Missions of the Retrieval Team - A Kilt By Any Other Name

[davedove]

Scene 38

A road in South Carolina

We waited for the bus convoy to approach our location. We had placed ourselves so that we could hit the convoy quickly and without warning.

“Convoy approaching,” came the warning from the tail car. They were watching for the arrival of the convoy. Now that they had warned us, we would wait for the lead car to pass our location. Then, our head car would jump out to black the progress of the convoy. At the same time, our tail car would block the convoy from the rear. The assault car would drive directly towards the bus and disable it.

Once the vehicles were stopped, my team in the van would pull up alongside the van and free David.

We pulled the masks over our faces as we waited for the convoy.

I saw the lead car pass our position and knew it was time.

Our head car slid onto the road in front of the convoy’s lead car, blocking its path. The team in that car immediately opened fire on the policemen inside. I knew the tail car was doing the same to the trailing escort.

Julie gunned the motor of her car and it jumped onto the road in front of the bus. Greg was firing at the driver, who quickly slammed on the brakes and ducked.

“Go!” I yelled to Michael, who stomped on the gas and pulled the van alongside the bus.

We threw the doors open and charged towards the bus. Looking up I saw two guards and the driver in the bus where David was being held. The guards were firing from the windows, but the driver was hiding below the dash.

As the others returned fire on the guards, I rushed to the door of the bus. The door was jammed closed, but a quick burst from my rifle shattered the glass. I pointed the rifle at the driver.

“Open the door!” I ordered.

The driver tentatively reached up to the door release and opened the door. As I charged up the stairs, the guards quickly turned their pistols towards me, but a quick spray of my rifle silenced them. The driver remained cowering under the dash.

There was a locked metal gate between the driver and the prisoner’s section. I saw David sitting in a seat, slumped forward.

“Get this gate open!” I ordered the driver.

“I don’t have the key!” he gasped out.

“Hawk, cutters,” I yelled outside.

Ms. Hawk ran up to the door and tossed the bolt cutters she carried up to me.

“Cover him,” I ordered. She quickly pointed her rifle at the driver.

I quickly cut through the lock on the gate and slid it open. I ran back to David.

He was hovering on the edge of consciousness as I got to him.

“It’s okay, David. We’re here to take you home,” I said to him as I cut through the handcuffs that secured him to the seat.

“Home,” he managed to gasp out.

I tossed the bolt cutters back to Ms. Hawk, who tossed them out of the bus to Mike. “Help me,” I told her.

She quickly moved back and helped me get David to his feet. We had to carry him between us, as he couldn’t seem to stand on his own.

We managed to get him out of the bus and I yelled to Greg. “Secure the driver.”

Greg raised his rifle to shoot the driver, but I managed to slap down the barrel.

“I said secure him!” I yelled at him.

Greg glared at me defiantly; I glared back at him. Then he lowered his rifle and pulled out the duct tape we had brought along.

Ms. Hawk and I walked David back to the van where Diane had climbed inside. We passed him in and she began a quick examination. Ms. Hawk climbed in after him to assist.

“We’ve got company!” Julie yelled from the front of the bus.

We all looked where she indicated. Three state police cars were speeding down the road towards us.

[Splash_4]

Oooh, Oooh, is this where Livingston gets shot?

[Livingston]

Scene 38

A road in South Carolina
<snip>
I yelled to Greg. “Secure the driver.”

Greg raised his rifle to shoot the driver, but I managed to slap down the barrel.

“I said secure him!” I yelled at him.

Greg glared at me defiantly; I glared back at him. Then he lowered his rifle and pulled out the duct tape we had brought along.

Sorry Dave. In the heat of battle you know. That and one too many headwounds.

[davedove]

Scene 39

A road in South Carolina

Greg came barreling down the steps of the bus.

“Everyone, escape plan now!” I ordered.

Greg and Julie started for their car as the rest of us ran for the van.

Before Greg and Julie could get to their car, the police reinforcement opened fire on them. Bullets hit all around their car, striking it multiple times. Two tires were hit and sagged flat.

