Subj: DS: Smart Shadows
Date: 5/8/02 1:15:41 PM Central Daylight Time
From: Aesgaard

Burke glanced at his watch as he and Joe waited for Vicki and Maggie to arrive. They had been sitting in the Blue Whale for almost half an hour and their dinner appointment was in ten minutes.

"I'll never understand why women are never on time." Burke wondered out loud.

"It takes a long time to put on all that female war paint." Joe grinned humorously and sipped his beer.

"And they say men are vain." Burke sipped his and then heard the bell on the door. It was another different party as he settled in his seat.

"Yeah," Joe thumbed his empty mug as he thought of Maggie's big brown eyes.

"But don't they make it worth it ?"

"Yeah." They heard the ringing of a phone somewhere. At the counter, owner and proprietor Bob Rooney heard the ring and picked up the phone.

"Blue Whale Bar And Grill." He answered, but all he heard was a dial tone. The ringing was still coming from somewhere else.

"Excuse me, sir," Joe turned to the man at the next table. "Is that your shoe that's ringing ?"

"What ?" The dapperly attired man looked down. "Oh yes, so it is." He reached down, pulled the shoe off his right foot and lifted it up as he slid the heel away. He flipped up part of the sole and held it to his ear. "Yes, chief,"

"Max," the other voice started. "Did you get in Collinsport okay ?"

"Yes, chief," Max Smart noticed Joe and Burke looking at him. "Do you mind ? This is a private shoe."

"Max," The Chief started. "Some years ago this night, a special agent we had named Paul Stoddard vanished before he could intercept a roll of microfilm for us. It contained locations and lists for countless KAOS agents and now we want you to track it down. "

"Any idea what happened to him ?" Max smoked his cigarette as he drank his beer.

"None." His boss answered. "Don't worry about finding him, just get that microfilm. 99 will be joining you later to help talk to his widow. You should also be approached by our KAOS informant. You'll be able to recognize him by his wolf-handled cane. The recognition phrase is: Swans fly east over Cardogan Square in winter. Got it ?"

"Not a problem," Max noticed his cigarette floating in his beer. "You can depend on me."

"I wish you hadn't said that."

"Nothing can happen while I'm on the case."

"I wish you hadn't said that either."

Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.