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Die puts the phone to his ear.
Die: “Six-Seven here sir.”
Cut to black.
We hear John singing from ‘Help!’
“When I was younger, so much younger than today
I never needed anybody’s help in any way
But now these days are gone, I’m not so self-assured
Now I find I’ve changed my mind and opened up the doors”
Fade from black to Alpha-Three’s office; Harry is opening the door of the office and Die, whose face is hard and cold, walks in followed by a worried and angry looking Lovett. Alpha-Three is standing behind her large desk. She is also looking cold and stone hard but not from her normal anger but concern this time.
Alpha-Three: “Sorry we had to disturb you on one of your rare days off. Thank you both for coming in so quickly.”
Die: “He didn’t give us a choice. Are you sure it was him?”
Alpha-Three eyes flick to Lovett and back to Die. Die sees the look.
Die: “I have nothing to hide from Lovett Alpha-Three.”
Lovett looks at Die opened month with fury.
Lovett: “Oh really! Nothing to hide?”
Die turns away from Alpha-Three concentrating on Lovett.
Alpha-Three: “I think that section 5 of the Official Secrets Act has something to say about that!”
Lovett and Die are looking at each ignoring Alpha-Three completely
Lovett: “You have barely said a word to me since you got that call.”
Die: “I’m sorry, I wanted to be sure.”
Lovett: “Sure of what? Tell me some-thing Die!”
Alpha-Three looks at Harry, who is now standing to Alpha-Three right, they can both see that this is going to go on for a while and Alpha-Three interrupts them before they can get into full flow.
Die: “Charlotte, for god sake believe me…”
Alpha-Three: “YES! I AM… afraid we are sure it is him Six-Seven. Please sit down the pair of you and I will fill you in with the little details we have.”
Lovett and Die shut up and both sit down; they both look angry. Harry moves a folder over in front of Alpha-Three.
Alpha-Three: “Detective, the man we are referring to is named Arthur Longberry he is an ex or rather retired SIS agent code name Two-Ten. Back in the days of the cold war he was one of our best. He was forced, somewhat unceremoniously to retire by my predecessor in nineteen ninety nine.”
Die: “‘Unceremoniously’ is putting mildly.”
Alpha-Three: “Indeed. Longberry did not take it well. He disappeared in two thousand and one. My predecessor, Alpha-Two, retired that same year too. Alpha-Two then committed suicide a year later.”
Die: “Suicide? Shot himself five times in the back did he?”
Alpha-Three: “Six-Seven is this really the time to air our dirty laundry?”
Die: “No sir.”
Alpha-Three: “But at a little after six AM this morning Arthur Longberry planted and set off two very destructive homemade bombs outside the Imperial War Museum.”
Lovett: “Oh god, was anyone killed?”
Alpha-Three: “No, thankfully the place was deserted. He was spotted on four different CCTV cameras going to the museum from the Elephant and Castle tube station, placing the bombs and coming back from the museum to the tube station.”
Die: “The only way those cameras saw him is because he wanted to be seem.”
Alpha-Three: “I know that CCTV cameras are a bit of a sore point with Six-Seven but I think you are right. He is warning us of things to come.”
Lovett: “I don’t understand, what has this got to do with us? You said Die is useless to you now. What is it you want us for?”
Alpha-Three looks Die straight in the eyes and raises her eyebrows. Die looks at Lovett.
Die: “Arthur is… was my… mentor for a while. I know him better than anyone.”
Lovett: “Hang on. How old is this bloke?”
Alpha-Three: “He is eighty three this June.”
Lovett: “Eighty three!?”
Alpha-Three: “Detective, I will warn you now, do not ever, under any circumstances, let this man’s age fool you into letting your guard down. He would happily kill you while you were on the toilet, gut you like a fish and then sleep like a baby next to your rotting corpse. Do you understand me?”
Die: “She is right Lovett. Back in the late Sixty he was listed as one of the top three most dangerous men alive. And not much has changed since apart from he was on our side then.”
Lovett is wide eyed and just nods.
Alpha-Three: “Six-Seven I think you should leave now. Go to Longberry’s old house first and see if there is anything there.”
Die stand up and Lovett slowly stand too.
Die: “Yes sir.”
Harry steps towards Die and hands him a small Jaguar electronic car key fob. As he takes it Lovett watches Harry hands grasp Die’s hand and squeezes it tight before quickly letting going and stepping back. Die nods to Harry and turns to leave.
Die: “Come on Lovett, let’s going.”
Lovett is quiet as they both leave and Harry closes the door behind them. Harry turns to face Alpha-Three, Harry is looking very worried.
Harry: “He is changing because of that… that woman!”
Alpha-Three: “Yes and for the better Harry. He is becoming human again rather than the cold hearted unfeeling bastard that he was. He is lucky to have found her in time.”
Harry: “But lied to her! She is going to get him killed! Being human, that won’t help him with facing Longberry sir! That man is a brutal sadistic killer!”
Alpha-Three: “Actually I think it might help, in a way. Harry I would not have assigned Die to this if I thought for one second he couldn’t handle it.”
Harry: “I know, but that girl is…”
Alpha-Three: “Pórta Die cannot be the man he was anymore Harriet! His circumstances have changed and he has to too! Normal life will drive him insane if he doesn’t change: just look what it has done to Longberry!”… “I know how you feel about Die… and Lovett too, I really do. I may not agree with you but I do understand.” “Listen to me, if you have ever trusted Pórta, now is the time to trust him even more… and me in fact.”
Harry takes a deep breath and then breaths out.
Harry: “Yes sir, I’m very sorry sir.”
Alpha-Three: “Good. Try not to question me again please… but to be on the safe side… go and find me Nine-Two. I need to have a word with her right away. I have a little ‘assignment’ for her.”
Harry now has a puzzled small smile on her face. She cottons on and brightens up a little.
Harry: “Yes sir, right away sir!”
Cut to black.