Category: blogging

The 2am Rant: Betwixt metaphorical houses

It’s like working in two offices, one uptown, and one downtown.

I have two blogs, this one, and another which is purely for writing, and generally, a lot of starts and not a lot of finishes. I get ideas, and it’s a place to store them, and give a few people some amusement at my, sometimes, improbable situations and far-fetched stories.

Here I try to be more serious.

I have the ceiling, the cinema of my dreams. Here anything is possible, like jumping from a helicopter about to explode, and survive, and get out of a sinking ship, like Houdini. Of course, there is always one time when it doesn’t work, and Houdini knows that all too well.

Over there, I have a series which I started here, long ago, where I take a photograph and write a story inspired by it. The interesting thing about that is I could probably use the same photograph over and over, and it would inspire a different tale.

I know, if I was running a writing class, everyone would see that photograph differently.

But what amazes me sometimes is the fact the story is not directly related to the theme. It got me thinking about how we view our experiences, and what triggers memories. I’ve discovered that it doesn’t necessarily happen by correlation, say, for instance, a memory of being in New York might be triggered by a visit to a cafe in Cloncurry.

I try to do one of these every day, but sometimes it’s hard work. Writing itself can be some days, particularly when the words are lurking there, behind that invisible, impenetrable, rock wall.

OK, so I’m stuck in the middle of writing a piece over there, and I’ve come over here to whinge.

But, enough. I’ll let you know what the cinema of my dreams is showing, later.

What I learned about writing – The Doyen of Noir

What Raymond Chandler’s Life, Style, and Philip Marlowe Teach Us About Storytelling

…

When you think of classic American crime fiction, the name that instantly flickers to mind is Raymond Chandler – the heavyweight champion of hard‑boiled noir whose razor‑sharp prose still feels fresh after more than eighty years. Chandler didn’t just write detective stories; he invented a literary atmosphere that turned a gritty, rain‑slick Los Angeles into a character in its own right and gave us the unforgettable gumshoe Philip Marlowe.

But behind the sleek dialogues and smoky tavern scenes lay a life riddled with missteps, self‑destruction, and surprising twists. By digging into Chandler’s history, his flaws, and his unmistakable style, we can extract timeless lessons for writers, marketers, and anyone who wants to make an impact with words.

1. A Rocky Road to the Pen

MilestoneWhat HappenedWhy It Matters
Early Years (1888‑1912)Born in Chicago, moved to Colorado, a peripatetic childhood. Lost his mother at 12 and was sent to live with relatives in England.Early displacement instilled a sense of alienation that later seeped into his urban landscapes.
Oil‑Field Engineer (1912‑1932)Spent two decades drilling in Texas and Mexico, clashing with corporate bureaucracy and the harsh desert.The “outsider‑against‑system” mindset is a core theme in his novels.
World War I ServiceServed in the U.S. Army, briefly, then returned to the oil business.Experience with hierarchy and authority fed his scepticism of power.
The Downward Spiral (1932‑1934)The Great Depression wrecked the oil market; Chandler’s marriage collapsed. He turned to alcohol, gambling, and a series of odd jobs.The personal chaos sharpened his eye for the darker side of human nature—fuel for the noir aesthetic.
Breakthrough with The Big Sleep (1939)At 49, Chandler finally published his first novel, introducing Marlowe.Proved it’s never too late to start a successful second career.

Takeaway: Chandler’s path to literary fame wasn’t a straight line. It was a series of failures, relocations, and personal battles that forced him to confront his own darkness. For creators, this teaches that authentic storytelling often springs from lived adversity—the harder the journey, the richer the material.

