Harry Pearce, where are you?
Notes.
This is based on the premise of the pre-credits sequence of Spooks 9.1. It is fair to say that it deviates somewhat after that.
Thanks to handy-melon for her helpful comments
Freddy checked the fuel gauge on the Mystery Machine.
"We're nearly out of gas," he said. "Daphne, can you see where the nearest gas station is?"
"No signal," she replied, peering at the screen of her i-phone. "But there's a house there - we could stop and ask." The house loomed greyly against the clouds and Daphne looked at the sign fastened to the gate. "Fulkirk House," she read.
"Zoiks, it looks creepy," said Shaggy. "There's bats!"
"Aarrggghhhhh," said Scooby.
"They're blackbirds," said Velma.
"I knew that," said Shaggy
***
Freddy knocked on the door and asked Nick if he could give him directions to the nearest gas station.
"Sure. Come in." he said. "I'm Nicholas," said Nick, leading them into the kitchen "and this is Ros. She's my..."
"Mistress," said Ros.
"Hmm," said Nick. "My wife Julia is coming up tomorrow. Bit of a tricky situation, really, so I'm making a pie."
"With carrots?" asked Shaggy, horrified.
"Don't you like carrots?"
"Uh-uh," said Scooby.
"They're good for you," said Nick.
"I don't care," said Shaggy. "How about you, Scoob?"
"Uh-uh."
"May I ask you something sir?" said Freddy.
"Sure," said Nick.
"You don't seem fazed by a talking dog. Most people are at least a bit... um, taken aback."
"Well," he said, "When I was Home Secretary, I was briefed about 5's experiments with talking dogs. I presumed that Shaggy was CIA and taught Scooby."
Freddy burst out laughing.
"Shaggy couldn't teach *anyone* English," he said. "He flunked it three times himself."
Velma and Daphne smiled politely. The boys didn't know that in fact they were the ones who had been fast-tracked into the CIA and that Scooby was one of the most successful dogs in the programme. Unfortunately he was temperamentally unsuitable for service. Still, he did work on undercover crime fighting duties.
Velma pulled Daphne aside.
"I knew I recognised him from somewhere," she whispered. "Nicholas Blake. I'm sure I've seen some intel on him recently. Wish I had a signal."
"Darling," said Nick. "Could you get them directions to the petrol station?"
"OK," said Ros. She took Velma and Daphne over to a laptop in the corner of the kitchen and searched for a map.
"So you've got broadband out here," Velma said to Ros, surprised.
"Yes. When Nick was Home Secretary, he got this expensive cable put in."
"I don't suppose we could..."
"...check our Facebook," interrupted Daphne, in case Velma said something to give them away.
Ros rolled her eyes. Young people and their social networking.
"Of course."
Velma logged onto the CIA network.
"Yep, I was right. See - Nicholas Blake. Framed for embezzling £4 million and then framed for being a member of Nightingale's inner circle. You couldn't make it up could you?"
Daphne laughed. It was too ridiculous.
"You do think that MI5 know?" added Velma, doubtfully.
"What's their analyst's name? Evershed isn't it?" asked Daphne.
"Mmm-hm."
"What's she like? Dogged?"
"Always."
"Brilliant?"
"Usually."
"A bitch?"
"Occasionally."
"Infallible."
"Nuh-uh."
"So maybe they don't... Wait, isn't that Harry Pearce coming up the drive?"
"Hmm," said Velma. "He's got black gloves on."
"Well, it is cold..."
Velma sighed impatiently. "Haven't you noticed that in the movies, the baddies always have black gloves? It shows they're EVILZ. Scooby," she called, "we've got some work to do."
***
Harry poured a glass of whisky for Nick, and turned round to pass it to him.
Scooby dashed in and knocked the glass out of Harry's hand.
"Whoops," he said.
Harry tutted.
"Never mind," said Nick. "I can get another."
"I'll do it," said Harry. He poured out another glass and turned around.
"Hello Harry," said Ros.
Harry was so shocked that he dropped the glass.
"What are you doing here?" asked Harry, taken aback. "I thought you were dead."
"Yes, I gathered that," said Ros, "seeing that you were at my funeral. But after I failed to rescue yet another person, I just couldn't face all those debriefings, telling me to take all the time I needed - it was too much. So I came here. Tell Ruth that it was a nice choice of poem by the way."
"You were there?"
"I knew you didn't recognise me... But you weren't there Nick," she said to him.
"Um, I knew you were alive," he said.
"Still, it would have shown respect."
"Anyway," said Harry, remembering why he had come, "I must get you that drink, Nicholas."
He hoped that it worked out this time. He had only brought three lots of poison. Good job Ruth had told him to bring spares eh?
"I'm parched. Can I have it?" Ros asked, taking the glass from Harry.
Harry ran his hand through what hair he had remaining.
"No," he said, "That's for Nicholas."
"You can get him another."
"No, seriously...you shouldn't drink it."
