Captain Axel Valerius – Zweif
Valerius, Captain Axel: the captain of the <a href="mbpage11.htm#m18">Marimba</a>. He had previously worked two maritime insurance scams for <a href="mbpage02.htm#b44">Modesty</a> during the days of <a href="mbpage13.htm#n09">The Network</a>. Warned by Modesty of <a href="mbpage14.htm#p39">Thaddeus Pilgrim's</a> real plans for the crew of the ship, Valerius sells the Marimba in a west African port for $12,5000,000 and deposits 10% of the proceeds in a Swiss bank account in Modesty's name. [DMH]
<a name="v03"></a>Vallmanya: a soldier in <a href="mbpage10.htm#k12">Karz's</a> mercenary army. Vallmanya is declared <a href="mbpage18.htm#u02">Unsound</a> by Karz and killed by <a href="mbpage18.htm#t38">The Twins</a> for his use of drugs. [ST]
<a name="v04"></a>van Doorn: a victim of the organization consisting of <a href="mbpage19.htm#w13">Harriet Welling</a>, <a href="mbpage17.htm#s93">Brigadier George Sumner</a>, <a href="mbpage18.htm#t27">Timmins</a> and <a href="mbpage01.htm#b19">John Beckworth</a>. He was killed by <a href="mbpage05.htm#d11">The Dark Angels</a> after other contractors failed on two occasions. [DA]
<a name="v05"></a>van Pienaar: one of <a href="mbpage03.htm#b84">Brunel's</a> five overseers at <a href="mbpage02.htm#b52">Bonaccord</a>. <a href="mbpage02.htm#b44">Modesty</a> considers him to be a thug. A South African, van Pienaar is the only one to survive when <a href="mbpage07.htm#g10">Willie</a> helps Modesty, <a href="mbpage14.htm#p24">Dr. Giles Pennyfeather</a> and <a href="mbpage03.htm#b83">Lisa Brunel</a> escape from the estate. [IV]
<a name="v06"></a>Van Rutte: a mercenary for seven years in black Africa. Van Rutte is one of the men hired by <a href="mbpage02.htm#b23">Bellman</a> to kill <a href="mbpage02.htm#b44">Modesty</a> and <a href="mbpage07.htm#g10">Willie</a>. His is disabled when Willie hits him in the chest with a thrown stone the size of a tomato on the island off the coast of Scotland. [BM]
<a name="v07"></a>Vargel: a member of <a href="mbpage07.htm#g03">Gabriel's</a> criminal organization. [MB]
<a name="v08"></a>Varilla: the wealthy family that owned the land where <a href="mbpage11.htm#l36">Limbo</a> was eventually built. [LDL]
<a name="v09"></a>Varron: an informant that <a href="mbpage07.htm#g10">Willie</a> approaches for any information he might have about the theft of <a href="mbpage01.htm#a05">Sheik Abu-Tahir's</a> diamonds. [MB]
<a name="v10"></a>Vaubois, René: the head of the French Deuxième Bureau, a friend and colleague of <a href="mbpage18.htm#t11">Sir Gerald Tarrant</a>. [MB] Vaubois arranges for the French media to learn about the recovery of the stolen <a href="mbpage19.htm#w09">Watteau</a> painting. [ST] Vaubois is the target of two assassination attempts initiated by <a href="mbpage19.htm#w24">Jack Wish</a>, both defeated by <a href="mbpage02.htm#b44">Modesty</a> and <a href="mbpage07.htm#g10">Willie</a>, after he fails to pay <a href="mbpage16.htm#s35">Seff's</a> protection money. [IL] Vaubois alerts Modesty to the fact that <a href="mbpage07.htm#g03">Gabriel</a> and <a href="mbpage12.htm#m48">McWhirter</a> have been spotted in Beauvais. [TFD] Vaubois provides Tarrant with information regarding the location of <a href="mbpage13.htm#n16">Ilona Novikov</a> following the death of her husband. [IV] Modesty visits Vaubois, now the head of Direction de la Surveillance du Territoire, so that she can identify the three men who attempted to kill <a href="mbpage15.htm#q02">Quinn</a> before he could reveal whatever he might know about the abduction of Sir Gerald Tarrant. When Modesty and Willie fail to report in after going to the <a href="mbpage04.htm#c36">Chateau Lancieux</a> to rescue Tarrant, Vaubois goes to the site in a helicopter, after being notified by <a href="mbpage07.htm#f33">Fraser</a>. [SM] Vaubois informs Jack Fraser that <a href="mbpage16.htm#r56">John Ryan</a> has killed himself inside <a href="mbpage11.htm#l50">Lubyanka Prison</a>. [DC] Vaubois provides Modesty and Willie with information about <a href="mbpage12.htm#m22">Bernard Martel</a> and his brother <a href="mbpage12.htm#m24">Georges</a>. [XT] One of Vaubois's best SDECE operatives is sent to infiltrate <a href="mbpage19.htm#w07">The Watchmen</a>. After ten days without contact, he is presumed dead. [NM] [Note: when Vaubois is mentioned (in passing) in <a href="mbpage12.htm#m70">Modesty Blaise</a> and in Chapter 3 of <a href="mbpage16.htm#s04">Sabre-Tooth</a>, his first name is given as Léon. By Chapter 9 of Sabre-Tooth, the name has changed to René.]
