Still reeling from Doctor Jackal’s decision, MI6s team of enhanced individuals are shattered and trying to work out how to convince Henry not to leave. The team consists of Mademoiselle Mimi Dubois, La Résistance fighter and mistress of skills; Miss Madeline Forsyth, SOE operative and a living shadow; Sven Hyse, Norwegian Resistance soldier and shapeshifter; and hopefully Doctor Jackal, timid physician with his less than timid friend Mister Hades.

Euston Station, London, April 1942
Sergeant Williams gives the freight car yet another once over, checking to make sure that all of the oil drums are secured and that the guards are alert. He spots Private Fort staring out of the freight car doorway and along the platform, Sergeant Williams follows his gaze and realises that he is staring at a very attractive blonde stood in the rain smoking a cigarette. Typical of Private Franklin Fort, the man should be a Sergeant at least by now, maybe even higher given his abilities. But his temper puts him in constant hot water, and the incident of insubordination during the Battle of Dunkirk didn’t help at all. Regardless of the fact that it saved hundreds of lives.

Hanslope Park, Buckinghamshire, England, November 1942

Over the two days after Doctor Jackal walked out of the briefing we make a couple of attempts to reconcile with him. However, they do not go well. It culminates in a blazing argument between Doctor Jackal and both Madeline and Sven over saving one quarter of the German troopers that we encounter. We try to agree that we will attempt to save as many lives as possible, but the argument spirals out of all control and ends up with Henry storming out.

I later discovered that that he went straight to Captain Ledman and attempted to resign his commission. But I guess that Ledman convinced him to stay around and work with the science teams on the enhanced formula as he moved out of Hut 17B and into accommodation with the scientists. Captain Ledman visited us that evening and spoke to all three of us to see what we thought of the situation and if it could be resolved. I overheard Sven refer to Doctor Jackal as a conscientious objector, and it was easy to overhear Madeline shout;

The man is an idiot!

I agree that it is not likely to be tenable for the team to continue to work with Henry. Captain Ledman says that he is disappointed, but understands. With the decision made we all agree that we need to move on, and the best way to do that is to start planning the next mission. It’s always about the next mission.

The following day we request a briefing with Captain Ledman to get information about the Wewelsburg Schloss mission. Ledman visits us in Hut 17B and brings a number of maps of the target area with him. He also informs us that he believes that they have a potential candidate to replace Doctor Jackal in the team. A replacement with enhanced capabilities. We are all stunned into silence, eventually Madeline says what we are all thinking;

I thought that you said that we were the only enhanced on the Allied side?

I give him his due, Captain Ledman at least had the good grace to look slightly guilty, but he admitted that he had not been entirely truthful with us and he summed it up with a single word;

Compartmentalisation!

Captain Ledman went on to tell us that the proposed member was a Private Franklin Fort. He was one of the guards in the freight car transporting the enhanced chemical on the train that we all took from London Euston on the day that changed our lives. Private Fort sustained serious injuries as he was much closer to the explosion and therefore his recuperation took much longer than ours. He has also had to train in total isolation. Once again Ledman used that word. Compartmentalisation!

Sven asks Captain Ledman what Private Fort knows about us and Ledman replies that he is unaware of our previous missions or our powers. Captain Ledman says that he thought that it might be a good idea if we shared that information with each other over a drink, maybe down the local pub. I realise that I am beginning to really like Captain Ledman.

Late afternoon three days later we are introduced to two soldiers, Private Franklin Fort and his commanding officer Captain Bradman. At first look, Private Fort looks like a career soldier in his late twenties or early thirties. He also looks like he is not unaccustomed to a bar brawl, in fact it looks like his nose has been broken at least a couple of times. Captains Ledman and Bradman leave us in the kitchen of Hut 17B with several beers, and so we sit down and start to talk.

Several beers, and a number of war stories later, and Frank seems to be settling into the team. We have told him about stealing the tank in North Africa, hijacking a ship full of provisions and delivering it to the under siege island of Malta, as well as the recovery of the Norwegian Regalia. Frank tells about his exploits in Dunkirk, and about that fateful train journey from Euston station. That leads us very neatly into the discussion about enhanced powers. I ask him quite bluntly what he can do.

He picks up his beer and looks around, a couple of heartbeats later he has vanished. We look about and eventually Sven spots him stood outside Hut 17B looking back at us through the window. Madeline waves him back in, and once again Frank disappears and reappears inside the hut. Frank is a teleport. We question him about the limitations of his abilities and discover that he has to be able to see his destination, but that can be via live moving pictures, and to date he has managed to teleport up to one hundred yards in a single jump.

