Legionaries

Ed Harsono

October 1, 2007

At 15:20

"YOU doubt my abilities?" The voice of the bule man jolted the peculiarity of my daydream. Apparently he was quite meticulous reading the pessimistic aura that flowed through my facial water.

"No. I just..." I stopped my speech for a moment thinking about the right choice of words. "I'm just curious. What role can a hypnotherapist play in the body of an intelligence organization?"

"It means right my guess. You doubt me."

"Is there not a clear distinction between doubt and curiosity?" I said, lightly while trying to show determination.

"Yes, maybe." The ketus tone that I used was probably not powerful enough to make him flinch. "But if you really do not believe how much contribution the science of hypnotherapy can give to the world of intelligence, then you are still not worthy of Your current position."

Hearing the haphazard speech that came out of the mouth of the doctor, my two aides were riled up and provoked emotions. Simultaneously and without command, the two immediately reached for something hidden behind their respective pocket suits.

"Shhhh!" Before the snouts of the FN-57 actually came out of the nest, I hurriedly shook my right hand as a gesture to stop the reactive movements of my two aides. "Our talk is getting interesting. Then please tell me about your experience while working in the Intelligence Area, Doctor. Like it or not, right now your status is nothing more than a job interview participant."

"I don't deny that assumption. But is not an interview participant entitled to express the amount of salary expectations to the interviewer?"

"Wait a minute. So, we're gonna have to pay you if this partnership gets done?"

"Ah, no, General. I'm just kidding. I know my position in this cooperation is just a pawn piece. While you are the commanders."

"Oh, thank God that you understand. Of course you also know what consequences a soldier will bear if he defies the orders of his commander?"

"Don't get me wrong, General. Don't rush to judge me by first impressions. I guarantee you I'm a professional."

Curious, I immediately tried to analyze the personality of this one doctor with a deductive approach. Is he a trustworthy person? Or is he just a big mouth? The long conversation laden with cynical charges came to a halt for a moment. Suddenly, the foreign doctor chuckled. And, miraculously, a smile on his lips was able to conjure the atmosphere into a more fluid. Miraculously, I returned the little smile with a light laugh.

"alright. I've understood. I'm not going to underestimate your capacity and experience again. So what can you offer for our country?"

"Good, General. Earlier I'd give you a little idea of the tasks of people like me on the intelligence scene." I began to move my seat forward. "As you know, the intelligence agencies of major countries, such as the United States and the United Kingdom, currently have an omnipresent network in various countries. Undoubtedly, superpowers like them must have many rivals."

"You're not wrong, General. But that's not what I want to talk about right now."

"Want to?"

"As an intelligence officer, you must have heard the term secret agent commonly called Sleeper, right?" I'm nodding. "You must also know, the CIA has infiltrated many sleeper into the Russian government. And vice versa."

"With all due respect, Doctor. Are you trying to lecture an intelligence chief about the ins and outs of intelligence?" My blood started to boil hearing Dr. Edward was rambling.

"And, with all due respect, General. To become a great leader of an intelligence agency, it takes a high level of patience, right?" I let out a breath. This guy is good at playing with words. "Can I continue?"

I raised my palm to hint at approval.

"As we all know, a sleeper will settle in a rival country with another identity. He will live in a society like normal people. Of course while occasionally seeking access to gather certain information about the policies of rival state intelligence agencies. Until here, is there any explanation I'm not right, General?"

"Continue. I'll correct you if there's a mistake."

Dr. Edward snorted cynically before continuing his brief explanation which at first glance sounded just swirling it. "Well, General. Do you think a human being has the ability to act out two identities at once over a very long period of time?"

"You mean?"

"Still about Sleeper. A sleeper who lives in a rival country must be able to avoid suspicion from rivals, right? And it takes years to make a good living record for him to gain that kind of trust. He needs another identity, other than his real identity as a spy. The problem is, is he able to live for many years with a different identity?"

Suddenly the mood was quiet. Explanation Dr. Edward was not heard for a few seconds. While I tried hard to digest the explanation, as well as predict what the next thing will reveal.

"General Edi Harsono, our job as a hypnotherapist is to make sure a sleeper masters that multi-identity simultaneously."

"In other words?"

"We are the ones who guarantee the existence of another identity inside their heads. We are also in charge of controlling the emergence of other identities."