2. The Signature Chandler Style

a. The “Hard‑Boiled” Voice

  • Economy of Language: Chandler favoured short, punchy sentences that carried weight.
    Example: “She was a cheap, cheap girl, and the cheapness rubbed off on the rest of us.”
  • Wry Similes & Metaphors: He turned ordinary observations into unforgettable images.
    Example: “He looked as if he’d been run over by a train and then dragged through a sandstorm.”
  • Moral Ambiguity: The lines between good and evil are blurred; even the hero has flaws.

b. Los Angeles as a Character

  • Concrete Details: From neon signs to desert highways, Chandler painted the city with a painter’s precision.
  • Atmospheric Consistency: Rain, fog, and darkness aren’t just weather—they’re mood setters that echo the protagonist’s inner turmoil.

c. Dialogue That Cuts

  • Witty Banter: Conversations feel like chess matches—each line a strategic move.
  • Understatement: Frequently, what isn’t said speaks louder than the spoken word.

Takeaway: Chandler’s style is a masterclass in restraint. He shows us that brevity, vivid imagery, and a strong sense of place can create a world that feels larger than the sum of its pages.

3. Philip Marlowe: The Archetype That Still Resonates

TraitHow Chandler Crafted ItModern Echo
World‑Weary CynicMarlowe narrates with a mix of sarcasm and weary empathy.Anti‑heroes in film/TV (e.g., Breaking Bad, The Wire).
Moral CompassDespite his jaded outlook, Marlowe adheres to an internal code of honour.Brands that position themselves as “honest rebels” (e.g., Patagonia).
Lone WolfHe operates alone, sceptical of institutions.Freelance creatives, solopreneurs, and “maker” culture.
Sharp Observational SkillsHe notices the smallest details—a stray cigarette, a shaky handshake.Data‑driven marketers who derive insight from micro‑behaviors.

Marlowe’s lasting appeal lies in his human contradictions: tough yet tender, cynical yet idealistic. He’s a reminder that complex, flawed protagonists are far more compelling than flawless heroes.

4. What We Can Learn From Chandler’s Legacy

1. Embrace Your “Not‑So‑Great” Past

  • Your setbacks are a goldmine for narrative tension. Chandler turned his own bitterness into a voice that resonated with millions.
  • Practical tip: Keep a “failure journal.” Record moments that felt humiliating or painful; later, mine them for raw material.

2. Cultivate a Distinct Atmosphere

  • Whether you’re writing a novel or drafting a brand story, the setting is a silent storyteller.
  • Practical tip: Before writing, create a sensory map: list five smells, three sounds, and two visual motifs that define your world.

3. Write With the Economy of a Detective’s Pistol

  • Every word should earn its place. Trim the fluff, sharpen the similes, and let subtext do the heavy lifting.
  • Exercise: Take a paragraph you love and rewrite it using 30% fewer words without losing meaning.

4. Give Your Hero a Moral Compass, Even If It’s Bent

  • Audiences crave characters who stand for something, even if that something is a personal code that defies society.
  • Implementation: Define your protagonist’s “one rule they’ll never break” and let it guide every decision.

5. Let Dialogue Do the Detective Work

  • Bad dialogue is a dead giveaway of lazy writing. Let characters reveal plot, personality, and tension through how they speak—not just what they say.
  • Practice: Write a scene where two characters talk about a crime without mentioning the word “crime” at all.

5. Bringing It All Home: Your Own Noir Blueprint

StepActionOutcome
1. Harvest Personal GritList three moments of personal failure.Source of authentic conflict.
2. Choose a “City”Identify a physical or metaphorical setting that mirrors your theme.Creates immersive atmosphere.
3. Define the Hero’s CodeWrite a one‑sentence creed for your protagonist.Anchors moral ambiguity.
4. Draft with a “Marlowe Lens”Write every scene as if you’re a detective observing details.Boosts vividness and tension.
5. Polish for PunchCut words, sharpen similes, test dialogue for subtext.Delivers Chandler‑style impact.

Final Thoughts

Raymond Chandler’s journey from oil‑field engineer to the reigning monarch of noir proves that a writer’s personal turbulence can become a powerhouse of creativity. His blend of hard‑boiled prose, atmospheric detail, and a morally complex hero continues to shape everything from modern crime thrillers to brand narratives that crave authenticity.

