NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC: This would be open, but we already got a lot of people, more than I expected, signed up in the first thread.(http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=147425)

IC: Matilda Segur sat on the plane, flying from a neutral country to Teritoria. This job was to be the high point of her short, yet intense career. She sat, reflecting back on it. To all the psycological nuances and all the choices that had led her here.

As a young child, she had been enchanted by her archaeologist father and anthropologist mother's stories of myths of lore and wonder from many ancient and storied lands. She was extremely intelligent, finished high school two years early. She enrolled in the University of Feline, studying for a major in archaeology, specializing in antiquities, and with a minor in linguistics. She was determined to hold in her possession every artifact of power in the world. Much like Heinrich Schliemann's fascination with Troy acquired from Homer, she had many such fascinations with artifacts acquired from reading and from her parent's tales.

A few weeks after graduation, she formulated her endgame. The Amerigan War had just broken out, and she joined up in the army. This gave her the equipment she needed. She deserted, and took the equipment and stole a speedboat from a dock in Amerigo. She took it out to a neutral country. She became a mercenary for hire, remarkably effective, in fact. Known only as 'The Cat', she became the top-rated hired gun in the world within a few months. It appeared that, like Napoleon she imagined, her greatness and natural ability had put her on the path of where she wanted to go. She amassed a huge fortune, huge contacts in the underworld, and a huge esoteric knowledge base. At that time, she was twenty.

"Do you need anything, mam?" asked a flight attendant, smiling the fakest smile possible, jolting her out of her reflecting.

"No, I don't. If I needed something, I would ask. So just shut up, you over-paid moron." said Segur, resisting the urge to haul out and attack her with a martial art she had developed for herself from her knowledge of anatomy, also self-taught.

The flight attendant had obviously never got a response like this, and slowly walked away.

She was twenty-one, going on twenty-two now. Shortly before her twenty-first birthday, she allowed herself to be captured by the Feline government. She was quickly charged with pretty much every crime on the books, so the government could plea bargain her into working for Department 47, the specialist division of Feline's intelligence agency, the Department of Espionage and Covert Operations, but secretly under the cover of a minor department within the Parks and Recreation Department of the capital. This was part of her plan. She, on a typical day a couple weeks after this happened, went into work. But this time, she brought in an ionised beam wepaon, several grenades, and some explosives. She raided the Department 47 vault of every artifact stored in it.

She quickly escaped the country, on a high speed boat chase. She assumed a new identity, of Irene Alexander. She thought about this alias for a moment, always fond of the symbolism she placed in her actions. Irene, peace. Alexander, protector of men. She put out a short, arrogant laugh at her "name."

Helen Jackson, the alias she was using for this trip (she always used a different alias while travelling and once she reaches her destination) was in a window seat in row five of a plane flying into Teritoria.

Her objective was two-fold: to seize control of the criminal underworld there, currently controlled by the Yorin Guild and the infamous Keraci. But her primary objective, the reason for choosing Teritoria, was the sword of destiny. Famed as the Spear of Longinus, which in one of the many twists of fate in her life was one of the objects she had stolen from the Department 47 vault, the storied Sword of Destiny was one of the power objects she had lusted after her whole life. And it would soon be hers.

The plane landed, and she picked up her baggage. These bags were specially designed bags usually used by DOECO agents. They were made of a special hidden material that hid from metal detectors and x-rays the objects inside, making it look like a typical traveller's case. She had a veritable arsenal of weapons, a huge amout of Teritorian Platis, and a selection of gadjets that would make James Bond drool. She set off for her hotel room. The next day, she would contact someone she knew in the Teritorian underworld. She would try to bribe him into helping her assume power. She would hide her quest for the Sword of Destiny from him, naturally.

The teen kept running. Shouts came up from behind him. Chinese made AK-47s barked behind him. The trees tore away and the bullets blew away the ground. One bullet found it's mark lodging itself between his two lower right ribs. He fell screaming. Several men walked forward. One pulled out a SIG Sauer P220 and leveled at him. At that moment arrows riddled his body and the rest in his group.....

"Ian?Ian wake up." Ian Johnson woke from his dream and felt a pain in his side. He looked at his mother sitting next to him. "Same dream?" He nodded. "I have some breakfast, then we can start looking at that ruin."
Ian sat up in his hut and walked out. Ian Johnson was only 16, stood 6'1 his dark brown curly hair kept down in a mat, and his skin had been tanned a light bronze. He sucked in the jungle air.

His mother Karen Johnson was one of the Golden Simatar's top archeologist. Her light brown hair tied back in a pony tail that hung limply from her shoulder. At 37, though she looked at least ten years younger, she was a single parent of a teenager who seemed more like a partisan than the helper and young geinus. She streached, her slender legs and arms quickly grabbing the attention of several native men.

Getting her Masters at 24 by handling school and her baby, Ian's father had run out on her when she refused an abortion. She had spent most of her time moving through different tribes while doing her research and had, along with Ian, accepted into them and knew the languages and dialects. She now decided it was time to move on.
"Where are we going mom?" Ian asked.
"Teritoria." She answered as she passed him some coffee.
"Why?"
"Something that I want to check out. Last time we were there I saw a bizzare relif, I want to check it out again. We leave in an hour."
An hour later they had thanked the native tribe and climbed into a dirty white Land Rover, the only home Ian ever knew outside of living with various tribes. Ian waved goodbye to the men who had saved his life from the artifact poachers just over a month ago. He grasped his side where the shell was still lodged between two ribs.

Karen knew she couldn't afford the surgery her son needed to get the bullet out. Just over four hours later they were on a plane to Teritoria.

Alex Pendragon yawned, he was tired but since he was on a plane he couldn't sleep. He found he could never sleep on planes due to the humming from the engines and the fact that the other people on board were usually loud. Problem was that as an archaeologist, he spent quite sometime on planes going from site to site. While it made him weary, the pleasure of finding answers to lost civilisations was rewarding enough to put up with his hate of flying.

In front of him was his laptop. On it he was scanning information about Teritoria. It seemed an interesting nation, one that he looked forward to visiting. The University of Exetergrecia never told him what they had sent him there for, they only told him that someone would meet him there after his flight landed. They were like that, always giving him surprises, never telling him why they were sending him to a site. Still at least his flight was about to land and he would be glad to have his feet on the ground.

He grabbed his bags from baggage and marched from the checkpoint. He yawned once more as he began to look around this mysterious greeting party. One time he was picked up by someone who looked like an agent right out of MiB, he hoped that would happen again. Still anything could happen and looking around he couldn't find anyone that appeared to be looking for him.

OOC: Feel free to have your character looking for mine.

The plane ride for Xun Lang had not been pleasant. The reason being, he was terrified of heights and especially terrified of flying. Ever since the fateful day, three years ago, when the Boeing 737-400 he was aboard, plummeted from the sky into the Pacific Ocean, flying had never been a pleasure, always an ordeal of great pain and endurance.

This flight was no different. Xun Lang breathed heavily as he attempted to calm his frayed nerves down. Sighing, Xun Lang glanced out the window and then glanced back down at the remnants of the breakfast that he had downed in an attempt to calm his nerves.

Suddenly, a disembodied voice began to speak over the intercom, We are approaching Teritoria's airport, please pull up your seats to its original position, stow your tables, and put all your luggage away.

Swiftly, efficient flight attendants clean up the cabin, as Xun Lang took a deep breath. Next time, I'm definitely not taking the plane... I'll drive, he thought, This is just too much... Minutes later, the plane began to descend. Soon the plane landed upon the ground.

Sighing to himself, Xun Lang walked slowly out of the gate and into the terminal, glancing over the crowd. Taking a deep breath and thanking whatever guardian angel that was watching over him, Xun Lang headed towards the baggage claim, intent upon claiming his two bags...

Matilda Segur put her light blond hair up in a ponytail, and put on exercise clothes over her muscular yet slim frame.

She went down to the streets, with a modernised Japanese Samurai-style Tanto knife (OOC: You said it was normal for people to carry swords in your country, right?) hanging in a sheath, and a small holdout pistol concealed in a small pocket in her exercise pants. She ran forty-five minutes every morning, and an hour every other morning. She lifted weights for fifteen minutes every day she ran forty-five minutes.

Once she completed her workout uneventfully, she went up to her room, and showered. She then put her hair up in a bun, and to appear like she was serious and deadly, put on a black sweater, black pants, black sunglasses, and a black trenchcoat. Hidden by the trenchcoat was a ionised beam pistol in her trademark shoulder holster, and she carried a full length modernised samurai Katana in its sheath.

She went down to the streets, taking in their medieval charm. She reflected about the first time she had been to this nation.

The plane flew into the Teritorian airport. Her mission was simple: a person attempting to win the power struggle to be the next Keraci had hired her to kill another person. She quickly posed as a prostitute. Now, if her target was not a middleaged, overweight, balding man, she likely would have taken his money and then fullfilled the agreement[s].

But he was. So, she just took his money, and quickly sliced off his head. The bloodbath was enormous. Especially when his bodyguards came in. She quickly hid in the ventilation duct in the room. Once one of the bodyguards was standing beneath it, she jumped down, landing her metal spiked boot on his head, and opening it up to the air.

She then whipped out a small holdout pistol, and shot the other four guards in the heads, before decapitating them with the knife she had brought in, to make a point. She then left a simple piece of paper, reading, "The Cat stalks in the night."

She did this when it would be in her interest to publicize her efforts. She quickly left the country, however, to move onto her next job. That was killing the leader of a third world nation who wouldn't listen to some "reformists."

She rented a motorcycle, and quickly drove it through the city streets to her meeting place with her Teritorian contact. The meeting place was a Teritorian bar. While she did not drink, she enjoyed the atmosphere of bars nonetheless.

Matilda Segur put her light blond hair up in a ponytail, and put on exercise clothes over her muscular yet slim frame.

She went down to the streets, with a modernised Japanese Samurai-style Tanto knife (OOC: You said it was normal for people to carry swords in your country, right?) hanging in a sheath, and a small holdout pistol concealed in a small pocket in her exercise pants. She ran forty-five minutes every morning, and an hour every other morning. She lifted weights for fifteen minutes every day she ran forty-five minutes.

Once she completed her workout uneventfully, she went up to her room, and showered. She then put her hair up in a bun, and to appear like she was serious and deadly, put on a black sweater, black pants, black sunglasses, and a black trenchcoat. Hidden by the trenchcoat was a ionised beam pistol in her trademark shoulder holster, and she carried a full length modernised samurai Katana in its sheath.

She went down to the streets, taking in their medieval charm. She reflected about the first time she had been to this nation.

The plane flew into the Teritorian airport. Her mission was simple: a person attempting to win the power struggle to be the next Keraci had hired her to kill another person. She quickly posed as a prostitute. Now, if her target was not a middleaged, overweight, balding man, she likely would have taken his money and then fullfilled the agreement[s].

But he was. So, she just took his money, and quickly sliced off his head. The bloodbath was enormous. Especially when his bodyguards came in. She quickly hid in the ventilation duct in the room. Once one of the bodyguards was standing beneath it, she jumped down, landing her metal spiked boot on his head, and opening it up to the air.

She then whipped out a small holdout pistol, and shot the other four guards in the heads, before decapitating them with the knife she had brought in, to make a point. She then left a simple piece of paper, reading, "The Cat stalks in the night."

She did this when it would be in her interest to publicize her efforts. She quickly left the country, however, to move onto her next job. That was killing the leader of a third world nation who wouldn't listen to some "reformists."

She rented a motorcycle, and quickly drove it through the city streets to her meeting place with her Teritorian contact. The meeting place was a Teritorian bar. While she did not drink, she enjoyed the atmosphere of bars nonetheless.

Matilda Segur put her light blond hair up in a ponytail, and put on exercise clothes over her muscular yet slim frame.

She went down to the streets, with a modernised Japanese Samurai-style Tanto knife (OOC: You said it was normal for people to carry swords in your country, right?) hanging in a sheath, and a small holdout pistol concealed in a small pocket in her exercise pants. She ran forty-five minutes every morning, and an hour every other morning. She lifted weights for fifteen minutes every day she ran forty-five minutes.

Once she completed her workout uneventfully, she went up to her room, and showered. She then put her hair up in a bun, and to appear like she was serious and deadly, put on a black sweater, black pants, black sunglasses, and a black trenchcoat. Hidden by the trenchcoat was a ionised beam pistol in her trademark shoulder holster, and she carried a full length modernised samurai Katana in its sheath.

She went down to the streets, taking in their medieval charm. She reflected about the first time she had been to this nation.

The plane flew into the Teritorian airport. Her mission was simple: a person attempting to win the power struggle to be the next Keraci had hired her to kill another person. She quickly posed as a prostitute. Now, if her target was not a middleaged, overweight, balding man, she likely would have taken his money and then fullfilled the agreement[s].

But he was. So, she just took his money, and quickly sliced off his head. The bloodbath was enormous. Especially when his bodyguards came in. She quickly hid in the ventilation duct in the room. Once one of the bodyguards was standing beneath it, she jumped down, landing her metal spiked boot on his head, and opening it up to the air.

She then whipped out a small holdout pistol, and shot the other four guards in the heads, before decapitating them with the knife she had brought in, to make a point. She then left a simple piece of paper, reading, "The Cat stalks in the night."

She did this when it would be in her interest to publicize her efforts. She quickly left the country, however, to move onto her next job. That was killing the leader of a third world nation who wouldn't listen to some "reformists."

She rented a motorcycle, and quickly drove it through the city streets to her meeting place with her Teritorian contact. The meeting place was a Teritorian bar. While she did not drink, she enjoyed the atmosphere of bars nonetheless.

Karen and Ian moved through the city. Ian felt as though the aged, dirty, and dented Land Rover felt a bit out of place. Karen liked the old era feel of the country and everyone seemed to be on good terms with each other, but that didn't keep her from keeping a Para .45 compact in the glove compartment.
Ian felt the same, a 3x9 power scoped Remington 700 hung behind his seat a Walther P99 with a flashlight attachment, Widley .44 mag automatic, and M4 assualt carbine completed the tiny aresenal. Karen disliked the amount of weapons that we around the car but after her son was shot and nearly died, she wasn't taking any chances.

"Feel like a burger?" she asked.
"Yeah, with chili on it." Ian said. They pulled up infront of a bar and Ian's eyes fell on a motorcycle parked out front. "Wow, look at that horsepower. Hey mom, how about we sell the Rover and get some bikes?" Karen laughed as she walked inside.
"How about not?" She wasn't phased by the atmosphere of the bar, to her it was paradise after living for several months in the jungle this place was Valhalla. Taking a seat at the bar they placed thier orders while Karen pulled out a briefcase and began to look over her old documents. Ian's eyes fell on a hot looking woman sitting across the bar. She is a looker. He didn't know that she was one of most dangerous women alive. Ian got a beer while he pulled out some papers and helped his mom with relocating the ruin.

OOC: Yes it’s quite normal to carry daggers, swords, maces, various types of crossbows at times and other medieval weaponry.

IC: Hersi Doranxi sat assured in the bar sipping wine, not that you could really find much else in Teritora than an unbelievably wide variety of wines and brandies, Teritorans were wine lovers as an race and an wide variety from barely alcoholic wines made from the nectar of an certain types of flowers to strong wines that could put many whiskeys to shame and everything else in between. Around him there was a circle where nobody was sitting, all the Teritorans at the bar knew what he was, a Yorin Guild and they knew it was better not to attract his attention, nobody short of an member of the great houses or the King of Teritora had chance of surviving the wrong type of attention from them, no matter how far they ran. Hersi knew this and he knew the one who wished to see him would approach soon enough.

The Teritoran Royal Palace, Royal Coast Guard headquarters: Prince Zan Tor Borl, High Commodore of the Royal Coast Guard, sighed, more archaeologists entering the country, that meant he would have to assign some security details to them to follow them around covertly to make sure no harm came to them or they didn’t try to smuggle anything out of the country. Such things gave him headaches but at least it saved having to explain why some artifact ended up in a private collection or in the museum outside of Teritora with out him doing something. Well things could be worse, at least Yorin Guild had quieted down, not that the guild to dare attempt anything that would bring down the full wrath of the rulers of Teritora. The guild was predictable and they knew their limits of what they could get away with.

