Hong Kong, Part 1

Disclaimer: Same as before.

A/N: I am treating X-men: First Class as a reboot, not the intended prequel due to all the inconsistencies pointed.

A/N: Since Levene's first name wasn't given in the script, I figure I'd make it up.


MI6 Transmission. Authenticate: Hotel
Hong Kong
Moira MacTaggert and Carl Allenby Have Arrived
0400 16 April 1963

It was 4 AM by the time Moira and Carl's aircraft touched down in Hong Kong. Carl awoke first, feeling Moira's head pressed against his right shoulder as she slept.

"Oi." Carl said as he gently shook Moira awake.

Moira blinked her eyes a couple more times and sat up, gathering up her bag before standing up. "How long was I asleep?" Moira asked.

"A good while." Carl replied. A good while with your head resting on my shoulder. Carl thought as he stood up.

They gathered their bags at the baggage claim before they were met by a man in his late twenties with a stocky build and a bald head.

"Thom and Emily Arlington?" he said.

"Yes." Carl said, authenticating their identity.

"Just wanted to let you know I've got the message from your mother. She said sorry she can't make it, but it's rather early. You understand, right?" the man said.

"We understand." Moira replied. She knew that this was the CIA contact from the Hong Kong Station and that was how they were going to authenticate each other.

He led them outside to a black car where Moira and Carl stored their bags, before getting into the car and heading towards their hotel.

Once they were safely away from the car, the man said, with a distinct Queens accent, "Agent MacTaggert? I'm Eddie Bentro, Hong Kong Station."

"Carl Allenby, I'm with MI6." Carl said, introducing himself.

"That the Brit you're working with?" Eddie said.

Moira replied, "Yes he is."

"OK. Just to let you know the MSS guys almost invariably tend to use the Peninsula as well as the Chinese Embassy as a base of operations." Eddie said, "I'm thinking there might be someone crooked in either or possibly both our agencies, but I can't pin down who. There's no way they could get some of the intel they're getting just by their usual means."

"The Ministry of State Security is rather ruthless in its methods. So we can't rule them out entirely." Carl remarked.

"But we can't rule out possible moles either." Moira replied.

"That's right." Eddie replied, "I'll be working with you guys for the duration of your time here. I'll meet you guys tomorrow for lunch."

"Alright." Carl said, as they reached the hotel. He stepped out of the car and opened the passenger door for Moira before they got their bags, checked in and got to their room.

As they got inside the room Carl went over to close the blinds and Moira went about checking for bugs or any other surveillance equipment.

Before he'd closed the blinds he made sure to think of exactly which areas he would put in surveillance on the room.

"No bugs or hidden cameras I could find." Moira said.

"I'd checked through the windows to see possible surveillance positions before closing the blinds." Carl replied, "So I suppose one of us is sleeping on the couch then?"

Moira said, "The bed is big enough for both of us. And we are both adults here."

"Right, I just didn't want to assume anything." Carl said.

Moira said, "We are adults here, not hormone crazed teenagers, we can share a bed without any problems."

"I agree." Carl replied.

"No funny ideas though." Moira remarked.

"Moira, given the fact that I happen to be British that shouldn't be a problem." Carl replied, as he went around to the small room divider where he hung his jacket on a peg and slid off his shirt before throwing on a clean t-shirt.

"British and American humor do have some radical differences from one another, thus it stands to reason funny ideas aren't likely to come about." Carl replied after he'd slid off his pants and pulled on a pair of gray sweat pants.

Moira rolled her eyes at the Englishman's comment before she took advantage of Carl having gone behind the room divider. She started by slipping off her dress and her sweater and stepping out of her heels before removing her stockings and garters. She removed her bra and her panties as well before putting on a fresh set. Then she tossed on a blue silk night shirt that terminated at just above her mid thigh.

It was around then that Carl walked in from behind the small room divider. It did give him pause to see Moira in the blue silk night shirt she'd just thrown on. It showed her long, well defined legs and hung loosely off her frame yet it complemented the curves of her body rather than hiding them.

He quickly got over the quick pause before heading towards the bed. Moira had already climbed into the left side of the bed before he got there. He turned off the other lights in the room before he climbed into the right side of the bed and shut off the bedside lamp on his side.

"Good night." Carl said.

"Same to you." Moira said.

Carl rolled over to one side and shut his eyes before Moira said, "Hey Carl?"

Carl turned over to face her before he asked, "Yes?"

"Are you using your other pillow?" Moira asked.

"Not really." Carl replied.

"Think you could hand it to me?" Moira said.

