Sometimes, you can see the bad shit coming in advance. Take this email that just arrived, for example. On the surface, there is nothing wrong with it — just a form email from Human Resources, politely checking to make sure certain documents are in order. Do you have a valid passport? Are you inoculated against various tropical diseases? Did you pass your last medical check? All innocent on the surface, but something's up. The Laundry doesn't send people at your pay grade abroad except to mind-numbingly dull conference meetings and suicide missions; you are not sure which is worse.

Now you have another one - this time HR wants to know if your next of kin registration is still valid. Uh-oh...

The third email of the morning might as well be titled ‘RE: Bad Shit’. It is actually entitled ‘Meeting 10:30 room C4’ but the cc list includes someone called ventry@sis.gov.uk...

Welcome to sunny Nuristan—possibly the most isolated and inaccessible bit of Afghanistan, high in the Hindu Kush. It is home to lots of people who want to kill us all. It is also home to Alga Akhan, an Afghan warlord who might be a vital ally... or a worshipper of an alien god. Or both. It is up to the characters to make that call.

A Laundry Files adventure from Black Bag Jobs.