Sometimes – not very often, but it happens – prolonged stress leads to changes in a person’s character, his personality. Put simply, he goes nuts, and his superiors have no idea what the agent might do and where he might go. Sometimes an embedded spy might capriciously drop out of the game, spurn any communication, or avoid meeting his handlers. In the worst case, he might become a double agent. I remember one such fellow who became a successful entrepreneur in Latin America. He was, of course, helped out with some starting capital, and opened a small business. He had no special hope that it would be a success; he was content with the idea of simply making ends meet. However, he was a savvy businessman, and in time he grew very rich indeed.
In spycraft, an agent’s funds are very important
