Simon Eady
By Adrian Monico
Copyright 2012 Adrian Monico
Author’s BIO
Adrian Monico was born in Australia to Italian parents. His family returned to Italy when he was 2 years old where he was raised in the Alps until the age of 14. On returning to Australia, Adrian was required to learn English in order to complete High School and pursue his interest in Physics at University.
At the completion of his first year at University, Adrian decided to join the Australian Defence Force (ADF) as a Commissioned Army Officer. During his 15 years of service Adrian reached the rank of Major. The ADF sponsored Adrian to return to university and study Information Technology. He also commanded Surface to Air missile systems and saw active service in East Timor.
Adrian is currently a successful IT and Telecommunications Service Delivery Manager.
SIMON EADY
Adrian Monico
Marmolada
First published 2012 by Marmolada Pty Ltd
Copyright Adrian Monico 2012
The moral right of the author has been asserted.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted by any person or entity, in any form or by any mean, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, scanning or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.
ISBN: 978-0-9873544-0-2
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
As I place my fingers on the keyboard, I realised that the number of friends and family that have come to my rescue to get this book published is continuously growing. So I am sure that the day this book goes to print, I will be already committed to the release of a second edition of the book where the main change will be the entry of family and friends that I did not acknowledge in the first edition.
Meanwhile, my gratitude goes out to Penny for all the support, love, and the months spent proof reading; my kids for their unconditional love; my mother for all of the time spent re-re-reediting the book; Robyn, Carl, Des, and Nick for proof reading it; Sandra for the book cover; the friends who allowed me the use of their names for the characters - particularly Simon for giving me the perfect name for the main character, and Kevin for lending me the perfect surname -, and Joe who finally gets to see one of my family’s books getting printed.
DISCLAIMER
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
PROLOGUE – Living As A ‘Shadow’
Intelligence operative ‘Shadow’ felt nervous. His nervousness was not driven by the fact that he was skiing at great speed down an unknown mountain in the middle of a moonless night, nor was it driven by the fact that he knew little of the target, nor was it driven by the fact that his government had ordered the assassination of the most wanted criminal in Europe; what made Shadow nervous, was the fact that for the first time in 27 years, he was not going to carry out the mission himself. Shadow had simply been ordered to assess the best “New Era” MI6 agent.
Criminals have increasingly become more sophisticated than Government agents. In the last 10 years, spy agencies around the world have had to change focus from being “the best equipped” to simply “the most ruthless”. This change of focus came at a very high cost. Several top “new generation” recruits had been killed during operations by taking unnecessary risks, or foregoing meticulous planning. The main reason so many new operatives had recently died was due to an unwillingness to be ruthless, cold and calculating machines. Instead, they let themselves be influenced by their moral upbringing.
Shadow’s nervousness clawed at his brain, he was concerned that 2C’s ability could compromise the mission – 2C belonged to this “New Era” of ‘moral’ spies.
The soft swish of Shadow’s skis, the frozen snow and the cold on his face heightened his awareness as the target area was fast approaching. His study of satellite maps identified several sentry posts. After years of training, his heartbeat slowed. Shadow passed a mission marker at 90 Km/h. He cleared his mind of all thoughts and became sharpened; the first of the sentry posts was almost upon him. Contrary to Agent 2C, whose choice of entry would be by air, Shadow decided to approach the area in a more subtle and less dramatic way - by walking.
In fact there were numerous differences in the approaches taken by Shadow and Agent 2C. Firstly, Agent 2C accepted to undertake the mission only 2 weeks after the completion of his previous one. To the contrary, Shadow’s mandated time between missions had to be at least 3 months. Secondly, Agent 2C opted for a face to face encounter with the target, whilst Shadow preferred to carry out eliminations, or in this case observations, by covert surveillance. Furthermore, Agent 2C selected the limited edition Walther P99 TA 9mm pistol, with MI6’s own custom made explosive rounds, whilst Shadow’s weapon of choice, was the ‘mosquito’ sniper rifle - originally nicknamed ‘mosquito’ because of the feeling experienced by targets when hit by the poisoned needles. Lastly, Agent 2C’s extraction plan would be to use a body harness equipped with sufficient rockets for an instant propelled launch to 2,000 meters. At this point a parachute would be deployed to slow down the fall. A specifically built rescue plane would then snag the long reins of the parachute and retrieve the spy into the plane using an advanced winch system. To the contrary, Shadow preferred to lie hidden until such time as it would be safe to walk out unnoticed.
