Mention Jane. When the name Custer was mentioned, perhaps it was my illusion, C's hand holding the pen trembled imperceptibly.
He didn't let me go.
"Allen, you know what's going on. The Air Force planes are very tight, and it's a big decision to send a squadron to protect Newcastle. If we send planes, it'll make the rest of the defense weaker. So I need You swear that every word you say is true."
"I swear."
"Including the contents of the secret telegram you received?"
"Including the contents of the telegram," I said.
"One even says 'To Alan Custer'?"
"Yes, sir. But I just accepted the information and never took the initiative to contact the other party."
"After you deciphered the code, you didn't submit it, did you? And you kept deciphering it?"
"I don't think it matters." I said, "And she might be my mother! My mother is not treasonous!"
C lowered his voice and repeated: "Submitted, or not?"
"No."
He nodded in satisfaction and asked me to wait in the reception room next door. The door of the meeting room was closed again. I sat bored on the leather chair in the reception room, watching the beautiful maid who brought refreshments push the cart in and out.
It wasn't until the setting sun lit up the entire conference room that the door opened for the second time. The meeting is over and everyone walks out. Andrew was last, and C was just ahead of him.
I looked towards Andrew, but saw C walking all the way to me. He was wearing a gray overcoat, holding an ebony and silver-tipped cane in his hand, standing in front of me, looking up and down: "Oh, Alan, I'm glad you haven't left. Otherwise, it would take a long time to find you."
"How about Newcastle?"
"You don't have to worry. Alan, you really look like Jane." He smiled almost kindly: "If I look at you again, I can't help but regret it. Oh, I have a small farm in the Lake District. It would be nice to go back to the country. There will be grapes in the autumn, and lavender fields... But the political struggle is not so easy, and Andremon García will have to pay at least something to replace me—for example, you?"
"I don't understand what you say, sir?"
"I loved Jane, but your character is too much like your father, Ellen. That's not pleasant."
"Please shut up. I'll take care of this."
I turned around and saw Andrew. He put both hands in the pockets of his trousers and stood behind me with a cold face. I've never seen him look so ugly.
His green eyes narrowed, and his tone could almost be called arrogant: "I said, just because you don't like me, doesn't mean you can touch my people."
C just shrugged his shoulders and walked away: "Young man, I haven't left my job yet. I'm waiting for the result of your handling."
"You said you would trust me, sir. Back in May, when you were still here, you said that although you couldn't trust my mother back then, you could trust me without any additional conditions." I stopped him and spoke in a hurry: "gentlemen?"
C stopped and turned his back to me: "Did I say that? I forgot."
I feel a little cold all over my body.
"I've been wondering since just now... Did you betray my mother in the same way, so she had to go to Berlin in the end. You promised to trust her and betrayed that trust after you found out that the Nazis had written to my father. My mother has always loved Britain as long as I can remember, and that has never changed."
C didn't answer me. At that moment, I felt that his back seemed to become hunched. As if lead had been poured into those few words, or his spine suddenly couldn't bear the weight of decades. He didn't answer me, but walked forward step by step. Every step he took, the cane hit the floor, forming a clear echo in the corridor. C looks more like an old man than ever.
I asked Andymond what was the deal with Coventry and Newcastle.
Andrew said not to worry.
"Honey, can you drop me back?" I asked.
It was dinner time, and there was no one in the corridor. Andemont suddenly hugged my waist tightly and hugged me for a long time without saying a word.
"Alan, you won't go back." His voice was soft, with a slightly apologetic tone: "Your analysis is correct, but your mother worked for the Nazis, and your friend proved that he was a German spy, and now he is with you. Someone from the Berlin Intelligence Agency tried to contact you, and you did not report this to the organization for a long time - this is a big mistake. C insists on punishing you, and for the security of the Intelligence Agency, you are imprisoned - I have signed and agreed gone."
I feel a little dazed: "The straw that broke the camel's back? I just want to restore my mother's honor."
"That's just 'could' be your mother. Alan, do you remember what I said? This is MI6. If you defect, you will be dealt with secretly. If you are suspected of defecting, you will also be dealt with secretly. And I was the one who signed the processing order. That's why I didn't want you to enter Plimpton Manor at the beginning." Andemon hugged me tightly again: "Don't worry, it's just a simple detention to restrict your personal freedom."
"How long?" I found it ironic: "The war is over?"
Andemon kissed my face: "Well, the war is over."
"Sorry, I could have done more. But now the situation is special, I will soon take over C's position as the head of the Intelligence Bureau, so I can't stand up to protect you. I can only do... This matter is up to me deal with."
In his memory, after finishing saying this, Andmon had a slightly sad expression, his eyelashes drooped, and his lips were pursed. He wanted to help me, and he tried to interrupt me during the meeting, but to no avail. He also knew it was futile, and that if the RAF were to send planes to protect Newcastle, I would have to confess the deciphered ciphertext. If I confess them, I will surely lose the trust of the authorities.
