The Elsewhere Files

Counter Intelligence Pt 2 - Mission One

The camera sees Kiera and the Major leaving their seperate hotel rooms, fast forwarding as they completed the routine morning fitness, return and then vacate the premises entirely. The camera stays behind the SUV, panning upwards to show that the early morning sunrise is being rapidly overshadowed by dark, ominous clouds. The camera widens to witness trees being buffeted about by wind, then everything was covered in raindrops. The camera zooms back in on the SUV, seeing the Major and Kiera once again not talking. But as the storm worsens, the camera picking out jagged lightening bolts reflected in the windsheild, the camera slows down.

[Kiera]: "We're definitely inside the pocket Major. But we're still only in the outskirts. I can tell you there is something or someone powerful at the center of all this, but I have no details yet."

[Crowe]: "Do you have anything else to report?"

[Kiera]: hesitates but speaks before the Major can prompt her "The weather seems to be a part of it. Whatever it is, it clearly doesn't like you."

[Crowe]: "How are you so sure it's not you it doesn't like?"

[Kiera]: looks alarmed for a moment, before a false smile blooms on her face "Because Major, I'm more loveable than you are."

[Crowe]: "That's right sir, you're just like herpes. Once you're infected, there is no cure."

[Kiera]: smile disappears "Great, now he develops a sense of humour."

Camera pulls out of the SUV to reveal that the storm worsens only after the SUV  has already entered the ominous logging roads. The camera zooms back in to see Kiera peering at the marked up map.

[Kiera]: "Says we only have about 13 K left."

[Crowe]: "I forget sometimes you are Canadian first sir. Then you go and say something like that."

[Kiera] smiles and hangs on as the SUV  jostles over the uneven road. "It drives JD nuts when I do that. He can never remember the conversion from kilometers to miles." The Major gives Kiera a startled look, apparently astonished that she is discussing her fiance. But the camera zooms over to see Kiera too busy peering out the rain spalttered window to notice. "We were going to this NERO event, up a road like this and he kept asking me for distances. For the life of him couldn't figure out that 5 K was no where near as long a drive as 5 miles would have been." Kiera turns from the window, a happy look on her face until she sees the surprise on the Major's. Kiera falls quiet.

[Crowe]: watches Kiera for a moment, then looks back at the road. Appears to want to let the conversation go but surprises Kiera by speaking up again. "What's NERO?"

[Kiera]: sad smile on her face "It's alright Major, you don't have to try and make conversation with me. Today is your last day, you're rid of me."

[Crowe]: "You make it very easy to not care about you when you do that sir." voice holds a thread of amusement

[Kiera]: "Jesus beans." voice soft, looking skyward "You're leaving today either way Major. What does it matter?" tone is cold "You don't have to pretend to care, you don't have to worry about my sanity, my attitude or even if I'm passively suicidal anymore." her words bring a surprised look to the Major's face "Oh yeah Major, I read it. Like you said, if you don't want someone reading your private thoughts, don't write them down." Kiera gestures to the pocket that the Major normally keeps his little notebook in.

[Crowe]: "When did you read it sir?" vocie is clipped

[Kiera] : scoffs "Doesn't matter."