It was because of the hidden and subtle approaches used by Shadow over the years, that he was given his codename. In fact, Shadow had been so good at keeping hidden, that only two people in the world knew who he was, and only 20 other people were aware that he was a British spy. To the rest of the world, Shadow was a ghost that came in the middle of the night and eliminated his enemies. Many superstitious criminals referred to Shadow as “the death’s messenger”. At a time when many criminals had had a poor education, Shadow was as real to them as the air they breathed - never seen but always there. However, as years passed and criminals became more educated, Shadow became a legend. The story of Shadow was always told as an embellished tale. It still created fear and apprehension in those who spoke of him. It was said that ‘Romulus’, who until recently was the most feared criminal in the world, gave himself up when he heard that Shadow was targeting him. Despite the fact that there were many stories about Shadow that were fictional, Romulus’ surrender was true.
Even though many feared Shadow, his reputation also made him a target for assassins who were attempting to make a name for themselves by killing him. Shadow never feared death; he did fear it for those whom he cared for. As the legend of Shadow grew, more of his enemies tried to get to him via his loved ones. It was for this reason that he made his spy world his only world, thus breaking contact with all but one person - the Director of MI6.
A hundred metres short of the first sentry hideout, Shadow came to a slow stop. He then unhooked one of his boots from the ski and placed it just above the snow. Immediately, two very small metal bars extended downwards from the heel and two from the toe of the boot, penetrating the snow. A laser established the necessary depth for the bar to extend: this was based on his weight, the velocity his foot was travelling at, and the density of the snow. Once these extendable bars reached the predetermined depth, their tips opened into large metallic discs able to sustain Shadow’s weight. If Shadow began to run, the laser would automatically adjust the depth required for the metal bars to penetrate the snow. However, as Shadow rarely resorted to running, he had yet to test the limits of this technology. As he took the weight off each foot, the discs and the bars would retract. These customised boots enabled Shadow to walk on s
now without leaving footprints. Tonight, Shadow considered himself fortunate that the wind was moving snow across the forest, thus covering the small holes left by his boots. As Shadow moved forward towards the first sentry hideout, he quickly spotted a guard scanning the area with a set of thermal goggles. Shadow suspected that such a fortress would not take any chances with ‘accidental’ night visitors coming via land or air. For this reason, on this mission, Shadow decided that this and two other sentry posts needed to be ‘neutralised’. Tonight Shadow’s aim was to simply make the targets ineffective without killing them. A dead person would be found and raise an alarm. To the contrary, a sleepy target would suggest poor discipline and would result in anger and not suspicion by those who found him. As the guard scanned the area, he eventually reached the point where Shadow was hiding behind a tree. It was at this moment that the guard was suddenly distracted by a prickly sensation on his neck. He immediately slapped his neck reacting to what he thought was a mosquito bite. However, upon realisation that it was too cold for mosquitoes, he assumed that it was simply his clothing irritating his skin. The prick didn’t feel painful enough to raise suspicion, as it was caused by a very tiny dart made of a ‘micro needle’ that contained a powerful sedative. Shadow had set the poisoned needle propulsion velocity slightly higher than required in order to counter the wind. He was pleased to see that he had managed to hit the target a hundred metres away without raising any alarm.
There were three types of needles available. The red needle was used to instantly sedate the target for approximately 10 minutes. The blue needle initially only made the target drowsy, but after approximately 2 minutes made them lose consciousness for 30 minutes. The secondary advantage of the red and blue needles was that the poison only placed the targets into a deep sleep, which could still be broken by loud noises or by being shaken by someone else - hence feeling like an ‘accidental’ sleep. The third needle, coloured grey, was used to kill the target with a potent cyanide based poison.
Shadow used the Blue needle on both the sentry who was on watch and on the guard in the background who was already asleep. A minute later, the second sentry decided to sit down as he felt tired standing up, within seconds he too was fast asleep like his comrade. Shadow kept an eye on his watch to ensure that the cold had not affected the timeframe for the Blue sedative to take affect. Now satisfied with the result, he decided to move forward towards the other two sentry points.
Back at a NATO airport base in northern Italy, Agent 2C sat alone in a guarded hanger checking his delivered package. The package included his high altitude parachuting equipment, with the new oxygen breathing pack that allowed a higher jump than currently possible. It also comprised of a rocket fitted body vest and fireproof suit, an extraction parachute, a map of the target area, and a 9mm automatic machine gun with the new extended bullet magazines.