OOC: Yes it’s quite normal to carry daggers, swords, maces, various types of crossbows at times and other medieval weaponry.

IC: Hersi Doranxi sat assured in the bar sipping wine, not that you could really find much else in Teritora than an unbelievably wide variety of wines and brandies, Teritorans were wine lovers as an race and an wide variety from barely alcoholic wines made from the nectar of an certain types of flowers to strong wines that could put many whiskeys to shame and everything else in between. Around him there was a circle where nobody was sitting, all the Teritorans at the bar knew what he was, a Yorin Guild and they knew it was better not to attract his attention, nobody short of an member of the great houses or the King of Teritora had chance of surviving the wrong type of attention from them, no matter how far they ran. Hersi knew this and he knew the one who wished to see him would approach soon enough.

The Teritoran Royal Palace, Royal Coast Guard headquarters: Prince Zan Tor Borl, High Commodore of the Royal Coast Guard, sighed, more archaeologists entering the country, that meant he would have to assign some security details to them to follow them around covertly to make sure no harm came to them or they didn’t try to smuggle anything out of the country. Such things gave him headaches but at least it saved having to explain why some artifact ended up in a private collection or in the museum outside of Teritora with out him doing something. Well things could be worse, at least Yorin Guild had quieted down, not that the guild to dare attempt anything that would bring down the full wrath of the rulers of Teritora. The guild was predictable and they knew their limits of what they could get away with.

Morty Durron sped through the information highway, looking for something else he could steal. The hacker/Master thief had not taken anything from anyone in over 3 weeks and both his fridge and bank account were running low. Hepaused as he read over the discription of some sword of something or other. He was an avid collecter of weapons, and this blade looked pretty rare.

"Hmmmm.....The Sword of Destiny....." He quickly read the discription on the weapon and liked what he saw. What a find! He quickly decided to book a flight for Teritora, the nation were the blade was supposedly located. He would pose as a treasure hunter, or an archeologist-anything that would help him get his hands on this artifact. He wished that he could of called an associete, perhaps Danny, but he dicided to go solo on this one. He would find the Sword and take it for himself. Either that or he would follow someone until they found the sword, then steal it from them. He was a master thief, after all.

Matilda Segur walked in her typical graceful yet ice-cold manner into the bar. She gave the room an instinctive lookover, who had what weapons, where the exits were, the like. She also noticed a teenager, only a few years younger, staring at her. A non-Teritorian. He was armed, but his stare, she could tell, was hormone and not malice induced. Just to make his heart race even higher, she nodded at him. She might speak to him later. She saw him come in with Karen Johnson, a noted archaeologist. If he knew Johnson, she might be able to pump some information out of him.

She looked around in back, and saw Hersi Doranxi.

"It's been long in our business, Hersi." said Segur. "I'm glad the job I did for your organization and its Keraci candidate had its intended effect of making him more than a candidate. Sorry I had to clear out so soon."

Hersi nodded. "Well you had other assignments and the person you removed's best people and those who surported him's best people were looking for you."

"Yes, well, that's how it is. So how have you been in the intervening time?" she said, trying to figure out a way to ask him to help her overthrow the Keraci they both helped put into power.

Hersi replied. "Not bad, I am in the council of elders now and I have been careful not to attract the wrong type of attention from the Keraci. No need for him to remember that I am the almost the only person one alive knows what he looks like. I have better things to do than send the next month after he remembers dying slowly of horrific torture."

Ian's heart DID go faster when Matilda nodded at him. He then felt a sharp pain in his ribs and moaned.
"Ian are you alright?" Karen asked in a concerned voice.
"Yeah mom. So what is the inscription telling us about this object the guy is holding?" Ian reffered to several highly detailed photos of the wall that is mother was interested in. It appeared to show a man holding something in his left and many others rushing him. To the right was a series of of symbols describing the carving.
"Come on." Picking up thier food they went to a corner table where they could talk more privatly. "Not much, most of the inscription is covered up with grime from over the years."
"Can you still make some of it out?"
"No, the object has also suffered the same fate. No worries, I'll contact Ethan Lane at the museum and get his computers on cleaning up the mess. Ian, I could send you back to live with your grandfather and get the bullet removed."
"No, I want to stay. I can't stand life in the city, he'll never let me leave. I can't stand him." Ian's grandfather Gregory Lander, a multi-millionare and president of Golden Simatar's largest mining corporation doted on his only grandson as his hier. Ian couldn't stand him, mostly because his grandfather's assencion to power wasn't very clean.

"Where do we go from here?" Ian asked.
"Finish dinner, relax here, get a hotel room, contact Ethan, and then find the ruin and start work."
"Fine with me."

"Hmm. I'm glad to say I've never been on the recieving end of torture. So how do you like the Keraci? Like you expected he would be when you got him into power?"

Hersi replied calmly. "He is the Keraci. Like anyone else who gets there and many people in power in the guild, he's an ingenious, sadistic, sociopathic, monster. I knew before and he’s turned out about what I have expected though an little crazier than normal.”

OOC:The Golden Simatar, you could have him sent to one of the church hospitals in Teritora to get bullet that taken out.

"Hmm. Well, I have to be going. Some other business to attend to. I'll talk to you tommorow. Same time, same place?"

She needed some time to plan out strategy. That, and she wanted to meet Karen Johnson and her travelling companion. "He is kind of cute." she thought to herself. "Probaly nineteen, twenty, thereabouts. He could be younger, though."

She walked over. "Excuse me, are you Karen Johnson?" She looked at Karen, but with a slight, unnoticeable to anyone else (a skill she had picked up) glance at Ian.

Hersi nodded almost unoticable even to the trained eye in silent agreement about the next meeting.

OOC:Something I forgot to mention earlier, almost all the private schools, hospitals and universities are run by the catholic church. Also Teritora has besides the Inquisition, an active miltant order of church knights along with church soldiers to guard churches or what ever else the church wants them to do.

Hersi nodded almost unoticable even to the trained eye in silent agreement about the next meeting.

OOC:Something I forgot to mention earlier, almost all the private schools, hospitals and universities are run by the catholic church. Also Teritora has besides the Inquisition, an active miltant order of church knights along with church soldiers to guard churches or what ever else the church wants them to do.

OOC: Thanks 4 the extra info Teritora, have to get around to it.

Karen looked up from her documents and Ian looked up from his book. He had finally ben able to get around to read his mom's only book Poaching History. Karen had published it two years earlier and had made friends in some police orgainazations and enemies in crime groups. Hey, it's that woman. Probably no more than thirty, twenty-seven maybe.
"Yes I'm Karen Johnson, how can I help you? Ohh, I forgot this is my son Ian." Karen said.
"Hi." Ian said in a voice a quater octave higher than usual.

"Oh, don't be afraid. I dressed this way because all this jokers in Teritoria give me the creeps, running around with crossbows and everything. Detterence, you know. I'm an archaeologist, and I just thought we might want to compare notes and the like, in the field of scholarly interest. So, Ian." she said, turning to him. "How old are you?"

Xun Lang looked out of place in his immaculate suit. Gazing about, he swore silently, realizing his conspicious nature. Quickly picking up his two bags from the carousel, Xun Lang wheeled on the heels of his feet and moved to exit the airport, growling to himself in disgust.

He moved like a dancer, his movements strong and fluid, as he danced around the multitudes and headed towards immigration, his hawk eyes scanning the crowds as he moved.

Slowly, his hand moved and touched the wakizashi in his pants. Reassured, Xun Lang continued moving...

Morty exited the plane and took his first step onto Teritora. He chosen to go in the "Sketchball" style of clothing, wearing almost all black as well as a faded brown jacket and a wide-brimmed hat. Conseqently, he looked somewhat out of place.

It had been hell to get his weapons over here. Security was pretty tight in Teritora. he piked up his bag at the baggage claim and headed out the door. He decided to find a place to stay first, then mabey check out the city. He soon found fimself in a nice 4 star hotel-paid for with stolen money, of course.

Morty threw himself on his bed and whipped out his favorite weapon-his computer. He had decided earlier to check p on his history and find out everything there was to know about Teritora. If this meant hacking into some government files along the way, so be it-There was rarely a code he couldnt crack or a Anti-Hacker he couldnt avoid. He booted up his computer and began to do his work......

bump

The Teritoran national network for public use was not directly connected to the broader internet directly, this was primaryly along with massive amounts of firewalks and other defensive programs meant to detour hackers, after the SeOCC computer attacks several decades before, the Teritorans had gone to great and unusal lengths to protect their computer systems private and governmental. As any hacker would soon discover, any government websites there was, was not connected to any governmental network that could be hacked into to be used to get to vital, secret and classifed information. That like most Teritoran government work was either in hard copy in an secure location or electronic but on an whole different special internet used only by the Teritoran government and not connected to the international internet even remotely to the national network used by everyone else.

"Well, about my age. I'm 16." Ian said. He noted a look of some shock in her face. "Don't worry, your not the first to think I'm in my early twenties. I do kinda look the part."
"If you don't mind me asking, but what is your name?" Karen asked.

The first thing Morty checked out were the public sites; he got details of the history and rulers of Teritora. He was interested to find out that the country was almost completely dominated by the curch, something Ravea had given up centuries ago. He decided to watch out for a secret inquisition or church-run agency.

As he delved deeper into more secret files, he was frusterated to find that he could find almost nothing useful. It wasnt that he couldnt crack any codes or get past any firewalls; it was simply that there was no top secret information kept on the Teritorian internet. All the files were either stored on a secret database that he couldnt reach or the Teritorian government used an entirely seperate server cut off from the rest of the world. Either way, they were out of his way. This was one of the first times he had ever seen a country go to such great lenths to protect thier files.

Morty sighed and decided that he would have to go into the city itself and manually pry some information out of somebody, or establish some useful contacts. He would Start by checking out some local bars.

Dekker Bray entered his hotel room seventeen hours after he'd left from the RDMA airfield by helicopter. The constant swirling dust of the Badlands kept any sort of jet or other complicated airplane engine out of action.

Bray was a mercenary, a very good one. The Bray family name was something of a legend in most merc circles, first made famous by his father, Samuel T. Bray, then further embellished by the exploits of his twin sons, Dekker & Jack. Dekker specialized in unarmed combat, where his younger twin was a handgun master. Dekker stuck to the more modern martial arts, such as Hanganah, Combat Hapkido, MCMAK, Krav Manga, etc. As of that moment he looked nothing more than a muscular tourist. Dekker was around 273 lbs of solid muscle, standing at around 6'2", with ruggedly handsome features & intense blue eyes. His outfit consisted of a pair of Magnum-brand combat boots, baggy black cargo pants, and a hooded sweatshirt that was a size too big.

The comforting weight of his AMT Hardballer rode under his left shoulder, hidden in the sweatshirt. A Smith & Wesson SWAT knife rode in an ankle holster with a Glock 23. Opposite his .45, Dekker had a K-BAR knife, with a black, cold-forged steel blade & pacmar grips, like his handguns. His luggage contained a Fiveseven handgun, along with an MP5A4.

Dekker had been sent to find an artifact... Beisdes doing mercenary work, he often worked as a bounty hunter, hitman, and in this case, treasure hunter, to keep his skills sharp & stash a bit of cash for his son's education. At the moment, Dekker was thirty-two, his son merely eleven, learning the family trade with his grandfather in Dekker's hometown, Hazard, located in the backwoods of Kentucky.

With a heave, he shouldered his luggage, carrying the rucsack to the curb so he could flag down a cab. As he passed the info desk, he snagged a tourist guide to the country, as it might be a good idea to read up on the gun regulation rules in a country where he'd most likely have to shoot someone...

-Damn Forum-

BUMP

"I'm Irene Alexander. I'm 21, going on 22. I just thought we might be able to compare notes about Teritorian history and such, in the interest of the field."

She noticed Ian wince in pain, and move his arm toward his lower chest. "What's wrong?"

Morty had gone from bar to bar, checking each out with limited sucsess. He could not see anyone who he thought could be at all useful to him, either as in informer or a guide, and was prepared to give up for the day when he changed his mind and went inside one more bar. On his way in, he bumped into an important looking manwho was going in the opposite direction. He took a moment to pick the man's pocket.

Something seemd wrong. The man looked him in the eyes as they passed each other. Had he noticed? The man was out of the door an instant later. Morty hoped that he hadn't attracted any attention so soon.

As he sat down at a table, he took out what he had nabbed from the guy. He hadn't been able to snach a wallet like he had hoped, but had instead gotten what looked like an identification card. The card had a picture of the man and his name, 'Hersi Dorinxi' at the bottem. He seemed to be some kind of government offical. He put the card in his pocket absetmindedly and decided to look at it later.

He looked around this bar, not expecting to find anyone. But there! Was that Karen Johnsen or was he hallusinating? He had heard of the famed Golden Simitar archiologist, but had never had the chance to meet her in person. Still, he was not completly sure it was her; It could be a double or he might just be mistaken. Besides, Karen seemed to be occupied with another women right now. He decided to try to talk with her later.

In the meantime, he ordered some Saki and tried to relax a little. He was still very worried that this 'Hersi Dorinxi' person knew that he had been pickpocketed.

OOC: Sorry, but even though I signed up I don't have the time to become involved in this RP.

Dekker checked into his hotel, stashing the 5.7mm under his pillow. The MP5 stayed in his luggage, out of sight until he'd need it.

With his room secured, Dekker decided to go bar-hopping for a bit, to relax before looking for the sword thing he'd been sent after...

Karen smiled.
"Great pleasure to meet you. About a six months back we were staying in a mission in the jungle when we were approached by some natives. A group of robbers had been sacking the ancient temples from thier area. We accepted to take whatever was left and transport it to the national univeristy back in the Golden Simatar."
Ian picked up where his mom left off. "But when I was doing some recon of the group's camp they spotted me and opened up with Chinese AKs. I ran for god knows how long. One bullet is lodged between two lower right ribs. The native tribe and the missionary provided as much care as they could. So it's been there for about a month. Flares up every now and then."

Ian's eyes spotted a man sipping on a cup of saki who quickly averted his gaze. When Ian reached in his pocket to grab some tissues his fingers went over the .44 Wildey. He felt safe with it on him.

"So Ms. Alexander, what brings you here? Looking for something specific?" Karen asked.
"Mom, I'm gonna take a walk and check this place out." Ian said.
"Alright, be safe." Karen said and Ian walked out the door.

OOC:Ravea, one question, just how are you going to pick the pocket of an major leader of an extremely ruthless criminal organization? That would be a bit hard to do, master thief or not. You have to figure he has to be highly skilled to survive so long and paranoid to survive and make it that far. I think he would do something unpleasant when somebody tried to. So if you’re going to do that let me at least respond for the attempt, Ravea.

Karen smiled.
"Great pleasure to meet you. About a six months back we were staying in a mission in the jungle when we were approached by some natives. A group of robbers had been sacking the ancient temples from thier area. We accepted to take whatever was left and transport it to the national univeristy back in the Golden Simatar."
Ian picked up where his mom left off. "But when I was doing some recon of the group's camp they spotted me and opened up with Chinese AKs. I ran for god knows how long. One bullet is lodged between two lower right ribs. The native tribe and the missionary provided as much care as they could. So it's been there for about a month. Flares up every now and then."


OOC: Sounds like that would have been a clean hit, with an exit wound.

Karen smiled.
"Great pleasure to meet you. About a six months back we were staying in a mission in the jungle when we were approached by some natives. A group of robbers had been sacking the ancient temples from thier area. We accepted to take whatever was left and transport it to the national univeristy back in the Golden Simatar."
Ian picked up where his mom left off. "But when I was doing some recon of the group's camp they spotted me and opened up with Chinese AKs. I ran for god knows how long. One bullet is lodged between two lower right ribs. The native tribe and the missionary provided as much care as they could. So it's been there for about a month. Flares up every now and then."


OOC: Sounds like that would have been a clean hit, with an exit wound.

OOC: EHHH, I did decide to have Ian injured and in pain from a gunshot before he came to Teritora and thought a lodged bullet would be best.

OOC:Ravea, one question, just how are you going to pick the pocket of an major leader of an extremely ruthless criminal organization? That would be a bit hard to do, master thief or not. You have to figure he has to be highly skilled to survive so long and paranoid to survive and make it that far. I think he would do something unpleasant when somebody tried to. So if you’re going to do that let me at least respond for the attempt, Ravea.

