Scotland - The Beast of Faildorn

Grace couldn’t believe that she was actually here, right at the top of Scotland and hip deep in URCS official missions. Granted she hadn’t even been given a gun yet, hadn’t earned that right so far but that was what Katelyn and Malfice was here for. The plane trip to Edinburgh was quick enough from Wales, they had flown commercially to keep the secrets up. After the New World Order fiasco the British Government were keeping URCS’ existence really close to it’s chest. After the plane ride they had a lengthy drive to roughly one of the highest points in Scotland, Sutherland.

A small camp had been set up by the police after the latest disappearance, just on the foot of a vast grassy mountainside that seemed to go on for miles and miles. There were a few farmlands around the place along with almost hundreds of man made paths for walkers around the place. The area had been cornered off however due to the happenings, just a hell of a lot of police officers.

The first thing to hit Grace was the feeling of absolute coldness, it was freezing. She had dressed incorrectly and now only her arms offered resistance to the harsh windy cold. As she exited their car to stand in between two large fields, a police constable approached her with a slow walk and warming smile. She can’t of imagined anything like this happening around here before, it was the sort of area where rumours of the loch ness monster originated. A lot of fantasy stories for sure.

“You must be the experts we’ve been waiting for, I’m DCI Rushden from Scotland Yard…” explained the investigator, his thick Scottish accent almost caught Grace off guard along with his alluring looks. The idea of an expert investigator as young as Grace was sure to be quite alluring, wait until he looked at Katelyn.

“Erm… My name is Gra… Investigator Andersson” She was told not to say Roberts, there were never any daughter/mother investigator couples, only in sitcoms “I’m just overlooking things today, Investigator Roberts, O’Conner and Forrester are in charge”

She had almost memorised that line all trip long.

Malfice had stayed quiet most of the relitivly quick trip up from Wales and was looking forward to streching his legs in the picturesque Scotish highlands. Upon arriving at the base camp Scotland Yard had set up, Malfice followed Grace out of the Jeep they had rented into a rather chilly wind. Thankfully he had remebered to pack some winter camo gear when he was packing at the base for the mission. Looking arround the hills and surrounding area Malfice aproved of the openess and clear lines of fire from any point in base camp.

Malfice did a quick scout around the camp using his highly developed sense of smell to check for unusual scents. When he had proved to himself that the beast hadn't been through the camp recently, Malfice headed back to the Jeep and opened the back door. Pulling his rucksack out from the pile, Malfice took the long black tube off the side and opened it up. Inside was a bunch of satalite photos and his Katana. Leaving his Katana in the tube Malfice took two of the maps out and spread it upon the bonnet of the Jeep.

"DCI Rushden, I'm Investigator Forrester. Can you show me roughly when and where the atacks took place in relation to where we arre now please. " Malfice asked wanting to know so he could put a timeline together of when and where the attack happened.

Grace listened intently as Malfice brought out the map of the area, it seemed a huge perimeter of the Highlands, they had a lot of ground to cover in order to complete the mission. Suddenly Grace found herself wanting a more action heavy battle like Cold Fist or Lethal Injection, those missions were imprinted into the annals of history now. Everyone in the base knew about the multitude of events that preceded Grace’s birth, she was desperate to pull her own weight.

“We have three last points of knowledge but you wont find much there, the environment destroys a lot of the forensics unfortunately” responded Rushden before being summoned off to one of his colleagues “Please wait here, we have some new information coming in”

“Doesn’t look good…” muttered Grace as she leant against the car, deciding to take her own bag out of the car. The only thing she had been permitted to bring was Flash Grenades, she’d take that at very least. Grace quickly took out a grenade harness and attached it to her waist, she had more than enough for this mission for sure.

“What’s the plan with this? URCS directive 4.3 means we can’t let these guys see the threat if there is one” stated Grace following every movement by the book, she had prepared for this mission more than she would normally study for a biology paper. The directive however was one of the most used in URCS missions, they simply couldn’t allow knowledge of supernatural beings to public knowledge.

Katelyn stepped out of the Jeep and stretched; Grace and Malfice had leapt straight out and dived into action. Shaking her head, she reached back into the car and opened her back, pulling her guns and holsters from the top. As she buckled them on she moved to the front of the Jeep where Malfice had the map spread out.

“What’s the plan with this? URCS directive 4.3 means we can’t let these guys see the threat if there is one”

Katelyn grinned, “If whatever we find says that there is a threat, we ask them nicely to fuck off.” She answered not looking at the map but watching the police carefully. Having spent her youth running from cops, and the rest of it playing tag with the FBI, Katelyn was finding it very difficult to relax around them. Her instincts told her to watch them.

“How’d you convince your Mom to let you come anyway?” she asked Grace, without removing her eyes from bustle around the crime scene.

“How’d you convince your Mom to let you come anyway?”

Grace let out a private giggle to herself before straightening her face in order not to receive one of her mother’s trademarks gazes, it always scared her stiff when her mother was pissed off. Thinking about such things was keeping the cold away for now which was a blessing, she envied Malfice’s clothing right about now. Her fingers tips were getting pinkish already.

“To be honest Katelyn, I really winged the conversation. We need to nail this mission, I don’t think lightning will strike chance to give me this chance” responded Grace with a concerned look, she knew that if she messed up this chance there was no way she’d be on another mission until she was 16 at least. Grace didn’t fancy a thirteen year wait for the next chance of a mission again. Katelyn was one of the best fighters she knew however and her father had placed immense trust in her abilities.