"Sure." Carl said, sitting up to hand one of the two pillows on his side of the bed to Moira before he turned over and went to sleep.


Transmission # 5-6-6-1. Designate: LIMA
Peninsula Hong Kong Hotel
Eddie Bentro, Moira MacTaggert, and Carl Allenby
1100 16 April 1963

It was the sunlight poking under the curtain that had awakened Carl. He had seen there was a swimming pool downstairs when they'd checked in and thought a bit of swimming was in order. He took a pad from a desk in the room and jotted a quick note to let Moira know of his whereabouts before he grabbed a towel and and a pair of swimming shorts as well as his room key.

Moira shifted and muttered something indistinct, he was able to make out the words 'you're drunk'. Her movement caused the blanket to slide down her shoulders. He gently moved the covers to just under her chin, having observed she slept that way earlier in the night.

He headed downstairs to get some thinking sorted out. He understood why the mission was important, but still he had to wonder how 17 Troop, D Squadron, 22 SAS was doing in Borneo. It wasn't that he doubted his second in command or anyone else in his element, but there were still concerns.

Here I am, enjoying time in a luxury hotel and likely the lads in D Squadron are still down in Borneo if they've not been relieved by A Squadron yet. Carl thought.

Then there was the matter of Moira MacTaggert. He wasn't sure why but he found himself feeling attracted to her. She was attractive, to be sure, and her quick wit and sharp mind were qualities he always admired in a woman. There was something else about her too, something he couldn't quite pin down.

He changed into his swimming shorts before getting into the water and pushed off the wall, maintaining powerful kicks and long and powerful strokes with his arms. As he swam through the water he let his mind wander.

"Contact! Contact!" Trooper Kenny McCallister shouted. The creature leaped from the nearest stand of brush. It was at the same time he fired his shotgun three times in rapid succession. It sent the creature reeling but it kept coming at him. It swung a clawed hand at him and Kenny staggered backward, blood flowing down his face. He hit the ground rather heavily as Carl and the rest of the team opened up with their SLRs, uncertain if Kenny was dead or injured.
The creature charged towards their positions on the column as the SLRs blazed away. Kenny rolled up from the ground and chambered a round into his shotgun, firing again, blasting a shot that struck and shattered the creature's left arm. He chambered another round as he racked the pump on his shotgun and fired into the left leg of the attacker.

It had the creature leaning sideways, as the round had demolished the left knee. The remaining soldiers in the patrol continued firing until the creature went down. Kenny reloaded his shotgun as he stood up and approached the creature.

Greg and Stan pushed out to form a hasty perimeter as Carl got to check on the corpse alongside Kenny who was covering down on it with the shotgun. Carl carefully turned the corpse over to make sure it didn't have any hidden grenades or weapons.

After determining no weapons were present and that the creature was dead Carl got on the radio. All that shooting would have to have drawn the Indonesians' attention and if there were any encampments nearby the Indonesians were likely all alerted and scrambling troops. The lads needed no orders. He watched as they reloaded their weapons with fresh magazines, and in Kenny's case he was loading buckshot into the shotgun.

Carl heard the radio call from headquarters. They were going to be extracted by air, but the team was to remain in place with the corpse due to a need to collect it.

The sound of helicopters drew all the SAS men's attention and within a few minutes several Gurkhas (Nepalese soldiers that served in the British Army) formed a hasty perimeter. Flanked by two Gurkhas, wearing unmarked British Army fatigues and carrying a Sten Submachine Gun, was Matthew Stenner.

"I see you've found us something big." Stenner said without preamble.

"Right." Carl said and indicated the corpse.

Stenner looked the corpse over. The identifiably human part of the creature appeared to have been a Chinese man in his thirties or late twenties. Much of the civilian clothing worn by the man was ragged, as a result of the tendency of jungle environments to practically rot nearly anything.

Another fellow in unmarked fatigues ran over to Stenner. After they conversed for a few minutes Stenner remarked, "We're going to need you to return to the UK after your patrol debrief."

Carl finished his swim, sitting poolside for a few minutes before drying off and throwing on his clothes before he ambled upstairs.

Meanwhile Moira woke up and stretched. She checked the time on the bedside clock and noticed Carl wasn't in bed nor anywhere in the room. She saw a note mentioning he was headed for the hotel pool to go for a swim and took advantage of the time to get ready.

She stepped out of her night shirt and her underwear before stepping into the bathroom to take a shower. As she showered she remembered vaguely feeling a slight chill that morning and then someone tucking her in.

How long had it been since someone had been a gentleman to her? A long time it seemed. The vague memory of a kiss notwithstanding, it had been a little over two years since her last serious relationship.

