Alek Popov - Mission London

“Do I have a choice?” she said sharply.

“Only way out, sorry…” he shook his head. “On a small narrow path which is going to take you to the shining peaks of the fight. I’ll stay next to you. We will be comrades.”

“Are you going to fuck me from time to time?” asked Katya, licking her lips.

His hand struck her cheek, producing a flat noise. Her earring fell to the floor turning like a spinning top, throwing blinding sparkles all around.

“Cynical bitch,” he hissed through his teeth. “Eastern Europeans…!”

VARADIN DIMITROVfinished his mandate without any particular accidents. After an interruption he went back to the numerical therapy of Dr Pepolen. His regular sex with Doroteya Totomanova helped him maintain a perfect mental balance. And when four years later they offered him the vacant diplomatic post in sunny Nigeria, he accepted it without any fuss.

ROBERT ZIEBLINGcontinues to successfully run ‘Famous Connections’, but with more vigilance. Three months after Katya’s disappearance, he had a visit from a strange man, who wanted to make sure that some diamonds were not in his possession. During the investigation, Ziebling’s neck was broken and for some time he had to wear a plaster collar. Since then, the agency avoids employing girls from Eastern Europe.

KOSTA PASTRICHEFF’Scontract was suddenly terminated four months after the memorable dinner. He is now head chef of a four star restaurant in the foothills of the Vitosha mountain. His speciality is called ‘Celtic trotter’s jelly’. Many of Sofia’s elite go there to taste it.

Soon after his arrival in Sofia, a lucky sequence of coincidences gave RACHO RACHEVa mandate in the People’s Republic of China. He still lives in the secret department and is saving all his salary.

CHAVDAR TOLOMANOVwent through a heavy financial crisis, which resulted in his figure regaining its previous elegance. He stayed in London and is now a street actor. He can be spotted in the area of Covent Garden Market, where he is playing the Green Man. The performance is partly sponsored by Granny’s Apple Juice Co.

THE FIRE-DANCERmade a huge impression on a group of high-ranking people during his demonstration in Kew Gardens. He is currently working for the Sultan of Brunei and is responsible for the illuminations in the Palace. His net earnings are in the region of $100,000 p.a. and he is thinking of adopting Islam, which would save him some taxes.

DEVORINA PEZANTOVAis still working hard on her society image and is reaping the rewards of successful campaigns everywhere in the EU. At the minute she is organising an Assembly of Bulgarian Talent, which is expected to attract lots of foreign guests.

RUBE SPARKSnever filed an official complaint with the police. For some time he has been in the process of delicate negotiations with Viacheslav Levine, an Israeli citizen of Russian origin, who has promised to return the diamonds for a 30 % commission. What Rube does not realise is that Levine never works for less that 70 % commission. The other 30 % he usually donates anonymously to his client’s widow, or, if there is no widow, to an Eastern European children’s trust.

From the front-line diary of ESMERALDA CORAZON: ‘ 12.12.200? Elevation 1200. Bolivia, Nancahuazu gorges. Today at lunchtime they shot the Eagle’s Eye. Some months ago I would’ve been happy, but the truth is that fighting side-by-side brings people together, even more than sex… We’ve buried him in the mud and camouflaged his grave with ferns. One day, when the Revolution succeeds, they’ll build him a monument for sure, but for now he’s waiting for the Second Coming. Fuck it, I still have blood on my fatigues. The fascists have occupied both ends of the gorge, and are firing mortars (Made in the Czech Republic) at us every hour on the hour. It hasn’t stopped raining for the past three days. Everything is falling apart, apart from the laminated biography of Che — a present from Fidel for the Revolution’s anniversary. I highly appreciate the gesture, but the photo with chopped hands on the last page somehow makes me nervous… We eat insects. I caught myself a frog and I’m planning to eat it, when they are not watching me. I’ll escape from this shit, whatever the price! That which does not kill us, makes us stronger! Whoever said that should go shoot himself!’