Spies and Scoundrels: two novellas

By A Drew

This fascinating and remarkable book, ‘Spies and Scoundrels’, consists of two highly imaginative novellas. The first, ‘Time to Say Goodbye’, explores how England might look in 2026. Post pandemic with many unresolved problems remaining, Government finances are dire and the country is directionless and unstable. People have gone into voluntary lockdown to avoid the violence on the streets. The scene is set for a change of Government, with a radical plan. A scapegoat group in society is identified and vilified. History does indeed repeat itself.

‘Death’s Final Wicket’ is a spy thriller set in London, Oslo, Buenos Aires and Jerusalem. Bible Codes in the Torah (first five chapters of the Old Testament), supposedly point to various modern day events such as Hitler, Yasser Arafat and a nuclear war emanating from North Korea. Governments interpret these codes for their own ends. Meanwhile, a new terrorist organization, with its own plan, complicates matters. British Intelligence has the man with the right background to sort through the competing issues.

• Language: English
• Publisher: The Conrad Press
• Release date: Jan 6, 2023
• ISBN: 9781839785924

Book preview

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Spies and Scoundrels

- two novellas

A.N. Drew

Spies and Scoundrels - two novellas

Published by The Conrad Press in the United Kingdom 2020

Tel: [phone]

www.theconradpress.com

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ISBN 978-1-839785-92-4

Copyright © A. N. Drew 2022

All rights reserved.

Typesetting and Cover Design by: Charlotte Mouncey, www.bookstyle.co.uk

The Conrad Press logo was designed by Maria Priestley.

Preface

Spies and Scoundrels consists of two novellas by A.N. Drew

The first is Time to Say Goodbye, set in England in 2026. Covid-19 is pretty much over but England is left with massive financial challenges. Unemployment and rising inflation leave many to face the decision of eating or heating. Social unrest is everywhere.

Older people are viewed as expendable, a drain on precious Government financial resources.

The Government plan a policy of giving lethal injections to vulnerable people, those in residential homes, under the guise of a vaccine top-up. Using unsuspecting medical staff.

History does repeat itself. Will the public remain silent this time?

The second novella is Death’s Final Wicket, a spy thriller set in London, Oslo, Buenos Aires and Jerusalem. Do Bible Codes (in the Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament) which are said to have predicted modern day events such as Hitler and Yasser Arafat, point to a possible nuclear war emanating from North Korea?

As spies from various governments compete and collude, a new terrorist organization start a hunt for The Holy Grail. The scene is set to unleash the spies!

Time to Say Goodbye

A.N. Drew

CHAPTER 1

England 2026: A new dawn was promised post-pandemic, fear and social distancing were history and the world had moved on. Though the country was bankrupt, its finances being far worse than publicly disclosed, but many countries were in the same position.

A vaccine giving protection against Covid-19 had been successfully developed and administered worldwide, the richest countries being first in the queue to receive it and the poorer nations almost protected but not entirely. As long as there was protection for the influential nations, who were unlikely to come into close contact with the poorer anyway, all was well with the world.

More problems arose when the new, more viralent strain of Covid hit. New vaccines had to be developed, with top-ups.

It was planned that the vaccines should initially be topped up annually, though research was still continuing as to the effectiveness and timescale.

The Conservative government, like all governments who have been in power for some time, especially those with major issues to resolve, was highly unpopular and the country was again demanding change. All the existing political parties were suspect though, there was no confidence that any of them could successfully lead the country to where the people wanted to be. There was no unanimity as to what that position might even look like, while left, right and centre politics seemed so boring, so unreliable, so predictable. Yet those were the only options, weren’t they?

Latimer looked out from the lectern at his philosophy students. Most lecture theatres at University College were half empty at best, but the seats here were full of eager faces: Professor Latimer could pull them in. The young ladies liked to sit near the front where they could stare longingly into his deep grey eyes and admire his sharp, scholarly features framed by blond, curling locks.

They would move down to his colourful sweatshirts and on to his neatly creased denim blue jeans, ending at the inevitable leather sandals. He never wore socks, not even in the depths of winter. First, second and third-year students were equally mesmerised while postgrads, though more acceptant of his charms, still had their crushes.

