* * * * *
Bryce Paxton--CIA Deputy Director of Miniscule Operations--watched through the one-way mirror as Dr. Ezra Long began the polygraph test.
"True or false? Your name is Pierre LeGrande.
"False."
"True or false? Your name is Helmut Petermann."
"True."
"True or false? You were born in what is now Dresden, East Germany, on April 1, 1923."
"True."
"True or false? This would make your current age forty-seven years and one month."
"True."
"True or false? You are a double-agent for the KGB."
"True."
"True or false? Your cover is that of a Swiss bank auditor."
"True."
"True or false? This allows you to act as a middleman in funding all sorts of clandestine activities, for the KGB, throughout the Western Hemisphere."
"True."
Paxton turned off the wall-mounted intercom. The stenographer sitting to Dr. Long's right would provide a verbatim transcript of the entire session, in a few hours, anyway. Right now, he was more interested in the old file he had withdrawn from the Company vault. Like all the other such files, concerning the World War II exploits of the Office of Strategic Services (the CIA's predecessor), this one was on microfilm.
Putting it on to the reel-to-reel viewer, he began reading it, frame-by-frame.
* * * * *
"Excerpts from the personal journal of Herr Doktor Gustave Liebenkraft (as translated by Robert H. Phillips, 1st Lt., U.S. Army Intelligence, on detached service w/t O.S.S.)."
"28 June, 1903:
Father gave me a diary for my tenth birthday, today. He says I should use it to record only my most important thoughts. I solemnly promised him I would do so. And, I swear to God that I will keep that promise!"
* * * * *
"4 Sept. 1911:
I started classes at the University of Leipzig, today.
Now, I am truly closer to being a man."
* * * * *
"1 Oct. 1912:
Today, I was doubly blessed! Not only did I meet the famous American archeologist, Howard Phillips, who is currently a Visiting Professor, here. But, he will be teaching the exact same course, on ancient civilizations, that I will be attending!!"
* * * * *
"21 June 1913:
Today, I received what I can only describe as an early 20th birthday gift. And, it is the best one I could have hoped for. Herr Professor awarded me an A-plus for my term paper! He said he was much impressed by how I defended my assertion that the Lotophagi, in Homer's 'Odyssey,' might actually have been a Phoenician religious sect that had become addicted to the fruits of the Mexican sapotle plant. He has suggested that, after I graduate next year, I should come work for him as one of his research assistants."
* * * * *
"21 Nov. 1918:
It is a miracle! How else can I describe meeting my old professor, the day after my release from prison camp? We became reacquainted (over some American beer), and he told me how he was conscripted by the American army as a military intelligence linguist. But, now that the war is over, he is going to resume his archeological work. More importantly, he has remembered his old promise to me. And, he has convinced me to attend his old alma mater in striving towards my master's degree!"
To be continued?
Giantess World
Author's Chapter Notes:
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
LANGLEY, VIRGINIA, USA
(MAY 5, 1970)
LANGLEY, VIRGINIA, USA
(MAY 5, 1970)