NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC: I'm looking for someone to RP the kidnapper. No requirements, really, just be able to spell and have fairly good grammar. If you want to RP the kidnapper or anyone else involved, just TG me or make an OOC post here, really doesn't matter. And just to make sure everyone knows, Eldanor consists of elves mostly, and the Princess is the cousin of Eldanor's leader.

OOC: i will have some part in tis not big but i will be here.

OOC: Sounds good.

OOC: Am willing, though it will not be anything Vastiva is officially doing.

OOC: Yeah, I kinda figured that it wasn't going to be sponsored by anyone's government. So, you're in.

((OOC: You should let me be the kidnapper. It would make more sense since our nations hate each other. Plus, I make great villains.))

OOC: Hmm, that would be good. All right, you can do it Generia. Vastiva, I hope you don't mind.

OOC: Hmm, that would be good. All right, you can do it Generia. Vastiva, I hope you don't mind.

OOC Not a bit.

OOC: All right, thanks.

Awesome. I cant wait to see this.

OOC: Hmmm, could be an elf raider...

((OOC: You said your nation is mainly elves, but you have cars and highways and stuff right? Also, I need to know the name of the capital, the name of the Princess, and a little about her.))

OOC: Yup. Eldanor is pretty modernized in spite of the fact that the population consists mainly of elves.

OOC: Missed the second part of your post. Yes, I can imagine you'd need to know that, silly me. The capital is Quendetur City, and the Princess goes by the name of Cuilánie Manener, she has long blonde hair and grey-blue eyes, and in human years she would be 28. Moderatly intelligent, not very practical, but she's extremely loyal to her cousin and they spend a lot of time together. Anything else that you need to know?

OOC:Can I RP as some crazy merc the Generians hire? It'd make sence since my people and GE's people get along real swell, and I've got tons of elite soldiers doing merc work. Plus I do a good villain.

OOC: Missed the second part of your post. Yes, I can imagine you'd need to know that, silly me. The capital is Quendetur City, and the Princess goes by the name of Cuilánie Manener, she has long blonde hair and grey-blue eyes, and in human years she would be 28. Moderatly intelligent, not very practical, but she's extremely loyal to her cousin and they spend a lot of time together. Anything else that you need to know?

((OOC: yeah, is the princess one to frequent joints like seedy nightclubs and bars and such?))

OOC: Doomingsland, as long as it is okay with Generia, sure. And in reply to Generia, she does so occasionally.

((OOC: I’m guessing you have docks at the city. If not, ignore the mention of them.))

The sedan sat parked across from a row of run down buildings, clubs, bars, and various other establishments of ill repute. The brightness of the neon signs mingled with the sparse light from the streetlamps to create an eerie red glow that bathed the crowded street. This particular area lay alongside the Quendetur City dockyards, and was notoriously a tough part of town.

The sedan was rather inconspicuous, black with the rear fender hanging slightly off, almost undetectable unless one paid careful attention. The windows were tinted, so that it was difficult to perceive the appearance of the vehicle’s occupants. There were two.

“You sure this is the place?”

“Positive.”

“Not exactly where I’d expect to find a princess. More like a hooker.”

“Colonel says this is where we’re gonna find her, so this is where we’re gonna find ‘er.”

“Colonel. Heh. How do we know if he’s right? She could be sitting at home right now.”

“Colonel knows what he’s talking about. You don’t get to be head of GIIS for nothing.”

“I dunno. Sometimes that guy makes me nervous.”

“Eh. What you gonna do? He’s a fucking spook. That’s what they do. They make people nervous.”

“Speaking of spooks, why the hell they send us in here anyway? Don’t they have spooks to do this kind of shit?”

“Spooks are funny. They don’t like to touch these kind of jobs. Hell, that’s why they have the Guard in the first place. We do the shitty jobs the spooks won’t touch.”

“I still don’t like it.”

The second man reached under the dashboard and removed a Mac-10. He checked the clip and set it on the floor in front of him.”

“There! That’s her!”

“Where?”

“Over there, with the tall guy.”

“Her? You sure?”

“Trust me.”

“Alright. Let’s move.”

The second man picked up the Mac-10 and shoved it into his jacket. The first man reached into his coat, removed a pistol and screwed on a silencer. He then replaced the gun, and started the engine. The sedan pulled out slowly, and began to follow the form of the woman that was their target. The car pulled up alongside her and the other man she was with. The two men got out of the car, and walked up behind the figures. The crowd was heavy here, faces blended into each other making it difficult to tell who anybody was, if they were indeed anybody at all, rather than just a simple trick of the strange lighting.

The princess and the other man turned and entered a club. The two men followed them. It was dark inside, dark and loud. The targets moved further into the crowd. The two followed them. Suddenly, the princess stopped, and struck up a conversation with the man. The two saw an opportunity. The first man walked quickly forward, discreetly slipping a small syringe from his sleeve. As he passed the man, he purposely bumped into him, and drove the syringe into his back. The kidnapper excused himself, and continued walking. The man felt nothing more than a prick at first, but within twenty seconds, he doubled over in pain, clutching his chest. Next thing he knew, he was on the floor, dead. His heart had exploded.

The princess stared in horror at the man, and began to slowly back away. The second man moved up to her from behind, grabbed her, and began dragging her away from the corpse. She began to struggle, and the crowd, which had gathered around the corpse began to watch the scene.

“It’s alright. I’m her brother. She is hysterical.”

The man discreetly pressed the gun into the small of the princess’s back. He moved his head close to her ear and spoke, near menacingly.

“Come on. Let’s get out of here.”

The princess, her shock at the death of her companion, mingled with the primal terror of having a gun pressed into one’s back, became submissive, and allowed herself to be dragged out into the street. The first man appeared next to the two. They walked rapidly towards the car. The first man got into the front seat, the second forced the princess into the back, and got in alongside her. She again began to struggle. Her struggle was short lived, as she was quickly overpowered and bound with heavy rope and a strip of duct tape across her mouth.

The car sped off down the street. The first man picked up a cell phone and dialed a number.

“We’ve got her.”

“Good work Andreus. I knew we could count on you. Get her to the docks. We must move quickly.”

The sedan continued on into the night, as the sirens of an ambulance roared in the distance.

OOC: Genius man. I can' wait to see where this goes.

The ambulance arrived at the scene quickly enough. A team of paramedics jumped out of the vehicle and knelt down next to the man. He was pronounced dead almost immediately.

Several police cars showed up at the club. The officers talked with the paramedics and most of the people who had been there when everything had happened. They all had the same answer; the man had just keeled over in pain, and before anyone knew it, he was dead. The identity of his companion was unknown, and the description they got was very vague. Blonde hair, on the tall side, elven. That was all anyone knew, besides the fact that her brother had taken her away. The police searched the streets and other clubs around for the woman, hoping she might have information on what had happened, but there was no luck.

Meanwhile, in the sedan, the princess tried her best to act brave, even though she was scared for her life. She hadn’t told anyone where she was going to be, she never did, especially because she knew her cousin wouldn’t approve. Was there any chance of rescue for her? She hoped so, because she did not wish to be a prisoner of anyone.

Cuilánie tried to speak through the duct tape, with little success. It all sounded like a mumble to her ears. She just glared at the man beside her.

((Cool. But why do u guys hate each other?))

((Cool. But why do u guys hate each other?))

((OOC: It's a long story involving my Emperor going a little crazy and threatening to invade Eldanor and enslave the populace if some outrageous demands weren't met.))

bump

Bumpity

The sedan sped through the streets, the neon glow gradually fading away as they approached the entrance to the dockyards. Cuilánie’s mumbling reached the ears of her captors.

“Boris, shit the bitch up.”

Boris snarled at the princess.

“What are you lookin’ at?”

His hand cut through the darkness of the car, the back colliding with the side of her face to produce a loud crack. The sedan came to the entrance to the dockyards. A wooden gate blocked the sedan’s path. A guard approached the driver’s window.

“Good evening. What business do you gentlemen have here at this time of night?”

Andreus produced several documents and handed them to the man.

“We’re here to do some last minute inspections on the freighter Anja before she sets sail tomorrow morning.”

The guard glanced through the documents and handed them back to Andreus.

“Alright. You’re clear to go.”

He walked back to the gatehouse and the barrier lifted up, allowing the sedan to enter the docks. They cruised through the darkness, turning out of sight of the guard at the gate behind a series of warehouses. They halted before the last in the long line.

“We’re here. Come on, get her out.”

Andreus opened the door and got out of the car. Boris opened his door, and forced the princess out with him. He then lifted her up over his shoulder, ignoring her mild struggles, and followed Andreus. The men walked towards a small side door. Andreus produced a key, opened the door, and they entered.

Inside, the men found themselves in a small office-like area with several doors leading off to other sections of the warehouse separate from the main storage floor. Fluorescent lights provided a degree of illumination sharply contrasting that outside and the neon glow from the strip. Boris walked towards another door, opened it, and entered a small room, dark save a flickering, naked lightbulb that hung from the ceiling.

There sat a lone chair beneath the bulb, and Boris proceeded to remove the princess from his shoulder, and shove her into the chair. He then produced the rope he had taken from the car, and bound her firmly to the chair.

“Now don’t you move.”

In the other room, Andreus moved towards a wooden desk and old armchair. He sat down in the chair and produced a cell phone. He dialed a number and waited.

“ ‘ello? Colonel, it’s Andreus. We’ve got her at the location you specified, and are awaiting orders.”

“Excellent, my boy. Slash and Jonathan should be there already. Cassius is on his way. When he gets there, make the call, but not before. Let them sweat a little.”

“Yes, sir.”

The click on the other end, and the line went dead. Another door opened and two men entered. One wore a shoddy brown overcoat, the other a sleek black leather raincoat. The first man, Mikhail ‘Slash’ Slobodov sported a long scar from the top of his cheek bone to his lower jaw. His hair was jet black, long, and unruly. The other man was shorter and of slighter build. He sported a slight beard and carried a twelve gauge shotgun.

“Andreus, where the hell you been?”

“Waitin’ for the little bitch to show her face.”

Andreus stood and walked over to Jonathan. The men shook hands heartily.

“Good to see you again, old boy. Been awhile since we worked together.”

“Too long, too long. Is she here?”

“Yeah, Boris’s got her in the back room.”

The two men walked towards the door, and entered. They slowly approached the princess, Slash’s face contorted into a maniacal expression of glee. Jonathan paced around the chair, surveying the girl.

“She’s quite a looker.”

He walked around to the front of her chair and brought his face right up to hers.

“My, aren’t we going to have fun with you.

Andreus called from the other room.

“Hands off, Johnny boy. She’s not to be touched ‘til we get word from the colonel.”

Jonathan stood up, a grin still painted on his face. A half hour later, there was the sound of an engine outside. The door opened and a fifth man entered. He too wore a ragged overcoat and sported a scraggly beard.

“Nice of you to show up.”

Cassius spoke slightly out of breath.

“You got the package?”

“She’s right in there.”

“Good. You know what to do.”

Andreus took a second cellular phone from his coat pocket and dialed a number, a direct line to the office of Eldanor’s leader.

“Good day, milady. I thought you would be interested to know that we have your cousin.”

The princess tried to struggle after you had been tied up, but it was utterly useless. She started to shake with fear, tears forming in the corner of her eyes. She knew she should’ve listened to her cousin; her advice had never failed her. If she hadn’t been so stupid, going out to such a shady neighborhood, she wouldn’t be in this mess.

On the other side of the city, the Empress Laurelin Almaresáre had been working all night, and was almost ready to retire to bed when her phone rang. Sighing, she reached over the pile of papers to pick it up.

“Good day, milady. I thought you would be interested to know that we have your cousin.”

As soon as she heard that, the phone slipped out of her hand. Her palms got sweaty, and her stomach twisted into knots. Shaking, the Empress picked the phone up, and trying to steady her voice, she demanded, “Who is this? Is this some sort of joke?”

The princess tried to struggle after you had been tied up, but it was utterly useless. She started to shake with fear, tears forming in the corner of her eyes. She knew she should’ve listened to her cousin; her advice had never failed her. If she hadn’t been so stupid, going out to such a shady neighborhood, she wouldn’t be in this mess.

On the other side of the city, the Empress Laurelin Almaresáre had been working all night, and was almost ready to retire to bed when her phone rang. Sighing, she reached over the pile of papers to pick it up.

“Good day, milady. I thought you would be interested to know that we have your cousin.”

As soon as she heard that, the phone slipped out of her hand. Her palms got sweaty, and her stomach twisted into knots. Shaking, the Empress picked the phone up, and trying to steady her voice, she demanded, “Who is this? Is this some sort of joke?”

"Of course not. I'm not a man to jest at such a serious matter. My name is Andreus. That is all you need to know. That and the fact that your cousin is indeed in my possession. Rest assured that she will come to no harm as long as you do exactly what I say. Do you understand?"

Shaking much harder now, the Empress sunk into her chair. Her voice had an edge of anger, but you could tell there was much anxiety there. Laurelin was worried about her cousin. Her voice trembling she reluctantly said, “Yes, I understand. I’ll do what you want, as long as no one hurts her. May I speak with her?”

Shaking much harder now, the Empress sunk into her chair. Her voice had an edge of anger, but you could tell there was much anxiety there. Laurelin was worried about her cousin. Her voice trembling she reluctantly said, “Yes, I understand. I’ll do what you want, as long as no one hurts her. May I speak with her?”

"That would ruin the suspense, now wouldn't it? You will be permitted to speak with her once you have odne what I ask. First, I am afraid I will have to test your commitment to me, and therefore your cousin. Listen carefully, for I have something very specific I want you to do.

There are twenty-seven men being held in your nation's prison system for the crime of trafficking slaves through your ports. I want you to release them. I am sorry to say our conversation must end here. I will have my ear to the ground. When I see that you have done as I asked, I will contact you.

