[MD2 - 0530-ish]
Tom and Jordan stood next to each other looking out the sliding door of the house into the woods behind it. They each held a steaming mug and they drank almost in unison.
"What are we going to do?" Tom asked.
"We have to get Emily Hanson back," Jordan replied.
"The price is high. You really want to pay it?"
"Do we have a choice? This isn't her fight. I can't sacrifice her for something she doesn't know anything about."
"Damn! We were so close to having something that we could show to the American people that would prove the existance of extra-terrestrial life."
"We may be loosing this battle, but I think we can still win the war," Jordan said with a slight grin.
"I don't know, Jordan, I think we're going to get bombed back to the stone age."
"You developed schematics for the device, didn't you?"
"Yeah," Tom replied, "and I derived the control logic as best I could."
"Then maybe we haven't lost at all. Lets go unpack my laptop."
***
> "That presence caught me." Leo said, accepting a wet towel from > Vanessa. "It was pretty damn strong. Thank god I was just a little > stronger."
> "You could've gotten yourself killed, Leo." Martin said.
> Leo laid his head back and nodded. "I know. I know. But this was > important."
> Jordan glared at Leo, "What was so damn important that you would > risk your life on that device?"
> Leo closed his eyes for a while and smiled, "I know where Emily > Hanson is, and I know where our pal Carol is also."
"Where?" Martin asked.
"The Marriot in Cambridge. They are in room 1814 with 2 men stationed outside the door. I think we could take them," Leo replied.
"Probably," Jordan said, "but we're not going to."
"Why not?" Jim demanded.
"There's too much risk. We don't know how many other operatives who are working with Carol are in the hotel. We also don't know how many civilians are on that floor. It's bad enough that we've been trading fire with other agents of our own government, but I won't put the lives of civilians on the line."
"You aren't just going to turn the device over to them, are you?" Vanessa asked.
"That's exactly what we're going to do," Tom answered without looking up from the screen of the laptop.
"That's crazy," Leo exclaimed.
The others chimed in, and Jordan had to hold up his hand to cut off their protests. "Look, too many people have die over this thing already, and Emily Hanson won't be next. You guys know the risks that come with this job. I could ask any one of you to give your life to complete our mission and I'd expect you to do it. While I don't like the fact we're shooting at other agents of our Government, they knew the risks when they signed up as well. Emily didn't sign up for this assignment. She's supposed to be a diplomat, and I won't throw her life away."
"Sorry, Chief," Leo said, "I see your point. So what do we do now?"
"Stall," Tom chimed in, "I need some time to do a few things before we give the device away."
"Like what?" Zenya asked.
"You're better off not knowing," Jordan replied. "I'm going to call Carol and arrange a meeting for tomorrow. Jim and Vanessa, how would you like to be in sunny southern California instead of here?"
"You want us to check out Mark Carter?" Jim asked.
"Yeah. I want to know how he got the device and how he knew where to send it to. There's got to be a flight from Boston to LA sometime this afternoon, be on it."
"What about the rest of us?" Leo asked.
"Our job is to be seen. I'd really prefer if no one saw Jim and Vanessa get on a plane, and that's more likely if we're out beating the bushes."
"Gotcha," Leo replied.
***
"Hello."
"Hi Carol. This is Jordan. I had a really good time last night, and I'd like to take you out again."
"Really. I can still smell that sweet scent of your cologne."
"You really liked it? I'm touched. Anyway, I was wondering if you're available tomorrow evening?"
"Sure."
"Great. I've got a friend who has been a bit lonely, and I was wondering if you have anyone you could fix him up with?"
"I do," Carol replied, "put your friend on the line, and I'll put mine on."
Jordan turned and handed the cell phone to Martin.
NRPG:
Sau Woon and Peter: The trip to California should be kept fairly
brief. Your characters won't be followed. Mark Carter should not be
too hard to find living with his mother. In grand X-Files tradition the
search should have a twist and not yield anything useful. Either he
didn't really send it, or his father has a basement full of electronic
stuff (all junk), or something similar.
Krister: Over to you.
Respectfully submitted,
Alton Reich
SA-4 Jordan Stern, Team Leader ZULU
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