Chapter 6

Steed frowned. Herbert's analysis was cryptic. The gas was some sort of polyoxide compound that functioned in a manner similar to laughing gas when used as an anesthetic: it caused uninhibited behavior and a loss of memory during the time of exposure. That was some comfort; at least none of the women would remember enough to be permanently ashamed of their actions. Unfortunately, Herbert had no suggestions on how to counteract the gas other than "black out a few of your teeth and mess up your hair." With the strong sexual drives of Emma, Rita, Marina, Tara, and Purdey, Steed didn't even think that ruining his appearance would be enough to dissuade them.

Two women were approaching him in the main Administration Building. He saw the locks of red-auburn hair and a blonde pixie-cut before he dived towards the nearest closet. Just his luck, the door was locked. He backed into a corner, trying to formulate a strategy for escape. Rita was the weaker of the two, so he could get past her the easiest. She looked at him quizzically as she approached, and suddenly Steed could tell that she wasn't drugged.

"Why are you running from us?" she asked.

"I thought you were someone else," he answered smoothly. "There seems to be a rash of Russians today."

Marina nodded in agreement. "The Ladja attacked me earlier," she declared.

"Did you manage to fight him off?" Steed asked.

"Yes," Marina said. "He was not a cricket player."

Steed looked puzzled until Rita patted her groin. "No protection," she said.

"Heavens, Mrs. Peel's done that to him twice as well," he said glibly. "Eventually, we won't need Marina to identify The Ladja; we'll just look for a man who walks funny."

"Why do you think he was here?" Rita asked.

"It appears he might be testing some new drug," Steed answered. "I had Herbert analyze a sample."

"You mean Freddie," Rita teased slyly.

"The KGB might have been using the gas to obtain information," he continued. "There's something going on in Swansea they could be interested in."

Rita nodded knowingly. "The Spy School."

Steed arched his eyebrow in surprise. "How did you know?"

"We're going to be teachers," Marina boasted.

"Oh?"

Rita nodded again. "There's someone here you need to talk to."

Steed guessed her intent and smiled.

"I've always wanted to meet Mother," he said.

-oOo-

Rhonda pushed the wheelchair to meet Steed as he entered the warehouse that Rita had identified as the "Spy School." The bulky figure in the chair vigorously rapped his cane on the floor in greeting.

"Hello, John," Mother said.

"Sorry to hear about your accident."

"When a door shuts, a window opens," he said casually.

Steed shook his hand and grinned. "Only if you live in a drafty house." Rhonda took a step back to give the two some privacy. Steed sat down on a nearby bench.

"So you're 'Mother'?"

He nodded. "As in 'hen'. No more field work for me."

"You're not exactly behind a desk now," Steed observed wryly.

"Indeed. It seems that the excitement has followed me out here."

Steed nodded. "Marina Irinova said The Ladja was here."

"We had intelligence that indicated that," Mother said, "so I have no reason to doubt her word."

"If he's a double agent, working in the Ministry..."

Mother wheeled his chair closer. "The higher-ups don't seem too concerned about finding out his identity. Besides, they showed Marina pictures of every agent on the active duty roster, and she insisted The Ladja wasn't any of them. So perhaps he isn't a double agent, after all. Just a KGB mastermind."

"Not an active agent for our side, eh?" Steed repeated. "He's been testing some kind of gas here."

Mother looked puzzled. "A chemical weapon?"

"This is the molecular formula," Steed said, handing him the sheet that contained Herbert's analysis. "You should get it to our labs right away."

A wicked grin crossed Mother's face. "No need," he said as he handed the paper back to Steed. "I recognize this compound. It's a substance called 'Aphrodisiox'."

"Afro what?"

"Aphrodisiox. Increases the libido, decreases the inhibitions, causes short term memory loss," Mother said matter-of-factly. "Only works on women, though."

"How do you know so much about it?"

"We developed it. Are you saying that one of the women here has been exposed to it?"

"All of the women here have been exposed to it," Steed said evenly.

"Oh, dear. Am I to take it that you were the closest object of their affection?"

"More often than not."

Mother nodded. "What women here do you know to have been exposed?"

"Mrs. Peel, a young trainee named Miss King, Dr. Fox, Miss Irinova, and a bystander, a bike tough named Purdey."

"I assume you have Mrs. Peel under control?"

"Yes," Steed replied.

"Tara won't even remember meeting you. Play it that way if you ever see her again, John."

"What for?"

"Wouldn't want to shake her confidence. She'd die of humiliation. Tara worships you, you know, even without the gas."

Steed grinned. "Just as long as she doesn't make the same weak joke about her name the next time we meet."

"You probably won't even recognize her a year or two from now," Mother offered. "She'll be a skilled, confident, well-trained agent; deadly and beautiful."

"I'm sure you're right. Rita and Marina said something about being teachers?"

"Dr. Fox would never agree to be part of this if she thought she was a student. So I've convinced them that we need them to teach Russian, which we do. Otherwise, I think they'll find they're on the learning end, once I bring in a martial arts instructor and a weapons expert."

Steed shook his head with a smile. "Out here in Swansea, running a school for wayward girls..."

"Just a stepping stone, Steed," Mother said with a grin. "Who knows? I may be in charge of you one day."

-oOo-

The sun was setting in the late afternoon as the Bentley headed back down the M4 towards London. Emma yawned. It had been a demanding day.

"I've taken care of Brodny," she said casually.

Steed smiled without taking his eyes off the road. "You're a formidable woman, Mrs. Peel."

"I like to think so. You were right about him testing some kind of drug."

"I'm sure it was against his will," Steed offered. "He really doesn't have the backbone for that sort of thing. Any idea who was pulling the strings?"

Emma shrugged. "Must have been the KGB."

Probably best that she doesn't know The Ladja was here, thought Steed. With her personal animosity towards him, she'd insist we stay for another week to mount a manhunt.

"Sorry to drag you out here," she added. "I know it must have been a very boring time for you."

Steed suppressed a smile. "It had its interesting moments."

Emma shifted in her seat and her elbow knocked over Steed's tote, spilling some of its contents onto the floorboard. As she was scooping them back into the satchel, she noticed the glass jar.

"What is this for?" she asked.

"It was a sample for Herbert."

"Really? What's in here?" Emma unscrewed the lid.

"Mrs. Peel—no!"

"It's empty." She stuck her nose in the jar and sniffed. "Why are you carrying an empty jar?"

Steed shook his head in surrender and threw his arm over the back of the car seat. A wicked smile came to Emma's face and her eyes lit up. She scooted over next to him and nestled in the crook of his arm. As she started kissing his cheek and nibbling on his earlobe, Steed gave her forearm an affectionate squeeze.

"Mmm...," she said lazily. "Why are you driving so slow?"

Steed smiled.

"I'm anticipating plenty of distractions on the drive back to London."

-oOo-