If you can channel Chandler’s willingness to stare into his own darkness, harness it into a distinctive voice, and give your audience a world they can see, smell, and feel, you’ll not just write a story—you’ll craft an experience that endures.

Take a page from the master: own your scars, paint your city, and let your protagonist walk the line between the shadows and the light. The result? A story that, like Chandler’s, never truly fades.

365 Days of Writing, 2026 – 219

Day 219 – Writers must read

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Study the Competition So You Can Beat Them: The Ultimate Guide to Competitive Intelligence

In the world of business, going in blind is a recipe for failure. Whether you are launching a startup, running an established e-commerce store, or creating content, you cannot operate in a vacuum.

If your goal is to grow your market share, increase conversions, and ultimately win, you need to know who you are up against. As the ancient military strategist Sun Tzu wrote in The Art of War: “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.”

In modern business, we call this competitive intelligence.

Studying your competition isn’t about copying what they do—in fact, that’s a surefire way to blend in instead of stand out. Instead, it’s about analysing their strengths, exploiting their weaknesses, and finding the gaps in the market that they are leaving wide open.

Here is a step-by-step masterclass on how to study your competition so you can beat them at their own game.

Step 1: Identify Who Your Real Competitors Are

Before you can study your rivals, you need to know who they actually are. Many business owners make the mistake of only looking at direct competitors. To get a true edge, you need to look at three distinct categories:

  1. Direct Competitors: These are businesses offering the same product or service to the same target audience. (e.g., Coca-Cola and Pepsi).
  2. Indirect Competitors: These offer different products or services, but they solve the same customer problem. (e.g., If you sell movie tickets, your indirect competitor might be a streaming service like Netflix).
  3. Aspirational/Future Competitors: These are the industry leaders or disruptors who might not be targeting you today, but whose business models you want to emulate or eventually overtake.

Action Item: Make a list of your top 5 direct competitors and top 3 indirect competitors. These will be the focus of your analysis.

Step 2: Reverse-Engineer Their Digital Presence

Once you know who you are tracking, it’s time to put on your detective hat. The internet makes it easier than ever to audit your competitors’ strategies. Here is where you should look:

1. Analyse Their Website and User Experience (UX)

Go through your competitor’s website as if you were a customer.

  • How easy is it to navigate?
  • What is their value proposition? (What do they claim makes them special right on their homepage?)
  • What does their checkout or conversion funnel look like? Where do they friction points exist?

2. Audit Their SEO and Content Strategy

Organic traffic is gold. Use tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Ubersuggest to see what your competitors are doing right in search engines:

  • What keywords are they ranking for?
  • Which of their blog posts or landing pages get the most organic traffic?
  • Where are they getting their backlinks from?

3. Monitor Their Social Media and Paid Ads

Look at how they communicate with their audience.

  • Organic Social: Which platforms are they most active on? What kind of content gets the most engagement (videos, carousels, memes, case studies)?
  • Paid Ads: Use tools like the Meta Ad Library and the Google Ads Transparency Centre to see what ads your competitors are currently running. What offers are they promoting? What angles are they using in their ad copy?

Step 3: Read Their Customer Reviews (The Goldmine)

This is perhaps the most powerful—and underutilised—tactic in competitive intelligence. Your competitors’ customer reviews are a roadmap to their weaknesses.

Go to platforms like Trustpilot, G2, Amazon, Google Business Profile, and Yelp, and look specifically at the 1-star, 2-star, and 3-star reviews of your competitors.

Ask yourself:

  • What are customers constantly complaining about? (e.g., “Poor customer service,” “Shipping takes too long,” “The software is too buggy”).
  • What did they wish the product did that it currently doesn’t?

How to use this to win: Take the exact complaints your competitors’ customers have and make them your core selling propositions. If your competitor’s customers hate their slow support, build your brand around 24/7, lightning-fast customer service.