Ah, yes. Sorry about that. Ill edit my last post to give you an opening to react.

(OOC: Feline, can you open an OOC thread for this... There is too many characters and its getting a little confusing...)

OOC: Just use the thread where we planned this out. That should work.

IC: "Your son got shot? That's happened to me before, under somewhat similar circumstances. Luckily, I was able to remove the bullet. I've got the needed medical tools in my first aid kit, if you want me to."

Matilda thought back to the event...

Similar circumstances... a rival group had gotten to an artifact before she did. She needed to steal it from them. She was scouting out their camp, on a ravine above, and she got shot by a patrolling guard. She got away, and took out the bullet from herself, with a mirror so she could see it.

The next day, despite the pain, she went back with a plastic explosive. She set it on a one minute timer, and rolled it down the ravine. It exploded, killing most of the people in the camp. She dispatched the remaining ones, and got the artifact.

------

"I'm here to make a general survey of the ruins southwest of the city, and the caves nearby." That was where her studies indicated the sword most likely was. "Why are you here?"

Hersi Dorinxi walked up to an phone booth that in typical Teritoran style was an purposeful mixture of medieval and modern look and dialed in an number. Once he was connected he spoke. “Gerxia. We got an independent, an outsider. Send some men to remind him how the Yorin Guild feels about independents poaching in Teritora.” He gave a description and hung up.

Ten minutes later. Two men entered the bar and you could see everyone moving out of their way as they entered and all the Teritorans went down to whispers and some left quickly their hands on throwing daggers or their swords. They went over to Morty and spoke. “You pick pocketed somebody. The Guild does not like poaching on its territory or people trying to pickpocket it members. Normally we would kill people for that but you impressed somebody so you get to live with a warning. If you are caught again an there will be no place no matter how distant in the world or remote that you will be hide where we won’t find you. You really do not want that.”

"No thank you. Knowing the jungle vine my father would..." Her phone rang. "Right on time." Kat and her father spoke in Afrikaans for several minutes before she hung up. "He is already setting up surgery at a near by hospital. I'm here mostly because of this." She pulled out the photo she and Ian were studing earlier and showed it to Matilda.
"You said your surveying the southwest?" Matilda nodded. "Thats where I found this. From what I can read it says 'Beware the bearer' and the rest is garbbled. When Ian gets back and we get a hotel room I'm going to send this to the musem's computer nerd for clarifactaion. 'Beware the bearer' confuses me. He is holding, what looks like a sword but one should always beware someone with a sword."

-----------------

Ian strolled through the streets. It's medieval/modern look was astounding. But with everyone carring swords, daggers, or bows it was a little disturbing to say the least. Ian kept walking, his hand ready to pull out the pistol.

OCC:Obviously im provoking something much, much bigger than Morty here. But im bored, and have nothing else to do.

IC:Morty cursed inwardly at himself. He knew there was something wrong about that lift! Now he was a marked man. Morty had an insane urge to withdraw his pistol and blow both of these goons back to the 600's, but then he would be killed for sure. Plus, he would spill his Saki.

Morty stood up and smiled at the two men. Then, he felt some unknown force taking control of him.

"Well, Im very sorry about all this. I assure you that it would never happen again." He paused for a moment. "I suppose Hersi would like his things back, yes?" He tossed the ID card at one of the men. Then, he exploded like a rocket. Before the card reached thier hands, he punched them both in the face and whipped out a silenced pistol. He killed them both in an instant, or at least he hoped he did. He ran around the bar to Karen Johnson, for he now saw that it was indeed Karen, and quickly placed his card with his cell phone number in front of her.

"Call me!" he wispered. With that Morty hitched up his hat and dashed out of the bar, snaching Hersi Dorinxi's ID card while he went out. He was now almost certinly a dead man. He would have to flee the city while there was still time to escape.

Remarkably, the Saki didn't spill.

OOC: Interesting though chase it will be though.

One of the men was indeed dead or he would soon be in a few minutes, the other man was only winged but he didn’t bother chasing after the fleeing man, instead he reported in over the bar phone what had happened. The local Guild officials were not pleased, most unpleased indeed, to the point that they immediately put out an contract out for 20 million Plati and the favor of the Yorin Guild, something that people and even criminal organizations from whole other countries would be more than willing to kill for even excluding the money and with it…

One of the older patrons shook his head and shook his head. “That had to be one of stupidest things I have ever seen. You can’t run or hide from the Yorin Guild, especially not after something like that. That’s a dead man running. To make it worse he used a firearms that mans the royal guards will be after him if he is lucky with firepower. If he isn’t… well the men in black and maybe some Nikja and the RSC if he’s really unlucky.” The other remaining Teritorans nodded in agreement.

[Delete]

Karen looked at the card. The man had just shot two others and everyone seemed to look at her. Taking the card she mentally remebered the number before putting it over a candle and let it burn.

Through much experience, Matilda could tell when to show alarm and when not to. This was one time to not. They were clearly headed for someone else. She watched the proceedings with interest, thinking to herself, "D*mn amatures, on both sides."

-----

"Yes, actual hospitals are always better. I went to one after I got out of there just to be safe."

-----

Matilda looked at the picture. "Interesting. Perhaps the bearer was some sort of a famed warrior. I'm a linguist, I might be able to figure this out. Do you mind if I scan it into my PDA?"

She thought to herself, "This could pan out... the Sword of Destiny, perhaps?"

-----

Matilda, too, memorized the number of the card when it burned. Later that day, after she had left the bar, she checked some things out, and found out about the price on his head. "Perfect." she thought.

"No, don't mind at all. You can take that copy I have an extra." Karen looked at her watch. "I have to go. Nice meeting you." Karen paid the bill and walked out to the Land Rover. After several minutes of driving she found Ian.
"Ian, your going to get that bullet out." She said as he climbed in.
"What do you mean?" He asked, his voice sounding as confused as his face looked.
"Your grandfather setup some surgery for you. There is no catch he assures me."
"Yeah right." They drove in silence for a little ways till she came across the hospital. They walked in and sat in the the waiting room after some pre-op test were done. After what seemed like hours Ian was called.
"Good luck dear." Karen said. Ian smiled as he followed the nurse.

Matilda took the picture back to her hotel. She scanned it into her laptop, and digitally enhanced it. "Let's see... medieval latin hybridized with a local language, it seems."

She looked at it a bit more. "Beware the bearer, of this..." "storied sword. It has been hidden so the..." "nations shall not be rendered unto..." "desolation of the lowest kind, so no evil can..." "possess the power herein."

She accessed on the computer a manuscript she had scanned in, describing the Sword of Destiny.

She read, "The storied Sword of Destiny, lost to the ages in the realm of Teritoria, could render all unto low desolation. If, as time passes, a person comes to possess the sword, their power shall be endless. I only fear that evil may be that person."

The phrasing was quite similar: Storied, render onto, low, desolation, power, evil.

She believed she had found it. But first things first: To kill the man in the bar. She changed her clothes to her normal casual clothing, looking, in stark contrast to the black suit she had worn, like your typical preppie college student.

She then called the number.

Morty ran back to the hotel and immeditly packed up. He took all of his weapons, plus his computer, feeling lucky that no one was after him yet. He was carrying a pistol, a custom-made shotgun, an Uzi, and an MP5, plus his saber. He was a dangerous man, not to be trifled with.

However, he had the feeling quite a few people would trifle with him soon. One of those hitmen had mentioned a 'Guild.' And Guilds were usally a bad thing. Morty guessed that he would have assassians and bounty hunters up the bunghole on his tail in a matter of hours.

Morty was just about to exit his room when his cell phone rang. He hoped it was Karen Johnson who was calling.

"Hello?"

In a shadowed chamber in a cavern three figures in black robes with the hoods up shadowing their faces sat around a stone table with a sword carved into the center. The First spoke in a monotone voice. "Seekers of the sword come." Another spoke similarly. "They know not what they seek." a third spoke. "If careful they are not." The first followed up. “Doom they shall bring.” The second spoke again. “Tested they shall be.” The third spoke. “Three the tests shall be.” The first finished the chant. “Let it begin.” The figures go silent and leave.

Karen looked at her sleeping son. The operation had gone as planned and no complications. Ian lay on his stomach in a sky blue room on the fourth floor. Karen pulled out her laptop and web cam and scanner.

National History Museum
Clarence

Ethan Lane looked something out of a crazy tree hugger. His brown hair hung loosly down his shoulders and his tattered jean and deinem jacket didn't match with the dress code. But around him were rows of datatbases, harddrives, and everything else to be ranked one of the top historical references, and it was this alone that let him get away with dress code violations
"Ethan are you there?" Ethan turned to his computer and looked at the image of Karen.
"Hey Karen how ya doing?" He said happily.
"Fine, I'm sending you an image. Can your computers get on it now?"
"Yeah sure." The black towers burst into a frenzy of color and sound as they processed the information. He picked up a long sheet of paper and scanned it back to Karen, it had taken less than three minutes. "This help?"

Karen looked at it.
"Ohh my god."
"What is it Karen?"
"Sword of Destiny." She looked at Ethan's confused face. "It's a sword lost to the ages and it's value is priceless. It is here somewhere. Must be in the place I got this from."
"Karen, it might not be there. It could be somewhere else in that nation and it just might be pointing you in that direction."
"Yeah, your right. Thanks Ethan."
"No prob baby." Karen leaned back in her chair and made a quick scan. "Endless power to bearer of the sword, only the brave and true of heart and spirt can may use it for good, evil will destroy mankind." Karen looked at Ian and gently stroked his cheek.


OOC: this is GS

"Yes, I am an associate of Karen Johnson. You may have seen me in the bar. Karen, due to medical issues with her son, is unable to meet with you. I will, however, be able to. Do you have any suggestions as to where?" she said, readying her preferred assasination weapon of choice, something derived from normal ionised beam weapons. Instead of ionizing the air, which left a residual trace that can be detected, ionised pockets of air carrying electricity were shot out.

(OOC: Ionised Beam Weapons, I remember reading on a website that went down, and in a few other places, are the standard issue weapons for Feline, and in prototype stage in RL. They use two ultraviolet lasers to ionise a current of air towards the target, and dump electricity into it, stunning or killing what's on the other end based on amount.)

Karen smiled.
"Great pleasure to meet you. About a six months back we were staying in a mission in the jungle when we were approached by some natives. A group of robbers had been sacking the ancient temples from thier area. We accepted to take whatever was left and transport it to the national univeristy back in the Golden Simatar."
Ian picked up where his mom left off. "But when I was doing some recon of the group's camp they spotted me and opened up with Chinese AKs. I ran for god knows how long. One bullet is lodged between two lower right ribs. The native tribe and the missionary provided as much care as they could. So it's been there for about a month. Flares up every now and then."



OOC: Sounds like that would have been a clean hit, with an exit wound.

OOC: EHHH, I did decide to have Ian injured and in pain from a gunshot before he came to Teritora and thought a lodged bullet would be best.

OOC: We'll just call it a lucky shot from a mile & a half out. Penetration without exiting. A 7.62x51mm doesn't lodge easily from mid range, usually tears on through.

-Damn Forum-

Morty frowned. An associete of Karen Johnson? He might be in luck. Then again, it might be a trap. He decided to be on his gaurd.

"We can meet wherever you want. I still dont know the city too well." Responded Morty.

"Well, where are you now?" she asked.

"Outside my hotel, the *Insert Name Here.* Should we meet outside it?"

"Let's meet up in your hotel room. I have a feeling that what you want to discuss is of a more secretive nature."

"Very well," Said Morty. He gave her his room number, then hung up, waiting for her to arrive. He would be ready for anything when she arrived.

Matilda walked into the hotel, in yet another outfit this time- a dark blue loose turtleneck and jeans. The look was completed with a shoulder-length brown wig. "Hello, my name is Diane Kall. I am here to visit the gentleman of room 484." "Twentieth floor."

She walked up the stairs- she never trusted elevators. Not after that time they cut the cables.

It was her third time out, she had to kill a Menelmacari businessman. His bodyguards got wind of this, and cut the elevator cables on the floor below the top floor, where his penthouse was. She was falling down rapidly, but the height gave her enough time to climb out the top, get onto the cable, and shimmy up to a ventilation duct she climbed into. Turned out, it lead to his penthouse. Guess who ended up dead.

Once she reached the twentieth floor, she looked down the carpeted hallway with off-white walls. "This f*cking place needs a bloody interior decorator." she thought as she went down the hall. "Let's see. 484. 484. Here it is."

She knocked, her weapon concealead in a special holster she used to hide weapons below loose tops.

She removed the brown wig before he came to the door- there was no one on the hall, no one to see her, and no cameras. She had checked the building's schematics and blueprints before she came in.

Morty heard the knock and moved towards the door. He slowly opened it, with his pistol raised, to see a women standing in front of him. He leveled the pistol at her.

"Come in slowly! Arms raised!" He told her. "I just dont want to take any chances, given the pridicement i'm in."

"Predicament? I assume you mean those thugs that went after you? I'm a simple scientist, nothing more! Now, what business did you have with Karen Johnson?"

Dekker slowly rounded the bend in the hotel, his target stopping at a hotel room...

'Knew that mop was a wig... She's that merc-gone-Indy bitch... And she's gonna lead me to that sword-thingy I'm supposed to snag...'

[i]The burly mercenary silently picked the lock on the adjoing room with a shot of Freon & a swift smack from the butt of his pistol. Luckily, the room was empty. Dekker produced a shotgun microphone from a pocket, then opened the window of the room... He'd suspected something of this woman since he'd seen her speak with that dumbass who pickpocketed some local gang hotshot in a bar Dekker happened to be drinking in.

He leaned out over the street, twenty stories below him, and attatched the shotgun mic to the streetside window of Morty's hotel room. Back in Dekker's temporary room, he put a small earpiece in left ear. Now he'd begin phase two of his recon work: Listen & Learn...

Karen was about to doze off when Ian woke up.
"How do you feel?"
"Fine, a little fuzzy but okay. How long do I have to be here.
"I don't know, just rest dear." Ian smiled and drifted back off to sleep. Karen decided to call the man who had left his card with her earlier. She picked up the bedside phone and dialed the number.

Once she got into the room, she quickly brought her shoes together at the heel, activating a device that interfered with cell phones. He was cut off from the outside world.

"Im sure. Anywho, i found information on a certian artifact......a sword, as it just so happens to be. Your a scientest, you may of heard of it. It is known as the 'Sword of Destiny' and it is supposedly somewhere in Teritora. I hoped to have some help from Karen, seeing as this is her line of work......"

Morty still had his pistol trained on the women.

"By the way, what's your name?"

"My name is Irene Alexander. I gave an alias of Diane Kall, my aunt's first name on my father's side, and my mother's maiden name down at the lobby, because of those thugs that came after you. As for the Sword of Destiny, I've heard of it, but I don't put much stock in it- pure myth, in my opinion. I'm not sure how Karen would think, though. She tends to put more stock in these things than I do. Now, could you please take your gun off me? I don't much like guns." she said. Of course, she really didn't. Naturally, especially when they were pointed at her. But, she didn't kill for pleasure, only when she needed to. She much preferred to use non-lethals whenever possible. A complicated person indeed.

Karen tried three more times before she gave up on trying to call the strange man. Who could he be? Why would he want to talk to me? He just seems like a normal computer hacker looking for a couple bucks. What could I......
"THE SWORD!" She shouted. Ian jolted awake and looked at his mom.
"What sword?"
"The Sword of Destiny."
"An old archeologist wives' tale."
"No Ian look." She handed him the photo and the translation. His eyes grew.
"If its real....thats why everyone was coming or looking at us."
"If its real, its here, if its real. If its real."
"Whats the game plan?"
"Let me think." Karen leaned back and started to ponder the situation.

Morty thought the name Irene Alexander sounded farmiliar, but he couldnt quite place his finger on anyone he had heard of specificly. After a pause, Morty lowered his gun, but still kept a firm grip on it.

"All right, Irene. Where do you think i could meet Karen personally?" He was still slightly suspicious of Irene.....

Dekker had been amusing himself by flipping a pen he'd found in the room over his hand for the duration of the conversation...

'Okay... Need to look for a TGS egghead named Karen Johnson...'

