Prologue
A motorcade of two luxury cars, escorted by motorcycle police, passed through the roundabout at Place Charles de Gaulle. After leaving the Arc de Triomphe behind, they sped down the Champs-Élysées toward Place de la Concorde, merging into the bustling morning noise of Paris.
After crossing the Alexander III Bridge over the Seine, with its numerous river trams filled with tourists cheerfully waving to everyone around, the motorcade continued its way away from the riverbank, entering one of the narrower streets of Paris.
Moments later, Rue Saint-Dominique guided them to the courtyard of the Hôtel de Brienne building, the headquarters of the French Minister of Defense for nearly half a century. Journalists had been gathering there for over an hour, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the head of the foreign security service.
Independent media often appeared at inconvenient times, causing considerable frustration for officials. Their information frequently evoked envy from the Judicial Police, and their persistence—sometimes bordering on audacity—prompted the Director of External Security to avoid any contact with them.
“Monsieur Director, France 24 channel, Catherine Marche, live,” an elegantly dressed woman blurted out in one breath, squeezing her way through the tough men escorting the official.
“Is your morning visit to the Minister of Defense related to the arrest of two security service agents suspected of spying for China?” She thrust a microphone with the channel's logo toward him as she spoke.
Without delay, Catherine skillfully navigated through the equally determined groups of colleagues from other news agencies. The cameraman struggled to keep up, occasionally losing sight of her in the crowd. This added a dynamic element to the live morning broadcast, drawing in viewers—even those who might have stumbled onto the broadcast by chance.
“How do you comment that this isn’t the first recent incident?” She pressed on.
“Do you not think nuclear security issues warrant special attention and comments from you?” Her relentless determination was evident as she continued questioning, trying to make the most of the official's brief walk from the car to the administrative building.
“No comment,” he said dismissively, adjusting his glasses and quickening his pace.
A moment later, narrow glass doors at the hotel entrance closed, separating the journalist and the official on opposite sides of the entrance. Without hesitation, the official proceeded through the spacious hall with its chessboard-patterned marble floor, heading toward the massive circular staircase leading to the second floor. The cameraman followed the head of security with his lens until he disappeared from view, then switched focus back to Catherine. Unfazed, she returned to the motorcade, fully prepared to continue the live broadcast.
“Good morning to everyone who has just joined us. We are live with our lead correspondent, Catherine Marche. Catherine, what are the latest updates?” greeted the news anchor from the studio.
“Good morning, François. I'm reporting live from the office of the Minister of Defense. We've learned that two French intelligence officers, Jean Richard and Marie Duval, were detained last night on suspicion of espionage for China. Reportedly, Madame Duval's department was responsible for overseeing nuclear non-proliferation in Asia and the Middle East. These highly decorated agents allegedly transmitted classified materials related to projects in this field. The involvement of the CIA and MI6 in the scandal remains unconfirmed.
“What are the current repercussions?” the broadcaster inquired.
“The ambassadors of France and China have reportedly been summoned for consultations. The head of the foreign intelligence department has been temporarily relieved of his duties pending an internal investigation. It’s still unclear whether this will lead to multiple resignations. The scandal also involves the officials from the National Intelligence and Counter-Terrorism Coordination Agency.”
“Thank you, Catherine. The scale of these events is astonishing and raises serious concerns among the public. Is there any information about the detainees?” François continued.
“It is only known that Marie Duval was detained in Dijon. Details are scarce at the moment, but we continue to monitor the events,” Catherine assured, then, unexpectedly, she added, “Unofficial sources have provided information about a possible romantic relationship between the detainees.”
“This detail certainly adds intrigue to the situation, although it is not crucial to the case,” the anchor noted diplomatically. “Thank you for the live update, Catherine,” he concluded, ending the broadcast. “After a short advertising break, we will analyze the potential consequences of these events and the prospects for strategic cooperation between France and China in nuclear security-“
The cameraman took the camera off his shoulder, retrieved the microphone and headset from Catherine, and confidently strode toward the service minivan waiting nearby.
Left alone, Catherine lit a cigarette. A minute later, she pulled out her phone from her pocket.
“It's done. Good luck,” Catherine said into the phone after a brief pause. She hung up, put her phone away, and headed toward the car waiting for her.
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