Sure she'd had dates, but they were little more than the odd cup of coffee at a cafe, or maybe dinner. Basically non-starters of relationships. Men either wanting to move too fast or put off by her often crazy schedule. And what with the overt sexism she ran into on a daily basis with people like Stryker and to a lesser extent Levene, she wasn't exactly wanting a relationship with someone from work.

Moira began to dry herself off with the towel before wrapping it around her body and starting to dry her hair.

That was awfully gentlemanly of him. Moira caught herself thinking of the moment Carl had been offering to switch seats after the beverage cart kept bumping into her elbow. Oh for crying out loud, it's a little thing. It's not anything all that huge.

Moira was so deep in thought that she didn't hear the knock on the bathroom door.

Carl Allenby opened the bathroom door to find himself staring directly at Moira MacTaggert wearing nothing but droplets of water and a little white towel.

Moira spun round, clutching the towel to her chest as droplets of water trickled down from the wet hair which clung to her face.

"Carl!" she yelped with surprise.

For his part Carl was valiantly attempting to keep his eyes from looking down as he stammered, "Oh bollocks. I'm sorry..."

Recovering from her initial surprise, Moira didn't feel that uncomfortable with Carl walking in on her like that. Compared to the way she had been ogled during that surveillance mission in Las Vegas, this was tame and in Carl's case his eyes shifting downward was purely instinctive. It didn't stop it from being an awkward situation, though.

Moira walked over to him and said in a husky voice, just inches from his face, "Knock louder next time, Carl."

Regaining his composure said, "Right."

Moira waited until Carl turned round and walked away before she gave a small but awkward smile about his reaction to the entire situation. She finished drying her hair before she headed over behind the room divider and started to get dressed. She'd selected a simple floral print dress and a light pink sweater with a pair of three inch heels.

"We've got a contact to meet." Moira remarked, getting back to business.

Carl opened the door and with a bow and flourish said, "After you."

Moira smiled, "Thank you."

He walked with her, staying close and then clasping her right hand with his left, the better to maintain the image of being a newly married couple. He felt the soft and smooth skin of her hand with his rough and calloused hand.

Moira returned the clasp, the better to maintain their legend after all, before they reached the elevator. Carl tapped the button and the elevator opened, and with another flourish said, "After you."

Moira walked into the elevator and Carl followed her in door. They walked into the lobby and out of the corner of his eye Carl noticed a Chinese man, short, and on the stocky side put down the newspaper he was reading, as if to rest his eyes.

Carl squeezed Moira's hand, the prearranged signal that he was sure they were under surveillance and he had identified their tail.

Moira squeezed his hand in reply, indicating that she acknowledged. They headed to the lobby bar where Eddie Bentro sat, casually smoking a cigarette at a table.

Carl slid one chair out, to let Moira sit down first before he took the seat beside her. "Don't look now, but I do believe we've got a tail." Carl remarked.

"I spotted him when I got over here. MSS type, he practically lives out of this hotel." Eddie replied.

"What are his habits?" Carl asked.

"Seems to scope the lobby out in the morning, then has breakfast in the cafe before he goes out and about. He's pretty good at avoiding surveillance so we have to use agents from the population to give us information." Eddie said.

"Speaking of agents, do you have any that might be helpful?" Moira interjected.

Eddie replied, "I've already taken care of that. I highly suggest you two do a bit of sightseeing and make use of the excellent room service at this hotel."

Moira quickly had deduced Eddie had a couple meetings in mind, "And where would you recommend we go?"

"The new City Hall Museum and Art Gallery is a good site to go see." Eddie remarked, "I typically visit with a friend of mine there whenever we have the time. He works over there as a curator, and I've told him to expect you."

"How long is he going to wait?" Carl asked.

"Not long, so I'd recommend you get going." Eddie said, "I'll take you myself and will pick you up in a couple of hours.

Eddie stood up and both Moira and Carl followed him out to the car park and took their ride to the museum. Carl stepped out of the car and then waited for Moira to step out before he closed the door and Eddie drove off. He walked up to the front door of the museum and opened the door to let Moira walk in before offering his arm to her.

Moira took his arm, the better to give the impression of a pair of newly weds rather than members of a joint CIA operation with MI-6.

An older Chinese man headed towards them. His graying hair and receding hairline indicated a man in his early fifties and as he approached Carl noticed the scarring on his left hand, evidence of burns of some kind.

"Mr. and Mrs. Arlington?" the man said, "I am Mr. Han, the curator for this museum, your friend Eddie told me to expect you."

Moira and Carl shook hands with Mr. Han as the latter said, "Shall we?"