“In the van,” I yelled to them and waved them in my direction.

Greg shoved Julie towards us and turned to cover their escape. He fired behind himself, striking the police cars with his shots.

Julie reached the van and looked back to Greg. “Come on!” she yelled to him.

Greg glanced our way and saw that Julie was safe. He took off running in our direction.

The police opened up on this fleeing target and several rounds struck him. His eyes were wide as he hit the ground.

“Greg!” Julie shouted.

“Cover us!” I shouted and grabbed Mike. We both ran towards where Greg lay.

The shots of the police hit all around us, but we reached Greg unharmed. Mike and I grabbed him and began to carry him towards the van. A fresh round of gunfire from the police caused us to duck for cover.

Then, Ms. Hawk stood up in the door of the van, assault rifle in hand. She took aim and began firing single rounds with precision at the police. Round after round flew from her rifle, striking so close to the police that they were forced to stop firing.

“Let’s go!” I told Mike and we picked up Greg. We ran as quickly as we could manage back to the van.

Ms. Hawk continued firing as we ran to the van. As quickly as she would go through one magazine, Julie would hand another to her and firing paused only briefly.

Julie helped pull Greg into the van. Mike and I threw ourselves inside.

“Go!” I yelled to Michael.

As Michael stomped on the gas, Ms. Hawk quit firing and swung into the van, closing the door behind her.

I quickly moved to the rear of the van to watch out the back window. The police fired after us, but we were soon out of range.

“I think we made it,” I said.

“Not everyone,” Mike said quietly.

I looked back towards the front. Mike was crouched over Greg. Julie was cradling Greg’s bloody body; tears ran down her cheeks. Mike shook his head as he looked up.

We had lost Greg.

[Splash_4]

Dang Greg! Sniff... Why didn't you wear your kevlar?

[Jock Scot]

Don't worry,Mr. Livingstone will be back! He will,won't he?He will.................he really.....will.

[Coemgen]

[Arlen]

Oh no! Not Greg!
So much to catch up on and such a sad ending!

[Livingston]

Dang Greg! Sniff... Why didn't you wear your kevlar?

Oh no! Not Greg!
So much to catch up on and such a sad ending!

ouch

Don't worry,Mr. Livingstone will be back! He will,won't he?He will.................he really.....will.

I sure hope you're right.

[davedove]

Scene 40

Inside the Van

I spoke into my radio headset. “Raven, this is Dove. We have recovered the lost chick.” I paused a moment before I continured. “We have one casualty,” I said.

No reply came from the radio.

“Raven, this is Dove. Do you copy?”

A voice that was not Ms. Raven came over the radio, but it was a woman’s voice that I recognized only too well. “I am so sorry to hear about your loss, but your friend cannot respond right now.”

“Where is she?” I demanded.

“Oh, don’t worry, she’s perfectly safe. Am I right in assuming that this is Mr. Dove?”

“Yes, this is Mr. Dove.”

“Excellent, you can’t begin to imagine how pleased I am to speak with you. After capturing your little friend outside the prison, I was so thrilled to discover she was one of the people that local sheriff had captured and then lost. I really am intrigued as to how she could be in a prison in New York, yet here at the same time. And your story is even more interesting. I really would like to know how you are still alive.”

“What do you want?” I demanded.

“Why, I just want to talk with you. Your situation is most unusual.”

“And if I don’t want to talk?”

“Then I’m afraid your little friend here may not survive very long. After all, she’s a duplicate. No one will miss her as long as she’s still alive in prison.”

“Where do we meet?” I asked.

“Somewhere private, I think. We don’t want too many people seeing us. I mean, how would it look for the FBI to be seen speaking with a terrorist?”

She told me where we should go and I broke the connection. I relayed the location to Michael so he could drive us there.

“They have Ms. Raven.” I told everyone.

“Who, the FBI?” asked Mike.

I nodded and buried my face in my hands.

“What’s wrong?” asked Diane.

“I know who the woman who has her,” I answered. I looked at Ms. Hawk. “It’s Anna.”

The voice on the radio was this world’s Ms. Starling.