The wall in front of the control desk consisted of nothing but monitor screens, each one showing the interior of the conference room from a different angle. Operative 47 had been in the conference room on a number of occasions, but had never seen any cameras. He knew better than to ask how the devices had been concealed - or, indeed, why so many were needed. The curious did not last long in the organisation.
For this shift, 47 was sharing monitor duty with Operative 89. 47 liked 89. He was quiet, efficient and laughed at 47's jokes. I was important to get on with your colleagues. Or so 47 liked to think.
"Must be something special going on today," 89 remarked. "The conference room doesn't get used often."
47 glanced sideways at 89. "And how do you know that?" There was something about his voice that suggested 89 should be cautious.
"Well, we don't get assigned here often. Besides." 89 glanced down at the control desk and lowered his voice. After all, there might be someone listening. "Some of the other operatives have been saying - ."
"Well they shouldn't. Just watch the screens. That's what we've been told to do."
"Fine." Operative 89 grimaced, then settled back in his seat. There was movement on the screens, which attracted his attention. "Isn't that - ?" 89 began.
47 glanced up. "Yes." He was silent for a moment as he processed what he was seeing. "That's him. And - look!" Both operatives took a sharp breath.
"No," 89 said in surprise. "Those two should never be together. That's against protocol."
47 nodded at another of the screens. "And that's against the rules, too."
"Yeah. Aren't they meant to be the enemy?"
"One of our enemies."
89 reached for the telephone that was set into the control desk. "I'm going to call the supervisor. They need to know about this!"
47 dropped his hand onto the telephone receiver, stopping 89 from picking it up. "What were our orders?"
"To observe what is going on."
"Then that's what we do."
The two operatives watched the screens in silent fascination. While they could not hear what was going on in the conference room, they could see everything. The events unfolding before them became increasingly animated until, unable to contain himself, Operative 89 reached for the telephone handset again. "Supervisor, please. We have a situation."
"What did you do that for?" 47 asked. But, before 89 could reply, the door to the control was opened from outside. The supervisor entered, and glared at the two operatives. "Report," she ordered.
Operatives 47 and 89 stood to attention. "Beg to report," 47 began. "There is a situation in the conference room."
The supervisor glanced at the screens, then turned her attention back to the operatives. "And?" she asked. "What should we do about it?"
The operatives were silent.
"As I thought," the supervisor said. "Your attitude has been noted."
