CHAPTER ONE

All in the agency, but especially the Professor was impressed with the speed that Agent Candy Smith was making progress. It had only been four years since she had been rescued from the mess in time caused by the Time Bandit. However, her ability to work her way through the training course, her ability to work with others on assignments, plus the added interest that Agent Turnbuckle had taken in her, contributed greatly to her rapid progress.

With the Directors permission, the Professor had sent those two on minor assignments together. They were not the only romantically involved couples who had been given assignments together, but they were the first where both agents were level one.

The Professor was scrolling through these agents last report when he was called to the Director's office. As much as it bothered him to have to stop what he was doing, he knew the message would repeat one hundred times an hour if he did not go immediately.

He knew the Director had been heavily involved in something for several weeks, because he had happily left the Professor alone. He only hoped that now the Director was not going to make up for all that peace and quiet he had enjoyed As soon as the Professor entered the office and shut the door, the Director got started,

"As you well know our agency is about to go through a major overhaul. The board is quite upset after this last case. I have been working around the clock almost, to come up with plans to meet the new policies that they are insisting on."

The Director paused a moment and let out a sigh.

"In spite of my best efforts, I still have my other Directors duties that are keeping me from caring for all the board has asked me to do. I am now in a huge time crunch. Therefore, with the board's permission, I am assigning you as temporary Director, until I can finish this project."

The Director immediately held up his hand to stop the mountain of objections he knew the Professor was about to raise. Once the Director was convinced the Professor would save his arguments till the end, he continued.

"I am aware you have never had any interest in this position, otherwise I would have made you assistant Director years ago. You must also understand that I had to take several lumps, from a certain board member that could not understand why I choose you over my assistant Director that just happened to also be that board members niece!"

The Director paused and shuffled some papers around on his desk so that he could move around to the front of it and sit, Now staring directly into the Professors face.

"Look Bernard, you by far are the best qualified to run this agency in my absence, I know this, you know this, and even though board member Ferguson lobbied hard to get his niece Sherry as Assistant Director, he knows that she got the position, only because you refused it."

The Director paused again and let out a sigh.

"Blame it Bernard, you know my back is against the wall or otherwise I would never have asked. Besides, even though what I am working on will take my full attention, I can be reached if you feel you have to contact me."

The Director again paused.

"You know I can order this, but I have too much respect for you, and I also know that you will only do your best. If it is something you believe in,"

The Professor gave the Director one of his classic "death stares."

"I really, really, REALLY, hate you!" the Professor shouted.

He slammed his fist down on the Director's desk several times, then sat back down.

"Okay, now that is settled." The Director started out.

"For how long?" The Professor interrupted.

The Director smiled.

"There is no telling with these things, but I assure you Professor, I hate my assignment as much if not more than you hate yours. I will make it as short as possible. I am going into seclusion tomorrow, but I want you back up here in my office in two hours so I can fill you in on several things," The Director said as he walked

back around and sat down in in his chair.

The Professor gave the Director a second "death stare". Then stormed out of the office.

"Well, that didn't go too bad", the Director mumbled to himself.

The Professor went back down to his office, finished reviewing his reports, grabbed a quick lunch, then went back up to the Directors office.

The heads of the various departments were sitting outside the Directors office and he was on the phone now. The Director motioned for the Professor to come in and take a seat. When he was done with his call, he informed the Professor of a few pressing issues and then the two of the stepped out of his office. He excused all the non-essential personal on the floor and had the Professor secure the elevator and the emergency stairs.

"Agents, I have asked you here to tell you in person that for an undisclosed number of days, I will be on special assignment and will not be able to be contacted. The Board has agreed to have Professor Bernard Kingsley to take the position as acting Director."

"Director?"

Assistant Director Sweeny stated in a puzzled tone.

"Are you going to challenge the direction of the board?" The Director asked.

"No sir," She answered the Director, then mumbled.

"Not to you, but my uncle will get an ear full."

"I cannot stress how top secret this temporary change is. It is imperative that no one outside this room is to have any idea that anything, as far as the chain of command goes, has changed. All reports are due tonight before you leave, and no one, and I mean no one is allowed on this floor without prior approval by the Professor through the G.G, K. system. Is that clear?"

All the agents gave a resounding,

"Yes sir!"

"We are also going to condition #4 Blue. No one should ask, but if you hear mumblings, quiet them immediately. Are there any questions?

"Director, my assistant handles all department communication matters, Will she still be able to do so?" One of the department heads asked.

"How long have you been a department head?" The Director asked.

"Six months sir."

"Never been through a condition #4 Blue?"

"No sir."

"I suggest you educate yourself quickly, otherwise you will find yourself back asa station clerk, or out of a job completely."

