Comm-Link #015

Day 4,179, 14:01 • Published in Ireland Japan • by Violence Seth

Last Episode: Comm-Link #014
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Tadgh Mac Allistar's Journal: One of the patients that the O'Malley's brought back with them from their "holidays" had gone missing. I had Esposito and Mick sweep the Isle and Claire and Liam scour the surrounding waters. Murph was with Quigley in the Medical Ward, I didn't feel like bothering them.

I didn't like exposing our position but there was a chance our position had already been compromised if she had already got to mainland Scotland. No one could find a trace of her. No boats were missing. Dr. Macleod said she was troubled.

I was anxious to talk with Dr. Assouley, I hadn't talked with him man to man since our time at his estate in Be'er Sheva. He'd become more and more reclusive. He'd once been so keen to let me know what was happening and share his wild speculations on global conflict and other odd, outlandish theories.

I quickly showered then dressed myself in my full uniform, trimmed my beard and walked up the long narrow stairs to his offices. I knocked on his door thrice. His wife Rachel answered. She looked pale, almost moribund. I asked if the good Doctor was available, a courtesy really, she must have known by my stern countenance that I was going to walk in anyway. She let me in with a shy nod. I seen him at his desk far across the dim room, a shadow of the man I'd once know.


Muldoanich, Outer Hebrides, Croatian Occupied Scotland
Day 4179, 11.45 eRT

"Did they find her?" he said, getting up from his desk, putting a book away. He looked nervous and sickly. "No sir, Dr. Mcleod said she was *ahem* troubled." His face literally turned a whiter shade of pale. "Is that so?" he mumbled settling back down at his desk. I walked up and stopped about two meters from him. "How shall we proceed sir?" I asked plainly, my hands behind my back. I was trying my best to present myself as my station demanded. The good Doctor ignored me for a while, his eyes looking to rest anywhere but mine. He began coughing, lightly at first then harsher and more hoarse. I felt Rachel place her hand on my shoulder and I turned to leave.

I don't know what it was, maybe their odd sickly appearances or the lack of any clear dialogue, pretty much everything bothered me about the encounter and I grew angrier and more determined as I walked towards the exit. I stopped at the door. Rachel backed away from me. "You once sheltered me Doctor. Please tell me what's going on. I need to know, for the sake of my comrades." He finally looked me in the eyes, his face suddenly becoming panged with anguish. He walked towards the window and stared out. I walked up and stood beside him.

"If you really *cough* want to know, you must remain *cough* calm. Promise?" I nodded, looking out at the seas horizon. "Rasa Blank, Goshawk and countless other organisations across *cough* the world are all one and the same. Paid for *cough* by an overarching organisation, the Academy." It sounded like one of Assouley's mad notions but he sounded entirely serious. "War seems like such a waste and it *cough* is in so many ways. But the Academy profits, through organisations like us. We give them information, kill anyone they don't like, suppress the truth from the Civs."

I grabbed him by his shoulders. I felt my mind burn. "So you're telling me this is all a lie? Rasa Blank is a lie?" He leaned into me, limp. "Yes Tadgh, I didn't know at first." I let him go and he leaned against the window. He looked so frail. "Where do you think we get our funds from? Who do you think built this base for us?" I was stunned, I felt sick. "Why didn't you tell me Yossi!" I screamed, hot tears welling up in my eyes. "You promised you'd stay calm Tadgh. I'm telling you this because we have been blacklisted. We are already dead." Rachel comforted the good Doctor. "You have a chance to escape, but they'll hunt everyone of you down *cough* forever. They're unstoppable." I held one hand to my forehead. My heart was racing. "Permission to evacuate sir?" I asked. A tear shook loose from my eyes. "Granted." I turned to leave. "Don't hate me Tadgh, I really thought I could-" He went into a coughing fit, held up by his wife. I stormed towards the Commons.



"Right! Comrades. Listen up. I've called you all here to inform you we've been blacklisted by a very powerful organisation. Our bases location has most definitely been compromised and we need to leave immediately." There was total silence until Mick croaked "Black listed by who?" I couldn't even remember the name. "Dr. Assouley has been getting funds from something called the Academy. It's what built this base, it's what armed you in the field. Now we must evacuate." Esposito started laughing. "You're joking right?" I just shook my head. It was hard to explain. "Listen, we've to escape. Understood?" They all remained silent.

"Right so, here it goes. O'Malleys, you lead Team One, Murph, Quigley, you'll lead Team Two. Esposito, I want that Russian plane you salvaged ready and fueled. Once that's done you're with me, we're Team Three. Any questions?" Everyone's hand went up. "Questions about the evacuation." I snapped. All of the hands dropped except for wee Claire O'Malley's. "Where are we escaping too exactly?" I drew in a deep breath. "Team One will take the fishing trawler along with the Medical staff North to the Faroe Islands. Oh and actually go there this time! Await further instruction upon arrival. Team Two, take any top secret research, prototypes, papers anything important on the dinghy, make sure you bring extra fuel, then head South towards the Isle of Man. Esposito and I will be the last to leave. We'll fly towards Dublin with the Doctors Assouley. Understood?" A loud "Yes sir!" echoed through the hall. I spotted Dr. Mcleod spying from the balcony. She ran off once she noticed she'd been spotted. I didn't have time to think about it.



