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Modern/Delta Green - The Beginning of the End (COMPLETED)
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<blockquote data-quote="talien" data-source="post: 4931053" data-attributes="member: 3285"><p><strong>God Shall Tread: Part 1 – Belling the Cat</strong></p><p></p><p>Emery sat up in a blind panic.</p><p></p><p>"Oh Jesus…" he looked around. </p><p></p><p>He was dressed in only his underwear, in a bed. In a hotel room. The room smelled of sweat, cigarette smoke, and booze. The sheets were roiled around him. </p><p></p><p>There was a note on the dresser. A lipstick kiss and "call me" with a phone number he didn't recognize. It was not an American phone number.</p><p></p><p>Where the hell was he? Think Emery, think! You were on your way to Berne and then…and then…nothing. It was like hitting his head against a mental wall.</p><p></p><p>Emery's heart pounded as he realized what must have happened. He had been ambushed. Maybe some hooker had gotten him drunk. But most importantly, what happened to the equipment…</p><p></p><p>Emery tore open the bathroom door. Nothing. </p><p></p><p>It was all fading away. His excursions to Europe. His suspicious bonuses. His job at Hunt Electronics. It was all over. If he was lucky, he would lose his job. If he wasn't…he didn't want to think about it.</p><p></p><p>Emery pulled open the folding closet. He was so relieved by what he found there that he sank to his knees.</p><p></p><p>The cases were there. He tried to lift one…it was heavy. Emery checked the seals. Unopened. The hooker who swindled him wasn't smart enough or interested enough to look inside. Emery didn't even know what was inside. In fact, he was paid to not find out.</p><p></p><p>Emery's emotions careened from utter despair to hopeful salvation. He had a chance! He could make this right!</p><p></p><p>He fumbled through the nightstand drawer. "Please tell me she didn't take my…YES!" He pulled out his cell phone triumphantly. It even had one bar left. Just enough, he hoped, to make the most important phone call of his life.</p><p></p><p>He dialed the number. "Yes. Mr. Brown please."</p><p></p><p>The operator connected him. "Hello?" replied a sleepy, masculine voice.</p><p></p><p>"Mr. Brown? I'm sorry to call you like this but I'm in…" his voice cracked. "I think I'm in trouble."</p><p></p><p>"Emery? Is that you?"</p><p></p><p>"Yes sir." It all came out in a torrent. "I just woke up in this hotel and I don't know where I am--"</p><p></p><p>"Easy, easy, Emery. First, answer me this: do you still have the equipment?"</p><p></p><p>"Yes!" Emery nearly wept. "Yes! Yes, it's all here!"</p><p></p><p>"Good, that's very good Emery. We'll figure out where you are."</p><p></p><p>"I want to make this right, Mr. Brown. I really do. I don't know what happened—"</p><p></p><p>"That's what we're going to find out, Emery. Try to relax. We're going to fix this, but we can only fix this if you calm down, okay?"</p><p></p><p>"Y-yes sir."</p><p></p><p>There was a pause. "Okay, it looks like you're calling from Moscow."</p><p></p><p>"I'm in Moscow?" Emery opened the shades and looked out the window. "How the hell did I get in Moscow?"</p><p></p><p>"Focus, Emery, focus! Do you still have your wallet?"</p><p></p><p>Emery's clothes were folded across a chair. He patted his pants down. "Yes!"</p><p></p><p>"Okay, good. I'm increasing the limit on your credit card. You are to transport the equipment to the following airport immediately. We'll send a car."</p><p></p><p>"Am I flying back to Berne?"</p><p></p><p>There was an almost imperceptible pause. "Yes. But you have to go right now." Emery's phone beeped. "I just sent you the address to your phone…"</p><p></p><p>Emery tugged on his pants. "Thank you sir! I won't let you down. I just want to apologize, I don't know what—"</p><p></p><p>"The best way you can make up for this is to get to that airport immediately," said Brown. "I'll talk to you again when you're on the plane."</p><p></p><p>"Yes, sir." </p><p></p><p>Emery stumbled into the rest of his clothes. He stank something awful, but there was no time to worry about such things. His job depended on his efficiency.