Chapter 60
60
We strolled through a park called the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, though the name was severely misleading. It was basically just a gigantic, grassy field in the middle of the urban sprawl.
“Two centuries ago, this was the center of London nightlife,” Alistair explained. “Gardens everywhere… drinking, eating, and illicit assignations. The epitome of scandal and intrigue. Though I suppose we still have the intrigue, just not the scandal p>
He gestured towards a nine-story building made of cream-colored stone and dark green glass.
The headquarters for MI6.
I’d seen the building many times before, though always in the distance. Rachel never took me anywhere near it.
I wondered if there was any chance she might be gazing down at us right now. Even if she was, the building was so far away that I’d probably look small as an ant.
“I can’t tell you exactly what I do,” Alistair continued, “but you know I work in MI6 p>
“Yes p>
“We have certain objectives that cannot always be achieved through… normal channels. So sometimes we have to go outside of them. Color outside the lines, as it were p>
“You’re revealing an awful lot to someone you met once in a pub,” I said with mild skepticism.
Alistair smiled as he began to recite from memory. “Oversergeant Lars Henriksson, age 24, member of the Särskilda operationsgruppen. Third year in the Special Forces and sixth in the Swedish military. You were born in Stockholm, but you moved to Gothenburg at the age of four. You enlisted at 18 without finishing high school. Your mother’s name was Annika, maiden name Ahlstrand. She passed away in a car crash along with her sister Ingrid shortly after you deployed to Afghanistan. Your father’s name is Nils Henriksson. Other than the divorce proceedings, there are no records of any interaction with him after you and your mother left Stockholm. You were an only child, and your mother never remarried. When you arrived in Gothenburg as a child, you lived briefly with your aunt. Ingrid eventually married a man named Leif Carlgren but had no children, so you have no cousins. You served a year-long stint in Afghanistan – where you met Rachel – and in two weeks, you’re slated to return for another tour of duty p>
I stared at him in shock. “You certainly did your homework p>
“It was mostly because we had to check up on Rachel – to make sure you weren’t a foreign agent.” Alistair looked concerned. “Does she know about your impending deployment to Afghanistan p>
“No. I haven’t told her yet p>
“Good. Hold off on telling her for a bit p>
“When did you start looking into me? After we met that night in the bar p>
“When you came to England the first time, yes p>
That wasn’t exactly the answer to what I’d asked.
“Even before you and I met?” I asked in surprise.
“Yes.” Alistair smiled. “Our meeting in the restaurant wasn’t by chance p>
So Rachel wasn’t paranoid…
“But now you’re recruiting me?” I asked.
“You could say that p>
“Is Rachel involved in this? Did she ask you to – ”
“NO,” Alistair said vehemently. “And I must insist you do not tell her p>
“Why not p>
“Because if she were to find out, our superiors would most likely terminate her current position p>
I was shocked. “She’d be fired p>
“Just transferred. But not willingly. She rather likes what she does p>
I might not have known much about Rachel’s job, but I knew she didn’t want to leave it.
So I couldn’t tell her about Alistair. Not unless I wanted to destroy her career.
“Why would she get transferred? I don’t understand p>
“One of our organizational principles is maintaining a firewall between agents – no fraternizing or romantic relationships allowed. Not only does the policy eliminate distractions, it also makes certain that one agent can’t be compromised if their significant other is captured in the field. Can you imagine how a man might react if he knew a terrorist was torturing his wife halfway across the world? And what he might do if the terrorist contacted him and threatened to kill his wife unless he did exactly what the terrorist told him to do p>
“That could happen with a regular husband or wife,” I protested. “Someone could kidnap them in London and – ”
“True, but the odds of it happening increase exponentially if the spouse is constantly going into dangerous situations overseas. Wouldn’t you agree p>
I grunted. He had a point.
“I’m sure you’ve noticed the almost obsessive lengths we go towards protecting Rachel’s identity,” Alistair said. “For instance, how often her phone number and email address change p>
“Yes p>
“And I’m assuming she’s told you that Bauer is not her real last name p>
“…yes,” I said warily, wondering if admitting it might get her in trouble.
Alistair narrowed his eyes. “She hasn’t told you her real last name, has she p>
“No p>
“Good. We take these precautions because we don’t want her to be traceable in any way, shape, or form. Otherwise, it might compromise her ability to do her job p>
“I still don’t understand why me telling her about you would compromise her ability to do her job p>
“If you accept my offer and she becomes aware of it, then the firewall is breached. Simple as that p>
“But if I accept your offer, the firewall is breached anyway,” I pointed out. “I’ll be working for you, but I’ll be involved in a relationship with her. So why is it okay for me to know, but not for her p>
“Number one, because you know next to nothing about her job. The firewall is largely in place because of that. And number two is because I’m willing to make an exception in your case. You would be entirely separate from the main organization – a ghost. No one would know your connection to MI6 except me and my immediate superior p>
“Why make an exception for me p>
“Because a man with your experience would be extraordinarily useful to us p>
I frowned. “Where would I be doing this job? I’m assuming not behind a desk p>
“Heavens, no. Your duties would take you all over the world, although primarily Europe and Eurasia. Maybe the occasional job in North Africa p>
“Look – I’ve got to tell you right now, if you ever ask me to do something that goes against the Swedish military or government, then – ”
“Not at all. We take our relationship with our allies very seriously. We would never do anything to compromise Sweden’s government or military. On that, you have my word p>
“What would the job involve p>
“Basically what you do for SOG. In a more… focused capacity p>
“Military operations p>
“Of a sort p>
“What sort of military operations?” I asked, disliking his vagueness.