<a name="v11"></a>Vaughan: one of <a href="mbpage18.htm#t11">Sir Gerald Tarrant's</a> operatives. [ST]
<a name="v12"></a>Vecchi: an old friend of <a href="mbpage02.htm#b44">Modesty</a>. <a href="mbpage07.htm#f26">Forli</a> used to work for Vecchi. [ST]
<a name="v13"></a>Veronica: one of <a href="mbpage07.htm#g10">Willie's</a> girls. Veronica was a student at Cambridge doing a thesis on Oscar Wilde. Most nights, he had to spend hours listening while she held forth on the subject. [XT]
<a name="v14"></a>Viney, Jacques: a chef at The Ritz. His goat's-meat ragoût was a tremendous success with <a href="mbpage01.htm#a05">Sheik Abu-Tahir</a>. However, <a href="mbpage18.htm#t11">Sir Gerald Tarrant</a> is relieved to learn that M. Viney has declined an offer to relocate to <a href="mbpage11.htm#m09">Malaurk</a> as the Sheik's personal chef. [MB]
<a name="v15"></a>Vinezzi: an Interpol agent who was tipped off to pick up the men on the <a href="mbpage09.htm#i12">Isparta</a> following the destruction of <a href="mbpage02.htm#b56">Bora's</a> operation. [NM]
<a name="v16"></a>Viret: a former member of <a href="mbpage13.htm#n09">The Network</a>. Viret used to carry out operations in the Pyrenean border region. He provides <a href="mbpage02.htm#b44">Modesty</a> with information about <a href="mbpage04.htm#c36">Chateau Lancieux</a>. [SM]
<a name="v17"></a>von Krankin, Siegfried: one of the leaders of <a href="mbpage19.htm#w07">The Watchmen</a>. He is shot and killed by <a href="mbpage02.htm#b44">Modesty</a> with one of <a href="mbpage17.htm#s81">Major the Earl St. Maur's</a> arrows as she and <a href="mbpage07.htm#g10">Willie</a> escape from and destroy the <a href="mbpage06.htm#d46">Drioga Corporation's</a> drillship. [NM]
<a name="w01"></a>Walburn: a senior official of <a href="mbpage16.htm#s09">Salamander Four</a>. [SF]
<a name="w02"></a>Waldo: the top industrial spy in the business, and a sometime rival of <a href="mbpage02.htm#b44">Modesty</a> in the days of <a href="mbpage13.htm#n09">The Network</a>. Waldo is pursued by three unnamed killers hired by <a href="mbpage16.htm#s09">Salamander Four</a> when he beats the organization in obtaining a new process for colour film developed by <a href="mbpage10.htm#k17">Kellgren Laboratories</a> in Sweden. After being shot in the arm, Waldo finds his way to the cabin of <a href="mbpage08.htm#h23">Alex Hemmer</a>, where he encounters Modesty. She is able to throw his pursuers off his trail long enough to drive him to Ivalo, where a plane is waiting to fly him to Leningrad. [SF]
<a name="w03"></a>Wan, Charlie: a graduate of Pembroke College, Cambridge, and the president of the Drama Society at Hong Kong University. Wan poses as Chinese <a href="mbpage16.htm#s44">General Wang Shi-Chen</a> and interrogates <a href="mbpage17.htm#s62">Wu Smith</a>, learning the names of <a href="mbpage05.htm#d01">Ramon da Cruz</a> and <a href="mbpage17.htm#s90">Colonel Jim Straik</a> in the process. [SM]
