The Mark Of The Black Widow

Chapter 4

Chapter 3

MI6, Vauxhall, London

The opaque glass walled room, termed by the security forces staff as 'the safe room', was the only secure area away from any kind of surveillance and eavesdropping. The two males and female sat opposite each other across the desk.

'I've called this meeting because I want an American influence in Section 7,' Trinity Saunders, the Home Secretary said. 'Times are changing fast in international relations and we need as many friends as we can get. I want to have closer ties with our US cousins'

She was fifty-something, sharp as a razor, not too unattractive and her hairdresser's fee cost as much as the average weekly wage.

'You want closer ties?' queried Sir Philip Parker, the director of MI6, his finger lightly brushing the end of his moustache.

She rolled her eyes just enough to not be offensive. 'The PM and I have discussed the damage caused by the phone hacking scandal between us and the Americans and we feel the time is right to begin healing any rifts between us. On top of that the high alert we have on terrorist activity means we need as much cooperation from them as they do from us.'

'So we can return to the good old days of having a special relationship!' Parker interrupted. 'Don't be so naïve, Home Secretary. I don't trust them.'

'I don't trust them any more than you do, but this is the time when we may be needing their assistance, especially if the Russian-Ukraine and Syria and even Iran situations escalate and things turn even nastier. Plus these atrocious terrorist attacks are draining our resources. Anyway, she'll bring fresh eyes and maybe new technology into the unit.'

'Deller won't be pleased,' FINN noted. 'Not with an American in the Section. He doesn't trust them either.'

'Well, he'll just have to get used to it, won't he?' she replied, bristling. 'Anyway he's professional enough to accept it.'

'Oh he'll accept it alright,' FINN went on. 'But he'll be thinking the same as me – can she be trusted? The Section is privy to everything that's going on.'

Sir Philip ran his fingers down his neatly trimmed moustache. 'Bringing an American into the most intelligence sensitive special ops unit is potentially opening up the doors for the NSA to have access to all our sensitive data,' he remarked, reluctantly agreeing with FINN. Although he was officially head of all UK intelligence agencies this new crack task force who were permitted to kill without orders from him were outside his control, answerable only to the Home Secretary and the Prime Minister. To him it went against the grain.

'Sir Philip, she's been vetted the same as the rest of the team, maybe more,' Saunders said. 'She will most certainly not give the Americans anything we don't want them to have. Plus she has promised to give us some new developments in cyber anti-terrorism and technology we don't yet know. Sorry, this isn't a request, it's going to happen.'

'Then why have this meeting?' he asked. Although he had no direct authority over them his position warranted him to be informed and updated on the Section's activities as a matter of course.

'Because if I didn't tell you and you found out from another source first you'd be annoyed, right?' she said firmly, but still retaining the respect for the man she had chosen for the job.

'Where is she from?' he asked.

'She trained with the CIA, did a few stints in Afghanistan, transferred to the NSA after five years and she's been with them for seven,' FINN replied. 'Her rank is Intelligence Captain and at the moment she's over here on secondment at GCHQ.'

'From Langley to Maryland? And you believe she can be trusted to not tell her chums sensitive information, Home Secretary?'

'Sir Philip, I can assure you that this is going to happen whether you like it or not,' she replied firmly. 'This comes from the top and he doesn't like the leaks that are sprouting out lately.'

'Well all I can say is I hope she's good and trustworthy,' he remarked. 'You know you're taking a big risk, don't you?'

'Yes of course I know, Sir Philip. But that's what the PM and I want.'

'Well, I have to crack on,' FINN said rising. 'The Black Widow is causing mayhem at Charing Cross.'

'How's that going?' she asked.

'I'll keep you both updated,' FINN replied. 'But it's not looking good.'

'Now, where are you taking me for lunch, Sir Philip,' Saunders said, 'and not that ghastly male-orientated place you took me to last time.'

'I thought it was your treat this time,' he teased.

'It's good to know the age of chivalry is not dead,' she replied.