His manner of speech indicated a man educated in the United Kingdom and Carl asked, "Where did you go to school, Mr. Han?"

"I was educated at Cambridge University, oh, ages ago." Mr. Han replied.

"My alma mater." Carl replied, "Relatively more recent timeframe."

Moira elbowed him in the ribs. "Ouch."

Mr. Han smirked at both Moira's mild chagrin and Carl's reaction to her elbow's contact.

"There's been a great deal of unusual activity with our PRC friends of late." Mr. Han began, "Increased border guards on the Chinese side of the border and quite a few new faces amongst the Chinese Embassy here."

"It sounds like preparation for an invasion." Carl remarked.

"I don't think so. I think there's more going on than a simple Chinese takeover of Hong Kong." Moira replied.

"What do you think the PRC blokes are up to around here, Mr. Han?" Carl asked as they walked by other exhibits.

"I will say that the Ministry of State Security seems especially active here in Hong Kong of late. Especially on the financial front." Mr. Han replied.

"How so?" Carl asked.

"My brother works for a small medical technology company. It's been no secret that they were under quite a bit of financial duress." Mr. Han said, "It was as they were filing for bankruptcy that they had a meeting with some businessmen. Ostensibly they claimed they were from Taiwan, but with their bullying swagger and arrogance it was quite obvious they were members of the Guóānbù (Chinese Ministry of State Security)."

"What was your brother's company involved with?" Moira asked.

"Mostly manufacture of scientific instruments as well as heart rate monitoring machines. Also they worked in the calibration of life support equipment." Mr. Han replied.

"When was the last time you talked to your brother?" Carl asked.

"Almost six weeks ago." Mr. Han said.

"And you haven't talked to him since?" Carl asked.

"Since my brother's company was bought out, he had to sign a non-disclosure agreement." Mr. Han asked.

"Did you talk to your brother on the phone or in person?" Moira asked.

Carl couldn't help but wonder about Moira's line of questioning. Why did she ask about in person or on the telephone?

"It was in person. We had lunch." Mr. Han replied, "He seemed especially worried, constantly glancing over his shoulder, as if he were being followed."

Sounds like the wankers who bought out the company were MSS, or at the very least some very unsavory sods. Carl thought.

"Do you have his address?" Moira asked, gently.

Mr. Han took out a business card and apen from his pocket. He wrote the address on the back, glancing around the room before shaking hands with Moira and Carl.

"We appreciate the tour." Carl said as he shook hands with Mr. Han. The latter slipped his business card into the palm of Carl's hand. He quietly slid the card into his pocket.

Both Carl and Moira stepped outside and saw Eddie having parked the car in front of the building. They stepped inside and Eddie drove them back towards the hotel.


MI6 Transmission. Authenticate: Juliet
London, United Kingdom
Matthew Stenner and Vice Admiral Sir Jason M. Dench
0800 16 April 1963

"Our lads at the Embassy have been noticing a good bit of unusual Chinese activity of late." Stenner said as he held a report in his left hand as he stood in Dench's office.

"I'd noticed that with the last few reports coming from the Hong Kong station." Dench replied, "Quite a few technology and science companies that have been having financial issues have been approached by gentlemen that appear to be members of the Ministry of State Security or at least somewhat affiliated. What do you suppose that the MSS wants with those sort of businesses?"

"I'm honestly not certain, but I'm fairly sure it's something to do with mutants. What with that business near Cuba the Yanks got into last year, I'm quite certain that the Chinese want to learn everything they can about mutants too." Stenner replied, "That's information I want Allenby and MacTaggert to uncover."

"Very good." Dench said, as he took a cigarette from a metal case in his pocket before he offered one to Stenner.

"Thank you sir." Stenner replied and lit his cigarette.

"I trust you'd received initial reports from those two?" Dench replied.

"Yes sir, via our contact at the hotel Captain Allenby gave me his initial report. And he'll give his report this evening." Stenner replied.

"What about MacTaggert, what's your impression of her?" Dench asked.

"Well she seems business-like, dedicated and quite moral and honest." Stenner replied, "I trust her. But I don't quite trust that Stryker bloke."

"Ah yes, I'm well aware there's a good bit of mistrust between you and Stryker." Dench remarked.

"That's putting it rather mildly, sir." Stenner replied.

"That business in Korea was rather unplesant, Stenner. And Stryker certainly can carry more than his share of blame." Dench replied.

"Again, sir, that's putting it rather mildly. Seven people died as a direct result of Stryker's actions on that mission." Stenner replied, "From both MI-6 and the CIA. I recommend we keep a close eye on Stryker."

