Lost Angel

05

Half an hour after proposing to his Aunt Mecha to help introduce them to the art world Tony and Agent 32, his boss, were standing in a room at the Alpha Agency. The room was a printing press, there was a large machine in the center that seemed to be a print and some desks with computers running design programs. A man in a white lab coat was putting some business cards together in a small box.

Tony had never been in that room before. The man in the lab coat finally approached Tony and his boss. He handed the boss the box of cards.

"Agent 48b, this is Agent 162, from the printing department. I've asked him to make us fake business cards."

"Business cards? What for?"

"Well, we certainly can't go to your aunt and tell her we're undercover agents. We will make up a fake story. You'll have to tell her you have a temporary job with a company that produces documentaries. I will pose as your boss. We will tell her that you are to gather information about the painter Jacques LeFrost for a documentary we are producing. Then no one will suspect you of asking questions about LeFrost."

"I understand," said Tony." Yes, we couldn't tell my aunt that we are secret agents. In five minutes she'd tell the whole city."

"Is your aunt very extroverted?" asked the boss.

"You could say that," said Tony.

Agent 162 showed them the sample business card.

"Gentlemen, this is your sample card. This is the gentleman's if I'm not mistaken."

Tony read the card. It said:

Saffron Audiovisual Productions

Documentaries | Fiction | Internet Transmissions

Tony Machiola, assistant associate

"It has my real name on it," said Tony. "Shouldn't we keep our identities secret?"

"Well, in these cases the agent should use his real name," explained the boss. "You will be with your aunt, if in the art world they are so picky and check the background of the people who attend the auctions, we'd better tell as few lies as possible."

"You mean, it's not convenient to use false names," said Tony.

"Not when going undercover. More than once agents, while working undercover, run into people they know who call them by their real name. If the names don't match that can be very dangerous for the agent."

"I understand."

"I will use a false name," said Agent 32. "I will introduce myself as Mr. Pendaffles. As I will not be in contact with his aunt or the art world there will be no danger."

There were phone numbers on the card.

"What happens if someone calls?" Tony asked.

"They are agency numbers. They'll get an answering machine saying they're calling the documentary production company. We've got it all planned."

"Oh, that's good."

"Well, that's the plan," said the boss. "We'll visit your aunt and tell her that you work in a documentary production company and that I'm your boss. We are producing a documentary about the painter Jacques LeFrost and we need her to accompany you to art world events and introduce you to the art world. Do you think your aunt will demand that we pay her for her efforts?"

"I don't think so," said Tony. "My aunt has a lot of money. Maybe she'll ask us for something else."

"Well, I'll call for a car. Is she waiting for us?"