There were just the three of us on duty in the temple that afternoon - the usual mob of foot soldiers, of course, keeping an eye on their particular subjects that day - but actually in charge of the temple just us three.
Mind you, there wasn't really any need for more. Years of patient effort meant that we had the place pretty well sewn up. Caiaphas, the chief priest, was ours and so was just about everyone in his household. Of the Sanhedrin, the body which nominally governed the nation, all except a handful were ours body and soul, and of that handful there wasn't a single one who gave us any sleepless nights.
Of course, you wouldn't have known it to look at them. Caiaphas in particular, was a man of the most rigorous piety, scrupulous in keeping the Law in every tiny detail, but so eaten up with greed and ambition that in any situation he could be relied upon to do what was best for Caiaphas - and if the Law got in his way, he had the finest casuists in the world to call upon to find a way of wiggling round or under or between the laws.
I was leaning back in the sun, enjoying the warmth of the day when Number One jabbed me in the ribs with his elbow. I opened my eyes and looked round.
"Over there, Two," he said, nodding his head down towards the courtyard of the women.
I looked over the edge of the parapet and surveyed the scene. It was that point in the daily service where the priest in charge goes into the temple to burn the incense and everyone kneels down and prostrates themselves while he does it. The priest that day was a chap called Zacharias, one of the few who wasn't ours, but no one bothered about him overmuch. He was an old man, a nonentity from the hill country down towards Bethlehem, and the chances that he could upset our plans were nil.
"What is it, One?" I asked.
"Look at Ninety-seven and One-oh-three," he said, pointing.
It took me a moment or two to find them but then I grinned broadly. Ninety-seven was in charge of a young fellow I hadn't seen before and One-oh-three was looking after a girl from Siloam that we all knew very well. Pretty face, good figure and a bold, roving eye. She cut a swathe through the young chaps of Jerusalem and although she hadn't actually bedded any of them yet - Daddy, Mummy and a coven of maiden aunts kept too close an eye on her for that - she could be relied upon to disturb the calm of stone statue.
Ninety-seven had managed to manoeuvre his charge into a position just behind the girl and it was clear from the young fellow's gaping mouth and gleaming eye that he had caught one of her burning glances. As I watched, the whole crowd prostrated themselves and her pert round bottom rising into the air in front of the young chap was a sure-fire guarantee that this was one service where the Enemy wouldn't be getting through to him. Piety and teenage hormones are uneasy bedfellows at the best of times!
I prodded Number Three and silently pointed.
"What's up?" he asked, staring down into the crowd.
Number One sniggered. "He is, I should say."
We fell about laughing while Three tried to find out what the joke was and when he finally cottoned on, there were more risque jokes and double entendres - anything to pass the hours until our shift was over. Suddenly Number One stiffened and looked serious.
"Something's up," he said, staring behind us at the temple.
"We've had that one," I chortled, jabbing Three with my elbow and getting ready for another laugh.
"Hey, cool it, you guys," One growled. "Something's going on."
I glanced at his face and instantly sobered up. "What is it?" I asked.
"That priest is taking too long," he snapped.
I tried to reassure him.
"Oh come on, One. He's old, it's his first and almost certainly last time in the temple, naturally he's going to string it out a bit. Probably reciting Psalm 119 or something."
"No," One shook his head. "I don't like it. Look, even the people are starting to notice it. Just nip into the temple, will you, Two, and see what's going on."
I hopped off the parapet and dashed across the courtyard, grinning to myself as I did so. It always made me chuckle to think of what all those hundreds of people would say if they could see us floating around above their heads. Give them the shock of their lives and make them all determined to be better people in the future, I should think!
My thoughts jerked back to reality as I landed on the pavement at the top of the steps. It was like hitting a wall of treacle and the air tasted of electricity - and I knew what that meant. The ordinary Enemy agent was unpleasant enough, but you got used to them. This was big time stuff: one of the important agents from the other side was in there!
I sidled towards the curtain that closed the doorway, fighting against the ever-thickening atmosphere. I aimed to slip through on the right so that anyone outside would think that it was just a gust of wind that had disturbed the curtain. Just as I put out my hand to touch the curtain I heard a voice that made my blood run cold.
"You will be dumb and unable to speak," the voice was saying, "until all these things have come true."
The next moment the curtain was yanked aside and Zacharias stood there, yammering wordlessly. I ignored him and leaped forward to push through the curtain. No matter how unpleasant it might be, it was my duty to confirm what I already knew - the identity of the Enemy agent inside the temple.
He was there, all right, standing just to the right of the altar, that look of ineffable smugness on his face. Our eyes met and locked and I fancied that he nodded slightly, as if in recognition. He raised his arm, but I didn't wait to find out whether it was in greeting or threat. I turned and bolted out of the place - and hang the curtain!
Get it? Hang the curtain?