"I agree." Dench replied, "Do keep me posted on Allenby and MacTaggert's progress and vet what you forward to the CIA through me before you transmit it."

"Yes sir." Stenner replied.

"The Chinese are buying up various medical and scientific firms especially in Hong Kong, an SAS patrol encounters a mutant in the Malayan jungle, and said mutant shows signs of genetic engineering." Dench said, "This is worrying. Stenner, look to see precisely which medical and scientific ventures have gone under in the last few years and be sure MacTaggert and Allenby have that information."

"Yes sir." Stenner replied.

"In any case I shall be very interested to hear precisely what MacTaggert and Allenby find on their first day of investigating." Dench replied.


Transmission # 5-7-6-1. Designate: NOVEMBER
Peninsula Hong Kong Hotel
Moira MacTaggert, and Carl Allenby
1945 16 April 1963

"I still think they're preparing for an invasion." Carl remarked as he stepped out of the bathroom.

"I'd be inclined to agree with you, but I'm not so sure the increased Chinese activity is necessarily for the annexation of Hong Kong." Moira remarked as she laid out her sleepwear for the evening, stifling a yawn as she did so.

"What do you think its for then? The Chinese have been quite active since the end of the Korean War. Working with the Communist Terrorists in Malaya. Hong Kong is one of the Crown's wealthier protectorates, certainly the PRC would want to control its wealth." Carl replied.

"Still, China would be taking a big risk. And I don't think that the Chinese activity is necessarily an invasion." Moira replied.

"Really? And this flood of 'businessmen' that are spies aren't the blokes laying ground for invasion? I do recall the Japanese pulling similar tricks in the years leading to World War II." Carl replied as he looked out the window, keeping an eye out for any surveillance.

"I'm aware of that." Moira replied, "However given that the Chinese interest have been in various science, engineering, and medically related interests I'm sure that its related to the mutants."

"Or biological weaponry." Carl replied.

"Given that mutant powers can range from teleportation to growing diamond hard covering, I'm inclined to believe that the mutants themselves are weapons." Moira replied.

"And the medical and science equipment could well be used in engineering mutants." Carl said, "After all genetic power could well trigger another arms race, as if we didn't have one that was bad enough with the current nuclear race with the bloody Soviets."

"That is worrying." Moira replied, "But something tells me that if someone's massing an army, they intend to use it, but to what end? Our best lead would be the medical companies."

"Agreed, but let's see what this other contact your friend Eddie mentioned can turn up. I'm particularly interested in seeing what these Guoanbu chaps are up to." Carl replied.

"I'm not convinced the Guoanbuare behind all this." Moira replied.

"Well the Chinese have been quite active in all this." Carl replied, "So what makes you think they're not the master minds?"

"Call it a hunch." Moira replied.

"Much as I don't want to doubt your instincts," Carl said, as he rolled up his sleeves and looked through the room service menu, "But I think something more than a hunch is in order to be convincing."

"It's vague, but I remember something about mutants able to do things like read minds. What if one such mutant were altering the minds of senior members of the Chinese Ministry of State Security." Moira remarked.

"You seem to have a good bit of familiarity about mutants. Where does it come from?" Carl asked.

Moira hesitated a bit, "I did encounter some on a mission last year. I saw a woman grow a sparkling coat around herself and a man vanish with a senior member of NATO."

"Given what I saw in Malaya I'd believe you, but I'm certain what you know about mutants is more than just from a simple one off encounter." Carl replied.

"It is." Moira said, "That much I know, but the rest I can't recall with any degree of clarity. It's brief snatches. Trees. A kiss. A tropical beach."

Carl made a mental note to ask Moira about it later on, but for the time being it was best not to. Changing the subject he handed Moira the menu, "Right, what would you like to order."

Moira looked through the menu, pricey but definitely sounded very good, "Seems a little rich."

"Well given that we have an expense account and we're not being fraudulent I'd disagree. And also this bloke your man wants us to meet in all likelihood works in room service it might behoove us to partake." Carl replied.

Moira smiled, "Careful, I might be tempted to go on a shopping spree that might get you committed to the Tower."

"I don't think I'm quite important enough to be imprisoned in the Tower to be perfectly honest." Carl replied before handing Moira the menu. She made her choice before Carl went over to the bedside phone to call in their room service.

Carl dialed room service and then called in their order before noticing Moira yawn yet again, "Tired?"

"Travelling for the last three days will do that." Moira remarked.

"One more practical reason for room service." Carl replied, stifling a yawn of his own, "I very well might turn in early."

"I think that was my idea first." Moira remarked.

"I don't think copyrights for ideas like that exist." Carl remarked.