“We’ve just had word of another disappearance of an American tour couple in the area, their last known position is just about a mile from here. Let me know what you guys want to do” stated DCI Rushden, Grace’s toes tipped up as if she were trying to appease a master of some sort. She nodded in a very girly fashion and looked around to her fellow ’Investigators’ to see what they thought would be worth trying. Grace was here strictly to learn and was afraid of doing the wrong thing.

An increased sense of nervousness settled over Anna. The usual mission jitters were there, feeling she held onto despite years of experience because she avoided becoming too complacent and confident for that led to mistakes. Having to keep a trigger happy team alive was trying at the best of times however the stakes were so much higher this time and so it was natural for Anna to regret agreeing to bring along her daughter.

Stepping out of the Jeep, leaving the air conditioned atmosphere behind for the fresh highland breeze, Anna quickly scanned the surroundings, they seemed under control for the time being. While examining the location like the thorough scientist she was, Grace was already in action, much to Anna's surprise.

“I had a moment of temporary insanity,” Anna added for Katelyn and Grace hadn’t realised she was behind them.

Stepping forward, Anna extended a hand to DCI Rushden, "Doctor Roberts. It may be prudent to evacuate the immediate area, only for a few hours until we've completed our work here." She hoped the investigator didn't notice the remarkable resemblance between her and Grace for she knew police regulations well and the officer may get suspicious bringing their status into question.

Malfice looked over to the three women who were on the mission with him. He got on well with two of them and the other one he bearly liked but could work with. Quickly looking of the map Malfice got an idea of the terrain before rolling it up and putting it in the map tube with his Katana. Slinging the tube arround his body on the the leather carry strap, Malfice settled the case between his shoulder blades before looking around again.

"Dr Roberts it may be best if the three of us go to the incedent site, scout it out and do a preliminary search of the area." Malfice said indicating himself, Katelyn and Anna. "Id also recomend Investigator Andersson staying here with the detective incase of any other reported attacks come in."

Walking back to the jeep Malfice looked back and noticed a shadow moving on the ridgeline to the north. But as he tryed to determin what it was it disapeared over the back into the trees. Shaking his head Malfice climbed into the jeep and waited for the others.

"Doctor Roberts. It may be prudent to evacuate the immediate area, only for a few hours until we've completed our work here."

Grace's mother was a seasoned veteran of URCS by now, the words seemed to roll off her tongue with such confidence and dedication. She wondered if her mother had always been this way or if she had been exactly like her daughter on her first mission, jittery and nervous to a huge degree. Rushden didn’t seem to want to go against their statements, before heading off he passed over a phone to Grace if they needed reinforcements. It seemed as if the DCI truly believed something supernatural was afoot, he obviously was an intelligent man, even more so when he chose not to defy the rulings of the URCS. There was plenty of ways to die when a secretive organisation was involved.

Within minutes most of the DCI’s and policemen had backed off into their cars and had left the relatively small team to find out exactly what was going on here. An American couple, Grace’s father would probably give up saving them simply because he was branded an enemy of his own country. Grace was different however, much more pure and desired to save everyone involved. She had wondered for many a night which of her parent’s methods she would choose, it seemed for now at least it was her mother’s.

“Do you guys think that something is going on here? Or just coincidence, I mean it’s possible. The Scottish Highlands are riddled with stories of people getting lost and never returning, I can see why, it’s a massive place” stated Grace as she braced herself for a mile long walk to their destination. The car would never drive properly over this ground, they’d be stuck with no way back, a long walk in the cold mud was incoming.

"Id also recomend Investigator Andersson staying here with the detective incase of any other reported attacks come in."

Rushden remained by his car about to drive off as he heard the words of Malfice, waiting for Grace to give him a heads up on what was the plan. The detective seemed to take a liking to Grace, maybe he was trying to figure out what was going on with her age. However Malfice had never seen Grace want something so badly and immediatly her gaze drew towards him with the fierceness of her father drenched over her words.

"I am the only member of this team who has sufficient Archaeological experience in this terrain, I wont be much use sitting here" Stated Grace, asserting her authority only for her face to drop in embaressment, she lacked her father's follow through. She mouthed a sorry to Malfice quickly and tried to avoid her mother's scorn. However as she turned to walk back to Rushden, he had already taken her word and left the scene. It seemed as if she was going to be tagging along after all.

Malfice sighed as Grace stated her reasons for staying with a fierceness to rival her father, Alex. Watching the DCI drive a way Malfice waited till all the police were out of sight before taking the map tube off his back and withdrawing his katana. Fixing the Katana in its usual place on his back and cross placing the map tube across his back creating a cross scabard style. Drawing his Katana in one smooth flowing motion, Malfice checked it wouldnt foul on anything before sliding it home with a deadly chink.

"Ok then. Change of plan. We all go together. Grace remember to warn us if your going to throw. Or at leat warn me because I have hightened sense's." Malfice said as he resettled his winter camo gear.

Looking around the group Malfice nodded to Katelyn, smiled at Anna and gave Grace a quick and checky golden left eye wink. Thinking of what could happen Malfice started heading out in the direction the DCI had indicated. Keeping his eyes open incase the shadow showed its self again he lead the group towalds the last sighting.