NationStates Jolt Archive

Tocrowkia is formally requesting International aid in capturing it's most wanted terrorists. These people are responsible for the killings of tens of thousands of innocent people, and should not be taken lightly, nor left to roam free. They have eluded our National Security Agency, and we believe they have fled Tocrowkia and have set up Networks in other nations. These men and women are unpredictable and most likely insane, so no nation is safe. So therefore, Tocrowkia offers to enter a new age in inter-nation cooperation. Together, let our agencies track these terrorists down and avenge the death of the innocents they are responsible for killing. Please note that all bounties are dead or alive, as we have no preference. Our top three targets are:

((OOC: I’m going to describe the mug shots instead of posting actual ones.))

Name: Kasv Jorian
Age: 32
Height: 6’2’
Weight: 200 lbs
Photograph: ((Picture of a man with short black hair and a slightly olive complexion and stubble. Dressed in formal black attire))
Crimes: One of the organizers of the Great Pharamas riot, police video shows him killing at least ten police officers and is suspected in the killing of two more legimate businessmen. High Treason.
Suspected Whereabouts: Possibly Europe or the Middle East to garner support for his cause and purchase weapons.
Affiliation: Tocrowkian Liberation Army (TLA)
Bounty: 100 Billion USD


Name: Roderick Von Roland
Age: 23
Height: 5’11’
Weight: 140 lbs
Photograph: ((Picture of a man in standard Tocrowkian BDU’s. Hair is short blonde and is defiantly Caucasian. Eyes are deep blue)
Crimes: One of the organizers of the Great Pharamas riot, suspected in participation of a truck bomb, which killed hundreds of police officers, attempted assassination. High Treason.
Suspected Whereabouts: Most likely an island nation seeking refuge or planning a new attack on Tocrowkian interests.
Affiliation: Tocrowkian Liberation Army (TLA)
Bounty: 90 Billion USD


Name: Erica Audrey
Age: 21
Height: 5’5’
Weight: 120 lb
Photograph: ((Picture of a young blonde woman in a white naval uniform. Blue eyes, medium length hair.
Crimes: One of the organizers of the Great Pharamas riot and Ashmark hijacking, planning several car bombings and carrying them out, conspiracy to commit assassination desertion, High Treason.
Suspected Whereabouts: Most likely an Asian nation, looking to buy explosives from a sympathizer group or Government.
Affiliation: Tocrowkian Liberation Army (TLA)
Bounty: 85 Billion USD

Lt. Col. Hisgeh was idly looking at the day's reports when he came across one about Tocrowkia. Evidently they were having problems with terrorists. Huh, who wasn't, he thought.

However, Tocrowkia was one of the nations that Lord Sethanis wanted info on. So Hisgeh included the report in the daily batch sent to the Palace.
_________________________________________________________________

Sethanis was weary beyond words. He and the others had narrowly escaped with their lives in the attack on Xeraphia, but he still had to see to the affairs of government, minimal as they might be.

He noticed the one from Tocrowkia, about the terrorists. He was on the verge of opening diplomatic relations with....what was her name?....ah, yes, Isabella Reinhard, whom he had met at a peace conference some weeks back. She was smart and savvy....not to mention being easy on the eyes.

Sethanis decided that the best way he could help her right now was to offer aid in the form of the SpecOps Rangers and some chiptech. The Rangers could perform their special functions in a most chameleon-like manner, and the chiptech would be a feather in Reinhard's cap. It was what was used in Black Shadows, as well as a couple of the other nations of the Xeraphian Empire.

ChipTech was simple enough. Insert a microchip into a citizen's arm or leg, and then you knew where he was and what he was doing at any given time. Since there was no immigration allowed most of the year in Black Shadows, anyone who didn't have a chip stood out like a sore thumb. But it all boiled down to Tocrowkia allowing this to happen in their country. It didn't have to be permanent. Just until the ringleaders were caught.

