An Old Friend
Part Four
Headquarters London:
British officer Colonel Richards sat at his desk staring at a photo that was sitting on top of a Top Secret intelligence file. His earlier briefing with the erstwhile Lieutenant Craig Garrison and the surveillance report he had been given had started alarms going off in his head. In the photo sat his old college chum, a former lady friend, known NAZI sympathizers, with one Professor Ainsworth, an American and the foremost G-CAT expert on the training of American Guardians. Definitely not a good combination, especially, with the Professor appearing to be in his "cups". An idea firmly reinforced by Lieutenant Garrison's detailed description of his own encounter with the Professor after being shown the photo. Just listening to Craig's story made Richards want to take a shower. He knew and trusted the young Lieutenant. He had a keen mind and an uncanny ability to read people. If Craig said this G-CAT expert was trouble, then the man was trouble.
As he leaned back in his chair he thought back to his younger days American Guardians were the stuff of legends, right up there with dragons and witches. The stories of these remarkable beings were whispered about around the world. As a child he, like most British children, had been fascinated by the legends of American Indians. Either they were portrayed as blood thirsty, vicious, devils or noble savages, but the most fascinating legend of all told of the Guardians. Guardians were human-like beings born with heightened senses. They could see for miles, track a scent like a bloodhound and hear a pin drop blocks away. They were the hunters of the tribe and the protector of the tribal leader. These beings were not human, but a subspecies of human and cared for by the tribe. So close to human they could only be distinguished by their low intelligence, suggestibility, aggressive tendencies, and their heightened senses. They simply could not function without someone to control their every move.
Richards smiled at himself and shook his head. Of course most everything he thought he knew about them had been proven wrong by one young Indian and Guardian called Chief. Oh, Chief had heightened senses but his ability to use his senses though remarkable, was not quiet as extraordinary as what Richards had read. And Chief's, now that he was off some strange drug, innate intelligence burned in his eyes daring anyone to see him for the man he truly was. The rest of the stories had been proven to be lies as well, by Chief's Commanding Officer and Handler, Lieutenant Craig Garrison. Free from what Garrison described as a worse than slave like existence under the US government sanctioned organization G-CAT and with the help of Garrison and his team, Chief was quickly proving himself to be a good soldier and covert operative.
Richards couldn't help but think back to his first meeting with Garrison and his Gorillas. As he and the Lieutenant had been discussing the up and coming mission there had been a loud commotion upstairs. Garrison had rushed out and he had followed knowing that the noise from things breaking had to be coming from the convicts Garrison called his men.
He had been right; there in the middle of what was the manor house's study, were two men brawling on the floor ready to beat each other to a pulp. To his credit Garrison got them under control immediately without any back talk from the men.
He had been thoroughly briefed on Garrison's team…three convicts and a rogue guardian. Precisely, why he had chosen the team… they were criminals and the Guardian, a rogue, so they were to his mind… expendable. He wouldn't have lost any sleep over sending the team on a suicide mission. He had taken a good hard look at each team member, assuring himself that none of them were worth a second thought but it wasn't until he was back at Headquarters that he realized with a shock he couldn't tell which man was the Guardian.
Expendable, he thought, Garrison's Gorillas were anything but expendable. Somehow Garrison had pulled that motley crew together and turned them into a crack covert team. They had saved not only his A*** but his mission and he, the experienced superior officer had been painfully reminded how dangerous it could be to make assumptions about anything or anyone during wartime. He had watched in awe the way the team worked together and the Guardian… It was all too clear that Chief was nothing like the stories of old. He was fiercely loyal to Garrison and his teammates, quick-witted, stubborn and he was a study in controlled violence. Subhuman my eye…If the other American Guardians were half as good as Chief then the American government was allowing a valuable military resource to be wasted.
The intercom buzzed, "Sir Lieutenant Garrison is back with his…men, sir."
Richards smiled, seems his clerk was completely intimidated by the American hoodlums. He replied, "Send them in."
The men came in and sat down without a word and Richards, after wincing at Casino's bruised and battered face, handed the photo to Casino, without a word.
"Hey, that's that slime ball from G-CAT. The Professor something or other," Casino said as he passed the photo to Goniff.
Goniff added, "Yeah, the guy gave me the creeps. Needed to wash my hands after shaking his." And holding the photo by the edge with two fingers he passed it on to Actor.
Actor nodded as he looked at the photo. "Yes, Professor Ainsworth with Lord Fairly and Lady Deborah."
That got Richards attention and he asked, "You know them?"
Actor explained, "Well, I am certain the Lieutenant told you about the Professor's stay at the estate. I have never met his Lordship but Lady Deborah and I shared a pleasant summer on the Riviera a few years back. She was a delightful, headstrong, and very foolish young woman. She was already singing the praises of Herr Hitler."
Richards asked, "How did you two part company?"
Actor smiled, "Oh, most amicably. Why do you ask?"
Richards smiled and said, "It seems that Lady Deborah is still enamored of Herr Hitler and has been quietly helping his cause since the war started. She was recently given some documents to hold for a few days and we would like to replace them with our own documents. This is why you're all here. Lady Deborah is giving a small dinner party tonight and I've been invited. The Lieutenant will accompany me and Goniff will be a last-minute substitute server. Now if you, Actor, could give her Ladyship a call and get yourself invited, I think we could turn this small dinner party into a very enjoyable dinner party."
Actor smiling with delight said, "I would love to reacquaint myself with her ladyship. What a wonderful idea."
Casino irritated, "Great, while you all are have a grand time what am I supposed to be doing? And what's this Ainsworth got to do with it."
Garrison explained, "Oh he's just a little extra added attraction. It seems he's been shooting his mouth off about some classified project he has been acting as a consultant on. M.I. thinks it's time to have a little retraining session with the Professor on the meaning of Top Secret and classified information and the consequences of leaking information to the enemy during wartime."
Goniff outraged, "He should be shot as a ruddy traitor!"
Casino agreed, "The sympathizers and the Professor should be taken out and shot!"
Richards said, "You're both right, they should but at this time we think we might be able to use them for a little counter espionage. As for you Casino…you'll be waiting outside for Goniff to find the safe and then you get yourself inside, open it, and switch the documents. Any questions or better ideas?"
Actor said, "Just one idea. I believe Count Roselli should bring a guest of his own. Do not be concerned, she is a psychiatrist at the military hospital here in London. She can be very discreet and it will help with the ruse. Her name is Doctor Katherine Blaine, if you wish to check on her."
Richards couldn't miss the stunned expressions on the other men's faces, especially on the Lieutenant's. Richards asked, "Isn't she the one that helped Chief when …he became ill during the rescue operations at the hospital?"
Actor completely, nonplussed, "Yes, she is and as you know she can be counted on to be, as I said, discrete. Be assured that I do not suggest this lightly. I know Lady Deborah and the way she thinks. My bring a date will be a helpful distraction. Lady Deborah does not like competition."
Garrison still surprised asked, "Are you sure this is a good idea?"
Actor his mind whirling with ideas nodded, "Actually, I believe it is one of my better ones."
Richards, not sure of what Actor was up to, but trusting to the con man's experience said, "Alright then, make your arrangements Actor while the rest of us get ready for this evenings entertainment."
Casino said, "Hey, if you three get dinner and Goniff gets to sample the food when do I get to eat?"
