NationStates Jolt Archive

Part 1: Getting The Goods

The wealth and opulence of Granzi City was not evenly distributed. As one travels inland from the sea, the buildings become shabbier, the roads more narrow, clogged up with filth and mud. The slums were packed closely together, ramshackle huts leaning crazily to one side. The worst organized crime dwelt here, shrouded between the ordinary poor. Scum of the earth collected here, using the place as a base of operations. The entire area was breeding grounds, and you could buy anything... if you had the right amount of cash.

They were to meet in Apartment 3E in the Wayward Apartments. Jaxok and Jok were outside of that building in their richly appointed Audi X9/ST24 Series convertible. Ebony, polished, it was their baby. Both men wore black suits. As they walked up the stairs to 3E, Jaxok told his partner to wait outside the door and be "ready". There it was, room 3E. The door was unlocked so Jaxok cautiously stepped in.

The room was dark and dank. Dust lightly coated the floor and any other surface not covered. At the center of the room was a small table, a pair of chairs arranged opposite one another. One was already occupied. The bulky frame of the smuggler literally spilled out the seat. Light seeped in from between the blinds pulled shut over the only window, leaving the man's face in shadow.

"Ah... good, you're here. Pull up a chair so we can talk." The man gestured to the empty seat.

Jaxok did as asked. "Lets get straight to business, shall we?" The expression on Jaxok's face stood straight.

"All right, I will." The man reached down below and hefted a leather briefcase from under the table. Working with cool precision, he flicked up the brass clasps. Throwing the case open, the dealer turned the suitcase so the interior caught the light. The smooth gleam of metal was visible; a cylinder nestled between robes of red velvet. "There she is. Just like you requested.”

“I remember requesting four. Do you have the other three?" Jaxok examined the cylinder. It looked real enough. He'd been duped enough in the black market business.

"Yup, I've got the other three with me." He noticed Jaxok peering at the cylinder. "You can rest your heart there, mate. That cylinder is genuine. A two part shell, the first having an enriched liquid fuel, the second filled with compressed butane gas. It'll sure light things up." The man gave a chuckle.

Jaxok kept his expression straight. "And... how is it detonated? A controller, impact, a button on the side? That doesn’t seem to be obvious.”

The dealer reached into a side pocket and drew out a small silver pad. He threw it across the table. "It can be set to detonate up to 24 hours after the set it up. You attach this onto the side of each capsule. Once it finished the countdown, it will explode, breaching the hull, and lighting up the gas. The gas'll rush out, an' the liquid fuel will keep the blaze going for a while."

Jaxok took the silver pad and examined it. "Is there an emergency immediate set off?"

"Nope. What's done will be done. Unless you want to physically remove the pad and smash it."

"Alright then..." Jaxok stared the man down again. "The price?"

"For the entire bundle? Lemme see... How about twenty thousand Granzs? ($20,000 USD) It took me quite a bit of effort to smuggle this stuff in here, especially with the tightened security." The dealer leaned back in his chair.

"Fifteen thousand."

"Nope. Nineteen thousand."

Jaxok jumped from his chair and put his face right in front of the dealer's. "You are making this worse for your own self. Thirteen thousand."

"Ha! No deal tough guy. You can't carry the thing through with only one capsule. You need all four. My final offer is eighteen thousand. Take it or leave it."

Jaxok spat on the dealer's face and shouted, "Jok!" and ducked immediately. Before the dealer could blink the door was bashed open and a Vepr assault rifle had ripped the dealer to shreds. Jok walked in as Jaxok started searching for the other three capsules. Jok walked over to the man and found his wallet. He opened it up, took out the fifty thousand the dealer had in it, and dropped the wallet on the dead man’s face. Jaxok found a small peel in one of the floorboards. He ripped it up to find the rest of the merchandise. They then walked out of there like nobody's business.

