After a week on beachgoing and recouperation, the Team flies to Edinburgh.

Stepping out of the plane, they are greeted by the nigh-perpetually overcast weather. A slight breeze coming off the sea sends a chill down the backs of the Team.

Waiting for them just outside the hangar is a Land Rover, complete with driver and the ubiquitous stranger reading a copy of the Financial Times. He glances up at the Team as they unload their baggage from the cargo hold. Looking at his watch, then stowing his paper under his arm, he approaches them in an intently manner.

"You're late, but good afternoon all the same. I'm Ian Hobart (showing official credentials). I'll be your designated intelligence liason while you're here. We have much to do and time is of the essence, so if you stow your gear in the back, we'll be on our way."

Brian doesn't seem too surprised at Ian's curt behavior. It seems about par for MI5 operatives that he's worked with in the past.


(Edited by Dieter at 2:16 pm on Aug. 8, 2003)

Ayumi nods to Hobart and tosses her duffel in the back, leaving her gun rig on and her wakizashi strapped to her back under her London Fog coat. She lowers her sunglasses long enough to pass a knowing glance with the driver.

If something goes down, you and me, we got this shit.

She stands back and climbs into the car last.

Brian tosses his sea bag in the back, loading himself into the truck after the rest of the team gets in.

He sits back, contemplating the latest - real - mission. It would be nice to work with MI5 for a change. They were notorious for being as professional and by-the-book as MI6 was flamboyant. It would be an interesting change of pace.

"So...I take it they're following their historical namesake in terms of goals? Oh, and your man...a bullet, yes? Can we take that as meaning they aren't quite as...creative...as say the IRA when it comes to informants?"

((once again, after this evening I will be off for 3-4 days))

Goose will (grudgingly) ride shotgun, admiring the Land Rover. Its cousins gave them quite the ride in Vegas...

Quote:

Quote: from CrazyIvan on 1:33 pm on Aug. 8, 2003

"So...I take it they're following their historical namesake in terms of goals? Oh, and your man...a bullet, yes? Can we take that as meaning they aren't quite as...creative...as say the IRA when it comes to informants?"

Ian gives Brian the once over as everyone gets into the Rover.

The SAS are all alike. Although it's good to have one of her Majesty's finest on board.

"Yes, in a manner of speaking. While their ultimate goal is from their namesake, they currently are not limiting themselves to political targets. As you are probably aware, they nearly killed one our operatives. That man was a classmate of mine and I do not take kindly to assassins. Since then, London has ceased all formal operations until this person can be found."

As the conversation continues, the Rover speeds out of the airport, passing under a roadsign before yielding onto a highway.

A1: Haddington, East Linton

Jess raises her voice.

"I'm getting the feeling we were called because we're as good in the fireworks department as old Guy hoped to be. And don't tell me this is just a simple investigative mission. Those tend to get everything and everyone around us blown up sky high. Not that I like that too much, but you have to look at the facts. If they send us in, it's serious. So, who are we after ?"

"I've read all of your service records Ms Spiner, quite impressive. And now that we're on the level and have dispensed with the idle chit-chat, I can now tell you why you're here. My friend currently fighting for his life due to an assassin's bullet is just the tip of the iceberg."

Ian passes around a 5"x8" glossy of a woman.

"That's Diana Catesby, a member of just about every terrorist organization that has emerged in Britain over the past 90 years. She claims to be a true descendant of Robert Catesby, one of the original conspirators of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. She's certifiable and much to MI5's chagrin, highly intelligent and elusive. Over the past 10 years she has organized terrorist cells all over Northern Island, the Orkneys, as well as here in Scotland. She, Agent Hummingbird, is the big fish you've been sent here to catch."

"Fried or sashimi?" Carla asks, looking out the back window at all the green and grey out there.

Quote:

Quote: from Threadbare on 5:31 pm on Aug. 8, 2003
"Fried or sashimi?" Carla asks, looking out the back window at all the green and grey out there.