Agent 2C had been rated as the second best agent for almost 5 years and would remain in second place until agent ‘Shadow’ died or retired. What infuriated Agent 2C was that Shadow was simply a legendary story, which was leaked by the British government in order to create fear among the enemies of the MI6 agents. Agent 2C’s belief that no such agent ever existed was supported by three facts: firstly no mission report had ever been published by an agent codenamed ‘Shadow’; secondly, all agents were given a seniority and experience ranking designated by a number and letter; and lastly, the fact that medical records showed that the oldest agent was currently 36 years old and subsequently could not have been around when ‘Shadow’ first came to be known to the criminal world.
Shadow, had finally neutralised all outer perimeter sentries on the Northern side of the fortress and was now moving towards the target. He took advantage of a noticeable track used by the sentries and local animals, and followed it to within visual distance of the target. He was aware that the fortress and tracks leading to it had most likely been fitted with movement and heat sensors. As Shadow descended the mountain, he finally spotted the hideout he had selected by satellite and began moving towards it. Once there he commenced digging a hole where he would lie low until Agent 2C arrived in 8 hours. Shadow pondered the only reward that he had ever requested from the Director of MI6 - at the end of this mission Shadow would finally be eliminated.
Agent 2C was fully equipped for the mission and boarded the Bombardier Global Express private jet specifically provisioned for high altitude jumps. He sat very still, absorbed in his plans. 2C had never failed and felt confident. A sudden chill flowed through his body, but he quickly suppressed it.
The crew of the plane consisted of two pilots who, as always, had been ordered to remain in the pilot cabin until the jump had occurred. In fact, to protect the identity of the agents, the pilots cabin door was equipped with an electric lock, which released only once the plane had reached a certain altitude and the parachuting hatch had been opened and then closed again. Agent 2C considered this unnecessary, as MI6 always made sure that no pilot ever flew the same secret agent more than once a year. They were always told that the jump was part of an SAS mission, and that during the mission their onboard cabin camera would be continuously monitored by an agent back in London.
Shadow was quite pleased with his hideout. It was half way down a small hill, and deep enough to allow him to stretch and to take a comfortable supported firing position if needed. The best aspect of the hideout was that it could be completely setup in just a few minutes. The tent was specifically designed to melt the snow on one side as it self-expanded, whilst providing a shield from thermal scopes on the other side. This tent, called Tentothermic, was certainly a long way from the days when Shadow was in the Special Air Service (SAS) and was required to use a portable mini spade to dig his burrows.
Recruitment and training of British spies has changed very little over time. Recruitment scouts are sent out to military and police units in order to assess reported top performers. These top performers are readily identified as MI6 have access to the career reports and personal files from both agencies. Potential candidates would have demonstrated the necessary courage to be a spy. Medical and psychological records, family histories, and political nuances are thoroughly scrutinised. Once short-listed, candidates are directly assessed in one of two ways. Military candidates are kidnapped and subjected to specifically designed interrogations. This is a SAS tactic carried out on troops to get them ready for the worst, the MI6 candidates simply treat this as an expected “out of the ordinary” event. The only discussion raised by those who do not progress to the next level, is that they were shocked to find out how violent and painful the interrogation was. Police candidates are treated differently. They are approached and informed that they were identified as suitable candidates to assist on a United Nations’ high-risk mission. If they accept the mission they are quickly transported to a trouble zone, often Africa, to assist a Policing mission. These candidates are kidnapped, and then subjected to the same interrogation as the military candidates. Those who failed to progress to the next level are released and sent home. Candidates who pass the interrogation test are then brought together and placed in a training environment. They are given numerous missions in competition with one another. During this phase they are ordered not to speak to each other or else they will be instantly failed. They are also informed that they have been selected for “fast promotion” and their achievements would be rewarded with varying levels of recognition. At this point, candidates are still not aware that they are part of the MI6 selection course. Once this phase is completed, those who do not pass are sent back either with promotions or prized postings around the world. Recruitment occurs annually and a maximum of 3 candidates are selected. These candidates, upon accepting an offer to serve “Queen and Country”, are sent to a spy school. Here they are educated in various essential spy basics including: surveillance, weaponry, specialist equipment, and assassination. Assassination is always the last module covered in training. Each time a new area of expertise is taught, the candidates are
then required to complete two ‘live’ (non-training) missions using their newly acquired skills in order to move on to the next level. If a candidate fails to complete either mission, the course for that candidate is terminated. Candidates who fail to move to the next level are relocated to work in an area that only requires their already proven skills. Although most candidates make it to the assassination training, only a very small percentage pass the two missions where they are confronted with the task of eliminating two targets. With the exception of two spies, one being ‘Shadow’, every spy since the end of World War 2 has gone through this program. To date, Agent 2C has been the highest rated graduate of the program.
