All The Worlds A Stage……..

    The pair of steel doors slid open and the Prisoner stormed in, down the ramp, across the floor and leaning over the grey curved desk he demanded the man sat there to…….

    “Get him!”

    “Get who?”

    “Number 2.”

    “I have taken his place, I am the new Number 2.”

    “Well get Number 1!”

    “Who do you think you are? You come storming into my office making demands; you really do need to cultivate a less abrasive attitude!”

    “There has been an injustice take place!”

    “Really, how terrible. Where do you think you are, on a fortnights holiday in Butlins, or somewhere on the French Riviera perhaps.”

    “Don’t get clever with me, get Number 1!”

    “And what is Number 1 to you? You think he cares about what happens to you, because I assure he doesn’t give a fig for you. He looks after Number 1. So to you and everyone in this village I’m in charge.”

    “So Number 1 is a man.”

    “So what, don’t think that gets you anywhere, after all we’re all Number 1, each and every one of us. We all look out for Number 1, because if we don’t no-one else will. So what is it you have a grievance over?”

    “Not what, who, John Christopher Duncan.”

    “What about him?”

    “He’s dead!”

    “What, do you think I don’t know, what we do here has to be done. If it wasn’t us it would be someone else, and they play much dirtier games than us.”

    “Who is us?”

    “Does it matter? One side is much like the any other.”

    John Christopher Duncan’s funeral took place the next day, it was all carried out properly and with due reverence, the man had several mourners in attendance. Each man has his exits and his entrances and in his life he plays many parts.

    “First I’m an old colleague in the same boat as him. Then I’m made to be the traitor, now I play the part of a dead man, here at least.”

    “And now you go to play the role of double agent, back in the bosom of your department, but secretly working for us. And when we call you will come running, otherwise it will be the final curtain for you!”

    “Don’t rub it in, I feel bad enough about the girl.”

    “There is no room for sentimentality, not in our game.”

    “I didn’t realize it was a game!”

    “Go while you can, the helicopter is waiting.”

    “Be seeing you” Duncan saluted.

    “Vidět vás” returned No.2.

Be seeing you