<a name="w04"></a>Wan, Sammy: a half-Chinese member of <a href="mbpage13.htm#n09">The Network</a>, and <a href="mbpage10.htm#k31">Krolli's</a> second-in-command. Wan found the unconscious body of <a href="mbpage04.htm#c43">Ben Christie</a> in a paint locker on the <a href="mbpage09.htm#i12">Isparta</a>. [NM, BM]
<a name="w05"></a>Wasp, The: a 34 foot sloop built by <a href="mbpage09.htm#h27">Ben Hollinson</a>. <a href="mbpage02.htm#b44">Modesty</a> is sailing the boat across the Tasman Sea from Brisbane to Wellington when she rescues <a href="mbpage06.htm#f18">Luke Fletcher</a> following his escape from <a href="mbpage06.htm#d43">Dragon's Claw</a>. [DC]
<a name="w06"></a>wasps: the valley in <a href="mbpage02.htm#b52">Bonaccord</a> containing <a href="mbpage13.htm#n17">Novikov's</a> gold deposit is full of Polybioide wasps. [IV]
<a name="w07"></a>Watchmen, The: a terrorist organization lead by <a href="mbpage17.htm#s81">Major the Earl St. Maur</a>, <a href="mbpage19.htm#v17">Siegfried von Krankin</a> and <a href="mbpage08.htm#g35">Colonel Mikhail Golitsyn</a>. The group is actually financed by the Soviet Union, which plans to increase its sphere of influence in the confusion following the completion of <a href="mbpage13.htm#m78">Operation Morningstar</a>. [NM]
<a name="w08"></a>waterbottle: <a href="mbpage07.htm#g10">Willie</a> disables <a href="mbpage05.htm#c69">Paul Crichton</a> when he hits him on the side of the head with a thrown waterbottle. [BM]
<a name="w09"></a>Watteau, Antoine: a French painter who typified the lyrically charming and graceful style of the Rococo. Much of his work reflects the influence of the commedia dell'arte and the opéra ballet (e.g., The French Comedy, 1716). Jean-Antoine Watteau was born in 1684, in Valenciennes, France, and died in 1721 in Nogent-sur-Marne. His painting <a href="mbpage06.htm#f09">Fête Dans Les Bois</a> is stolen from the Musée Mattioret by <a href="mbpage02.htm#b44">Modesty</a> and <a href="mbpage07.htm#g10">Willie</a>. [ST]
<a name="w10"></a>Waverly: the British Minister of Defence. Waverly wants <a href="mbpage18.htm#t11">Sir Gerald Tarrant</a> to activate his sleeper network of agents in East Berlin to bring Soviet defector <a href="mbpage13.htm#o04">Okubo</a> safely to the West. [GW]
<a name="w11"></a>weapons: during the course of their adventures, <a href="mbpage02.htm#b44">Modesty</a> and <a href="mbpage07.htm#g10">Willie</a> make use of a variety of unconventional weapons, in addition to Modesty's handguns. See the individual entries for details on the following: <a href="mbpage02.htm#b43">blackjack</a>, <a href="mbpage02.htm#b48">blowpipe</a>, <a href="mbpage03.htm#b63">bow and arrow</a>, <a href="mbpage08.htm#g45">grenade</a>, <a href="mbpage09.htm#j14">javelin</a>, <a href="mbpage10.htm#k28">knives</a>, <a href="mbpage10.htm#k29">kongo</a>, <a href="mbpage11.htm#m04">machete</a>, <a href="mbpage15.htm#q01">quarter-staff</a>, <a href="mbpage16.htm#s45">shield</a>, <a href="mbpage17.htm#s59">skittle</a>, <a href="mbpage17.htm#s60">sling</a>, <a href="mbpage17.htm#s96">sword</a>, and <a href="mbpage19.htm#w08">waterbottle</a>.
