Espionage

Chapter One

A dark shadow flickered across the candlelit room. It hovered for a movement near a door, listening at the keyhole before quietly opening it and exiting the room. Downstairs a door opened and closed and Oliver Weller was outside in the cool autumn air. Although it was night time, there was a full moon that illuminated the whole Scottish village of Killen. Surveying the road, he walked quickly off in the direction of Ben Lawers, the peak that shadowed the village. He slowed down to a brisk walk as he crossed the Killin Viaduct. As he walked, he glanced down at the rushing stream below. The water looked especially cold tonight. As he reached the other side, he crossed the road and walked up a short path to a cosy looking inn. A small bell jingled as he pushed the heavy door open.

His cheeks flushed as he stepped inside into the warm room. A friendly, young man looked up from The Scotsman. " Bobbie'll be down in half a mo'." He said in a cheerful voice "Just fetching some blankets and lanterns apparently. Can I get you a drink?"

Oliver nodded understandingly and was about to reply that no he didn't want a drink but thank you all the same, when a slender, relaxed young lady with her long brown hair neatly tucked onto her head, steadily descended the stairs into the inn, a small bundle of blankets in her arms. Oliver's face practically glowed at the sight of her and quickly went over to relieve her of her burden. "Well I have no idea of what you're up to and I better not ask so I'll just leave you two to do whatever you could want to do in this weather." The barman (Bobbie's brother actually) said, "Are you sure there isn't anything I can get you?" Bobbie turned to her brother, "Yes actually, could you get us a tiny bit of whisky?" She said with a wink. He obliged and presently Bobbie and Oliver were opening the front door and heading out into the cold Scottish night air, equipped with blankets, lantern and a small bottle of whisky. 

As soon as they were out of sight of the inn, they broke into a fast walk. They climbed over a stile and hurried up a heathery slope. Jim found a rabbit hole and together carefully they hid the blankets. After that it was much easier going. Bobbie spoke first, "Have you been up here all day?" She asked. "Well pretty much," Replied Oliver "I had to come home for a bit before I came to get you, just to keep mother in a good mind." 

They picked their way around a rocky scree before reaching the foot of a small tarn. They slowed here and Oliver carefully guided Bobbie down a small path that lead around the body of water. Presently, they reached the head of the body of water and were looking down on a large loch. "Where did you last see them?" asked Bobbie, "They could be anywhere!" Oliver was scanning the shores of the loch for signs of movement. They were suddenly startled by the loud cry of a grouse and saw one rising from the heather on the left side of the loch, about halfway up. "I've a pretty good idea," Said Oliver "Those grouse don't rise when all is well."

They continued on but were slower and more watchful. Soon they reached a large dip in the heather and they crawled into it. Bobbie looked around the hollow, "This is all flattened," She said "you were here before?" "No?" Replied Oliver in a puzzled tone. "Someone must have been here and lay down. Could've been a sheep"

He looked around for other signs of residence. After a bit of poking around he produced a small scrap of wool. Thus, claiming his theory to be correct. All this time, Bobbie was looking over the edge of the dip and scanning the loch. Suddenly she stopped her panning and stiffened, quickly grabbing Oliver's arm. Oliver peered over the edge of the dip and followed Bobbie's gaze. Down below, on the edge of the loch stood a tall figure, looking out across the gloomy water. He held a torch and Oliver and Bobbie watched as he began to flash it. 

Dot. Dash. Dot. Dot. Dash. Dot. Dash. Dot. Dash. Dash. The torch kept on flashing. Bobbie was hastily copying them down in to her notebook. Oliver thought he could see a shape on the other side of the loch that could be receiving these Morse signals. Suddenly the flashing stopped. The figure- a man, was looking up towards where Bobbie and Oliver were. Scanning the heather for signs of an unwanted witness. He switched off his torch and moving quickly like a shadow, began to scramble over the rocks back into the heather and finally away he went, across the uneven heather towards safety and warmth.

The two quickly began descending towards where the man had been signalling from. All that was to be seen was some trampled heather where the man had made his escape and a stamped-out cigarette. Oliver examined the cigarette. "Eckstein is the brand," said Oliver "German make". They began their way back to Killin after deciding that there wasn't much else to see. "He'll probably be back tomorrow" Oliver had said, "By which time I'll have tracked down a decent Morse translator."

They picked up the blankets they had left on the way, when they had been 'going for a night-time picnic'. Bobbie was shivering slightly so Oliver put a blanket over her shoulders and together they walked back to the inn in deep thought. Once inside, they found the bartender to have turned in. Oliver waited as Bobbie took the blankets back upstairs and returned with a Morse translator. Together, with the help of the translator, they turned the strange dots and dashes into two strange words.

Aufklärung erfolgreich.