At the Royal guard and the Royal Coast Guard stations, they were not amused. An foreigner had killed people with firearms and they not amused. As soon as distriptions were brought in, analyst began looking though video footage and records to find an person that matched the distruption, when they found an photo there would be wanted posters put up and bulletions broadcasted over radio, TV and other communation networks. They wanted who ever was behind it and they wanted him now. firearm bearing Royal guardsmen were dispatched to the patrols of the streets and establish checkpoints at all points leaving the city.

"She will call me on a cell phone in my left pants pocket after her son is done with the operation. You can see the headset on my head that has a wire that runs down into my left pocket. May I please use the bathroom?"

Morty hesitated.

"I suppose. Yes, go ahead."

He emptied the last contents of his bag; A shining silver saber fell out of it. A gift from an old friend. He decided to wear it. Perhaps he would look less conspicuos if he was carrying a sword. He was an expert in all fields of weaponrey, including swords, but he had never preferred to use them. A gun and a clip of bullets suited Morty much better. He had not used a sword on any type of mission or privite endevour until now. Still, there was always a first time for everything.

"Are you almost done?" he called to Irene through the bathroom door.

She went into the bathroom, and took off the shirt, and pulled out the weapon. "Almost."

She heard a clank of metal. "I wonder what that is..." she thought to herself as she cautiously opened the door with the weapon at the ready. She opened the door, and pulled it the trigger.

(OOC: The effects of one shot of the weapon to anywhere but the head and the spinal cord should be like a shock- he should tense up for a few moments, and experience extreme pain at the site. In the spinal cord, instant paralysis from that site down should ensue. In the head, death. Multiple shots from the weapon in any place should cause death.)

Morty was inspecting the sword when Irene barged through the door wielding a leathal-looking weapon. In the instant he had before he was hit, he flung the sword at her. It caught her in the shoulder. A moment later he was out cold and on the ground. The blast caught him in chest and flung him against the wall.

OOC: Actually, her name is Matilda. Irene is just an alias.

IC: Matilda yelped out in pain. She took off the holster, and wrapped it around her shoulder. She then walked over to him to finish the job with her weapon.

It took all of Morty's streanth just to stand up. He was shaking violently from head to toe. With his last effort before he blacked out, Morty ran and smashed into the window. His momentum was just enough to shatter the glass and carry him over the side. He would not let himself be caught or killed by an assassian, he promised himself that as he plummeted. A moment later, he was unconsious.

Karen put her coat on as she prepared to leave Ian's room. He was sound asleep and she didn't see a need to wake him. She climbed into her Land Rover and decided the first thing on her list was to get a map of this country, hers was covered with too much mud to see anything. Second was to get supplies. She turned the key and decided to look for the nearest outdoors store.

"F*ck!" yelled Matilda.

She smashed the man's cell phone, and went into the bathroom, wrapped her wound up in toilet paper, put the holster back where it should be and her weapon in it, and put her shirt back on. She ran out into the hall, grabbed the brown wig, and ran down the stairs.

She quickly got down and out, thanks to her daily exercise. She ran out, and into the alleyway by the side. He hand landed on her motorcycle she had parked there. She got the weapon out again, and she pulled the trigger again at him, to keep him disable until she closed in. She then aimed the weapon at his head, and began to pull the trigger.

Karen stopped at the light and stared as she saw Matilda aiming a gun at someone on the ground. SH*T! Karen rached back and grabbed the Remington 700 and fumbled the put the rounds in. The box tore open spreading bullets around the inside of the car. Only having time to put in three rounds she picked up the cell phone and dialed the police. It didn't work. Karen decided to take matters into her own hands. Before she climbed out she picked up the P99.

Leveling the rifle at the pistol she fired. The .223 Rem shell struck the barrel of the pistol sending it out of Matilda's hand. Karen advanced as she worked the bolt, the used brass shell clanging loudly to the ground. She kept the rifle leveled at Matilda's chest, she had never killed before, there was a first time for everything.
"Hands up Irene, if that is your real name."

A store owner watched and picked up his phone and dialed the police.

The message arriving at one guard station was quickly responded to and soon several events was set into motion, an swat team was assembled and dispatched to head to the area, also the nearest firearm baring patrol was informed and soon they were heading to the area as well. However the people who arrived first were not aware of what was going on, they were the two guards dispatched from the Royal guard to guard Karen and her son as well as make sure they didn't smuggle anything out of the country. They while appearing not to be carrying firearms were in fact carrying each military issue sound suppressed 9mm TDI specials, an standard issue pistol used by the Teritoran military known for its deadly accuracy. When they arrived they cursed profusely in old Teritoran, the language commonly used by Teritorans when they were not around foreigners, and pulled out their pistols. However they were not sure who they should be pointing their guns at. The man on the ground was wanted for murder but their charge had an fire arm and was pointing it at another women who they didn’t recognize though they did recognize the weapon near her as highly illegal.

Karen looked at the man walking towards her. She couldn't understand what he was saying. But by the look on his face she put down the guns and tried to point him towards Matilda in English.
"Not me HER YOU NUMBSKULL! HER! God!"
She tried in Afrikaans: "I'm not the one you want, it is her, I'm trying to protect that man."

EDIT: English is the primary language in TGS, but Afrikaans is used as a secondary language and they are sometime spoken interchangeably.

The Second Royal Coast Guardsman responded in heavily accented English with his gun still raised along with his partner but pointing towards Matilda. "We are from the Royal Coast Guard. We were sent here to guard you and make sure you don't smuggle anything out of the country. What in the name of all the saints is going on here? The man on the ground is wanted in connection to two murders and illegal possession and use of firearms and the woman over there has a highly illegal weapon next to her."

OOC: Teritorans generally speak old Teritoran among themselves unless they are among the nobility then they use ancient Teritoran as a secret language and use trade Teritoran with outsiders. They generally also can speak Latin. Very few unless they work with the coast guard speak anything else or certain other government agencies.

She complied, and put here hands behind her head. "I went to visit the guy from the bar. He thought I was sent to kill him, paranoid I guess, and we started fighting- he came at me with a sword- I had brought along this gun- it only fires electrical charges, it's a stunner, just to be safe- We fought hand to hand for a few minutes, and he got thrown out the window. I came down here to check on him."

When she heard the sirens, she thought, "Oh F*cking god. I hope Hersi will be able to get me out of this."

She repeated her story when the police arrived.

The two coast guardsmen stood by Karen as they watched the Royal Guardsmen take away Matilda and the man on the ground in handcuffs and leg irons and were not too gentle about it to the wanted murderer. They had set to waking up Morty with an few well placed kicks to the ribs and groin and other assorted body parts, something quite painful especially as the Royal guardsmen were wearing armored boots, before they had chained him and dragged him to his feet. They threw Morty and Matilda into the back of a Patrol Van which drove away.

Hersi got wind of happened and originated an operation with record timing, he owed Irene. It was extremely risky but the van had to be stopped before it reached a guard station otherwise nothing short of a small army have a chance to rescue her. 15 minutes later Hersi and an interception force armed with TSAR-7s waited at a hasty built roadblock. As the Van approached then stopped the road block, the men went into action with the coronation of a swat team they moved in and shot the guards in the guard vans front seats while at the same time other men shoot open the van back door and shot the rest guardsmen. Hesi found the keys to the chains on one of the dead guardsmen and went over to Irene to unlock her chains, wryly speaking. “This is not how I was expecting to meet you again. How did they get lucky enough to catch you?”

"The man who robbed you came over to me and a woman... an archaeologist I was milking for information. He left his number, she burned it, apparently we both memorized it. I found out about the bounty, and I called him and arranged a meeting. I had a weapon that stuns at first, but a shot to the head or enough shots kill... I went into the bathroom, took out the weapon, and shot him once, stunning him, but not before he threw a sword into my shoulder. He jumped out the window into an alleyway. By some f*cked-up chance, the archaeologist was driving passed. Shot me in the hand, and called the bloody police. I gave a story similar to it: went to see him, he thought I was there to kill him, we had a fistfight, he got pushed out the window during it, I hurried down to see what happended, and if he was still hostile, held my "stunner" up at him.

Thanks for rescuing me. By the way, we need to talk in private when we get back to your safehouse. "

"Smuggle?" Karen squeaked. "You must be daft. The only time I have smuggled anything out is when it risked being destroyed or stolen by robbers. Okay?"
All I know is her name is Irene Alexander, and she appeared to be about to execute that man. So I thought I could help him. He left his card with me and I tried to contact him but I couldn't. So I'm shopping for supplies I need for my expedition. Since you are gaurding me I take it there is a couple of you guys are gaurding my son."

Hersi nodded and noted looking at Morty. “I see the guards worked him over a bit before chaining him up as usual. Since he is part of the reason you got” He called out to his men. “Let get a move on before the guards show up. They aren’t going to be pleased about this and I don’t attend wait for them to show up with heavy firepower. We got 10 minutes to clear out move. Head to the old Yurn clan keep on Parten drive and.” He knocked Morty over the head with the butt of his gun. “Take this with you.” He turned to Irene and spoke. “Yes we will talk in private at the safe house. There is an room just for such things. I have insured that it is clean of listening devices.”

------------------------------

The english speaking Royal Coast Guardman nodded to Keran. "Yes there is two men guarding him. We don't wish to risk someone pressuring someone to steal artifacts or other problems."

Matilda said, "Alright. Do you want me to make sure he's dead?" (OOC: I'll RP out what she does next after your next post)

----------

She then climbed into the vehicle, and headed for the safehouse.

Hersi spoke shrugging. “He killed two of the Keraci’s pet training projects, he wants him dead and Yorin Guild always gets its revenge. The Keraci wants his head literally and he’s offering 20 million Plati and guild favor for who ever does it. If it suits your purpose, kill him, it will be much more merciful than anything the guild will do to him, the Keraci has his way, the man will spend the next 6 months slowly dieing painfully as possible without killing him quickly.”

Ian opened his eyes. He could see the backs of two men outside the door. A nurse came in to check on him.
"Who are those fellows?" He asked.
The nurse looked at the partically open door and back at Ian. "They are of the Royal Coast Guards."
"Can you ask them what they are doing here?"
"I'd rather not." the nurse said then quickly left the room.
Ian layed back in his bed. I wonder where mom is.

-----------------------------

Karen looked at the two Guardsmen. "Alright, can I at least go about my business without you two bothering me?"

Dekker shook his head in disgust as he head the tazer discharge...

'She's worse than Jack... F**kin' bastard never slaps a silencer on that .48 magnum...'

He almost jumped as Morty threw himself through the window, taking Dekker's rather expensive shotgun microphone with him & tearing the headset off of his head, pulling Dekker to the floor...

"Sonuvamuthaf**kin'..."

Dekker's cursing trailed off as he put a gloved hand to his right ear... His headset had cut him slightly, but nothing serious. With a growl of annoyance, he unholstered his .45 & took off down the hall & into the stairwell, taking the stairs two at a time. In a few minutes he reached the ground floor, adrenaline pumping in his veins. He stopped short as he came to the front doors, spotting the Royal Guardsmen. The .45 returned to its holster, and Dekker casually stepped outside...

The English speaking Royal Coast Guardsman replied as he and his partner put away their pistols. "We are not going to interfere with your business, just keep an eye on you and protect you if needed to. Standard operation, all the archeologists and other various foreign scholars go though the same thing. It just took us longer to track you down than usual because of an bureaucratic mess up.”

Karen felt thankful that she wasn't the only one who had gone through this. "Well if there is nothing else I'll be going back to check on my son. If you need to contact me here is my cell phone number." Karen handed him a small bit of paper with her number on it. She picked up her rifle and pistol and smiled at them. "Gentlemen."
She climbed back into the Land Rover and headed back to the hospital.

Good Lord, thought Morty as he awoke with a start. Every inch of his body hurt a great deal. He could hardly think straight. He decided that he woud never again jump out of a hotel window again. He soon noticed that he was shackled to the inside of a moving van.

"Uh oh," he said. A bit of an understatement. He hoped to god that he had not fallen into the hands of the guild, or else he would have a very little chance of survivial. He decided to go back to sleep. He was not sure if he would ever wake up again.

"No, I'll let the Keraci do what he wants with him... as long as I get the credit for capturing him, and however much of the money the Keraci sees fit. I really don't care that much about the money... I need the credit more than the money." she said as she climbed into the car.

Hersi nodded. "Very well. I almost feel sorry for him but both him and those newbies the Keraci send did some rather stupid things." The group made their way to the safe house, like most buildings built by Teritorans it was a virtual fortress so it didn't stand out from any of the other buildings around it. When they entered the complex, Hersi led Irene the room where they could talk freely. Meanwhile Morty was bound further with robe on top of the chains he was already end and thrown into a cell in the basement of the safe house and then the guards called to inform the Keraci of his capture by Irene.

"This room is free of all bugs, right? Both non-guild and guild?"

OOC: By the way, Irene is an alias. Hersi knows her real name, Matilda Segur.

Karen walked into her son's room noting the pair of guards at the door.
"How do you feel Ian?" She asked.
"Fine, the doc says he wants me to stay a tad longer otherwise I'm fine. What is with those two guys out there."
"Well, they are from the Teritora gaurd or something. That person we meet Irene Alexander. She doesn't appear to be as who she says."
"What do you mean?"
"I found her aiming a "highly illegal" weapon at some guy's head, so I shot it out of her hand and these guys are here to make sure we don't smuggle anything out of here."
"Ohh." Ian was disapointed. He liked Irene, well at least her body. "You looked tired mom. There's a couch overthere you can lay on and take some of these covers off, I don't need 'em."
"Thanks Ian. I think I'll do just that." Karen took some sheets and a spare pillow, layed on the couch and fell asleep.

Hersi, activated a strange machine, it would disable any bugs planted in the room or on the other sides of the walls. "Yes Matilda and if anyone had an chance to plant on bug on either of us or on the other sides of the walls to listen in that device I just activated will take care of those as well."

OOC: Aye but he is keeping up her alias around other possibly untrustworthy ears.

OOC: Good point.

IC: Matilda said to him, "First of all, I came here after one object in particular, and that archaeologist had a picture of some ruins that had an inscribing that referenced it, but I'm not sure exactly where it is. The object is the Sword of Destiny."

She waited for him to react to this before proposing they overthrow the Keraci together... she might even save that for another time.

Hersi stared for an moment then grinned. "You never aim small do you. The Quriani Borleni or the Sword of Destiny in ancient Teritoran and if you saw an instruption, you know the names in ancient and old trade Teritoran. This ought to fun."

Dekker trailed the van to the safehouse, not an easy feat on foot. With the abundance of stoplights in Teritoria, it was made somewhat easier.

He sat atop a building across the street from the safehouse, keeping tabs on the front door with a pair of binoculars he'd purchased from a nearby Wal-Mart (or Teritorian equivalent thereof). Dekker wasn't all that pleased with his purchase, but it was better than nothing. All he could do now was wait & hope it didn't rain...

"Yes, and this archaeologist has her sights on Quriani Borleni. If we want it, we need to find out where those inscriptions were. I also need to get back into my hotel and get all my stuff out of there."

Hersi nodded. "Of course, but be careful, after that little raid, the royal guards will be out in full gear and breaking out the combat weapons, vehicles and helicopters and out for blood. Be a bad night to commit any crimes tonight. It shouldn’t too hard to narrow down which of the 7 principalities the inscriptions and that will narrow it down to 6/7ths of the kingdom right there.”

------------------------------

One of the Royal Coast Guardsmen outside the room could be seen having a conversation with a similar dressed person and they were speaking in old Teritoran. After the other man left, he walked past the other guard and entered the room where Karen and Ian where. This Royal Coast Guard spoke with less accent than the one Karen had spoken to earlier. “It seems we have a little problem. One of those two people from the incident you were at earlier today, likely the woman, had some seriously powerful underworld contacts because the patrol van carrying the murder and the woman with the illegal weapon was intercepted and all the guardsmen were killed. The two prisoners were likely taken by the attackers. It seems we are going have to increase the guard on you and your son for your own safety. Otherwise it is not likely you will leave this city much less this country alive or get what you have planned done.”

"Well, I know it is somewhere southwest of the city. Got any disquise kits here? I'm going to head back to my hotel room, and get all my stuff right after I get in disquise, if you have a kit that is."

