DrKeel

He had been woken in haste by the men he was investigating for the UN. The rest of the Turkish-born terrorists were all missing. The moment the Vicar decided to arm himself, he was assaulted, restrained and had a bag placed over his head. After a bumpy ride in the back of a van he had been walked into a multi-story complex of some kind by 2 men a lot stronger than himself, who threw him into a room, taking the bag off as they did so. It contained one thing he noticed immediately, a table with an A4 sheet of paper on it, containing the word KEEL. His real name. Panic spread through him. "Why wasn't he dead?", the more sensible, shrinking part of his brain called out to him. If he'd been rumbled, which he obviously had, why hadn't he been decapitated yet? A realization struck him, the sensible part of his brain swelling with pride. He hadn't been found out, he'd been pulled out by someone powerful enough to waltz into a skyscraper, with a restrained man, without any security checks whatsoever. The vicar, wearing the uniform of a Turkish security officer, sat at the plane metal desk on a fold out chair.The room was unmarked and Keel noted the lack of one way mirror that usually came with these rooms. A glance behind him found detached plumbing where something resembling a bathroom should be. He was in a prison - and a hastily converted one at that.

“Good morning Reverend”.

The decorated soldier in front of Keel barely looked up from his clipboard as he entered the interrogation room, until he noticed Keel sitting firmly down, not moving to stand up. The curl of disgust creeping onto the General’s face.

Sitting opposite Keel the General began, “Despite appearances I’m here to …”

“You mean the appearances of being escorted to a prison and locked in a room against my will?” Keel remarked firmly, cutting him off.

Now, not even attempting to hide his annoyance, the General persevered – “… I have a job offer for you Doctor. It involves a certain amount of secrecy as it were, hence the cloak and dagger. It involves an exceptionally important mission, but - unusually - the threat is not imminent.”

“Its Reverend, flatfoot, and I’ve already got a job. ”

"We know, that is why as of this morning you were pronounced dead in Istanbul."

These words left the cold room in silence. Leaving a pause for Keel's mouth to close, he continued,

"The mission, if you succeed, will be the most important discovery in the history of the world. If you fail, you will most certainly not remember anything about this, so it does not concern you."

A smirk escaped the Generals grimace as he opened a hefty file in front of him. “Ordained at the age of 19, Chaplain to no less than 3 S.A.S units over the course of 11 years…”

“5, 2 were black book general, you need to do your research.” Keel corrected, Rage contorting his features.

“I was about to say Keel, and what better time to carry on…” The General remarked, turning the page,” ‘…an extensive record of insubordination and assault, including 4 accounts on a superior officer’, How interesting Reverend.”

"I can't assault a superior officer. I inherit the highest rank in the room", Keel countered, indignation oozing from his words.

"Is that what you told the tribunal that landed you in Turkey?", The General said, feigning realization.

“What the hell does this have to do with anything” Keel snarled, leaning forward.

The General’s smile grew suddenly wider “Those last points are why I’m your new boss, Jean. You’ve been removed from British special forces and transferred to a task force of an international, er, charity.”

The General pushed his spectacles to his face.

"Your uniform will be here in the morning, but in the mean time you will spend time in personal quarters…”

“…you mean a cell…”

The General persevered this time “… where you will be briefed on the nature of The Foundation. Welcome to Mobile Task Force Upsilon - 12 Reverend, hope you have a nice stay.”

The General let out a laugh between getting out of his chair and closing the door behind him. Keel slammed a fist onto the steel table, then bowed his head, and began to pray.