Hunter

"Hunter" is the code name of the head of the Section which employs Callan. When one man called Hunter is no longer attached to this service (an official euphemism that covers anything from violent death to promotion) another man called Hunter replaces him.

No Hunter could never be written up in "Who's Who", but if he were, the entry would probably be something like this:

Hunter B.1915. Second son of the Bishop of Worcester. Educated Repton and St. John's College, Cambridge. Double First (1937). Two years as research fellow at King's College, Cambridge. Did extended tours of Yugoslavia, Turkey and Romania for archaeological research. Entered Foreign Office 1939. Worked (from London) at Balkan desk. 1940 - Transferred to M.I.6. Again London based. In 1950 was on loan to M.I.5 to help reorganise internal leaks. after the Nunn May, Pontecorvo and Fuchs cases. 1952 rejoined F.O. as cover: Real work was as planner for M.I.6. Awarded O.B.E. 1964. Promoted Head of Hunter's Section 1968. Unmarried.

A less factual account might read: Hunter is an academic civil servant in looks and manner, with a donnish, acid wit. Because of the interlocking family, F.O. and university relationship he is in constant touch with establishment chatter. He adores gossip - and uses it ruthlessly.

In many ways he is ideal for the appointment. He comes from a long line of professional administrators, lawyers, clerics, army officers, I.C.S. The idea of service to his country is as natural as breathing. Moreover he was never a victim of the flirtation with the left that affected so many of the brilliant young men of the 30's. He had no taste for Spender's poems, though Isherwood's prose he read with approval: it had for him the 3 civilised attributes of discipline, wit and sensitivity. The one 30s affectation he acquired and retained is an affection for traditional jazz. Otherwise he is typical in his unhesitating loyalty to the crown, the Tory Party and the established church.

His strength is as a planner. He has a brilliant mind, admirably adapted to creative action. Though he can and must gamble, he uses his intelligence as far as possible to reduce the element of risk. Moreover his superiors discovered, quite early in his career, that he is immune from worry about the fate of the men and women who must act out his schemes with their lives. His objectivity is absolute.

On the debit side, Hunter has never been an agent in the field. From the beginning it was decided that his special talents should not be risked. He worked always from a desk. He has no knowledge of weapons or unarmed combat: his most violent hobby (apart from Trummy Young's trombone) is fishing. He detests being present at scenes of violence, though he insists on the necessity for violence. His special forte is the Balkans, where he did his groundwork as a Cambridge research-fellow, and Russia, of which he has an immense theoretical knowledge. He gets on quite well with Americans, who see him as the embodiment of a particular kind of Englishman they see at the cinema. He wears glasses and his health is mediocre. His will is strong and his physical courage remarkable. (He behaved with great gallantry during the blitz.)

Relationship with Callan:

He is both fascinated and repelled, as Callan is. Callan, to him, is very much a 'physical' man: a fighter, a killer, who drinks too much and sleeps with women. He detects this, as he detects Callan's deliberately 'prole' approach: his accent, his slang, his humour. On the other hand he knows without question that he needs Callan for his abilities, and for his own kind of intuitive intelligence. Hunter respects intelligence in any form.

Relationship with Meres:

There is the surface compatibility of background, but Meres also is a physical man, and one moreover who enjoys, even needs violence. Perhaps because of this, Hunter extracts a certain feline enjoyment from teasing Toby.

Relationship with Lonely:

None. Lonely is only the occasional means by which Callan gets results.

The above might be part of a KGB report, but the KGB do not as yet know the identity of the new Hunter, though they know the man exists in other capacities. (George Blake and Kim Philby would supply pretty full dossiers.) In time they will find out who he is. That there is a new Hunter they will soon discover, as the pattern of the Section's operations changes. In any case, they want him destroyed. The KGB wants every Hunter destroyed.

Colonel Hunter is a very cold fish indeed. If he weren't, he couldn't do his job, which is to plan the destruction of people dangerous to the state. The order is given - from where is never revealed - and Hunter sets up the job.

He is a brilliant organiser of murder, and sleeps every night without pills. He is in his 50's, with typical staff-officer background - Public School and Sandhurst. He rarely loses his temper, never shouts - and is completely terrifying; his skill at his job is so apparent. The one man who can make him angry is Callan - because sometimes - by no means always - Callan can outwit him.

Hunter's Section is housed in a disused Edwardian school. It's cover-function is that of scrap-dealers, and the school is apparently used as a warehouse. Inside it are communications (short-wave radio), gym, pistol range and all the paraphernalia of espionage. (N.B.: These are minimised in the stories) Lorries and closed vans, as well as cars, can come and go freely. But the whole place is under constant watch by closed-circuit T.V. The monitors are seen in Hunter's office.