The Bureau

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Typically, I blog about science fiction, but now and again, I take the liberty of sharing a few personal stories. These stories are the chaos, the randomness of life, and the reality which I have endured while traveling through space. 

Thus on this day, on Earth, I had clocked out from work, and like some evenings,  I had planned a visit with some neighbors.

It wasn't long before a visiting woman quickly introduced herself and her husband. She questioned me at the onset, and very quickly "What do you do for work?

 "I'm a writer and designer,” I replied.

She immediately pointed to her husband - "he's the breadwinner," she said. "He used to work with "M" but then he went into "The Bureau". 

"The Bureau?" I asked.

"The Federal Bureau of Investigation" she explained airily. 

I can't say I'd ever really met someone before that point in time who worked for the F.B.I. — excuse me — The Bureau. I did try to get some details as the evening wore on, but the word Bureau is the only thing I can remember. The first few times she mentioned it was fine. The fifth or sixth time got a bit old but after a few hours, it was exasperating. I have to say, after nodding my adherence and appreciation, I was less than eager to hear it repeated again.

But speaking of Bureau, this leads me to a much more interesting part of my story, about an interview which I conducted with an ex-police detective to understand intelligence work more clearly. Since my latest character is a detective from Scotland Yard, (in my fifth novel which I'm currently editing —Six And A Half Days To Cairo) I was curious to discover if what I had guessed was plausible. 

Beforehand I filled him in on the story which is basically a small group of crusading individuals, in a struggle against powerful adversaries whose intentions and motivations are evil. I described to him in detail as well about the characters like my Scottish Yard Detective - Derek-  who lives in 1937 London. The prime suspect is an evil conniving Cambridge archeologist, and a young journalist gets involved who wants to help solve the case. Also that the suspect is a suspected Nazi sympathizer, about to hand over a precious ancient artifact to the Germans. And not just any artifact - one of myths and legends. And - no this is not about the “Ark” as you may be guessing. This artifact is about meteor stones that were used to fashion artifacts like King Tuts blade. There is also a legendary meteor stone called the Benben Stone…

I'm sure his mind was reeling trying to take in the plot. But he was ready to give it a go, so we began:

Me: Would a cop in 1937 follow a suspect to Cairo?

LS: I don't know. Is he MI5 or M16? MI6 could get jurisdiction to go. 

Me: Oh. Okay say he's MI6, but I'm not sure MI6 was around yet. Ah, well never mind - anyway, would he cooperate with a woman, a journalist who gets involved?

LS: It depends. Is she young, attractive?

Me: Yes.

LS: Then he would cooperate with her.

Me: C'mon, I laugh. ( I notice he's not laughing. Men! LOL)  Okay so... what about traveling to Cairo?

LS: Maybe. 

Me. Sigh. Okay, would he cooperate with an American spy who has a similar agenda?

LS: It depends. Maybe.

Me: What do you mean depends?

LS: Depending on the situation.

Me: How would he go after the bad guy in Cairo?

LS: It would depend. 

(I already have a scene in which two spies meet each other in my story - but just for the sake of it, I try one more time...)

Me:  Would two spies who suspected each other as spies — would they tell each other or not?

LS: It depends. 

(Ughhh! I try not to laugh because at this point the interview seems silly and its almost getting to the point of being absurd hearing maybe or depends for Petes sake -  looking down at my list of questions, I tried asking something more concrete.)

Me: What about a murder victim's body - if it was a foreigner. Would the police hold the body? And for how long?

LS: Not long. They would do an autopsy, but release it within a reasonable time to the family.

Me: Okay great! Thank you so much for your answer.

(I had an answer - eureka! I didn't tell him the part about the body being wrapped up like a mummy though. I decided not to mention it because I knew if I ask him about how long that would take he would tell me —it depends.)

I snapped my notebook shut and came to the hopeful conclusion that my plot was somewhat plausible. Intelligence work, and how one detective handles a case can probably be construed in a thousand ways. I also took hope that writers who take on subjects of any kind, might not have any special competence in that subject at all. For instance H.G. Wells who wrote some of the best science fiction of all time, was not a scientist. He was simply engaged in the subject of forecasting. He explored the "what ifs" and used his imagination knowing that there's no single answer.

Don't forget British author Campbell Black - who wrote Raiders of the Lost Ark— not an archeologist.  Agatha Christie — not a detective, nor Robert Ludlum of the Bourne Identity — not a spy.

I believe that writers, no matter the subject, must understand the energy, escapism and action that makes a good story. 

If you're into science fiction, you might enjoy some of my older blogs like "The Venusians," or "P is For Planet Nine." I also have a free excerpts from my third novel - "Beyond Phobos," and "Modified" my fourth novel.

#The Bureau 

#F.B.I.

#Scotland Yard