Do not try to trace this call, as it would be a waste of your time. You would not succeed and it would only serve to anger me. Above all things, do not make me angry, for when I get angry, I get the urge to do things to people, your cousin in this case. Things she would find most unpleasant. Goodnight, milady, and remember what I have told you."

Andreus hung up the phone.

OOC: Fantastic. And I just realized I dont think Eldanor and I have met. I'm one of GE's biggest allies.

As soon as the man had hung up, the Empress slumped into her chair and began to rub her temples. She was worried for the safety of her cousin; she loved Cuilánie very much, and she wouldn’t be able to live with herself if her cousin got hurt because of her. Regardless, those men in the prison system had committed a horrid crime, and she was torn between her cousin’s welfare and her duty to her country. But she had to do it.

She picked up the phone and called the director of the facility where the men where being held. “Mablung, it’s Laurelin.”

A sleepy voice answered her, “What are you up to at this hour of the night?”

“I need you to do something. Release those twenty-seven men, the ones who were trafficking slaves.”

“Empress, I’m not supposed to do that.”

“It’s not a matter of what you’re supposed to do, it’s what I’m telling you to do.”

“All right,” Mablung said, sighing.

“And one more thing, don’t tell anyone.”

“You have my word,” he said, hanging up.

OOC:Hey GE, can we just say one of the guys that's with your guys is a Doomingslandian merc? I want in on this.

IC:

A mercenary hired by the Generians, a former Reaper(Doomingsland's equivelent of Delta Force, these guys have worked with the Generians on numerous occasons) operative, Marcus Decimus, sat by the hostage, sharpening his knife, and cleaning his XM8 compact carbine. He had an evil look about him, his grey eyes and bulging muscles coupled with his completely shaven head making him look fairly sinister, especialy in his black fatigues and SPEAR gear.

"So, when 'r we gettin' out of this sh*t hole?" he asked one of the Generian soldiers, lighting a cigarete.

OOC:Hey GE, can we just say one of the guys that's with your guys is a Doomingslandian merc? I want in on this.

IC:

A mercenary hired by the Generians, a former Reaper(Doomingsland's equivelent of Delta Force, these guys have worked with the Generians on numerous occasons) operative, Marcus Decimus, sat by the hostage, sharpening his knife, and cleaning his XM8 compact carbine. He had an evil look about him, his grey eyes and bulging muscles coupled with his completely shaven head making him look fairly sinister, especialy in his black fatigues and SPEAR gear.

"So, when 'r we gettin' out of this sh*t hole?" he asked one of the Generian soldiers, lighting a cigarete.

Boris glanced at the man as he raised a cigarette to his lips.

"Soon as the Colonel gets what he wants."

In the other room Jonathan spoke with Andreus.

"It's done. our boys are now on their way to catch a first class flight to Madrid. We'll get 'em back home from there."

"Good. Now we know the bitch'll cooperate."

Andreus picked up the cell phone again and dialed the same number from before.

"You did well. Now I have one more menial task for you to perform before we get on to the real thing. Ready?"

bump

The Empress, having anxiously been waiting for another call from the kidnappers, jumped for the phone the instant it rang. Trying to calm herself and not sound like a complete coward, Laurelin asked, “Yes, what is it?”

Inside the warehouse, the princess was both scared and angry. Of course she wanted to be rescued, who wouldn’t in such a situation? Yet she was afraid this would cost her cousin and her country greatly. She knew her cousin would go to any lengths to get her back; her devotion was unwavering. But she did not want Laurelin to take any extreme measures. She cursed herself for her stupidity and her carelessness.

"As cliched as it is, our next demand is monetary. This is a simple task. All you have to do is transfer rwenty million American dollars to a certain offshore account. Account number 13-27-41-12 Grenada Offshore Incorporated. Once I see that the transfer is complete, I will contact you again, and we may move onto more serious matters. Such as what you need to do to get your cousin back."

Andreus hung up.

Laurelin sighed. Money did not matter as much to her as it did releasing felons, even though it truly was a great deal of money. She hung her head for a moment, and sighed once more. The Empress knew better then to take money out of the treasury; a sum that big would hardly go unnoticed. She was sincerely glad now that she had started saving money years before for something or the other, but now it didn’t matter much. The elf picked up the phone again, dialing the number for the person who took care of her personal finances. She tapped her foot impatiently as it rung. Finally a voice picked up.

“Laurelin, haven’t heard from you in what, two, three hours?”

“I’m in no mood, Ormal. I need you to make a transaction, and do it quickly. It’s a matter of importance.”

“How much, and to whom?”

“20 million USD –”

Ormal whistled. “That’s a lot, are you sure? I hope this is as important as you say.”

“I’m afraid it is. Have the transaction made to 13-27-41-12 Grenada Offshore Incorporated.”

“You’re positive about this?”

“Yes, just do it.”

bump

Bump

Andreus dialed that familiar number once again.

"You have done well. Now we may move on to the real meat of our discussions. My next instructions are simple. There is a certain large park on the east side of Quendetur City. There will be a man waiting for you there. He will approach you, and give you your next instructions. You are to go alone. If you bring any soldiers, guards, or police, the meeting will be called off, and your cousin will die. Are we clear?"

The Empress paled. Valar, it was risky. Absolutely anything could happen. What if the unthinkable happened? It was late at night, and there would be no one to see if anything was to happen. She swallowed. She had to do it.

“Yes, I understand. But I want to speak to my cousin first.”

"Fine."

Andreus walked to the back room, where the princess sat bound to the chair. He pointed to the duct tape.

"Rip it off."

Boris tore the tape away harshly, and the princess gasped for air. Andreus held the phone close to his chest and spoke to the princess.

"If you say anything I don't want you to, I will personally put a bullet in that pretty face of yours, but not before I let the boys have their way with you. Understand?"

He put the phone back to his ear.

"You have fifteen seconds."

He held the phone to the princess's ear. The volume was quite loud, enough so that what was said on the other end would be heard by Andreus.

OOC: I know I should have gotten involved earlier, but I just want to have my country follow along and maybe if allowed play a larger part.

IC: President Holtz drank the last sip of his coffee and then put down the mug. He was tired from the SEATO party, although it was fun, was exhausting. He began reading the Holy Paradise City Times when suddenly want of his aides bursted in. President Holtz ripped his paper in half due to surprise. "Sir! I have news for you." the aide panted.

"Dangit, Jim, this had better be important. You made me rip my paper in half." President Holtz replied.

"It sure is, Mr. President. The princess of Eldanor has been kidnapped." the aide answered. President Holtz put down his two ripped pieces of paper and sighed. "Yes, that is indeed a terrible thing. And my heart does go out to the Eldanorian Royal Family. But I don't think we have any alliances or connections with Eldanor. Why did you tell me this then?" President Holtz asked.

"The important thing about it is, sir, that the group we have connections with are the kidnappers. Intelligence believes that....well..." the aide replied. He then went up to President Holtz's ear and whispered a few words. As the aide stepped back, President Holtz's expression changed to surprise. "Are you serious?" he asked.

"Yes, Mr. President." the aide answered. President Holtz put his head down on his desk. "Could it be?" He thought. "Could the kidnappers be from Generic Empire?" President Holtz shook off the thought. "Sure, they could be from Generic Empire, but they wouldn't be working for Generic Empire's government. Still I'd better call the Emperor. I have some questions for him." he concluded.

"Jim, you may leave now. I have a phone call to make." the President ordered. As Jim left, President Holtz picked up the phone and dialed the number of the Emperor of Generic Empire. He put the phone to his ear and waited.

OOC: I know I should have gotten involved earlier, but I just want to have my country follow along and maybe if allowed play a larger part.

IC: President Holtz drank the last sip of his coffee and then put down the mug. He was tired from the SEATO party, although it was fun, was exhausting. He began reading the Holy Paradise City Times when suddenly want of his aides bursted in. President Holtz ripped his paper in half due to surprise. "Sir! I have news for you." the aide panted.

"Dangit, Jim, this had better be important. You made me rip my paper in half." President Holtz replied.

"It sure is, Mr. President. The princess of Eldanor has been kidnapped." the aide answered. President Holtz put down his two ripped pieces of paper and sighed. "Yes, that is indeed a terrible thing. And my heart does go out to the Eldanorian Royal Family. But I don't think we have any alliances or connections with Eldanor. Why did you tell me this then?" President Holtz asked.

"The important thing about it is, sir, that the group we have connections with are the kidnappers. Intelligence believes that....well..." the aide replied. He then went up to President Holtz's ear and whispered a few words. As the aide stepped back, President Holtz's expression changed to surprise. "Are you serious?" he asked.

"Yes, Mr. President." the aide answered. President Holtz put his head down on his desk. "Could it be?" He thought. "Could the kidnappers be from Generic Empire?" President Holtz shook off the thought. "Sure, they could be from Generic Empire, but they wouldn't be working for Generic Empire's government. Still I'd better call the Emperor. I have some questions for him." he concluded.

"Jim, you may leave now. I have a phone call to make." the President ordered. As Jim left, President Holtz picked up the phone and dialed the number of the Emperor of Generic Empire. He put the phone to his ear and waited.

((OOC: I doubt that the kidnapping would have been made public, since it only happened about an hour ago. Also, it would be more or less impossible to tell that the kidnappers were Generian, as you shall soon see. Although this isn't the exact reason you would't know, which I don't want to reveal for fear of giving away interesting twists and details, the group that these men are members of, the Black Guard, and GIIS in general is probably the most security conscious intelligence service and black ops division in the world, save maybe DA's units. Your government would know that they exist, but little other than that.

Normally i wouldn't mind, cuz I know it's annoying to nitpick, but for my intel services and special units I like to make sure people know what's going on without presuming, as they are very important parts of my national identity.

Just hold off for a bit. It'll end up getting made public soon enough, and then we can have ourselves a nice little intelligence war.))

((OOC: I doubt that the kidnapping would have been made public, since it only happened about an hour ago. Also, it would be more or less impossible to tell that the kidnappers were Generian, as you shall soon see. Although this isn't the exact reason you would't know, which I don't want to reveal for fear of giving away interesting twists and details, the group that these men are members of, the Black Guard, and GIIS in general is probably the most security conscious intelligence service and black ops division in the world, save maybe DA's units. Your government would know that they exist, but little other than that.

Normally i wouldn't mind, cuz I know it's annoying to nitpick, but for my intel services and special units I like to make sure people know what's going on without presuming, as they are very important parts of my national identity.

Just hold off for a bit. It'll end up getting made public soon enough, and then we can have ourselves a nice little intelligence war.))
Well, my intelligence is a top secret department, and no info will be made public. But, i'll just back out off this one.

The princess resisted the urge to spit in the man’s face and have him put a bullet in her anyway, but she didn’t.

“Cuilánie, are you well?” came the Empress’s very fearful voice.

“As well as I can be. Laurelin, don’t go through with this. I’d rather die then have you put yourself in danger.”

“Cousin–”

“Don’t take the risk. Whatever happens, I’ll always love you.”

“I love you, too.”

The princess resisted the urge to spit in the man’s face and have him put a bullet in her anyway, but she didn’t.

“Cuilánie, are you well?” came the Empress’s very fearful voice.

“As well as I can be. Laurelin, don’t go through with this. I’d rather die then have you put yourself in danger.”

“Cousin–”

“Don’t take the risk. Whatever happens, I’ll always love you.”

“I love you, too.”

"Time's up."

Andreus pulled the phone from the princess's ear, and brought it to his own.

"You have twenty minutes to be at our rendez-vous point."

Andreus hung up.

"Boris! Get moving."

"What about the girl?"

"Don't worry about the girl."

Boris left the room where the princess was being held and walked out the front door of the warehouse. He got into another sedan parked in a garage nearby, and drove off.

Andreus pulled a pack of cigarettes from his jacket pocket, brought a silver lighter to the end, and flicked it. He inhaled deeply, and put the pack and lighter back in his pocket.

"John, watch the girl I'm going out for some air."

"My pleasure."

Andreus walked out into the cold night air. Jonathan turned around and ewalked into the dimly lit room. A sadistic grin was painted on his face.

"Well, darling. alone at last, eh?"

He chuckled, and walked slowly towards the girl. The duct tape had been replaced across her lips. He brought his face close to hers, and grabbed her chin. He moved her head side to side, inspecting her features.

"Now, let's get right to it."

Laurelin was pacing. Her mind was whirling. She was torn between what could happen to her and what could happen to her cousin. Cuilánie was in danger, could she really be so selfish as to put herself first? In the matter of politics, she was more important then her cousin, but in her heart it was not so.

She took a quick look at her watch. She had less then fifteen minutes to get to the park. Quickly grabbing her cloak and wrapping it around her, she exited her office and went into the one right next door. Learning in, she said, “Alasse, I’m going to the park.”

The High Lady nodded and told her, “Don’t stay out too late. And get some sleep after that. You look like a ghost.”

Laurelin shrugged as casually as she could, and continued on her way, leaving the safety of the palace behind. She often went to the park late at night after working; it was her way of clearing her muddled thoughts. It was never completely deserted, as other elves were about, however few.

The Empress took a right turn into the park. It was a large place with tall trees that loomed overhead, and moonlight shone through the branches and lit the path on this dark night. Pulling her cloak closer around her, she entered an area by a large pond, and took a seat on one of the benches.

Cuilánie snarled under the tape, angry to be treated in such a manner. She did not like this man nor the way he looked at her, inspected her. The princess mentally cursed herself once more for landing herself and her cousin in this mess.

Marcus stepped from out of a dark corner, and pressed his 1911 to the back of Jonathan's head.

"I don't remembering the boss giving you permission to fuck her." he said in a cold, emotionless tone.

Andreus burst into the room.

"What the fuck is going on in here!?"

He spotted Jonathan, eyes wide, still nearly on top of the princess, Marcus's gun aimed at the back of his head.

He grabbed Jonathan by the shoulders and spun him around. He grabbed the collar of his jacket and pulled Jonathan's face closer to his. Andreus snarled from behind clenched teeth.

