Well, I've made it. CI5, the big time. Can't believe it, me, in
C.I.5. I've no idea what made Mr Cowley chose me, I was only an average
squaddie, but I'll do my best not to make him regret it. I like him. He's a bit
distant but then I suppose he has to be. But he seems fair minded. That speech
about backing us up, I liked that. Gave me a sense of belonging, just like the
army, but this time there isn't loads of ranks between us and the man in charge.
Mum's so proud of me. She's just about lived for me since the old man died.
She worries of course, but she knows this is what I want to do. At least now
I'll be in this country and not flying off all round the world. That was all
right for a while but I'd rather be here. A chance to settle down and put some
roots down. A bit of permanency.
Blimey, Ray was right about this mob being a step up from the
fraud squad. I don't think I've stopped running since I got here. I don't feel
as if I've been home for more than five minutes togther for weeks.
Heh,
still I must have been, mustn't I, with that bombshell June dropped last night.
All this will be good practice for the sleepless nights we'll be having once
we've got the new baby. It'll be bloody great. June's a fantastic mum and
Danny'll love having a little brother...or sister, I suppose I should say. But
it's a boy, I just know it is. Like I keep saying, we'll have our own football
team in no time. Maybe we'll ask Ray to be godfather. That'ud rock him.
'Come and join me in my new organisation,' he said, expecting me
to just drop what I was doing and come running. And I will, won't I? But for my
reasons and not his. Where the Major is, the bigger fish are too and that means
more opportunities for me.
It's all right for him, he fits somehow. Despite
his background being no better than mine, he fits. Oh he upsets plenty of people
in those hallowed corridors of power he strides along, but a greater number
respect him and what he stands for. He'll always be accepted, taken in, looked
after as one of their own. The likes of me have to make our own opportunities in
this world. Nobody is going to hand us old age security on a plate not to
mention a bit of luxury along the way.
So yes, I'll be accompanying Major
Cowley to his new posting.
At last! I've got my first assignment. It's there, up on the
board, my name. After all these weeks of training I've finally been given a real
job to do. OK, so it's only a stakeout, nothing flash, but I can't expect that,
not at first. Still you never know what can come of one of those. Who you might
spot, what it might lead to.
It's not that I want the glory. Not much, I
don't. But I'd like for Mr Cowley to notice me. The way he does blokes like
Bodie and Doyle, Anson, Lucas...That's what I want to be, one of the best like
they are. The agents who – the other agents I should say, still can't believe
I'm one of them – they walk and talk so confidently, will I ever be like that?
They're a good bunch. Oh there's a lot of joshing goes on but you get a sense
that we're a team. That you can rely on them to back you up. Wonder if any of
them are around now. I might go and take a quick look. I can tell them my news –
I'm finally one of them.
What's the time? Nearly eight. My relief should be here soon, I suppose. Another wasted night. I think Cowley's barking up the wrong tree here. There's nothing going on over there and I shall say so in my report. When I get a chance to write it, of course. I'm taking all the overtime going right now. As soon as somebody arrives to take over I shall be off to find Robbie Allison and get moving on this Kilpin caper. At least it's a change of pace from watching the grass grow in number nineteen's window box.
Ahh, this is the life. Feet securely under the Major's table
once again. Trusted, confidences shared. And all these eager lads to train. What
it is to be young and so sure of yourself. They think because they're young and
fit, nobody can beat them. Well I show 'em. You've got to learn to use your
brains as much as your brawn, I tell them. And when I've wiped the floor with
them, I take them down the pub and we chat and I...well, I hear things. Useful
things. Things which in turn, make my bank balance just that bit bigger.
Can't keep this up indefinitely of course, but I should be good for a few
more years. Then it'll be a retirement party, a gold watch and off into the
sunset.
Luck is certainly with me tonight. First this stakeout and now
I've got to pick up this Turner bloke. OK, so I'm handy, on the doorstep
practically, but the Cow obviously trusts me to do the job right. I suppose
Doyle and Bodie were having me on earlier about calling him that. Not in front
of him, of course, but all that in the building stuff. You can never tell with
those two. Always kidding around, they are. I bet mum would like to meet them.
She always said dad was a bit of a jack-the-lad when she first met him.
Ah,
here's Turner's place. All in darkness, they must be asleep. He must be
important for Mr Cowley to tell me to leave the obbo. Not that he told me any
details of course. Bring him back to London pronto, he said. Well Turner won't
be too happy about being woken up at this time of night, but too bad. You can't
say no to CI5 and tonight, that means me. I must ring mum when I get back to
town. Tell her how well it's all going.
God, I'm tired. What I wouldn't I give to be at home right now?
Nice bit of lunch and then a kip on the sofa, pretending I was reading the
papers of course. Still the money will come in handy. Wonder if I'll get any
time off when the baby's born? Cowley's bound to give me a few days, surely.
Unless the world's ending, of course. Then it'll be all hands on deck. How much
further are we going? I could be digging over my vegetable patch instead of
digging up guns in the back of beyond. Guns, bombs, ecetera. Where does it all
end?
Still, I'm not complaining, not really. Just the rocking of this van
making me drowsy. Be all right when we get there. This is got to be better than
pushing papers around at the fraud squad. You never know what each day will
bring in this mob. Meant what I said to old Ray. Must get him round for dinner
one day. Thank him for putting in a word for me with Cowley. Bet that's what
swung it. Oh, heads up, we're here.
When did everything get so complicated? Life was so much easier
in the old days. I bloody saved his life. If I was one of his officer buddies it
would be different but oh no, a mere sergeant and he has to take me in. Me!
After all I've done for him. Sends his favourites to pick me up. They nearly had
me in the car park too but using Geronimo just shows I'm still at least two
steps ahead of them.
Shame about Maggie, she was fun, but there's plenty
more fish in the sea. And talking of sea, I'd better be getting on that ship.
Ohh I can see Master Doyle over there but I can take him. I suppose Bodie's
around here somewhere as well. They've done well to catch up with me but this is
as far as they go. Nothing is going to get between me and my new life.