THE MISFIT UNIT: 32) GRAND FINALE
My Saturday Evening Post: A Serial Novel of Intrigue & Lunacy
"Mister Smythson," says Thomas the reporter. "Would it be presumptuous of me to offer you a ride to Scotland Yard?"
Smythson assesses his odds of being able to flee on foot.
They aren’t good.
*****
Three days later, The Sunday Times trumps a "world exclusive" with this bold front-page headline: "We Expose Russian MI5 Mole!" (On an inside page, a gossip columnist reports that movie actor Bruce Willis may have played a role in their scoop.)
Colin Smythson is, by then, in the custody of Special Branch, telling all to de-briefers in exchange for unspecified and unlikely leniency.
Michael Zudex happily returned to a life of luxury in Monaco... until seized by clinical shock after discovering his name in The Sunday Times story, along with a photograph, inadvertently revealing to be the Russian intelligence operative who exposed Smythson's treachery.
Although not exactly ecstatic that his file found its way to the media, Igor Sokolov welcomed the notion that suspicion from SVR spymasters would be diverted elsewhere.
Meantime, Dalkin’s presence is required in Washington, where R. James Cloverland impatiently awaits an explanation from his mavericks-run-amuck.
*****
Michael Zudex tries to flee on his yacht. He believes he is one step ahead of everyone... until Baldy, on orders from Moscow, puts Zudex to bed.
A seabed, where he will eternally rest with Jason Groner and two Ukrainians.
Igor Sokolov quits the spook biz. He could have retired to the Black Sea with his share of booty, but the Russian remains in Britain to launch his own tour-guide service, which he calls A Spy's London.
Rhoda Rigglesworth v. Ding-a-Ling Widgets and Jeff Dalkin goes on for years and years and years, akin to Charles Dickens’ Bleak House.
Endowed by the SVR's multi-million dollar payment to Ralph Serafina, Dalkin's misfit unit goes on to become the most effective component within the US/UK intelligence community.
Colin Smythson is convicted of treason and sentenced to twenty-years' confinement at H.M. Bellmarsh Prison.
It is in maximum security that Cockles finds his bosom buddies, Mussels and Winkles.
Or they find him.
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