Step 4: Conduct a SWOT Analysis

Now that you’ve gathered data on your competitors’ products, marketing, and customer feedback, it’s time to synthesise it. Create a SWOT Analysis for your top competitors, mapping out their:

  • Strengths: What are they exceptionally good at? (e.g., massive budget, strong brand recognition).
  • Weaknesses: Where do they fall short? (e.g., poor mobile UX, lack of personalisation).
  • Opportunities: What market trends are they ignoring that you can capitalise on?
  • Threats: What external factors could hurt them (and potentially affect you)?

By comparing their SWOT analysis to your own, you will clearly see your “Unique Value Proposition” (UVP)—the exact reason why a customer should choose you over them.

Step 5: Innovate, Don’t Imitate

The biggest trap in studying your competition is falling into the copycat syndrome.

If you simply mimic what your competitors are doing, you will always be one step behind. They set the rules of the game, and you are just following them.

Instead, use competitive intelligence to differentiate.

  • If everyone in your industry uses a formal, corporate tone, try being conversational, witty, and human.
  • If your competitors sell complex, bloated software, build a solution that is hyper-minimalist and user-friendly.
  • If they focus solely on features, focus on the transformation and emotional outcome your customer experiences.

Final Thoughts: Competitive Intelligence is a Continuous Process

Studying your competition is not a one-time task you check off your to-do list. Markets shift, algorithms change, and new startups emerge every single day.

Make competitive analysis a habit. Set aside an hour every month to check in on your top rivals, review their new ad campaigns, and see how their customer sentiment is shifting.

When you truly understand the battlefield, you stop reacting to what your competitors do—and start forcing them to react to you.

…

Top 5 sights on the road less travelled – Montevideo

For a road less travelled, explore some of Montevideo’s hidden gems and unique local experiences beyond the main tourist routes:

Unique Local Exploration

  • Experience Candombe in Palermo or Barrio Sur: Instead of a formal show, witness the authentic candombe music and dance that originates from the descendants of liberated African slaves, recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage. This is often performed in the streets of the Palermo and Barrio Sur neighbourhoods on Sunday evenings.
  • Winery Day Trip in Canelones: Venture outside the city to the surrounding Canelones region, known for its wineries and vineyards. Explore local, family-owned bodegas like Bodega Spinoglio or Pizzorno Family Estates for a tour and tasting of the local Tannat wine, offering a more intimate experience than city-centre wine bars.
  • Discover the Castillo Pittamiglio: Explore this unique architectural landmark, also known as the “Alchemist’s Castle”, a building with an eclectic mix of styles (Gothic, Art Nouveau, etc.) built by an eccentric architect. It offers guided tours and a fascinating, slightly mysterious history, distinct from the city’s neoclassical buildings.
  • Browse the Feria de Tristán Narvaja: Skip the standard souvenir shops and visit this large, vibrant street market on Sunday mornings in the Cordón neighbourhood. You can find everything from antiques and second-hand books to local crafts, fresh produce, and unique oddities, providing a genuine slice of local life.
  • Visit the Jardín Botánico: For a peaceful natural escape, the Montevideo Botanical Garden in the Prado neighbourhood is a serene urban oasis. It features diverse plant species, walking trails, and a Japanese garden, and is a great spot to enjoy a quiet picnic or read a book, largely frequented by locals. 

In a word: Scene

This is an easy one.

It’s a part of a book or film that covers a single event, predominantly with a set group of characters.

It could also mean it might relate to a particular genre that you like, as in,

I’m part of the jazz scene or the symphonic scene, though I think it had a more sinister context back in the late 60s, early 70s.

A scene could also be a landscape (especially in art)

Then, of course, the last thing you want is a child to make a scene in front of others, in a display of temper, or bad manners

This is not to be confused with seen, as in, you should be seen and not heard, an oft-used expression by a parent.

You could be seen, especially in places where you were not meant to be, or, conversely, make sure you are seen by the ‘right’ people in the ‘right’ places

Have you seen my dictionary? It’s quite large and heavy

I have seen his bad qualities

I have seen better days, though at the moment I can’t remember when

I have seen them all, sometimes seemingly impossible, but it is generated by exasperation, and generally more like I’ve seen everything now!

