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Late night, agent's lounge

Silver sat alone at the bar in the agent's lounge. It was late, even for someone used to irregular hours. The day had been a particularly tough one. There had been been problems with the new recruit class, an operative had gone missing, and there had been unsettling developments in the Ukraine. He was alone with his thoughts for the first time all day.

Almost entirely alone. Silently, Gray, the bartender refilled his glass, then went back to his duties. Dressed as he was in black trousers and vest, and a striped shirt and bow tie, Gray looked every bit the professional bartender. But, at F.O.X. Academy, things were seldom as they seemed. As an agent recruit, it was discovered that he had been a sleeper agent for the Soviets. Faced with an uncertain future, Gray exercised the only option he had- to become a double agent. By all reports, Gray had taken to his work, and had become a valuable, if somewhat mistrusted asset.

After filling Silver's glass, Gray had gone back to the business of closing the bar. He had collected all the used glassware, and, having washed them, dried each one, and polished it to a meticulous shine. Once that was accomplished, he took to polishing the metal top of the bar, removing each smudge as if preparing for an inspection.

After a time Silver looked up; he seemed to take an interest in Gray's silent labor.

"Gray?"

"Yes, Boss!"

Silver HATED this. No one at F.O.X. EVER called him anything but 'Sir'; save a handful of superiors who would call him 'Silver'. Yet Gray had resolutely refused this simple convention. Stranger still, Silver allowed it, even taking this minor rebellion with a bit of amusement.

"What.....was it like?"

Gray never looked up from his polishing.

"What do you mean, Boss?"

"You know damn well what I mean......."

Gray stopped polishing. He threw the towel over his shoulder, and leaned over the bar, one arm to each side of the superior officer.

"Is that an official inquiry?" Gray looked back with a combination of fear and anger.

"No, not official. Just two agents talking shop. ..."

"What do you want to know?"

He repeated the question:

"What was it like?"

"With all due respect, you access some of the finest resources in the world; what can I add to that?"

Silver took his drink in hand, and looked at the glass.

" There is 'intelligence' and there is 'knowledge'; I have the intelligence; I'm interested in speaking to someone possessed of knowledge."

Gray leaned back, leaning against the back bar, folding his arms. It was an interesting proposition. Theirs was a business where things of this nature were never discussed, at least not anywhere save rooms with a table, a chair, and a single light bulb. Silver HAD spared his life......

"In many ways, similar to what we do. The techniques, the training, similar. You have a lot more by way of assets; Canada and the U.S. Have seemingly limitless funding; even in the good times, we were limited. We never got paid like you, never had the perks, the benefits."

"Understood. Frankly, I'm more interested in how we are different."

Gray nodded. He then turned to the back bar, and created one perfect Vodka Gibson. Normally, this would never happen, an agent drinking in the presence of a superior, but Gray figured he was on a roll, and this conversation wasn't officially happening anyway........

"I spent my life preparing for a life in the Foreign Service. Unfortunately, I didn't make the cut at the CIA. So, I had a career decision; pick a new career, or take my talents elsewhere..."

"So, you went to the Soviets....."

"It wasn't hard. My parents were known to the Soviets, and when I went to the New York embassy for a travel visa, I was invited in for a friendly chat."

"They offered you a position?"

Gray poured his drink, selected two onions and poured.

"Nothing so crass as that. The gentleman just made smalltalk, asked about my family, that sort of thing. Small talk."

Silver showed a bit of surprise.

"Smalltalk? That was it?"

"Well, he did mention that his country had splendid opportunities for a young fox like me; perhaps I would like to explore them while on my trip......"

Silver now leaned on one elbow.

"So, you took the trip....."

Gray nodded.

"When I arrived, I had a 'welcoming committee', a young vixen. Prettiest fox I've seen before or since. Big bedroom eyes, a sweet smile; slim, but attractive. I even remenber her matching bra and panties....matching royal blue....."