"And when did you become an expert in copyrights?" Moira replied.

"I never said I was." Carl replied, "I imagine if such copyrights did exist the sheer amount of litigation might result in a rather overwhelmed legal system."

"There you go again." Moira replied.

"Pardon?" Carl asked.

"There you go over-analyzing things." Moira replied as she picked her sleepwear off the bed and went behind the room divider to get dressed for bed.

The sound of a knock on their door got both of their attentions. Carl headed over to look through the peephole of the door. Standing outside was a young Chinese man wearing pushing a food cart.

Carl opened the door and the young man said, "Room service for Mr. and Mrs. Arlington?"

"That's us, thank you." Carl said.

The young man handed him a slip of paper, "Here's the check for your records, a mutual friend said you do like to keep records."

Carl took the slip of paper, which had the phrase authenticating the identity of their agent. The man's name was Chang and he worked the evening shift at the hotel. Perfect contact.

"What can you tell me about the goings on in the hotel?" Carl asked.

"Well, I notice a good bit of activity around Room 18. A regular guest at this hotel employed by the Chinese Embassy." Chang replied.

Bao. Carl thought before saying, "That's worth ten Sterling."

The youth folded the ten pound note and stuck it in a pocket as Carl said, "Now it'll be worth your while if you can get into that room, and see if you can't pick up any information."

"He is very careful about people following him, very thorough. He even checks the room for listening devices." Chang said, "There are also a lot more people at the hotel, associates of Mr. Bao these days."

"It would be worth a lot to me if you could discern any information from that room, anything you can overhear or see, or the comings and goings of anyone out of that room." Carl replied.

"I will see what I can do." Chang said.

"Thank you." Carl said.

Shortly after Chang left, Moira walked in from behind the room divider.

"Nothing too firm from the kid." Carl replied, "Except the location of Mr. Bao's suite and that getting a bug in there might be rather difficult and that there seems to be a good bit of extra surveillance about this area."

"Not surprising." Moira remarked, "Given that the US Ambassador is hosting a function here at the hotel in two days."

"How did you know that?" Carl asked.

Moira held up an envelope with an invitation in it, "It looks like we're both invited, courtesy of Eddie."

"Why would they want us there?" Carl asked as he went behind the room divider to get dressed for bed.

"Well it sort of puts new blood in the room, if they haven't burned us we can help with counter intelligence." Moira replied, "And besides if we help them they could help us with our investigation."

"Or see if Chang can't glean anything. I'm certain he's working the detail." Carl replied, "A server or waiter can overhear a good bit, if I can pay him to stick close to the MSS blokes it could pay off."

"I'll be sure to ask Eddie about Chang's reliability." Moira asked.

"He seemed like an ok sort of bloke, but then again I only met him briefly." Carl replied.

Moira had sat down to eat, as Carl headed over.

"Can I ask you a personal question?" Moira asked.

"Certainly." Carl replied.

"How is it you got to have such an understanding of literature to a point you can argue about one of my favorite books?" Moira asked.

"I was educated at Chillingborough, near Didsbury, around the Manchester area." Carl replied, "Dad insisted that education was important, and that I attend schooling and become an officer if I so desired to follow in his footsteps."

"Your father was in the Army?" Moira asked.

"Yes, in fact he is the officer commanding for 2 Para." Carl replied, "He recently rose in rank to Colonel not too long ago. I still remember the day I joined the Paras, my father pinning my wings. He had to keep that reserved distance, but we could all see the pride that his eldest was following in his footsteps."

"Your father was an officer?" Moira asked.

"Yes, he was commissioned on the battlefield in 1941 after his officers were killed in battle." Carl replied, after having chewed a forkful of his food before asking, "So what about your family?"

"Well, I'm the baby of three girls." Moira replied, "My grandparents came over from Scotland in 1900, moving to Rhode Island. My grandfather wound up working in a textile plant, first as an accountant but rising to owning the plant."

"So you grew up with means?" Carl asked.

"No, my parents weren't rich, but we weren't struggling either. I grew up comfortably, in a suburb of Providence. My Mom worked as a high school teacher and my Dad was a doctor." Moira replied.

"Sounds like you had a lovely family." Carl said, "So might I ask why the CIA?"

"Fair question," Moira said, "It's sort of a long story."

"I've certainly got time to hear it, after all you'd put up with my story, it's only fair." Carl said with a smile as he sipped a glass of water.

"Well, during World War II I remember some men came over to our house one evening. One was an Army officer and the others wore civilian clothes. They were talking to my parents, something about recruiting my Mom for something. Dad didn't agree with it, but Mom chose to go. She was always the headstrong type." Moira said.