((Attack In Third Post Of This Thread))

-Internal Memo-
Intelligence Report 00-36A

Post-HDI Attack: Measures Enforced

--Resumed international and domestic flights; Commonwealth International Airport remains [Closed]
--Custom restrictions, in accordance with Executive Order A-756; security screenings of all passengers and aircraft, random searches, additional law enforcement available
--Patrols by the Coast Guard and Home Navy, navigational rights waived within 10 nm of major harbors
--Checkpoints and boardings at territorial waters (200 nm), and within 10nm of major harbors, urban areas, channels, military facilities
--All thoroughfares leading from Granzi City have been reopened; additional officers on patrol at all times
--Twenty-four hour electronic surveillance of all [High Risk] public structures and surrounding areas
--Roadblocks in place around administrative centers, Diplomatic Quarter, Westolia Suburb, no vehicle access within radius of one thousand feet
--Restricted access to Diplomatic Quarter, Westolia Suburb, Diplomatic Tower; Identification system in place
--Major sites of interest, motion and metal detectors

Present Security Situation

--Central Command: Terrorism Unit has detected increased electronic 'chatter' by terrorists through ulterior means
--Smuggling crackdown has led to increased number of illegal shipments into Granzi
--Possible number of Jaxus Nine operatives in Granzi: Estimated at around [2-10]
--Potential of another attack [Fairly High]; as means of a follow-up
--Method of attack through possible unconventional means against low-risk targets
--Targets include suburbs of Granzi City or those of other urban centers, water supply, economic disruption, and/or ecoterrorism
--Prediction of attack within the next year

Vista Peaks National Forest
Sixty Miles East Of Granzi City

The night was shrouded in a cloak of inky black pierced by only by thousands of stars shining down, dominated by the large glowing orb that was the moon. The lonely road to the park’s entrance dotted with small potholes. Apparently the Forest Service didn’t have enough funding to rework their roads falling into disrepair. The gateway was locked shut, the single watchtower housing a guard, dressed in a simple light olive shirt and navy blue jeans. A pistol was latched onto the belt of the guard, who noticed several bulky black shadows approaching the gate.

Moving at crawl, the four vans pulled to a stop at the ironwork gate. Each held a total of eight Jaxus Nine operatives. One of the men patted a large tan suitcase. Inside nestled the cylinders Jaxok had retrieved earlier. In each squad, one leader was chosen to carry that dangerous cargo. The night sky would be awash with flames if this succeeded. Armed with Vepr assault rifles procured from another arms dealer, the troopers were well equipped.

The sentry cautiously looked down from the overlook, one hand on his pistol. “Hey you! What are you doing up in the mountains at this time of night?”

The front window of the lead truck scrolled down. A gun barrel protruded from the opening, and fired off several slugs. The sentinel crumpled to the ground wordlessly. A man stepped out of the vehicle and with a kick, smashed apart the tower door. He rummaged around the body. Picking up the key, he quickly opened the gate and waved them in. The vans drove into the forest and separated, motoring to strategic locations in the forest.

They never saw a second person crawl from beneath a desk and sprint down the mountain.

Group Alpha

The truck turned right, targeting a sector of the forest crowned by old growth vegetation. The path meandered around the soaring trunks of cedar and spruce. Reaching a clearing, the vehicle stopped at its destination. The men got out and started picking up canisters of gasoline carried in the back. The doused trees would become flaring pillars before long. The timer placed on their cylinder was set for six hours.

Group Beta

This group drove straight into the heart of the park, where the forest ended and an expanse of wide plains spread to the south. The brush was dry, fuel for the spark that would grow. The van parked in the lot and unloaded their gear. Moonlight formed a vast sliver carpet, clearly marking the truck and its occupants as they went to work.

Group Omega

Omega was tasked with the sending a pillar of fire into the sky. Vista Peaks National Forest featured a long winding drive up an overlook out onto the valley below. A little more than two hours had passed until they hit the end of the lane. A small visitor center sat perched on the ridge. The lock was broken, and the place ransacked, before the steel capsule was set among the displays. Timer set to three hours.

Group Xera

These men’s duty was to destroy the Forest Service Headquarters. Once they reached it, the complex was broken into and trashed. Among the wrecks of chairs and broken furnishing, a small cylinder ticked down the seconds, until two hours had passed.

Group Alpha

Finished with their assignment, the Jaxus Nine troopers stood back and admired their handiwork. Before one of them spoke, the sharp chatter of helicopter blades flew closer, and then faded away.

A sigh of relief was heard. “We’re done. Lets get outta here, boys!” The leader said. The entire crowd cheered. The men piled into the van and sped away.

Group Beta

Jaxev Jaxo was with Beta as the van’s driver. The rest of the team began dousing the area, gasoline seeping into the arid earth. His co-driver was sitting right next to him, Jaer Jatopemenower.

“So… Jaxev. What do you want to do after we’re done with all this?” Jaer asked, looking up at the stars and the moon. “Ya know, after we’re all done with this attack.”