</p><p></p><p>A bored bellhop arrived. Emery realized he didn't have any local currency to tip him with. Maybe he could fake his way through it…</p><p></p><p>With as much business-like aplomb as a disheveled, hung over young American in Russia could muster, he gestured at the equipment. The bellhop nodded and attempted to lift one – then swore when he realized how heavy it was. He started moving slower.</p><p></p><p>Emery paced. He didn't know how to tell the bellhop to move faster in Russian. He was afraid to leave the room or take his eyes off the bellhop. If he broke the seals, it would be just as bad as if Emery had lost the equipment.</p><p></p><p>Emery rifled through the rest of the room while he waited…and came up with a pair of scented panties under his pillow. It must have been some night! So why didn't he remember it?</p><p></p><p>The bellhop finally finished grunting his way through the equipment. Emery dashed off down the hall ahead of him and waited impatiently at the elevator.</p><p></p><p>Things were moving too slowly. Mr. Brown's directive seemed very urgent, and he was a calm man. Emery felt like his fate balanced on a knife's edge.</p><p></p><p>Eventually, they made it to the lobby. Emery slammed his credit card down. A similarly bored clerk took it. She came back considerably more energetic; Emery guessed HE was starting to flex its monetary might.</p><p></p><p>Two taxis were waiting for him by the time the transaction was complete. Finally! </p><p></p><p>Emery got in. The driver drove like his life depended on it. They pulled up to a private airport bay, right up to the plane itself. The taxi driver started to unload the luggage, but the pilot took it from him instead. With a few brisk words in Russian, the taxi driver dumped the remaining cargo on a cart even as the pilot put it on the plane.</p><p></p><p>"Hey! Be careful with that!" shouted Emery. "That's sensitive equipment!"</p><p></p><p>The pilot smirked at him but kept on manhandling the containers. "Get in," he said without a hint of a Russian accent.</p><p></p><p>Emery clambered onto the plane. The pilot followed soon after and gunned the engine. Emery got the impression they were skipping some airport protocols. </p><p></p><p>The plane took off. Emery reclined. Thank God, he'd made things right. Just one more thing to do. He reached for his phone…</p><p></p><p>Strangely, before Emery could pick up, it rang. "Hello?"</p><p></p><p>"Emery, are you on the plane?" asked Brown. </p><p></p><p>"Yes sir," said Emery, grinning from ear to ear. "The equipment's on board. We did it."</p><p></p><p>"We sure did," said Brown. He sounded a little sad. "Good job."</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="talien, post: 4931053, member: 3285"] [b]God Shall Tread: Part 1 – Belling the Cat[/b] Emery sat up in a blind panic. "Oh Jesus…" he looked around. He was dressed in only his underwear, in a bed. In a hotel room. The room smelled of sweat, cigarette smoke, and booze. The sheets were roiled around him. There was a note on the dresser. A lipstick kiss and "call me" with a phone number he didn't recognize. It was not an American phone number. Where the hell was he? Think Emery, think! You were on your way to Berne and then…and then…nothing. It was like hitting his head against a mental wall. Emery's heart pounded as he realized what must have happened. He had been ambushed. Maybe some hooker had gotten him drunk. But most importantly, what happened to the equipment… Emery tore open the bathroom door. Nothing. It was all fading away. His excursions to Europe. His suspicious bonuses. His job at Hunt Electronics. It was all over. If he was lucky, he would lose his job. If he wasn't…he didn't want to think about it. Emery pulled open the folding closet. He was so relieved by what he found there that he sank to his knees. The cases were there. He tried to lift one…it was heavy. Emery checked the seals. Unopened. The hooker who swindled him wasn't smart enough or interested enough to look inside. Emery didn't even know what was inside. In fact, he was paid to not find out. Emery's emotions careened from utter despair to hopeful salvation. He had a chance! He could make this right! He fumbled through the nightstand drawer. "Please tell me she didn't take my…YES!" He pulled out his cell phone triumphantly. It even had one bar left. Just enough, he hoped, to make the most important phone call of his