" Captain, contact Ms. Reinhard of Tocrowkia and inform her that we might be of service to her in the situation with the terrorists."

" Yes, m'lord, at once."

Jag Quin, bounty hunter, and former Quaonese general, looked at the most wanted list. Sharpening his knife and pulling out his pistol, he smiled. Looks like a good bounty. Hmm, let's see what I can find.
He turned on his laptop, and started searching as many encrypted files as he could. After a few hours, he found a secure line that gave him a pretty good lead on the location of Erica Audrey. Hmm, Tokoyo. One of Audrey's friends apparently lived there. He went online to a travel agency, and booked a private plane for Tokoyo.

Reply:

While the ChipTech suggestion is interesting, it is not possible for us to rush and put it in over three billion people in such a short time. How ever, we do accept your offer of SpecOps to help us track these people down.

((OOC: Quaon, just post your character landing in Tokyo, and I figure we'll start a cat-mouse RP.))

"Sir, you might want to look at this!" The Admiral's aid said as he burst into the SA's Office. "What is it?" The Crowley asked. "Sir, Tocrowkia is trying to track down some of the TLA ringleaders." "Damn it, the TLA were some of our biggest allies back duing the revolution. I even have an ambassador among their ranks. We've got to help the TLA!" "What of Mr. Roland? What do we do if Tocrowkia finds out that we are giving him shelter?" We'll move him to a local Church, he will declare sanctuary and then Tocrowkia wouldn't dare break religious rights. Well, at least not on our soil."

"Sir, you might want to look at this!" The Admiral's aid said as he burst into the SA's Office. "What is it?" The Crowley asked. "Sir, Tocrowkia is trying to track down some of the TLA ringleaders." "Damn it, the TLA were some of our biggest allies back duing the revolution. I even have an ambassador among their ranks. We've got to help the TLA!" "What of Mr. Roland? What do we do if Tocrowkia finds out that we are giving him shelter?" We'll move him to a local Church, he will declare sanctuary and then Tocrowkia wouldn't dare break religious rights. Well, at least not on our soil."


Interesting, Sethanis thought. The report linked this guy Roland with a TLA-responsible car bomb. And Roland had some ties to...what the hell was the name of the nation?...Drekkel Hillbillyvill, or something like that. Ah, here it is. Drexel Hillsville. What the hell kinda name was that for a country.

" Major, I need some info on this Drexel Hillsville. Terrorist sympathizers. Harboring treason is an ugly habit, wouldn't you say?"

" Yes ,m'lord, it is ugly. It's probably no coincidence that ViZion has stepped up it's anti-terror campaign, and at the same time, one of it's nuke-subs go renegade. And now this. Damned cowards. What steps do we take here, m,lord?"

" As I said, I need info on this Hillsville. If theyr'e protecting this terrorist, they have to realize that they had better turn him over or the international community will consider their country a terrorist unit. If you harbor terrorists, then your'e no better than a terrorist, and you'll suffer the same fate as the terrorist. Get me that info quickly, Major. We need to move on this."

" Yes, m'lord."

______________________________________________some hours later.....


Major Khossak knocked, then entered the King's study. Sethanis didn't like to be known as the King. Lord Sethanis was enough. His reputation and his function were more important than his title. He was the King of The Black Shadows......and more than one adversary had discovered just what that meant when they illegaly entered Sethanis' territory.

Sethanis looked up. " Well, what have you got for me?"

Well, m'lord, some very common stats on a very common nation, with a string of uncommon contacts."

Sethanis' eyes lit up. " Uncommon, Major?"

" Yes, m'lord. DH's region is called the Domain of the Horsemen. The nation's fullname is the Celtic Freedom Army of Drexel Hillsville. The region is full of tribal-type nations who bear the celtic/briton/druid nomenclature of passive revolutionaries. You know, the arm-chair type. Some of the other nations in the region are Mirkana, the True IRA, Gaiway and Morgrande.