He looks at me with a questioning look and I tell him that I can mimic other people's skills and abilities. Madeline tells him that she can transform herself into a shadow and create areas of utter darkness. Frank then turns to look at Sven, but finds himself looking straight at himself. He then stares open mouthed as his doppelgänger transforms into a duck, and then finally transforms into a monkey wearing a fez. When he looks around again I am stood there alone as Madeline blends into the shadows on the ceiling of the hut. I smile!

As we have run out of beers I suggest that we continue our meeting at the local pub, everyone willingly agrees. As we are passing through the main gate of Hanslope Park we are stopped by the Sergeant in charge who hands Madeline a number of ration books;

With regards from Captain Ledman Ma’am!

I really do like Captain Ledman.

On our way down to the pub we continue with our questioning and discover that Frank can speak a smattering of German, can ride a motorcycle, and in his own words;

I have quite a bit of experience with flame throwers and grenade launchers!

Sven then asks him how he would deal with a German manned guardpost. Frank responds by saying;

Avoid it all together if possible, but if not then I will kill quickly and quietly. It’s all about the mission.

I think that Frank is going to fit in just fine.

We have a great time in the pub, and Frank is the life and soul of the party. As always, given the opportunity, I sing and have the audience in the palm of my hand. Including Frank, who at one point turns to Sven and says;

Blonde! Yeah!

Eventually we head back towards Hanslope and Hut 17B, when we get through the doors the first thing that catches our eyes is an unopened bottle of brandy and four glasses on the table. I really, really like Captain Ledman. We drink, and talk, and bond into the very small hours of the morning. At one point Frank pulls out his knife and, placing his fingers splayed on the table, stabs the knife between his fingers moving faster and faster. When he stops with a smile on his face I pull out my knife and mimic him. But I do it much faster. Frank’s smile just gets broader. Eventually we all drift off to our rooms and a deep sleep.

When I awake the following morning I discover that the only one up and out is Frank who has gone for a run. I prepare a hearty breakfast and we all sit down together and laugh about the previous night. Captains Ledman and Bradman visit us and ask if they can speak to us individually, we agree. Private Fort heads off with Captain Bradman for a walk, and Captain Ledman sits down at the kitchen table and just says;

Well?

We all agree that Private Franklin Fort seems to be a good fit for the team and that his skill set will definitely be an asset. Fortunately, Frank agrees and by the end of the day he has been transferred to Captain Ledman’s command and is part of the team.

The following day we all attend a briefing for the Wewelsburg Schloss mission, now designated Operation Pelican. Captain Ledman and Major Hoffman are both in attendance and Hoffman starts by reiterating the mission priorities once again, mostly for Private Fort’s benefit. Captain Ledman then gives us a detailed description of the local area and locations of major military bases. We also get a couple of aerial photographs of Wewelsburg Schloss and get our first real look at the target. It is going to be a difficult nut to crack.

Captain Ledman then hands the briefing over to Kaptain Hyse. Sven talks us through his initial thoughts and the rest of us chip in and we begin to formulate a plan. We will land at the nearby airfield in a captured Siebel Fh 104, piloted by an MI6 crew. We will then attempt to requisition a German staff car and go to ground somewhere in the local area. Captain Ledman says that he can provide us with papers for a German SS Officer and his staff, as well as papers for all of us as German civilians. The SS Officer will be a Major Burgher, a financial overseer from Frankfurt. We agree that Madeline and I will pose as the Major’s aides, both SS Leutnants, and Frank will take on the guise of a bodyguard as a Unteroffizier.

We finish off the briefing by pulling together a list of the equipment that we believe that we will require, as well as a request for me to have lunch with a British military accountant. As the briefing is breaking up Captain Ledman lets us know that the three original members of the team have been invited to attend a function at the Norwegian Embassy. Sven gets that big smile on his face again, and we happily accept.

Twenty four hours later we are in full dress uniform mingling with the great and the good. I am just having a drink with Major Linge when I notice over Linge’s shoulder Doctor Jackal enter the room. Both Madeline and Sven studiously avoid him, but I just can’t help myself and I head over to say hello. He is polite but very guarded. I am just about to ask him what he is up to now, when we are all called into a separate room where we are shown to seats in the front row.

Stood on a podium at the front of the room are the Norwegian Prime Minister, the Norwegian Defence Minister and Crown Prince Olav himself. A speech is given recognising the contribution that we have made to Norway in these most difficult of times, and then we are called up to the podium one at a time and awarded the Norwegian War Cross by the Crown Prince himself. After the ceremony there is a marvellous meal and more drinks, as the senior ranks retire for brandy and cigars I spot Doctor Jackal trying to quietly slip away.

I intercept him and tell him that I am sorry how things have turned out, before he leaves he turns to me and says;

If you can’t save anyone else, at least save yourself Mimi!