With introductions made Heather suggested that we adjourn to a nearby hostelry for beverages, as it would be some time before the briefing centre would be ready. This change of approach was pleasing, not only due to the prospect of a cooling drink to alleviate the effects of the searing summer sun but because there seemed to be a more relaxed approach than we had encountered in earlier missions.

On the way to the pub in question (the Landsdowne) our youthful computer expert, Luke, quizzed me on the nature of C23 operations. He seemed a frail sort so I skirted around some of the more horrifying aspects of the work. I was relieved to learn that, although he himself hadn't had many encounters with the supernatural, his mother was a well-known medium and psychic and he therefore had an open mind on the subject. The detective was tight-lipped about his background but Mason, the pilot, regaled us with stories of mid air encounters with giant insects, stories that Dr. Olding scoffed at, but which struck an alarming chord with me.

There wasn't time to fully ponder these things for we arrived at the Landsdowne and quickly sought refuge in the pub's cool interior. While drinks were obtained I took a glance around, looking over the assembled patrons who seemed transfixed by the flickering images cast by the televisions set high on the wall. My glance then fell on a lean, casually dressed figure, sporting a battered Panama and dressed more for the Bahamas than Britain. For a moment the unusual clothing distracted me but then I realised . . . it was the inimitable Mr J.

I went over to greet our government liaison and introduced the new operatives – he suggested we go outside to continue our discussions in private. Before leaving the bar I quizzed Mr J. on his unusual apparel. It seemed that he had only just returned from a trip to the Seychelles, although I couldn't discover if it had been business or pleasure.

Seated around a long, scarred wooden bench we listened as Mr J. outlined to us the mission. Apparently one of his local contacts, a slightly suspicious character who styled himself the Comte San Graal, had disappeared. Normally this would be treated as a simple missing persons case but, as usual, it wasn't that straightforward. Apparently San Graal told J. that he had been threatened by a "witch" who promised she would harm him if he didn't return certain items to her. When he failed to turn up to a meeting, Mr J. asked Heather to go and check out San Graal's apartment. She found no sign of the missing man but it appeared that his apartment had been thoroughly searched and a curious object had been placed there – a straw doll. No one knew the significance of this but there was speculation that it might be connected with Voodoo practices – certainly worth checking out. J. told us to wait while he went to get the full briefing notes from the case in his car.

We waited while the secretive Intelligence Mandarin went off, sipping our drinks and talking amongst ourselves. An animated conversation went on between James and Olding the cryptozoologist, who was utterly dismissive of the tales of flying giant insects and raised questions about the pilot's sanity. I felt sure that the scientist's scepticism would not survive the night ahead but I decided to let the borders of his world remained rigid and narrow until reality showed him the full extent of his ignorance.

Minutes past but still Mr. J. did not return and I began to become alarmed. I asked Jones and 'Hammer' to go and look for our erstwhile briefing officer and waited anxiously for their report. Once again time passed and no one returned. At last I resolved to go myself and asked Agent Scott to accompany me, only to be met by the Sergeant coming the other way. Apparently he and Hammer had found Mr. J's car but there was no sign of the man himself. Worried by all this I hurried down the back alley that ran along the side of the Landsdowne and found Hammer attempting to open Mr J's car with a set of lockpicks. He was holding a corn doll in his hands; similar to the one which was found at San Graal's – apparently he and Jones had found it under the car. I came over to the detective and together we opened the boot, finding Mr. J's security briefcase and a car tool kit. We took the briefcase and I picked up the tools, I suspected they could be useful in the hours that lay ahead.

When we returned to the others we explained what had happened and it was decided that we should adjourn to the safehouse. We could discuss our plans without fear of eavesdropping and would be able to open the briefcase without arousing suspicion.

NEXT...