"I told you to leave the bitch alone. Next fuckin' time I catch you disobeying a direct order, I'm going to put bullets in your face, but there isn't going to be a next time, is there?"

"N-no, sir."

"Good. Get the fuck out of here. Go watch the front of the place."

He released Jonathan, who practically ran out of the room. He turned to Marcus and nodded his approval.

"You watch her from now on. Don't try any shit with her though, or I'll put holes in you just as soon as I would that prick."

"Don't worry," he muttered to the Generian, sitting down next to the princess, holstering his 1911.

The princess sighed in relief, and tried to calm her shaky nerves. These men scared her very much, and in more ways than one. She wished someone would just shoot her now and end her misery, even though she told herself she shouldn't think like that.

At the park, the Empress checked her watch again. It was nearly time for the man to show up. She was shivering; both from her anxiousness and the cold. She kept her ears and eyes alert, scanning the place for whoever she was supposed to meet.

Andreus burst into the room.

"What the fuck is going on in here!?"

He spotted Jonathan, eyes wide, still nearly on top of the princess, Marcus's gun aimed at the back of his head.

He grabbed Jonathan by the shoulders and spun him around. He grabbed the collar of his jacket and pulled Jonathan's face closer to his. Andreus snarled from behind clenched teeth.

"I told you to leave the bitch alone. Next fuckin' time I catch you disobeying a direct order, I'm going to put bullets in your face, but there isn't going to be a next time, is there?"

"N-no, sir."

"Good. Get the fuck out of here. Go watch the front of the place."

He released Jonathan, who practically ran out of the room. He turned to Marcus and nodded his approval.

"You watch her from now on. Don't try any shit with her though, or I'll put holes in you just as soon as I would that prick."

Generic empire, how dare you sar, you have swiped the name of my prized character! *looks around room and see's everyonee is looking*
Um, er, hehe
Guess I er, should'nt clutter up the thread eh?

Generic empire, how dare you sar, you have swiped the name of my prized character! *looks around room and see's everyonee is looking*
Um, er, hehe
Guess I er, should'nt clutter up the thread eh?

((OOC: Hmm. I suppose you did use that name. Oh well. I didn't remember when I used it. Sorry.))

OOC: THIS IS KILING ME! I wanna get in. GE, maybe since you hired a Doom guy you hired one of mine. Maybe Jetter, hes like Viper. PLEASE< PLEASE< PLEASE! I will RP why he hasnt really been doing anything, bnut was still there.

*Grovels and begs*

"Please?"

Bump

Another bump

Jetter pulled up into anj adjoining building and got out of his black sedan. He opened the door and it smashed into a tall portable fan, white paint was on the door.

"SHIT!"

Jetter licked the bottom of his shirt and rubbed at the paint till it started to go away. When he was satisified he breatehd on it and wiped it off.

Then he went into the room with Andreus and walked up to him.

"I got it."

Jetter thrusted a brown paper bag with a yellow plastic bag linign in to the mans hands.

"All of it, I think I know why. And may I say, I would liek to help."

Jetter then walked past him and into the room with the princess. He had been goen since before she got there trying to get the supplies, they were hard to locate.

"My, my, my. You are pretty now. And you will earn us a pretty penny."

Jetter put his hand on the girls chin and shifted her head to the right, then left.

"A beautiful girl, and when the public finds your gone..well we will be able to get even more."

Jetter leaned off his knees and stood up. He noticed the grimacing Doomingsland merc in the corner and walked over to him.

"I can tell by the way you hold your weapon your from Doomingsland. I dont believe we've met before."

Jetter stuck out his hand and secretly put his other on his gun, you never know what a Doomingsland person was capable of or going to do.

"Pleasure to meet you. Im jetter."

It was nearly pitch black. The trees blocked the moonlight from illuminating the ashroud where Boris waited. He watched the tall woman step into a patch of light, and halt. She was shivering, out of cold or fear, he could not tell. He dropped a cigarette butt on the ground and crushed it under his heel, before stepping out of the darkness to speak to the woman.

"You have come. Excellent. So you are not as foolish as we suspected. Now we shall talk business. there is a man of your nation, a scientist. We will not mention names, as we are both mutually aware of whom I speak. You see, this man worked on several projects that certain people would have an acute interest in, particularly one most recently involving the development of a certain strain of virus that proved most lethal in testing. Knowing the nature of your nation's government, it is no wonder that this man was arrested, and now awaits his fate in prison.

You see, milady, we are truly sympathetic people, and it pains us to see such a brilliant mind rotting away in a cage, and so we have taken it upon ourselves to pursuade you to release him, and deliver him into our custody, so that he may continue his research in a more friendly environment. Here are your instructions. You are to release the man from prison, and have him delivered to this location."

Boris handed the Empress an adress scrawled on a scrap of paper. It was the location of a small bar in the downtown area.

"You are to accompany him in a car personally, with one bodyguard in addition to the driver. Park the vehicle across from this address, and await conact for further instructions.

You know what you already have to lose. If you fail, your cousin dies, but we have decided to make our little game a bit more interesting. Know that if you decide against performing our simple task, there are three bombs placed in various locations throughout the city that will be detonated. The stakes have just been raised. Choose wisely."

With that he faded off into the shadows.

Ooc- Good stuff... I wonder if I can get in, if this is not good, just tell me and I'll delete it.


Ic- The kidnappers phone suddenly rang, "Pick up... Pick up..." the DIS operative was muttering under his breath, "Hello... We have an offer for you... It's about the princess, we want her... We're willing to pay top dollar, two billion dollars... We want her unharmed and alive, and delivered to a specific location for the transfer of the money to you and her to us... The money will be unmarked bills... Do you accept?"

The Empress stared out into the shadows for the longest time, seeming in a trance. Bombs? She started shaking once more, out of pure terror this time. She was risking so many lives either way. She could release a madman into the world, or she could risk the lives of her friends, her people, and her cousin. It was indeed a choice that would have to be made with the absolute most care.

Laurelin started walking back to the palace. It was not a long walk, but it gave her time to think, to weigh the choices she had before her. If she chose to not release this man, the city would be completely blown up, along with herself and her cousin. The country would be thrown into chaos and what would that lead to – warfare?

On the other hand, that man was dangerous. He had been a brilliant mind indeed, and for a long time she had admired him, and she had sponsored several of his projects. But then he turned his attention to trying to build things that scared her. So she had arrested him, and he was awaiting his fate by trial.

In the wrong hands, some of the things he had developed would be dangerous. But did she have any other choice? She knew she did not.

Laurelin had come to the palace and walked inside, nodding to one of the guards standing at the door. She climbed the stairs to the hallway where her office was, and peeked in the one right before hers. The High Lady was still working, and did not look up when Laurelin entered, but spoke. “Yes?”

“Alasse, there are a few things you need to know. So give me quiet for a minute and I shall tell you,” the Empress said, sitting down in a chair beside the desk, and began to relay the whole story to the other elf. By the time she was finished, the High Lady had gone fairly pale, but she stood up.

“We don’t have any other choice,” she sighed. “We’ll just have to hope…well, hope is all we can do. Who will be your bodyguard?”

“I’ll have Arthad accompany us, he is loyal, he’ll understand, and he won’t ask questions.”

“Us?”

“Of course, Alasse, you can drive.”

Sometime later, Arthad, the Empress’s bodyguard, Alasse, Laurelin, and the scientist, Ragnor, were sitting in a small black car parked across the street from the bar. Laurelin and Alasse were in the front seat, both fidgeting somewhat nervously, with the scientist (who was handcuffed) and the bodyguard seated in the back. It hadn’t taken much to get him out, just a few phone calls to the people who could pull the strings and understood the Empress had a reason for what she was doing, no questions asked.

“They better show up soon. I don’t want to sit around here for that long, because it would look great if someone saw the Empress with a bodyguard, a madman, and the High Lady parked across from one of these nightclubs,” Alasse muttered.

Ooc- Good stuff... I wonder if I can get in, if this is not good, just tell me and I'll delete it.


Ic- The kidnappers phone suddenly rang, "Pick up... Pick up..." the DIS operative was muttering under his breath, "Hello... We have an offer for you... It's about the princess, we want her... We're willing to pay top dollar, two billion dollars... We want her unharmed and alive, and delivered to a specific location for the transfer of the money to you and her to us... The money will be unmarked bills... Do you accept?"

"Very generous offer, however I think our emp[loyer is going for something else. But I would like to know something, How did you get this number adn how do you know the princess has been kidnapped?"

"Very generous offer, however I think our emp[loyer is going for something else. But I would like to know something, How did you get this number adn how do you know the princess has been kidnapped?"



"We know everything important that goes on in the world... I can say that this offer is for real, you can see the money if you'd like... Make it ten billion... And we'll arrange for an elite special forces team to bust your men out of jail anyway..."

"We know everything important that goes on in the world... I can say that this offer is for real, you can see the money if you'd like... Make it ten billion... And we'll arrange for an elite special forces team to bust your men out of jail anyway..."

"That's very generous, if it were up to me I would take it. Unfortunately it isn't. As of yet our employer has not shown up, when he does I will tell him your offer and tell him to call you. If that's all then I will hang up."

"That's very generous, if it were up to me I would take it. Unfortunately it isn't. As of yet our employer has not shown up, when he does I will tell him your offer and tell him to call you. If that's all then I will hang up."



"Yes, that is about all for now... How long until he shows up, and what are the chances he'll accept?"

"No idea, Andreus might know. Hold on a second."

"Andreus!"

Jetter ran to Andreus and thrusted the phone into his hands.\

"Decisive Action is trying to buy her. 10 billion. I told him I couldn't make that decision. He wants to know when the colonel will coem and what the chances are he will accept."

Marcus looked on in amusment as the men talked over the phone.

Ten billion? No one's worth that much. Well, not unless they plan to get more in return.

Now that was something to think about.

The phone of the kidnapper suddenly rang again, "Hello... Is he there yet? Our employer is getting impatient..."

OOC: I didn't hang up yet. Im handing the phone to Andreus and he will answer.

((OOC: Sorry, I've been out all day, and i'm going to be busy for the rest of the night. I need to make a really involved post next to explain where this is going, so everyone just sit back until tomorrow afternoon, when I can write it.))

OOC: Fine with me.

bump

bump



Ooc- Are you going to have somebody answer the phone?

Ooc- Are you going to have somebody answer the phone?

OOC: I never hung up. I asked you to hold on and handed the phone to Andreus. Just wait until GE replies.

OOC: I never hung up. I asked you to hold on and handed the phone to Andreus. Just wait until GE replies.


Ooc- So in the meanwhile, we all sit around like saps because he isn't here? Can't some other character handle the phone call?

ooc: No, I wasn't even supposed to answer it. I was IMing him and he said his character has the only cell, so I kind of god-moded, but ok. So just wait. ANd its his thread somehwat, his guys are doing it and he knows what they wanna do.

((OOC: Just ignore the fact that BE answered the phone in the first place. There are no land lines going out of the warehouse, only cell phones.))

"I am afraid that you mistake our objectives, friend. Money is of no interest to us. However, perhaps we will cut a deal with you once the merchandise has served her purpose. Until then, do not expect any further communication between us. We will contact you when the time is right."

Andreus hung up, promptly threw the cell phone to the floor, grabbed an iron pipe from the desk to his left, and smashed the phone to bits. He grinned as he drew a second phone from his pocket. He dialed a familiar number and waited for a response.

"Yes?"

"We're in business."

"Perfect. Get moving before they change their minds."

"They won't."

Andreus put the phone back into his coat as Boris stepped into the warehouse.

"Boris! Get Jonathan and Ivan. Let's go collect what we came for."

The men stepped out of the building and walked towards an unmarked black sedan parked to the side of the building. The car sped out of the compound into the night.

The car moved slowly down the street. Despite the hour, the crowds were still out in force, and the street was clogged with foot and motor traffic. Andreus pointed to a parked car from the passenger seat.

"There. That's them."

Andreus opened the door as the vehicle crept down the congested street.

"Keep moving. You two come with me."

Andreus stepped out into the street, checking his weapon under his coat. The three moved down the sidewalk towards the parked car. One man approached the rear of the vehicle and waited, a shotgun clutched beneath his trench coat. One man took position on the street side passenger door, and Andreus moved to the other. The window rolled down slowly.

"Where is he?"

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

"General, I think we may have a situation."

General Isaac Martov rubbed his eyes with one hand, and sat up in his bed.

"What? Who is this?"

"General, it's Major Dmitri Rubellai sir."

"What the hell do you want? Why are you calling me at this hour?"

"Sir, I apologize for waking you, but we have something down here we think you might want to see."

"Fine, fine. I'll be there in twenty minutes."

"Very good, sir."

The General grumbled as he hung up the phone and got out of bed. He walked to the chair over which his recently discarded uiniform lay. He pulled on his pants and walked to the bathroom. He rubbed the dry stubble on his face as he examined his figure in the mirror. The black circles ran deep under his eyes.

He walked back out into the bedroom and finished dressing. His wife rolled over, undisturbed by his activity at 2 in the morning. The General opened the door and stepped out into the hall, made his way downstairs, and finally out to the driveway where a dust covered SUV waited.

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

"Now Major, explain to me what the hell i'm doing down here at 2AM?"

General Martov stood in the main room of the GIIS Headquarters building. The General was in fact the director of GIIS operations throughout the Empire and beyond. For every operation that went on, he was the man pulling the strings. Except for one.

"Well sir, about a half hour ago, we began recieving some bizarre transmissions on a GIIS encrypted secure channel."

"And?"

"It would seem, sir, from what we heard, that we were picking up a phone call, cellular sir."

"What's your point, major? Alot of our people use GIIS secure channels to make sensitive calls."

"Not so much that, General, as what it related to. The call seemed to be talking about an operation, a strange operation. One of ours."

The General's expression was rapidly turning sour.

"Get to the point, major."