The Director looked around the room again as he asked,

"Any more questions?"

The room was silent.

"Good, send a copy to the Professor on what each of your agents are working on at this time as well as a progress report as to where they are at as of 8 pm. tonight. Now, there is much work to be done, you are dismissed."

"Professor, let them in the elevator then reset the codes to hook into the G.G.K. system." The Director ordered.

The Professor followed the direction he was given, then followed the Director back into his office. The Professor slid the chair that was in front of the Directors desk, as close as he could and still sit comfortably in it.

The Director pulled a small device out of one of his drawers and placed it on his desk in front of the Professor.

"Recognize this?" The Director asked.

The Professor leaned up and took the piece off the desk and examined it closely. After a moment or two, the Professor spoke up.

"It looks like an old first run T.M. Mark II, however it has some very strange subtle modifications." The Professor remarked as he continued to examine it.

The Director laughed to himself.

"You never cease to amaze me Professor. At most only ten percent, probably less than that would have been able to identify it as a T.M. Mark II, maybe one other agent would have spotted the modifications, and even I did not spot it was a first run model. I discovered five others just like these hidden in various locations on this floor. None of these were known about until the new security sweep upgrade was installed this morning."

The Professor gave the Director a shocked look.

"Yes, top secret, designed built and installed by me...under the boards direction of course. It will be the new standard in internal security checks from now on."

"Do you think those involved know that you are on to them?" The Professor asked.

"I am pretty sure know one has a clue. I have replaced all of these devises with a carefully designed replica. Each was loaded with sound bites from my office and from other areas on this floor. All sound bites are either non-essential conversations or misleading statements. I cannot rule out that my on-floor staff must be involved to a degree, so it is hoped with me 'leaving for a few days', the guilty one will be pressed to send what information they have gathered."

"So, what is your plan?" The Professor asked.

"This discovery has to be handled first. Any other security plan I could even begin to come up with, would be fruitless. We will use your team to investigate, plus add in an under cover agent."

"Director, do you really think that is a good idea?"

Yes, it is part of the boards over all plan. I will probably be Agent Wilcox a well qualified red head," the Director said with a wink.

The Professor rolled his eyes.

"I really wonder about you sometimes," the Professor remarked as he started scrolling through some information on the old T.M. Mark II's the Director had pulled up.

"Didn't the scans on any of these you found, turn up anything?"

"Not a clue Professor. Whoever this is, they are aware of how we operate."

The two men worked late that night working out all the details to the Directors plan, including the transfer in of "office staffer" Pat Wilcox.

"Director, I am concerned about the fact that if there is a spy among your staff, that if your cover is blown..."

"Look Professor, have you forgotten what it was like to be a field agent back in the old days? Disguises was one of the top things that any good agent had to be a master of. In those days, your life depended more on 'Playing a role', than on being a Master of Technology."

The Professor chuckled to himself.

"Yes, I remember, moving on from that phase played a big part in me staying on with the agency. Anyway, it is late, and you and I still have a lot to put together in the morning before you 'leave'.

The next morning the two of them were back in the Directors office an hour before the agency was open. When the regular staff arrived, the Director announced that he wanted a staff meeting in two hours. When that time came, the Director addressed his office staff.

"There will be a few adjustments over the next several days. The board has given me a special assignment that will require my undivided attention. The board has directed that Professor Kingsley take the role as acting Director in my absence. Consequently, some additional security measures have been put into place. First, all access to this floor has been transferred over to the G.G.K. system that will be under complete control of the Professor. You all should be familiar with those guidelines. Second, all vacation days, or otherwise requests for days off are suspended until I return, Last, due to the double load that the Professor will have, we are bringing in an extra experienced office staff member out of our California office." The Director looked over his staff members very sharply, then added.

"I need to wrap up a few things before I go, and I will need some important information from each one of you before I go. I will send to each one of you what I need. As soon as you have your information ready, send it to me, but also come in my office in case I have any questions."

The Director dismissed his staff, and he and the Professor returned to his office.

"What do you hope to accomplish by this?" The Professor asked.

"I am fishing. The information that I am asking for from each one of them, if they are involved in this, might cause them to get nervous and make a mistake."

"It is worth a shot I suppose," the Professor mumbled.

The Director had each staff member come in one by one as they sent in the information the Director requested. He and the Professor listened carefully to each one's response, listen carefully and observing their body language.

When all the information had been gathered, the Director sent all the staff on an early lunch and told them he would be gone before they returned, so the G.G.K. system would be switched on so to contact the Professor for entrance back on the floor. After they were all gone, the Director looked at the Professor.

"So, what do you think?"

"I am concerned with three of them," the Professor said slowly.

"Okay, let me hear who, and why," the Director said in a curious tone. Then sat back in his chair.