A Perfect Spy

As Jack drives, he thinks about his dead dog and Pym’s reported comment that Jack should have been retired “ten years ago” (136). His exhausted thoughts recall the many years he has known Pym. Scandals aren’t unfamiliar to the postwar intelligence services, but Jack has long considered them “confirmation of everything he disliked about the way the Firm was going” (137), such as increased bureaucracy and pandering to Americans. Jack previously defended Pym against accusations of betrayal from men like Grant Lederer. Now, agents across Eastern Europe are being extracted as quickly as possible while trying to “keep everything normal” (139).

Tom is a prefect at his boarding school and seeks his teachers’ favor as he begins to notice the chaotic nature of his recent thoughts. He meets with Jack in a nearby hotel. As they share lunch, Tom is unaware that his “Uncle Jack” (141) has an ulterior motive. After lunch, they shoot clay pigeons on a private Ministry of Defense base nearby. As they shoot, Tom mentions that his father “seemed a bit down” (144) in their meeting after Rick’s funeral. Pym talked about freedom and the need to take it for oneself, Tom says. Hoping that his father isn’t hurt, Tom wants to know why the police are searching for him.