Moira and the Brigadier

[x-mactaggart.livejournal.com]

Moira gets the call she's been waiting for. Muir is clear and back in the proper hands. Brigadier Stewart fills her in on the details, including the one that Essex has escaped but he's now a wanted man.



Ring.

Ring.

Ri—

“’ello?” Moira answered, yawning. The only thing that had kept her from tumbling out of bed was Nathan’s arm around her waist. She slowly pulled herself back into bed, taking the receiver with her.

“Lady Kinross, I presume?” The voice on the other end of the line was soft, feminine and very British.

“Depends on who’s callin’.”

There was a chuckle. “Lady Kinross, this is Brigadier Alysande Stuart, of the Weird Happenings Organization.”

Suddenly, Moira was wide awake. At Nathan’s concerned look as she suddenly straightened, she touched the link soothingly. “O’ course, Brigadier. I’m sorry, I should ‘ave been expectin’ yer call.”

“Please, ma’am, after all you are six hours behind us and I know I probably interrupted your sleep.”

“This is wort’ it, trust me. Wha’s th’ status?”

“Alright then. First things first. Muir is officially back in the hands of the British government. We need you to return home, Lady Kinross, to finish some paperwork.” The other woman’s voice softened. “I would just like to tell you, officially, that the British Government does not hold you responsible at all.”

“Well, thank them for me, then.” Moira chuckled a little. “Though ‘tis a relief. Would we need ta meet?”

“Not necessary. We just need you back on Muir to fax you some papers. Governmental red tape at it’s best, I’m afraid.”

“I’ve been wantin’ ta come back, ‘tis nay a worry.”

“Good. The other bit of news is not so heartening. Apparently someone slipped the good Doctor Essex a bit of advance warning on our arrival. We weren’t able to find any trace of Essex on the island and it seemed he took a few of his people with him when he left.”

Moira swore and pinched the bridge of her nose.

“But it wasn’t in vain,” the Brigadier reassured her. “We rounded up the American squads rather easily. Most of the poor blighters had no idea what was going on. But we think a good number of their leading men did. It’s why it took us a while to get back to you, we’re still doing investigations back in London with those blokes.”

“Any injuries?”

“A few, none so bad that they won’t be back in fighting action soon enough. Most of them came from falling down those bloody steps in the castle.”

“So, wha’s there ta be done ‘bout Essex?”

“We’re putting out an AP Bulletin for him as we speak. As of right now, Dr. Nathaniel Essex is a wanted man in both the United Kingdom and the United States of America.”

There was something in her tone that worried Moira. “Brigadier…what did you find?”

“I’ve seen a lot in my service, Lady Kinross. A good bit of it, you probably wouldn’t believe. But this…”

“Tha’ bad?”

“Let’s just say that you’ll take one good look at his experiments and what he was trying to do and throw up.”

“God.”

“God was nowhere to be find in those halls that day, my good doctor. What—excuse me, Lady Kinross, I’m afraid I’m needed. We’ll be gone in a day or so and when you get back, your island and your facilities will be fully back in your hands.”

“Thank ye, verra much.”

“My pleasure to do my duty, my lady.”

Click.