Michael Cohen's dream was to protect and serve as a police officer.... That job didn't satisfy him, until one day,
when people without names came to visit. He wanted to make a difference, but he didn't expect it to make a difference to him, too...

“Hi, do you deliver to Aberdeen?” I asked inserting a little nervousness into my voice.

“Certainly, Let me connect you.” The indefinable voice on the other end of the phone replied. I waited for a moment before the familiar clicking sound on the line let me know I was going through to operations.

“Operations.”

“I ah, I’m Sharon, uh, Sharon Cohen, With the Middle East and Far East controlerate.” I added trying to sound flustered. It certainly sounded like an Oscar worthy performance on my end. “I want to… I need to report.”

“One moment Miss Cohen.” The Operations Officer replied without a hint of emotion or sign that they knew who I was. I knew that the moment I came on the line and mentioned my name, that they had been made aware of my status. It was a surprisingly short wait when I was put through to Jane North, my handler.

“Sharon? My god, where have you been… we’re worried sick… Syria… what happened? Where are you?” she asked in quick fire. “We need you to come in, please…”

I don’t know Jane; I’m terrified.” I added nervously. “I need help, I.. Everyone’s dead, I got back to England, but I don’t know what to do… The police wanted me in Syria… they said I killed Harriet…. The Israelis… I don’t know what to do.”

“It’s ok honey,” Jane soothed. “It’s ok, just tell us where you are and we can come and pick you up.”

“Is it safe? I mean, I heard they… is it really ok?”

“Sure sweetie.” Jane soothed. “We’ll send a car for you… where are you?”

“I ah… god, I think someone’s following me.” I hissed urgently. “I’m sorry… I’ll call in again, I have to go.” I blurted dropping the handset back onto the cradle of the pay phone I’d been using and slipped out of the booth and back into the bustle of the London pavement. Within minutes, I was nowhere near the faceless street that they would inevitably track my phone call to.

My plan was quite simple really: I played into their expectations of me. If you live upto what someone thinks of you, or someone, they will never question it: A core doctrine of undercover work that I had learned while on the force. I was building up to a point where those working against us would feel that I was on the ropes and pliable: That they could control me. That point was right when I was at my strongest.
As much as I hated to believe that Jane North could be involved in the treachery. It was hard to deny given the evidence we had retrieved. I knew she and the rest of the people back at Mi6 that were involved in my operation had access to my background, but I was placing a lot of money on the fact that they would presume.
I was new to the world of intelligence: Just a police officer that could shoot well. Their kid gloves approach had been telltale of that fact. I was a newbie; rattled and unstable… sent in because I would mess up, and I wouldn’t be capable of thinking clearly or rationally. Playing up to the stereotype of the lost lamb was risky, but it could give me the upper hand. They would underestimate me simply because they wanted to. They had no reason to suspect that I knew anything at all about the group, or who was involved. By proxy, they would also never suspect I was planning to fight back. It was the perfect armour in our fight; the element of surprise.

Harry’s unmarked saloon pulled over to the side of the street where I was waiting. Slipping into the passenger seat I flashed him a quick grin.

“Went ok then?” he asked pulling out into the traffic.

I nodded slowly, running things over in my mind. “Yeah, it’s just like the old days really… just bigger stakes.”

“You think they’ll buy this plan of yours?” he asked trying to read my expression.

“Well for the good of my neck I bloody well hope so,” I sighed looking out of the window. “I’m pretty nervous… well no, scared I guess. But facing my fear is the only way to end this… the only way to make it out of this alive is to bring them down.”

Harry nodded sagely. “Still can’t believe you convinced me to get involved in this mess,” he chuckled softly. “I mean, going against the Secret Intelligence Service… aiding and abetting a wanted criminal… my former partner that’s currently running around the world in drag.”

“It’s just the same as any undercover Harry.” I said softly, my eyes fixed on the dashboard in front of me. “This isn’t easy for me.”

Harry muttered something incoherent. “That’s just it.” He said hesitantly. “You make it look easy mate… I’m not saying anything… I’m really not; but you somehow manage to pull this off without breaking a sweat… Hell mate, I can’t see the real you in there and believe me, I’m trying pretty hard.”

Part of me understood what he was saying… It must have been an utter mind fuck to see a former friend changed so drastically, but another part of me was a little hurt. I wanted my friend to understand how I felt… That I had to lie was tearing me up inside, but I wasn’t sure he could handle the truth… I had been barely able to...

“This is hard Harry,” I pleaded softly looking across at my former partner. “I’ve felt so… strange since this began; my life’s been completely turned upside down.”

“I can understand that.” Harry said quietly as he drove. “It’s the whole undercover thing… you get into it a bit much, and you begin to forget who you are; what you’re there to do. It’s a real mind fuck mate.”

I sat for a moment taking in what he had said; Harry’s words were not those of the man I had known… that I had worked with. He spoke instead with a wisdom and insight that exposed the true character under the bravado and bullshit. Looking over at him I smiled weakly. “Thank you for being here Harry… It means a lot that I’m not alone in this.”

We arrived back at the hotel where Daniel and I were staying. I had invited Harry came up to the room with me to discuss our next moves.

Entering the room, Harry nodded at Daniel before slumping down in one of the chairs by the desk. “Fine mess this is huh?” He chuckled. You and… Sharon here pissing on some nasty people’s toes, and running around the world causing mayhem…”

“You make this sound like a joke.” Daniel replied darkly. “Why again did you involve this man?” He asked turning to me.

I held up my hands in surrender. “Whoa, guys… less of the claws ok?” I smiled embarrassedly. “Look Daniel… Harry, for all his personality flaws is the sort of friend we need in this… He’s from my old unit, we can trust him, and he’s not bent. We have few enough allies as it is.” I pointed out.

“So what are you planning?” Daniel asked cocking his head to one side. “Some sort of …. Direct action?”

I nodded slowly. “In a way,” I murmured. “We’re going to sting them.”

“How?” Daniel asked curiously, his interest piqued.

“I called in this morning.” I admitted. “I called in, and told them that I wanted to come in, and debrief, and was scared… I simply filled their expectations. I’m going to arrange a meet in a few days and well… That’s sort of all I can think of at the moment.”

“Well planned as usual Cohen,” Harry chuckled. “So this meet is going to be a trap of some sort? Ah…” He sighed. “This is where I come in isn’t it?”

Smiling as sweetly as possible. I shrugged. “Well if you happened to liberate a few bits and bobs from work I wouldn’t be too upset.”

“Hah.” Harry laughed. “Typical… sh…you want me for my power… they all do.” He grinned.

“Not your power Harry, Just your access,” I grinned. “Some wires, listening gear and a few weapons wouldn’t go a miss for a day now would they?”

“So what am I meant to say? That I need to borrow kit that needs to be logged out?”

I pursed my lips for a moment and thought. Harry was right… The equipment I had hoped to secure from the Metropolitan Police through his help were all items that were securely watched and looked after. Getting at them would require permission… forms… “Harry.” I asked cautiously. “If I was to give you my sizes, could you get me a female PC’s uniform from stores? That is less secure after all…”

“What are you planning now?” he asked with a hint of dread. “Yeah, I probably can… though they will think I’m a proper perv if they catch me.”

“Then don’t get caught.” I grinned, patting him on the shoulder.

What I was planning was still somewhat hazy in my mind, but a definite idea was forming… I would have to be on my best misbehaviour to pull this off. I thought.

To be continued...