The Reluctant Agent
A Compelling Story of Espionage
by
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Sample pages from Chapter 20 "THE FINAL STRAW" "It's pay back time Brenner, your turn to suffer the consequences." The pistol barrel moved slightly to the left. "Get away from the racks!" Everything was happening in seconds, but to Will it seemed that slow motion was in effect. He moved away from the racks out into the open and Dan took up the position that Will had vacated and he was about to find out why. "It's going to look like you were careless and accidentally got electrocuted." "No one will ever believe that, I'm too good at my job." "There's always a first time for everything and I'll make certain this is yours!" His eyes were jumping all over the place, trying to evaluate the contents of the cabinet, at the same time keeping Will in the sights of his gun. He hasn't got a clue what he's looking at, Will was thinking. Dan's left hand was getting perilously close to the high voltage prongs. Will was praying for the obvious and within a flash it happened. Intending to open the cabinet door to give better access for what he wanted to do Dan grasped the rack. His body shook violently as the 440 volt electrical current passed through his body and with each convulsion the pistol in his right hand discharged. The sound of bullets ricochetted around the building but the sharpness of their echoes were dulled by the roaring of the water rushing over the spillway, only a few paces away. The next violent contraction of Dan's body propelled him away from the cabinet and he rolled over and over on the floor before coming to rest only two or three feet from where Will was standing. He's got to be dead after being charged with that much electricity. Will stood transfixed waiting for signs, but it was a mistake! Dan started to move and he was still holding the gun. Fear galvanized Will into action and he fell with all the weight of his body and knees on to Dan's chest. He's got to be weak from the electric shock! But he started to counter with his left hand and Will could see that it was badly burnt where he had grabbed the live rod. What he didn't expect was the full impact of Dan's gun as it slammed into his back. It hurt, but the weapon was dislodged on impact, and it fell to the floor sliding out of reach. The two men rolled towards the spillway railing, locked in a struggle for survival. Where was Dan getting the strength to fight? Will felt the steel upright of the railing against his back. A split second glance downwards revealed the gushing torrent of water as it projected outwards with the force, before falling into the waters, some sixty or seventy feet below. Dan careered onwards and under the lower tubular railing, his body and legs hanging over the steep concrete incline. He was gripping Will's forearms like steel clamps and it was only the upright that was preventing them both from falling into the spillway. Dan briefly looked down into the turmoil below and then back up at Will, a look of terror on his face. His hands slipped from Will's forearms to the rubber gloves that he was still wearing, a look of despair came over his face and he shouted over the roar of the water. "I'm sorry Will, please save me!" In the next instance his hands slipped over the shiny surface of the rubber gloves. Lying on his side Will watched as Dan plummeted down the smooth concrete incline of the spillway wall, his hands outstretched like a sky-diver that had just left the aeroplane. His fingers were making tracks in the green algae covered wall all the way down, until he disappeared into the boiling water below. Will looked beyond into the calmer waters, but Dan didn't appear, not that he expected him to. He would be dragged down into the undercurrent and caught up in the baffle system, which was designed to slow up the force of the torrent. His body started to shake violently and he gripped the railing with all his force to try and reduce it's effect. There was no way that he would be able to stand until the shaking subsided. A feeling of sickness mixed with sheer relief came over him when he eventually pulled himself up into the upright position, and staggered uncertainly back towards the cabinet. His hands were shaking so badly it took several attempts before he could get the high voltage link reinserted. Twice it nearly slipped out of his hands which would have caused a major problem. Slamming and locking the door Will picked up his instrument case and prepared to leave. He was drawn like a magnet however, back to the spillway railing. Dan's body had not emerged. The lake beyond the spillway looked as placid as before.
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About the Book
The book is a memoir produced in story telling style. Written initially for his family the author combines the normal day to day living with shadowy experiences, involving intelligence agents.
The story begins during World War II on board a ship anchored in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland. After his interrogation by military and government intelligence Will Brenner is coerced into a life not of his own making, where danger always appears ready to raise it’s ugly head, no matter where in the world he happens to be. He is made constantly aware that his family could be directly affected, should he fail to meet demands placed upon him.
As each chapter progresses, Will learns to adapt to a way of life that affords him the means to carry on, whilst treading a tightrope during sporadic associations with the intelligence community and the normality of everyday life. The inevitable occurs and something goes dramatically wrong, endangering his immediate family. The resultant turmoil is instrumental in bringing about drastic changes in their lives and eventually dictating the story’s conclusion.
About the Author
Will Bonner was born and raised in a small village nestled in the heart of the English countryside. The idyllic surroundings of the family cottage, which was situated alongside a river that literally flowed past the front door, concealed the day to day struggle to survive their poor and needy circumstances. Will’s teen years were lost to him by the onset of World War II, and he found himself as a young seaman subjected to attacks by German U-Boats and enemy aircraft. During this time he travelled to many parts of the world. Returning home after the war Will stayed with his family for three years during which time he married. Deciding to take advantage of associations formed during his voyages to Australia Will and Dorothy emigrated there. They were amongst the many thousands of people who were seeking a fresh start in a young country far removed from the aftermath of the war in Europe. Graduating as an Electronics Engineer he settled down to form roots and raise a family. Described in the book are the circumstances that eventually compel him to pull up those roots that they had worked so hard to establish and take the family back to his birthplace in England. The following years saw the marriage of both his children who then immigrated to Canada. In the conclusion of the final chapter of The Reluctant Agent circumstances enable Will and Dorothy to eventually join their children and live permanently in Canada. The endless hours spent by Dorothy typing the manuscript, proof reading, and editing The Reluctant Agent most certainly sustained the continuity of the writing. Its completion may not have been accomplished without her constant help and assurance.