Velma and Daphne came in.
"Seriously you shouldn't... because it's poisoned," said Daphne.
"Is this where I say I would have gotten away with it if it hadn't been for you meddling kids?" asked Harry.
Daphne rolled her eyes.
"Oh please. That is such a cliché."
Nick looked astounded "Poisoned? But why Harry?"
"Harry thought you were part of Nightingale," said Velma.
"Me," said Nick, "part of Nightingale?" He laughed. Then he saw Harry's face and stopped. "You can't be serious. That's preposterous. *I* told you about them. They framed me..."
"Twice..." put in Velma."
"Twice?" asked Nick.
"Uh-huh," she said. "And Ruth fell for it, so Harry decided to bump you off... because they thought you'd ordered Ros's death."
Nick looked even more shocked .
"Why would I do that when I, um... value her as a colleague," he asked.
Ros looked him and raised an eyebrow.
Harry scratched his head. "Well, I seem to have got it wrong. I'll be off then."
Velma cleared her throat. "I don't know how it is in England..."
"Scotland," put in Ros.
"...Scotland" continued Velma, "but in the US, attempted murder of a Minister of State is *quite* serious."
"Oh it's OK," said Nick. "You won't do it again, will you Harry?"
"Well...," said Harry.
"See?"
Velma looked unconvinced, but shrugged. "OK," she said. "If you're sure."
Harry looked relieved. "So," he said. "What do you two get up to out in the wilds?"
"Um, we play Scrabble," said Nick.
Harry nodded. Just the sort of cerebral game he thought Nicholas might play.
"Woof," said Scooby.
"Indeed," said Ros. "What a remarkably perceptive dog you have there,um..."
"Norville, ma'am," said Shaggy. He was much impressed by Ros.
"Well," said Nick, "perhaps you should marry Ruth - keep the pair of you out of mischief. No more murdering innocent people eh?"
Harry looked glum. "She turned me down," he said.
"Oh well, ask her over for a game of Scrabble. Works for us, doesn't it Ros?"
Ros smiled. "I still don't know how you got..." she whispered in his ear "...with seven letters."
Nick blushed slightly and Harry wondered if Scrabble was as cerebral as he'd thought. "I cheated," he said. "I didn't think you minded."
"No," she said, "I didn't."
Harry looked puzzled and said it was time to leave.
"I'll just see him out," said Nick, "then the rest of us can have some pie!"
"Eww carrots," said Shaggy.
"Did I say carrots? This is Scotland - it's haggis!"
This is based on the premise of the pre-credits sequence of Spooks 9.1. It is fair to say that it deviates somewhat after that.
Thanks to handy-melon for her helpful comments
Freddy checked the fuel gauge on the Mystery Machine.
"We're nearly out of gas," he said. "Daphne, can you see where the nearest gas station is?"
"No signal," she replied, peering at the screen of her i-phone. "But there's a house there - we could stop and ask." The house loomed greyly against the clouds and Daphne looked at the sign fastened to the gate. "Fulkirk House," she read.
"Zoiks, it looks creepy," said Shaggy. "There's bats!"
"Aarrggghhhhh," said Scooby.
"They're blackbirds," said Velma.
"I knew that," said Shaggy
***
Freddy knocked on the door and asked Nick if he could give him directions to the nearest gas station.
"Sure. Come in." he said. "I'm Nicholas," said Nick, leading them into the kitchen "and this is Ros. She's my..."
"Mistress," said Ros.
"Hmm," said Nick. "My wife Julia is coming up tomorrow. Bit of a tricky situation, really, so I'm making a pie."
"With carrots?" asked Shaggy, horrified.
"Don't you like carrots?"
"Uh-uh," said Scooby.
"They're good for you," said Nick.
"I don't care," said Shaggy. "How about you, Scoob?"
"Uh-uh."
"May I ask you something sir?" said Freddy.
"Sure," said Nick.
"You don't seem fazed by a talking dog. Most people are at least a bit... um, taken aback."
"Well," he said, "When I was Home Secretary, I was briefed about 5's experiments with talking dogs. I presumed that Shaggy was CIA and taught Scooby."
Freddy burst out laughing.
"Shaggy couldn't teach *anyone* English," he said. "He flunked it three times himself."
Velma and Daphne smiled politely. The boys didn't know that in fact they were the ones who had been fast-tracked into the CIA and that Scooby was one of the most successful dogs in the programme. Unfortunately he was temperamentally unsuitable for service. Still, he did work on undercover crime fighting duties.
Velma pulled Daphne aside.
"I knew I recognised him from somewhere," she whispered. "Nicholas Blake. I'm sure I've seen some intel on him recently. Wish I had a signal."
"Darling," said Nick. "Could you get them directions to the petrol station?"
"OK," said Ros. She took Velma and Daphne over to a laptop in the corner of the kitchen and searched for a map.
"So you've got broadband out here," Velma said to Ros, surprised.
