Missions of the Retrieval Team - Kilt and Kilt Again

[davedove]

Scene 16

On the streets of Washington, D.C., near the Convention Center

We saw the car driving on an intercept course with the truck.

“Who’s that?” Ms. Wren asked.

I examined the car. It was the one we had arrived in. “Who’s in that car?” I asked over the radio.

“It’s Ryan.” Ms. Swan reported back. “He just took off without any warning.”

As we watched, the truck kept accelerating, its driver apparently unaware of Ryan. Then, just before the truck could hit the Vice President’s car, Ryan’s car crashed solidly into the side of the truck. The momentum carried both vehicles into a short wall near the intersection. The explosives in the truck, the ones meant for the Vice President, exploded in a massive fireball.

The few people near the scene scattered in panic. The Vice President’s convoy sped away.

We rushed closer, but we quickly saw that it was too late for Ryan. The explosion had enveloped both the car and the truck, killing both drivers.

“We’ve got to get out of here!” I ordered. “The police will be here soon, and it may be difficult to explain why we’re here.”

We spun around to leave the scene, but we were too late.

“Hold it!” yelled the leader of the police detail, all their guns pointed at us.

[davedove]

Scene 17

Jail in Washington, D.C.

The policemen shoved Mein and I into the holding cell.

“Now you fellows just relax here for a bit,” said the Sergeant. “You’ll be processed shortly.”

After he had left, I turned to Mein. “Sorry about this,” I told him, “This wasn’t in the plan.”

“What plan?” he asked.

I looked around and noticed the cameras outside the cell. “Now is not the time to discuss this. By the way, what were you doing on that sidewalk, at that time?”

“Just walking by. Then I saw you run into the street in front of the truck and I guess I just acted.”

“Well, thank you for that. I probably owe you my life.”

We didn’t have to wait long before we heard a disturbance out front. Someone was arguing with the officers.

After a few minutes, the Sergeant led a woman back to our cell. She was dressed in the typical attire of a government agent.

“Are these the men?” she asked the Sergeant.

“Yes,” he answered, “along with a woman we’ve got on the female side.”

“Very well,” she said. She turned to us. “Gentlemen, I am Special Agent Constance Eglen of the Secret Service. You have been assigned to my custody for special questioning.”

She turned back to the Sergeant. “Sergeant, the U.S. Government would be most appreciative if you would escort these gentlemen, along with their female companion, to the vehicle outside.”

[davedove]

Scene 18

Inside a Government Van

The policemen placed us in handcuffs and led us towards the back of the building. We waited a few moments until a pair of woman officers led out Ms. Wren to join us. We then proceeded out the back door.

Waiting there was a large, black van with no windows. As we approached, two policemen opened the rear doors. Inside we saw two more Secret Service agents, a man and a woman.

“Get inside,” Agent Eglen ordered us.

After we climbed in and took seats, Agent Eglen turned back to the Sergeant. “The records?” she asked him.

The Sergeant reluctantly handed over a small file. “Here they are,” he said, “but I don’t like this.”

“You weren’t asked to like it,” Agent Eglen told him. “These people are now the concern of the United States government and you need not worry about them any longer.”

She took the file and climbed into the van with us. The officers closed the doors behind her and the van began to move.

[Livingston]

Hmmmmmm......this is getting very interesting.

[davedove]

Scene 19

Inside a Government Van

After a few moments, a women’s voice came from the small window at the front of the van. “We’re clear,” she said.

Agent Eglen turned to us. “Let’s get those cuffs off.”

As the agents began to unlock our handcuffs, Mein seemed confused. “What’s going on?” he asked.

“You’ve just been sprung from jail,” I told him. I nodded to the man unlocking Mein’s cuffs. “The man in front of you is Ensign Mender. The woman releasing Ms. Wren is known as Ms. Raven. And the lovely agent unlocking my cuffs is Constance Eglen, sometimes known as Ms. Eagle.”

Ms. Eagle extended her hand to Mein. “My friends just call me Connie,” she said.

Mein shook her hand, but was still obviously confused. “You knew she was coming?” he asked.

I smiled in response. “Yes, every good plan needs a contingency operation in case something goes wrong.”

“Starling and Thrush are up front,” Ms. Eagle reported. “Swan has gone ahead to make your travel arrangements.”

“What about the crash scene?” I asked.

“It’s been cordoned off as a crime scene. The Secret Service is in charge.”

“What about the bodies?”

“The driver of the car has been sent to the location you specified. The driver of the truck is going to the forensics lab.”

“Where are we going now?”

“Out of the city to the pre-arranged location.” A phone began ringing in her pocket. She retrieved it and answered, “Eglen.” She listened for a moment then said, “Of course, sir.” She handed me the phone. “Someone wants to speak with you.”

“Hello?” I said into the phone.

“Is this Mr. Dove?” a voice asked.

“Yes, it is.”

“Mr. Dove, this is the Vice President.”

[Livingston]

At least HE knew you were on the right side. Probably one a kilt wearer that isn't ready to come out in public yet.

[starbkjrus]

I need popcorn! ith:

[Standard]

Always nice to have a backup plan. Perhapse we need to send the Vice-President an XMarks tartan kilt since he seems to be in the know.

[davedove]

Scene 20

Inside a Government Van

“What can I do for you sir?” I asked the Vice President.

“You’ve already done it,” he answered. “Connie tells me that I owe my life to your team. I just wanted to thank you.”

“Of course, sir, you’re very welcome.”

“I personally think that all of you deserve a medal, but Connie tells me that wouldn’t be appropriate.”

“Uh, she’s right, sir. There are things about this situation that would be better left unexplored by the general public.”

“You need not worry. Any trace of your involvement will be swept away.”

“Thank you, sir.” The connection was broken and I handed the phone back to Ms. Eagle. “The Vice President wishes to extend his thanks to all of us,” I told everyone in the van.

“The Vice President!” Mein said in disbelief.

“Yes,” I said with a smile. “It seems the Executive Branch has been very helpful ever since I helped recover a lost document.”

Mein’s eyes went wide as he realized the implications of what I had just said.

[davedove]

Scene 21

Executive Officer’s Office, Great Hall of X Marks the Scot

I was sitting in Jamie’s office, giving him the detailed debriefing on what had happened.

“Wait a minute,” he said to me. “Do you mean to tell me that you have a plant in the Secret Service?”

I shook my head as I answered. “No, no, no, Connie is not a plant. She was a Secret Service agent long before I ever met her.”

“Then what’s your connection?”

“Let’s just say that the government asked me to help them retrieve a document that had gone missing.”

“An original copy of the Declaration of Independence? That’s hardly just a document.”

I leaned in closer to him. “Please, don’t spread that around; they’re still rather embarrassed about it. After the incident, the Head of the agency felt it would be good to keep in touch with me. They assigned agent Eglen as my liaison.”

“But from what happened, it seems the connection works both ways.”

“Yes, if they need my help, they contact me through Connie. In return, if I become aware of anything I contact her. It’s all a very professional arrangement; it’s just kept quiet.”

Just then someone knocked on the door.

“Yes, what is it?” Jamie asked.

Dee opened the door and looked inside. “Oh good, Dave you’re here too. I’ve got a new applicant I think you should both meet.”