Jaxev sighed. “I’m not sure. I think… I think I’m gonna stay with Jaxus Nine. You know, people think we’re a bunch of crazy idiots out to kill everybody. But we aren’t. We’re a tight family, the Jaxus Nine. Of political ideals and, well, fear-based demands. I’ve made a family here. The only family I’ve ever had, Jaer.”

“I aint sure what I’ma do. This aint my type of thing, Jev (Jaxev). Maybe I’ll become one of ‘em taxi drivers. Pay sucks ‘n I might get smelly, but I want to have a simple job.”

“Well, whatever you do, let’s hope we can get away with this first.” He set the cylinder to five hours for detonation.

Three hours later

Both Groups Omega and Xera were finished with their tasks as well.

As the last party of operatives left the forest, the truck hit a large pothole and swerved off the lane. Cursing and muttering at their luck, they inspected the van. Both front tires were popped. As they labored to quickly mend the damage, one of the men looked up quickly.

“Do you hear that?” JX asked his group.

“Hear what? You’re hearing things, JX! There is no one out there. ‘You’re just freakin’ yerself out, bud. Come over here; an’ take a sea-” He never got to finish. A single shot rang out and struck him in the back of his head. JX and the rest of Group Omega aimed for where it was coming from. There was nothing to be seen. Another shot rang and the team leader was dead.

Two of the terrorists started firing into the forest and felt a sigh of relief come over them as they heard a scream of pain. They had hit the sniper.

But then they came from all sides. The local law enforcement had rounded up a posse and hurried up toward the NF. The operatives began firing, but the police fired and moved ever closer. Soon, all his companions except JX were unmoving figures on the ground. He threw a punch, but was thrown down to the ground and his arms pinned behind his back. He was handcuffed, before being shoved into the back of a vehicle and taken to Granzi City.

Before the posse could locate the cylinders, they blew, and engulfed the park in lurid flames.

Hacked Into Broadcasts From Inside Granzi

“Jaxus Nine has done it again. The world doesn’t seem to get it. Do you get it now?” Jax Jaxus, the same guy in the same suit with the same XR-2 wearing the same ski-mask, put more fear into the world.

Bump for International Attention...

Question: What do you mean by Semi-Closed?

OOC: Jaxusism and I worked this out over YIM, but after the attack taken place, the RP becomes freeform. Everyone is welcome to participate, but invasions and the like will not be allowed.

Granzian Broadcasting Corporation
This is Breaking News!

The news anchor, a slim lady, gravely looks up into the camera. "Good morning folks, I'm Shawna Parkins. We have breaking news coming to you live from the Vista Peaks National Forest. Details are still very sketchy, but reports have been coming in since last night, leading experts to believe that another terrorist attack has occurred here in Granzi. For the details, we go to field reporter Danyela Werner, who is at the foot of Vista Peak. Danyela?"

The screen switches to another feed, where a young woman can be seen in a tan overcoat. Behind her, billowing clouds of smoke can be seen rising in the distance. "Good morning. Our initial fears have been realized. Last night, operatives stole their way into the National Forest, and apparently set off explosive devises, engulfing the area in flames. Firefighters have begun setting up equipment, as you can see behind me." She gestured to a large red engine. "Now, we have not received confirmation yet from the government, but a press conference is expected to be given later today. Back to the studio."

The anchor speaks. "We will bring you continuing coverage as this story develops. Now, back to your regularly scheduled programming."

Granzian Broadcasting Corporation
This is Breaking News at Six!

"Good evening, my name is Shawna Parkins. Our top news story tonight, another terror attack in Granzi. As many of us know, today was a second day of horror. Members of the Jaxus Nine Terrorist Organization chose a less conventional target, one that had not been under protection by the measures put in place following the HDI bombing. This time, the Vista Pass National Forest suffered a major blow, when operatives detonated a total of three or four large explosive devises, setting the trees and vegetation on fire."

The screen pans to a video of what looks like a torch, but on closer inspection reveals conifers engulfed in fire, wreathed in thick black smoke.

Trees near National Forest access road. Photo courtesy of National Forest Service. (http://www.cpawscalgary.org/graphics/forest-fire.jpg)

"Eyewitness reports have described a scene of chaos, with local firefighters hard-pressed to halt the spread of the flames. Every station in Granzi City and Lyre Valley has sent all available engines and personnel to battle the blaze, but most are not expected to arrive at the scene until tomorrow. The Granzian National Guard has pitched in by lending several dozen tanker aircraft to the cause."

