Blood on the Beaches

Dieter 2003-03-14 18:32:37
St. Molua's Parish Church: Ardagh, County Limerick Ireland

Four weeks after what CNN described in bold font as Showdown in Sin City, the remaining team members gathered at the ancestral land of Gavin O' Connor. Bagpipes played a familar tune as the funeral procession ascended the green hill toward's the O'Conner family plot. Everyone was there, including Harry, who only in the last few days was released from the hospital and was being pushed in a wheelchair by Jess. Artis and Brian assumed the roles of pallbearers for Gavin's casket.

As the Father Sullivan began to read from the Bible, a slight rain began falling on the mourners. A bit apropos for the solemn occasion.

Lord, make me an instrument of Your Peace;
Where there is hatred, let me sow Love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may seek not so much to be consoled, as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life. Amen.
Gatac 2003-03-14 19:20:05
"Amen."

Gavin, you died of misguided diplomacy. I shall not forget that.
Dieter 2003-03-14 19:50:41
At the end of the service, under a low veil of pipers playing Amazing Grace the team walked towards the Agency car with a renewed source of dedication to their duly sworn cause.

Gone but not forgotten.

The agents get into the car and with all the tact and humility that the Agency has been known to show, the video conference screen shows a call in queue.
Dieter 2003-03-14 20:35:33
The face and voice is a familiar one, it's Jack Wade.

"Hey there comrades, or should I say ex-comrades? You know the Agency spent a helluva lot of money bailing you out of that mess in Vegas. Didja have to go on national TV? Were you people asleep the day they taught Whatever you do, don't ever go public??? At any rate, the Agency doesn't want anything to do with you...well, at least not for the time being. Instead of wasting the millions of Aegncy dollars spent training you by detonating this car where it sits, they dumped you on me. I can't say I was thrilled, but it at least gives me a chance to not have to work with a bunch of prissy-assed British agents (looks at Brian)...no offense. The Agency has authorized each of you a 5-month leave of duty. You can do/go anywhere you want, just be sure your asses are at Kadena Air Force Base, Okinawa Japan come September 1st. That is all."

The screen blinks out.

(Fast forward 5 months)
Gatac 2003-03-14 20:48:01
Jess departs the plane in a business suit, with a small pair of shades and her handbag slung over her shoulder. Spotting the meeting point, she walks over, then orders a single black coffee.
Dieter 2003-03-14 21:01:35
From the promenade, Kyun-woo Cha immediately recognizes Agent Jessica Spiner from her dossier he downloaded from the Agency mainframe.

Hrmm...Knowledge is power, yet the picture in her file doesn't do her a damn bit of justice in the flesh. I guess I better get over there and get acquainted.
Dieter 2003-03-14 21:29:20
Welcome to the big leauges Kyun ... don't screw up.

Kyun walks to the Taco Bell stand hefting his bag and briefcase. He stands in line behind Agent Spinner.

Nice perfume too. Okay make this look natural.

After Agent Spinner orders Kyun lets out a snort. "You must really need a caffeine fix if you're ordering coffee here." He says with a smile.
Gatac 2003-03-14 21:31:31
"If you've just spent five hours of flying going over the details of a corporate fusion and trying to determine whether you'll go through with it, coffee rockets straight to the top of your priority list."

Taking a second look at him, she adds

"Mr. Cha, is there a specific reason you are already here ? I know I'm early, I know that Mr. Gossard will be late, so I figured the team average would settle somewhere in the middle. So, are you eager to get in on this job, or does your watch run a little fast ?"

(Edited by Gatac at 8:41 pm on Mar. 14, 2003)
Gatac 2003-03-14 21:34:43
Artis approaches the Taco Bell kiosk, wearing a heavy tan and a gaudy Hawaiian print shirt, pulling his luggage behind him. He orders a Grande Meal, muttering something about "better not be fish in it".
Dieter 2003-03-14 21:48:36
Artis quickly realizes the god-send of being on an American Air Force base...American food. Serving up that grande colon-blow extravaganza is a pimply 16-year-old American with the name "Josh" crudely stenciled on his plastic name tag.

"Would you like to super-size your drink for 30 cents more?"
Gatac 2003-03-14 21:48:46
Jess glances at Kyun, then at Artis, then at her watch.

"Or could it be that my watch is slow ?"
Gatac 2003-03-14 21:51:47
Kyun orders the triple taco meal before turning back to Ms. Spinner. "Previous professional habit," He says with a shrug, "besides I only had a puddle jumper flight to get over here."

Recognizing Agent Gossard Kyun smiles at his comment, "I wouldn't worry, we'll have to leave the airport to get the 'Eel or Squid Surprise' meals."
Gatac 2003-03-14 22:01:31
"Oh, Seafood. Didn't see that coming. Haven't been forced to eat that just about every day in the last months, no Siree. Ugh. Anyway, before we waste more time on sarcastic commentary - I'm Jessica Spiner, the face and voice of everything that's gone from undercover to ballistic recently."

(Edited by Gatac at 9:04 pm on Mar. 14, 2003)
Gatac 2003-03-14 22:39:07
"Damn skippy I want it supersized." After getting his "food", Artis asks Jess "How was your vacation?"
Dieter 2003-03-14 22:43:52
Ayumi Yokozaki sat near the team with a decidedly unsure opinion of her new gaijin associates...especially the Korean male. He's just not acting, well...Korean.

Kare no koui ga rikai shigatai. (His behaviour is hard to understand)

Studying the group carefully, Ayumi thought this was as good a time as any to introduce herself.
Gatac 2003-03-14 22:44:47
"Oh, the usual. Meet CEOs, shoot foxes, survive an assassination attempt, lose your voice, get cybered-up. By our standards, that's truly a vacation."

She appears to be as bitter as the coffee she's drinking, if not more.
Gatac 2003-03-14 23:24:52
Ayumi stands and walks over to the group and greets them with a slight bow.

"Gossard, Cha, and Spiner? Yokozaki Ayumi desu. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu. (Ayumi Yokozaki. Pleased to meet you.) I was told to meet you here."
Gatac 2003-03-14 23:43:00
Jess raises her cup as sign of greeting.

"Well, howdy. I've read your file. Excellent service record. Frankly, I'm a bit worried whether you're compatible with our style of mission execution. But then, we haven't finished one single mission while adhering to the original objectives, so I guess any well-trained agent could cramp our style."