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Authors: Christopher Bartlett
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age are in some sections of society
more or less de rigueur, such criteria are meaningless. The converse might well
be true, for nowadays saving one’s virginity would often be going against
social norms, at least in the UK. Perhaps in your day, Herr Doctor, the US
intelligence men’s thesis may have been valid. When did you lose yours – that
is, if you have?’
‘I’m the one asking the
questions.’
‘Of course you are,’
replied Holt, leaning forward to press his point, ‘but I would have thought more
cerebral Pandora’s boxes would be more valuable. Sex is not the only thing in
life – though it might seem like that to psychiatrists, who are reputed to
enter the profession because of their own hang-ups, even shortcomings.’
No one had ever talked
to the psychiatrist like that. But before he could object, Holt continued.
‘I shall be reporting
you. In fact, I think you should be on the sex offenders list, but then I suppose
MI5 would protect you because of the security implications. You probably know
too much about key people, not only in Giraffe but also beyond.’
‘You little creep.
You’ll be sorry.’
‘You’ve just proved my
point,' replied Holt. ‘Blackmail.’
‘Enough!’
‘Sorry, I got carried
away,’ answered Holt.
‘Seems your emotions
get the better of you. I’ll have to note that. Could be disastrous on a
mission. You could put people working for us at risk.’
‘I’m a backroom, back-office
man. Not a frontline agent. I won’t be dealing with dangerous situations, here
or abroad.’
‘Okay. Anyway, more to
the point is, what made someone like you decide to join the service?’
‘I didn’t decide. I fell
into it after being told I had something special to offer and that I might save
many lives. You will understand I cannot say more than that for security
reasons.’
‘You can tell me
anything.’
‘I would have to
confirm that with a higher authority. If they said it was okay, I would warn
them it could be very dangerous having non - line personnel like you asking
wide-ranging questions about what we do.’
Holt was playing the
system against him, and Blackwell would have to trip him up on terrain where his
background information would give him a definite advantage.
‘I gather,’ said
Blackwell, ‘from your files that you have something of an inferiority complex in
so far as women are concerned. All this bravado may be to hide the fact that you are the one with the
hang-ups.’
‘Is sex the only thing
you can think off?’
‘You’re evading the
question.’
‘Not at all. It’s not inferiority,
more a matter of unfamiliarity, never having had a sister and my mother dying. I
have to admit I am gauche in my dealings with the opposite sex, perhaps as you yourself
are – seeing how prurient you are.’
This insulting comment
had obviously made Blackwell furious, leaving him cornered, for if he continued
he would look even more prurient. He would seek his revenge later. He altered
course, but only slightly.
‘I see you are being
partnered with our beautiful Celia. Seems totally out of order to me in view of
what you have just said. We don’t want any trouble. She is the Virgin Mary, at
least for the likes of you.’
‘I have been made well
aware that I must handle her with kid gloves – or rather, not handle her at all.
That said, I want it put on record that you referred to her as the Virgin Mary.
I don’t want to get blamed when she falls pregnant on her own.’
‘Get…get out! You’re
too clever by half.’
‘You are not the first
person to say that. At least you got something right.’
Holt stood up and stalked
out as ordered, glad to escape the physical exam. Had he been a young woman, it
would surely not have been omitted.
He half slammed the
door behind him, knowing he had foolishly made an implacable enemy. The Snake would
inevitably seek his revenge in one form or another. The question was, would
retribution be immediate, or was he
more or less de rigueur, such criteria are meaningless. The converse might well
be true, for nowadays saving one’s virginity would often be going against
social norms, at least in the UK. Perhaps in your day, Herr Doctor, the US
intelligence men’s thesis may have been valid. When did you lose yours – that
is, if you have?’
‘I’m the one asking the
questions.’
‘Of course you are,’
replied Holt, leaning forward to press his point, ‘but I would have thought more
cerebral Pandora’s boxes would be more valuable. Sex is not the only thing in
life – though it might seem like that to psychiatrists, who are reputed to
enter the profession because of their own hang-ups, even shortcomings.’
No one had ever talked
to the psychiatrist like that. But before he could object, Holt continued.
‘I shall be reporting
you. In fact, I think you should be on the sex offenders list, but then I suppose
MI5 would protect you because of the security implications. You probably know
too much about key people, not only in Giraffe but also beyond.’
‘You little creep.
You’ll be sorry.’
‘You’ve just proved my
point,' replied Holt. ‘Blackmail.’
‘Enough!’
‘Sorry, I got carried
away,’ answered Holt.
‘Seems your emotions
get the better of you. I’ll have to note that. Could be disastrous on a
mission. You could put people working for us at risk.’
‘I’m a backroom, back-office
man. Not a frontline agent. I won’t be dealing with dangerous situations, here
or abroad.’
‘Okay. Anyway, more to
the point is, what made someone like you decide to join the service?’
‘I didn’t decide. I fell
into it after being told I had something special to offer and that I might save
many lives. You will understand I cannot say more than that for security
reasons.’
‘You can tell me
anything.’
‘I would have to
confirm that with a higher authority. If they said it was okay, I would warn
them it could be very dangerous having non - line personnel like you asking
wide-ranging questions about what we do.’
Holt was playing the
system against him, and Blackwell would have to trip him up on terrain where his
background information would give him a definite advantage.
‘I gather,’ said
Blackwell, ‘from your files that you have something of an inferiority complex in
so far as women are concerned. All this bravado may be to hide the fact that you are the one with the
hang-ups.’
‘Is sex the only thing
you can think off?’
‘You’re evading the
question.’
‘Not at all. It’s not inferiority,
more a matter of unfamiliarity, never having had a sister and my mother dying. I
have to admit I am gauche in my dealings with the opposite sex, perhaps as you yourself
are – seeing how prurient you are.’
This insulting comment
had obviously made Blackwell furious, leaving him cornered, for if he continued
he would look even more prurient. He would seek his revenge later. He altered
course, but only slightly.
‘I see you are being
partnered with our beautiful Celia. Seems totally out of order to me in view of
what you have just said. We don’t want any trouble. She is the Virgin Mary, at
least for the likes of you.’
‘I have been made well
aware that I must handle her with kid gloves – or rather, not handle her at all.
That said, I want it put on record that you referred to her as the Virgin Mary.
I don’t want to get blamed when she falls pregnant on her own.’
‘Get…get out! You’re
too clever by half.’
‘You are not the first
person to say that. At least you got something right.’
Holt stood up and stalked
out as ordered, glad to escape the physical exam. Had he been a young woman, it
would surely not have been omitted.
He half slammed the
door behind him, knowing he had foolishly made an implacable enemy. The Snake would
inevitably seek his revenge in one form or another. The question was, would
retribution be immediate, or was he
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