As the aircraft approached the drop zone, the pilots alerted Agent 2C via the use of an orange light. Agent 2C, already wearing his parachute, moved to the jumping hatch and awaited the green light. Three minutes later the parachute hatch closed as Agent 2C reached terminal velocity. Within the visor of his helmet a display outlined his altitude, velocity, distance, and bearing from the target. At 2000 metres in altitude he opened his parachute and veered his descent towards the fortress. As he reached 1000 metres, several targets were identified and highlighted in his helmet display. Agent 2C unstrapped a pistol from his leg and instantly prioritised his targets. Within minutes his pistol, fitted with a silencer, commenced firing rounds in several directions, hitting each target twice before moving onto the next. Agent 2C then landed at the northern side of the fortress and quickly made his way to the closest door. Once inside he headed towards the target’s bedroom, where his thermal device showed that there was a person currently asleep. All Agent 2C knew about the target was that he had been on the Most Wanted list in 12 countries for the past 8 years.
The target for this mission was a person whose name had never been determined, nor had any photo or description ever been acquired. In the last 8 years he had built a large empire, funded by gunrunning, stealing and selling top secret information stolen from various NATO governments. He had also killed several underground criminals in order to expand his empire into their territory. The only information available to Agent 2C about tonight’s mission, was that the target had been in this fortress for the past five weeks and every night he retired to his bedroom at exactly 8pm.
The agent paused in front of the bedroom door and took a deep breath. A second later he opened the door and rushed into the room with his pistol already loaded and ready to eliminate the target.
Shadow, using a high scope rifle equipped with thermal imagery, had been following Agent 2C since he deployed his parachute. And now, seeing the heat radiated by his body, visible through the house walls, Shadow assessed 2C’s approach for the kill. Agent 2C had entered the bedroom and moved within metres of the bed where he had paused and for some reason had failed to fire his weapon.
Agent 2C was astonished by the target laying on the bed. It was a beautiful woman in her mid 30s who did not seem startled by the unexpected entry. Agent 2C was suddenly unsure if the intelligence provided was wrong, or if the targeted criminal had already left the building. He then considered searching the rest of the house for the target. Satellite surveillance had confirmed a few minutes before that no one had left the fortress in the last 5 weeks. Although Agent 2C had no dilemma in eliminating criminals, or anyone else for that matter, he had never killed a woman, and was certainly not going to kill one as beautiful as the one staring back at him. Agent 2C, although excited by the fact that he was about to accomplish another mission, could not help himself pausing and admiring the woman on the bed. Whilst contemplating how unfair it was that criminals always get all the best women, he removed his tranquilliser pistol and proceeded to raise the barrel in order to sedate the vision in front of him. Agent 2C never got to level the weapon’s barrel as the lady preceded him by firing two bullets into his heart. And with the explosion of the second bullet, Agent 2C’s No2 position in MI6 became available.
Shadow, still unaware that the other person in the room was a woman, was surprised to see Agent 2C failing his mission. Most of all, he was mystified as to the reason why Agent 2C had decided to change weapons. Suddenly Shadow realised that he must abandon his primary role of evaluator, and instead eliminate the target himself.
The woman in the room was pleased that once again a man had hesitated to kill her. She checked the pulse of the body and, satisfied that he was no longer a threat, she commenced clearing the other rooms in the house to ensure that no other assassins were present. Once the house was cleared, she moved to the door leading into the courtyard where she noticed the used parachute and her dead guard. Her men were now running towards the fortress from their respective sentry points at the sound of the gunshots. The last thought on her mind was that tonight was another lucky night where she had outsmarted her adversaries.
Shadow gently squeezed the trigger of his rifle and fired a poisoned needle that found its target. The mission was now complete and he could return home for his reward. Usually, Shadow would hide until the next night as reinforcements might arrive shortly to look for other assassins, however, tonight he decided that he would use the hours left of darkness and quickly disappear. Once back at his skis, he commenced traversing the mountain and making his way to the getaway vehicle which was located 4 hours away from his current position. He was excited that he could finally call it quits.
In London the Director of MI6, 'Beta', received an encrypted message stating - “Target Eliminated. Position 2C now available.”
For several minutes 'Beta' stared at the message, wondering if the drastic measures currently planned would lead to the end of his career. He then proceeded to make three calls – two, to his counterparts in the US and Germany, and one to another agent currently waiting for the “go ahead” to eliminate a British agent gone rogue. Once the order to eliminate ‘Shadow’ had been issued, 'Beta' headed to speak to the Minister of Defence about a newly approved mission codenamed “Peterno”.