The Mission This particular plot bunny would not let me alone, so I wrote it down, Maybe someday it will grow into a real story.   I owe an Obsenad or two, so I lassoed this plot bunny. What can I say ­ it was a well-fed bunny! Griffin   Jim Ellison waited until the chopper left before he stepped from the sheltering trees to retrieve the small package left for him there. He did not linger to enjoy the beautiful vista beyond the cliffside. It was a long hike back to the cabin. While one part of his mind watched the trail and its hazards, the rest worried if he was ready, if this was what he really wanted - to go back to the life that had cost him so dearly. It was quite late when he reached the cabin. He made himself a quick supper and lit the fire to ward off the evening chill. He regarded the package pensively. He'd been on "vacation" for almost two months. Losing first Jack, and then Danny had put him off his game. It was no wonder his last mission had been such a fiasco. He'd barely gotten his team out. Jim, himself, hadn't made it out. He'd spent a month in that damned hellhole of a prison, and then another six weeks trekking through jungle to get back to "civilization". And civilization hurt. Debriefing was a blur of pain. Weeks of constant headaches. Lights that were too bright, sounds that were too loud, feeling overwhelmed by the press of humanity. Jim had retreated to the cabin to rest, to heal, and it had worked. He felt calmer, more in control. And if he could see farther and hear more than he used to, at least it didn't hurt anymore. Jim opened the package. As expected, it contained a data disk and a viewer. He placed the disk in the viewer and pushed "play". A familiar logo appeared on the viewscreen. Simon Banks warm voice filled the small cabin. "I'm sorry to interrupt your vacation, Jim, but I need your help. The man in the newsclip is Dr. Philip Jansen. Jansen is the man behind the "Tethys Project". "Tethys" was the code name for a project to develop low cost water purification for developing nations. It was unfunded in the early eighties, but he continued to research on his own. He succeeded, far beyond expectations - he created a cheap, portable method that can purify water under almost any circumstances. Unfortunately, before he could publish his results, he disappeared, as did two other scientists working on the project. Before his disappearance, he attended a U.N. conference with Dr. Eli Stoddard." A new image appeared on the screen. "Dr. Stoddard is an anthropologist. He is renowned for his work in preserving indigenous cultures, as well as his work with a number of human rights groups." Tanned and handsome, perhaps in his late fifties, Stoddard looked more like Indiana Jones than an academic. Simon's voice continued. "Shortly after the conference, Dr. Stoddard contacted us. Tethys had been entrusted to him. He wanted to ensure it did not fall into the wrong hands. Unfortunately, we could not get to Stoddard fast enough. He was killed three days ago while attempting to deliver Tethys." The next image on the screen made Jim sit up straight. A picture of young man with longish curly brown hair and the face of an angel. "This is Blair Sandburg, a graduate student at Rainier University in Cascade. Sandburg," Simon continued, "is Stoddard's protege, almost a surrogate son. He's been on expedition Peru for the last six months. In order to protect himself, Stoddard was not carrying the entire Tethys file. Crucial data was removed from file. Stoddard planned to tell us the location of the missing data when the file was delivered. We believe Sandburg is the key. He knew Stoddard better than anyone, and is the one person Stoddard would trust. If Sandburg doesn't have the missing data, he will know where to find it. He and his expedition are scheduled to return in two weeks." "Dr. Stoddard was anticipating trouble with Tethys. We received a copy of the doctored file in the mail." Simon's voice paused, then resumed. "I don't have to tell you how important this is. In the wrong hands, Tethys is a threat to the entire world's water supply. I need my best man on this." "Your mission, Jim, should you choose to accept it, is to intercept Blair Sandburg before he returns to Cascade. If you can persuade him to assist us in locating the missing data, fine. If not, you must use any means necessary to prevent anyone else from acquiring either Sandburg or the data. As always, if you or any of your team are caught, the Secretary will disavow all knowledge of your actions. Good Luck, Jim." Jim closed the viewer just as a mechanical voice spoke. "This device will self destruct is ten seconds." He ignored the voice and tossed the viewer into the fire. He rose, and began to pack.   The end?