"A trait you seem to have inherited." Carl replied, "Not necessarily a bad thing."

"Thanks. Anyway, Mom and Dad had a huge argument. I saw Mom packing a suitcase and then that was the last time I saw her." Moira replied.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Did you ever find out why she left?" Carl asked.

"I was getting there." Moira replied, "Dad didn't tell me what exactly Mom had left to do, but it was something to do with the government and most of it was a secret. I chose to join the CIA partially to find out what happened to my Mom. I spent my first year with the CIA in the typing pool, working as a secretary. I found out Mom had worked for the CIA's predecessor, the Office of Strategic Services and she had gone missing on a mission."

"That had to be rough. Not knowing why your Mum had left and then finding out many years later." Carl replied.

"You have no idea." Moira replied, "And after I found out about Mom and the OSS, I became more determined to get out of the typing pool and actually do real work for the CIA. They put me in surveillance and the rest was history."

"Leading to a lovely hotel in Hong Kong." Carl said.

"Among other things, but I just can't remember all of them, several months from last year I just can't remember." Moira replied.

Perhaps due to those mutants that can alter minds? Carl thought. That's the logical thing. Given that there wasn't any incident I recall where she'd been struck upside the head.

That was something, however, that he would delve into at a later date.


Transmission # 4-5-3-1 Designate: BRAVO
CIA Headquarters, Langley, VA
Glenn Levene, William Stryker, and Director McCone
1900 16 April 1963

"The Brits just released the autopsy report from that mutant they killed in Borneo." Glenn Levene, Moira MacTaggert's former partner from surveillance, said.

"How much of it did MI-6 redact." McCone said.

"A fair amount." Levene replied, "But what they didn't redact was the fact that this thing took five rounds from a shotgun and fifteen 7.62 mm rounds to kill. Apparently this thing didn't have a heart."

"You must've read it wrong," McCone said, "The heart must've been destroyed by the shotgun blast."

"No, the autopsy report and photos show no damage in the area where a heart would be." Levene replied,"MacTaggert attached her own observations to the report. She did mention that the Brits seem a bit concerned that this thing is genetically engineered and that likely more like it are lurking about. They just don't know where."

"The Brits neglected to let us know that." McCone remarked, "I might have a bone to pick with Dench over this."

"That's probably more than a few." Stryker remarked, "The Limeys haven't exactly been 100% forthcoming these days."

"Well, I do remember you and what's his name, Stenner, don't quite get along. And haven't since Korea." McCone remarked.

"I wonder how much the Brits know about these freaks that they aren't willing to share with us." Stryker said, "I think that's something we should have MacTaggert find out while she's playing house with that British officer."

"Agreed." McCone said, "I want to know exactly what it is the Brits know about the mutants. Make sure Bentro gets that message to MacTaggert."

"Right away." Stryker said.


MI6 Transmission. Authenticate: Hotel
Peninsula Hong Kong Hotel
Carl Allenby and Moira MacTaggert
2200 16 April 1963

Moira yawned and stretched and said, "Well I guess its time to turn in."

She stood up from her chair before walking off to the bed, sliding the covers aside and stepping in. Carl followed her to the bed before turning off the lights and sliding into bed himself.

He knew he would have to wake up later, but that wouldn't be for an hour or so. There would be an intermediary he would be meeting on the roof of the building, supposedly someone Stenner trusted. And if Stenner trusted this person that meant they were somewhat trustworthy in his eyes.

There was also the matter of the American partner on the case. She seemed nice enough, very intelligent, perceptive, and attractive. He couldn't help but notice the latter fact, he'd have to be blind not to. He trusted her, but he knew that there was some bad blood between Stenner and someone higher up on the CIA food chain than Moira.

I shall have to ask Stenner about that some time. Carl thought as he went to catch a quick bit of sleep.

He woke up an hour later, observing for a few seconds to make sure he didn't wake Moira. He silently slid out of the bed before he slid the covers up under Moira's chin, watching her stir a little bit and murmur something indistinct before she fell asleep. He noticed the simple act was something Moira rather liked.

Carl tossed on a robe over his sweats and t-shirt before heading upstairs to the roof. He waited on top of the roof, before he saw a man in a black suit, with dark hair and brown eyes.

"Playing house with that CIA officer are we?" the man said, with a sardonic voice.

"Mr. Wisdom, I presume. Stenner told me you'd be in town." Carl replied.

"You still didn't answer my question." Peter Wisdom replied.

"Well, yes." Carl replied, stiffly. He could already tell he wasn't going to like this man.

