Inside Enemy Read Free Page B

older.
    ‘One damn thing after another,’ said Charles. ‘Life, that is. According to the Duke of Wellington. Surprised George hasn’t used it.’
    ‘He will if he hears it.’ She looked down and jabbed her keyboard but the screen remained blank. ‘So much for the paperless office.’
    ‘The lights are back on. Why isn’t it working?’
    ‘There’s more to it than that. You’ll hear soon enough. I won’t go into it now.’ She sat, indicating a chair to Charles. ‘I’ve got the perm secs’
weekly meeting in ten minutes. What began as an informal update, exchange of views, KIT – which is what we now have to call keeping in touch – and coffee, has grown into something with
an agenda that has to be minuted. It’s becoming a bureaucracy. Next we know it’ll be a department.’ She yawned. ‘Sorry, Charles. I’ve been trying to sort out my ailing
mother, get her into a decent home. If there are any. Keeps me up half the night and awake the other half. Of course, it’s not clear whether you’ll be there or not.’
    ‘Not yet, I hope.’
    She smiled wearily. ‘Perm secs’, I mean. No-one’s even thought about your grading. Your predecessor was grade 1, like the others, but the SIA was much bigger than your MI6
slice of it will be. You can come if you’re 1a but there are no 2s there. Don’t know whether there are any precedents. I’ll have to ask the Cabinet Secretary. Congratulations on
your marriage, by the way. I’m not sure I ever met your wife when she – when she was—’
    ‘Married to Nigel Measures. Possibly not. They kept their professional lives quite separate. Her name’s Sarah.’
    ‘Bad business about Nigel’s treachery and attempted cover-up. Can’t say I ever took to him, frankly, but he was able. She is your first wife – you weren’t married
before?’
    ‘No, a late marriage. Hope for us all.’
    She looked down again with the slightest shake of her head. When she looked up her expression had resumed seriousness and purpose. ‘There are various things to sort out. I take it your
vetting’s up to date?’
    ‘It will have lapsed after I was kicked out of the SIA.’
    ‘Of course, Nigel had you arrested, didn’t he? Evil man. But the vetting can be quickly reinstated. I’ll get someone on to it.’ She made a note. ‘And there are
briefings, of course. You’ll be briefed by your own board, which is already in place’ – she did not look at him as she said that – ‘and you should arrange early
sessions with your main customer departments – MOD, Home Office, Treasury, Cabinet Office, the Bank – us, of course. And various others. Also there’s a meeting starting in two
hours which you should come to. I won’t say any more about it now, it’s – well, we’re all sworn to secrecy. I’d better let the Chair indoctrinate you. Meet me outside
the Cabinet Office and I’ll get you through security. You don’t have any passes now, do you? Finally, there’s your head office – Rosewood House, part of the old Home Office
empire in Croydon.’
    ‘Croydon?’
    ‘Money’s tighter than ever and with so much of the Whitehall estate sold off and somewhere needed quickly it was a case of grab it while we could, I’m afraid. Nowhere else on
offer within the M25.’ She looked as if she was suppressing a smile, just.
    ‘But we’ll spend half our lives on the train, coming up to see people. No-one will come to see us.’
    ‘Well, you are supposed to be a secret service, aren’t you?’
    ‘What about the former SIA building in Victoria Street? A few floors would do.’
    ‘Sold to Gulf developers. Luxury apartments. Plus affordable housing, of course.’
    ‘Where are MI5 and GCHQ?’
    ‘MI5 are returning to their old home in Thames House on the Embankment and GCHQ remain in Cheltenham but they’re getting a new London office as well, somewhere in Curzon Street. I
dare say if MI6 had had a chief in place during the negotiations you might not have