Hersi nodded. "Of course, safe houses always carry extensive disguise kits. You might want to go through the catacombs under the city so nobody spots you leaving though. There should be some maps with the kits.” The catacombs that like those that were generally found Teritoran cities ran under the whole city; it was where the Teritorans entombed their dead for millennia so they were quite vast with twisting tunnels and multiple levels carved into the hard bedrock that the city rested on. They ran every where and the safe house being a typical Teritoran building had an exit opening into the catacombs.

"Would the hotel have an exit? It's a pretty modern building." she said as she put her disguise on- aged her four to five years, dyed her hair red, and other minor changes that would conceal her identity.

"Murdered?!" The words squeaked out of Karen's mouth. "All of them?" All she got was a nod. "Thank you for going through all this, can you leave us alone for a while?" When guard left Karen turned to Ian. "You are going to live with your grandfather Ian."
"WHAT?! Mom...."
"Stop, Ian I don't want to lose you. You and I know the exact location of these ruins, I don't want that woman to get hold of you and possible kill you over a relic."
"Mom, please."
"Ian stop."
"MOM! LET ME TALK!" Ian's voice quickly died down. "Mom, who has helped you all these years?"
"You."
"Who pulled you out of that sinking barge three years back?"
"You, okay I get your point." She gently brushed his hair. "Son, I don't want to lose you. You came so close to dying...." Her voice trailed off. Ian moved off the bed, with slight pain, and wrapped his arms around her.
"Its okay mom, its okay. I need to get something from the car, be back in a jiff." Ian put on a rob and flip-flops and moved into the hall. He only got a few feet before he noticed the gaurd shadowing him.
Karen got up and leaned against the door and spoke to the English speaking gaurd.
"Is there anything I can to to help with your investigation?"

Hersi chuckled. "Oh it will. All Teritoran building style goes for fortress like defendable buildings with thick walls and look medieval and have plenty of secret passages, rooms and traps. Speaking of traps be careful, it will likely be trapped or even traps within traps. We Teritorans like building traps. Just be careful besides the exit likely being trapped some of the trap maker apprentices like to their traps in some of the tunnels as jokes.”


------------------------

The guard frowned. “Is there anything that would cause this people to approach you? What ever it is, people are willing to kill guardsmen in a kingdom where they would normally piss their pants and hide than anger the noble guardsmen much the Royal guards or the Royal Coast Guard. You’re an archeologist so it would have to be something you are looking for or hope to find. This is Teritora, they don’t normally do this sort of things over even platinum covered and fist sized diamond and other gems encrusted artifacts. It has to be something famous and legendary to get people from outside the kingdom after it and most of those artifacts are in either the treasuries of the Great houses, the Royal Treasury or a Museum. Also was there any notable about either of those people when they talked to you. Something that stuck out.”

Matilda took out of the safehouse a GPS, a pistol, and an advanced lockpicking kit. She set out through the catacombs, and made her way to the hotel.

In her pocket was a basic security device finder she had with her when she went to... visit... her target. She took it up, and found a series of spikes triggered by stepping on the stones. (OOC: Sounds like a logical surmise for a trap. Tell me if I'm wrong.) There was no way around it. The distance was too far for even her to jump. There was one choice. She jumped as far as she could, and began to roll through. The spikes almost hit her body, and snagged her shirt.

She slid out of it, and proceeded along, keeping the scanner active. All of a sudden, she heard a clank... whatever it was obviously did not show up on the scanner. Probaly because what it was had no metal parts, no electronics, no anything.

A large stone ball began rolling down the catacombs, charging at her. She, once again, had no choice. She grabbed a skeleton out of one of the compartments, and thrust herself inside.

"These Teritorian architects watch WAY too many f*cking movies." she said to herself.

She was almost there, but there was a grid of metal spikes right before the door. She flipped and bounced off the walls on the way through, and swung around the last one to get to the door.

She picked the lock on the door, and went into the ducts. When she was close, she came out the nearest vent, drew her weapon, and headed through the halls to her room. She heard a maid whistle a little tune around the corner. She quickly rounded the corner, and pistolwhipped the maid, and opened the door to her room.

She went inside, and packed all of her essentials inside a bag... everything else incriminating had a self destruct on, a quiet, simple mechanism that she triggered. She then went back out into the hall, and returned through the ducts, and down through the catacombs.

Karen looked at the guard.
"Well, I'm here looking for something called the Sword of Destiny. It might not be real, it could be but it gives the bearer power to destroy armies and such. Correct me if I misspronounce the name but I think the writting called it the Queane Borleni." Karen noticed a slight flicker in the guard's eyes.
"I want you to tell me the truth. Who are the men who attacked the Royal Guard vehicle, and....God forbid..... got ho..ld of my son?" Her voice was ragged as she feared what the man would say.

OOC: Since its an just hotel its less likely have such traps or other traps than the ones you listed.

IC: The Royal Coast Guardsman spoke. "The people who attacked the royal guard patrol van were from Yorin Guild. The most ancient, ruthless, and down right evil criminal organization in existence, they completely control the Teritoran underworld as parts of the underworld in other countries. No crime happenings without their involvement and permission in Teritora. However they have never dared to mess with the Royal Guards before, this is new and disturbing. It is why we are increasing the number of guards on you and your son. If you say you are looking for the Sword of Destiny, then it must be why this is happening. I do not know about the power or not of it but there is historical record of its existence though it has been lost since the warring states period, fourth or fifth century B.C. I believe. Don’t worry; you and your son will be safe enough.”

-----------------

Meanwhile Hersi was waiting for Matilda to return. Below in the cell the guards were waiting for Morty to awake so he could be informed of his fate. He was in locked cell, the chains still on him and bound head to foot with rope. They were taking no chances with his escape, the Keraci would soon be on his way and they didn't want to tell him that the man he wanted dead had escaped.

Dekker finally gave up in his wait for his mark...

'Musta slipped out some other way... Next target is that TGS egghead, her hotel is just up around the block a ways... We'll see what she knows...'

Dekker slipped off of the roof, taking the back alleys to avoid anyone who might be tailing him. A few minutes later, he was inside the hotel, slowly scanning the area for anyone with a safisticated look to them...

Morty Woke again, this time in a dark cell. He could see the shadows of gaurds just outside. He tried to move, but found he was tighly bound. Morty wondered what his fate would be.

Matilda emerged up through the catacombs. "Dear God, when you said traps, I didn't think you meant the stuff I saw... in a civilian hotel for Christ's sake. I got all the gear I will probaly need, and destroyed the rest. No one saw me, but I had to pistolwhip a maid from behind. So, are you with me on finding the sword? And when do we deliver that f*cker down there to the Keraci?"

Hersi spoke with a slight. "You think that’s bad, just think what you would have run into if you tried to bad if you tried to break into one of the clan strongholds, merchant fortified manor houses or worse one of the minor or great noble families’ castles. Oh yes I am in for finding the sword and as for our “Guest” the Keraci is on his way and the guards should be informing our dear guest of his impending doom"

---------------------

The one of the Guards noticing Morty being awake spoke. "Ah you are wake, good; it wouldn't do for the guest of honor to be a sleep. The Keraci is most displeased at your actions earlier and you are going to find out what happens to those who mess with Yorin Guild." The other guards cackle like fiends at the thought of Morty's impending fate. "He will be arriving soon. Please enjoy your remaining time of pain free life."

Hersi spoke with a slight. "You think that’s bad, just think what you would have run into if you tried to bad if you tried to break into one of the clan strongholds, merchant fortified manor houses or worse one of the minor or great noble families’ castles. Oh yes I am in for finding the sword and as for our “Guest” the Keraci is on his way and the guards should be informing our dear guest of his impending doom"

---------------------

The one of the Guards noticing Morty being awake spoke. "Ah you are wake, good; it wouldn't do for the guest of honor to be a sleep. The Keraci is most displeased at your actions earlier and you are going to find out what happens to those who mess with Yorin Guild." The other guards cackle like fiends at the thought of Morty's impending fate. "He will be arriving soon. Please enjoy your remaining time of pain free life."

"Hersi, could we go back into the debugged room really quickly?"

Karen smiled at the guard. Ian appeared holding a battered cassette player and some tapes.
"When can I leave this hostiptal and get to the hotel?" He asked.
"Well now if you like." A doctor at 6'1, short curly hair like Ian's, and glasses said. "Just put on some regular clothes and check out."
"Thanks." Ian moved into the room stripped and put on a light green t-shirt and a pair of denim shorts. The doctor helped Ian carry the small amount of bags to the car. Karen signed out as Ian sat in passagner seat.
"I want him to take it easy, any problem just come back." The doctor said to Karen outside.
"Okay, what is your name?"
"Richards."
"Thank you." Karen drove off as Dr. Richards walked back inside. Though Karen couldn't see the Guardsmen she was sure they were following them in a car.

They walked into the hotel. She carried the bags into the room. Room 317 got it. She set up her workstation, with maps, diagrams, and other assorted things and with Ian started to go back on what they did thier preivous visit.

.Hersi nodded quickly. "Not an problem, we can do that quickly enough." He tapped an wall in an certain pattern and the stone wall swing in. "This passage will take us quickly."

--------------------------

Indeed there were multiple guards around Karen hotel. Many of the staff had been replaced with guardsmen with training to pass of as hotel staff and yet others were done up as hotel security guards.

"I'm just curious... I'm not planning to do anything, but do you have any ambitions to the position of Keraci?"

Hersi stared then laughed slightly. "Keraci, me, no I am afraid that doesn't count among my ambitions. I know what I am good at and what I am not good at and I would make a lousy Keraci. I may remove or put in place an Keraci time to time but I would not last long as Keraci.”

"Alright. I've just always wondered. Let's go meet the current Keraci."

Hersi sighed and nodded. “Matilda, you ever had the feeling you were in an rut? I am just glad you’re back in the country… It’s been getting very dull lately and the guild needs a good shaking up. Let’s go met mister psycho before he gets any ideas we won’t like.”

The Keraci's vehicle had arrived and he had entered the building. The Keraci true to form was dressed in black concealing clothing with a hooded cloak that hid the features of his face and over his mouth there was a device to distort the sound of his voice though both Matilda and Hersi knew what he looked and sounded like.

Dekker located the room number of his current recon objective, then moved to find the room...

'Room number 317... 315... 316... 317... There we go...'

Dekker checked his .45, making sure it was within easy access if he needed it. The K-BAR was still under the .45, his back-up weapon. Under the leg of his pants, a sub-compact .45 Glock waited, in a bootlace holster with a Smith and Wesson SWAT knife.

The mercenary rapped on the door with a knuckle...

Morty frowned at the gaurds and managed to stick up his middle finger through the numerous chains and ropes binding him down. He was a skilled escape artist, but he knew he would not have a chance of escaping this.

"Why did i get myself into this?" He thought silently.

Karen looked up from the maps at the door. She motioned Ian to get in the bathroom. Ian quietly picked up the P99 and hid behind the door. Karen looked through the eyehole at Dekker. Without opening the door she spoke louder for him to hear.
"Who are you and what do you want?"

Dekker stared back at her, intently listening for the sound of a shotgun's pump-action. There was none, save for a rustling inside the room...

"Info. Nothing else."

He doubted he'd need to use his .45 in this instance, but he pulled the small can of Freon from his back pocket in case he needed to force his way in...

"For about thirty minutes there after that archaeologist b*tch called the police, yeah, kind of. Otherwise, no, my career has been too short to hit a rut yet."

She walked out with him to meet the Keraci. "Greetings, honored Keraci. (OOC: If that is the proper greeting, if not, have the proper greeting in there.) You may remember me. I am the one that killed your rival. I have captured the pickpocket. He awaits you in the basement."

Karen closed the eyehole and locked it. She quietly turned the deadbolt closed to help secure the door. She looked at Ian before backing up from the door to give him a clear line of fire. She motioned for Ian to lower the automatic and Ian hid it in the bathroom before coming out into the room holding a can of pepper spray.
"You didn't answer the first part of my question. Who are you?"

Dekker rolled his eyes... One more try, then he'd bust the lock, then the deadbolt he'd heard click into place...

"My name's Mac Stillman... I'm a student at the Teritorian Cultural Institute... I'm studying the Sword of Destiny, and my professor said you might have some information..."

Dekker knew full well that once the woman saw him his story would be hard to maintain, but at least that would get the door open. He slid the Freon can back into his back pocket, and removed his fingerless gloves, stashing them in the same pocket as the Freon can...

One of the Royal Coast Guardsmen monitoring hotel security though to himself as he listened though the hall monitors, being a kingdom security in Teritora had more leeway than a more democratic government would, sound could be put in place as well as video cameras. Who’s this idiot think he is? There isn’t a Teritoran Cultural Institute, besides this is a kingdom, it would be either a Royal or church university or academy not an institute that was something an American or Englishman would use, not Teritoran who tended to use rather old fashion words to name things. “He talked into a microphone. “We might want to get somebody down to targets room. Stranger trying to gain entry to subjects using a false identity. Use caution.” Soon several Royal Coast guardsmen dressed as hotel staff were heading to the Hallway that Keran’s room was.

----------------------------
T
he Keraci unseen under his hood, frowned as he hissed slightly and remembered that there was too people who still knew what he looked at and could be a threat. That would have to be dealt with but for now he would pretend he was happy that the thief waited him. Hersi and Matilda could be dealt with later, quietly. Hersi however with experience recognized that hiss and know it meant trouble, He made a slight gesture to Matilda that she would know; it meant that they needed to talk alone. Hersi bowed slightly and spoke. "Most feared and powerful Keraci the prisoner indeed awaits your arrival.” The Keraci spoke in an distorted voice, however even the distorting device couldn’t hid that the voice belonged to an man that was an monster in human form. “Good, then I will go there, You have my gratitude and have earned the bounty.” He moved off towards where Morty was being held.

Matilda walked over to Hersi. "What is it?"

Hersi making sure the Keraci was not in hearing distance spoke softly. "We got a little problem. Remember me mentioning that the Keraci went to lengths to insure nobody around that remembers what he looks like. I think he did remember you and remembered something about me he forgot. I think we might have look forward to him trying to arrange little accidents for the both of us”

--------------------------------

The Keraci arrived down in the basement cell area and spoke in the same cold distorted monster voice as earlier but even colder at Morty. "You have caused me some annoyance and have crossed the guild for the first and only time. Luckily for you, you didn't try to flee the country so I will insure your death only takes 6 months of horrendous torture, pain and suffering laced with drugs to increase the amount of pain you feel. You are about learn why nobody, no matter how powerful the criminal organization they belong too dare to cross Yiron Guild. The Guild is not known as the oldest most evil, ruthless, vicious criminal orginazation in existance for nothing.”

Karen didn't buy Dekker's story for one minute. The pauses where enough to convince her he was not a student. To make sure she slide her compact mirror under the door and quickly pulled it back. She had seen the end of the .45 barrel in his pants.
"One minute." She said. "I'm a bit underdressed." In low Afrikaans to Ian she said. "Ian, the guy has a heavy auto in his legs and a knife. I want you to stay out of sight."
"What? Are you going to let him in mom?" Ian repiled back in Afrikaans.
"No, of course not. He might break the door down." Ian nodded retrived the P99 and hid under one of the beds. Karen went back to English. "I'm sorry Mr. Stillman, I've appeared to have all my clean clothes in my car and my dirty ones are covered in mud. I just took a shower and rather not get dirty again. Can you come back later?"

"Yeah, that's why I pointed out that he would not be in power if it was not for me... I suggest we stick in a group for saftey."

Morty guessed that he had nothing left to live for, so he diceded to do something that he guessed no one had ever done before:Insult the Keraci.

"Ha!" He laughed. "Thats not that bad. You'll have to do better than that to make me scream. Oh, those two guys of yours i shot? Dumb as rocks. A monkey could fight better than those two dolts."

He took another breath, then continued.

"Whats with the mask? Too afraid to reveal your own face? And the voice thing? Pretty stupid. I bet you wont last another year. What i am trying to get at, my undoubtedly smelly friend, is this: The chase is on," He smiled at the Keraci, "For a certian weapon. A divice that will become your downfall. And i hope that i am still alive for your death, because i will be glad that a useless pig like you is gone from this world."

Hersi nodded. "That would be best; He was so “Honestly” griefing when it came to the “Accidental” deaths or dispearances Tersi, Durni and Zarl." He referred to the other people that helped to put the Keraci in power.