Once everyone was ready to leave I had them gather in the Commons again for a rushed inspection. "You only use your designated code names from here on out and communicate over Comm-Link." I handed Claire and Quigley Long-Range Comm-Link Transponders. "Set these up once you've arrived." Liam pulled open one of the crates we used for sitting with a crowbar. Inside was the makings of a long night's worth of "Blank Slates". We didn't have time but then again we could all be dead soon. "One for the road boss?" I sighed. "Fine but make it double quick and make 'em triple strong!" Liam handed them around, helped by Mick. I raised a shell. Tensions were high. "Blank animo, blank corde, blank meam!" They all raised their shells in turn and drank.

Once Team One was ready to go with their crew of Doctors and Researchers I ran to the top of the isle to try spot any aircraft or naval vessels. "All clear, godspeed." I could hear the boat from where I stood rumbling into action. I prayed it wouldn't sink or be spotted. Team Two had trouble with Dr. Mcleod, the spy from earlier. They told me over Comm-Link that she wouldn't hand over her research. "Throw her in a cell, take everything worth taking and get a move on." Still I spied for enemies atop the isles windy heath. "Roger, see you when we see you boss." said Murph over the Comm-Link. That left just the two good Doctors Assouley, Esposito and myself. I ran back to base.



"How's that plane looking Butcher?" I asked, on my way to Assouleys office, rushing up the many stairs. "Fueled and ready to take off, what's your 20?" The office was locked. I tried my card but the slot wiped off the magnetic strip. I shouldered the door open. The office was empty. I double checked calling out their names. It was a big office, made even bigger by the fact nearly all of Assouleys work was missing too. "I'm in the Doctor's office, seems they fled the nest. I'm on my way." I rushed toward the hanger we'd made for Esposito's Russian fighter plane.



I found Esposito with a gun to his head. He was held by a huge guy with round glasses and flanked by a very young looking soldier. "Where is JP and Dr Mcleod?" asked the young one, in an Irish country accent. I put my hands up. "Back at base." He walked up to me and took my pistol then patted me up and down. "I'm sorry about this Commander, soldier to soldier, but these guys," he pointed to another five soldiers appearing out of the gloom, "and those two up there," he pointed towards two different high vantage points, "Well they simply don't care. "They just want to get off this barren rock with JP and Dr Mcleod." He seemed supremely confident.

I led him to the base but my card was f*cked. "My card's been destroyed, give me his" I said flatly, pointing towards Esposito. His card wasn't authorized. The big, bespectacled one grew impatient. "Where's the real way in Engelsman, are you trying to trick us!?" he roared. His whole mouth was pitch black, with grey teeth. "There must be another way in or did you intend to leave them behind to starve to death?" asked the young Commander. I nodded towards a crevasse nearby. "Down there, there's a door. It'll lead you to the Basement." They set their elaborate gear up and soon they were hauling up both the prisoner JP and our staff Doctor Sandy Mcleod. "Get your hands off her!" screamed Esposito. "I'm sorry Da'mor." said Mcleod. She was with them, the poor fool hadn't figured that out yet.

"Dr. Fogarthy will be happy to see his daughter home unharmed. However, we almost lost her and our dear comrade JP due to your negligence." said the young Commander matter-of-factly. I recognized him. It was little Séan, Murph's brother. He'd never shut up about him and how he'd been stolen from him by Goshawk. "I think it fair that they should suffer the fate that they'd left to Dr. Mcleod and JP so arbitrarily." I gave Esposito a final nod before they hauled me down the hitched up, jury-rig pulley elevator. "What about him Blackie?" I could hear faintly as I descended down into the gloom. "Shoot him, we have no more time for ceremony." I could hear the shot as I was lowered down. He was a fine soldier. Such a waste.

They put me into a cell unbound. Outside a helicopter barraged the Sea-Window with missiles and I could hear the rush of water and glass roaring distantly towards me. They turned to leave, content to let me slowly drown. "Séan!” I cried out desperately. "I need to tell you something important about your past and future." He stopped in his tracks letting the other two Goshawk agents walk ahead. "What?" he said sternly. "You are Séan Murphy." He shrugged. "Everyone knows that." Water had started to trickle down the stairs up the hall. "No. You're Padraig Winston Murphy’s little brother, you took out Petrovs eye." I'd caught his attention. "Go on." he said crossing his arms. "Rasa Blank, Goshawk and every other organisation is fed money from the one source, it's called the Academy." He arched his brow at that. Sure it sounded insane but if he thought about it long enough he'd surely figure it out eventually. The drips turned into spouts of water. "Don't forget, the Academy, I'd say Fogarthy is next. Watch yourself and know you have a family waiting for you. You are not alone" He pulled out his pistol. It had a Fighting 69th emblem engraved on its handle. "You've given me a lot to think about White Stag." He checked the gun meticulously before cocking it. "It's a small mercy I know but the best I can do unfortunately." Sea water was about up to our ankles now. "Take my Comm-Link and study it privately Black Hound, don’t let anyone else know. Go on, get it over with before you get drenched." Before he shot me I handed him the memory slot from my Comm-Link.


Created by Cat Sith and Sethesin