There was a nation named Xharn, who moved to a region called the Heartland. This Heartland has a shitload of socialist/communist-revolutionary type nations, such as the Soviet Ukraine, Crystal Palace, the Montagnards, and Vlavianos. Some of these nations have pops in the 2-6 billion range."

Sethanis stared at the Major. " Two to six billion? Where the hell have they been all these centuries? I've never heard of them,and I'll bet you that no one else has, either."

" Sleepers, m'lord. Called forth in times of need. In any case, there may be a tie between the Horsemen and the Heartland. Who knows, there may be a vast network of quasi-terror nations that we know nothing about, just waiting for the word to rise up and take control of their neighboring nations and regions."

" OK, Major, compile the info, get it out to Tocrowkia, as well as our people, and then pass it on to the Imperial PolitCorps. Oh, and send it on to the Katanas, the Grey Legions, and Dark Visions also."

" Aye, m'lord, right away."

Slowing his breathing until it no longer caused his scope to shift, the sniper focused on the target in quiet concentration. Subconciously fingering the trigger of his rifle, he waited for the perfect shot. It was worth waiting for. He'd only have one.

Nearly half a kilometer away, two men stood by the side of a bridge, talking in low voices. One of the men had a swarthy complexion. His companion, a much larger man and very obviously a body guard, cast sidelong glances at pedestrians walking by. He was well-paid, and with good reason. He knew his craft well.

"They're looking for me," muttered the swarthy man.

His guard nodded. "They always are, and they will until you or they die."

"That doesn't help, James," the first man said. He leaned over the rail, and spat. James turned to look the opposite direction, in time to see an elderly woman look with disdain at his charge. He sighed.

"Look, maybe we can you to Mexico. From there, you can go anywhere. The RIA can't search the whole friggin' world." No more pedestrians crossed the bridge. Indeed, none were in sight. James turned around, so that he was facing the same direction as his ward.

The sniper heard the command in his earmic. Gently, he squeezed the trigger. The recoil was a surprise, a sign of a good shot. But, of course it was good. He was good. The .50 caliber bullet caught James just above his upper lip. Before the swarthy man heard the rifle shot, his face and suit were splattered with blood and brain. James' body fell. The guard's head was...gone. What remained of the lower jaw twitched fitfully.

Panicking, the man turned and ran toward his car, yelling for the driver to get ready. Too late, he tried to yell a warning as black-clad SWAT police, or maybe soldiers, issued forth from alleys and streets behind the driver. A 7.62mm round connected with his right leg just below the knee, tearing through the flesh and bone, severing the limb. The man screamed and fell, heading the pavement and seeing but not registering his driver being shot, literally nailed to the car by a burst of decimeter steel spikes. The man's body hung limp from the door like a bloodied doll.

A medic rushed forward, and began applying a tourniquet to the man's bleeding leg. The leader of the soldiers shouldered his Rakow G2A2 assault rifle and keyed the comm switch on his helmet.

"Good shot, John. Return to compound at once for debriefing."

Thumbing the switch to the "off" position, he spoke to the rest of the squad. "Efficient and clean. I like that."

By the time the chopper arrived to pick up the squad, uniformed cops had formed a line to keep out civilians, and medical personnel were cleaning up the bodies and transporting the target to a hospital.

***

"Paul. Wait," ordered the Commandant. The rest of the team filed out of the debriefing room. The squad leader turned, and stood at attention. "At ease."

"Sir?"

"Have a look at this." The Commandant tossed a manila folder onto his desk, and gestured for Paul to read the contents. Skimming the papers inside, Paul gleaning an understanding of the gist of the report.

"The Tocrowkian governments has issued bounties on these three terrorists. The Director would not mind the RIA having that extra funding. And of course, there's the whole 'hunting terrorists' thing, as well. Jacobs has asked me to put your company on this. You will have the full backing and resources of the Department of Public Security, as always."

Paul nodded. "Yes, sir. I'll inform the men."