<a name="w12"></a>Weber: the Dutch criminal who hired the local group of lads that assisted <a href="mbpage05.htm#c71">Reverend Uriah Crisp</a>, <a href="mbpage03.htm#b81">Beauregard Brown</a> and <a href="mbpage05.htm#d16">Clarissa de Courtney-Scott</a> in the theft of the <a href="mbpage09.htm#h35">Hsuan-Te chair</a> from the <a href="mbpage02.htm#b55">Bor Museum</a>. Following the theft, Beauregard and Clarissa visit Weber and kill him. [DC]
<a name="w13"></a>Welling, Harriet: a director of three large companies, and a member of the organization that also includes <a href="mbpage17.htm#s93">Brigadier George Sumner</a>, <a href="mbpage18.htm#t27">Timmins</a> and <a href="mbpage01.htm#b19">John Beckworth</a>. The group uses <a href="mbpage05.htm#d11">The Dark Angels</a> to kill selected foreign investors as a means of obtaining their goal of keeping British industry British-owned. [DA]
<a name="w14"></a>Wenczel, Major: a Hungarian working for <a href="mbpage07.htm#g03">Gabriel</a> and <a href="mbpage05.htm#d26">Simon Delicata</a> in <a href="mbpage13.htm#m85">Mus</a>. Wenczel, an avid fencer, meets his end when he is killed by <a href="mbpage02.htm#b44">Modesty</a> in a duel as part of her plan to escape from Mus. [TFD]
<a name="w15"></a>Weng: <a href="mbpage02.htm#b44">Modesty's</a> Indo-Chinese houseboy. Although he has gone to school in Hong Kong, and spent three years at university there, Weng is content to spend the rest of his life in his current job. [MB, ST, IL, TFD, IV, SGC, LDL, XT, BM, DA, GBB] Weng is an accomplished bridge player. He usually plays three afternoons a week at one of the top London clubs, and makes a good £7,000 per year free of tax. [NM, DMH] Weng travels to <a href="mbpage18.htm#t35">The Treadmill</a> to watch <a href="mbpage06.htm#f14">Fitch</a> while <a href="mbpage07.htm#g10">Willie</a> flies to Scotland to rescue Modesty from <a href="mbpage15.htm#r32">Rodelle</a>. [IHD] Weng flies to Hong Kong with Modesty and Willie to help set up the interrogation of <a href="mbpage17.htm#s62">Wu Smith</a> that eventually reveals the name of <a href="mbpage17.htm#s90">Colonel Jim Straik</a>. [SM] Weng relays messages between Modesty and Willie as they search for <a href="mbpage06.htm#f18">Luke Fletcher</a>following their theft of the <a href="mbpage09.htm#j07">Jade Queen</a>. [DC] Weng, along with <a href="mbpage04.htm#c57">Steve Collier</a>, pretends to rough up Willie in order to frighten <a href="mbpage04.htm#c24">Bernie Chan</a> into revealing who hired the <a href="mbpage15.htm#p49">Polish Twins</a> to kill <a href="mbpage18.htm#t11">Sir Gerald Tarrant</a>. [NM] When <a href="mbpage10.htm#l06">Roger Lafarge</a> reneges on his agreement, Weng persuades him to tell all he knows about the three passengers he flew to Athens. [DMH] Weng accompanies the <a href="mbpage12.htm#m45">Reverend James McNally</a> and his wife <a href="mbpage12.htm#m44">Jeannie</a> to <a href="mbpage02.htm#b42">The Black Horse</a> and videotapes <a href="mbpage14.htm#p36">Pike's</a> subsequent humiliation. [OA] Weng delivers the equipment that Modesty will need in <a href="mbpage13.htm#m77">Montelero</a> to Heathrow airport. [CT]
<a name="w16"></a>Werner: a German on <a href="mbpage16.htm#s35">Seff's</a> death list, killed in Hamburg by the <a href="mbpage03.htm#b87">Büchner</a> boys. [IL]
<a name="w17"></a>Westwood, Gwen: the top art expert at Sotheby's. She disappeared while on a day trip to Sounion during a Greek vacation. She was kidnapped and taken to <a href="mbpage06.htm#d43">Dragon's Claw</a> to view <a href="mbpage17.htm#s70">Sam Solon's</a> collection of stolen art treasures. [DC]
<a name="w18"></a>wheel: while fighting <a href="mbpage17.htm#s47">Jeremy Silk</a> and <a href="mbpage17.htm#s46">Dominic Silk</a> following the escape from <a href="mbpage19.htm#x01">Xanadu</a>, <a href="mbpage02.htm#b44">Modesty</a> uses the stolen wheel she had sold to <a href="mbpage01.htm#a11">Alâeddin</a> years before to roll two one-pint paint cans full of explosives from the cave towards the two brothers. [XT]
