ARKEN

Special Op, Part One

Recker found himself on a transport plane bound for Ireland at 8:30 at night, and he was displeased. When he told Kerzing about the likely whereabouts of Tobias Munn and Janine Harper, he figured the boss would send a few specialists to take care of it. He didn't think he would be one of them.

Recker entered Commander Kerzing's office after the incident had been mostly cleared up. Kerzing was going over lists, taking count of who had been killed on both sides. "We lost a lot of people, Recker."

"It shouldn't have happened."

"You're fucking right it shouldn't have. We let ourselves get far too complacent, we let our guards down. Now we're paying for it out the ass." Kerzing put the tablet aside, "Why have you come here?"

"It's about Tobias Munn. I think I know where we can find him."

"By all means, don't keep me in suspense."

"In order to capture Munn, we need to look more at Harper."

Kerzing scratched his chin, "If we can get her, too, I'm all for it, but only Munn matters if it comes to it." Recker wished Kerzing would only wait and let him finish, "In the time that the two were cellmates, they became somewhat friendly. I believe they escaped together. Did you have people search their cells as I suggested?"

"We tore them apart, and we found a pile of Thoripan pills stuffed into the vent between the cells. As you surmised, it looks as though Harper was disposing of her Thoripan. Which would explain how she and Munn managed to completely vanish, they teleported."

"And I think I know where. When she was first captured, she always yelled about her wife back in Ireland, how she needed to go back to her. Now that she's free, I think that's the first place she'd have gone." Recker explained. Kerzing sat up, rubbing his mechanical fingers together, "Why do you think Munn would be there?"

"As I said, the extreme situation made them into decent friends rather quickly. Munn has nowhere else to go, so the chances are good he went with her, he might even hope to find a new life there."

"Alright, Recker...I'll walk with you on this. Where does the wife live?"

"A small town just off the southern coast called Rosscarbery." That would get Kerzing off his back, a lead to follow, and he could go home. Kerzing nodded, checking his computer. "We'll have to run another joint operation with the DSG. Specialist Sternson is free. I'll put him on it as well."

"As well?"

"He's going with you."

"Sir, I didn't think I was going to be on this."

"You brought the tip. Besides, you're not on assignment." Kerzing resumed typing. Recker refused, "Sir, I just had to deal with this incident here. And as I recall, I was recently put on assignment in England."

"And you'll go again if I tell you," Kerzing snapped. "You're a good agent, Recker. You always do your job, why the hesitation now?"

The thought of going to Ireland brought up the last mission, and the screams of those people as the barn burned to the ground. Weeks later and he still heard those screams in his head at night when he went to sleep. "Is it fair to say fatigue?"

Kerzing furrowed his brow, "Fatigue?" Recker crossed his arms, "No one would deny these last weeks have been more than what is typical. After this attack, is it too much to ask to just be able to go home to my family?"