outcomes

In the jargon of the business, spies are called "old whores" because they more or less do anything to meet stated objectives. In other words, the end justifies the means within stated guidelines. Essentially spies gather seeds of what might someday become intelligence, think about what they found, scratch their collective heads, argue with each other, go steal more information, chew on that, bake a batch of theories, try to apply them and get their asses kicked by skeptics, breed indigestion, gulp a pill, doze off, get insights, badger their bosses, submit to peer-review ridicule, wonder why they do this vacuous task, so at odds from what they were promised: Protect the Nation.

Either they reconcile themselves to reality or kiss up to get a management position.

Not alone in the world, spies succumb to the baneful outcome of all professions. People who feel unsuccessful at work become hectors.

The lucky survive long enough to retire--or they resign, forgo NOVA reenactments of civil wars, set up shop for spy contracts, hobnob with cash-fat lobbyists, imagine a novel that will pay the bills, peck away at what will surely be eviscerated upon Agency review then trashed and rejected by literary bottom feeders.

Months later, worn out by family accusations of, 'what are you doing now', they ask for reinstatement into the secret sanctuary of fiddling with paper clips since the open world offers no rewards either.

This is only hypothetical.