Ian, uncharacteristically, shows emotion in answering Carla's question.

"Agent Manotoc, in the three years I've been on this operation, I've seen too many good agents die while attempting to deal with Catesby's organization. Quite frankly, I...and for that matter MI5, does not care how she is apprehended. Off the record, if you have the shot...don't hesitate in pulling the trigger. Does that answer your question?"

"I think that answers more than one question," Ayumi quips.

"I understand. We're here to put a bitch to sleep."

(Edited by Threadbare at 5:13 am on Aug. 9, 2003)

"MI5 prefers the term eliminated...but you get the idea. A small cell of Guy Fawkes has been working out a house in a village just outside of Edinborough. Your first mission is to infiltrate this particular cell and see what you can find out. Fawkes has a very brilliant group of intelligence gatherers who have already ferreted out most of the principle MI5 agents involved in the operation, including myself. Unfortunately, we found out too late. Over the past two weeks, Fawkes has killed five, severely wounding three others...including my friend. Needless to say, we're hoping your fresh faces might help."

Travelling on the A1 reveals the lush green countryside of the Scottish lowlands, rolling hills giving way to the occasional view of the Firth of Forth.

As the Rover traverses a bend of nondescript highway, Goose and the driver see a horrible accident unfolding before their eyes.

Two sedans have just collided with one another as a tanker truck slams on its brakes, jack-knifing the petrol-filled trailer across all three lanes. The Rover's driver slows down with plenty of time, pulling off to the shoulder (about 100ft away) as the tanker careens right into the car wreck.

[color=red:20ab074f7a]BOOM![/color]

All vehicles involved are immediately engulfed in ball of orange and red flame as a plume of thick black smoke mushrooms hundreds of feet into the air.

I thought they only had fireballs like that in movies...

Carla keeps this thought to herself, however, as it might seem a bit insensitive-- as if sensitivity were an important trait for the Agency. They want people to solve problems, period.

All this internal grousing, however, stays internal, as Carla maintains her oddly sunny demenor and the team tries to figure out what to do.

Ayumi furrows her brow and looks at Ian.

"Can we stop to help?" she asks.

Ian thinks pensively for a hard second.

"I don't think we have much choice in the matt.."

As he finishes his sentence, the armored glass on Ian's side of the Rover is struck. The bullet penetrate most of the layers of Lexan(TM), but doesn't go all the way into the Rover. Other high-velocity bullets are heard pinking off the Rover's body as another round puts a hole in the hood.

"Shit! Everyone get down! (smacking the driver on the back of the head) Go! Go! Go!"

The driver floors the accelerator, making his way down the shoulder of the highway as steam begins to seep out of the SUV's hood.

"We just throw a rod or anything?" Carla asks as she casts about for guns.

"Where are the guns in this tub?"

Carla's search for boomsticks is responded by a cool, collected answer from Ian.

"They're in the boot."

The Rover speeds towards the inferno as Ian hits some sort of mechanism below his seat. Putting up from behind the back row of seats is a small weapons rack holding three MP-5s.

"Be a dear and hand me one of those" Ian says, as the gun ports retract from all the doors.

"Certainly, darlin'." Carla says as she tosses him one of the mp5s (glancing to make sure the safety is on first). She keeps one for herself, getting ready to have some fun with automatic weapons.

Ayumi does a quick count of the heavy weapons and most qualified shooters in the car, then lets Brian claim the last MP5. She goes for her USP's: Hidari with her right hand from under her left armpit, Migi with her left from under her right, and settles in to looking for targets.

I wish they'd issued us gadgets already. HUD glasses would help right now.

Brian looks out across the countryside for a sign of a muzzle flash, or a firing position, slipping the safety off the MP5 that is handed to him with a "thanks luv" before going back to scanning for targets.

"Well, not sadistic, but they're certainly not playing fair."