It is said the folks on New Berlin aren't happy folks. At least, those spending their current year on the night side of the planet that is. To the visitors however, there is no such sight as New Berlin by night, a glamorous city shining under the lights of thousands of skyscrapers - it was Manhattan, but even better, even brighter so cold and bitter the human being can be without light for a whole year.
And that was why this one didn't look quite alright. She was too curious, her eyes were looking around too much instead of minding her own business. And yet, unlike most tourists to New Berlin who wore ridiculous amount of winter outfits one over another, she was wearing what most citizens tended to; a simple mantle, cheap quality at that.
Other than that, he had to admit, under the somewhat greenish light of the city, she looked just like a casual Rheinlander. Her hairs had been died a dirty chestnut - he remembered from the photos that she had natural blond hairs, and even her walking looked Rheinlander enough; fast, large steps, pacing toward a certain goal.
He made sign to his team to continue to follow. This one was probably Libertonian - the Bretonian rarely sent any women for some reason. She was quite tall, graceful. He couldn't see, but he recalled from archive documents that her face was well shaped, her skin was a healthy tan, her eyes a striking emerald green. She must be a rare breed in Liberty, he thought ironically as he continued to mimic reading his datapad with relative lack of interest. The woman just walked out of the national bank, and was now headed toward her apartment. Casual routine - in the weeks he followed her, he noted that she went to bank once every week. That was another problem with Libertonian espionage; their philosophy was anchored in routines. Too predictable.
He looked over his windows at the quiet cafe again. There she was, being tracked down by two anonymous Polizei officers wearing equally bland local mantles, toward the metro. She was headed home, and from there, they could use the equipments they've introduced in her room to spy her. Nothing to worry about.
What he wanted to know was, what was she doing specifically at the bank? Surveillance camera shows her going in to the same automatic cash machine every time, consulting her bank records, withdraw some credits, usually varying from 20 to 50 federal marks, and go away. Nothing seemed suspicious - in fact, it was simply too normal to -not- be suspicious.
But so far, nothing to be discovered yet... the machine worked just fine, he had it checked. It wasn't sending any signal to anyone, it didn't received signal from anyone but bank personnel - routine checks, and he had it monitored under live logs. He knew exactly what her money was used to, every marks of it, but alas, she purchased nothing of special, usually just food, and when she did purchase something special, he had his agents working hard on the possible significance behind it - lastly, it was just a teddy bear, and in the end, the conclusion after 2 stressful hours of examination, came back as, just that: a teddy bear.
Somehow, he was certain, the girl knew she was being observed and took an obscene pleasure at playing them for fool, and he had to admit, with some tone of admiration, that she was truly good at her game.
The shower was the only place where she was safe from espionage equipment - for one, the water was shrouding all noises and of two, well, as far as she knew, there was no camera around. She inspected the whole building and knew that all the room were wired with camera and microphone, but there simply was no way to wire one in the shower where water would disrupt any micro technology electronic device with ease.
She disrobed, revealing her nude body to - 4 or 6? of the cameras inside her bathroom, smirking a bit despite herself, imagining the young Federal Police agents behind each of them trying to keep their face emotionless as their supervisor watches over. Ah, Rheinlanders. Always so serious.
She stepped in and began showering, undoing her hair under the steamy jet of water - always welcomed after a walk home from work.
Her identity - Rosa Katharine, assistant attorney to a Berliner law firm involved her walking quite a long distance from work to home, though she had to admit, it could have been worse. It was also a good way to link the trip to the bank from time to time, a minor distraction for the agents tailing her. It was obvious since the beginning; after her second operation as "observation", she could easily spot any person that wasn't moving casually enough. It was all part of the espionage game however, a certain unwritten code that all intelligence and counter-intelligence units of the world played by. One couldn't simply arrest an agent just because he or she was there; otherwise, the number of arrests on all side would be tremendous, costly and mostly, non productive. But get caught once, and the rules for the losers have never been soft.
So far, she was pretty good at what she did. Young immigrant born aboard an IMG station in the omegas, made her studies of law in Liberty before going back to her "fatherland" to practice in a prosperous firm. Her papers were perfect, and in appearance, she looked exactly like that; Rosa Katharine, assistant attorney doing good efficient paperwork, eating healthy, earning decent income and living casually, even flirting regularly at the bar. Her accent was explained by the fact she wasn't born on planet but rather lived among strangers of all nationalities. Not that it was bad, she was starting to pick up the Berliner way of speaking.
When she first arrived, she noticed at least 3 different teams watching on her day and night. She preferred not noticing them, as it added stress on her mind, despite her training. Usually, by her 7th week of insertion, all teams were supposed to stop monitoring her - and they all did, save one...
As she passed the soap all over her body, she picked up a small silvery Mark coin and tapping it twice with force, began speaking softly enough that the integrated micro could record all the while being shrouded by the water.
"Confirmed Rheinland economic drop. Alarming drop, period, 7 months. Data, well hidden, impossible detect unless within Circle. Possible use for military budget, confirmed. Stop."
She paused for a second, then added
"Request identity on Guardian One, Stop. Over."
As she closed the water, she picked up a hidden datapad hidden underneath a tile of the shower room, as data began to pour in...
Frederik Vester, Agent of the Federal Internal Security, attached to the Federal Police.
She read through the details available quickly. An aging veteran of the Rheinland Military. Used to be sniper, specialized in counter-espionage and anti-terrorism. An old fox that led to the arrest of more than one a collaborator for various factions against the current government, as well as one Libertonian immigrant that was suspected - righteously of transferring classified intelligence to Naval Intelligence...