Silver became a little irritable

"Agent, everyone at F.O.X. Is aware of your sexual exploits, which, even in this randy institution, are somewhat legendary. Interesting as your sex life may be, can you continue?"

Gray looked genuinely hurt. He took a sip of his drink.

"Well, your loss. Actually, there wasn't all that much beyond that. I was introduced to 'people', got training similar to what you do here, and went to work."

"So, what did you do?"

"Intelligence collection. Fairly boring stuff. I got 'laundry lists' of things they wanted, and I got it. Sometimes I bought it, sometimes I hacked into it; other times I had to acquire it in more 'hands on' ways."

"By stealing it......"

Gray waved his glass.

"Boss, that was crass; I expected more from you. We 'exchange' information all the time; we get it from them, they get it from us. I actually enjoyed that part of it. Mostly, it was easy; go in as a FedEx guy, or someone from 'maintenance' or the 'IT Department' and no one asked any questions. The only thing that worried me was that the ID they gave me were made of this cheap Russian plastic. The stuff felt AWFUL! I could never let anyone touch them, but they looked great....."

Silver actually seemed interested in what he had to say. In fact, the silver fox leaned in toward the bar.

"All well and good, agent; but what I'd REALLY like to know, what I've always wondered....was what it was like to work for the KGB? I mean, what was the EXPERIENCE like?"

Gray turned back to the bar. He began to repolish seemingly spotless glasses. For a time, no words were exchanged. After Gray deferred as long as he could, he began to speak:

"When I began, there were people like me....believers......true Socialists.....believers in the Worker's Revolution. Slowly at first, then more rapidly, change came. ...."

"Change? What do you mean?"

Gray's face became very sad, almost pained.....

" The people in the agency were....different. Not like us. Different. Like their leader, that cur bastard!"

"Putin?"

Gray nodded.

"People the likes of which decent people never see. Those who would work for free, just for the chance to inflict pain or torture. The dream was over. It was all about power; power maintained at any cost- the ultimate power game. "

"but that wasn't you...."

Again, Gray shook his head.

"I.....had different motivations."

"You have my attention....."

" I was motivated by the sheer game of it. Doing the undoable. Then letting them know I got them."

"How so?"

"After I got what I needed, I'd leave a calling card."

"A calling card? You crazy bastard...."

"Not like that. Just a little tweek. Something to let them know they'd been had. I took a family photo from one of the joint chief's at the Pentagon. I took a piece of good sized ordinance; not sure if it was live. Oh, and I stole a plaque from the lobby at Langley......"

Silver looked at his watch.

"It's getting late, but there's one more question I have to ask....."

"Ask....."

"Where do your loyalties lay? I mean, when the chips are down, who's side are you playing for? I want to know. Honestly. I'll let you out of the deal. If you want to walk away now, you can......"

Gray looked at Silver with smoldering fire in his eyes. Standing erect one hand on his heart, and one pointing at the flag on the wall, Gray exploded:

"Dans mon coeur, dons mon ame, je suis Canadien! Je suis ne' ailleurs, mais je mourrai un Canadian!

Gray then saluted the flag, then collapsed, exhausted.

Silver nodded.

"Very moving. But, if you're a TRUE Canadian, then what was the greatest hockey team of all time?"

Gray wasted not a moment:

"Why, the 55-56 Montreal Canadiens! Single greatest team of all times! But, everyone knows that."

Silver actually smiled, the first time anyone can remember him doing so. He picked up his glass:

"To Canada!"

"Au Canada! Nous sommes sur nos gardes pour toi!

With that, Gray and Silver downed the last of their drinks. Silver stood to leave.

"Close it down Gray; the Crown has work for us to do tomorrow"

With that, Gray flicked off the lights, and they headed for the door.

"I never knew that you spoke French, Gray; it wasn't in your dossier...."

"Quel plaisir la vie serait etaient un tou saudir?