Synopsis "The Cold Mile"
This was set at the turn of the 80s, and tells of a duel between the KGB and M115 (CIA). Alleged discovery of uranium in Central American Republic of Santa Verdad.¬ Santa Verdad's President plans grand diplomatic/trade tour to secure economic and military aid from the Western bloc. M115, through Sir James McIntyre's Military Information Reconnaissance Group (MIRG) prepare elaborate security arrangements. KGB tries to penetrate the security network. Their agent, Viktor Nagel, is ever vigilant. He knows Sir James's HQ and vets all who visit it. One of these is Richard Summers, chief bodyguard - alcoholic, unhappy in his domestic life, who falls in love with Marian, film crew assistant from Canada. Viktor has got to know her through local bars. Contact and surveillance is established at Viktor's Baltavian Club, where some M115 officers, including Summers, gather for a party. Through Summers' indiscretions, and Marian's continuing trust in Viktor, KGB get a clearer idea of the itinerary which they can shadow.There is another vital link between the two sides: identical twins, born in Germany, separated at birth - Mark working for the East, Paul for the West. Both sides know of their existence and incorporates them into their networks in the hope of infiltrating the other side. This almost happens when Mark seduces Sir James's secretary, Helen Coldstream, when she is heartbroken at being effectively dismissed by her boss. However, during a lover's tiff, she accidentally kills Mark with a poison spray (part of his hardware). She is spirited away by the other twin, who is convinced that she has leaked out some vital information. Terrified by him, she gives a false confession to get him off her back. The ruse succeeds. TWIST: The 'President' under escort is a decoy rigged up by the West, in conjunction with Santa Verdad's Secretary of State, to draw the fire of La Venganza and their KGB supporters, flush them out, and bag some of them.Helen's innuendo convinces Paul that she has let the cat out of the bag about the decoy. If this is so, the General (KGB) controlling the La Venganza operation, must be put off the scent or scotched. Assuming Mark's identity (with Sir James's approval), he obtains audience with the General. Either as a deceptive ploy or as a suicidal impulse, he tells the General about the decoy. The General shoots him (knowing already of the real Mark's decease), and is now convinced that the President is genuine.Maria Teresa Hagan is central to La Venganza's intelligence, working for them partly under blackmail and coercion. She 'services' the group, and does fast-moving liaison work. Through Viktor, she is able to get close to the Summers network, but shortly before the big 'swoop', she discovers that her bosses were responsible for the past murder of her lover, and changes sides. Nicolo Peron, Newscaster for Radio Verdi, joins in the operation. He seems at first to be a buffoon, and is summarily dismissed by Viktor. Determined to be taken seriously, he goes to Geneva, to find that the so-called President is an impostor - for he, Nicolo, has interviewed the real one. He tries to tell his comrades of this, but they do not believe him. He is suspected of treachery and killed by his own side. This reinforces Maria Teresa's volte face. There is a grand 'shoot-out' on a skiing slope in Switzerland, where a carefully-laid plan is put out of joint by the human factor. Partly prompted by Viktor, Marian goes out there to save the life of her true love. Maria Teresa allies herself with Marian and leads her to the main action. Maria Teresa perishes, as does the 'President'. Three members of La Venganza fall. Richard summers has minor wounds; the General gets away. Both sides lick their wounds and take stock.TWIST: The uranium deposits remain unauthenticated. The whole business might have been an elaborate hoax.
