The Spy


Designation: Infiltration Infantry
Training Headquarters: Unknown
Trained at: Allied Barracks
Motto: "Getting the job done sometimes requires finesse."
"Getting the job done sometimes requires sophistication."

Accessories:

• Tuxedo made in Italy
• Frogman’s wetsuit with oxygen mask
• Compact disguise kit
• Case of minced salmon
• Shaker



Hidden in plain sight, part 2

Brian McMann

Rozzer, question 147

I first met Gordon Hughes near the docks in Hamburg in a dark, smoke-filled pub; the sort of place often frequented by old sailors looking for a bit of solitude and a glass of beer. I was the obvious outsider, my colourful parka standing out against the sea of dark clothing, matching the faces of the men who often shot me surly, suspicious glances over their empty beer mugs. Hughes, however, looked as though he’d swum across the North Sea. He chuckled to himself as he adjusted his hood, revealing salt-and-pepper hair. “You’d never have made it in my line of work. You’re like a fish out of water here,” he said with a thick Prussian accent.

Hughes is a retired spy. He spent more than 30 years covertly stealing the deepest and darkest secrets of the Soviets and, more recently, of the Empire of the Rising Sun. A mastermind of disguise, he agreed to be interviewed only at a location of his choosing, under a false name and with his appearance altered. He is in complete control of the situation.


Masters of disguise, the Allied Spies are seasoned veterans whose loyalty is beyond question.

We then sat outside a small café in Phuket, Thailand, to continue our interview. He ordered coffee and a pastry; his accent was now French. When I remarked on his white linen suit and his European appearance, he pointed out that going unnoticed doesn’t always mean blending into the background.

Gordon Hughes: It’s a question of anticipation. It’s important to look like what people expect to see. People here expect to see wealthy Europeans. And the odd journalist here and there.

Brian McMann: That rings true.

GH: Well, I wasn’t trying to sneak a peek at the girls in the changing rooms; I was trying to uncover the world’s best-kept secrets. For that, a few banknotes can be very persuasive.

BM: What sort of technology did you use? Gadgets or special Transport?

GH: All that is pure fantasy. No, no, I used my brain. The most important aspect of successful espionage is basic human psychology – how to manipulate perceptions and make people see what you want them to see. For some, the ability to read people is a natural talent – it then becomes a matter of practising how to react appropriately, leading the person to the logical conclusion you desire. People are actually very easy to manipulate. Animals, on the other hand… that’s a different story.

I wanted to press on to better understand Hughes’ ontological distinction between people and animals, but the look on Hughes’ face dissuaded me. That look soon passed, and he was once again the French expatriate socialite I’d first met.


The popular image of the spy holding a Martini in one hand and a voluptuous woman in the other is surprisingly accurate, at least when they aren’t infiltrating an enemy base.

BM: What would have happened if you’d been captured?

GH: …We were, of course, given poison for such an eventuality, but I never knew whether I’d use it or not until I’d heard stories from those who hadn’t.

He takes a sip before continuing.

If I were captured now, I wouldn’t hesitate.

BM: Of course, there’d be no reason to capture you now, would there?

GH: Of course not.

BM: But then, why do you keep disguising yourself?

The scent of perfume fills my nostrils and I suddenly realise that a stunning blonde woman is standing behind me. “Please excuse me, my date has arrived,” says Hughes before standing up to leave. He puts on his hat and leaves a generous tip in my direction before taking her arm.

“Goodbye, Mr McMann.”

“Da svedanya,” she says with a smile.

A warm breeze carrying the salty scent of the nearby ocean wafts through the café. They leave.


Reconnaissance on the battlefield has at least revealed the following facts about Spies:

• Disguised– Intensive training and years of experience enable Allied Spies to impersonate any Allied or enemy infantry unit, granting them access to even the most heavily guarded enemy bases. Enemy commanders suspicious of a disguised Spy’s activities must order an attack on the suspect, who will appear as a unit from their own army and is therefore not automatically identified as a threat.

-Sabotage!- Spies are trained to disrupt enemy logistics and infrastructure behind enemy lines. Whether it is disrupting a base’s power supply, stealing resources from a Tiberium Refinery, or taking out the enemy’s High Technology units and production facilities, Spies have the ability to radically alter the course of a battle.

-Money, money, money, money- It is standard operating procedure for Spies to carry large sums of money to bribe enemy troops. The Spy’s innate understanding of human psychology, coupled with a surplus of foreign currency, creates a persuasive combination that even the most powerful enemy units cannot resist. In practice, Spies can turn many enemy forces against their former Commanders.

-Do not feed the animals - When discovered, Spies are extremely vulnerable. They are trained to operate unarmed, and their only defence is to avoid detection. Furthermore, modern armies have specially trained units capable of detecting Spies even when they are in disguise. Some of these units, such as Attack Dogs and Soviet War Bears, are also trained to deal effectively with Spies.