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Words, lost to the wind.
Spoken words, overheard. The speaker is alone, the burning ember of a cigarette between his fingers, half forgotten. He sits amidst the ruins of what was once a home, in a near-approximation of Rodin's "Thinker." His foot is propped up on the remains of a coffee table. A stray dog is his companion, listening with intelligent yellow eyes.
Transcription follows.
Quid sum miser tunc dicturus? Quem patronum rogaturus? Cum vix iustus sit securus.
What am I doing here?
Haven’t I learned not to stick my nose where it doesn’t belong? No, of course not. But I thought I was smart enough not to get caught.
As the cat before me, curiosity has lay me down. According to Foley, we’re all already dead. The facts are just a little late catching up with the paperwork.
48 hours ago, I was doing what I knew. Now I’m hunting something that shouldn’t exist for an organization that doesn’t exist, presumably in order to combat a threat we all wish wouldn’t exist.
It’s enough to give a guy pause.
The cigarette is remembered, and the man speaks no more.
Current Mood: Somber
Placeholder
The placeholder is my penis.
(A half-sheet of paper is left in a small hollow beneath the root of the second large Plane tree due west of the bandstand, Southwark Park, London. The words are typewritten.)
I just wanted to check that my order for the two tins of skipjack tuna was not lost and that you weren't thinking of replacing it with either some figs or a hornsby beginners train set.
___________________ |T O P - S E C R E T| | Property of the | | UNITED STATES | | O F | | AMERICA | | - - - - - - | | F B I | |___________________|
FIELD REPORT FILED June 8 1944 AGENT Nicholas Redman ======================
Received note 48 hours ago from ECHO via the usual method. Meeting time set as 12:00 AM local time, for today’s date. Reported to the rendezvous point at appointed time. Remained there until 2:00 AM local time. No sign of ECHO.
Three potentials. Drop location could be compromised. ECHO could be compromised. Or ECHO could have changed its mind.
Potential One: Drop location is compromised. All communication with ECHO must be held suspect. Immediate actual contact must be made to re-initialize secure communication. This agent could potentially become compromised as a result; we must act quickly. Potential Two: ECHO is compromised. ECHO must be accounted for, dead or alive. An investigation must be begun. Potential Three: ECHO opted not to show up, and didn’t leave notice. If this proves the case, Agent respectfully requests permission take ECHO for a short diving expedition in the Thames. That water is sufficiently murky and foul smelling, and should prove agent's point rather well.
Please advise on which potential course to proceed on. Please also note that if agent has been assigned to another operative who is habitually late, or chooses to back out of appointments, such an operative will have to, as a matter of course, be reported KIA.
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