| From: | Mike Broadwater <neon@******.backbone.olemiss.edu> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Re: The Hunted, pt. 1 |
| Date: | Sat, 28 Sep 1996 14:11:27 -0500 |
>>>>>[+++++Begin Video Recording
The view is the inside of Lynch and Lilith's office, and seems to come
from a small camera high in a corner of the room.
A lone woman sits at a desk typing at a terminal. Her long auburn hair
falls forward, hiding her face. All you can see of her is her slim back
leaning towards the screen, and from your view, it appears she is
wearing some kind of flight suit. The only sound is the occasional
rattle of the keys on the keyboard.
After only a moment, the woman is interrupted by a knock on the door.
She looks up from her work and you can see the face of Lilith, as well
as her rank insignia
"Enter." Her cool voice is neutral, but commanding.
The door opens and two figures walk in. One is a young man who could
barely be 18, wearing a plain khaki uniform. There are no insignia on
his uniform except for a single bar with his name in white print above
his left breast pocket. The other is a slightly taller man, perhaps a
little over 6 foot, wearing a well cut suit.
The young man salutes and speaks "Midshipman Shea reporting with Mr.
Hunter as ordered, sir!"
The man at the midshipman's side winces slightly as his name is spoken,
but Lilith takes a completely different attitude. She stalks over to
the Middie, still holding his hand to his head in salute, like a cat
about to kill a mouse.
"Am I covered, Midshipman?"
"Um, no sir."
"Then why are you saluting?!"
"Urh, sorry, sir."
"Now, what do you have to report."
"Midshipman Shea reporting, as ordered, with Mr. Hunter, sir."
"Midshipman, were you not informed of the guests rank as an agent of a
friendly foreign power when you were assigned as his guide?"
The Midshipman makes a swallow that causes his adam's apple to bob up
and down. "Yes, sir."
"Then address him as such."
"Yes sir."
"And apologize."
"Yes sir." the Middie turns to the man and snaps to attention. "Sir, I
humbly apologize for not addressing you using your proper rank..."
"Which is?" Lilith hisses into the boys ear.
"ughhhhhh...."
The man whispers.
"Major, sir. Sir, it will not happen again, sir." And the Middie pops a
perfect salute.
Lilith's bellows at the boy "Don't salute!"
The Middie drops his arm "Yes, ma'am!"
"Ma'am?" Lilith's voice is incredulous
"SIR!"
"Dismissed!"
The middie fairly flies to get out of what must be his own personal
hell. Lilith just chuckles as he runs down the corridors.
The man, who you recognize as Blade, chuckles as well "You're mean
Lilith. The kid was just trying to do his job as good as he could."
"There is no 'as good as you can'. He has to learn discipline now, and
that builds character. He coped pretty well, actually. And besides, he
was Navy."
"Oh, you wouldn't have done it to an Air Cadet?"
"Well... there are those here who'd use a mistake like that to Article
Fifteen him. If he learns from this, we've helped him. Why don't you
take a seat while we wait for Lynch. Coffee?"
Lilith moves behind the desk and fills mugs, while Blade relaxes in one
of the other chairs.
"So, Lilith, what's all this with 'agent of a friendly foreign power'
and with Lynch asking me to wear a uniform, which, by the way, I don't
have. I'm not military anything. Both of you know that."
"True, but if we didn't give you some sort of status then security
wouldn't have let you in here at all. Quinn told us about your time
with Ares, and so we used that as your cover. Don't worry, they won't
hear anything. Even if Damien Knight has the Presidents ear. So, we
used that ID, and security whisked you through and to us."
Blade interrupts "That reminds me," he snaps his arms out, the cuffs of
his suit falling back, revealing a band around each wrist that blinks
with rows of little lights. "when do I get my gun back, and when can you
take these off? I was surprised your detectors found them, but I
would've told you had I been asked. This is a new suit, and I'd hate to
get blood all over it."
"Shit. We told them not to fit you with those. They shouldn't have
searched you at all. I'll get your gun back, and someone down here to
take those off."
"Where is Lynch anyway?"
"Probably got lost again."
"I did _not_ get lost," Lynch, dressed in fatigue pants and crimson and
gold "USMC" t-shirt walks through the doorway "I was taking care of some
things." He sets a shoulder holster with pistol and clips on the desk,
and pulls out a mag key. "If I may see your wrists, I'll show you my
newest magic trick."
Blade puts his wrists out, and Lynch connects the key to a spot on each,
releasing them. "I figured you'd have trouble at security, but you got
there early. When I found out that they messed up, I reamed them out
for awhile and them got your stuff back, and the key. Guess that's what
we get for letting the Army protect this place."
Blade chuckles. "Don't even start that. Last time you two started
arguing about which arm of the military forces was the best, it went on
for an hour. Hopefully, you didn't invite me here to listen to some
drivel I could've heard in Seattle. And hey, how come you tell me
to come in a uniform, and you walk in here barely reg. in BDUs?"
"Well _Major Hunter_ you were invited to this wonderful wing of the
Pentagon to meet with the man with the plan."
Blade looks slightly shocked. "Coppinger? Why?"
Lilith smiles. "Yes, and he'll tell you. For now, however, Jason and I
have a few questions for you."
Blade sits back, looking slightly wary. "Multiple choice or essay?"
Lynch's expression, which had become stoney with Lilith's mention of
questions, softens slightly with a smile. "Just some basic background
info. Parents, birthday, birth place, siblings, etc. You know, the
usual stuff."
"Go ahead then."
Lilith looks towards the computer screen and begins speaking. "If any
of this info is incorrect, just tell me as I read it off. Birthday,
January 1, 2030. Place of birth, Denver, UCAS sector. Mother, Angela
Robin Hunter. Maiden name of Laws. Listed as deceased. Father, Richard
Peter Hunter, also deceased. No siblings. Is all this correct?"
"Yep."
"Good. Let's see, not much to note until you were fifteen when your
parents were killed in street violence. No records after that until
three years later when you enlisted in Ares Security Division. Almost
immediately moved to their Desert Wars forces as a 'Combat Courier'.
Did two tours of duty in Desert Wars where you were commended for
'Bravery above and beyond the call of duty'. This is listed as where
you originally lost your eyes in a grenade explosion. Shrapnel hit you
in one eye, destroying it, but you managed to walk away, correct?"
"Yes."
"After that incident you disappeared for two years, during which time it
is presumed you worked in the shadows, and our sources confirmed that.
You then were _rehired_ by Ares in a security position, and were almost
immediately granted the rank of Major. You remained for a year and a
half before leaving, and again, returning to the shadows."
"Still correct."
"Do you confirm that, to the best of your knowledge, all this
information is correct and true?"
"Yes I do."
"In that case, Mr. Coppinger has informed me to ask you about a project
known only as AMI:HCP001 and AMI:HCP002. Do these terms mean anything
to you?" Blade looks about ready to kill. "And also, should the
parents be changed to _your mother was a test tube_?"
The anger in Blades face and stance, even sitting, is evident. Lynch
looks about ready to draw on Blade, and Lilith just looks at him. Blade
interrupts "And my father was a knife. Do you want me to work for you
or do you just want to ask questions that are none of your goddamn
business?"
"We're just trying to ascertain the validity of your identity. We'll
take you to see the Director now."]<<<<<
- SIGANet DC <15:11:00/09-27-57>