<a name="w19"></a>whistle: <a href="mbpage02.htm#b44">Modesty</a> is able to alert potential rescuers to her location when she is trapped in a cave in a <a href="mbpage16.htm#s09">Salamander Four</a> assassination attempt with a whistle she fashions from a stick of cane, using a sharp stone and the quill of a feather as tools. [OA]
<a name="w20"></a>White Jade: the emergency code name <a href="mbpage02.htm#b44">Modesty</a> uses for herself when she contacts <a href="mbpage19.htm#w15">Weng</a> by radio from <a href="mbpage09.htm#k06">Kalivari</a>. [DMH]
<a name="w21"></a>Whitstone, David: <a href="mbpage02.htm#b44">Modesty's</a> escort to a performance of Swan Lake at Covent Garden. Modesty abandons Whitstone at the theater (because "he took me for granted") so that she and <a href="mbpage18.htm#t11">Sir Gerald Tarrant</a> can attend a meeting with the <a href="mbpage18.htm#t21">Right Honourable Percival Thornton</a>. [MB]
<a name="w22"></a>wildflowers: <a href="mbpage02.htm#b44">Modesty</a> and <a href="mbpage07.htm#g10">Willie</a> are attempting to locate and photograph specimens of the hundreds of different varieties of wildflowers that grow in <a href="mbpage11.htm#m11">Malta</a>, using their villa there as a base. [IV]
<a name="w23"></a>Wilhelm: one of two friendly Dutch journalists that <a href="mbpage05.htm#d16">Clarissa de Courtney-Scott</a> spent time with to determine how much was known about the theft of the <a href="mbpage09.htm#h35">Hsuan-Te chair</a> from the <a href="mbpage02.htm#b55">Bor Museum</a>. [DC]
<a name="w24"></a>Wish, Jack: a former fixer for the Mafia, Wish is <a href="mbpage16.htm#s35">Seff's</a> executioner, in charge of taking care of any mistakes made by <a href="mbpage11.htm#l51">Lucifer</a> in predicting natural deaths, as well as killing any victims who do not pay up. According to <a href="mbpage02.htm#b44">Modesty's</a> files from <a href="mbpage13.htm#n09">The Network</a>, Wish is a kind of landbound sailor, with a girl in every capital city. Wish is killed by Modesty when she and <a href="mbpage07.htm#g10">Willie</a> return to the house in the Philippines to rescue <a href="mbpage04.htm#c57">Steve Collier</a> and Lucifer. [IL]
<a name="w25"></a>wizard prang: a wartime RAF expression for "something good." It is one of the uniquely English expressions frequently used by <a href="mbpage12.htm#m62">Old Alex Mirot</a>. [OA]
<a name="w26"></a>Women's Section: <a href="mbpage10.htm#k12">Karz's</a> name for the <a href="mbpage16.htm#s41">seraglio</a>, or brothel, that is for the use of the men in his training camp. [ST]
<a name="w27"></a>wrecking ball: <a href="mbpage02.htm#b44">Modesty</a> and <a href="mbpage07.htm#g10">Willie</a>, with help from <a href="mbpage07.htm#f33">Jack Fraser</a>, steal the safe containing the <a href="mbpage17.htm#s52">Singapore papers</a> from <a href="mbpage03.htm#b84">Brunel's</a> house in London by smashing a hole in the side of the building with a wrecking ball operated by <a href="mbpage12.htm#m60">Wee Jock Miller</a>, and taking the safe away in a van. Modesty got the idea from Willie's description of a rigged game of <a href="mbpage04.htm#c61">conkers</a>. [IV]
<a name="x01"></a>Xanadu: an opulent palace constructed by <a href="mbpage01.htm#a38">Prince Rahim Mohajeri Azhari</a> in the High Atlas mountains in Morocco. <a href="mbpage02.htm#b44">Modesty</a> and <a href="mbpage07.htm#g10">Willie</a> are held prisoner there after being captured by <a href="mbpage17.htm#s47">Jeremy Silk</a> and <a href="mbpage17.htm#s46">Dominic Silk</a> following their recovery of <a href="mbpage13.htm#o03">The Object</a> from <a href="mbpage01.htm#a11">Alâeddin</a>. [XT]
<a name="x02"></a>The Xanadu Talisman: The tenth Modesty Blaise book, published in 1981 and abbreviated XT. <a href="mbpage02.htm#b44">Modesty</a> tries to carry out the last wish of <a href="mbpage12.htm#m22">Bernard Martel</a> by rescuing <a href="mbpage12.htm#m26">Tracy June Martel</a> from the harem at <a href="mbpage19.htm#x01">Xanadu</a>.