"It was a kidnapping. In Eldanor."

The General's eyes widened.

"The princess Cuilerie, a cousin to the Empress was abducted an hour ago. We found out from our taps on their secure lines. You see, our surveillance operations have been very successful."

"Damnit, I know about the operations in Eldanor. I authorized them!"

"After the abduction, they entered into negotiations with the kidnappers. The perpetrators demanded the usual, freeing prisoners, cash; it seemed like a pretty standard extortion. Then it changed. Forty minutes ago they freed a man, a scientist being held for experimenting with some things that the empress found troubling. Biological warfare, chemical bombs, you name it. The guy was a certified maniac.

Our boys had been working like hell to find out who these guys were, and why the hell they wanted this guy. Naturally, we were checking foreign agents, terrorists, the usual suspects. Then we picked up our phone call. We hadn't been watching our own lines, why would we? But there it was.

General, it was a Black Guard operation."

"Good God. Good God almighty."

The General's eyes narrowed.

"Then we've got ourselves a rogue. Do you have any names?"

"Just one: Andreus."

"Damn. Alright Major, I want you to get everyone we have on this. Check databases, known operation centers, C lists, the whole shabang. You have a greenlight to access any secure information you need. Just find out who this guy Andreus is, and where the hell he's operating from. We don't have alot of time. This has to be shut down before we have ourselves an international incident."

"Yes sir."

The Empress saw the man coming from the sidewalk, and pointed it out to Alasse, who rolled down her window so they could speak.

"Where is he?" one of them asked, the one on the driver’s side.

“He’s in the back seat,” she answered, inclining her head towards the back of the car.

Jetter sat in the rom with the princess. Tohis right was the Doomingsand mercenary. he was half asleep.

"So, how much would your family pay for you?"

((G2G: sry))

OOC: Okay, I've been busy with holidays and such, I say we get this back on track.

Bump

Jetter sat in the rom with the princess. Tohis right was the Doomingsand mercenary. he was half asleep.

"So, how much would your family pay for you?"

((G2G: sry))

((OOC: Here.))

The princess snorted. "You think I'm going to tell you? No, I don't think I will."

The mercenary, who only pretended to be asleep, watched with some amusment as the Borman attempted to strike up conversation.

Ooc- Here, what is going on now? Who is talking to my guys on the phone?

Ooc- Here, what is going on now? Who is talking to my guys on the phone?

((OOC: Andreus, the commander of the operation, answered the phone.))

The man's second phone rang, it was a different voice than the one before, "Hello sir... You didn't extend my friends too much courtesy... I hope you know who this is, yes?"


He didn't have any clue who the man was, he paused for a seconds.


"Well, I'll tell you... I work for the Special Republican Guard Intelligence Operations, SRGIO... Do you know what that means, who I work for? Who I represent... We are most interested in getting the princess safely to Mississippi so she can meet a friend of our Czar's, he is most interested in meeting her for the possibility of marriage and improvement of relations between Eldanor and Mississippi... So if you would like to accept the man's money, I suggest you do so. He may also be able to get your people out of the jails, yes we know you objectives. We have eyes and ears everywhere..."


The man paused and waited for the reply...

((OOC: You wouldn't know the second number. You probably wouldn't know the first one either. In any case, you wouldn't reach him.

Eldanor, I'll make my IC post when I find time tonight.))

((OOC: You wouldn't know the second number. You probably wouldn't know the first one either. In any case, you wouldn't reach him.

Eldanor, I'll make my IC post when I find time tonight.))


Ooc- The SRGIO knows all and sees all... Well not really, but they know LOTS and see LOTS... So it isn't outside the realm of possibility that the best funded, best equipped, best staffed, most experienced, and best trained intelligence service in my nation, the one tasked with guarding against any threat to the Czar or the regime, could find a simple phone number... SRGIO was given the job for a reason, not the CIC, not the RGIS, not the DIS... SRGIO, the elite of the elite, the best of the best.

Ooc- The SRGIO knows all and sees all... Well not really, but they know LOTS and see LOTS... So it isn't outside the realm of possibility that the best funded, best equipped, best staffed, most experienced, and best trained intelligence service in my nation, the one tasked with guarding against any threat to the Czar or the regime, could find a simple phone number... SRGIO was given the job for a reason, not the CIC, not the RGIS, not the DIS... SRGIO, the elite of the elite, the best of the best.

((OOC: Whatever. It seems cheap, but i'll give it to you.))

Andreus was by now in the back of the sedan. He was rather irritated as he picked up the phone.

"No dice, buddy."

Again he hung up, this time simply turning the phone off.

The princess snorted. "You think I'm going to tell you? No, I don't think I will."

"You stupid Whore."

With that Jetter backhanded her across the face.

"I asked you a question. Im a nice man...well no there was that time, and that time,a nd that village, and that old lady, then there was that nation, and that...anyway. When I ask a question you answer."

As Jetter sat back down on the table he began to become aware of the Doomingsland Merc. just to play it safe he secretly fingered his gun.

Marcus already had his finger on the trigger, and was concealing his .45 under his armpit, so he'd have the upperhand if the Borman tried something. He also had some other tricks up his sleeve...

"Like I said, it's no concern of yours. Besides, I have no idea."

Marcus already had his finger on the trigger, and was concealing his .45 under his armpit, so he'd have the upperhand if the Borman tried something. He also had some other tricks up his sleeve...

Suddenly Jetter drops his pants and pisses on Marcus. He runs around him screaming "Im for the Regressive party."

...I mean...

"Fine, whore."

Jetter stood up and walked out of the room. He quickly went to the side and looked through the bottom of the door at the room. He suspected the Doom merc to do something.

((OOC: Sorry, I know I said I was going to post something tonight, but I don't have time. I have part of it done, but I need to do the whole thing at once to get the full effect. I'll try to finish it up tomorrow evening.))

bump

She spat in his direction. "I am not a whore."

OOC: No problem, GE

Secret IC:


To: Eldanor

From: South Africa


This is William Fabus of South Africa, writing you on behalf of a one Franz Stahlecker, yes the Consul of New Orleans, not to be confused with his relative Fritz Stahlecker, the governor-general of Namibia... We know of your situation involving the kidnapping of the princess and your having to pay twenty million...

Franz will give you the twenty million so there is no shortfall in your national treasury and thus this incident can all be covered up if you wish. He also offers the services of some of MSAAS (Mississippian Special Air Assault Squads) operatives that owe him a favor, to help track the kidnappers down, rescue the princess, and neutralize the kidnappers.

He asks only that as a reward, he be allowed to court the princess.

If you accept, please send word immediately so we can get the operatives moving.

She spat in his direction. "I am not a whore."

OOC: No problem, GE

Jetter peered under the door and watched her spit.

He fingered his pistol as he thought to himself, "If I hadn't left that...mmm...I would teach her a lesson."

Suddenly Jetter drops his pants and pisses on Marcus. He runs around him screaming "Im for the Regressive party."

...I mean...

"Fine, whore."

Jetter stood up and walked out of the room. He quickly went to the side and looked through the bottom of the door at the room. He suspected the Doom merc to do something.
The Merc had quietly followed him, and silently lept up on a ledge above the door, as to drop down if he tried something else. He then motioned for the princess to be silent, and disappeared as he activated his ACTIVE camofluage...

The Princess saw how the man motioned to her, and kept her mouth shut tightly as he lept to the ledge above the door. She kept her eye on the door and the merc.

OOC: can i also be a merc??

OOC: I'm not sure, it's a bit late in the game.

The Merc had quietly followed him, and silently lept up on a ledge above the door, as to drop down if he tried something else. He then motioned for the princess to be silent, and disappeared as he activated his ACTIVE camofluage...

OOC: I was imagining more of a square room with a single door with a tinted glass pane near the top. Jetter walked out and acted as if to walk down the hall ot the right but crept back and looked under the door.

And this guy is one of my super-soldeirs who have SACS. But GE said no SACS so I think it means no comflauge (SACS have camo too)

Sorry to seem like a stinker.

OOC:The way I pictured it, it's a big wharehouse with a bunch of giant crates all over the place.

OOC: Well I guess we will end up arguing. You wanna just say this:

There is no camo.
My guy left and was not there to spy.
Now you have no one watching you and the the princess.

And if there were a bunch of boxes I don't think there would be a door. Face it, neither one of us is goign to convince the other.

Bump, waiting for GE to reply

Bump, waiting for GE to reply

((OOC: Sorry for not keeping up with this. I've been pretty sick for the past few days and haven't gotten around to writing anything too involved, on account of disorientation and such. Let me finish what I have partially written and I'll post it when I do.))

Secret IC:


To: Eldanor

From: South Africa


This is William Fabus of South Africa, writing you on behalf of a one Franz Stahlecker, yes the Consul of New Orleans, not to be confused with his relative Fritz Stahlecker, the governor-general of Namibia... We know of your situation involving the kidnapping of the princess and your having to pay twenty million...

Franz will give you the twenty million so there is no shortfall in your national treasury and thus this incident can all be covered up if you wish. He also offers the services of some of MSAAS (Mississippian Special Air Assault Squads) operatives that owe him a favor, to help track the kidnappers down, rescue the princess, and neutralize the kidnappers.

He asks only that as a reward, he be allowed to court the princess.

If you accept, please send word immediately so we can get the operatives moving.

SECRET IC:

Mr. Fabus, I'm not sure where you got your information from but you are very much mistaken, I'm afraid. My cousin, the princess, is quite safe, and we do not require your services because such an event has not occurred, and hopefully never will.

Empress of Eldanor
Laurelin Almaresáre

SECRET IC:

Mr. Fabus, I'm not sure where you got your information from but you are very much mistaken, I'm afraid. My cousin, the princess, is quite safe, and we do not require your services because such an event has not occurred, and hopefully never will.

Empress of Eldanor
Laurelin Almaresáre


Secret IC: Reply:


"Don't bullshit me, I'm not some two-bit dumbass private eye working the streets, I've got the SRGIO and RGIS working this, the DISFB too. We're damn sure that your cousin was kidnapped, hell one of our satellites has been taking thermal images of the building she's being held in. So don't you start telling me everything is fine, I don't buy that for a second, you got me? Now maybe you want to show me some respect and extend me some fucking courtesy, I'm trying to be nice and help you here, you understand?"

Sincerely, Roger Fabus, Czar of Mississippian Federation.



"Please excuse my husband's last letter, he was a bit under the weather (ooc- drunk) when he wrote that and he may have used some strong words. Please don't take offense, but really, do you need help, we know you do..."

Sincerely, Alice Fabus, Czarina of the Federated Commonwealth of Mississippi.

We excuse you GE.

OOC: No problem, GE, just saw that post now.

SECRET IC:

Don’t even get me started about respect. Anyway, here’s the revised answer: no.

Empress of Eldanor
Laurelin Almaresáre

bump

Bump

OOC: I guess GE will post tomorrow.

Bump

bump

Bump

Where is GE?

The Empress saw the man coming from the sidewalk, and pointed it out to Alasse, who rolled down her window so they could speak.

"Where is he?" one of them asked, the one on the driver’s side.

“He’s in the back seat,” she answered, inclining her head towards the back of the car.

"Tell him to step out into the street. And don't move, any of you."

((OOC: need this to happen to set up the ensuing events.))

The Empress nodded to her bodyguard, who removed the man’s handcuffs, opened the door, and shoved him out unto the sidewalk.

The Empress nodded to her bodyguard, who removed the man’s handcuffs, opened the door, and shoved him out unto the sidewalk.

Andreus nodded to one of his men who approached the scientist, and gestured for him to walk towards the parked car a few blocks away. Andreus turned back to the Empress.

"You have continued to follow my instructions well. For this you shall be rewarded. You shall recieve one last call from me, this time with instructions on where to find your cousin. Be patient, and everything shall soon be returned to normal. Follow us, and she will die. Painfully."

Andreus turned quickly and disappeared down the street. He climbed into the sedan with his men and the newly released scientist. The vehicle pulled out slowly, and sped off into the night.

"We've got him."

"Excellent. Prepare to move for extraction. You have done well Andreus."

"Thank you sir."

Andreus hung up.

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

Back at the warehouse, Boris placed his own cell phone into his coat pocket. He walked towards the back room that held the Princess.

"The transaction is complete. We're out of here. Pack the place up, and be ready to move in five. And keep your hands off the bitch."

“So we wait, then,” Laurelin said plainly.

Alasse nodded, but seemed temporarily shocked. “I can’t believe we just released that madman to some equally mad people.”

The Empress sighed. “It had to be done, Alasse,” she said.

She nodded again. “It’s all right, she’ll be back soon enough. Don’t blame yourself. Let’s take a drive towards the park and wait for that call, yes?”

“Fine, then, I need some fresh air.”

Bump

"Will do sir."

Jetter rolled all of his belonging into a small duffel bag and then placed it near the door. Just for safety he dropped it into a crate and locked it.

Afterwards he began to pack up all the equipment the team had brougth along.

((OOC: This went downhill a bit))

((OOC: Well, let's move on to the action packed conclusion, shall we? DA, you still up for it?))

“Sir, we’ve got him.”

“Are you sure it’s him?”

“Positive. He’s getting sloppy in his old age. Left us plenty of time to trace the call.”

“Where is he?”

“Right under our noses. Last transmission shows him operating out of an abandoned secure facility in Alberia.”

“Alberia? How the hell did he make it out there?”

“Not sure, sir, but I guarantee you he’s had help from the inside.”

“Hell. Ah Hell. Then it’s gonna have to be a clean sweep. We can’t risk having anyone compromising things this close to the core of the Agency. Hell. Well, we better start with square one. You know where he is, and I’ll be damned if we let him slip through our fingers. Put our IS teams on it. Call the Black Guard.”

“Yes sir.”

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

The eerie silence that constantly coated the frozen Alberian steppe was shattered by the whir of rotor blades. Through the clear blue skies, two dozen jet black transport and attack choppers flew in low, bound for a nearly imperceptible ridge in the landscape.