"Yes. When Nick was Home Secretary, he got this expensive cable put in."
"I don't suppose we could..."
"...check our Facebook," interrupted Daphne, in case Velma said something to give them away.
Ros rolled her eyes. Young people and their social networking.
"Of course."
Velma logged onto the CIA network.
"Yep, I was right. See - Nicholas Blake. Framed for embezzling £4 million and then framed for being a member of Nightingale's inner circle. You couldn't make it up could you?"
Daphne laughed. It was too ridiculous.
"You do think that MI5 know?" added Velma, doubtfully.
"What's their analyst's name? Evershed isn't it?" asked Daphne.
"Mmm-hm."
"What's she like? Dogged?"
"Always."
"Brilliant?"
"Usually."
"A bitch?"
"Occasionally."
"Infallible."
"Nuh-uh."
"So maybe they don't... Wait, isn't that Harry Pearce coming up the drive?"
"Hmm," said Velma. "He's got black gloves on."
"Well, it is cold..."
Velma sighed impatiently. "Haven't you noticed that in the movies, the baddies always have black gloves? It shows they're EVILZ. Scooby," she called, "we've got some work to do."
***
Harry poured a glass of whisky for Nick, and turned round to pass it to him.
Scooby dashed in and knocked the glass out of Harry's hand.
"Whoops," he said.
Harry tutted.
"Never mind," said Nick. "I can get another."
"I'll do it," said Harry. He poured out another glass and turned around.
"Hello Harry," said Ros.
Harry was so shocked that he dropped the glass.
"What are you doing here?" asked Harry, taken aback. "I thought you were dead."
"Yes, I gathered that," said Ros, "seeing that you were at my funeral. But after I failed to rescue yet another person, I just couldn't face all those debriefings, telling me to take all the time I needed - it was too much. So I came here. Tell Ruth that it was a nice choice of poem by the way."
"You were there?"
"I knew you didn't recognise me... But you weren't there Nick," she said to him.
"Um, I knew you were alive," he said.
"Still, it would have shown respect."
"Anyway," said Harry, remembering why he had come, "I must get you that drink, Nicholas."
He hoped that it worked out this time. He had only brought three lots of poison. Good job Ruth had told him to bring spares eh?
"I'm parched. Can I have it?" Ros asked, taking the glass from Harry.
Harry ran his hand through what hair he had remaining.
"No," he said, "That's for Nicholas."
"You can get him another."
"No, seriously...you shouldn't drink it."
Velma and Daphne came in.
"Seriously you shouldn't... because it's poisoned," said Daphne.
"Is this where I say I would have gotten away with it if it hadn't been for you meddling kids?" asked Harry.
Daphne rolled her eyes.
"Oh please. That is such a cliché."
Nick looked astounded "Poisoned? But why Harry?"
"Harry thought you were part of Nightingale," said Velma.
"Me," said Nick, "part of Nightingale?" He laughed. Then he saw Harry's face and stopped. "You can't be serious. That's preposterous. *I* told you about them. They framed me..."
"Twice..." put in Velma."
"Twice?" asked Nick.
"Uh-huh," she said. "And Ruth fell for it, so Harry decided to bump you off... because they thought you'd ordered Ros's death."
Nick looked even more shocked .
"Why would I do that when I, um... value her as a colleague," he asked.
Ros looked him and raised an eyebrow.
Harry scratched his head. "Well, I seem to have got it wrong. I'll be off then."
Velma cleared her throat. "I don't know how it is in England..."
"Scotland," put in Ros.
"...Scotland" continued Velma, "but in the US, attempted murder of a Minister of State is *quite* serious."
"Oh it's OK," said Nick. "You won't do it again, will you Harry?"
"Well...," said Harry.
"See?"
Velma looked unconvinced, but shrugged. "OK," she said. "If you're sure."
Harry looked relieved. "So," he said. "What do you two get up to out in the wilds?"
"Um, we play Scrabble," said Nick.
Harry nodded. Just the sort of cerebral game he thought Nicholas might play.
"Woof," said Scooby.
"Indeed," said Ros. "What a remarkably perceptive dog you have there,um..."
"Norville, ma'am," said Shaggy. He was much impressed by Ros.
"Well," said Nick, "perhaps you should marry Ruth - keep the pair of you out of mischief. No more murdering innocent people eh?"
Harry looked glum. "She turned me down," he said.
"Oh well, ask her over for a game of Scrabble. Works for us, doesn't it Ros?"
Ros smiled. "I still don't know how you got..." she whispered in his ear "...with seven letters."
Nick blushed slightly and Harry wondered if Scrabble was as cerebral as he'd thought. "I cheated," he said. "I didn't think you minded."
"No," she said, "I didn't."
Harry looked puzzled and said it was time to leave.
"I'll just see him out," said Nick, "then the rest of us can have some pie!"
"Eww carrots," said Shaggy.
"Did I say carrots? This is Scotland - it's haggis!"