The Elsewhere Files

Cost and Consequence - Mission One

Major Crowe and Captain Nguyen are driving in the SUV, leaving the militant town behind, the storm still pounding rain down. The night is fading but the storm keeps it dark and gloomy out.

[Nguyen]: “I’m going to hell for this one.” Tone mournful

[Crowe]: “Yep.”

[Nguyen]: “You’re driving the bus there aren’t you?”

[Crowe]: “Yep.”

[Nguyen]: “Do you seriously not care?”

[Crowe]: smiles “Nope.”

[Nugyen]: “I hate you right now.”

[Crowe]: “Join the club. My partner is the president of it.”

[Nguyen]: sighs  “We broke into a church with you promising that we weren’t going to touch anything, just looking. Then we needed to search the place carefully, maybe she left us a clue behind….” Shakes head “How did I let you talk me into taking this with us?” hefts a bag with a heavy item inside.

[Crowe]: gives Nguyen a pointed look, then focuses back on the road “You saw it the same as I did. I didn’t have to talk you into anything.”

[Nguyen]: grunts

Scene switches to a flashback of the two soldiers circling the church, the storm still pounding rain and some hail down. The doors are still locked, but one of the windows has now been smashed open, the glass cleared away.

[Nguyen]: “Kiera?” whispers the word to the Major in case anyone is listening.

[Crowe]: smiles softly and nods

[Nguyen]: “Sir, I’m not entirely comfortable with the concept of sneaking into the Lord’s house….”

[Crowe]: “We’re just looking Captain. Clearly someone has breached the sanctity already and it’s our duty to investigate.”

[Nguyen]: tone sarcastic “Yeah right, hundreds won’t believe you but I do.”

[Crowe]: tips an imaginary hat at the Captain “By all means, ladies first.” Tone mocking, gestures for the Captain to go in first.

[Nguyen]: muttering  “More like beauty before age.” Climbs in the broken window, providing cover for the Major to do the same

Both soldiers are standing in a dark, clearly abandoned church. There are wet footprints just barely visible from whoever had broken the window to gain entrance. Without discussing it, both soldiers carefully scan the room and follow the foot prints farther in. They lead away from the light of the window and the Captain pulls out a small flashlight to illuminate the areas more. The small circle of light reveals that the drying footprints lead away from the window, cutting through the echoing pews to the main aisle of the church. The foot prints vanished into the carpet running up the center. Still, they followed it towards the altar and behind the raised platform, found another shoe smudge leading into the door off on one side.

Passed the tabernacle and gilded gold of the items out on display, the Major and Nguyen carefully creep to the back, finding fewer and fewer traces of Kiera, or whomever had broken that window. Until they enter the very back room and laid out on a table is a simple, innocent looking stone cross that is probably a few hundred years old. And it is clearly displayed on the table, resting onto of Kiera’s now empty green military bag, with yet another note left next to it.