----------------------

Two people that looked like a hotel server pushing a food cart and a chef slowly but steadly made their way down the hall towards Keran’s room. They were Royal coast guard men in reality with training in those fields so they could pass them selves off as hotel staff. They were to make sure nothing was wrong using the excuse of standard room service. There was nothing off about their appearances; they were both tall red headed men, about 6’ 9” a slightly above average size for a Teritoran male and red hair was extremely common in Teritora where more than half the population had red hair. Both men had weapons well hidden on them but that was not uncommon in Teritora were people openly wore daggers swords and other weapons and often had throwing daggers hidden on their bodies. However both men had 9mm T-9 sound surpressed pistols hidden on them.

---------------------------

However the Keraci merely chuckled like a fiend out of the lowest pit of hell and spoke in a soulless amused tone of voice. “Glad you are feeling so well, It wouldn’t do for you die early during the fun. Be glad I am nice compared to the people that work under me and my predecessor, he ruled the guild for 60 years and he or the people under me would have insured you took years not months to die in horrendous pain. I think I will enjoy eating your heart. As for my downfall it may happen or it may not but you won’t be able care one way or another. Your will be in whole new worlds of pain and torment. A taste of hell so to speak.”

OOC: Dekker prefers a shoulder-rig, but I get the picture.

IC:

Dekker cursed inwardly...

'Sonuva...'

He put a booted foot against the door, preventing it from closing further...

"Aight, you an' are lookin' for the same thing, as is this other merc, some woman named Matilda. I just want to know where to look, or I can help you look... It's your call. I know my actin' skills ain't that good, but yours are worse... I've seen plenty of naked women in my life an' I can assure you you're bullshitting me."

Dekker narrowed his eyes, smiling slightly to show he wasn't hostile...

'Her file said she's got a son, he's probably in the room somewhere...'

The mercenary waited for a response... He then noticed a camera at the end of the hallway aimed in his directon...

'F**kin' paranoid-ass c**k-suckin' royalists... I don't want to have to kill anyone tonight, but I ain't dying tonight either...'

The merc risked a glance up and down the hall as he waited for the scientist's decision...

OOC:Yep standard stuff besides the open weapons and the pistols would be, some hidden short daggers and throwing daggers.

IC:The Chef and the server continued up the hall toward Karen's room coming around the corner into veiw of anyone near her room, not that hotel guests would notice, it was standard fare for dinner to be served to guests in their rooms if they hadn't stated they would be eating out or in the dinning hall. It was an common custom for dealing with hotel guests in Teritora and both men were careful not to act out of character for their roles.

"Go to hell you murdering son of a b*tch and leave!" Ian shouted. To make his point clear the P99 barked and the 9mm shell smashed a small hole in the door. The bullet passed just an inch under Dekker's groin.

While Ian was shouting Karen took cover under the second bed. Ian's shot surpirsed her, but she hoped Dekker would get the point the bugger off.

"Bloody shame about those three. I knew I was taking a risk going back to Teritoria... but, you know. Completely irresistable. I probaly would not have gotten involved with the guild unless that guy had such a huge price on his head."

"Go to hell you murdering son of a b*tch and leave!" Ian shouted. To make his point clear the P99 barked and the 9mm shell smashed a small hole in the door. The bullet passed just an inch under Dekker's groin.

While Ian was shouting Karen took cover under the second bed. Ian's shot surpirsed her, but she hoped Dekker would get the point the bugger off.

OOC: Not a good idea. How can a kid under a bed inside of a room be that accurate? He doesn't even know where Dekker is outside of the room.

Murduring sonvuabitch? He hasn't killed anyone yet!

IC:
The merc slammed an elbow into the door, putting his 273 lbs behind the blow, drawing the Hardballer with his other hand, and firing a pair of shots into the bed as the door gave way. Splintered wood & the broken deadbolt lay on the hotel carpet. He kept the smoking .45 leveled at Karen's hiding place...

"Get your chicken-shit ass out from under the bed, kid... You're one dumb f**ker to take a shot at me... I don't wanna have to ice your momma, but I will if you take another potshot at me."

Dekker wasn't sure if he'd killed the kid or not... The two smoking holes in the bed & the relative silence of the room didn't give him anything to be hopeful about...

The Hyrdashok ammo in Dekker's .45 packed a helluva punch, making the .45 a .47 with the added expansion. He circled the room until he was at the bathroom. Keeping the handgun leveled at the bed with the bullet holes in it. A can of pepper spray sat on the counter. Dekker snatched it up, then hosed the underside of Ian's bed with it, emptying the can.

He stepped back and waited for a response, keeping his .45 leveled at Ian's bed, and an eye on Karen's bed. He wasn't going to be surprised again...

The Royal Coast Guardsman monitoring hotel security cursed and sent out the signal to seal off the building and to secure Keran's room. Guardsmen moved to block off the exits and 9 men headed for the Keran's room. Meanwhile the two guardsmen already on their way abandoned their planned action at the sound of the breaking door and rushed down the hall, their pistols drawn ready to fire at anything that moved and covering each other. Though they were not there yet they could see the broken in door.

-------------------------

Hersi nodded. "Aye, water under the bridge though. Well it won't be dull and I don't intend on dieing anytime soon. Anyway knowing you, you likely have at least some plan on how to deal with this problem."

OOC: When someone announces "I know a merc" and you've encountered VERY dangerous and murderous persons what is your first reaction? But MAN a WHOLE CAN OF MACE!
EDIT: When Dekker is talking to Karen, outside the room is the only place he can be. Ian is inside with her and hears the conversation.

IC:
Ian felt the shells tear his clothes and one grazing his leg. Sh*t! God that guys is right, that WAS stupid. Ian slide the P99 out from under the bed. He reacted to late to cover his eyes from the pepper spray. Ian grapsed his face squirming and screaming.
"IAN!" Karen leapt from her place but felt Dekker grab her and throw her on the bed. "IAN!"

Ian's body emerged from the bed still screaming.
"I CAN'T SEE! I CAN'T SEE!" Karen grabbed her son close.
'It's okay baby, it's okay." She looked at Dekker tears welling up in her eyes, Ian's screams down to a whimper. "Who the hell are you?!"

OOC: When someone announces "I know a merc" and you've encountered VERY dangerous and murderous persons what is your first reaction? But MAN a WHOLE CAN OF MACE!
EDIT: When Dekker is talking to Karen, outside the room is the only place he can be. Ian is inside with her and hears the conversation.

IC:
Ian felt the shells tear his clothes and one grazing his leg. Sh*t! God that guys is right, that WAS stupid. Ian slide the P99 out from under the bed. He reacted to late to cover his eyes from the pepper spray. Ian grapsed his face squirming and screaming.
"IAN!" Karen leapt from her place but felt Dekker grab her and throw her on the bed. "IAN!"

Ian's body emerged from the bed still screaming.
"I CAN'T SEE! I CAN'T SEE!" Karen grabbed her son close.
'It's okay baby, it's okay." She looked at Dekker tears welling up in her eyes, Ian's screams down to a whimper. "Who the hell are you?!"

The agitated mercenary tossed the empty can aside, then lowered his weapon. The adrenaline rush was beginning to die down, and with it the buring anger inside his chest. With a sigh of relief he begins to explain...

"I'm looking for an artifact known as the Sword of Destiny. A client of mine wants it, an' I thought you might know where to find it. Normally I'd just walk away after someone slams a door in my face, but this guy's payin' me an assload of cash to get this thing..."

Dekker waves a hand in the direction of the bathroom...

"Let the kid wash that shit out... It was either that or shoot him, an' shootin' kids ain't in my job description. Just tell me where I can find this pain-in-the-ass sword, or where I can find someone who knows, and I'll leave you alone. If you don't know, that's fine too. Just say so."

The mercenary kept an eye on the doorway, as splintering wood & gunshots wheren't something usually heard in a hotel room. He was glad he hadn't hit the kid, he too had a son, a little younger than this kid. While not a violent person, Dekker reacted badly when shot at, and he tended to respond with a few shots of his own...

"An' if ya don't mind, make it quick so I can get the f**k outta here... I might have to shoot my way out as it is..."

The two guards finally arrived just outside the door and went into action. One of the guardsmen moved in front of the door, his gun facing who ever were in the room while the other moved to cover him. Further down the hall the dispatched detail of guardsmen was coming down the hall with pistols and TSAR-7s drawn and ready to fire. He called out in heavily accented but understandable English. "This is the Royal Coast Guard! Drop your weapon and put your hands over your head. Do not think of running the building has been sealed off. What the name of all the saints is going on here. You best have some good answers for this."

Dekker tossed his .45 onto the nearest bed, but didn't raise his hands...

'Attitude is everything here... Play it off like you have more authority than they do. Hopefully you've still got that official RDMA security rater card in your wallet... If you can't bullshit them, start putting holes in their heads...'

Dekker reguarded the leader-looking guard with a pleased look...

"Just what I expected... You Teritorian folks have better security-response times than most of the nations I've evaluated..."

All he had to do now was get his wallet out...

The Guardsman spoke again pointing his gun directly at the unknown person's chest. "I said put your hands over your head. If you fail to comply or make any sudden movements I'll shoot you. Then if you survive we'll put though you “questioning”. You can tell me what you’re doing after you do what I ask." His partner stayed where he was to cover him if any happened and down the hall the detail turned the corner giving them full sight for firing if anyone tried to escape.

OOC: Good to see this topic got started up again.

IC: "Well, first of all, I suggest we go to the debugged room. I'll tell you the rest there."

Karen was about to let Ian get his eyes washed when the Royal Guard appeared. She pulled him back not sure of what to do.
"Mom my eyes burn like hell." He whimpered.
"Hold on." She took a water bottle cooling on the AC and opened one of his eyes and poured some water and did the same to the other. Ian shook and blinked rapidly trying to get the pepper spray out. "Kept it up dear." Ian's eyes came back to normal as he stared and felt joyful inside. The guard was here and the guy who sprayed him seemed finished. Karen held Ian close as she wondered what to do, stay on the bed or move past the Teritorians into the hall.

<delete>

<delete>

Hersi nodded. "Yes that would be best. The people here are my men but why take chances on spies that must be here."

They walked into the room.

"Alright... stage one, you request a holiday from the guild, if they have such things... I know the last keraci did. If not, get an excuse of some sort. Stage two, we find this archaeologist... she'll be under heavy guard though, we'll need to hire some freelance mercs. We get the location of the sword, and get it. Once we have that... he won't kill us. I'm not sure if he could, if the sword has the powers it supposedly does."

Karen carefully grabbed all the maps and information concerning the Sword of Destiny and placed it in a titanium tube and sealed it. Karen was the only one who knew the combination, and knew if she punched in the wrong one the combo would change. In that case she had the key in a hidden compartment in her shoe. She put it in a small duffel bag and handed it to Ian.
"Ian here are the copies..." she whispered
"Copies? I thought they were the real deal." he whispered back.
"Of course they are copies, the real ones are in the car. Now take this and move into the hall."
"Alright." Ian carefully stood up and moved around Dekker and the guards who seemed to concered with Dekker, but he could see them give him a glance before looking back at the merc. He moved only a few meters down the hall when he saw several heavly armed men appear. Ian stared at them for a few seconds before one grabbed him and pushed him into a small room. The guard held up his hand for Ian to stay and Ian nodded that he understood. The guard closed the door before returning to his spot. Ian sat waiting for his mom to come.

The Guardsman spoke again pointing his gun directly at the unknown person's chest. "I said put your hands over your head. If you fail to comply or make any sudden movements I'll shoot you. Then if you survive we'll put though you “questioning”. You can tell me what you’re doing after you do what I ask." His partner stayed where he was to cover him if any happened and down the hall the detail turned the corner giving them full sight for firing if anyone tried to escape.

Dekker shurgged...

"I wouldn't shoot me. You'd piss me off & my government off as well. If you'll let me get my wallet out, I'll show you my authorization card. I'm part of an organization that rates the security responses of hotels & other establishments. Your supervisor didn't tell you because that would ruin the surprise of the drill..."

Dekker looked over his shoulder... He could probably dive into the bathroom if he needed to...

"DRILL!?" Karen shouted as she stood up in front of Dekker. "YOU GOT A LOT OF NERVE YOU BASTARD!" Karen smacked Dekker upside the face leaving a large red mark on his cheek.

The guards chuckled. "I am not stupid; the commander or more importantly the Commodore would not allow this, not in such a case as this and believe me if we got to kill you in such a situation as this, no government would claim you without causing embarrassment and trouble with other nations other than Teritora.” He noticed the look the man made. “Don’t even think of it.” His partner called out to Karen is slightly better accented English. “Miss I think it would be better for you to leave right now in case anything starts.”

---------------------------

Hersi nodded. “Yes, the guild still does; now mercenaries that can be done. There are always freelance mercenaries though it might be better to get a small mercenary guild company as well. They are well trained and are real stickers to their mercenary code and are not connected to the Yiron Guild. That would lessen the risk of betrayal. As for the finding the archaeologist she will not be to hard unless somebody spooked the guards otherwise our best bet will be to follow her because if somebody spooks the guards their move her to an secure location that it would take an large army to get her out of before she’s ready to go after the sword.”

"Alright... get your people on finding out about security around her, and hiring a merc guild. All I know about the location currently is that it is in the southwest area just outside of the city."

Karen spun and looked at the guards. The guards would try to stop her if she tried, the expression in her eyes and on her face was obvious. She would have happliy murdered Dekker for trying to kill her son. Karen ran her fingers through her hair before her complexion came back.
"I'd rather not. This...this...THING tried to murder my son. I want to stay here and listen." Karen sat on the bed closest to the guards and waited.

Hersi nodded. “I’ll get to work at once. By the way, did you say southwest of the city? The ruins of the city of Castle Wern are to the southwest of the city at the end of the Wern gorge. It’s been abandoned for several millennia since the plagues after the warring states period wiped out everyone in the valley in the second century B.C. nobody lives there and everyone who has gone there has never returned alive or at least sane. The last person who went there was committed to a church asylum raving about a cult and unholy abominations 50 years ago.”

-----------------------


The guards nodded to Keran before turning their attentions back to the intruder. They looked fully ready to gun him down if he failed to comply with the given orders.

"That's one possibility I considered... another was the caves... the picture did look like it was in a cave, but it could just be a part of Wern that was quarried from the caves. I'll sit it out here... if there's anything I can do, I'd be glad."

Hersi spoke a final time before he left. "The city started out the caves and that area was later turned into crypts for the cities priests and nobles as I recall, it is supposed to be cursed the whole valley. It’s another reason why nobody wants to go there.” After leaving he made arrangements for the security to be checked on the archaeologist; however he would not happy about what he would he read when the report arrived. The Royal Coast Guard was really outraged; somebody had made an attempt at the archaeologist already and from the looks it would take a large army to get at her while she was in the city. The guardsmen had broken out the assault rifles inside the building and the whole area was likely crawling with royal snipers and royal guardsmen patrolling the streets in full combat gear.

Hiring mercenaries however the easier part, he quickly located the wyvernsi in a run down building on the eastside of town. The Wyvernsi where an ruthless elite company with an good reputation but down on their luck, it hadn’t taken much to work out an contract with the company’s captain, with the string of bad luck he had having the coffers of the company was almost empty and if he couldn’t pay his men the company could remove him from leadership and put someone else in charge. After this was done he returned the safe house where he got the report about the archaeologist’s security and headed to the bug free room where he reported about hiring the company and showed the report.

Hersi spoke a final time before he left. "The city started out the caves and that area was later turned into crypts for the cities priests and nobles as I recall, it is supposed to be cursed the whole valley. It’s another reason why nobody wants to go there.” After leaving he made arrangements for the security to be checked on the archaeologist; however he would not happy about what he would he read when the report arrived. The Royal Coast Guard was really outraged; somebody had made an attempt at the archaeologist already and from the looks it would take a large army to get at her while she was in the city. The guardsmen had broken out the assault rifles inside the building and the whole area was likely crawling with royal snipers and royal guardsmen patrolling the streets in full combat gear.

