Southend U3A

Writing for Fun

April 2019

Chain Of Events - Bob Wendelkin

The first time that he saw her in that black dress with its tight fitting belt that emphasised her beautiful hour-glass figure, he was smitten, so far he had lead the boring life of an Office Worker, repeating, time and again, getting up at six o/clock, to the station by seven-thirty, buy the newspaper, on the train to arrive in London by eight-fifteen, buy a cup of coffee and then walk to his Civil Servant’s office in the Ministry of Defence where he would shuffle papers until mid-day. Then if the weather was fine he would walk to the river bank and find a bench and sit down and eat his Cheese and Tomato sandwiches. As he looked at the river he thought, was this to be his life until that time when his boss gives him the usual silver goblet or possibly an MBE to mark his retirement?

On this occasion as he sat there she walked into his life; he had seen her on a number of occasions. Knowing what he knows now he may have got up off that seat and run a mile but she was the most beautiful girl that he had ever seen. She was about his age with perfect hair and the most beautiful blue eyes. This time she looked at him and it was as if electricity had flowed though every part of his body. He felt as if had been asleep all his life and he had just woken up. He never ever believed up until that time that love at first sight existed, he thought that was something for the romance books, now he felt an animal magnetism about her. But it was her voice that captured his soul.

He shifted along the bench and asked her if she would like to sit down. She sat and he offered her one of his sandwiches which she took holding it between two slender fingers; she thanked him. He could see that despite her appearance she seemed to be acting upset. He asked her what was troubling her.

She told him that she worked for a News Agency and that her boss had asked her to get some information about some topic that was going on with the Army’s equipment. The papers were reporting the equipment was costing too much and not working properly. She said he wanted inside information to sell the story on, where could she find such information.

Although it was the first time he spoke to her he felt for her; he said that as he worked in the Ministry of Defence he may be able to help her as he worked in a department that had such information. He said if he gave her some help she must never divulge the source of that information. She agreed and to show her gratitude she threw her arms around him and gave him a kiss; from that moment he was her slave.

A few days later he was once again sitting on the bench seat looking at the river when again with her light steps she approached the seat and sat close to him. She looking at him, he told her that he had collected some information that may be of interest to her boss. He then passed to her a large envelope to her that he had been sitting on. She looked at it and still with it in her hand she once more put her arms round him and kissed him. Hoping that she would agree to go out with him he asked her if she would have dinner with him one evening after work. She agreed but didn’t suggest a time.

What he didn’t know was that at that moment when he passed her the envelope a camera’s shutter was recording the whole incident. The picture showed his face and the envelope being put into her hand.

A few days later he was once more sitting on the seat when she arrived. She told him that her boss was very happy with her and that the information he had given her was Restricted. He also promised to reward her if she could give him some more information perhaps of a Secret nature, if he could she told him that he may have dinner with her but she would cook it for him, perhaps more, at her flat. As much as he liked her he told her couldn’t give away any Secret information. It was then that she told him that her boss had followed her to their bench meetings and had taken a photograph of her being given an envelope; she then took a photograph out of her handbag and showed it to him. He felt his world was collapsing around him, what should he do?

If he told his boss what he had done, she could end up in prison but he loved her. If she showed the photo to his boss or the newspapers he could end up without a job or he could be in prison; he didn’t know what he should do.

He told her he didn’t want to give her Secret information as if anyone found out both of them would be in serious trouble and he didn’t want to put her at risk. She took hold of his hand and looking into his eyes she said that if he got her some information no one would find out, because of her boss and they would both be safe and she would welcome him to stay at her flat.

He told her that his department didn’t have anything of great interest. To which she asked what about the engine modifications to the fighter jets engines. He asked her how she knew about the engines, to which she said she thought it was common knowledge. He knew that only a handful of people knew of the modification being planned. As he looked at her she was still very beautiful but something had changed, she had lost some of her magic that had attracted him so much when he first saw her. He told her he would have to think about it, to which she replied don’t take too long as her boss will distribute the photo of them.

When he got back to the office he went to see his boss and told him about his encounter with her. His boss picked up the phone and spoke to someone in security. A few minutes later a Security Officer came into the room. His boss introduced him and told him why he had been called. The Security Officer told him they were fully aware of his relationship with the girl and that he had been under observation since their first meeting as they had been following her for sometime. He told him that he had given her some Restricted Information but nothing higher in the security ratings. The Officer told him he knew what he had given to her and even that was false. If it wasn’t secure information and false then I’m not guilty of any crime. Perhaps not but you could still lose your job was the Officer’s reply.

It was decided that he should continue the relationship with the girl and pass to her some secret information and as it was passed to her the Security police would swoop on them and arrest them. He had no choice but to agree with the action they proposed.

Once more it was a bright sunny day and he made his way out to the bench with a large envelope hidden in his inside pocket. He sat and started to eat his sandwiches which he found difficult to swallow when she arrived. He looked at her and she no longer looked like the beautiful creature that had first sat next to him, she was beautiful but there were some hard lines about her eyes that he hadn’t noticed before. He talked to her about the weather, the road conditions and anything he could think of anything to delay the moment he handed her the envelope because he knew at that moment everything would change. She began to be a little impatient with him and started to lift herself off the seat when he took the envelope out of his pocket and placed it in her hand. From nowhere the place suddenly erupted with people some grabbing him and her. Looking at him she called him a treacherous bastard. They then took her away and put her in a police car and driven off.

What he didn’t know that the whole affair had been planned from the start to get her and he just happed be a coincidental bit part player that they had made use of when he came on the scene.

He found out that she wasn’t to be charged and put before a court, she was to be traded for one of our agents. Contact had been made via our embassy that a trade would be made. A time and place was agreed for the exchange. He had asked if he could be present when the exchange was done; they agreed as they were a little concerned that he could go to the papers with what he knew.

As the plane took off he came along the gangway and looked at her; she didn’t see him as she was looking out of the window. He returned to his seat. They landed and cars were waiting for them the go to the boarder rendezvous. Getting off the plane she was taken to one of the cars and he to another; she still hadn’t seen him. At the border they waited until a car arrived on the other side and our agent got out of their car and stood between two guards. On both side of the bridge the group approached the start of the bridge. Before she started to walk across the bridge he got out of his car and rushed up to her and placed a single red rose into her hand. He told her that he had really loved her and he thought that she was the most beautiful creature that God had ever crated. She looking at him told him to ‘Drop Dead’ as she thought him nothing but an insignificant creep and with that she threw the rose into the water and set off across the bridge. He looked at the rose as it floated away taking with it all his feelings for her.