“Dark 1, this is Dark 4. We’re about a half kilometer from the target. What’s your status?”

“It’s getting cold as hell over here Dark 1, but everything’s checking out for now. We should make it on schedule.”

“Copy. Make ready for the approach. We should catch ‘em with their pants down, but things could get real hot real quick.”

In the rear of one of the GH-1B transports, Captain Arias Desmus ran a crimson cloth over his ornamented saber, the glare ofthe bright sunlight that bathed the snow covered plains reflecting sharply off the steel. A pilot slid open the armored door that separated the cockpit from the cargo area.

“Two minutes, Captain.”

Arias sheathed his blade, and turned to the dozen men who sat checking their weapons, or staring off into space.

“Alright, boys. Two minutes. Now I’m as in the dark as you are about what we’re gonna find in there. All I know is that this guy is a son of a bitch, and he’d stab you in the back soon as shoot you in the face. You know him, I know him. We all worked for him, and there’s a damn good chance you’re gonna know some of the guys he’s got on his side in there. Don’t let that change anything. He’s a traitor to the Empire, and he’s going to pay the price. Command says its imperative we take this guy alive. Why they won’t let us ice the fucker now, I don’t have a clue, but we’re not here to ask questions. You guys know what he looks like. You see the Colonel, you shoot to maim. Anyone else is fair game. Saddle up.”

The choppers flew in fast over the ridge, exposing a large steel plate, which upon closer inspection turned out to be a series of intricate landing pads and walkways. In the side of the ridge were several enormous doors, some of them open. Below, figures scurried about, panicked by the sudden appearance of the choppers.

“Here goes!”

One of the men threw open the side door on the GH-1, and grabbed the heavy machine gun. The chopper whirled about, exposing the frantic figures, and the man unleashed hell. Fountains of snow and ice kicked up as the lead ripped into the ground. Running figures collapsed and fell, dissolving into red stains as they were torn to pieces.

On the ground the steel doors began to close. One man had managed to reach a fixed gun emplacement, and now he turned it to face one of the transports. He opened up, and the bullets shredded the aircraft’s rotors. The chopper spun wildly before descending rapidly and slamming into the earth, where it slid wildly over the ice towards the entrance to the facility. It was caught in the closing doors, and the shriek of twisting metal echoed over the compound.

An attack chopper leveled and took aim at the gun emplacement. A rocket streamed forward, and annihilated the turret and its occupant in a pillar of fire. A second attack chopper moved in and took aim at the blocked door, sending a stream of rockets into the heavy steel. The door was wrenched off of its tracks, and half collapsed with an ear splitting crash.

“There’s our hole! Put us down there!”

The transports descended, and the Black Guardsmen made ready to enter the warzone. Captain Desmus hit the icy ground, his GI-37 trained on a figure rushing towards the damaged door. He fired and the man dropped. Desmus rushed forward, his team on his heals, the other teams following as they too hit the ground.

He reached the fiery wreckage of the entrance, and rushed through into a hangar of sorts. Several armed men awaited the Praetorians, and Desmus opened fire, dropping several. A man to his right fell, a bullet lodged in his throat. The firefight ended sharply, the Black guards overpowering the defenders and boarding the large elevators that would bring them to the lower levels of the facility.

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

Andreus picked up the ringing cell phone and put it to his ear.

“Yes?”

“The operation has been severely compromised. They’re onto us, the Guard, everyone. Get the doctor to the green zone and await transport. Call Jonathan. Tell him to follow through with the emergency plan. Get the girl to the safehouse. If I don’t call in a half hour, order him to terminate her, and get out of the country. Hopefully you will already be on your way to Madrid, but if not, get out of Eldanor any way you can. Go!”

Andreus dropped the phone in shock. He regained his composure and picked it up again, dialing another number.

“Boris, we have a problem. Get her to the safehouse and wait for my call. Don’t let anyone in, and don’t talk to anyone. Adrian will be waiting for you. His men will be ready to fight off anything that comes your way. The girl must stay in our hands at all costs, Boris. If it comes to it, you may have to terminate the transaction.”

Andreus hung up.

“The airport. Hangar 17B. Now!”

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

Boris tossed the phone to Jonathan, and put his hands back on the wheel. The princess was bound in the back seat. The Doomingsland mercenary had a pistol to her head.

“Fuck! We’re compromised! We have to get to Adrain’s place before the Guard comes down on our asses.”

The sedan came to a screeching halt and changed direction, heading off into a seedier part of town. They parked the car several blocks from a run down restaurant, and got out, Boris carrying the girl over his shoulder. The others hurrying as they checked over their shoulders nervously.

When they reached the door to the restaurant, they walked in, finding it nearly deserted save for a couple dining in the far corner. A well dressed man approached them.

“What will it be gentlemen?”

“The special.”

“Right this way.”

He led the men through the kitchen and down a flight of steps into a well furnished basement behind a series of bolted doors. Several armed men sat around casually, watching the news on a small television. They stood sharply as Boris and his men entered.

“Adrian, we’ve got problems.”

“More than you know friend. Apparently there’s a third party. Some guys from DA want in on the transaction, and we’re afraid they might have the gall to try to intercept it.”

“Hell! Can your boys handle it?”

“Of course. That’s what we’re here for.”

Adrian walked over to the princess, who had by now been lowered from Boris’s shoulder and thrust against the wall. He brought his face close to hers, running his fingers over her face and through her hair. He inhaled deeply as he brought his nose close to her neck.

“She is indeed a prize…”

Boris stepped up, and grabbed the significantly smaller man by the shoulder, gently but with stern pressure.

“Hands off, Adrian. Not yet, at least.”

Adrian moved away, giving the girl a fiery look. He turned to his men.

“Get upstairs and dig in. Don’t bother the customers, though.”

The men saluted and rushed towards the staircase.

The princess was frightened now more then she had been minutes before. The men kept talking about how their plan had been compromised. Just as she thought she was going to get out of this entire mess, it had gone and gotten more complicated. And all the things Laurelin had sacrificed thus far, were about to be for nothing. They might was well kill her and get it over with.

She sighed and sank down to the ground, fighting uselessly at her bonds. The girl wanted to start crying again, but why waste the energy? It was all useless.

((OOC: Well, let's move on to the action packed conclusion, shall we? DA, you still up for it?))




Ooc- Always, the MSAAS has been shadowing your operatives/goons/whatever you want to call them, for days. Basically when it comes to matters that we feel we have a right to stick our noses into, nobody sneezes in regards to them without us knowing. So, fear not, the MSAAS probably have your men right in their sights.

Jetter walked up to the roof and came to the position that was awaiting him. A wall of sandbags supported by poles and the like graced the front of the roof. Immediatly behind it and with the barrelign sticking over was a mounted gun. Cases and cases of ammo were up here along with several other weapons. A small wall of sandbags would give to cover to those seeking to utilize the rocket launchers up there and sniper rifles. A case of grenades lay nearby to help halt the advance of whatever force was coming.

"You ready down there?"

Jetter looked down at the men below revealign the defensive work that had been erected a short while ago.

"Almost. These bastards don't know whats coming."

Jetter walked up to the roof and came to the position that was awaiting him. A wall of sandbags supported by poles and the like graced the front of the roof. Immediatly behind it and with the barrelign sticking over was a mounted gun. Cases and cases of ammo were up here along with several other weapons. A small wall of sandbags would give to cover to those seeking to utilize the rocket launchers up there and sniper rifles. A case of grenades lay nearby to help halt the advance of whatever force was coming.

"You ready down there?"

Jetter looked down at the men below revealign the defensive work that had been erected a short while ago.

"Almost. These bastards don't know whats coming."

Marcus followed the others upstairs, and grabbed a beer before heading back down to continue his shift.

Probably the one I'll ever have... he thought to himslef as he took a sip. He had his P90 out, and kept muttering to himself in a language none of the others recognized.

OOC: Interesting stuff. Please keep it up! ;)

Bump

bump

Bump

bump

Tagged -- Waiting for the exciting, action-packed conclusion! :D

Uh Oh

Bump

“They have him.”

“Where is he?”

“On his way to our regional headquarters in Alberia.”

“Did they find anything?”

“Yes, sir. The whole operation was laid out right there. He hasn’t said anything personally. Yet, that is. Our boys at GIIS will crack him in no time.”

“I’m sure they will. Do we have a location?”

“They were holding her in a warehouse, near the docks. There were three emergency removal locations listed, two warehouses and a small restaurant further into the city.”

“We’ll have to hit all three. What do we have in the area?”

“One team of Black Guard monitors, an a few low level intelligence officers.”

“They might be compromised. We have no idea how deep this went. Goddamnit, it’s going to be like cutting of a leg.”

“We also have additional security assets en route to Greece. We could redirect them and have them in country in about fourty minutes.”

“Damn. That’ll have to do.”

“Parameters for the operation?”

“A clean sweep. The fallout for this could be off the scale. We can’t afford to leave any loose ends.”

“Yes, sir.”

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

It had begun to rain heavily over the city. A man called over the roar of an aircraft’s engines.

“Andreus! We have to go! There’s no way we can get out once they close the net!”

Andreus checked his watch, sheltering the glass face from the raindrops under his coat. The half hour had been the longest of his life, each minute anticipating a call he believed would not come. Now he cursed under his breath and turned to the man standing in the open door of the twin turboprop that would take him away from here, to Madrid, and then Generia.

“Andreus! Come on!”

“Go! Get the doctor to Madrid! Wait for me there!”

“What!? Where are you going!?”

“She’s the only bargaining tool we have.”

He rushed off into the storm.

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

Boris sat at one of the front tables in the now empty restaurant, a submachine gun on the table beside an glass. He stood and grabbed for his gun as the door swung open and a drenched man rushed in. He pulled his coat down from over his head, revealing himself.

“What the hell are you doing here? You’re supposed to be on a plane to Madrid!”

“Where’s the girl?”

“They’ve got her in the basement. They were waiting for your call. I told them to give it five minutes and then go through with it. I was hoping to beat the GIIS cleanup crews.”

“That may be out of the question now.”

Andreus rushed to the back of the restaurant and down the steps into the basement hold. He arrived in time to see Adrian draining a glass of whiskey and reaching for a pistol.

“This is it, darling. Your time’s up.”

“Not quite. She may have a bit of time left.”

“Andreus. Hell, aren’t you supposed to be in Madrid?”

“The Colonel’s gone. Either dead or on his way to a GIIS interrogation cell. Either way, we’re fucked. I’d say we’ve got ten, maybe fifteen minutes before we’re on the receiving end of a very thorough Black Guard cleanup operation. The girl may be our last ticket out of here.”

“What do you plan to do?”

“Watch.”

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

“Milady, I’m afraid we may not be returning your cousin after all, at least not yet. There are a few things you have left to do for us first.”

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

Two black helicopters flew in over the Quendatur City dockyards, and touched down in front of a dilapidated warehouse. Several figures disembarked from each, and scattered into the night. The choppers ascended and departed as they had come.

The girl was chilled to the bone. If they were going to kill her, she wished they would get it over with. But now she was again a bargaining tool. Why couldn’t it just end now?


Laurelin grabbed the phone the moment it first rung, and put it to her ear. When the man spoke, dread filled her again.

“I thought you said you would let her go! Why not?” she demanded, frustrated. She wanted to break down and cry, but she had to be strong, otherwise her cousin might not live. Laurelin knew she had to do whatever he told her if she wanted to see her cousin alive once more.

“What do I need to do?”

The girl was chilled to the bone. If they were going to kill her, she wished they would get it over with. But now she was again a bargaining tool. Why couldn’t it just end now?


Laurelin grabbed the phone the moment it first rung, and put it to her ear. When the man spoke, dread filled her again.

“I thought you said you would let her go! Why not?” she demanded, frustrated. She wanted to break down and cry, but she had to be strong, otherwise her cousin might not live. Laurelin knew she had to do whatever he told her if she wanted to see her cousin alive once more.

“What do I need to do?”

"I'm afraid we are a bit pressed for time. I will be brief. We require transportation, which you can provide. At the airport in this city have a single aircraft prepared, fueled and ready. Anything capable of holding a dozen people will do. Clear runway 7, and leave the aircraft with the engines running. Two cars shall arrive, we shall board the aircraft and be gone. You will not retrieve your cousin in Eldanor, but in Madrid two days from now. She will not be harmed. Clear?"

“Fine, but I don’t want her harmed in any way. And if she gets killed – well, I’m not going to think about it. I’ll make the preparations.”

She hung up and called another friend, giving a hasty explanation and asking for him to do the things the man had asked her to. She finally hung up and sat back. “Well, we can only hope.”

Suddenly every single door, and several of the windows of the building the princess was being held in came blasting inwards as the small breaching charges went off... Through each door, a team of five MSAAS operatives, in full tactical body armor, the first man carrying an entry shield, came running through.


They shot anything that was armed and moving, they started shouting, "MSAAS! On the ground! Everybody down! Now!"

One of the teams raced for the basement, shouting, "Harm the princess and die! Drop your weapons and hit the ground!"


Outside, the entire building was surrounded by a company of 120 MSAAS operatives, the leader, the now Captain, Gustav Ernst, shouted through a bullhorn, "The building is completely surrounded by The Mississippian Special Air Assault Squads, you have no choice but to surrender and release the princess, unharmed and without delay... We will not tolerate any resistance, and we will not ask again..."

The men reaching the bottom stairs of the basement kicked the door in and charged in, MP-5s and M-4s raised, shouting, "Nobody move!" their Night Vision Goggles letting them see as though it were broad daylight out.

Throughout the building, the other teams were engaged in trying to subdue those who hadn't surrendered, and some teams were even engaged in shootouts with those resisting.

At the explosion, Andreus and Adrian jumped to their feet. Andreus grabbed a nearby GIR-37. Adrian whipped two GSM-9s from his coat. Upstairs the sounds of screams and gunfire were deafening.

