Resigned!

    “Is that the Colonel?”
    “Yes the Colonel speaking.”
    “Colonel I think we have a problem.”
    “What kind of a problem?”
    “ZM Seventy-three has just been in my office, he stormed in. Paced up and down, he was in such a rage, the things he said, the ranting, and then he slammed an envelope down on my desk, stamped down hard with his fist. Upset my teacup, saucer and tea plate.  
    “Have you opened the letter?”
    “No sir.”
    “Good, don’t. Have the letter sent to my office, and do not make mention of this to anyone, you understand?”
    “Yes Colonel.”
    “Get me Sir Charles Portland……..oh Sir Charles, I’ve just been informed that we have a bit of a problem.”
    “What kind of a problem Colonel?”
    “ZM Seventy-three.”
    “What about ZM Seventy-three?”
    “We’ve had him under close surveillance for some time now. As you know we lost both Chambers, Cobb, oh yes and Dutton, so we could not take further chances.”
    “And?”
    “ZM Seventy-three has just handed in his resignation………Sir Charles?”
    “I see.”
    “What do you want me to do?”
    “Do. What is there to do? We cannot let him just go like that, and he knows it. Take whatever immediate action you think fit Colonel.”
    “Very well Sir Charles. I’ll keep you briefed of course.”
    “You will not. I do not want to know any details, and as far as I am concerned this telephone conversation never happened.”
    “Fotheringay come in here.”
    “Yes Colonel.”
    “We have to take immediate action. Contact removals, give them this address, and tell them they will have to be quick.”
    “Yes Colonel….this address, its…….”
    “Yes I know, he has resigned. Now get on with it Fotheringay.”
    From the moment ZM73 drives out of the underground car park he is followed by two undertakers in a hearse. Through the busy London streets the hearse follows the green, yellow nosed Lotus Seven. At some point the hearse loses contact with the Lotus. But as the car turns into Buckingham Place the hearse is parked in the street, the two undertakers waiting.
   The Lotus pulls up outside number one, and the driver alights, crosses the pavement, mounts the steps to the house, opens the front door and enters the house, closely observed by one of the two undertakers. Once inside ZM73 collects his passport and airline ticket. Two suitcases are ready packed, but in one he adds two travel brochures.
   Meanwhile outside, one of the Undertakers approaches the house, he mounts the steps and makes entry into the house. He walks along the hallway to the door of the study on the left. From a pocket of his overcoat he takes a gas gun and places the muzzle to the keyhole and pulls the trigger. Nerve gas is them pumped into the room on the other side of the door.
    In his study ZM73 begins to feel light-headed. He looks out of the window, the skyscrapers begin to spin, and ZM73 falls back onto a couch unconscious!
    The Undertaker goes outside to help his colleague with the coffin which they take from the back of the hearse and carry along the pavement and into the house, closing the font door behind them. It has been a few minutes and the nerve gas in the study has dissipated. The door is opened, the coffin's carried inside and the lid removed, and the unconscious body of ZM73 is placed inside, and the lid replaced. The two undertakers then carry the coffin out of the house, and place it back inside the hearse, then slowly drive away.

Be seeing you