This is a critical moment for Anderson's succession, and he cannot trust me. He couldn’t come out and say, this is Alan Castor, the man I love—even though he’s a mother in Berlin, his friends are Nazis, he’s gay. He made a mistake and did not report the intelligence in time, but I firmly believe that he has no intention of contacting Berlin.
He can only sign my punishment decision, and then say that he is responsible for the implementation of this matter.
This is why Andremund has always refused me to enter Plimpton Manor.
Not so long ago he even invited me back to my uncle's house in Beckenfordshire, saying that C. would certainly blackmail him with me. And then he probably won't be able to help me.
He just said, Allen, wait for me. until the end of the war. If I can't come to you after the war, I must be dead.
I began to understand why my mother chose Berlin in the end. Maybe she paid a lot, but at the most critical time, because of a letter to her father, or like me now, a secret message, she was added to the blacklist of the Intelligence Bureau.
In some ways, the intelligence agency has been making the wrong choices.
Andemon hesitated for a long time, and asked me, "Allen, you won't run away, will you?"
I said, "No. You don't have to handcuff me."
I turned around to take one last look at the Capitol building in the afterglow of the setting sun, closed my eyes, and Peter took out a black ribbon to cover my eyes and helped me into the car.
Rolls-Royce galloped smoothly, and Anderson held my hand.
He said, "Don't be afraid, Alan. There's nothing to fear, you'll be safe."
"Arnold told you that there is a facility for spies in the West End. Are we going there?"
Andmon didn't answer, he just took my hand and kissed the back of it.
"I can come and see you often," he said, "and so can your friends."
"Would you like to see Alan Custer, who was imprisoned for being suspected of collaborating with the enemy?" I asked desperately, "If C steps down, and you have done a good job as the director of the General Intelligence Bureau, is it possible for me to come out? "
"The Prime Minister has signed off on your opinion," he said softly. "Personally, I want you to wait until the war is over. It's safe there."
Before coming to Downing Street, I just packed a lot of materials in a hurry without preparing anything. I didn't even get to take a second look at something I liked. That was the last time I left Office One and never came back.
There is a high-walled building in the West End of London, pulling the grid, and soldiers with guns guard the entrance gloomyly. Inside the high walls is an abandoned prison, which was later converted into a secret agency of the Intelligence Service. I was placed in a watchtower to the west. Solid gray walls, long dusty stairs to the top of the tower. There are specially set guard soldiers downstairs.
The stone windows are not big, just enough to see the main entrance of the institution. I could see Andymond's car driving in on errands, and the guards saluting him. Peter opened the car door. Wearing a black windbreaker, he got out of the car from the side door and walked towards me.
When he got to the bottom of the watchtower, he would look up and smile, as if he knew I was watching him from the window.
The decision to deal with it was so sudden that it took me a long time to get used to the fact that I couldn't get out of the tower until the war was over.
And what broke my heart was that on the third day of being dealt with by the Intelligence Service, I heard rumors that Coventry had been bombed. The guard who brought my food was talking about it—no defense, no one knew that the German planes would come and attack here. The air raid took place in the middle of the night and lasted for nearly ten hours, leaving the ancient city of Coventry in ruins. No one knows exactly how many people were killed in the air strikes.
Andrew came to see me, and I asked him why, why didn't Coventry resist
"Alan, your analysis is correct. Hitler is testing whether we have deciphered the 'mystery'. We can't protect Coventry at the risk of changing the password system in Germany now, we can only sacrifice it."
He stood by the window, looking very quiet. Seen from here, the sky is always gray-blue, and there are often pigeons circling.
"But Newcastle is fine. The Royal Air Force sent a squadron, and there was a fierce air battle that night, and Newcastle was saved." He shook his head: "Allen, it was the Prime Minister's decision to abandon Coventry , but the reason is given by you - Germany is testing us."
I sat on the edge of the bed, feeling very uncomfortable.
Andrew came over and put his hand on my shoulder. He thought for a while and said, "But I am the one who suggested to the Prime Minister to abandon the city. Alan, if you feel the responsibility, then we each take half of it. Once the war starts, we can only do it with the least sacrifice and the fastest way to end it."
There is not much space on the top floor of the tower, with small windowsills. Beneath the window was a wooden desk painted green, the paint half peeled off. Against the wall was a narrow wire bed, covered with white linen sheets. Nothing else. There are no cupboards, everything is packed into wooden boxes under the bed.
On the pillow is a copy of Yeats's poems, the one given to me by Anderson. He brought it for me, along with other books, paper, pens, and my usual notebook.
"Honey, you have time now to solve Hilbert's seven math problems." He kissed my forehead.
Andemon asked me: "Alan, do you regret falling in love with me?"
I smiled bitterly: "Sorry."
"I guess one day you will regret it. But it's too late." He hugged me from behind, put his chin on my shoulder, and said with a smile in his voice: "The person in Berlin who tried to contact you is still intermittently We sent intelligence. We used the same code to contact her back. She is indeed your mother—Jane. Mrs. Custer. Ellen, you have a gentle mother."