"Fuck! This is it!"

Andreus grabbed the girl and forced her along towards a back door, hastily installed a week ago to access an old sewer maintenance tunnel in the case of a GIIS surgical strike. He opened the door and rushed out into the quiet, dark tunnel.

Adrian walked towards the hwavily bolted door to the basement, and waited. The door blew inward, and he raised his weapons, unloading on the heads of the operatives that rushed into the room. He managed to bring a few down before his chest and neck were ripped apart by hot lead.

Andreus rushed through the tunnel, dragging the frightened girl with him. Sweat ran down his neck and he breathed heavily. He ran for several yards, taking as many turns through the mazelike network as he could, doing what he could to improve his chances of evading those who would soon be hot on his heels.

Back at the restaurant, it was over. The Black Guard, even the ex-Black Guard, did not surrender. Now they lay in pools of their own blood. They went on to the next world with only their sins, and whatever glory gained in this last battle.

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

"We were too late. Looks like someone else did the job for us. A whole score of the bastards had the place surrounded."

"Yes. It looks like the Mississippian MSAAS had the same idea. It would have been a waste of ammo anyway. Return to your insertion point for extraction."

"Yes, sir."

The teams inside the building, all raced down towards the basement after the building had been declared secure. They quickly found the tunnel, through which the first team into the basement had already gone... But it was like a maze, they quickly split up, one team going into each direction the tunnel split off into.


One of the men, a point man on a team, was detecting two non-registered heart beats on his detector, he knew he was on the right track, following somebody who probably had the princess with him.


Back inside the building, a few of the MSAAS who had been wounded in the brief exchange of gunfire were taking out their SAPI plates from their armor, the bullets had nearly gone through in some cases, but most had been totally stopped... The worst wound was an operative who had suffered two broken ribs and had been shot in the hand.

Back inside the building, a few of the MSAAS who had been wounded in the brief exchange of gunfire were taking out their SAPI plates from their armor, the bullets had nearly gone through in some cases, but most had been totally stopped... The worst wound was an operative who had suffered two broken ribs and had been shot in the hand.

((OOC: Are their heads and necks protected?))

((OOC: Are their heads and necks protected?))


Ooc-

They wear helmets that can stop a 7.62mm NATO round, their neck armor and throat armor can stop a 7.62mm NATO round. They're basically wearing heavy version of the light-weight standard armor (the armor they normally wear is a BDU that is made of classified material that can stop 7.62mm NATO rounds, they are wearing tactical armor, heavy 8 pound jackets with 4 pound plates in the front and back, the plates they wear can stop a 50 BMG round) the plates cover all the vital organs in the chest.

They also wear groin armor and side armor to cover the gap of the armpits. They also armor their upper legs and lower legs with BDU armored pants that weigh only about twice normal pants, made of classified material, and this stops 7.62mm NATO rounds as well.


Their helmets also have face shields that stop up to a 5.56mm NATO round.


Think modern SWAT armor, except the MSAAS's armor weighs a lot less, and does a lot more, and they're basically totally armored. Although they are vulnerable to 50 BMG rounds except against their front and back plates in their chest and back vest pockets.

Ooc-

They wear helmets that can stop a 7.62mm NATO round, their neck armor and throat armor can stop a 7.62mm NATO round. They're basically wearing heavy version of the light-weight standard armor (the armor they normally wear is a BDU that is made of classified material that can stop 7.62mm NATO rounds, they are wearing tactical armor, heavy 8 pound jackets with 4 pound plates in the front and back, the plates they wear can stop a 50 BMG round) the plates cover all the vital organs in the chest.

They also wear groin armor and side armor to cover the gap of the armpits. They also armor their upper legs and lower legs with BDU armored pants that weigh only about twice normal pants, made of classified material, and this stops 7.62mm NATO rounds as well.


Their helmets also have face shields that stop up to a 5.56mm NATO round.


Think modern SWAT armor, except the MSAAS's armor weighs a lot less, and does a lot more, and they're basically totally armored. Although they are vulnerable to 50 BMG rounds except against their front and back plates in their chest and back vest pockets.

((OOC: Ah. Thanks for the info.))

And then it was over. A dead end. A wall rising up before Andreus out of the dark. He spun around, grabbing the princess and holding her in front of him as the footsteps grew louder further down the tunnel.

He aimed the rifle over her shoulder. Through the gloom he could see a shadowy form rapidly approaching.

"End of the line, Andreus old boy. end of the line..."

The GIR-37 AR was loaded with armor piercing rounds, a precaution in case he ended up having to fight off the Black Guard in a cleanup operation. now, hopefully it would serve him here. He knew that he would not be able to hold out forever, but he would go down fighting.

He unloaded at the figure, aiming high. The princess screamed over the racket.

Ooc- What caliber is the rifle? Modern SWAT armor plates will stop 5.56mm AP, and some 7.62mm AP, and some can even stop 30'06 AP.

Ooc- What caliber is the rifle? Modern SWAT armor plates will stop 5.56mm AP, and some 7.62mm AP, and some can even stop 30'06 AP.

((OOC: 7.62))

((OOC: 7.62))


Ooc- Okay... That won't cut it though... :(




Ic-

One of the MSAAS, the point man, flinched back as the rounds hit against him, feeling like a hammer, but not otherwise harming him, his plating stopping the rounds... He raised his gun, using the NVG and Laser system, and put a single 9mm hollow point between the eyes of the man who had tried to kill him.

The lights went out before his eyes, and Andreus fell, wheeling about and plunging into the river of sewage that rushed by to his right.

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

"It's over Colonel. End of the line. Your men are dead, your plot a horrible failure. You're finished. Cooked. You're going to spending alot of time in Nod, you traiterous wretch."

The GIIS operative smacked the Colonel across the face with a black gloved hand.

"What's the matter, Colonel? Don't have anything to say?"

The Colonel turned his head slowly, and raised a fat cigar to his lips. The GIIS had not seen fit to prevent him from smoking, even under interrogation. He took a long pull, exhaling a ring of smoke into the dimly lit cell which wreathed his head. Suddenly, he began to chuckle harshly, the cold, eerie sound piercing the bones of the interrogator. the Colonel raised his face, now bathed in shadow, and stared into the man's eyes.

"Boo."

The second GIIS operative who had been witnessing the interrogation silently, stood and drew a silenced pistol from his jacket. He fired a single round intot he back of the interrogator's head, splattering his blood on the wall directly above the Colonel's head.

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

At a small private airport in Madrid, a single twin turboprop aircraft containing four weary soldiers and a scientist touched down. Moments later, the occupants were gone, disappearing into the vast woodwork of the world, leaving behind an abandoned jet, and a small, crumpled photograph of a beautiful foreign princess.

Captain Gustav Ernst, who had since left the post outside the building and made his way through the tunnel, approached the princess, "Excellency, are you hurt?" He asked her, as he slung his MP-5 over his shoulder and took her into his arms to carry her out of the filthy sewer so she didn't have to walk through the muck and slime.

She was unharmed, but severely shaken up. “I’m fine, I don’t need to be carried,” she protested weakly. “Who are you?”

Secret IC:

Jetter had parked his truck back at the spot he had designated himself and now walked towards the restaurant with bags of booze in hand.

"Oh fuck."

As he muttered it the bags dropped and silently landed on the thick brush by his feet.

He looked up at the smoking gun on the roof and the position he had left for a few minutes.

Then he walked back and got into his truck and drove off.

Airport

"Hello sir have you enjoyed your stay in Eldanor?"

"I sure have. You men are lucky with al these beautiful women."

"Well sir Im married so I can only enjoy one of them."

"That stinks for you man."

"Heres your ticket enjoy your flight."

"I will."

"Hello madam have-"

Jetter walked out of earshot and onto the plane. In a short tiem in took off anf Jetter smiled as many worries were left behind.

OOC: I wasnt here and I'm nto comign back to find a mian character of mine dead

She was unharmed, but severely shaken up. “I’m fine, I don’t need to be carried,” she protested weakly. “Who are you?”


The man still held her, not wanting to set her down in the filthy slime running through the sewer, "Are you sure excellency? It's awfully dirty here... Oh, I'm Captain Gustav Ernst of the Mississippian Special Air Assault Squads. We were sent here to rescue you..."

"I'm fine, just put me down, please," she said, then frowned. "Sent to rescue me? By who, exactly?"

Gustav immediately set her down, "I was sent well... I sort of undertook this operation on my own authority, I really didn't have any higher authorization..." He frowned, finally realizing he could be in trouble, "I could get discharged for this, or worse..."

"Tell me then, why did you come?"

Gustav got right to the point, smiling as he said, "Well why not, a beautiful princess being held prisoner by a rogue group of violent terrorists, the chance for excitement, adventure, meeting a member of the royal family, the honor of rescuing her... Who could turn all that down?"

She scowled, and made to attempt to hide it. "You came to rescue me for the excitement, as well as having no real reason? What kind of foolish person are you?"

He shook his head, "No, no, no... I really wanted to meet you also, anyway, you needed to be rescued, didn't you? Would you rather have been rescued by me or be dead? And as for what sort of person I am, I'm a captain in the MSAAS, I've been seriously wounded nearly a dozen times, I've been in six major campaigns and over thirty major battles... So I'm not some idiot, I know what I'm doing..."


He then sighed a bit as he continued, "In every Commonwealth territory I've been in, the people hand out expensive wine and blow kisses, toss flowers, and such, when we help them... I guess gratitude is something that doesn't exist outside of Mississippi."

She sighed. "Maybe I was a little quick to jump to conclusions. I apologise, then, and I will be more then willing to show you my utmost gratitude if you'll kindly take me home and get me out of this dump."

Gustav nodded his head, "Yes ma'am, right away... Follow me, stay close, it's slippery in here and you don't want to fall into that filthy water, there are rats and all sorts of slime in it..."


He offered his hand to let her hold as he turned and aimed his light down the sewer, back the way he had come.

His team was already moving out, two men stood behind him and readied to cover the rear in the event of, well, in the event of anything, it was supposedly a dead-end, but they always wanted to be prepared.

She reluctantly took his hand and had to admit he was definitely right. She followed him down the sewer, following the path of light.

Gustav led her out of the sewers, back into the building, and then to a waiting MSAAS truck, "Here ma'am... Get in, we'll get you home."


He finally took off his helmet, and his mask, dropping them down in the back on the truck, where he then set his MP-5...


He got into the car after brushing his hand through his blonde hair, straightening it up a bit, the helmet and kevlar hood had messed up his hair and he hated when that happened...

Gustav then walked over to her side and offered to help her get in, since it was a bit of a step-up to get into the truck.

She sighed and let him help her get in. She sat down in the back and examined her hands and her clothes. Her clothes were torn and covered in slime, as were her hands.

"I'd like to call my cousin. I don't want her to worry."

Gustav handed her a phone, "Yes, of course... There you are, just enter in the encryption code if you don't want anybody listening in..." he paused for a few seconds, trying to remember the code sequence for the day, "85542321985304, enter that in... We change our satellite operating codes daily, and sometimes bi and tri-daily."

She took it from in and entered the code and then her cousin’s cell phone number. She didn’t even have to wait for the first ring to end before she heard the Empress’s tense and fearful voice.

“Who is this? I thought–”

“Laurel, it’s me, your cousin.”

She could hear the relief that filled her cousin’s voice now. “Thank goodness you’re all right, where are you and how did you get out?”

“I’ll explain it as soon as I see you, all right? I’ll meet you back at the palace.”

She then hung up.

Gustav took the phone back and set it down after she hung up and extended it towards him.


He started the truck and then asked her, "Would her excellency tell me where to drive to? Wherever it is, I shall take you there and if you wish, accompany you to assure your safety against any possibility of more attacks."

"I think I'll be fine," she said. "And we're going to the palace."

Gustav nodded his head, "Yes, excellency."

He turned his bright lights on and proceeded to drive towards the palace, he knew where it was, he'd seen satellite photographs of the major important buildings before the operation began.


His blue eyes seemed focused on the road ahead, and off to the sides every now and then, he was on his guard in the event of a retribution attack being launched against the princess or against him, in retaliation for their raid that resulted in the deaths of many terrorists and the failure of whatever they'd been planning.

The princess merely looked out the window, and kept reassuring herself all would be fine, even though something was nagging at her.

He sensed something was wrong, he spoke up, "Excellency, are you okay? Is something troubling you?"

People always told boris that smoking would kill him. In this case, it saved his life. Going out for a pack of cigarettes had bee the best decision the man had ever made. As he stepped out of the small convenience store to the sight of all hell coming down on his former hideout.

He had waited out the storm in an alley nearby, only venturing into the restaurant after the last of the MSAAS trucks had pulled away. Carefully he crept through the building, broken glass cracking under his feet, a submachine gun drawn and his finger on the trigger.

He had seen the broken bodies of his comrades, men he had practically grown up with, all dead now, riddled with holes. His dismay soon turned to rage as the desire for revenge consumed him. He knew where they were going, and he would be there to welcome them.

Niow he waited in ambush, watching the convoy coming down the narrow street. As the leading vehicle approached, he jumped into the center of the road, and let loose a ferocious warcry. He held in his hands two GIR-37s, and unloaded at the window of the truck.

"Fucking bitch!"

Gustav swerved the truck, diving over her in an attempt to hold her down, he managed to do so, as the rounds came crashing inside through the windows. The truck hit the curb and flipped over, coming to rest upside down against the edge of a buidling. Thankfully both of them had been wearing safety belts, and the safety gel immediately deployed upon impact (Think Demolition man)


Gustav struggled to remove his seat belt, it was hard to do upside down as he now was... He managed to get it off and then fell onto the roof of the truck, his back ached, he was glad he hadn't removed his body armor... He checked the princess, she was fine, but seemed a bit startled, he whispered, "Are you okay? We need to get out of here..."


He looked at his holster, his pistol was still in it, "Good" he said to himself.

