Carriage to the EmbassyIndex | Time Under Chaos | Game Logs | Carriage to the Embassy
Mandor and Ingrey "Shall we go, Counsellor?" said Mandor urbanely, indicating his own-now empty - carriage. Ingrey nodded. He pocketed the knife that Mandor's newest operative had kicked at him. Ingrey then proceeded to follow Mandor to the waiting vehicle. He stepped inside behind the Prime Minister and seated himself in the seat opposite. The Minister-Counselor waited for the carriage to begin its progress through the city toward the Embassy before Ingrey began conversation. "How long has he been your agent, sir?" Ingrey inquired, in a tone that suggested benign curiosity. "And, now with Payne safely under control, will he be a revealed, open agent henceforth?" "I think there is no question of his remaining covert now," said Mandor. He sounded amused. "One half Amber must already be aware of his betrayal. As for how long ... well, perhaps the point worth reflecting on is this. Until a few minutes ago, Johann Payne at least believed him utterly loyal to his cause. And Johann trusted him ... implicitly. And, of course, told him everything." "The betrayal was..." Ingrey paused deliberately. "nearly." He paused again for effect. "flawless." Ingrey agreed. "And the intelligence you have gotten from Damien over the years must have been a boon to your intelligence services. They are even better than I anticipated." Ingrey looked thoughtful and pensive for a moment and then smiled. "Do you have anything you wish to convey, overtly or otherwise, up the diplomatic chain of command?" Ingrey enquired. "Actually," said Mandor, "I am wondering whether the diplomatic chain of command, overtly or otherwise, will have anything they wish to discuss, concerning meetings some of them may have held with Johann Payne." He paused, smiling faintly. "You will convey my regards to the Ambassadress, won't you?" "Of course." Ingrey replied. Ingrey did not smile, instead favoring Mandor with a look of studied neutrality at Mandor's barb. "If such a meeting or meetings did occur, it or they are of course under a diplomatic seal and protectional and long since has been discussed up the diplomatic chain of command. I wouldn't think, in Amber, that such a meeting would remain a secret especially if no great pains were laid to make it so. "And even if such a meeting occurred, surely the content of said meetings are now only of archival or historical interest to anyone else, now that Payne has been neutralized." Ingrey added. "I think," said Mandor, "some of our citizens might see the matter of being as ... ah .. of more immediate interest. At least until Payne is safely dead. As, of course, he would wish. As Caine would wish too, perhaps." Ingrey nodded his head and continued. "I am certain that some details of a putative meeting or meetings, assuming that parties above me are amenable to my release of the infromation, can be shared with the government of Amber, given the change in status of one of its participants." Ingrey finished. "I shall be delighted to hear such details," said Mandor. "A fresh perspective is always so very illuminating, don't you think?" "A wise man once told me an aphorism which has the ring of truth, but, if anything, understates the matter." Ingrey replied. "There are five sides to every story." He glanced out of the carriage window. "Nearly there, I believe. Do you have any last words for me before I leave you and the Ambassadress together?" Ingrey considered this for a few moments as the triune complex of buildings of the Embassy approached. A light grew in his eyes and he nodded. "On a subject completely unrelated to Payne or your new agent." Ingrey replied. "I would counsel you to beware the wrath of Flora Oberonsdottir today. She may be angry with any and all parties who were even tangentially involved with Chadwick's visit to Petra Rossi's establishment." Ingrey said. "Even one such as you, or even one such as me." Mandor smiled. "My thanks for your warning." The carriage drew slowly to a halt. They were outside the Embassy. "Thank you for a most interesting evening, and an unexpectedly interesting morning." Ingrey said, opening the door to the carriage. He took a breath of the morning air before he moved toward disembarkation. He turned his head back to regard the Prime Minister one last time. "Please do let us know if there is anything we might do in regards to his Majesty's condition, should it not improve as it should." "The after effects of too much alcohol," said Mandor dismissively. "Surely that wasn't the first time you've seen him stumble and slur his words in public?" Ingrey finally gave a nod of assent to the Prime Minister. "Good day, Prime Minister." Ingrey added, and stepped out and away from the carriage, turning to close the door from which he departed, and then turning toward the entrance to the complex. The guards saluted. Ingrey bobbed his head in response toward the uniformed officers standing smartly at the entrance. He walked into the Embassy, heading to the Great Entrance Hall. Reverently, the Minister-Counselor walked over to the great bronze statue of the Serpent. Ingrey gave it a murmur of greeting as he reached out to touch it with two fingers, and then Ingrey proceeded toward his own offices to get an update from Ren and some coffee before the meeting with Paloma. The update came in the form of an urgent message. "I'm sorry," said Ren apologetically. "She wants to see you immediately." Ingrey tried to put a neutral mask on his face as Ren delivered the news. He finally looked down at a spot at the floor and gave a nod. "Indubitably. Thank you Ren." Ingrey exited his office suite and headed back to the staircase, and followed its graceful curve up another floor. He walked down the marble floor toward the frosted glass double doors that marked the entrance to the offices of Lady Paloma Baccaran, Ambassador Extraordinary to Amber. He gave a staccato three tap knock on the door as a means of identification and forewarning to Paloma's own secretary and assistant before opening the door and entering.
|
