He sat watching the clock, quietly waiting for his visitor, a new replacement.
It was nearly time. He got up and he went to the door. He stood close to it. He heard footsteps approaching and a gentle single knock, followed by three more, followed by two. He slid the bolt and cracked it open, restrained by a safety chain. He peered out at the caller, and whispered, “Yes?”
The man outside said, “I’m Alistair Brown from the office, and you?”
The man inside said, “I’m Montgomery Green, I was expecting you. Please come in.”
With that, the door was unlatched and the man entered the room. He was carrying an attaché case. Green waved him to an armchair as he pushed the bolt back in place. He then took a matching chair opposite with a low table between them. Brown put his case down on the table and looked around the room. They sat in silence for a moment, then Brown said, “The vampire squirrel has a long tail.” Green nodded and said, “Unlike the short-tailed weasel.”
They sat for another brief moment, while the two men visibly relaxed.
“Ah! Fine,” said Green. “You’re our new man I understand.”
“Yes,” replied Brown, “only started this week.”
“All well and good then. What do you have for me?”
Brown went to his case. It had a series of five catches, each with a separate combination lock. He closed his eyes for a few seconds, while the numbers came back to him. After a minute he had them clicking open, one by one. He looked up, smiling with relief as he opened it up. He removed a small brown envelope. It had several small characters printed on its face, they read C-15-L. He placed it on the table and pushed it across.
Green stood and went to the wall clock. With a series of up-down-left-right movements, it came away to reveal a small safe. He stood for a long time turning the wheel back and forth, before the door came open. He removed a similar envelope and returning to the table, carefully placed it down and picked up the other. This was placed in the safe and the safe was relocked. He replaced the clock and returned to his seat. This whole procedure was carried out in silence, with Brown bearing witness to it.
Green smiled. “That concludes the exchange I believe.”
“Yes, thank you.” Brown leant forward and took the envelope. He paused, reading the front. He was frowning.
“Something wrong?” said Green.
“It’s the code!”
“Code?”
“Yes, the item code. That’s what it’s called, the item code.”
Green said, “What about it?”
Brown said, “It’s wrong, or at least I think it’s wrong.”
“Show me,” said Green and took the envelope.
Brown said, “It’s the last single digit. It’s an N!”
“Yes, I see that.”
“Well, it shouldn’t be. I’m not sure about the rest of it, but that last letter is the sequence. I’m positive about that. It should follow L, it should be an M.
“Good lord, you’re right!” Green agreed.
“I’m afraid the exchange has been compromised,” said Brown.
They both fell silent.
Green said, “Damn! You know what that means, don’t you?”
“Yes. I have to take mine back. We have to invoke the Retrieval Protocol.”
“We certainly do. OK. You know the drill?”
“It’s very strict, I understand.”
Green said, “It most certainly is.”
Brown said, “OK. He put the envelope in his case and locked it.”
Green went to the door, unbolted it, released the safety chain and opened it.
Brown nodded and went out.
Green bolted the door, replaced the chain and stood close to it.
After a few moments, he heard footsteps and a gentle single knock, followed by three more, followed by two…