Boris laughed madly, blind to anything but his desire to kill the occupants of the vehicle. He changed his clips and walked towards the flipped vehicle, firing occasional bursts.

"Come out where I can see you!"

Gustav slowly angled the pistol around the corner of the truck and fired six rounds, using a nearby glass window reflection to get an aim at the man, he hit him at least twice.

Gustav slowly angled the pistol around the corner of the truck and fired six rounds, using a nearby glass window reflection to get an aim at the man, he hit him at least twice.

The bullets slammed into Boris's left arm and leg. He reeled, but recovered. having dropped one of his rifles, he aimed the remaining one, and recommenced firing on the truck.

She was breathing hard, but she was unharmed. She was cursing herself for not trusting her intuition. The princess should’ve known something like this would happen, and she’d been caught off guard.

“Yes, we need to get out of here. Any ideas?”

The bullets slammed into Boris's left arm and leg. He reeled, but recovered. having dropped one of his rifles, he aimed the remaining one, and recommenced firing on the truck.


Gustav slid out the truck and ran immediately raised his pistol and opened fire, hitting the man twice in the head, as the man fired his rifle and round torn into Gustav, slicing into his armor, it had been an unusual round, one the MSAAS labs had never seen before, his armor would have stopped any rifle round, even a 50 caliber round, but this round must have been made of some odd material. Gustav fell backwards, clutching his side, he'd been hit in side of his chest.

He looked at the other man, and fired two more rounds into for good measure, before he himself fell over, passing out from the pain and the blood loss.

Abandoning her thoughts of her safety, she ran over and bent over him. She examined the wound and knew it was probably a serious. Looking around, she remembered the phone but knew she’d never get that. Looking around for a pay phone of some sort, she found nothing. Having no other option, she ran to find help.

Almost immediately, two MSAAS undercover cars zoomed to the scene, having heard the shots from a few blocks away, where they had been eating a late dinner at a cafe... They quickly rushed to Gustav's side, one of the men rushed over to the Princess, his MP-5 out, looking around in the event there were more shooters, "Excellency!" he shouted as he tossed her a suit of armor, "Put that on and get in the car, quickly, we'll get you out of here!"


Two of the men hurriedly carried Gustav into the backseat of their car as the other two men escorted the princess over to their car.

She let them escort her to the car and got in. "Get us out of here, then."

The driver nodded his head, and as soon as they were all in the car, floored it... "Where to ma'am?" he asked her.

"The palace, please," she told him.

The driver nodded, smiled, adjusted the mirror better and then slammed the brakes on and spun the car in the middle of an intersection, which was totally deserted due to the hour of the night. He smiled, "Wrong way, we were going the wrong way... Palace is that way..."


He slammed the gas down and practically flew to the palace, getting her there in about eight minutes where a sane driver would have taken at least twenty, although the man didn't stop for a single traffic light and he even jumped the yellow line whenever there were cars in front. He didn't want to stop or take any chances lest they become sitting targets.

The princess, who was sitting in the back, was clutching her seat, white-knuckled. She was thankful when they got there and jumped out.

The man in the front passenger, and the man in the back seat behind the driver, both stepped out, their MP-5s tucked under their suit coats, they were ready for anything.

They assumed a protective stance around the princess and proceeded to escort her into the palace.



Meanwhile, Gustav had been patched up, it was nothing the MSAAS doctor at the temporary Command Post couldn't handle with a few nanotech stimulations to activate the chips inside his body to get his body to basically fix itself. The chips had been malufunctioning and so that was all the doctor had to do, basically zap them back into funcitioning again. Thus Gustav was now on his way to the palace.

Gustav arrived at the palace and pushed his way by some of the guards standing around, he had to personally make sure the princess was safe, since she'd been under his protection and he considered it still his job to make sure she was safe with the possibility of assassins still in the area a reality.


He walked up to her inside the palace and bowed before her, "Excellency, I have returned, I am at your service."

She nodded. “Well, thank you, are you all right? Let’s get inside.”

Gustav nodded his head, "I am fine Excellency, I am honored that you have asked... Are you well though?"

"Yes, fine thanks to you."

As they approached the palace entrance, the guards standing by them bowed as she moved past.

As they were walking through the palace halls, Gustav spoke up, "Excellency, there is one other matter I'd like to discuss with you... I'd like to ask for your hand in marriage if you would grant me the honor... I will serve you loyally and protect you from any dangers. I am also of proper birth at home, of the nobility of the Ernst family."

The princess wasn’t sure what to do. She bit her lip. There was no way she wanted to accept his offer, even if it was supposedly a good marriage. She didn’t know him, and she surely didn’t love him. She didn’t want to offend him. Hesitantly, she shook her head. “No, I’m afraid I must reject your offer.”

Gustav was visibly disappointed, "Very well... Perhaps in time though? May I at least have ask about courting you, if your excellency would permit me the honor."

“I don’t know, well – “

She didn’t have to answer because her cousin rushed down the hall and hugged her. “Are you all right? Oh, Cuilánie, I was so worried! You’re unhurt, yes?”

The Empress looked her up and down, checking for bruises or any marks, but found none and was very relieved.

She turned to Gustav, and allowed herself to smile the tiniest bit. “Thank you for rescuing my cousin.” Laurelin extended her hand to shake.

Gustav bowed down before the empress, "Empress, it was my honor to rescue your cousin... I should ask your permission though if I may seek to court her."

As much as the Empress desired to frown, she controlled her face and thought quickly. It wasn’t her decision to make, and she looked to her cousin and nodded, telling her she had to decide for herself. The princess nodded back and told him, lying quickly, “I’m afraid I’m already seeing someone, sir.”

Laurelin asked, “Is there anything else you want, then?”

Gustav shook his head, "Nothing else then... I guess I'll be going, I have to fill out some reports..."


He turned and walked away, obviously annoyed, he'd gotten shot several times, and nearly been killed to rescue the woman and she didn't even have the common courtesy to turn him down in a manner other than lying, he had been in the intelligence courses and could have told from a mile away she wasn't seeing anybody else. Besides, he'd read the profile on her, along with all the suspected terrorists, before coming, so he knew their backgrounds.

He muttered under his breath, "What a bitch", and then walked out of the palace.

One of the other MSAAS operatives who had been standing around took his Eldanorian beret that they'd been issued upon arrival in the nation so they wouldn't be mistakingly shot as invaders, he threw it in front of the empress and then spat a stream of tobacco in front of her feet, "There, we're good enough to save you people but not good enough to deserve the truth..."

He then turned and walked out of the room, following Gustav.


The last of the MSAAS operatives just erupted with laughter, tossed the beret to the ground, gave both of them the "Mississippian finger" (the same way they'd give it in Romania or Italy, with a closed fist and the thumb between the indext and middle finger) he then turned and followed the other two.

Cuilánie looked appalled, but the Empress remained unfazed, standing there with her arms folded over her chest. She barely glanced down at the beret and the tobacco. “You want the truth, then?” she asked quietly.

The operative was already on his way out, he had barely heard her, he stopped and turned around, "Well really you should tell my boss the truth, but he is not here, he already left... So tell me the truth and I'll see he hears it..."

“My cousin is not seeing anyone, and personally, I would rather him not see her. Tell him if my cousin chooses not to have him court her, that is her decision. I hope he respects that. I did not encourage her to lie,” she said and paused, glancing quickly at her cousin who looked embarrassed. “However, my offer still remains. If he wants anything, something reasonable, that is, I will grant him his wish.”

The man turned and left without saying anything.


A while later, the men were all sitting in a bar at a hotel where the MSAAS had rented out virtually every room for the MSAAS company in Eldanor. They'd been here for a few days now, during the planning of the rescue operation, and then the rescue operation itself.

Gustav was sitting around drinking a glass of brandy when one of the other men came in, coming from the hospital where he had just been told one of the men wounded in the raid had died from injuries sustained.

Gustav smashed his glass down and shook his head, "He died for foreign ingratitude, I bet it won't even make the papers here... We should have stayed in Mississippi..."


One of the other men, a man who lost most of his left arm when a terrorist fired an RPG and it hit the wall near him, was shaking his head, "They wouldn't even clone me a new arm! What crap! I'm going to get back to Mississippi where they can and will clone a new arm for me... This nation can go to hell for all I care, we shouldn't have ever come here."


The men just kept sitting around, bad mouthing the nation they were now in and disgusted at what they perceived as the lack of hospitality and gratitude.

The princess hadn't even visited the men who were wounded rescuing her, hadn't even seemed to notice one died doing so, didn't care to give the unit commander, a high-ranking noble from a respected family, the truth as to why she refused his request for courting her, the MSAAS operatives were quite frankly disgusted and wanted to just get some sleep and leave early in the morning, they'd not come back even if paid to.

That was another thing, the operation had been entirely voluntary, nobody had ordered them to come and they didn't get paid for it, they did it because they thought it was the right thing to do, helping a member of a royal family in trouble.

As relieved as she was to see her cousin again, Laurelin wasn’t happy about her cousin’s lack of gratitude towards the Mississippian operatives.

“You didn’t even thank them, did you? Just let them walk out, too. I can’t believe you. You had to lie instead of telling the truth up front,” she said in a scolding tone as she paced her office.

“I didn’t need to be rescued,” the princess replied stubbornly.

The Empress laughed bitterly. “You probably would have died, Cuilánie, and you can’t even make an effort to be polite, can you?”

She sighed. “I want to repay them, even if you don’t. They couldn’t have left the country yet, I’m sure. I’ll find out where they’re staying, if I can. I’ll talk to you later, Cuilánie.”

After a few calls, she managed to find out that the MSAAS were staying in a nice hotel in a nice part of the city. She called the hotel, and waited to be put on.

At the hotel, the bartender walked up to Gustav and said, “You have a call waiting.” He handed him the phone.

"Hello, is this, ah, Gustav Ernst?" the Empress asked on the other end.

Gustav picked up the phone and sighed, he started to talk fast, not wanting to give them time to get a word out, his idea was talk fast and then hang up, "Hello, whoever this is, I have a funeral to plan for a colleague and good friend of mine... If you could just call..."

(ooc- I've left it open there assuming she finally is able to get a word in)

“It’s Laurelin Almaresáre, the Empress of Eldanor. I apologize for your friend’s death, I’m sorry it had to happen. I just don’t think I got a chance to thank you enough, sir, for saving my cousin…she was ungrateful to you, I will admit. Is there anything I can give you, anyway I can help you, to make up for all this?”

Gustav was frank and blunt, "As things turned out, your cousin didn't deserve our help... A man with a wife and eight kids is dead for some spoiled brat... We thought that we were helping and that our help would be warmly welcomed. Since we've been here, the only people nice to us are those at the hotel and those who have businesses we are spending money at. If you have to pay people to be friendly, well hell, whores are friendly if you pay them... Our nation has something called hospitality, it's a novel idea. I think you seem to be nice enough and probably are a good person, but your cousin needs a serious lesson in manner."

"If she's ever in trouble again, and she's probably so arrogant she won't admit she was about to be shot by those thugs, well if she ever in trouble again, tell her she can rescue herself. I haven't been through eight years of combat, training since I was twelve, to get killed for a foreigner who doesn't know gratitude and wouldn't know it if it kicked her in the butt."

Laurelin nodded to herself, knowing he was right. “I understand you perfectly…I have to admit you are right, unfortunately. I apologize, sir, for her behavior and possibly mine. I’m just so sorry, really, if there’s anything I can do…”

He replied, "No, there is really nothing you can do, unless you could raise the dead, but I don't think you can... Anyway, we're just going to sit around and drink until we forget how foolish we were for trying to do something nice for another royal family... We should remember, we are only intended to serve the Fabus and other top Mississippian families, but when we get leave, we often try to help others. I guess we learned a lesson here, some people just can't be helped, and that can probably be attributed to their upbringing. I was rich, but my father and mother always made sure I was thankful for everything I had and that I had a job so I knew things aren't meant to come easy."

She sniffed, a little offended that he was implying her cousin’s upbringing was bad. “I’m afraid you’re mistaken, my aunt and uncle brought her up very well, I just don’t know what happened. But if you’re sure there’s nothing I can do…”

He shook his head, "I'm sorry then, if they were truly good people, well something must have spoiled her... Anyway, if she were a man, sending her off to war would fix the problem, war always makes people sane... Anyway, I don't really care to discuss this matter any further, and I will be reporting to my media, which will be broadcast around the world, just exactly how well she thanked us, as in not at all and refusing to even meet with most of us... I bet she'll rush to apologize now, worried her precious image might be hurt... All people like her care about is image, I've met them before, it's a real shame... Oh well, you seem nice enough, take care, I wish you well, realize, I don't hold anything against you."

“Look, I understand you are saddened and hurt, and I respect you don’t like my cousin, but I would like to ask that you don’t go broadcasting something like that worldwide, I don’t know if she’d live with herself after something like that. She’s had enough trauma for lifetime, please, I hope you’ll understand. But still, my utmost thanks and sincerest apologizes, sir.”

Gustav sighed, "Fine, anyway, when she lied to me about being with somebody else, I should have wondered, how could a member of the royal family, that attractive, be twenty-eight and not married? In my nation royals and nobles typically marry early. In my case, I've have work to tend to, the MSAAS being that work... I guess all I could do is pray for her, she needs guidance and a lot of help, and not the sort of help the MSAAS can provide, not anymore at least, she needs psychological help."

“I’m afraid you are mistaken, my cousin is completely fine and does not need physiological help. She doesn’t need to marry early, in fact, I’m younger then her and not married myself. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

He sighed, "Women who don't marry until later on, have a much more difficult time having children, feminists and marxists convince foolish women to delay marriage so their peak child-bearing years are gone by the time they finally do marry, and even then, they talk them into only having one or two kids. Feminism is just a jewish-masonic plot to keep the white birthrate low... Anyway, women in Mississippi marry around eighteen and have a lot of children... Look at the wonders it does for our economy and military, we have a fine labor force, many skilled, and professional workers, and many more who do the grunt work, and we have one of the greatest military machines known to man."

