"And that's what he said?" Gallagher sat back in the comfy new office chair looking through the glass wall that separated his office from the main open plan floor of the CID office. He had quite happily spent hours dragging a bored stiff Wills through furniture store after office store looking for that perfect office chair. In the end he opted to settle for a nice leather lounger in MFI and it fitted his budget perfectly, a perfect occasion to speak to a good friend over the telephone.

"That's what he said" Goto rubbed his eyes as he looked up at the clock. It was early and way to early for Goto to have taken over the day shift "isn't it a little late in London Detective?"

"Ten thirty PM?" Gallagher looked at his clock "aye I need to clock off sooner or later but I still get woken up if there is an emergency."

"You're still the emergency commander?"

"Aye yeah, still haven't found a crew chief for the lads downstairs since the labour division's new building was completed." Gallagher thought about picking up the cordless phone and taking it for a trip to the coffee machine. Ah the wonders of the boundless office.

"Can't fault your administrators Harry" Goto chuckled lightly "did you want to hear more?"

"Of what, the debacle?" Gallagher shook his head "I'd rather hear your take on it."

"My take?" Goto paused for a moment to sign a form on his in tray before turning his attention back to the conversation "if you want my two pennies, I think everyone on my end knew about the whole IRA/EDA thing."

"Knew it enough to manipulate it?"

"They knew enough to set a trap for your civil servant to fall into" Goto picked up his fresh cup of tea and took a long sip "I could imagine what the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said to your Foreign Office 'oh by the way, they have assistance by schaft, wasn't the Home Secretary, Lord whatshisname a non executive member of the board of Schaft?'" Goto mimicked rather clumsily "'you shouldn't jump ship, don't leave Shinohara in the lurch, you might never know when it might blow up in your face'"

Gallagher couldn't help but smile. It was all a damage control exercise that blew up and it was now all in the open, the IRA/EDA link, the EDA/Schaft link, the tensions between the Home Office and the Foreign Office, everything.

"You know" Goto continued "this is truly a huge mess."

"That it is, the real bomb really did blow up in their faces." Gallagher smiled, eyeing up the coffee machine.

"There is a quote that is perfect for this Harry. What can most steer a government off course?"

"Events?"

"Exactly" Goto smiled as he eyed another Tokyo Morning "Events dear boy, events!"

End.