"You don't seem entirely pleased about the matter." Wisdom replied, "Would you mind if I were to play house with her?"

"I would mind very much, because I would then be forced to enact the role of jealous and irate husband." Carl remarked.

Huh, clearly some tension there.Wisdom thought. Perhaps something to pay attention to later.

"Alright then, I am if nothing else a gentleman." Wisdom replied, "Now, let's get down to business, I'd heard of the creature your lot encountered in Borneo." Peter Wisdom replied.

"What of it?" Carl replied.

"Well, I know that Dr. Weaver seems to believe genetic engineering is involved and there's the belief that whoever engineered the bloody thing. And the fact that the bloke had some identification that lead you to this particular garden spot in the world. And that there's the lead that the Chinese are acting up around here, particularly the Ministry of State Security, in buying up medical and scientific companies. Something big is afoot, old boy, that much we know."

"What else do you know?" Carl said.

"Only that you and MacTaggert are investigating a very insignificant piece of a much larger puzzle." Wisdom replied.

"And just how large of a puzzle are we speaking of here?" Carl replied.

"That, my friend, is something even I'm not quite privy to, but all I can say is that there's a lot more to all this than you think." Wisdom replied.

"Right." Carl said. Looks like a good bit of circle talk is in the offing from the minder Stenner assigned us.

"What do you know about what the Chinese are getting up to over here?" Carl said.

"Well, there's of course the fact that relations between the Chinese and the Soviets have been deteriorating rather rapidly." Wisdom replied, "On one hand you've got the Chinese with all the bit you've seen thus far and of course our actions to try and counter them. And as if that weren't bad enough you've got the Soviets poking their noses around here as well."

"Well given that we're interested in what the Chinese are getting up to, I'm not surprised the Soviets are just as interested." Carl replied.

"I'd advise you to be careful, my friend. Given that you've got the Soviets likely poking about here as well." Wisdom replied.

"So whatever is going on, this army of genetically mutated people, likely being amassed by the Chinese, things are going to get rather hairy with the Soviets getting interested." Carl replied.

"Among other things, yes. But all I can tell you is that things are likely never to be the same with whatever you and Moira uncover. I shall be in touch." Peter Wisdom said before heading off into the night, down a service entrance to the roof.

Carl stood on the roof for a few minutes, reflecting on the rather vague notion Peter Wisdom had given him, the one of investigating an insignificant piece of a much larger puzzle. A secret army of creatures without hearts genetically mutated by artificial means would require tremendous resources and knowledge, hence the Chinese seeking to buy up medical and scientific assets. But if the Chinese weren't behind this whole lot, then who was? Were mutants powerful enough to control minds even now influencing senior members of the Ministry of State Security or even higher levels of the Chinese government?

He headed downstairs, towards their hotel room, making sure that he wasn't followed. He headed into the room, noticing Moira was fast asleep. He slid off his robe before sliding into bed beside Moira.

He felt her turn over, facing towards him. Judging by what he saw, she was dreaming in all likelihood.

"We came for Shaw. Mission aborted." Moira said, noticing that arriving in the helicopter was a blonde haired woman, not Sebastian Shaw.

"She's his number two woman." said the man beside her, "That's good enough for me."

"The CIA invading the home of a senior Soviet official? Are you crazy?" Moira asked.

"I'm not CIA." The man said. He ran towards the heavily guarded dacha (Russian countryside home) like a man possessed. By all accounts he should have been riddled full of holes with his actions.

But what she witnessed was incredible. She remembered the barbed wire seeming to come to life, ensnaring the guards at this man's behest. She remembered another man, a friend of the first, gifted, but not with the ability to manipulate metal. She remembered the other man going
to chase down the first.

She remembered the blonde woman, the same one able to cover herself in a glistening cover, from when she inflitrated the Hellfire Club by blending in with the entertainment had provided for their high ranking guests. The one with the aloof demeanor and almost regal bearing that set her apart from a simple showgirl. The one who stood out to the trained eye.
She remembered the Russian operation wound up netting this individual. Remembered her being detained at Headquarters.

She remembered her debriefing very clearly. All those eyes on her. The Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Secretary of Defense. Tellingly, all those male eyes. She said she only remembered fragments. The attack on Headquarters. Going somewhere after that. Trees. A tropical beach.

All those months of her life lost. But something told her that mutants weren't behind what the British called 'Subject One'. No, her instincts were telling her it was something else entirely. But what it was she couldn't tell. Moira MacTaggert, in her subconscious mind, hoped that she would figure out what it was before it was too late.


To Be Continued. Up Next, Moira and Carl's investigation continues.