So, she was being tracked by a "good" one. He sniffed something wrong with her, and was going to stick to her until she was going down... that might complicate matters... a lot, she thought, as she dried her body slowly with a towel, contemplating her options even as the cameras still continued to watch her carefully...
There, she made her first mistake, the microphone-coin was left forgotten on the floor of the shower, shining to the cold and never blinking eyes watching her every move...
--
In a neighboring apartment building, Vester grinned as he looked at the somewhat confused libertonian agent, not because he was a pervert contemplating a nude woman - she was pretty of body as much of face, he admitted that weeks ago.
His sniper trained eyes noticed what all the junior watch agent overlooked; the coin on the floor...
Who brought money to shower, anyway? These libertonians were really getting sloppy...
"Agent Vester, sir, you wanted update on the subject Katharine." the junior agent spoke out, handing him a datapad.
The balding man nodded simply, smiling a bit. He didn't even needed to read it. His gut told him he was right. The single mistake of this charming young lady, drop an espionage equipment at the sight of all cameras in her shower led to the discovery of at least one network of Liberty intelligence operation. This was specifically an investigation on the Rheinland economy, which the Libertonian have been suspicious of since the last few months of being in massive deficit. The scheme to cover it all up has been extremely hard and intricate - so much, Vester himself had no idea what it was all about. To him, what he was looking at was the face of a traitor to the Fatherland, a criminal that sold his country's classified data to foreign forces for profit.
Heinrich, was his name, and also a partner at the firm where the young "Katharine" worked under, had deep connection to the banking sectors of Rheinland, enough to see the true numbers behind the economy of Rheinland, and its spending. And this man, was selling these data to lady Katharine in the form of small office notes on paper in exchange of solid gold in a bank vault of Bretonia.
He could arrest both Katharine - or whatever was her real name, and Heinrich. It would be the ultimate way to finish a highly decorated career. Vester lived his time, he was aging, he caught his bad boys, killed his share of enemies to the Fatherland, made it through the ranks. He was ambitious, but more than all, he enjoyed being known as someone that accomplished something. Arresting Heinrich and Katharine would bring fame and prestige to him, the Polizei, and embarrassment and shame to Liberty. The media networks would jump on the story of a lifetime, and he would receive, perhaps a cross of valor - maybe even the golden cross of valor? His legacy would be forever sealed...
But he wanted more. In any intelligence networks, there had to be more than just two persons; as a safeguard in case one or another end of the link is discovered. Right now, he discovered the two first links of the source. Chances are, there were two other links as "receivers". If he was to find those out...
He would be a hero. Rheinland would be outraged - righteously of Liberty's arrogant actions. His country could, once again, pressure his old enemy like back in the glorious days of the Empire, and nobody could say they would be wrong...
Oh yes. Two more traitors, and he'll be hero.
--
The routine. She went to the shower, undressed, opened the shower curtain, and immediately noticed what was wrong the next day she came back home, but didn't let it show up on her face. The coin, she thought with horror as she picked it up and casually stored it back in her purse.
She was certainly out... unless...
If they noticed, she would already be arrested no?...
"Interesting how the smallest clues lead to the greatest discoveries, isn't it, mein Fraun?"
She reached for her concealed pistol, but before that could happen, she felt the cold cannon against her back, gently caressing her skin. She froze.
"Rosa, Katharine... very pretty name, I must say. It frames well your body... too bad your beauty doesn't measure up to your skills... you kept leaking hints that you were no commoners... one more day, and I'd believed your trick, you know."
"Herr Vester, I presume?" she spoke out, her tone neutral but clearly a bit shaky. It couldn't be. She had been through over dozens of operation, half of them in Rheinland, never did she got spotted... it had to be a nightmare...
The amused voice of an aged and happy man came back, mocking and sending her to reality.
"Yes, indeed..."
"Then you would never of gotten off my back. You are too good for that."
"Oh, I am close to retirement, my dear... I get slippery..." He smiled "Now, turn around, and sit down. Nothing funny, nothing stupid, please. I assure you, I am an excellent marksman at that distance" he added, chuckling.
No choice but to obey, as she sat on the cold floor of her bathroom, staring up at the mouth of a laser pistol and Vester. Exactly like in the pictures. Serious, aging, he was also taking some weight, indeed good for retirement. She remained rigid, her eyes analyzing dozens of ways to neutralize Vester, and potentially escape... but to what? She was surrounded.
Vester smiled briefly, his eyes lazily wandering over her body, at ease and rested, in contrast with the rigid and tense body of the woman he was threatening with a pistol.
"I have a daughter too, you know, I wish she had such a pretty face, but you know, it's probably better for her to stay just casual... you Libertonian tend to bribe only pretty people into your dirty job of intelligence."
Vester smiled, putting her weapon back in her holster.
She remained silent, refusing to make eye contact as her training told her to.
"Defiant women. I like it! But, you know, there is no escape for you, now. We know about you, your mission. You have, a very strong interest in Rheinland Marks, I see?..."
He shook his head faced only with silence and an emotionless face.
"Well, if you do not desire to give us any information, we'll have to go the hard way... starting with the other links of your intelligence chain..."
"Very well. I'll tell you what you need to know."
Vester was somewhat confused by this straight answer, leaving him speechless before suddenly feeling an increasing pain in his crotch as he lowered his stare, suddenly both speechless and breathless, finding Katharine's right foot against his most private body part...