That afternoon’s session was no different: three packed front rows of attentive girls on either side of the aisle, followed by the boys who were equally attentive but mostly lacking the glowing eyes.

Latimer knew the effect he had on his students but never abused their trust. He was a damned good teacher who loved and knew his subject inside out. His intellect, mixed with being an eligible bachelor in his late forties, caused many young heads to swim with outrageous fantasies.

Philosophy is known as the love of wisdom. In a broad sense, philosophy is an activity people undertake when they seek to understand fundamental truths about themselves, the world in which they live, their relationships to the world and to each other.

Latimer was expounding Kant’s Categorical Imperative (CI) theory to his first years. The students listened eagerly, titters going round when he said Kant should be pronounced Kunt.

He explained that most philosophers who find Kant’s views attractive find them so because of the Humanity Formulation of the CI. This formulation states that we should never act in such a way that we treat humanity, whether in ourselves or in others, as a means only but always as an end itself.

That morning, there were plenty of takers keen to answer his question about whether they considered Kant’s proposition to be reasonable.

He expected someone would bring up the 1961 trial of Adolf Eichmann in Jerusalem, when it was argued that Eichmann declared ‘with great emphasis that he had lived his whole life... according to a Kantian definition of duty.’ He wasn’t disappointed.

‘This is ridiculous,’ Jane protested, sitting on the second row.

‘On the face of it, his words could be considered as incomprehensible; they confirmed that he wasn’t really thinking at all, just mouthing accepted formulae, and thereby establishing his banality.’

‘Ouch!’ commented Latimer. ‘Indeed, Judge Raveh had asked Eichmann whether he thought he had really lived according to the Categorical Imperative during the war. Eichmann acknowledged he had not lived entirely according to that principle, although I would like to do so. What do you make of that?’

‘Absolute rubbish!’ exclaimed Mary from the first row.

‘Bloody useless excuse for his behaviour!’ supported John from row five.

‘Did his behaviour need explaining?’ countered Latimer.

‘Oh come on!’ Mike exploded next to John. ‘The man was a monster. They all were. Animals!’

‘And that’s giving animals a bad name,’ John added.

The debate was lively, the arguments attacking any idea that Eichmann’s behaviour was in any way understandable or excusable.

Latimer concluded by asking his students to go away and think about the issues, read the opinions of other philosophers and compare their thoughts.

As the lecture theatre emptied, he gathered up his notes into his trademark battered leather briefcase: wherever Latimer wandered, there followed his faithful companion.

*

In Latimer’s study the next morning, his tutorial group was still arguing. The five girls and three boys were hard at it, probably because they were expected to produce a paper on Kant’s Categorical Imperative. After 20 minutes of loud debate, Latimer held up his hand.

‘OK, OK. Let’s put it in simple words. In essence, his Categorical Imperative says It is our duty to act in such a manner that we would want everyone else to act in a similar manner in similar circumstances towards all other people. Explain please, someone.’

‘Everyone should treat everyone else as they would want to be treated,’ offered Elizabeth, a pretty brunette.

‘But that assumes people act reasonably in the first place. They don’t. Eichmann didn’t act reasonably,’ threw in a chubby boy with a lisp.

‘Many said he did. That’s what Nazism was all about wasn’t it: survival of the fittest. The few rule the masses for their own good,’ countered a nervous boy with a glance at Latimer, who smiled.

‘Interesting points, thank you. But who decides what is the greatest good for the greatest number? Is that how every society works? Surely it depends on who’s in charge, when it comes to who decides what is good?’

Latimer had not intended to reach this point today, but the beauty of open, free debate with keen minds always fascinated him. It could end anywhere at any time. He looked round the glowing faces and made a decision. Now was the time to bring in his 20-year obsession. They were ready.

‘Society in England has become chaotic; in the other countries of the United Kingdom, possibly less so. Work means families have to move away from their roots and start afresh, which for some is an ongoing life challenge.’ He suggested there is little stability in the social process; everything keeps moving. Many older people are kept close emotionally,