“Your primary job would be to remove certain ‘bad actors’ from the theater of operations p>
Assassinations.
I looked at Alistair in silence. He just gazed back at me calmly.
“So you want me to kill people,” I finally said.
“You kill people now. Or you did in Afghanistan, anyway p>
“I killed Taliban – terrorists – ”
“You killed whomever Sweden and NATO told you to kill,” Alistair pointed out. “All that would change is that MI6 will tell you who to target. All to the benefit of Sweden and NATO, I might add p>
In reality, it wasn’t the killing that bothered me. I was a member of Special Forces and a sniper. I had killed dozens of men during my time in the military. Looking through a scope and pulling the trigger was my job.
It was more who I would be killing that gave me pause.
“What kind of ‘bad actors’?” I asked.
“Those acting against the best interests of NATO and Britain. Terrorists… rogue arms dealers… leaders of organized crime… people like that p>
Alistair could tell I still wasn’t entirely sold, so he continued:
“Think of it this way: you can be deployed back to Afghanistan and target a bunch of low-level combatants who are basically just cannon fodder… or you can go after the people at the top, the ones who fund the terrorism and give the orders for the atrocities. The ones who profit from the death and chaos they sow. This job would allow you to lop off the dragon’s head instead of trying to kill it with a thousand cuts p>
I had to admit that was appealing. Back in Afghanistan, I’d always felt I was just killing grunts who would be replaced by someone else the next day. Except for the time Rachel came to Bagram and we took out Massoud, we never bagged a big target. Nothing ever seemed to change. Or at least nothing that mattered to the big picture. We were just treading water until the day that NATO or the US decided it wasn’t worth their while to stick around anymore.
The frustration was immense. You felt like you were punching a clock on a job that might kill you, and yet nothing you did would ever make a difference. The only thing you cared about was making sure you and your buddies came back home.
Speaking of which…
“Would I be on a team?” I asked.
“No. You would be a one-man operation reporting directly to me. You’ll probably interface with other operatives in the field – receiving support from them so you can complete your mission. But otherwise, you’d be a lone wolf p>
“And you think you could get me out of my military service p>
“I don’t ‘think’ – I know it p>
“I don’t want a black mark on my record p>
“Not a problem. You would receive an honorable discharge p>
“If I’m going to be a secret agent, won’t it be a problem that they’ve got my fingerprints and pictures of me on file p>
“If you accept my offer, I’ll have them destroy your records and completely erase you from their system. There will be no trace of your time in the military p>
I stared at him. “You can do that p>
“It would astound you, everything I can do p>
I turned that over in my head for a few seconds before I asked the next question. “What’s the pay p>
“Given your experience, I think we could start you off at 120,000 per year p>
“…pounds?” I asked in shock.
He laughed. “That was the plan p>
The military paid me in Swedish krona, but I’d grown used to exchanging my money for pounds every time I came to visit Rachel. So I knew that Alistair was offering me almost three times my salary in Special Forces. In US dollars, it would be about $150,000 a year.
“That’s… quite nice,” I said, stunned.
“Good, I’m glad it’s to your liking. There would be bonuses and raises, of course. But there are a few caveats before we proceed any further p>
“Like what p>
“My department is ultra-secretive, even by the standards of MI6. Many of the things we do would cause international incidents if it became known we were behind them. Other governments don’t take kindly to foreign agents entering their countries for any reason whatsoever – even if they would benefit from the mission’s objective. Totally understandable, by the way. We would be outraged if a Swedish operative came into the UK and knocked off a crooked arms dealer, no matter how much the bastard might deserve it. But what this means in practice is that no one can know what you do. No one. Not even Rachel p>
“If I get out of the military two years early, she’s going to want to know why,” I pointed out.
“Does she tell you everything about her job?” Alistair challenged me. “About her life p>
“She doesn’t tell me anything p>
“There you go. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander p>
I frowned. “I, uh, don’t quite understand – ‘gander p>
“Sorry – colloquial phrase. A gander is a male goose. Rachel is secretive, so you have every right to be, as well. What’s good for her is good for you, too p>
“…I guess p>
“Just tell her that you were hired by an organization that works with the Swedish government and that the military voluntarily let you go work for them. It’ll be the truth – she just doesn’t need to know that the ‘organization’ is the same one she works for p>
“Huh,” I grunted as I pondered that.