“Echoes From The Past”, the past doesn’t necessarily stay there


What happens when your past finally catches up with you?

…

Christmas is just around the corner, a time to be with family. For Will Mason, an orphan since he was fourteen, it is a time for reflection on what his life could have been, and what it could be.

Until a chance encounter brings back to life the reasons for his twenty years of self-imposed exile from a life only normal people could have. From that moment, Will’s life slowly starts to unravel, and it’s obvious to him that it’s time to move on.

This time, however, there is more at stake.

Will has broken his number one rule: don’t get involved.

With his nemesis, Eddie Jamieson, suddenly within reach, and a blossoming relationship with an office colleague, Maria, about to change everything, Will has to make a choice. Quietly leave, or finally, make a stand.

But as Will soon discovers, when other people are involved, there are going to be terrible consequences no matter what choice he makes.

…

https://amzn.to/2CYKxu4

newechocover5rs

Top 5 sights on the road less travelled – Quito

Quito, the capital of Ecuador, is located in the northern Andes Mountains, nestled in a valley on the slopes of the Pichincha volcano, about 25 miles south of the equator, making it one of the world’s highest capital cities at roughly 9,350 feet in elevation. 

  • Region: Sierra (Highlands) of Ecuador, part of the Andes mountain range.
  • Key Landmark: Situated on the Pichincha volcano‘s eastern slopes.
  • Equator: Very close to the Equator, with a monument marking the line just outside the city. 

Beyond Quito’s major landmarks, there are many unique, local experiences and attractions to explore. These include visiting bohemian neighbourhoods, a renowned pre-Columbian art museum, and local food markets. 

Alternative Cultural Experiences

  • Explore La Floresta: This bohemian neighbourhood is known for its vibrant street art, independent galleries, and hip cafes and restaurants. A popular spot is the indie cinema, Ocho y Medio, which screens avant-garde and foreign films.
  • Wander through La Ronda: This charming, narrow cobblestone street in the historic centre truly comes alive at sunset with local art galleries, artisan workshops (like coppersmiths and traditional hat makers), cafes, and live music.
  • Visit Museo Casa del Alabado: Located in the Old Town, this private museum houses an impressive and well-curated collection of pre-Columbian art and archaeological pieces, providing deep insight into Ecuador’s ancestral heritage.
  • Check out the street art: The La Floresta and La Mariscal neighbourhoods feature an evolving outdoor gallery of murals and graffiti that reflect contemporary social and political themes.
  • Experience local markets: For an authentic slice of daily life, visit the Mercado Central or Mercado Artesanal La Mariscal. The Central Market offers inexpensive, traditional Ecuadorian food (try the locro de papa or horno) and fresh juices, while the Artisan Market is perfect for shopping for handicrafts, textiles, and jewellery. 

‘What Sets Us Apart’ – A beta reader’s view

There’s something to be said for a story that starts like a James Bond movie, throwing you straight in the deep end, a perfect way of getting to know the main character, David, or is that Alistair?

A retired spy, well, not so much a spy as a retired errand boy, David’s rather wry description of his talents, and a woman that most men would give their left arm for, not exactly the ideal couple, but there is a spark in a meeting that may or may not have been a setup.

But as the story progressed, the question I kept asking myself was why he’d bother.

And, page after unrelenting page, you find out.

Susan is exactly the sort of woman to pique his interest.  Then, inexplicably, she disappears.  That might have been the end of it, but Prendergast, that shadowy enigma, David’s ex-boss who loves playing games with real people, gives him an ultimatum: find her or come back to work.

Nothing like an offer that’s a double-edged sword!

A dragon for a mother, a sister he didn’t know about, Susan’s BFF who is not what she seems or a friend indeed, and Susan’s father, who, up till David meets her, couldn’t be less interested, his nemesis proves to be the impossible dream, and he’s always just that one step behind.

