# Spies, Spies, Everywhere is Spies.



## Stormcat (Feb 25, 2018)

James Bond is a beloved fictional spy. He travels the world, meets gorgeous women, has all the awesome gadgets, and he was even created by a former espionage agent who knows the ropes!

However, my story centers around people like Q and Miss Moneypenny. People stuck at headquarters waiting for Bond to finish off that last martini and accomplish the mission. Even though they aren't out in the field, their work is still incredibly important in ensuring that the world does not succumb to the likes of SPECTER. As most spy stories center around the agents themselves, I'm having a bit more difficulty figuring out how to write the "Handlers".

Sure, a scientist who develops gadgets can be written, but he or she is only one person in a vast network. I'm having trouble arranging my characters in a believable manner so they would be the highest ranking members of this spy organization. I have one character who I've designated "Spymaster" but I have no idea where to put anyone else!

I understand that organizations like these rely on layers upon layers of security, but like I said earlier, most spy fiction centers around the agents in the field rather than their Handler's Handler's Handler. Once all these agents gather the intelligence necessary, what does HQ do with it? Is there like an Espionage Accountant who determines how much money can be assigned to each investigation? Does the head honcho get a private security detail? How many layers of encryption are typical of communications sent "all the way to the top"? So many questions!


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## ironpony (Feb 25, 2018)

It's hard to answer those questions for sure.  The movie Casino Royale (2006) has an account that has to make budgeting decisions based on James Bond's behavior.  Not sure if that helps, but it may give you an idea.


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## NathanielleC (Feb 26, 2018)

When doing research, oddly enough a work of fiction may not be the best source material. Unless you're only talking about story elements and writing techniques, etc.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news...ould-not-get-job-with-real-mi6-says-spy-chief


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## Stormcat (Feb 26, 2018)

NathanielleC said:


> When doing research, oddly enough a work of fiction may not be the best source material. Unless you're only talking about story elements and writing techniques, etc.
> 
> https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news...ould-not-get-job-with-real-mi6-says-spy-chief



For the most part, yes. I'm more concerned with the "synergy" between the characters in their positions, rather than the spywork itself. Still, I should probably learn what Spy handlers actually do.


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## Pallandozi (Sep 8, 2020)

Have you read the books written by the head of MI6?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stella_Rimington#Novels

There's lots of material out there by Jonna Mendez.

And if you want to throw in some office politics, spy-style, try https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligence_(British_TV_series)


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## CyberWar (Sep 9, 2020)

Stormcat said:


> For the most part, yes. I'm more concerned with the "synergy" between the characters in their positions, rather than the spywork itself. Still, I should probably learn what Spy handlers actually do.



The handler, properly known as case officer, is essentially a human resource management specialist. A case officer's duties are to seek out prospective agent candidates, recruit and train agents, and manage ("handle") agent networks. The case officer is the middleman between the agency and his field agents, sending intel gathered by the agents to the agency's analysts and forwarding tasks and assignments from the agency to the agents.

There can be several tiers of field agents working under a case officer, not all of them necessarily aware who they work for, or even that they are committing espionage. For example, a case officer may handle several "witting" and "willing" agents, people who are aware they are committing espionage and willing to do so. These may or may not be fellow members of the same intelligence agency - just as often they may be nationals and even intelligence agents of the enemy nation who are willing to cooperate for any of a number of reasons. Each of these agents will likely have his own network of informers (also listed as "agents" for the given network), who may be "witting" or "unwitting", i.e., unaware that they are being used to mine for intel. Some agents may even be "unwilling", coerced into spying by threats or blackmail. Sometimes a case officer will only supervise one "singleton", a lone agent (like James Bond) whose mission requires him to work alone.

Depending on their role and extent of involvement in the agent network, agents will be given various training by the case officer. For obvious reasons, it is usually limited only to witting and willing agents in direct contact with the case officer. Instruction typically revolves around information gathering and clandestine communication techniques (surveillance, cryptography, use of numbers stations, dead drops, etc.), and of detecting and evading hostile surveillance. Other skills taught may involve various cover techniques, i.e., establishing plausible pretexts for the agent's presence and activities on target premises while one mission. Generally, agents will be trained one at a time and only instructed in the skills and techniques relevant to their immediate mission. Advanced training for high-risk missions may also include resistance to interrogation and torture.

A case officer will also be expected to provide his agents with the necessary equipment for the mission and arrange for its clandestine delivery. While in most cases field agents will make do with off-the-shelf gear easily obtained in the area of operations and hence unlikely to arouse suspicion or construct the necessary equipment themselves, in cases where exotic specialist gadgets (such as "The Thing" listening device) are required, it will be the case officer's duty to provide them.


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