hanging out in opium dens in east berlin's turkish quarter i had a chance encounter with a serpent from the government, a beaurocrat who peddled in petty information and cheap gossip designed to look like diplomacy, he was a strange individual, some kind of malevolent energy hung around him like a bad aura leak. i didn't want to get to close to him and his radioactive fallout but he kept encroaching into my space man. opium dens have an unwritten code of conduct, one being you don't interfere with another clients narcotic states, but this snake was obviously beyond following etiquette as he smashed into my colours and spoke in his strange accent making petty introductions and small talk, i had half closed eyes and the other half was at some desert oasis drinking fresh water and having oils massaged into my loins by two slave girls with exotic perfume and nice friendly eyes, the closer i got to them the closer he seemed to intrude until i was confronted by a small snake with tiny pin prick pupils and a pencil thin mustache.
'and your....?' he was saying n a high pitched irritating snake voice.
'your what?'
'your name is...?'
i paused and thought hard, he seemed to get frustrated and said, 'my name is blank. what is your name?'
'ahh,' i sighed, 'blank huh?'
'yes, and you are...?'
'mission' i replied but i was bored and wanted to escape back into my dreams.
'i cannot reveal your mission until i have your name sir.'
curiosity perked me, a mission, mmm this whacko government official has confused me with some one else, but here i am in this place at this point in time and he won't leave me alone, so i decide to play along.
'i cannot reveal my name to you mr. blank, until i have seen your id.'
'most irregular. i assure you i am who i say i am.'
'yes we are both who we say we are.'
he breathed out and moved even closer.
'your target is in the regency hotel, she is staying in suite 7, top floor,' he thrust an envelope at me, 'here are the details and half the sum as promised. the other half on completion'
with that he got up and disappeared into the smoke filled atmosphere. i returned to my oasis satisfied i had perceived his id. what an ugly id it was.
after a shower i changed into my suit and caught a taxi over to the regent hotel, i picked up a bunch of iris's from the hotel foyer and re read the file as the elevator made its rounds.
she was a piece of work, nice looking educated and deadly. i liked the look of her eyes, there was nothing there, they penetrated you with their emptiness.
later as i knocked upon her door a voice, her voice asked who it was.
'mission' i said.
the door opened and she stood before me in a gorgeous deep red outfit. her eyes were even more vacant than her photograph and she had dangerous lips. i handed her the envelope. even her nail polish was vivid red, the colour of blood.
'so have you come to kill me?'
'no. i have just come.'
'well that's a shame, what are you good for?'
'well i can always come again.' the double entendres were taking over and things were not going the way i planned. i stepped inside.
she let me.
the room was sparse but huge and there was quite a large and well filled drinks cabinet.
'come on in, can i fix you a drink or would you prefer something slightly more exotic?'
'exotic.'
she walked over to an oriental ornate cabinet and pulled out a pipe, an opium pipe. she beckoned towards the bed. i sprawled out upon its soft cushions. she stood tall, gradually her lips seemed to come towards me, massive huge lips blocking out the room, i was lost in that kiss, and when i opened my eyes i was back in the opium den with the monotonous govt. official.
'so what is your name,' he said.