Laurelin rolled her eyes, and was somewhat upset. “What we have in Eldanor works fine, and not many people desire to have large families, thank you very much. And if you are implying that either of us, or any of the women here are foolish, you are sadly mistaken.”

Gustav sighed, "Okay, I guess we're both right, your system works for your land, my system works for my land... Other than that, I don't really see what else much we have to talk about. Although I'd be willing to wager my favorite pistol that the mighty princess doesn't even make a comment to the media about the dead man, let alone show up for his funeral."

“Oh, believe me, she will show up for his funeral, and I’ll see that she says something to the media. It’s the least I can do, sir.”

Gustav sighed, "It means nothing if she's forced or pressured to go. Doing the right thing only matters if you do it because you want to because you realize it's the right thing to do... If she has to be forced to behave ethically, well then I'd rather she not even go, I don't know of anybody there from my unit who would want to see her present knowing she didn't want to be there and was just doing it for show for her cameras and media."

Laurelin sighed. “I’m sure she’ll come around, and if she doesn’t, I will.”

He frowned, "I don't really care if she comes on by, I'm going to be heading back to Mississippi soon, the funeral will be there, anyway, I've had my fill of Eldanorian hospitality..."

“Well, thank you for your services and I’m sorry. Goodbye, then.”

Gustav shook his head, "No need to be sorry..." And then he hung up.

Laurelin sighed and turned back to her paperwork, burying her head in her hands. She should have been relieved her cousin was safe, but somehow she couldn’t care less anymore. All she could manage to think about was that a man had died trying to save the princess and she wouldn’t even thank him.

At the bar at the hotel, one of the soldiers who had been wounded in the arm was sitting on his stool drinking, suddenly he gasped for air and fell over, some of his comrades rushed to his side but he was already dead. The MSAAS doctor could tell why, the wound from the bullet, it had been a slow-acting poison, a type not known in Eldanor, no wonder the hospital failed to notice it, it was a Mississippian manufactured poison, of a type often used for dipping bullets in, it was old though, the brand hadn't been produced since the 80s, whichever terrorist had shot him, had gotten it on the black market.



Gustav smashed his fist so hard against the wall he broke every bone in his left hand, he then picked up the phone and called back the empress, "By the way, make that two funerals... One of our guys just dropped over dead, apparently he'd been hit with a bullet dipped in a slow-acting poison..."

She gasped slightly, but he didn’t here. “Oh, my word, I’m so sorry, how could that have happened?”

He sighed, "Slow acting poison, it was determined to be some of our old stock from an assassination style poison we had in our inventory in the 1980s, somebody in that buiding must have gotten it on the blackmarket..."

"I'm so sorry, I kind of wish now you'd saved yourself the trouble and not have come."

He shook his head, "No, I guess we had to come, royalty, even spoiled royalty, needs saving..."

She frowned. “She’s not spoiled…she just, well I don’t know what is wrong with her, but I wouldn’t go as far to say she spoiled, maybe arrogant, but not spoiled.”

Gustav scoffed, "Well spoiled or not, call it what you want, she would benefit from a tour of duty in Western Sahara, South Africa, or Angola."

“Maybe so. However, I’m her cousin, not her mother.”

Gustav sighed, "Well, whatever then, I have to get back to the party, it's going great, one dead before it started, another dropping dead during the festivities..." he made a phony and mock, "Ye ha!" and then hung up.

She shook her head somberly and turned to stare out the window, wishing none of this had ever happened.

After word reached Mississippi of the ingratitude and the second death, Joseph Mladic had to at. He got on immediately and started broadcasting to the world.


"This is Joseph Mladic of The White Peoples Radio and Television Network. Coming to you with news from Eldanor, where two MSAAS operatives are dead, and a dozen more wounded, some seriously, after a successful rescue of the Princess of Eldanor, Cuilánie Manener, a woman so popular and important, she doesn't even have to thank those who rescued her, nor does she even have to care that men died to rescue her... Indeed in her own words, as recorded by one of our surveillance units using advanced laser technology to measure sound waves vibrations against windows. She said, "I didn't need rescuing..." Well ladies and gentlemen, there you have it, our sons are dying in foreign operations for such ingratitude, hatred, and scorn."


"And to top it off, I've received memos that our government offered the Eldanorian government as much money as they needed to buy her safe release, but they denied she was even being held... Furthermore, all along the path of the operation leading to her rescue, the entire weeks of surveillance spent, word has it that the MSAAS were treated like invaders, terrorists, indeed the treatment they've received has been worse than that of the dead terrorists, and the terrorists are dead! What is going on here! Talk about a society that doesn't know how to be grateful, I say we leave and let them rot the next time they need help."


"And as for the princess, she is attractive, that is obvious, but nearly thirty, the question then becomes, how repulsive must her personality be that she's not married by now?"

Laurelin forced herself to listen to the entire broadcast, all the pride she ever had completely dissolved. The two of them had tarnished the good name of their family, not to mention their entire country.

When her cousin stormed in, she didn’t even look up. “How can you stand this?” she demanded.

The Empress continued to write. “Most of it is true, you know,” she muttered.

The two of them got into such a fight it could be heard from three flights above and the princess finally left, slamming the door behind her. The Empress took her seat again, gripping her pen with white knuckles.

The TV went back to regularly scheduled programming (regularly scheduled for MS TV), the children's cartoon "Big Brother and Little Brother" where the main character is a good citizen, a youngster who reports any and all suspicious activity or anti-government speeches, even by his family, to the government secret police, he then gets rewards and his goal is to join an elite unit called only "The Guard".

Suddenly the regularly scheduled programming was interrupted, it was Wilhelm Ernst, with the Department of Internal Security.


"We interrupt this regularly scheduled programming to bring you awful and tragic news. About twenty minutes ago near Stahlecker City, in Western Sahara, unknown forces, presumably terrorists or organized gangsters, detonated a powerful bomb, what has since been determined from eye witness statements to be a truck bomb, the bomb ripped through the base of a regiment of Mississippian Special Air Assault Squads assigned to Western Sahara as part of the Federal Contingent there.

The apparent motive seems to be revenge, since a company of this regiment was involved in a very recent operation against terrorist and organized criminals in Eldanor. A phone call was made a few minutes after the bombing, to a local police station, apparently the caller, well the recording, it was automated, claimed responsibilty on behalf of, quote, "Those your assassins have murdered", end quote. One of the eight companies is currently deployed overseas, in Eldanor, awaiting return to Western Sahara... The other seven companies were asleep in the base at the time, it is as yet unclear what the death toll will be. What is known is that the blast was so powerful it shattered windows over a mile away."


(Cut to footage of the bombed out base, twisted debris and metal lie strewn about, the walls have been blown in, everything basically collapsed in on itself after the bomb blew the wall supports in.)



Ooc- GE and I might be working out more with this later if he wants. If he doesn't want, then this is just the work of MS Mobsters who were involved in selling black market items to the GE terror squads.

Laurelin slammed her fist on the desk, rattling everything. She flipped off the television and stood up. She paced back and forth in front of the window, muttering to herself. “This is completely out of control. Why, why do these things happen?”

As soon as he heard of the attack on their base in Western Sahara, Gustav said nothing, he only walked out to the hotel garage where all his companies tactical vehicles were parked, after they'd been flown over weeks ago in C-130s to ready for the assault on the building.

Some of the men in the bar started to follow him, one asked, "Sir, where we going?"


He shook his head when he reached the truck he was looking for, the primary weapons truck, he stepped in, slipped into his Crusade Armor, put the inserts in, took an MP-5 off a nearby rack and checked it, he then told the others nearby, "Get ready, suit up, gear up, we've got work to do..."


One of them was puzzled, "What do you mean, sir?"

He glared at the man, "For the last three years, nobody has given us the attention we've deserved, even in our own land, people are growing complacent, they think freedom and security are cheap... Well hundreds of our buddies, our comrades, from our own damn unit are likely dead, that isn't cheap to me... We're going to remind the people the price of freedom... Suit up..."

The men went back to the hotel and got as many others as they could, they managed to muster 106 members, 12 were wounded and in the hospital, and 2 were dead.


The men started putting on their Crusader Armor, their black face masks, and then they readied their pistols, MP-5s, and G-36 rifles.



A few minutes later, they were unloading from their vehicles about half a block from the palace. They were going to storm it, take everybody hostage, and demand media attention, the attention they believed they so rightly deserved.

Thirty Minutes Earlier

A man sat in a dark room, his cigar the only light source.

"Revenge is always sweet, Colonel."

"So is blood."

"Hah. Indeed, sir."

"With this, we shall put ourselves on the map. The dream of the Ghosts of the Empire will be realized. We shall strike fear into the heart of the Emperor, and the craven dogs who would allow him dominion over them, and when the time is right, when enough men have died, we shall topple him and take glory and power for ourselves."

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

The man checked his watch, and turned down the radio.

"It's time. Are you ready?"

"Our brothers lie dead in a foreign land, denied proper burial in their homeland. I will die for them as they died for us."

"Good, brother. Your loyalty to the cause will bring you honor in death."

"Let us strike the first blow for the cause."

An enormous moving van came barreling out from behind a nearby building, heading at full speed for the gates of the MSAAS complex. The vehicle smashed through the gates, sending surprised guards diving out of the way, and headed towards the building directly in front of them.

"For our brothers!"

The vehicle slammed into the concrete, and the base was consumed by fire.

Gustav decided it was time to launch the assault to storm the palace. He had split his 106 men into twenty, five man teams, and one six man team, he was the leader of the six man team. They were moving into positions, totally surrounding the palace.

At his signal, suddenly and without warning, they surged forward in the night, with almost perfect stealth. What few police or guards they'd encounter, they'd neutralize with non-lethal gas or if necessary, kneecapping them with silenced pistols, they didn't want to kill anybody, at least not yet.


The gate was to be stormed by three teams. Whatever guards were there would, within seconds, find themselves staring down fifteen heavily armored and armed MSAAS with G-36s, MP-5s, and silenced pistols.



Five of the men tasked to assault the gate raced forward, not even giving the gate guards a chance to respond before they raised up their G-36s and shouted, "Hit the ground! Now!"



The assault had begun.

The guards, taken completely by surprise and not being nearly as well armed as the MSAAS were, dropped their pretty much useless weapons and dropped slowly to the ground.

Inside the palace, the Empress was growing restless and edgy. She felt like something was wrong, there was tension in the air. Sighing, she grabbed her cloak and went out to the gardens, scowling as she passed her cousin on her way to the kitchens.

At the gate, two MSAAS were left behind to guard the now restrained police who had been guarding the gate. The rest of the men pressed on, towards the palace front doors.


A team of MSAAS running through the gardens on their way to the palace building itself, saw her. Two of the men raised their MP-5s and hit her with the laser dots, letting her know they had her in their sights when one shouted, "On the ground, drop down on the ground, or we drop you! Hands behind your back!"



The first of the teams were ready to assault the palace itself. Three teams were in position at the front door, another three at the back door, they put small charges in place and blew the doors in, they then rushed forward, shouting at any servants they saw, "Hit the ground! Hit the ground! Don't move!"


One team had climbed up to the roof and was now assaulting into the palace from the upper floor down. Another team simply crashed through the dining room windows, immediately unslinging their MP-5s and moving to secure the nearby rooms.

The servants and all those who stayed at the palace dropped to the floor, or went to seek safety within their rooms. The guards who were unrestrained got everybody they could, including the princess, into one of the larger interior rooms.

In the garden, the Empress thought fast. If they were going to kill her, they were going to kill her. She figured it was better to take her chances, and she wasn’t going down without a fight. Laurelin ran down one of the highly overgrown paths, leading into the forest. She didn’t even look back.

One of the men that had his laser trained on her sighed and then his friend who had a tear gas launcher knew what to do, he fired two tear gas canisters at the empress as she was running, one hit her right in the back, it would have the same stunning affect as being hit by a fast pitched baseball. If it didn't stop her, the dispensing of the gas probably would. At any rate, the men ran towards where she was, intent on not letting her get away.



Inside the palace itself, the teams restrained and rounded up all the servants. One team finally entered the kitchen, weapons raised they started shouting at the princess, "Hit the floor bitch! On the floor!"

She shrieked when she felt the canister hit her back, but moved on. The Empress drew her cloak to cover her mouth and nose, desperate to not be captured.

She was nearing the forest, it was very overgrown and she, having spent her entire childhood playing there, could lose them.

In the kitchens, the princess sank to the floor and moved against the wall, too afraid to speak.

The team leader sighed and one of the operatives with thermal vision ran forward, looking around. He saw a large heat signature moving throug the the trees, he shouted, "Stop now and you won't be harmed! Keep running and we'll blaze away at every suspicious looking tree!"


The other men with their Night Vision Goggles, were having an easy enough time keeping up, but they couldn't see through all the undergrowth.




In the kitch, Gustav and his second command, both masked, knelt down and handcuffed the princess, then the second in command shook his head at the princess and proceeded to pull her up by her hair. Gustav paced back and forth in the room as the Second in command scoffed at her, "So, arrogant bitch, you seem to be in a bit of a spot now eh? Why not call your friends and ask them to help you, with your magnetic personality you should have..." he chuckled, "Wait, I forgot, you're a bitch, you don't have any friends."


He pushed her down in a chair and told her, "Don't start screaming, that'll just annoy me and get me mad."

Gustav had yet to say anything since he didn't want her to recognize his voice. He just stood silently near the doorway of the kitchen, his MP-5 ready in his arms, drawn across his chest.

((OOC: I'm assuming gustav has a phone on him. If not, then assume one of the palace telephones was dialed and brought to him.))

Gustav's phone began to ring.

"How quickly roles reverse. Going through all the trouble to save her, only to return her to a state of captivity. Truly a waste, especially when it costs you the lives of two fine soldiers."