When the rollercoaster finally came to a halt, and I could start breathing again, it was an ending that was completely unexpected.

I’ve been told there’s a sequel in the works.

Bring it on!

…

The book can be purchased here:  http://amzn.to/2Eryfth

…

365 Days of Writing, 2026 – 219

Day 219 – Writers must read

…

Study the Competition So You Can Beat Them: The Ultimate Guide to Competitive Intelligence

In the world of business, going in blind is a recipe for failure. Whether you are launching a startup, running an established e-commerce store, or creating content, you cannot operate in a vacuum.

If your goal is to grow your market share, increase conversions, and ultimately win, you need to know who you are up against. As the ancient military strategist Sun Tzu wrote in The Art of War: “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.”

In modern business, we call this competitive intelligence.

Studying your competition isn’t about copying what they do—in fact, that’s a surefire way to blend in instead of stand out. Instead, it’s about analyzing their strengths, exploiting their weaknesses, and finding the gaps in the market that they are leaving wide open.

Here is a step-by-step masterclass on how to study your competition so you can beat them at their own game.

Step 1: Identify Who Your Real Competitors Are

Before you can study your rivals, you need to know who they actually are. Many business owners make the mistake of only looking at direct competitors. To get a true edge, you need to look at three distinct categories:

  1. Direct Competitors: These are businesses offering the same product or service to the same target audience. (e.g., Coca-Cola and Pepsi).
  2. Indirect Competitors: These offer different products or services, but they solve the same customer problem. (e.g., If you sell movie tickets, your indirect competitor might be a streaming service like Netflix).
  3. Aspirational/Future Competitors: These are the industry leaders or disruptors who might not be targeting you today, but whose business models you want to emulate or eventually overtake.

Action Item: Make a list of your top 5 direct competitors and top 3 indirect competitors. These will be the focus of your analysis.

Step 2: Reverse-Engineer Their Digital Presence

Once you know who you are tracking, it’s time to put on your detective hat. The internet makes it easier than ever to audit your competitors’ strategies. Here is where you should look:

1. Analyze Their Website and User Experience (UX)

Go through your competitor’s website as if you were a customer.

  • How easy is it to navigate?
  • What is their value proposition? (What do they claim makes them special right on their homepage?)
  • What does their checkout or conversion funnel look like? Where do they friction points exist?

2. Audit Their SEO and Content Strategy

Organic traffic is gold. Use tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Ubersuggest to see what your competitors are doing right in search engines:

  • What keywords are they ranking for?
  • Which of their blog posts or landing pages get the most organic traffic?
  • Where are they getting their backlinks from?

3. Monitor Their Social Media and Paid Ads

Look at how they communicate with their audience.

  • Organic Social: Which platforms are they most active on? What kind of content gets the most engagement (videos, carousels, memes, case studies)?
  • Paid Ads: Use tools like the Meta Ad Library and the Google Ads Transparency Center to see what ads your competitors are currently running. What offers are they promoting? What angles are they using in their ad copy?

Step 3: Read Their Customer Reviews (The Goldmine)

This is perhaps the most powerful—and underutilized—tactic in competitive intelligence. Your competitors’ customer reviews are a roadmap to their weaknesses.

Go to platforms like Trustpilot, G2, Amazon, Google Business Profile, and Yelp, and look specifically at the 1-star, 2-star, and 3-star reviews of your competitors.

Ask yourself:

  • What are customers constantly complaining about? (e.g., “Poor customer service,” “Shipping takes too long,” “The software is too buggy”).
  • What did they wish the product did that it currently doesn’t?

How to use this to win: Take the exact complaints your competitors’ customers have and make them your core selling propositions. If your competitor’s customers hate their slow support, build your brand around 24/7, lightning-fast customer service.

