Joe's Books

1430 Zulu, Thursday, July 16, 1981, Bonn Maria and Klaus spend every night together for the rest of the week. On the weekend Maria shows Klaus the tourist spots in Bonn. The following week she spends all of the free time with Klaus she can and keep to her cover story. She uses the time in the mornings and afternoons her cover story calls for her to be learning sales techniques from the Ruhr consultant to go to a small apartment the Agency rented for the week. She can claim it’s where she’s going for training if Klaus follows her. She uses the time in the mornings to review the previous days’ time with Klaus and plan her strategy for the coming evening. Leon meets her there in the afternoon and reviews her progress in assessing Klaus as a potential candidate to be recruited as an asset. When Maria meets Leon for her afternoon status report she explains: “It’s taking more time than I expected but I think I am making progress with Klaus. I haven’t identified any weaknesses we ...

1320 Zulu, Friday, August 8, 1980, Agency Headquarters somewhere near Washington D.C. Jason Speare reports to Agency headquarters at 1300 Zulu on a Friday morning. One of the two security officers behind the reception desk escorts him to an office where she takes his Agency badge, goes over some papers on the desk and finally gives him a new one. Then she spends ten minutes validating his security clearances. The security officer, who doesn’t identify herself, escorts him to through a maze of halls with tiled floors to a locked door. She opens the cipher lock and leads him in. David Green’s office is in this large windowless SCIF with several small offices, and a conference room; all painted a pale industrial green. A secretary works at a desk in a common area. The security officer does the necessary formal security introduction between Jason and David and leaves the SCIF. “Sorry I’m a bit late David. I arrived early enough but checking in was a bit of a hassle. The only A...

1200 Zulu, Monday, July 6, 1981, Bonn, Germany Maria strolls through the displays of robots and automation equipment at the European Automation and Robotics show held this year in Bonn. Her plain gray skirt and jacket with a white blouse and her modest makeup suggest a woman engineer or salesperson attending the show. Her cover story is she’s from Munich due to her southern German accent and because she is familiar with the city from her year at the University . Leon told her, “Use your first name but a fake German last name. Be inconspicuous and watch other people. If questioned say you are a new salesperson for a Munich manufacturing company attending the show to learn about competitors' automation equipment. Hopefully this will explain being at the show and not knowing much about the equipment”.   She tries to appear interested in the equipment on display and picks up advertising brochures, adding them to the black cloth tote bag handed out by one of the manufact...

1420 Zulu, Tuesday, June 10, 1980, Agency Headquarters, Near Washington D.C. David Green, a ten year veteran of the Counterintelligence Directorate has been promoted to Assistant Director of CID and is being congratulated by his boss Jackson Spruell , recently made CID Director, and by William Allen, the Agency Director. David has rarely talked with the Director except at his Christmas parties even though he is married to the Director’s niece. Director Allen is tall and thin with a long face and piercing gray eyes always behind wire-rimmed glasses. David and his peers consider him to be a tough but fair boss even if a bit old fashioned. After congratulating David Allen adds:   “We have confidence in you David. You have demonstrated leadership in your field work and with teams in this office. We are confident you will carry out this new assignment with diligence and honor. Is there anything you’d like from us before you begin?”        ...

1. The Trainee 1005 Zulu, Friday, June 14, 1978, US Embassy, Bonn Germany Maria walks briskly toward the Embassy. It’s a perfect summer morning, sunny, warm with just the right amount of breeze that makes people want to skip work. But Maria is so preoccupied thinking about her new job she doesn’t notice the beauty of the day. She is confident her light blue dress is just right. It’s modest enough for work but shows her figure, one of her assets. She is worried more about how her hair. First, she had pulled it back so it wouldn't draw attention. Then she decided to let it fall naturally about her face. She knows that will get the attention of men, but wonders if it’s the right way to start her new assignment. By the time she arrives she decides she has made the right choice. She goes to the receptionist and announces confidently, “I am Maria Beaumont.” “Miss Beaumont, welcome to the Embassy. Your paperwork is already processed and in order. Please take a seat and I’ll...

Trapped Somewhere in Germany Jason hovers in the black fog of semi-consciousness and can’t tell where he is or whether it is night or day. He is aware of a swaying motion; is it in his mind or is it real? He thinks, did I fall asleep in a car? As he gains a little more consciousness he hears a clackety clackety sound. I must be on a train. He still isn’t awake enough to move. He tries to recall where he was before he fell asleep but he can't picture any place. Then he remembers ; the hotel in Frankfurt. How did I get on a train? Something is seriously wrong.  Finally, he is able to open his eyes and move. It is completely dark. He tries to sit up but his head bumps into something satiny and padded. He feels around and then realizes he’s in a casket or at least something like a casket. As more consciousness returns he becomes aware of a strange taste in his mouth.   I must have been drugged. Probably by the wine she gave me in her hotel room. He lies still for a m...

I have successfully written and published non-fiction books. Recently I have written two fiction books. The latest is a spy novel. Since I am new to writing fiction I have decided to post the chapters of this new book in this blog so others can comment. I am hoping others will comment and advise on the characters I have created and on the story plot. I am a member of a writers group and that has taught me others are a good judge of fiction. After I have posted this new book and received comments I will do a final edit incorporating the comments that I feel improve the  book for readers.