Martoons

Cast of characters

Dame

Miss No

Mr Go

*

“Comrade Go, welcome back from your mission,” Damion heard Miss No say.

“Thank you Comrade No,” said a monotone voice.

“Remain here while I prepare for our debrief.”

She entered the office, closed the door, and hurried over to her desk. From Dame’s vantage point he could pretty much see everything.

She set up the portraits on her desk and lit up some candles.

Dame was astonished.

“Enter Comrade Go,” No announced.

He came in, walking with a mechanical gait. Dame looked on in fascinated horror. Was he … hypnotized?

“Comrade Go, sit down and relax on the couch.”

“Thank you Comrade No.”

“Did you deliver all the pamphlets?”

“Yes Comrade No.”

“Any problems?”

“Negative, Comrade No.”

“Did anyone ask you questions?”

“I encountered no one – only a few security guards at apartments but I ignored them.”

Even in his half-conscious state, Go knew well enough not to mention his brief street encounter with Mr Kang.

* So Go had recognized that it was Mr Kang… *

“Very good. I will now give you your instructions for the next few days. You are not to visit here anymore for any reason and you must stay out of trouble.

Remain in your residence as much as possible.

“Of course you may go to your appointments with the psychologist. Feel free to go for a walk and exercise. But after dark, you have a curfew.

“You must be in your apartment by 10:00 pm. I will check on you every night after I finish business here.”

“If you are absent, the police will be alerted.”

“This is for your safety and security.”

* Is she really doing this out of concern for him? *

By now, squished between the couch and the wall, Dame was aghast and couldn’t take anymore of this ‘laying down’.

He squirmed, suddenly overcome with claustrophobia.

But how could he get out without blowing his cover? Ah ha! The oldest trick in the book.

* What is this ‘trick’ that he’s going to use? *

“Comrade Go,” No asked, “do you understand your instructions?”

“Yes Comrade No.”

She heard the tail end of a snort-like snore. “Did you say something Comrade Go?”

He waved her off.

“I hear something.” She put her finger up to her mouth. “Be quiet please.”

The chainsaw-like chortling seemed to be coming from behind the couch. She got up immediately and investigated.

At the far end of the wall-couch she almost jumped out of her skin.

“Oh my God!” she bellowed. “Two shoes! Somebody is …”

Go sat stone-faced and immobile.

“Comrade Go, please help me.”

“Yes Comrade No…”

By now Damion was squeezing out of his cubbyhole, feigning yawning and stretching. Then he put on his best I-just-woke-up-voice.

“Would someone … mind … telling me where I am… Oh, hey! Miss No! Mr Go!”

No was pre-occupied with keeping Comrade Go under the spell and needed to get Damion out of the office now.

She bums-rushed him into the hall and closed the door behind them.

In a hushed voice: “I won’t even ask why you’re in my office. Look, I’m in the middle of a very important meeting, which must not be disturbed.”

She leaned a little closer and whispered. “How much of the last few minutes did you hear?”

Dame played dumb. “Oh man I got a good sleep under there. I was like … gone. How long you guys been here?”

He shrugged innocently. “Anyway sorry to interrupt you.”

He quickly half-bowed, did an about face and shakily shuffled down the hall.  

Relieved – but slightly suspicious – No slipped back into the office to dismiss Comrade Go after his debrief.

Now out of sight, Dame hopped, skipped and jumped down the two flights of stairs to the street.

He’d just scored a major intelligence coup by accident!

His exhaustion from only moments ago had been instantly wiped away, and he filled to the brim with cockiness.

“Time to go see a certain little someone… Maybe put the ‘X’ back in Xmas!”

* Who is he off to go see? *

*

Tomorrow: Dame tries putting the moves on an old flame.