Title: Caesar Salad

By: lbc

"Scheiße!"

Agent Z rushed into the Major's office without a thought to the possibility that his interruption could lead to a "vacation" in Alaska.

The younger man stood looking at his leader for several seconds before deciding that nothing like nuclear war or a terrorist attack had led to the outburst. Of course, Z noticed immediately that the newspaper which was held in the Major's two fists was being shredded to bits as if the offending paper had literally attacked the German Major, but Z quickly prepared to depart the office before the world famous Eberbach temper was hurled at himself.

Just as the slender man was making his exit, the maniac who continued to destroy the innocent newspaper let loose a burst that would certainly not be the last for many days to come.

"Z! Make reservations for the first plane to the United Kingdom. Alert A and B to the fact that we will be leaving as soon as there is a flight available. That will be four tickets in total."

"4, sir?"

Suddenly, the deep green eyes were turned upon him in a glare that would have melted an iceberg. Ja, Agent Z. Have you not learned to count?"

By that question, Z assumed that mean that he would also be going. Jawol, Herr Major."

By this time, however, Z had managed to read some of the newspaper. He had mastered the skill of reading upside down and was now quite proficient at doing so. He understood now why the seemingly innocent newspaper had raised the ire of his Major.

One of the headlines read:

ART CONNOISSEUR AND PATRON, LORD GLORIA TO HOLD GALA ART SHOWING

Since Dorian Red Gloria was also the well-known and, so far, uncaught thief, Eroica, Z could readily understand the Major's concern. Rushing out of the office, Z quickly contacted the other 2 agents so that they could prepare for a trip to England, and then made the needed reservations.

Digging around the office he managed to find another copy of the offending newspaper. Turning to the page with the headline he had seen earlier, Z closed his eyes after he'd read the rest of the story.

More than 200 guests have been invited to see some of the finest works of art

outside of any museum or gallery. In addition, the guests will be treated to the

thoughts of the Earl's special guest, Caesar Gabriel who is well-known in the art world

as an art prodigy and professor. At the young age of 21, Professor Gabriel is called

upon to consult on the authenticity of various art masterpieces all over the world.

So the young genius is going to be there.

Three years earlier Caesar Gabriel had been investigated by the Major and his alphabets for his supposed esp powers, but the Major himself had cleared the young man. It was at that time, however, that the Major had met the man who had bedeviled him for the past 3 years, Dorian Red Gloria, better known in criminal circles as Eroica. What were Gabriel and his lordship doing together again? At the time, the two had seemed rather close, much to the Major's dismay, but Z and, indeed, the other alphabets were never sure if the Major's disgust was because of Eroica's well-known light fingers or because of his closeness to Caesar Gabriel.

The Major had given no indication of his reasons for wanting to go to the United Kingdom, but certainly the Earl's gala party must be behind the sudden urge that was carrying Iron Klaus across the Channel. Z's question was, however, what was the Major's true motive: fear that Eroica was planning to steal some of the valuable jewels that would certainly appear on the necks and ears of some of the guests or was the true motivation the green eye of jealousy that always arose in a certain homophobic N.A.T.O. officer when the glorious Dorian Red Gloria turned his angelic blue eyes towards some other male? The Major's motivations were unknown at this point, but Agent Z shook his head as he realized that the next few days were certain to be very interesting if not volcanic.

Securing all his files as well as his desk, the young agent left N.A.T.O. headquarters to pack before he and his fellow agents ran the Eberbach/Red Gloria gauntlet.

End of Chapter One