Hiring mercenaries however the easier part, he quickly located the wyvernsi in a run down building on the eastside of town. The Wyvernsi where an ruthless elite company with an good reputation but down on their luck, it hadn’t taken much to work out an contract with the company’s captain, with the string of bad luck he had having the coffers of the company was almost empty and if he couldn’t pay his men the company could remove him from leadership and put someone else in charge. After this was done he returned the safe house where he got the report about the archaeologist’s security and headed to the bug free room where he reported about hiring the company and showed the report.

"D*mn... these f*ckers your government has are sure protective of one archaeologist. Is this protection normal? Or do you think they know about her looking for the sword?"

Ian poked his head out of the room. With the bag slung over a shoulder he walked past the guards, one grabbed him by the arm.
"I need to get something to eat and drink." He said in slow English and acted like he was drinking and eating something. Ian moved down to the lobby and moved in front of some snack and drink machines. Let me see what is there to eat and drink? Ian scratched his head as he tried to figure out what he wanted.

king. "Outlander archaeologists and other scholars are normally well guarded; you just don’t see the guards normally, they don’t want to risk people smuggling artifacts out of the country or stealing historic documents. However somebody managed to really piss off the Royal Coast Guards guarding her in this case. Someone made an attempt at the archeologist already and the guard was likely increased earlier before that when she became a witness with the incident with our little likely wishing he was dead guest. The guard likely will not go down until she leaves the city and then there will be guards but then we’ll have the mercenary company to deal with that.”

----------------

The Guard nodded to Ian to show he understood.

"So your are sure they will decrease the guard once she leaves the city? If so, could we get one of the mercs to watch her hotel, maybe check into it or something, to tell us when she leaves?"

Hersi nodded. "Their have to, an too large of an group will attract to much attention plus with the forests and terran they will run into they are going to be employing horses and mules unless they use helocopters which is highly unlikely. We got an full merenary company, we can certain spare men to watch the hotel or other tasks we need done."

"Alright... set it up and hope the woman decides to go after the sword."

Ian sat with the map of the surrounding area of the city he had gotten from the car. He took a sip of his soda and looked closer at the map. Wern gorge, so that is what the place is called. Okay, we entered through the western end of it and traveled down the gorge and looked into some caves. Ian looked at the duffel bag, he didn't know the combo nor did he have a the key. Could get more info from that but mom is busy with that prick upstairs. She marked the entrance with a red pelican in chalk, bet that washed away. Right, Wern gorge leads to Wern Castle/city. I bet thats where we'll find it or the next clue. Ian noticed a woman walk by and asked:
"What do you know about the history of Castle Wern?" What Ian got was the woman look scared somewhat sh*tless before turning away. What got into her?

OOC:Time for the mysterious cloaked figures again

IC:From the shadows of one of the many fortifed walls an cloaked figure watched Ian. "Yes everything is coming together. The players are assembled and soon it will began." The figure broke out in an unholy laug as it walked away and dispeared into the shadows. The laughter ecoing off the walls onto the street where people grabbed the handles of their swords and made the sign of the cross to ward off evil.

---------------------

Hersi nodded and made an call to set up the watch and an half hour later an pair of mercenaries checked into an hotel across the street.

OOC: Oooh... spooky!

Ian knew there was probably only one person he knew might know what Castle Wern was. He walked outside to the Rover and pulled out a green box. In a small patch of grass he set up the satillite phone. He waited for the phone to connect before dialing the number.
"Hello?" Ethan Lane said.
"Mr. Lane? It's me Ian Johnson."
"IAN! Good to here your voice, where is your mum?"
Ian looked up at thier hotel window which had the curtain over it. "Uhhh...busy. Mr. Lane do you have anything on file about Castle Wern?" There was a slight pause as he heard Ethan typing on his computer and letting the machine do the work.
"Castle Wern...let me see...I don't have much Ian. Abandoned for a long time, numerous caves in the gourge leading to it, other than that I don't have much. Sorry."
"Its okay Mr. Lane. Thanks." He hung up and packed up his phone and sat there in the grass thinking. He didn't notice the two mercenaries that were watching him from a hotel window across the street.

Dekker made a motion like he was throwing something, then slammed a booted foot onto the mattress of the nearest bed, bringing it up in front of him. His .45 Hardballer sailed through the air, then was snatched from its flight by his right hand as he dove backwards into the bathroom.

A few rounds struck his kevlar vest, but did no real damage. The mattress covered his escape well enough that the guards had lost their aimpoint. The mercenary kicked out the bathroom window & let himself out, after locking the door.

Slowly, he made his way around the narrow ledge under the window, gradually making his way to a balcony where he entered the room & brushed past the occupants, leaving the hotel by elevator...

'F**kin' bitch... Murder her kid my ass... The limp-d**ked sonuvabitch shot at ME, then I defended myself... Bullshit Teritorian laws...'

Dekker made a note to kill a Royal Guardsman or two before he left the country. He quietly flagged down a cab & directed the driver to his hotel across town...

Ian lept up from the grass and shoved the sat phone in the car and stil luggig the duffel bag sprinted upstairs.
"MOM! MOM!" The two guards were bashing down the bathroom door and others where coming in when he entered.
"Ian!" Karen shouted. She was on the other side of the bed. "Thank God you're alright."
"What happened?" He said pointed to the bullet riddled matress.
"That a**hole escaped." Karen said.
"Mom, I found the name of the place where we found the inscription."
"Whats it called?"
"Wern. We only were at the gourge, but there is a city or castle at the end of it."
"Do you know anything else?"
"I called Mr. Lane and found out its been abandoned for a while and lots of caves leading to it."
"The mark I made is most likly gone, but with the stuff in the duffel, we should find our cave a bit quicker." She said. "All we need to do is find a time to get out of here unoticed."

Severally of the nearby guardsmen went white at the name of Castle Wern and one of them spoke shakily. “Castle Wern, that accursed city? Almost Nobody has ever returned from there since the great plague of the 3 century B.C. wiped out all human life in the gorge, the ones who have had to be killed or later put into insane asylums for their and everyone else’s safety. I see this will be an interesting assignment. How long are you willing to wait to get out of the city with the best chance not to be seen? In two days the festival of St. Vernsi will take place and will continue for a week. It will be the best chance to avoid the people that seem to be interested in what you want.”

----------------------------------------------

Outside where Dekker a guardsman with a special long ranged Camera took pictures of Dekker, especially his face. By the next day via the wonders of technology the picture would a wanted poster posted at very Airport, sea port, very Royal Guard Station with the description wanted with an 1,000 Plati, 200 Gold, 30 Silver, 15 copper and 3 Pewter piece coins alive. Guardsmen were instructed though they were authorized to use deadly force and to use TAR-8 9mm Assault rifles and TSAR-3 Combat rifles. Also using the picture, they would attempt to go though records to find out who this person was, how they entered the country and where they came from.

The TSAR-3 was the old standard issue weapon for the Teritoran Royal Marines and the Royal Guard. A repeating rifle made like all Teritoran Weapons by the TDI or Teritoran Defense Industries, it was highly accurate over a very long range especially when used with a scope and over an long range it had stopping power. It fired ten rounds before needing to be reloaded and was unusually quiet when firing. After the introduction of assault rifles it was regulated to use by snipers, hunters outside of Teritora and had often found its hand into the hands of assassins. If caught up with him inside Teritora and he tried anything or killed anyone then it they would shot him. There was talk that if this person who ever he was escaped the country they would attempt to hunt him down and bring him back... Even if he was connect to some government.

Karen looked at Ian and he gave her a nod.
"We can wait." Karen said. Since the guards apparently didn't know Afrikaans she spoke to Ian. "If these fellows are so frightened by this place, why not that gang that is after us?"
"Ya got a point mom. If the best of thier men can be scared by a old Castle, why not the mob?" He repiled in the same language. He turned to the English speaking guard and spoke in English. "I can understand about everyone being killed in a plague, but how or what has been killing or driving some insane over the years?"

OCC:Good god, i havnt beenon in a while-i was on vacation. sorry i didnt say anything. Ill read through everything then post something.

Later.

The guard that spoke earlier replied to the question. "The Teritoran countryside is dangerious in it self, between the dragons, the wild wyverns and the hell bears; all the poisonious plants and animals. In the abandoned areas such dangers are more much numerious but generally if your careful, you can avoid or deal with such things.

The insane people were generally ranting about cultists and demons that looked like men at least that was the best could be understood but who can say for certain. There are some things in the abandoned areas that are sometimes best forgotten and left in old histories and theres always been dangerous things that come out of such areas time to time that are generally previous thought to be legend or thought to been wiped out. What I do know is to keep some weapons on you at all times. Ranged and more imporantly, melee weapon for anything that shows up too close to shoot."

Outside where Dekker a guardsman with a special long ranged Camera took pictures of Dekker, especially his face. By the next day via the wonders of technology the picture would a wanted poster posted at very Airport, sea port, very Royal Guard Station with the description wanted with an 1,000 Plati, 200 Gold, 30 Silver, 15 copper and 3 Pewter piece coins alive. Guardsmen were instructed though they were authorized to use deadly force and to use TAR-8 9mm Assault rifles and TSAR-3 Combat rifles. Also using the picture, they would attempt to go though records to find out who this person was, how they entered the country and where they came from.

The TSAR-3 was the old standard issue weapon for the Teritoran Royal Marines and the Royal Guard. A repeating rifle made like all Teritoran Weapons by the TDI or Teritoran Defense Industries, it was highly accurate over a very long range especially when used with a scope and over an long range it had stopping power. It fired ten rounds before needing to be reloaded and was unusually quiet when firing. After the introduction of assault rifles it was regulated to use by snipers, hunters outside of Teritora and had often found its hand into the hands of assassins. If caught up with him inside Teritora and he tried anything or killed anyone then it they would shot him. There was talk that if this person who ever he was escaped the country they would attempt to hunt him down and bring him back... Even if he was connect to some government.

OOC: I'm having a hard time understanding what the hell you're talking about. Either English isn't your primary language or you should slow down & compose your thoughts before typing. Also, following him back home wouldn't be the best idea either.

Is this weapon you're talking about for no particular reason gas-operated or bolt-action?

What caliber is it?

What is it made out of?

Internal or external box magazine?

How long is it & how heavy is it unloaded?

Why is it so quiet?

While I'm annoying everyone with a long OOC post, here's a little info on Dekker:

32-year-old human male
divorced, one male child
former Navy SEAL, drawn from USMC
specializes in close-range combat & close-quarters battle
prefers .45 caliber AMT M1911A1 Hardballer, extensive modifications including polished feed ram, beleveled magazine well, beavertail hammer-guard, trintium night-sights, and pacmar handgrips
leader of RDMA special-operations group Alpha
ranked as a major in RDMA
weight: 270 lbs
height: 6'2"
body fat index: 3%
hair: brown
eyes: blue
distinguishing features:
SEAL & USMC tattoos on inside of left forearm
American flag tattoo on right bicep
Blood type tattooed onto base of right thumb
Scar over left eye & another down right cheek


NOTE: RDMA stands for Red Dawn Mercenary Army, a large conglomerate of individuals seeking mercenary work. This organization also makes up the military of Mercenary Soldiers. Members of the RDMA gain a place to train & stay between contract assingnments, at the cost of ten percent of their contract wages. The RDMA also assists mercenaries by hiring them out to interested parties, as has been done in Dekker's case. Burial & funeral expenses are covered, as are dental & medical insurace costs. Applicants must undergo a three-month training camp & a medical examination before being accepted. Higher ranking members pay less of their wages for RDMA support. In Dekker's case, he pays next to nothing.

He came to Teritora with a 5.7x21mm Army AP, his .45 caliber AMT M1911A1 Hardballer, a 9x19mm parabellum MP5A4, a .45 caliber Glock 23, a Smith & Wesson folding SWAT knife, and a K-BAR combat knife. Typically easy-going & amiable, he reacts badly when shot at during routine urban recon operations. Dekker has something of a short fuse, but has exibited extreme self-control in tense situations before. Has a particular fondness for red-headed women.

OOC:Sorry its rather late at night here. I got the main stats written down somewhere but the TSAR-3 fires 13 mm armor piercing, expanding and several other types of rounds. As for the weapon, its something that will be popping up later in use.

Let's get this moving again. I haven't gotten my email yet, so I made this nation for the time being.

OOC: I FINALLY GET TO POST! I've been mixing up my e-mail and NS password for the last few times and finally I got logged in!

IC:

Ian looked at the guard with an open mouth.
"DRAGONS!? Are these things about dog size or Boeing 747 size? And what are wyverns and hell bears?"

The guard replied. "Most dragons are generally between twentyfive to fifty feet in length very few live to get bigger, very few, its rare for one to survive long enough to get bigger than that. Teritora's knights generally keep the dragon population under control and the meat is rather tasty cooked right." The guard didn't seemed overly concerned about any dragons.

He continued with an slight smile on his face.

"As for Wyverns they are two legged cousins of dragons with an barbed tail that ranges between three to four in length. Wyverns don't breath fire unlike their cousins but kill with their barbed tail which is poisoned with the most powerful nerotoxin in the world, capiable of killing an full grown horse 10 times over in under an minute.They generally live in family groups of two or more they have off spring. They don't generally attack humans unless they get to close to their nests but their difficult to kill if you don't know what your doing. Wyverns also make good family pets and guard animals once trained. they are rather good around childern, I have one at home my self."

His expression darkened. "Think of an big, extremely ill temperered bear with an rather thick hide little bigger than one of those American pick up trucks, they are very dangerous but loners, they can barely toralate each other and the female runs off her cubs before they are half grown. Real unpleasent creatures, hopefully any in the valley will be hibernating or farther up in the mountians."

Ian's lip twichted till for the first time in his life, he fainted. Karen started to fan him but the only thing she could get out of him was sensless babble. He closed his eyes again and fell asleep. Karen stood up and looked at the guard.
"Thank you for telling us but, I don't think that went over too well with him. So are these dragons aggressive, can we pass within twenty or thirty meters of one and they won't mind, or are they very aggressive and will attack for no reason."

The guard strugs. "Depends mainly on wither they eatten recently and how much, wither your up or down wind of them and some other facters. The second reason besides the terran that animals are prefered tranportation, you can feed them to an hungry dragon. You can't feed an jeep or other vechile, if it could even get past the forests and various terrian, to an hungry dragon."

Karen nodded.
"I'm not a big fan of using horses and such. But better to have possible dragon food than be dragon food. Alright, we gather some horses and mules, load them into some trailers, and go as far as we can in vehicles till we have to load our gear onto them." At that time Ian woke up from his brief nap and asked the guard:
"Couldn't we use choppers to get in?"

The guard shook his head. "It would be best to save helicopters as an last resort if needed to get out quickly or reforcements safer that way if slower traveling by horse, mountain pony and mule. Also sometimes the animals will sense or smell any preditators before we will find them."

Dekker slipped slowly past the door guards, hoping he'd brushed all of the broken glass from his clothing...

OOC: Where is the vehicle the TGS scientist has been using?

OOC: Karen uses a VERY dirty white Land Rover.

IC: Karen nodded.
"Alright. Sounds good. Ian, could you run down to the outdoors store about five blocks down and get some flares?"
"For guns or to light the way?" Ian asked.
"Both if you don't mind." Karen said. Ian nodded and before he left he tucked the .44 automatic into his jacket. He knew Dekker was out there and probably pissed all to hell because of what he did. He also knew that those mob guys could be out there. He walked outside and took a slow walk down the road.
"No that my son has left for a while let me ask you a few questions. First, what is your name or at least a rank. Second, would this group of criminals follow us down that canyon? No offense, but your boys seem a tad frightened by this place. I could call my father, he might send his own security force to protect me." If he doesn't already have one watching me. She thought.

The Guard spoke. "I am Sir Geshen Tor Posha, knight captain in the law enforcement wing of the Royal Coast Guard. As for them following, it is pausable, not normally but this isn't normal behavier, Someone powerful must be involed to make what happened so far happen. There might also be that mercenary though he will have problems of his own very soon. they might but I will say my people will going armed to the teeth and well protected the among best armor available, it might now be the power armor of the Kechans or others but it works. If you do call anyone, should be very loyal people that are trustable with your safety."

As Ivan left, two Royal Coast Guardsmen followed him, openly and sticking to the shadows were four Royal guardsmen moved stealthfully looking for any dangers. The street was different now, everyone who walling around had their hands nerviously on their weapons, in clan holds and noble houses armed guards with crossbows and longbows could be seen patroling the battlements.

