I think I'll wait til the last day for this one.
If it helps, I'd like to tell you a story of the first time I met Roose.
See, shortly after I first posted on the hype, I received a handwritten letter in the post; asking me to attend a lunch at the Traveller's Club in Pall Mall.
When I arrived, the host led me to a corner table, and sat me opposite a well-built man in his 50s. He only ever referred to himself as "The Admiral." We did not shake hands, we did not speak but we held one another's gaze until menus were placed before us. After a quick scan, he asked "Wine?"
"Of course." I answered.
"You choose."
"Burgundy, I should think."
The waiter chimed in: "The Alex Gambal Puligny, perhaps?"
"Splendid." the old man said.
The wine came, we tasted it and confirmed it was satisfactory. We each selected a meal that we knew the wine would compliment. I went for a shoulder of lamb, and I believe he went for grilled kidney with bacon.
Before the food arrived, he reached down to his briefcase and arose with a few documents. He jabbed them in front of me and offered a pen.
"If you're not interested then we'll go finish our lunch and discuss the recent election, Keith Allen's accusations surrounding Princess Diana and Saturday's results, say our goodbyes and be on our way. If you are interested however..." He trailed off and sipped his wine.
I can't tell you, rogue, what information was held within those documents, but for the sake of my queen and country, I signed them.
"I take it you've heard of the SOE?"
"Of course, sir."
He took another sip of wine and then explained his vision; a new version of the SOE. One with a bit more... transparency.
"Theres no shortage of Special Air or Boat Service chaps about who know their way around a knife and sniper rifle. But they dont necessarily fit into other, shall we say subtler, situations. And then there are plenty of talented Five and Six fellows who know the difference between a Côte de Beaune and a Côte de Nuits and can speak French as fluently as they can Arabic but whod faint at the sight of blood, theirs or anyone elses. You seem to be a rather rare combination of the best of both."
I sipped my wine and waited for his question.
"So, MJ, would you be interested?"
"I would, sir."
Six months later, and I hear from him for the first time. He calls me into his office in Whitehall. In that soundproof, mahogany-scented office he showed me a dossier, eyes only of course (but yet here we are).
My first mission was to investigate and foil (if necessary) Keith Allen's plot to assassinate the Royal Family after they murdered his secret mistress, the People's Princess. There's been several hundred since, taking place under your very fingertips here on the hype. And behind every mission there's been a shadowy figure who's tendrils have pulled the strings of every evil marionette he's set me up against. That man was Luke, or as you've come to know him; Krypton.
So really spider rogue, it's that simple. A vote for good (Roose) or a vote for evil.