life. He dialed the number. "Yes. Mr. Brown please." The operator connected him. "Hello?" replied a sleepy, masculine voice. "Mr. Brown? I'm sorry to call you like this but I'm in…" his voice cracked. "I think I'm in trouble." "Emery? Is that you?" "Yes sir." It all came out in a torrent. "I just woke up in this hotel and I don't know where I am--" "Easy, easy, Emery. First, answer me this: do you still have the equipment?" "Yes!" Emery nearly wept. "Yes! Yes, it's all here!" "Good, that's very good Emery. We'll figure out where you are." "I want to make this right, Mr. Brown. I really do. I don't know what happened—" "That's what we're going to find out, Emery. Try to relax. We're going to fix this, but we can only fix this if you calm down, okay?" "Y-yes sir." There was a pause. "Okay, it looks like you're calling from Moscow." "I'm in Moscow?" Emery opened the shades and looked out the window. "How the hell did I get in Moscow?" "Focus, Emery, focus! Do you still have your wallet?" Emery's clothes were folded across a chair. He patted his pants down. "Yes!" "Okay, good. I'm increasing the limit on your credit card. You are to transport the equipment to the following airport immediately. We'll send a car." "Am I flying back to Berne?" There was an almost imperceptible pause. "Yes. But you have to go right now." Emery's phone beeped. "I just sent you the address to your phone…" Emery tugged on his pants. "Thank you sir! I won't let you down. I just want to apologize, I don't know what—" "The best way you can make up for this is to get to that airport immediately," said Brown. "I'll talk to you again when you're on the plane." "Yes, sir." Emery stumbled into the rest of his clothes. He stank something awful, but there was no time to worry about such things. His job depended on his efficiency. A bored bellhop arrived. Emery realized he didn't have any local currency to tip him with. Maybe he could fake his way through it… With as much business-like aplomb as a disheveled, hung over young American in Russia could muster, he gestured at the equipment. The bellhop nodded and attempted to lift one – then swore when he realized how heavy it was. He started moving slower. Emery paced. He didn't know how to tell the bellhop to move faster in Russian. He was afraid to leave the room or take his eyes off the bellhop. If he broke the seals, it would be just as bad as if Emery had lost the equipment. Emery rifled through the rest of the room while he waited…and came up with a pair of scented panties under his pillow. It must have been some night! So why didn't he remember it? The bellhop finally finished grunting his way through the equipment. Emery dashed off down the hall ahead of him and waited impatiently at the elevator. Things were moving too slowly. Mr. Brown's directive seemed very urgent, and he was a calm man. Emery felt like his fate balanced on a knife's edge. Eventually, they made it to the lobby. Emery slammed his credit card down. A similarly bored clerk took it. She came back considerably more energetic; Emery guessed HE was starting to flex its monetary might. Two taxis were waiting for him by the time the transaction was complete. Finally! Emery got in. The driver drove like his life depended on it. They pulled up to a private airport bay, right up to the plane itself. The taxi driver started to unload the luggage, but the pilot took it from him instead. With a few brisk words in Russian, the taxi driver dumped the remaining cargo on a cart even as the pilot put it on the plane. "Hey! Be careful with that!" shouted Emery. "That's sensitive equipment!" The pilot smirked at him but kept on manhandling the containers. "Get in," he said without a hint of a Russian accent. Emery clambered onto the plane. The pilot followed soon after and gunned the engine. Emery got the impression they were skipping some airport protocols. The plane took off. Emery reclined. Thank God, he'd made things right. Just one more thing to do. He reached for his phone… Strangely, before Emery could pick up, it rang. "Hello?" "Emery, are you on the plane?" asked Brown. "Yes sir," said Emery, grinning from ear to ear. "The equipment's on board. We did it." "We sure did," said Brown. He sounded a little sad. "Good job." [/QUOTE]
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