London Calling (Part 1).


The Captain was busy with the routine of berthing his ship, but did find time to send an officer to Myra's small cabin, advising her that she would be taken off by the pilot boat. Many of the ship's company, not engaged in docking procedures, lined the rail and waved their guest off. Myra was flush with pleasure and touched with bearly concealed emotion when a boyish seaman presented her with a mounted ship's crest and motto. Then, as the pilot boat pulled away from the ship's side and headed for the quayside, the old anxiousness and fear flooded back...

The craft was soon alongside at the dock and Myra and her luggage was standing alone on the quay. There in front of her was an anonymous looking mid-size Rover and an almost equally anonymous man. Myra recognized him as the driver who took her to Brize Norton. He stood arms folded, leaning against the driver's door. He jerked a thumb at the rear door. "You can put your stuff in the back" he said as he opened the driver's door and started the car. As she struggled to place the heavy bags in the car Myra realised she was in for a long, silent trip.

The journey up to London seemed endless. She wisely did not seek a conversation with the driver and was quite pleased when, having arrived at a mid sized office block near the North bank of the Thames between The Temple and Blackfriars he finally spoke. "Right, you have an interview here. I will go in with you since you have no security clearance. Come on" They left the car in the small crowded forecourt of the building. It was named Fleet Side House and rose for fourteen stories above London E.C.4. It's windows were covered by dirty looking net curtains and it's roof was festooned with numerous ariels. The driver flashed a pass at two security personnel, a middle aged man and a middle aged woman. Myra heard him say that she had no security clearance, but in their daily orders there should be mention of her arrival. The man nodded and both the driver and Myra made their way to the reception desk. There Myra was given temporary clearance and they both were given visitor badges. They walked to a bank of lifts. Myra noted with surprise that the building extended almost as many floors down as it did up. The subterrian floors were lettered rather than numbered and the driver pressed floor E. As they waited an MP stepped up to them smartly. He looked  Myra up and down. "Time" he demanded. Myra looked at him quizzically "Ain't got a watch luv" she replied with a smile. "Time" barked the MP once more, this time readying to draw his pistol. "Ticks, time ticks" interjected the driver. She's new" "That's no excuse. Everyone should know the password of the day." The MP looked at them both with suspicion. The lift then arrived and all three got in. It deposited them at floor E and the driver and Myra got out with MP right behind. They came to door marked E24 and the driver turned and briskly said to the solider "And now fuck off" as he quickly knocked, opened and closed the door.

Myra found herself in a small ante room with two chairs, a small desk between which sat a very elderly woman. She looked up "Ah...Frank and er...the lady. I'll just buzz him for you." The woman flicked a switch on an intercom system that was so old it looked like it had come straight out of Churchill's  war cabinet rooms. "Alright dear...he'll see you now" the woman smiled as she spoke to Myra and it was then that Myra realised it was the first time she had seen a smiling face since leaving the ship. "Just knock and go right in".

Myra did as bided and found herself in a room not much bigger than the one she had just left. It was furnish in utilitarian style and behind a medium sized wooden desk sat a man approaching his middle sixties. Behind him was a print of a 19th Century Scottish Regiment in battle; it's scripted title was The Thin Red Line. It was flanked by two regimental crests. The room had a close atmosphere, just like the rest of the warren like place. The man looked up. He had keen features and a pleasant smile, bright blue eyes, not unlike Myra's and a neat mustache. His blazer also bore a regimental crest.

"Ah, yes, do sit down." He stood up and shook Myra's hand "Pleased to meet you. Well, I suspect you will be wondering just why you are here. Yes, well..." he rifled through some papers on his desk. "This Krios business. A good job...yes, a good job. Yanks are pleased...so No. 10's pleased. As you know, the operation was not without it's cost. The American girl..." "Christina " Myra interjected "Her name was Christina" The man looked up momentarily. "Yes, quite. As I was saying...not without it's cost.  And our Miss Dunn. She will be greatly missed. In the report that we received from our man, I understand that she played a major part in the operation, insisting on going in with you and the girl..." Myra's mouth began to drop, but she caught on quick. Good old Andrios. "Yer, that's right." "Quite, quite. Always went in with the troops y'know. Now, as you can no doubt appreciate, that puts this department in something of a quandary. People with Miss Dunn's abilities are few and far between...I have received very good reports concerning your conduct...yes, most satisfactory. Mm...I think that with your past employment record and undoubted abilities in the field while working for us you will made an adequate replacement." Myra could not believe what the man was saying. "I feel sure that you will be capable of running the department, being answerable to me. You will be employed at the grade of civil service HEO, you will have an expense account. Now Miss Dawson has the necessary papers. You will be required to sign the Official Secrets Act. You will be granted security clearance for both this building and the field office across the river. You will be graded at V3 security level. This gives you almost unlimited scope as to conduct your operations, but remember you are not above the law." The man paused, looked up and smiled. "Well, not quite anyway." He extended his hand once more and shook Myra's "May I wish you luck. I think you will enjoy it here. You join us at a rather quite time, there is however one pressing issue, about which you will be briefed. I suggest you give it your earliest consideration and submit a report. I will be please to assist, should you require help. Good Day to You." With that he looked down and Myra turned and left the office.

Outside Miss Dawson had the papers all ready for Myra to sign. With that done she said "Now Frank, take er Myra here along to the Photo Department and get her picture done so that I can get her pass made up, will you dear?" Frank, Myra's driver got up and wearily said "Come on then." After getting the photo done the came back and Miss Dawson made Myra her credit card size pass and ID. The front had Myra's picture with three bold red stripes at an angle. On the reverse, there was a magnetic stripe and the following statement. "The holder of this card hereby warranted to take whatever actions necessary to uphold the integrity of the Realm. Return to London EC4 OXX" Miss Dawson said that when placed in a special machine, available only to senior police officers, the card would basically tell them to take no action and release you. It was, she said jokingly, your get out of jail free card. She would also gain access to this building, but the remember only the ground floor, floor A, where the canteen and bar were situated, floor E, room 24 and K which is the firing range and gym were. There were, she continued, various other departments and ministries located in this building and each guarded it's privacy jealously. When she swiped the card to gain entrance, the password of the day would also be revealed. "Blimely" Myra burtled, "This is just like James bleedin' Bond." "Really Myra" Miss Dawson said with a stern look "That's just the sort thing we frown upon here. Frank, take Myra across to the field office, will you dear?"

Frank got up and looked at Myra "Come on then..."   


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