More about my story

…

When I was writing the original story, there was no Natasha.

The thing is, there was going to be retribution, but it was going to be the usual revenge: sneak up on the person responsible, and shoot him.

Blunt, but quick and satisfying.

But the thing is, revenge is never that simple; there are always multiple layers, events, and people that bring this revenge to life.

It helps to know who the revenge is against and why.

First, Willoughby’s head of department, O’Connell’s the man who can’t lie straight in bed. To him, a double cross is like a grist to the mill. He’s not the instigator, just the agent of doom. McConnell has no time for people like Whitelaw or Fitzherbert.

Second, Whitelaw, the man who perceived the unjust treatment of his request to head the new department. He’s the yes man that every minister needs, except his minister decides to give it to McConnell. What more reason for a man like Whitelaw, who doesn’t suffer rebuff very well, is needed to try and bring McConnell down?

Pity those caught in the crossfire? Absolutely.

Third, Fitzherbert, the relevant minister, and a problem. He doesn’t understand the spy business
But what minister does unless he was a spy or ran a covert intelligence agency?

Pity then the man who has oversight is barely able to spell intelligence, let alone handle oversight. That’s the bailiwick of the permanent head (sadly, our disgruntled Whitelaw)

You can see where this is going.

Four, Archibald, the Prime Minister, who wasn’t when Natasha first arrived, but her handlers knew the potential, and she got in on the ground floor as his mistress, among others.

Five, Natasha herself, was recruited with her sister from an orphanage and trained to be a sleeper agent until activated. Spies.

The question is whether Archibald knew who and what she was, because he’s the one who recalls her from retirement to do what had turned out to be a very messy internecine war that had crippled their intelligence operations.

And for Natasha, she was already invested because of Willoughby being the final victim in that war. She was already in the country monitoring Willoughby’s progress, and it was only a matter of time before she unravelled the situation.

And pissing off Natasha was the last thing any of them wanted to do because retribution in her hands meant only one outcome.