"It won't be easy to defeat this fire. Little rain fell over the summer, and there is a chance of a strong gust whipping up tonight. Firefighting efforts have been hampered by the remote location of Vista Peaks. The only access road is currently in danger of being crossed by the blaze. The Granzian fire bureau expects the area burned to grow, and estimates possibly half the park will be affected. We had a talk with the Chief Gordon Malone earlier today."

The view turns to footage of the Bureau Chief.

"Well, at this time, I can only assume the fire will continue to spread. The forest is very dry, tinder awaiting only a spark that will cause a flare-up. The conditions are currently too hazardous for firefighting crew to penetrate into the interior of the park. At this time, we are focused mainly on containing the blaze, and keeping it from threatening private property. We're hoping for some relief from the weather, but it doesn't look like anything will come soon..."

"As you can see from this live aerial view from our helicopter hovering near the mountain, the entire hillside seems to be on fire. We are waiting for word from the government, as a conference is scheduled for tonight..."

View of Vista Peak. Photo courtesy of GBC SkyHawk. (http://www.ecology.com/ecology-news-links/2003/articles/2-2003/2-28-03/mount-kenya_files/kenyafire.jpg)

Granzian Broadcasting Corporation

THIS IS A SPECIAL REPORT

This is GBC, your complete news source for accurate and fair reporting, dealing with the issues that matter to you. And now, to Shawna Parkins, for this exclusive Special Report.

"Good afternoon. It has been a day since the second terror attack on Granzian soil in little more than a month. The Prime Minister is due to give an address to the nation within the next few minutes, after which will be a short question and answer exchange with the press. We bring you live coverage of this event with Kristi Markos on the floor at the Rotunda. Kristi?"

"Thanks Shawna. PM Bolash will have his work cut out for him tonight. For the first time in his political career, Bolash has seen his approval ratings fall to below the fifty percent mark. As a recent GBC-Capital Times poll show since the second successful attack by Jaxus Nine, the top priority for most voters is 'national security' and 'preventing further terrorist acts.' If the Prime Minister is to win back broad public support, he must give a winning speech tonight, and be able to address those fears."

The anchor shuffles a few papers. "Excellent. Any further analysis on the current political situation? And what does this mean to the opposition of the Union Part-" A figure can be seen in the background striding onto the stage. "Oh... it looks like the press conference is about to begin. Let's go to a closer view of the podium."

The screen switches to a close-up shot of the Prime Minister. He steps onto the podium to scattered applause. He adjusts the microphone and looks straight into the camera.

"Friends, fellow countrymen. For ten years, I have served you as your Prime Minister. When I came into office, I promised reforms to the political system. I promised to create jobs, strengthen the economy, and protect the Commonwealth from our those who wish to do us harm. Since that time, we have become an active player on the international stage. We have joined made several close allies, and become a respected entity in the world. Our standard of living has doubled, even tripled in the last decade. However, there are those who envy our success."

"The terror organization Jaxus Nine has attacked the very soul of Granzi, seeking to wreck havoc and chaos. They wish to backtrack the progress we have worked together for, everything that the Granzian people have built. In the aftermath of these assaults, we must stand together, stand strong. For only when we are united, only then can we fight back. We must not give in to this terrorists. We must preserve the ideals we have made, and stay steady on the path to peace and prosperity."

"I admit that these attacks have caught us all unprepared. In the first time since the Commonwealth's founding, we have never before come up against such an obstacle. But we must prevail. For if we do not, we will be giving our freedom and lives over to these criminals. We can not allow that. I ask for the support of everyone here, and those watching at home, for your support during this crisis. Because together, we are strong. Because together, we are one. And because together, we can triumph! Thank you."


The hall is quiet for a brief instant, then resounds with applause. From among the crowd, a blonde stands up, and waits for silence. She then speaks into a microphone. "Belina Tucket, Granzian Daily News. Mr. Prime Minister, one question please. How exactly do you plan to bring these terrorists to justice?"

Bolash drums his finger on the podium. "Well Belina, I can't really tell you, for security reasons of course. What I can reveal is that we have several promising leads at the moments, and our good allies are helping us track these people down." Several more hands shot into the air. "Sorry, but no more questions at this time." With that, Terri stepped off the stage, waving into the camera. Behind the curtain, he turned to an aide, and whispered, "I want that captured terrorist interrogated at once."