Missions of the Retrieval Team - Kiltmen Down

[davedove]

Scene 6

Media Room, Great Hall of X Marks the Scot

We followed back down the hallway and down the stairs to the floor below. He led us into a large room with a large screen on the far wall, with rows of very comfortable looking chairs in rows before it. Dee, following us into the room, closed the door behind us.

Mike picked up a small control device and motioned for us to take seats. “Dee, would you dim the lights.”

As the lights dimmed, Mike activated the control he held and the screen lit up. Pictured on the screen were three gentlemen. “Do you recognize these men?” he asked.

As an active member of the forum, I recognized the men immediately. Their images had often graced the forum.

“Yes I do. They’re members of the forum. From left to right, they are Riverkilt, Graham, and Hamish.”

“Anything else?”

“Well, they are among the more active members of the forum. Each is a full time kilt wearer. They live in Arizona, Tasmania, and West Sussex, I believe.”

“Correct, and as of this week they have one other thing in common. Each of these men has disappeared.”

“What do you mean, disappeared?”

“Well, the local authorities in each location believe it’s a simple missing person case. Since each man is an adult, with his full mental faculties, nothing much has done yet. For all the authorities know, the men may have simply decided to take a pleasure trip and not told their families and such.”

“But you don’t believe that?”

“No, only those of us who are members of the forum know their connection. While the authorities see each as an isolated incident, we believe there is something else happening. We believe they may have been kidnapped.”

“But who would want to kidnap them, and why?”

Mike slowly paced in front of the lit screen, looking down at his feet. He looked back up at us as if he had been weighing his options and had made a decision. “Before I continue, I have to let you know that what I am going to tell you is classified League information and is not to leave this room. Can you agree to that?”

My associates and I looked at each other, realizing the gravity of what Mike was about to reveal to us. Turning back to Mike, I answered, “Mike, my team is accustomed to handling sensitive information. Anything you tell us will be held in the strictest confidence.”

Mike hesitated again. It was clear that the information he was about to tell us was weighing heavy on his mind. Finally, after a long moment of silence, he again spoke.

“Mr. Dove, ladies, we believe that these gentlemen have been abducted by the Kilt Police.”