Lena: “Yo! Alex, old pal, it's been a while!”

Alex: "Yeah, about ten years, give or take. 1980 wasn’t it? So, how is it going? What have you been up to? Anything interesting?

Lena: "Oh, all going good thanks. Nothing interesting particularly just the same old same old. You know, bits of traveling here and there. Nothing to see. But ok, you know. Pays the bills. How about you?"

Alex: "Pretty much the same, I suppose. Doing a bit here. Doing a bit there. Bit’s of wage-slaving about in Europe. Just love getting about really. How’s the travelling been for you? Been anywhere brilliant?"

Lena: “Well, mostly around Eastern Europe. It’s the architecture that gets me. It’s amazing so much survived the war. Some of it is just breathtaking. But even the newer stuff. Brutalist but impressive.”

Alex: “Wow, that’s whacky. I was in Eastern Europe too, must have been around the same time. Although for me, like I said, it was mostly work. Kind of dull really. Lots of late nights and busy schedules."

Lena: "Work, huh? What kind of work keeps you busy at night?"

Alex: "Consulting. Security consulting. It's not as glamorous as it sounds. Just belt and braces reviews for people who are too stupid to look after their own security arrangements. Box ticking. You?"

Lena: “Well for me it’s been research, mostly. Cultural studies is my bag. What makes society tick. Dry as dust most of it. I bet you’re underselling the security consulting thing, it sounds more exciting than research anyway. Bet you had a few close calls?"

Alex: "A few. Occupational hazard. But I managed to stay out of real trouble. Cultural research, though? Sounds more interesting than you’re saying. I mean, what with the history and so on?”

Lena: "Oh, definitely. Some research topics can be quite…well, sensitive, I suppose. Especially in politically tense regions."

Alex: "I bet. I mean, you wouldn’t want to be upsetting the wrong people. You must be good at staying under the radar."

Lena: “Well, there’s no doubt that that’s a useful skill. Like when I had to leave a certain city quickly due to a 'misunderstanding' with the local authorities."

Alex: "Really? Which city?"

Lena: “Chemnitz as it is now. Karl Marx Stadt as was. A misunderstanding about some supposedly classified documents that apparently weren’t where they were supposed to be. Of course they weren’t in my area of research, but I happened to be in the building at the time”

Alex: “Karl Marx Stadt huh? Do you know I remember getting a call out for some 'incident' in there. Involving a break-in at a government building."

Lena: “Oh? Well, you were a security bloke I suppose.”

Alex: “Yes. Goes with the turf. Like having a nose for recognising odd coincidences. Like cultural research and government documents.”

Lena: “Same with research. You just get a feeling.”

Alex: “Yes . . .”

Lena: “Hmmm.”

Alex: "Still. That was then. This is now”

Lena: “Yep.”

Alex: “All chums together.”

Lena: “Yep.”

Alex: “’Till the next time then.”

Lena: “Yes, see you around Alex.”

Alex: “Yes. Nice to solve some old mysteries.”

Lena: “Sometimes.”