Ruth's Diary - No. 4 (2.4)

[almh]

Sorry it's late but I've had mocks, and a practical Chemistry exam today...

[23 November 2003]

England won the Rugby World Cup today. I'm not that interested in rugby, never have been. In my opinion sport is fairly pointless, but I would make an exception if Johnny Wilkinson proposed to me. Harry seemed a little confused by this. I didn't see what there was to be confused by.

[25 November 2003]

Another assignment - a question of money laundering in Bowman and Co. One of the employees appears to have stolen money from the bank, shouldn't take too long to fix. The only problem is that the government don't trust MI5, and I'm meant to be reporting back to Amanda Roke about Section D's activities. Is this really right? Should one department spy on another?

I'm going to have to tell Amanda about Danny working undercover at the bank. Surely there's nothing wrong with telling her? She's involved in this operation too, it's in her interest to know what's going on. Mind you, Danny is only undercover because MI5 suspect the government of not telling them everything. When will this blanket of unnecessary silence end? Interdepartmental communication is almost non-existent, it seems. I wonder if the only way GCHQ and the government know what's going on in MI5 through moles such as myself, and vice versa.

Anyway, I spent most of today teaching Danny the skills of a trader. I was the only person on the Grid who really knew how traders worked, after all, my ex-boyfriend was a trader, and it was easy to pick things up.

[26 November 2003]

The man who was supposed to have laundered money was found crucified on a common. It really is horrific what people do to each other, not only kill but kill and torture, to bring immense pain to the victim. There's something peculiar about the crucifixion though, it doesn't seem like your normal crucifixion (in so far as a crucifixion can be normal). Another mystery to unravel tomorrow.

[27 November 2003]

Amanda Roke contacted me today, asking for details of what was going on inside Section D. I had to tell her, I have no choice in the matter any more. The more this goes on, however, the more I question it. Is it really right that I spy on MI5? If I hadn't agreed though, I wouldn't be here. The work at MI5 is definitely more stimulating and interesting. I spent most of this morning trying to find out to which account in Switzerland the money was laundered to, and also to research Maxi Baxter, another trader at Bowman's who Danny thinks slept with Jonny Lightwood (our money-laundering trader.)

I remembered where I recognised the crucifixion from. It's a Russian crucifixion, which means that our seemingly simple money laundering mission has just got deeper.

[29 November 2003]

It's suddenly all got complicated. Amanda Roke stormed into Thames House with the information I gave her about our operative (Danny) inside Bowman's Bank. Quite rightly Harry and Tom got annoyed, and sent Colin to find out who the mole was. It wasn't long before they found me out. I'm surprised that they never guessed sooner. Someone leaking information to GCHQ within Section D. I thought I'd be the most obvious suspect. I'm now on probation, and have to report false information back to GCHQ. I thought they would have sent me back on the first train to Cheltenham. I don't really know why they've let me stay.

[30 November 2003]

Maxine Baxter, the person Danny was sent to get closer to, who had slept with Jonny Lightwood, isn't who we think she is. Maxine Anne Baxter died, her supposed birth certificate belonged to a dead 3 month old girl. In all probability the person we know as Maxi Baxter is the daughter of a prominent member of the KGB. Now we know for certain that the Russians are involved - when the $20 billion dollars of aid, Victor Schvitkoy approached the head of Bowman's bank to launder the money for him. The British Government plan to sting Schvitkoy and take the money for themselves. It's a maze of secrets and lies and half-truths.

[7 December 2003]

The operation went both well, and badly. The NHS now has $19 billion of funding, which will not be acknowledged as the laundered money stolen from the Americans, of course. The head of Bowman's bank died under the stress of the operation. Harry has only once acknowledged that I was the mole, with a simple, "Do not ever spy on us again or I'll have you deported," before quickly leaving. Other than that he's been acting normal around me. I feel so guilty about betraying them, as Tom put it, but I think it was the right decision. I hope it was.