“Well then, don’t. But nevertheless, your network is in check and you need to do something about that. So, I will ask you point blank… what will you give me?”
“I’m thinking.”
“Well, let me help you. I know you were trying to get Matt into the GDR to sow the seeds of rebellion among the youth. Which is not necessary—I assure you, my own youth are quite good at that without your help.”
“And I know you were trying to do the exact same thing.” Marcus said. “That makes precisely zero sense. Why would you sabotage your own interests just to get one over on me?”
“Because getting one over on you is the sweetest victory I’ve ever tasted. It’s almost worth letting you destroy my country. And besides… how do you know what my interests are with that dunce? Between you, me, and these dangerous men in here who are sworn to silence, I’ve a mind to let you do it and bring him over just to see him fail. But… why? Why should I let an MI6 agent who’s working for the Americans into my beloved GDR?”
“Because you want my network.”
“I already have your network, Marcus.”
“No, you have the ability to take it down. What you don’t have is the ability to tap into it. I can help you with that.”
“And why would you do that?”
“Because I know the Wall will come down in a few years. After that, everything on this board gets dumped onto the floor and our brilliant strategies become irrelevant. It’s survival for your little after-school sports program for underprivileged youth… but for you, it’s something more.”
“And what assurances do I have that you aren’t going to shut the network down at the first opportunity, or feed me counter-intelligence?”
“First off, I don’t think it particularly matters. Once the Wall comes down, that will be the final nail in the coffin for the USSR. East will reintegrate with West—not the other way around—and no one is going to care what your intel looked like. But you know as well as I do that the Stasi will have their own Nuremburg, and you are too smart a man to get caught up in that sordid business. So, you are more than welcome to use my network to anticipate my country’s efforts so that you can negatively affect them—which will get the network taken down—or, you can use it, benefit from it in the long term, and pick and choose when to see my side of things.”
“This sounds less like an offer for me, and more one for yourself.”
“Certainly, for anyone that can’t see the worth of it.” Marcus said genuinely. “Your alternative is to take it down, which you certainly can. But by doing so, you will be permanently blinded to our intentions. Besides, I think you have something else going on.”
“How do you mean?”
“I think you chose to play all of these games for a reason. I think this all has to do with your ‘rogue pawn’ strategy.”
“Oh…” William said slowly, in a low-voice filled with intrigue, “…do you now?”
Marcus looked at William with surprise, taking his tone into account “That’s it!” he thought to himself. He finally knew what the old man was up to. He finally knew what the old man had gotten Lena and Vivika involved in. What’s better, he had finally found a way to make it work. “Oh, this…” Marcus thought to himself, “It’s finally time. He’s finally decided.”
Marcus looked at the middle of the board, at a lone pawn that had sat there for nearly a decade: the ‘rogue pawn’. this one had rankled him for nearly as long. It was a disparate and unimpressive strategy… as if William had forgotten what game he was playing entirely, and moved a piece into the line of fire for no apparent reason; and it was a strategy that Marcus had never been able to figure out. But now, Marcus thought he finally knew.
Marcus reached into the middle of the board, and grabbed William’s pawn. Slowly, he placed it on his own side of the board. Then, he grabbed William’s queen, and replaced the pawn with it.
“But, in order to do that, I would have to…”
“…move your knight.” William nodded.
“And then…”
“Yes, yes, yes. I realize that.”
“Which would place me at a significant disadvantage.”
“You weren’t going to use the knight anyway, Marcus. It was a feign—nothing more.”
“It doesn’t matter. What will you give me for my knight and your queen?”
“Nothing, Marcus. Neither of us gain nor lose. The queen doesn’t add to my strategy or yours. You already know the direction this game is going, and she isn’t included in our affairs. Just let me send you my pawn, queen her, and we’ll be done with it.” He then replaced the pawn back to its original position.
“I have to know.” Marcus said, “I have to know why it’s her.”
“…and, if you pair her up with Vivika,” William interrupted, “I think they will more than balance each other out.”
“So what is her role, then? Vivika has the makings of a good asset, and Lena has the makings of a great punk rocker. So what? I barely need the one—what am I going to do with the other?”
“Lena is a natural leader, Marcus; she’s an even better leader with Vivika advising her. She may not be the best agent, but you don’t need another agent with Vivika running that angle for you. You will have an agent maker in Lena, and the perfect agent for her to run. And you know what the future holds for The Project. You will need someone who can rally the masses.”
“So, you want me to make another case officer, is what you are saying?”
“That’s precisely what I’m saying,” William said seriously. “I’ve played my part… I’ve chosen the candidate. Now you play yours and train the girl.”
“Are you absolutely sure that The Project should go forward?”
“I’ve never been more convinced of anything in my life.”
“After this, everything changes. Nothing can or will ever be the same.”
“Everyone dies, old friend. Let’s make our mark on the world before that happens.”
“Hmmm,” Marcus said, folding his fingers in front of his face. “So, then… assuming we are following your path of logic here… I give you access to tap into the network, so that when the Wall falls, you and yours come out on the right side of history. I also give you Matt. He sings your socialist songs, or helps hasten the Wall’s destruction—either way, it helps you stick it to the Soviets. I will also accept Lena and Vivika for training and seasoning. You, in turn, will protect my network, and give me Hans safe and sound for debrief.”
“And Patrick.” William said, “You are taking Patrick on as well.”
“Not going to happen.” Marcus replied. “I’ll kill the boy if I see him.”
“You may do whatever you want with him once he’s under your care, but he will cross the Wall, with Vivika, or we have no deal.”
“Why?” Marcus asked. “Why would you put Lena and Vivika through that? Haven’t they suffered enough?”
“I have all the faith that you can make it work.”
“…you know this isn’t my style, right?” Marcus raised an eyebrow.
“In this situation, it has to be.” William said with a note of finality.
“Very well. You better be thinking this one through.”
“I am.” William smiled.
“So, what is left, then? What terms have we to discuss?”
“I think we’ve covered everything.” William said as he reached over, grabbed the irritating pawn that had so rankled Marcus for years and replaced it back on Marcus’s side. “Let me play my part… then you may have the board.”