<a name="y01"></a>yawara stick: another name for a <a href="mbpage10.htm#k29">kongo</a>.
<a name="y02"></a>Yina: one of <a href="mbpage14.htm#p24">Dr. Giles Pennyfeather's</a> patients in <a href="mbpage09.htm#k03">Kalimba</a>. [IV]
<a name="y03"></a>Yoshida: the Japanese agent working for <a href="mbpage17.htm#s85">Major-General Starov</a> who impersonates <a href="mbpage13.htm#o04">Okubo</a>. By pretending to defect, Yoshida hopes to activate, and subsequently reveal, <a href="mbpage18.htm#t11">Sir Gerald Tarrant's</a> sleeper network of agents in East Berlin. [GW]
<a name="y04"></a>Ypsilanti: the wealthiest fence in the Balkans. <a href="mbpage02.htm#b44">Modesty</a> and <a href="mbpage07.htm#g10">Willie</a> contact Ypsilanti in Athens after striking out on their own to pull the "live-bait" caper on <a href="mbpage07.htm#g03">Gabriel</a>. [MB]
<a name="y05"></a>Yusif: one of the duty guards at <a href="mbpage19.htm#x01">Xanadu</a>. [XT]
<a name="z01"></a>Zanelli: a member of one of <a href="mbpage14.htm#p39">Thaddeus Pilgrim's</a> <a href="mbpage01.htm#a25">Answer To Prayer</a> teams. [DMH]
<a name="z02"></a>Zappi, Carl: a former operative of <a href="mbpage13.htm#n09">The Network</a> who used to run the Rome section. Zappi will supply <a href="mbpage02.htm#b44">Modesty</a> with the actors necessary to interrogate the lawyer who hired <a href="mbpage07.htm#f38">Alfredo Frezzi</a> to bug Modesty's villa on <a href="mbpage11.htm#m11">Malta</a>. [DC]
Zarov: see <a href="mbpage17.htm#s85">Starov</a>. [GW]
<a name="z03"></a>Zdrzalkywicz, Mikolaj: one of the <a href="mbpage15.htm#p49">Polish twins</a>. [NM]
<a name="z04"></a>Zdrzalkywicz, Zygmunt: one of the <a href="mbpage15.htm#p49">Polish twins</a>. [NM]
<a name="z05"></a>Zechi: a Polish soldier in <a href="mbpage10.htm#k12">Karz's</a> mercenary army, serving in the section commanded by <a href="mbpage07.htm#g10">Willie</a>. Zechi was the second to spend a night with <a href="mbpage02.htm#b44">Modesty</a> in Karz's <a href="mbpage16.htm#s41">seraglio</a> following her defeat of <a href="mbpage18.htm#t38">The Twins</a>. Willie breaks Zechi's neck as he and Modesty begin their escape from Karz's valley in the Hindu Kush. [ST]
<a name="z06"></a>Zweif: the leader of an organization in Haifa hired by <a href="mbpage07.htm#g03">Gabriel</a>. [MB]