[b]Triskelion
Washington D.C.
March 25th, 2005
20:22 Local Time[/b]


Nick Fury leaned back in his chair as he read the report Smiley handed him the second he walked into the director's office. The document, compiled by Smiley on the flight from Jakarta, contained the entire narrative of Operation Fish Fry from start to finish. Smiley dictated the typing to Stevenson who, despite his large frame and even larger hands, was a swift typist. Smiley always reverted to chicken pecking when it came to working a keyboard and preferred to have someone else do the writing. The report was finished and ready for Fury's consumption before their flight even touched down in Germany for their brief layover. 

Fury laid the papers on his desk and picked an unlit cigar up. Despite the numerous no smoking signs, Fury always walked around the headquarters with a stub of a cigar clenched between his teeth. The director waited until his cigar was lit before speaking.

"Really would have liked to have Tiger Shark come in alive."

"As would I, but a man prepared to take his own life is a man who will not be turned or provide information."

Fury grunted and went back to the report on his desk.

"And Jackson? Are you confident he'll be committed to our side?"

"He sold out his country for blackmail and pocket change," Smiley said with a small cough. He felt a cold coming on. The extensive travel of the past few days had taken its toll. "We have him dead to rights, Nicholas. Jackson will sell his soul to keep out of prison."

Fury stood and walked to a shelf behind his desk. He took a bottle of scotch and two glasses from the shelf and placed them on the desk.

"What about the two agents involved with Jackson, Fontaine and Stevenson? You gave them a clean bill of health, but they still let a double agent operate under their nose."

"I poured over their entire history and both of them are top quality. They were wasted in Jakarta and deserve a chance to work somewhere that matters."

With the cigar still in his mouth, Fury poured two glasses of scotch and slid one across the table to Smiley.

"Well I have news on my front. The Yemen end of this op came out successful, our assets in the country were able to stabilize the situation and prevent a coup. All around a successful op. We sent a message to the bastards and let them know we won't take it lying down. Cheers."

They clinked glasses and took long swigs from the glasses. The scotch warmed Smiley's throat and chest and seemed to help the congestion he felt coming on. The liquor felt good on another level. Fury was right that it wasn't perfect, but they killed a HYDRA agent, turned a double agent to their side, and stopped a revolutionary coup in the Middle East. For the first time in almost twenty years, Smiley felt accomplishment.

"The Senate has set a date for your confirmation hearing. Since it's in the realm of intelligence, the hearings will be closed to the public. No grandstanding, but the bastards will go over your history with a fine tooth comb. Are you prepared for that?"

"I did the same to your agents yesterday, Nicholas. I would not subject that to someone if I myself were not prepared to endure it."

"I have faith in you," Fury said with a wink. "They won't know what hit them, the poor bastards. Welcome back to the Game, George."

Smiley finished off his drink and placed it on the desk. He thought of Peter Guilliam's warning from a few days earlier. Eyes were on him from all sides. Every step or move he would make would be subject to scrutiny from America's enemies and allies. He had to play a deeper ruse within and outside SHIELD. It was imperative to play it so that he kept everyone guessing, even those closest to him. That was the only way for his plan to dismantle HYDRA to work. The spy agencies of the world didn't know it, but the thing they feared most had come to pass. George Smiley was back in his element, and he was sharper than ever.