Karen smiled at Geshen. "Pleasure to meet you Mr. Posha. Let me call my father and keep him updated. I find him a little over protective, but he is my father none-the-less." Karen picked up the phone and dialed her father's number.
"Hello?" A gruff voice said.
"Hi daddy, its Karen." she said.
"Oh hello dear, where is Ian? How did the operation go?" the voice turned soft and heavy concern filled Gregory's voice.
"Ian is fine, he's running an errand. Dad thought you should know someone tried to kill me and Ian.... Dad?" The phone was dead. Several minutes passed before a tall man stepped into the room. He stood at 6'3, he wore a dark camoflague uniform, his head completly bald, and his eyes where of ocean green.
"Ms. Johnson I take it?" He said in a deep accented voice. Karen knew this guy must be from the southern part of the Golden Simatar.
"Yes, I am and you are?"
"Nathan Davenport. Ex-Paratrooper with the 33rd. Including myself I have 10 men to look after you."
"For how long have you been here?"
"Since you arrived, we were unable to interven in most cases since these fellows moved in quicker than we did." Nathan turned to Geshen and gave a small smile. "Would you mind telling me what your game plan is so my team could work with yours?"

Ian walked down the street felling uncofortable. Everyone was armed and any one of them could be part of that gang. He felt safer when he walked into the outdoors store which he was pleased to see was quite large. He picked up a basket and started shopping.

Matilda, unable to exercise out on the street, simply ran in place for an hour. She then went to Hersi. "What are the mercs getting?"

Dekker casually slapped a small GPS tracker on the parked Land Rover... He'd find this sword-thing... Some small setback wasn't about to put him off the trail...

Hersi replied. "Matilda, its early yet but theirs lots of activity going on from the looks of it, they may be planning to make an move out of the city during the upcoming festival to try conceal their leaving. When they do, we follow them but not too close."

-------------------

Geshen nodded. "When the festival begins we'll make out way out the northern gate among the crowd to minamize the chances of being spotted leaving. Horses and pack animals will be waiting for us at an prepared location beyond the sight of the city walls which is where we will ditch any vehicles. some of my men will lay several false trails to confuse anyone attempting follow us and we will then go to where Karen needs to go to the gorge and castle Wyvern. Frist thing first will be geting out of the city."

"I would rather use choppers, but since you are more knowlegdeable on this place, you decide the best mode of transport." Nathan said. He would have used the two Hueys that the team had at the airport, but those would wait. "Ms. Johnson, may I suggest we move to another location? These people who are after you will have this place under survalliance."
"Alright, what about Ian?" Karen said as Nathan lead Karen, Geshen and his small group of men to his base of operations.
"I have one of my men following him. Jean is a good man, he'll look after Ian."
"So your men are not all Simatarian?"
"Execpt for Jean we all are Simatarian ex-paras and special forces. His nationality is unknown." He took them throught the alleys before reaching a delapidated building. He unlocked it and lead them into a large room with the other eight men of Nathan's pouring over maps and cleaning weapons. Some looked up and smilied at Karen and gave heavy, unfriendly looks at Geshen. One of them, a tall Asian-Simatarian clicked the safety off in his Helcker and Koch MP5. Nathan shook his head, the man clicked the safety back on and put it down and went to inspect two Fuchs armored cars. Nathan turned to Geshen.
"Sorry about that, my men are naturally supious of strangers with firearms. Would you like to see what we have?"

Ian felt uncomfortable. He had spotted the medium built bearded man shortly after he left the hotel. He was sure his escort had noticed him too. But as long he didn't try anything everything was fine. Jean kept one eye on Ian the other on the teen's guards, hoping there wouldn't be a shootout. Now was not the place, but if there was. He had a MP5 hidden under his jacket. He picked up a climber magizine to try to look less out of place.

Dekker made a quick stop by his hotel, gathering up his weaponry... The MP5A4 went under his hoodie, straped tightly to his abdominals. The 5.7mm went into the waistband at the small of his back. Better armed than when he had arrived, Dekker departed for the safehouse he'd seen Matilda enter earlier... Perhaps he could offer his services...

A scarce few minutes later, he was at the front doors... Dekker rapped on them with a knuckle...

As she listened to Hersi, Matilda turned instinctively, and tensed up. She grabbed her sword, and headed towards the door. She stood with her back to it, opened the door, and held the sword at the man there. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

Dekker shoved the sword aside with a gloved hand... He didn't like sharp objects aimed at him...

"I'm offering my services... You want the sword, an' I can help you get it..."

Matilda moved it back into position, and spoke in Teritorian. "The sword? The only sword I own is this one. You must have the wrong address." She shut the door.

She walked back into Hersi. "There's some guy at the door. He knows we're after the sword somehow and offered his services. I told him in Teritorian that the only sword I owned was this one, and that he had the wrong address. I might have taken him in, but the Keraci is still downstairs."

Dekker frowned as the door shut in his face... Almost nonchalantly, he knocked again...

"There the b*stard goes again... what do we do now?"

Geshen nodded. "I would, it would be good to know what my men will working with on your side of things."

----------------------

Hersi cursed foully in several dead tongues before speaking. "The Keraci is down stairs and if this man keeps it up someone will notice. We have either get rid of him somehow or put him somewhere he won't be noticed by anyone. We can't have an stranger around the building with the Keraci downstairs. If he wants to talk about services an time later will have to be arranged. The guards could notice him any minute."

"I think I've got a plan." she said, putting on a necklace.

She went to the door with the sword again. "I don't know who the f*ck you are, but this is a Yorin Guild safehouse and the motherf*cking Keraci is downstairs. Find some place nearby, and we'll meet you there later."

Her voice was canceled out by the necklace, and a hypersonic speaker in the necklace transmitted her voice directly to the ear of the man at the door, completely silent to everyone but him.

Dekker scratched a simple message on a scrap of paper...

Rooftop, across from this one

He slid the note under the door & departed for the rooftop, where his binocular still waited...

She walked back to Hersi, and gave him the note, and told him of the circumstances under which it was delivered.

Hersi frowned. "Its an good as place as any though it not the best place, he best hope no house or clan guards spot him otherwise they might use him for spear, crossbow or longbow practice, wonder how he got up there without geting killed or spotted. Roof hopping is an dangerious and genrally unrewarding pasttime in you can find roofs close enough together to do so. The local house and clan guards won't be out in force quite yet however."

Nathan smiled as he lead them to a long table covered with firearms.
"Well, each of my men are armed with a Heckler and Koch MP5A2 for more close combat. The MPs have a flashlight and a laser attachment to them. They are also armed with Colt M4 assault carbines. A slightly more powerful flashlight and laser are attached to the M4s, we also have M203 grenade launchers to add on. Here we have something I like." He picked up a green tube and held it up. "LAW rocket launcher. We have a dozen of these. Now to our transports."
He climbed on one of the Fuchs and looked down on the small group.
"Your standard Fuchs armored car, but with a few mods. The armour is a light version of chobam armour." Seeing Karen's confused face he clarified. "The armour on Abrams tanks. Though not as strong, we can suffer many more RPG and TOW hits than usual. We also have a retractable TOW launcher near the front of each car. Tires are strengthened, to resist heavy bullet damage. We are quite safe in them. Would you brief me on who we'll be faceing?"

Geshen began. "We will likely be facing Yorin Guild, forces, the elite of the underworld, their extremely ruthless many of them are controlled psychopaths and most of the rest are complete sociopaths. It is possible they have hired a mercenary company, likely a guild company. The Guild forces at least will be armed Tar-7 9mm heavy assault rifles or Tar-6 13 mm combat rifles plausibly with rifle fired antitank rockets but unlikely and various medival weaponry. We may run into guild bandits as well but those will at best longbows, spears, crossbows and swords.

The Mercenary Company will likely be armed with medieval weaponry as they are generally and normally hired as extra guards by merchants and by nobles for their wars. The trouble will be that fact we will be going through dense temperate and the rocky mountainous we will be going though once we leave the coast.”

Nathan nodded.
"Medieval weapons?! It'll be sucide for them to attack the cars. On these Tar-7s and 6s, what is there rate of fire and such? Could they alone punch through the Fuchs' armour?"
"Sir?" Another man dressed in the camoflague uniform like Nathan came up.
"Yes James?"
"Jean says the teen as just walked out the door and is taking his time coming back."
"Tell Jean to keep a close eye on him and follow at a repectful distance." James walked to a small radio and relayed Nathan's orders.

Ian noticed Jean follow him out the door, but he took satisfaction in knowning with people with bows up on the roofs and his escort he wouldn't make a move.

Geshen nodded. "The TAR-6 13 mm Combat rifle is an classic style repeating combat rifle with an 10 round clip capable of firing a variety of bullets ranging from armor piercing, to expanding rounds to rounds that are considered illegal, there’s an variation with an sound suppresser and the rifle has attachable scope. The TAR-7 9mm heavy assault rifle has a 20 round clip has a slightly less rate of fire than a normal assault rifle and more meant to give an edge against power armored foes.”

Nathan thought for a while. He would have normally worried about armour killing bullets, but chobam was the most advanced armour on the planet. He felt safe inside the Fuchs, plus since they would be leaving with the festival going on. That didn't mean he wasn't a tad worried.
"I would like a bullet of each of these guns to give to my armour expert. In the meantime we'll prep our things and get ready to move out. We just need to wait for your son Ms. Johnson."

Ian walked into the hotel room. It was deserted.
"Mom?"
"Your mother is safe." Jean said. Ian couldn't tell what his accent was, it sounded like a mix of French, German, and Iatlian. He pulled the pistol out and aimed.
"Who are you?" Jean didn't say anything. He walked up and grabbed the pistol from Ian.
"Safety is on." Jean grabbed Ian by the collar and hauled him out the hotel by the back. He kept a lookout for the Guard and knew they might shoot him they saw him. He knocked on the door of the safehouse and moved inside.
"Mom! Who are these guys?" He felt safer seeing Geshen and his men still armed.
"They're here to protect us, your grandfather sent them." Karen said. Great Ian thought.

A phone rang. "That's the mercs. They've left, and it looks like they have a merc group of their owned with armored cars and a large arsenal of weapons." said Matilda, picking it up. "What should we do now?"

Hersi spoke "Armored cars huh, they'll have to leave them behind on or near the road and hike the way any where they not going to an estabished miltary base or an settlement, so those won't be an problem. How many mercs were there?"

-------------

Geshen nodded. "I'll try but theres many types of rounds and some of them aren't government issues, that and the TDI is touchy about who gets their hands on their weaponry and rounds, their almost as touchy about their advanced personal armor. If anyone try anything though it will be after we have to leave the Fuchs, they won't make it off road, jeeps don't make it off road in Teritora very far unless on farmland and even without the rocky and mountianious terrian, we'll talking about dense rainforest, temperate rainforest but rainforest, hope you like the rain."

At that moment one of the men checking the communication equipment started singing "Singing in the Rain", and every other soldier in Nathan's group soon joined in.
"We can handle the rain. Which leads us to the next question. Ms. Johnson, how long is the hike there and how long are you going to be searching?"
"Well, about a three at max four day hike I would say. It's been a while since I was there so I could be off a little. Ian and myself would need about another four days of looking around."
"Four days sounds right mom."
"About six, eight days of marching, and about four or five days of looking around. So about two weeks supply of food. We have water filiters and purification tablets so thats not a problem. About three-hundred rounds of M4 ammo per man..." Nathan's voice trailed off as he did the math in his head. "We can manage. We can take your Land Rover before we leave them to help carry the luggage."
"Fine by me." Karen said.
"Now that leaves us with what to do with the Fuchs. We can spike them or have an extra pair of your Guards with us to drive them back and leave them at your base." Nathan said.

"I'm not sure... the mercs didn't say. What about that guy? Should we leave him, or take him along?"

OOC: Could everyone hold this up for a little bit... I may be by-and-large out of contact for 5-6 starting tommorow morning.

I guess you meant days.

I'm back.

Yeah!

Where did you go?

Hersi spoke. "I don't trust or know this guy. Theres no mercenary guild that will hold him acountable for betraying us."

-----------

Geshen spoke slightly smiling. "I best do that otherwise I'd have to arrest you for littering and poluting an kingdom roadside when you spike them."

Dekker ran a quick check of his weaponry while he waited. This would be easier than trekking along behind the egghead & her escorts, but it didn't look likely. Ammo wasn't going to be a problem, he had a pair of clips for each of his handguns, and three for his MP5A5. If worst came to worst, he'd break some poor SOB's neck & take his weapon. He'd need a few grenades, so he might wind up doing that anyway...

Dekker waited...

OCC:I have alot to read.

Nathan looked at Geshen and chuckled.
"You best, I'd hate to tell Mr. Lander I destoryed two of his cars."

Ian walked over to some cardboard boxes and opened one, inside he found some tan paper containers with the words MRE written on it.
"What does MRE mean?" Ian asked one of the men.
"Meal Rejected by Ethiopians." He said with a laugh. Ian looked at his nametag Bass.
"Mr. Bass, I doubt it."
"Its just regular camping food kid, but for the army." Ian put it back and leaned against the wall. He was exhausted. He slumped to the ground and fell asleep.
Nathan saw Ian sleeping and knew of of his men also needed sleep.
"I want everyone to get a good nights sleep before we leave. So, when does this festival take place?"

OOC: Didn't go anywhere per se, I was just out of contact. Long story.


IC:
"I say we tranq him with these darts I have, tie the b*stard up with these restraints, and haul him along with us for if we need him for anything." she said, holding up a special pair of stolen DOECO restraints that had fifty doses of tranquilliser fluid that were injected when the wearer woke up, unless a button was pressed that disabled the injector. The tranquilliser had near-instant effect, taking only a few seconds to cross the brain-blood barrier, and they are out cold with no lasting effects. However, each dose only lasts six hours. It was a favorite of the DOECO, and of Matilda. She had a chemist analyze a dose she had, and produce more for her.

Hersi spoke musingly. "Sounds better than him out there somewhere and somehow poping up and causing us trouble at the worse time."

----------------

Geshen replied. "On the morrow at sunrise and it will go on for an week."

Matilda grabbed up the dart and her launcher, a folding out meter-long shaft with a air pump that propelled it at just the right speed. "Hersi, grab a gun if somehow this screws up."

She walked out, aimed the launcher, and pulled the trigger. "Goodnight..." she thought.

Hersi grabbed an t-3 silenced pistol and an repeating crossbow before heading after Matida.

OOC: It's great that the thread has started again. But I'm going to a Kayak camp on Sunday and won't be back till about late Wensday afternoon. So tonight is basically my last night to RP for a few days.

Dekker didn't notice as the small dart thunked into the rear plate of his Kevlar vest. He continued to wait, another few minutes & then he'd leave...

OOC: As you didn't specify a target, I assumed you where aiming center-mass, from behind that would be the area roughly between the shoulder-blades.

What is a crossbow going to do that a firearm won't?

OOC:It won't attract attention to the shooter if he has to use it. People will just think he's an some guard shoting at an thief, other people might even join in espcially if they're local guardmen or city watchmen. If he came out with an gun, the local guards would use him for target practice, not to mention when the royal guards showed up or any local nobility's guards that could show up.

OOC:(1)It won't attract attention to the shooter if he has to use it. People will just think he's an some guard shoting at an thief, other people might even join in espcially if they're local guardmen or city watchmen. (2)If he came out with an gun, the local guards would use him for target practice,not to mention when the royal guards showed up or any local nobility's guards that could show up.

OOC: I honestly don't see why that makes any difference. They both kill you from range, which is why I inquired as to why you'd need both a surpressed pistol & a crossbow, as both are quiet. You walk around town with a crossbow or a gun in my neck of the woods, the cops will ask you to drop it, then they'll light you up.

1: Why don't the guards carry firearms?

2: This makes no sense. You stated sometime back that people carry guns, swords, and knives around with them most of the time, in plain view, and there are no problems.

I'm going to stop here. Enough OOC.

OOC: This is my last post till Wensday.
I think the reason why he carries a silenced firearm and a crossbow, because a crossbow takes to damn long to load. I went to a medival fair and it took me a good ten minutes before I could fire my first shot. You have to crank and all that stuff. So, a firearm will provide backup and a crossbow would look less out of place in a country where people carry them around.