The Grand Treachery

The recent announcement of Deep Throat being actually FBI former #2, Mark Felt, has given me the idea of starting something here that could be good if people collaborate well...

So here I go with my idea... This story would take place in this world, about now, and should be the story of some huge conspiracy. It should be something either in the politics or linked to industrial espionnage. It can be in any country, named or not, but I will start the story somewhere in a city.

I will start with no clear path, and I rely on the other writers here to draw the track of the story. I will obviously contribute.

I'm just asking for one thing: please, no fancy, out of this world, scenario. Just something that could well be an actual story. We all know of this sort of things happening. Let's write something that could be a part of history! Like in the good old days black series!

Feel free to give a name to each of your "chapters"... They can be short or long, whatever.

I hope this will be enjoyable.

It is a quiet evening. The sun is slowly going under the horizon, and the temperature is dropping quite quickly. It looks like it will be another cold night. October already. Just a few plates to finish and then she will probably take the car to go the video shop. Today, Mark is home early, for once, and she really wants to watch a movie tonight, just a quiet evening with him. He often works late.

All of a sudden the phone rings, disturbing the silent evening... Mark takes the call.

- Hello?
...
- Hey Ed, how are you?
...
- Hmm yes. You're still there?
...
- No I didn't. What makes you say...
...
- No, no! You're kidding me?
...
- OK, who...
...
- No! Hey listen... Who told you that?

She is listening. Mark seems a bit upset by the call. He is totally silent now... Ed is his main co-worker. They always are working together. It's eight years now they work hand in hand.

- OK Ed, listen, I'll set off. Wait for me, we need to talk about that. Give me twenty minutes.
...
- All right. Don't call anyone in between, we'll see what we can do.
...
- Yeah, OK. See you.

Mandy steps into the living room. Mark is still just right in front of the phone.

- You're OK?
- Yeah, sort of.
- What was that call?
- Ed. There is a problem.
- What problem?
- Dunno... He says that I... I stabbed him in the back...
- Ed?
- Yeah, he was upset. Someone has been lying to him, and he believes I'm going to... put him in... a bad position.
- You didn't do anything wrong did you?
- No! But... I don't know... Someone has been doing something... I don't know what but...

He looks worried. She puts her hand on his shoulder and she tries to reach his right hand.

- Don't worry it
- Yes I worry... I don't want that something would just blow up everything with Ed, and now somebody has been messing things up! I need to go there and talk with him. He's still in the office.
- Now?
- Yes. I won't be long. I promise.

She sighs. No movie tonight... She gives him a kiss and he rushes outside. He doesn't even bother to grab his coat.

- Mark it's cold!
- Whatever. I won't be long...
- Mmm... OK.

She watches the car going away on the street, thoughtful. What can that be? He has sometimes be very busy, but surely not upset like that! And not with Ed... They're more than co-workers now, and last year they even spent a week together with Ed's wife and herself on the coast...

Doesn't look like too inspiring to you all, he?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


As he enters in the office Mark sighs...

- Hey Ed, I'm here.
- Hi.
- OK, tell me now, what's going on?
- Look, I don't wanna say who for now, right? But somebody has been telling me that you accused me of spying on others.
- Spying? What spying?
- Yeah, you know, that research on the plastic...
- Yes, for the replacement of glass?
- Yes exactly. So I was told that you spreaded the word that all my results were basically stuff that I stole from you and others.
- What? Hey I could not accuse you of stealing my stuff, could I? We always worked as a team!
- I know, but the reports are signed by me. And that's where the problem is. Somebody told me that you wanted people to know that you did it all, and that I just signed a thing I had no clue about.
- That's... stupid! And why would I do that by the way?
- To get my job.

Mark is staring at Ed... Getting his job? He doesn't really understand why someone would want him to have Ed's job, leaving his own job vacant. Such a move can be done only by someone who is actually aiming at his own job, and clearly, nobody he knows of could have it...

- Ed, to get you job! OK... Look, why would I want to have your job? Nobody would replace me there, no? I can't think of anyone, right?
- No, not really, but it feels like you want me out of this place.
- No no, I don't, trust me. I'm quite happy to work with you now.

Ed now looks confused. It feels like somebody is trying to get access to the place.

- Mark, I've been accused of being clueless about my job, you know?
- I understand... Who told you that?
- Well, someone... Look I don't know if I must say it...
- Ed do you realize that we're both in a bad position now? I'm supposed to have been awful to you, and you're supposed to do illegal stuff... Somebody is doing very bad things here for us...

Ed is totally silent now. He stares at his desk, deeply involved in his thoughts...

- Ed?
- Yeah... Yeah... I'm thinking. You know...
- Can you tell me who?
- It's not someone from here.
- Do I know that person?
- Yeah, yeah... But I don't wanna tell you now.
- OK. Fair enough.

The whole office is quiet now... Mark gets a seat and they're now facing each other. They look at each other, straight in the face, like two statues. The only thing that can be heard now is the tick of the clock, every second... It is obvious now that they will need to be careful about what they do and what they say. Someone has been deliberately trying to harm them, and it could have been lasting for some time now...

- Ed, when were you told?
- That's, uh... more than two weeks now, I don't remember exactly.
- Two weeks... Did you talk to anyone about this?
- No. Just you.
- OK. We need to know if someone else knows. I mean here.
- Why?
- Well, I think that if someone else here knows, we could have problems, you know? Being watched, maybe we... I don't know. You said it was someone who's not working here right?
- Yeah. I didn't even think that that person would know about that to be honest...
- About what?
- About the fact that I sign all the reports.
- Oh yeah... That's right... That's supposed to be internal no?
- Yeah... That's why I said nothing.
- We have leaks...

Ed stands up, and he looks at his colleague in the eyes. He looks so anxious.

- Leaks... Man!
- Yes Ed. Leaks. How in any other way that would be known?
- Man!
- Ed, we must be very careful now. Let's move out of here.
- Move out?
- Yes, someone may be hearing this...
- Oh... you mean...

Mark shakes his head in approbation. He stands up and makes Ed a sign to follow him out... They reach the parking and it's dark already. He looks at his watch: eight o'clock.

- Ed, I think I need to go back home, I promised Mandy not to be long.
- I understand. We will have to discuss this tomorrow.
- Yes. Definitely. What time will you be there?
- Nine? Let's say we meet here at nine?
- Good for me.
- OK then.

They shake hands, and walk to their cars. Everything remains calm, the flag moving a bit with the chilly wind that blows in this evening. The guard at the gate waves them goodbye as they go out. They both go their way, leaving the place empty.