Writing Prompt: The Secret Agent

Over the years, one profession has captured the imagination of millions:  the secret agent.  From Mata Hari to James Bond and Jason Bourne, secret agents have captured the imagination.  Whether they operate in the glamorous casinos of the French Riviera, the tense environment of Cold War Berlin, or in the complex Middle East, the secret agent is up to something that's worthy of a being in a story.

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The secret agent is also capable of being portrayed in many different ways.  Even James Bond has been portrayed in ways that have changed over the years.  He's been everything from a cold-hearted womanizer to a more sensitive partner to a tortured soul.  It's fun to notice differences in his smoking, drinking, and relationships with women.  As writers, we have a lot of freedom to create secret agents that are products of their times.  A modern secret agent can be realistic or fantastic and conventions can be played with in many ways.

For today's writing exercise, write a short piece of fiction that introduces us to a --

Secret Agent