Step 4: Conduct a SWOT Analysis

Now that you’ve gathered data on your competitors’ products, marketing, and customer feedback, it’s time to synthesize it. Create a SWOT Analysis for your top competitors, mapping out their:

  • Strengths: What are they exceptionally good at? (e.g., massive budget, strong brand recognition).
  • Weaknesses: Where do they fall short? (e.g., poor mobile UX, lack of personalization).
  • Opportunities: What market trends are they ignoring that you can capitalize on?
  • Threats: What external factors could hurt them (and potentially affect you)?

By comparing their SWOT analysis to your own, you will clearly see your “Unique Value Proposition” (UVP)—the exact reason why a customer should choose you over them.

Step 5: Innovate, Don’t Imitate

The biggest trap in studying your competition is falling into the copycat syndrome.

If you simply mimic what your competitors are doing, you will always be one step behind. They set the rules of the game, and you are just following them.

Instead, use competitive intelligence to differentiate.

  • If everyone in your industry uses a formal, corporate tone, try being conversational, witty, and human.
  • If your competitors sell complex, bloated software, build a solution that is hyper-minimalist and user-friendly.
  • If they focus solely on features, focus on the transformation and emotional outcome your customer experiences.

Final Thoughts: Competitive Intelligence is a Continuous Process

Studying your competition is not a one-time task you check off your to-do list. Markets shift, algorithms change, and new startups emerge every single day.

Make competitive analysis a habit. Set aside an hour every month to check in on your top rivals, review their new ad campaigns, and see how their customer sentiment is shifting.

When you truly understand the battlefield, you stop reacting to what your competitors do—and start forcing them to react to you.

…

The cinema of my dreams – Was it just another surveillance job? – Episode 8

I’m back home and this story has been sitting on a back burner for a few months, waiting for some more to be written.

The trouble is, there are also other stories to write, and I’m not very good at prioritising.

But, here we are, a few minutes opened up and it didn’t take long to get back into the groove.

An interrogation and a revelation.

 

Debriefings were like interrogations, only friendlier.  We were trained to withstand interrogation, so it would be interesting to see how I reacted.   I had no doubt what some of the questions would be.

While I had a few minutes to myself, sitting down behind a bare metal table on a hard plastic and uncomfortable chair, with a warm cup of station house coffee, to consider the briefing.

Target, male, 6 foot 3 inches, 200 pounds, Caucasian, thought to be from either Russia or Bulgaria, but nothing to define his as such.  I had wondered, at the time, what that meant.  When I saw him in the alley I knew, then, what was meant, he looked the same as you or me.

No explanation for why he was under surveillance, but we did get a warning that he might be dangerous if he suspected he was being observed.  Right about that, given team casualties.

Main objective, who he met, talked to, and where he went, every place, every detail to be noted.  The unpredictable explosion threw the whole operation into chaos.

The door opened and a woman, middle-aged, conservatively dressed, walked in, closing it behind her.  She sat in the other chair opposite me.  She brought a file, thin, and put it in front of her on the table.

“Your name is Sam Jackson?”

“Yes.”

No introductions, nothing, just a start on the questions.  No nonsense, but I could see she was very, very angry.  With me, or those who had run a failed operation?

“How long have you been with us?”

“Eight months.”

She opened the file and glanced at the piece of paper on top.  A minute passed before she closed the file again.  “Closer to nine,” she said.

I said nothing.  I wasn’t counting the days.

“How many operations have you been on?”

“Six, including this one.”

“Who assigned you to this specific operation?”

“Couldn’t say.  I got the usual request via text message to attend a briefing at the midtown office.”

“What was the designated operation name?”

“Chancellery.”

For a brief second, there was a quizzical expression on her face, then it was gone.

“Who was running this operation?”

“Director Severin.”

A full three minutes of silence passed.  I thought she was looking at me, the sort of stare that would break a lesser man, but in the end, I think she was looking right through me.  I could not read her thoughts, but if I was to guess, they would be rather dark right now.

Then she spoke.

“You should know that there was no Chancellery on the books, and we certainly do not have a Director named Severin.”

 

© Charles Heath 2019