Without Hope
Bond threw down the Times. He sipped the last of his midmorning coffee and rolled his chair along the worktable to his Desktop. The flashing Lotus Notes Icon caught his attention and he opened the e-mail. It was from R, the head of Records Department. The note simply said. Security is still in place for many more years.
Trust R to make sure that a secret stayed a secret. R was the keeper of the 'Official Secrets' that were so often spoken of in public. But it had been M who'd made this secret 'Official' for fifty years.
GREGOR of course was still alive. Near the top of the Moscow hierarchy, and had his followers, some of whom, were likewise, sleeper agents for the west. All of their lives were at risk, should the secret be revealed. GREGOR had been a young compatriot of Gorbachov, Putin, and Yeltsin. An understudy if you will. But circumstances brought him to the attention of MI6.
This secret involved a mission that Bond had taken on back in the bad old days of the Cold War. M had called him to his office. When he'd entered, M spoke, "Sit down, 007." Bond sat and waited. M grumbled "Have you heard anything about our having a resource in Moscow?"
"No sir." He answered.
"Well, we might if what I'm hearing from our cousins is correct. Then again we've had these things crop up before and these people turn up dead."
Bond nodded, "What seems to be the problem sir?"
"Amatuers, bloody amateurs, that's what. The President in his almighty wisdom sent this fellow to meet with this new resource. His picture all over the papers, visiting Leningrad on a good will tour. They claim that he's to meet with this asset "GREGOR" and confirm the intentions of the man. Like a comedian's going to be able to do that. He's traveling with a few CIA minders, but when he leaves Leningrad, he's coming to Liverpool."
"The PM wants us to debrief him first, as he was born here, and the cousins have agreed with the minders along for the ride. Now Five are all up in arms about the very real security issues surrounding his arrival." He stated.
Then continued "But we have word from the consulate in Leningrad that one of the KGB thugs have been seen separately from their security teams. The problem is really that he's a Department 9 thug. One of their blowpipe fellows."
Bond interrupted, "Smersh sir? He must be after GREGOR."
"Exactly the CIA's opinion. We all assume that he knows that GREGOR met with the envoy and is just covering all the bases. We really can't risk exposing GREGOR by killing this thug. But I doubt, that the word has gone far up the KGB pipeline." He explained.
"Now you have two missions entangled. Keep this thug away from the comedian, and if possible convince him of the innocence of this comedian's meeting with GREGOR. If GREGOR is blown, we'll be missing an important link in a long range plan to destabilize the Soviet Bloc."
"So your saying the fate of the people in the Soviet Union is in the hands of a comedian?" Bond queried.
"Exactly!" hurrumphed M. "Our debriefers will need about twelve hours, and this comedian really can't disappear for that long with this thug on his trail."
"Could he visit the Prince and Princess, sir? Photo ops with the new baby, etc. behind closed doors, private royal performance? That sort of thing?" Bond suggested. "That would make the task of debriefing easier. Without actually bringing him to Regents Park."
"Fine idea James, I'll get right on to Five about it. Now all that you have to do is make sure that thug doesn't get close enough to smell a rat." M waved him away.
….
Bond shook the hand of the comedian. "Well hello Mr. Bond, are you going to be talking to me today?" Bond shook his head no. "Call me Les."
Bond looked at the mans luggage and responded "Call me James, Are you a golfer? Les?".
"Every day James, every day, one of the perks of being famous, rich and surviving the wars. You know that I was with the OSS & SOE?" asked Les.
Bond cursed the official secrets act, he'd been totally surprised by this news. He nodded his head in the negative.
"Franklin D himself recruited me and turned me over to Donovan. I've been working the bright lights and the back alleys ever since." said the comedian. Of course Bond thought to himself, who would ever suspect this loud, rich, spoiled American as a spy. He'd even done movies as a bumbling spy and no one had ever caught on.
"I thought that you might like to visit Her highness, Princess Diana, while you're here and speak with some of our people there." Bond stated.
"Excellent idea James, I'd like to see little William. It's a very high profile event, and that tag I picked up in Leningrad won't be able to justify putting any pressure on GREGOR." smirked Les.
"No one told me that you knew already about the fellow following you." Said Bond.
"Knew! It was me that pointed him out to my bodyguards. They are young and tough, but not too experienced." Responded Les.
"I know enough about those fellows to stay out of their line of sight. I really don't want to die of some esoteric poison. Well this must be my car, next time that you're in California James we'll have to have a round of golf." the comedian smiled.
"Only if you'll do the same when you are here." Answered James. "My card."
"I'd be happy to!" said Les.
…
Over the years, Bond had met Les for golf twice in California, once in Dublin, once in Scotland and played in two of Les's 'Classics'. One of the few, very nice, rich men Bond had encountered in his lifetime. The Times headline stated "Lesley Townes 'Bob' Hope Dies at 100".
He hoped that GREGOR remembered the man that had helped destroy the Soviet Union. He would always remember the 'Classic' where he made the cut and finished in the middle of the pack at 2 under.