“Second caveat: you would be a freelancer, and our department has to have complete and total deniability as to our freelance agents’ actions. If you’re caught… by the target or a foreign government, it doesn’t matter… you’re on your own. You must never try to leverage your connection with MI6 to obtain release. We will categorically deny that we know you. If you get caught, no one is coming to get you. You and you alone will suffer the consequences of failure p>
I frowned. “In the Special Forces, we don’t leave anyone behind p>
“This isn’t the Special Forces,” Alistair said brusquely.
When I didn’t reply, he said, “Plausible deniability on MI6’s part is the bedrock principle underlying this position. You must accept that condition, or we might as well end the discussion right now p>
“So if I’m on a job for you and I get in trouble, then what – I’m fucked?” I asked, unable to hide my irritation.
“No, of course not. We have operatives all over the globe who can provide support. Plus, there’s a phone number for every mission in case you need extraction… if you haven’t been captured yet, and if you can be retrieved without implicating MI6. But if you’re caught or compromised, you will have to deal with the consequences on your own p>
I thought about it in silence as I walked alongside Alistair.
In a way, it wasn’t much different from going behind enemy lines on a Special Forces operation. There were always inherent dangers –
No, actually, it was a whole lot different.
The Swedish military would never send me on a mission and then not try to get me back if I was captured.
However… if it meant I could get out early and not have to go back to Afghanistan…
Then Rachel was worth the risk.
“Alright,” I said. “I’m interested p>
“Interested, or in p>
“Before I commit, I’d need to know exactly what I’d be signing up for p>
Alistair shook his head. “I can’t tell you any specifics without you signing a mountain of NDAs p>
Non-disclosure agreements.
“You’d tell me everything if I signed a bunch of papers?” I asked with a Give me a fucking break smile.
“To cover the legalities. If you break your word and reveal anything, by the way, we won’t bother with court. We’ll just throw you in solitary confinement for a decade or two p>
“Better than a bullet in the back of the head,” I said darkly.
Alistair smiled.
I immediately got the message:
We’ll throw you in solitary confinement… IF we don’t kill you.
Jesus.
“Alright,” I suggested, “how about I say something, and you react silently p>
Alistair looked at me with slight disdain. “Seriously p>
“Hey, you were the one talking about ‘removing bad actors from the theater of operations.’ This isn’t any different p>
“…fine,” Alistair grumbled.
“Overthrowing governments?” I asked.
Alistair shook his head ‘no p>
“Political assassinations p>
“Define ‘political p>
“Government officials p>
“There are many corrupt governments in Africa, South America, and Asia, you know,” Alistair said breezily, as though he were discussing the weather. “Most of them aren’t even our allies p>
“Look, I don’t – ”
“You kill people for a living, do you not p>
“I do a lot more than that,” I said in annoyance.
“But it is an essential and necessary part of your job, is it not p>
“I kill people when I have to, yes. But they’re…” I tried to think of the translation of the Swedish phrase I had in mind. “…enemies of the state p>
“It won’t be any different in this job. The only difference is that ‘the state’ will no longer be Sweden… but it will still be Sweden’s ally p>
“I don’t want to kill anyone or do anything that would go against my country p>
“We would never ask you to do that p>
“I also don’t hurt women or children p>
Alistair gave me a look from the corner of his eyes. “You might have to compromise on that one p>
I gave him a stern look. “No p>
“There are female terrorists, you know,” Alistair exclaimed in a tone that suggested I was being ridiculous. “Female spies, female assassins – you might be called upon to – ”
“If hurting women or children is part of the job, then I’m not interested p>
“Alright, fine,” Alistair huffed. “I’ll make sure that men are your only targets p>
That seemed fair enough.
“…okay p>
“What does ‘okay’ mean?” Alistair asked impatiently. “Are you in or not p>
“I’m in… but I need to see something official first. To make sure you are who you say you are p>
Alistair smiled smugly. “Would an honorable discharge from the Swedish military do the trick p>
“…yes,” I admitted.
“So, we are in agreement: if I can obtain an honorable discharge for you, you accept the terms I’ve set forth in our conversation p>
I paused.
Rachel’s worth it.
“…yes p>
Alistair frowned. “I understand it’s a big decision, but I can’t have any hesitation on your part – ”
“I’ve made my choice. I’m in p>
He looked satisfied. “Alright. The discharge will be in motion by the time you get home. Don’t tell Rachel until it’s complete. And do not, under any circumstances, reveal that you and I talked – or what we talked about p>
“What should I do after I get the discharge p>
Alistair gave me a white business card with a handwritten phone number and nothing else. “Memorize that, then destroy the card. Once you receive word on the discharge, call that number p>
“I’ll need some kind of cover story if I’m going to move here,” I said. “I mean, I have to be able to tell landlords where I ‘work’ if I want to rent a flat p>
“Don’t rent anything just yet – just continue staying in hotels for now. I’ll even throw in a relocation bonus on top of your salary to handle the expenses. But don’t worry, we’ll have an entire story worked up for you by the time you move to London p>
“…okay p>
Alistair stuck out his hand. “Good to have you onboard p>
I shook his hand. “Thanks p>
Although I couldn’t quite bring myself to say, Good to BE onboard.
All I knew was that I wouldn’t have to go back to Afghanistan…
And I could wake up every morning next to the woman I loved.