the instinct that she was being followed. She took great pains to make sure she wasn't and to her surprise it appeared that no one was. Still the feeling persisted.

The meeting beteween her and Javier was to take place at Fort Fincastle, which overlooked Nassau from Bennet's Hill was built by Lord Dunmore, about 1793 who named it after his second title, Viscount Fincastle. The general public could tour the fort beteween the hours of 8 am until 3 pm. Even as Katie paid the entreance fee and saw Vincent standing at a corner looking out to the sea she felt as if she was being watched. This time she concluded it was just another visitor who may have thought she was good looking.

Javier was a man who looked about to be in his late thirties or mid forties. He had salt and pepper hair, one of those french moustaches that was similar to a character in a Dumas novel, an eyepatch over the right eye. He was dressed in a white silk button down shirt, black dress slacks, and dress shoes. his arms were slightly hairy and by his left leg there was a large silver briefcase.

Katie approached him and she smiled.

"How did it go?" He asked.

"Piece of cake." She answered. "Got her and her bodyguard while they were sleeping."

"Megalodon will be pleased." Javier replied. "You've done well Ms. Whittle."

"Thank you Javier. I take it the operation will go as planned?"

"Rest assured things will go smoothly." Javier answered. "Megalodon advises you to lie low in Havana at the usual place."

"I'll head out tomor-"

"You'll leave tonight. Katie."

Suddenly Katie felt irritated. "On his orders?"

Javier smiled. "No, mine. You're too important to lose if anything happens. Take the money then go back home and pack your luggage. But you can't ever come back to your house again. I'll make sure it's sold to a good person."

"You all worry too much." Katie said defiantly. "No one knows I'm here and nobody knows about any of us."

"Yet, and for the moment Megalodon would perfer to keep it that way until the time is right for the world to know us." Javier started to walk away, leaving behind the briefcase he stoped and looked over his shoulder. "I'll call you in a few days Katie. Take care until then."

Katie watched Javier disappear into the crowd. She took the briefcase and exited the monument. During the drive home she didn't have that feeling that someone was watching her. The skies that were once blue were now darkening to a deep grey and it had started to drizzle.

However when she got home a sudden chill crept up her spine. Everything was quiet around her. No birds were chirping, even the grasshoppers on the ground were silent. She couldn't place it but something was off. She walked around ehr house and found no signs of forced entry so she returned to the front door and entered her house. She walked into her bedroom, grabbed a duffel bag and threw soe clothes inside, then zipped it up. SHe slung it over her shoulder and walked to her study to retrive her beretta.

She quickly walked inside her study and that's when she felt it, that instinct that one gets from time to time when a person knows for certain that they're not alone in a house or room. Katie got to the front of her desk then she stopped in her tracks as the voice of the man chilled her to the marrow of her bones.

"Hello Katie." Greeted the voice of Michael Astbury. He was sitting on the couch by the door, his Walther P99 drawn, the silencer attached. Katie turned to face him, her eyes wide. Her face regestered absolute anger but her eyes showed total fear.

"Please, have a seat." Astbury said, the venom dripping from his words. Katie walked to the chair behind her desk and sat down. The gun she was going to retrive would be useless now. It was at the bottom drawer and getting to it would take too much time.

"How did you know?" She asked, the sound of a person defeated creeping into her voice.

"The tattoo on your wrist." Michael replied. "However I have to hand it to you Katie. You made a complete fool out of me."

Katie nodded. "I see now." She said. "You were assigned by Britan to take her alive."

"Something like that." Astbury answered. "Who are you working for?"

"The same people Maryann was. Unfortunately she killed a fellow member so she had to be eliminated."

"You mean Jean Paul Gotlieb?" Michael asked as thunder cracked the sky, then the heavens opened up and rain began.

At the drop of the name Katie gave a look of surprise. "So it was you?" She gave a short laugh. "I assume if you know him then you know of Nathan Raine?"

Astbury nodded. "By killing Maryann you revealed your hand. A little impaitent aren't we?"

"Just a bit." She agreed. "Like it maters anymore. You know you don't have to-"

"Save it." Astbury interrupted, harshly. "You made a choice, you chose the wrong side to be on, you betrayed your country. Who are you working for?"

Katie narrowed her eyes at him.

"Sod off." She said. "You're not getting anything out of me. Regardless, you're too late to stop anything. Things have been set in motion that you couldn't even possibly have a hope of stopping Astbury."

"Care to bet?"

"Spare me." Katie replied. "The world will know us soon enough. It's a pity that you won't be he-"

Katie's words were stopped, silenced forever as Michael fired the Walther twice into Katie Whittle's chest. She fell out of her chair and onto her back. Michael quickly walked over to her and emptied a third and final round into the center of her head.

He holstered the Walther then reached his inside coat pocket for his cellphone and dialed a number.

"Tanner, 008 speaking. Katie Whittle is dead, she was unforthcoming with anything else useful. Tel M thanks for the tip."


THE END.