The Herald
3 December 1904
British spy John Lyons receives GCVO

The Herald
21 December 1904
Sir John Lyons slain in Berlin



20 December 1904

The undersecretary to the Baron von Saxe-Bittau-Röliche takes long, eager strides on his way to his office at 9 Carlton House Terrace. A copy of The Herald for the following day is snugly tucked under his arm. "Herr Metzger. Please..." his clerk says with exasperation, following hard on Metzger's heels. "My dear Loewe," Metzger interrupts his assistant, turning quickly to face him. "You are new, and therefore I do not expect you to fully understand the delicate relationship between the two empires. We do not pretend to ignore breaches of protocol or of the Treaty of Luzern!"

Metzger pushes the periodical into Loewe's face. Calmly, and with mild irritation, the clerk slowly unfolds the paper and looks over the article that has ruffled the undersecretary's feathers. "Sir John Lyons slain in Berlin?"

"Go on," Metzger smiles grimly, arms folded across his chest. "The fool broke into the offices of the Kaiserliche Marine at Wilhelmshaven!" he whispers with impatient vehemence as Loewe reads. "Classified naval documents were found in his possession after they shot him dead."

Loewe sighs. "It says that Lyons was not acting under orders. Balfour reveals here that he was Austrian and acting in the interests of the Habsburgs, his true allies. He has been posthumously disavowed by the British government."

"Convenient, is it not?" Metzger barks, adjusting his tie with agitation. "Disclaiming one of their own after his death."

"Well, Herr Metzger," the intuitive clerk retorts, "spies are known to come back from the dead."

"Unmöglich, Herr Loewe. He was shot in the chest eight times. And the British government positively identified him as Sir John Lyons. They have admitted their guilt. I will no longer stand by while we play a game of manners with the English. The baron will hear of this at once!" Metzger growls, once again returning with determination to his course.

"No doubt the baron already knows," Loewe follows after, trying to keep up.

"Yes, but he will do nothing. He will continue to play the game with the English, pretending nothing is wrong, while the Kaiser's fat uncle continues to treat the German Empire like a naïve child. I want justice!"

"That we have, Herr Metzger," says the soft-spoken clerk, catching up to his superior. "You've said it yourself. The British have positively identified that we have caught and slain their most celebrated secret agent. This is not their victory but ours. With all due respect, Herr Unterstaatssekretär, may I recommend that we put no pressure on the baron?"

As Loewe speaks, Metzger accepts one of his cigarettes, a light, and then breaths in a long drag of tranquility.

"After all," the clerk points out, "the U-boat plans are still safe in Wilhelmshaven..." Metzger raises his hands as a warning of discretion as he looks left then right. In a softer voice Loewe continues. "...and we have one or two of their secrets in our possession as well, haven't we?"

"Richtig," the undersecretary admits with confidence, narrowing his eyes at the young clerk. "Very well, Loewe. We shall continue to play the baron's game. I will rejoin the party and be as charming as ever." This was a lie. Loewe had never known the baron's undersecretary to be charming. "Very soon, however, the British will be caught in a transgression too great to ignore."

Metzger hands his cigarette to Loewe before the two part ways, Metzger to the ball and Loewe out the front entrance and into the night.




The Diogenes Club, later that night.

"Yes, come in," M greets his visitor, tapping the contents of his extinguished pipe into a tin tray on his desk. The lamp in the corner casts a soft, orange sidelight on the gentleman who enters, while M remains in shadow. The fat man's visitor is Gerhard Loewe of No. 9 Carlton House Terrace. But M knows him better as Sir John Lyons.

"What the devil are you playing at, Jack? The Germans sent us Adderley's body, and we told them it was you, as you had requested. But their so-called 'submarine plans' are still in Wilhelmshaven, so Adderley's death was for nought."

"On the contrary, M," Lyons replies, taking a seat across from M and putting his feet up on his desk. "The killing of an amateur, English jack-tar would not bolster German confidence. But the killing of Britain's premier intelligence agent would. Dear Adderley's sacifice was necessary." Jack thought it best not to mention to M that he also alerted the Germans to the break-in, just in case Adderley was more effective than he'd thought. "For now, I've resumed my role at Prussia House. I should have a detailed report on the German U-boat to you by the end of the week."