Susan had loved to travel growing up. Her father had been in the Navy and the family had lived almost everywhere. She didn’t mind being the new kid in class. It made her feel special, not less than. Her personality drew kids to her in school and that continued through her life.

That was how she had met her husband, Jack Gardener. He was in her biology class as a junior in college. They saw each other and it was obvious instantly. They loved each other and that, was that. The next two years at school passed quickly and soon they were planing a wedding.

Jack had done ROTC and was going into the Army as soon as he graduated. Susan decided to follow. She signed up and their military life together began.

Jack didn’t get the school that he wanted, but he ended up in the same school as his wife. Their work started out normal enough, but soon they were going to several different schools. Susan had initially come in as a secretary. But since she spoke Spanish as a second language she thought that they might get sent to South America.

They were soon going to schools of a different type than they had expected. They both trained in martial arts and then more in small arms and explosives. They weren’t sure were this was all leading but they never refused a new school. They had their suspicions, however. Both soon had trained in many skills and had top secret clearances.

It was ever stated or in print, but the things that they were asked to learn made it very clear, quickly, what they were going to be involved in and would they eventually would be doing. There were long briefings and talking with psychologists about how they might feel about certain activities. Both jack and Susan seemed well balanced and able to take on what ever came their way, or so said the reports about the both of them stated.

After their training in the field with all types of weapons and physical training was complete, they were sent to their first duty station. It was in Berlin. That was a big surprise. There was a hive of spy activity there with the Russians coming through often looking for whatever they might find and by what ever methods were necessary.

Susan found the Russians to be a rough lot with little in the way of finesse. The Russians seemed to think that crude moves in her direction were supposed to make her agreeable to talk on maters at work under her control. She was married, of course, but Susan and Jack never lived as a married couple and had a cover as co workers living in the same apartment building, next to each other.

Susan started out working at a desk job where sensitive documents passed in front of her. She was soon making friends with locals in her building and around her neighborhood. She did dead drops all over the city, dropping of small items and picking them up as asked. She soon new the entire city intimately.

She had met a female friend while shopping for some cloths. The woman worked in one of the shops she had come to look in. They talked and soon Susan learned that the woman spoke Spanish as well as German. They were soon talking daily in both languages at a local park and eating lunch together.

After a few weeks, Susan was called into her supervisor’s office. She had no idea why. She was led into the cold office and sat waiting. There was frost on the windows looking down on the parking lot covered in a light dusting of snow.

Her boss entered the room carrying a thick folder. “Good morning Susan, How are things?” “Great sir, how are you?” “Well, we have some developments in your situation.”

“What kind of developments, sir?” “You are being closely surveilled by the KGB and even a few of the Stasi. It’s an interesting development.” “What do you think it means, sir?” They may approach you with an offer of money for what you might know or they may try to discover your political leanings. They are certainly interested, no doubt about that.”

“What should I do?” “Well we think that it might be a great opportunity for us to infiltrate their system. They are obviously interested in you.” “I see.” “Perhaps since you are working on the European section, they see you as a conduit of valuable information. It will be dangerous, no doubt, but it may lead to something useful for us.” “I see. When will we have to make a move to entice them?” “The Sooner the better Susan.” “I will need to talk it over with my husband of course.” “He has already been briefed on this. But yes, you need to have a conversation about your plans here. If this goes wrong, you may have to be sent out of the country quickly without him. He is working on some important things here as well.” “I see, sir. We’ll talk tonight. I’m pretty sure of his answer though.” “We are as well Susan.” ” We will lay the ground work for this task while you two talk it over.”

That night Susan and her husband met in her apartment for drinks with a few neighbors. She had bought some expensive whiskey that her neighbors could never afford.

Eventually, everyone left except for Susan and Jack. She pulled out a pad and wrote down several paragraphs with space left between them while the two talked of mundane work matters. They both knew that their apartments were most likely bugged and never spoke of serious work or private issues in them with out a script first. That was the only way to keep their covers intact. Jack read Susan’s writing and filled in his answers. below each question.

They both agreed that Susan should go forward with this mission. Jack was working on something similar and this might lead to a big break through. Susan took the paper and the three layers of the pad beneath it and burned them in the ash tray. Jack watched to make sure the paper burned completely.

There was no doubt that people had been coming into their apartment for months and searching it for anything of importance. They were good at their job in the beginning, but soon were being sloppy and Susan was well aware of when someone had moved things in her tiny apartment. This was a well known tactic of the KGB and the Stasi learned it from them. The Stasi were actually better at it than the Russians.

After several more weeks the woman from the dress store and Susan were sharing lunch in the nearby park.

“What do you think of these foreign soldiers occupying Germany Susan?” “It’s no concern of mine. I am only a small worker in a large and complicated machine. The Germans have had us Americans here for years. It seems to help their economy, if nothing else.” “I represent a small group of Germans who wish America to leave.” “If we leave, the Russians will spill over your borders and Germany will no longer exist as you know it.”

“That is for the Germans to decide, not the Americans. You could make a sizable amount of money if you helped us.” “I would never be able to return home to see my family.” “You would have a fine apartment anywhere in Russia and we could arrange for your family to meet with you in any one of several of our satellite nations near by. They could come to Europe and then cross over at a predetermined location at will. ” “I would be shot if I were discovered. We could change your lives with this money Susan. What about my husband?” “He would be more than welcome, as well. We have many defectors living in Russia from England and many other countries. We have a small city of defectors near Moscow now living in beautiful large apartments.”

“I don’t think any of my information is that important Hilda.” “Well, if that s true, you have nothing to worry about. Try to talk to your husband and feel him out. This may be a good chance for you to come to a wonderful democratic country. Our people are all well cared for and everything is free.”

Susan knew better than to get into a philosophical argument about how well the Russian people were taken care of and what it cost them.

“I will try to talk to my husband and see how he feels. He has a large family back in America.” “We are prepared to give you more money than you might be able to imagine.”

Somehow, this seemingly intelligent woman believed that Susan would leave her family for mere money. Perhaps it was some kind of thought control or indoctrination through Hilda’s entire life that had made her think this way. Susan couldn’t figure that out. Surely no woman would take money over seeing or being with her family.”

That night Susan and her husband talked in a preplanned dialog on the pros and cons of the offer. They agreed to accept it. Susan and Jack’s boss was thrilled that day when they told him that they would go ahead with the plan. This was the beginning of a very big espionage counter offensive by America against the Soviet Union.”

The car stopped by Jayson’s van and Jay stepped out of it. The four men shook hands and loaded the drugs into Jay’s car after handing the suitcase to Cheeto.

Susan was snapped back to current time and held her rifle tightly while looking at Jay and David two hundred and fifty yards away.

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That’s interesting news about Susan. More coming this afternoon.