Hermutt Clinger

Hermutt Clinger was a Bereznik agent who unsuccessfully attempted to assassinate the World Government Defence Minister in 2066.

While in Paris, Roger Lyon, one of Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward's operatives, discovered the plot. Clinger responded by kidnapping Roger in his hotel room and altered his plans to frame him for the assassination and fabricate his subsequent suicide. However, Roger was on an emergency call to Lady Penelope at the time and she travelled to France with Parker after the transmission was abruptly cut. Clinger waited for her and started a fire in Roger's room at the Scores-Vaneau while she was investigating. She escaped and they had a second encounter at the Roof Top Club which went much the same way as the first; Clinger evaded her across the rooftops while Penelope barely avoided falling to her death. The next day, just as the procession carrying the Defence Minister came into view, Clinger's scheme was foiled when Penelope and Parker broke into his room, having finally located it. Roger was rescued after Parker pushed Clinger over a balcony and the trio elected to return home.

However, Clinger survived the fall and, escaping the French police, got new orders from his Chief once he reached his car again. He was told to secure a photograph of the woman and transmit it to Bereznik for identification before "taking care" of them. He succeeded in getting the photograph but, during the pursuit with Penelope's vehicle FAB 1, Parker deployed the oil slip and forced Clinger to crash. Upon inspecting the crash site, Lady Penelope was shot by Clinger at which point he was shot and killed by Roger. Clinger's mission ultimately proved to be a complete failure as Penelope was able to recover from her serious injuries with treatment from Doctor Reinstat but tricked Bereznik into believing she was also dead, preventing them from targeting her again. (COMIC: The Assassination Threat)