OOC: Interesting. Been looking for a good bounty hunt/assassination. For the sake of keeping the thing running smoothly, my MSN addy is blaestwin@hotmail.com. Please, contact me about anything and everthing, especially where Coatl is actually headed...

IC: Coatl sat in his office, lit only by the glow of his computer screen. He looked at the faces, and brought up an IM program.

--Logged in as Snake_Lover
--Convo Started with Fixer

Snake_Lover: Hey.
Fixer: Oh god, I know that tone. You find a job?
Snake_Lover: Hell yes. Pretty well paying, too.
Fixer: You got names of your business partners?
Snake_Lover: Of course. Sending the files now.

--File Transfer Initiated
--File Transfer Complete

Fixer: Daaaaamn, that's a nice sum of money there. So, I assume you want the data on your partner's latest dealings, make sure there's no suprises in the contract?
Snake_Lover: You know me so well...
Fixer: Course I do. You pay me to do that. I'll see what I can dig up on them, maybe get you their address so you can pay them a visit to talk about business.
Snake_Lover: I'd like that. Gimme EVERYTHING you can find on them, as usual. I want this contract to be airtight, no loopholes for them to weasel their way out of.
Fixer: Sure thing, boss. Say, want me to get you some equipment for the job? There'll probably be some demolition involved, you may need a new wrecking ball.
Snake_Lover: You got it. I hope I'll be pleasently suprised by the new toys?
Fixer: As always. Meet in the usual place tommorrow, I'll see what I have. My boys should at least be able to narrow it down to a single country for one of them. See you then.
Snake_Lover: Got it.
--Fixer may not reply, as he appears to be offline.
--You have logged out. Convo ended.

There. He'd have more in depth target info for the hits the next day, as well as some shiny new toys. Coatl smiled. What's the worst that could happen? At the very least, I get a vacation.

OOC: Here's a little history of the CFADH

The CFA was a group similar to the IRA and INLA until they were given up by a mole that held a high rank. Most of the group was exiled along with their families to a string of islands. Their leader was originally Francis Crowley but Sean O'Riley took the position after the exile since he had more political experience. Crowley later killed O'Riley for treason and took the position of Supreme Admiral. They were originally trained with several other oganizations (Like the TLA) and have work closely witht them through out the years.

IC:
Dear Roderick,

Its Crowley, Tocrowkia seems to be looking for you. I suggest you find a safe place to stay. If you need to you may stay in the bunker beneath the Kremlit. I know for a fact that the Riders will welcome you with open arms.
From Crowley

OOC: Interesting. Been looking for a good bounty hunt/assassination. For the sake of keeping the thing running smoothly, my MSN addy is blaestwin@hotmail.com. Please, contact me about anything and everthing, especially where Coatl is actually headed...


((OOC: Of course I will.))

Dear Roderick,

Its Crowley, Tocrowkia seems to be looking for you. I suggest you find a safe place to stay. If you need to you may stay in the bunker beneath the Kremlit. I know for a fact that the Riders will welcome you with open arms.

When Roderick received this, he was currently living in a tiny shack on some small, irrelevant island nation. The shack held only a single room, which was very dirty and musky. A bunker sounded like paradise compared to this, and he would be amongst friends.

Crowley,

Good to hear from you again. I'll take you up on your offer. I'll take a secure aircraft to Kremlit. The ID will be 1728-ID2. It will be a small, two-person sea plane. Of course, I'll be the only passenger.

((OOC: If I missed replying to anyone, point that out please. Don't want to seem rude or unperceptive.))

Jaq's private jet landed, and Jaq exited.

"How long will you be, sir?" asked the jet pilot.

"Not long, and one more thing," Jaq said. He pulled out his pistol, and pulled the trigger. The pilot fell dead. "I know you've been selling me out for years. I can't risk you screwing up this bounty."

As Airport security rushed Jaq, he pulled another one of his frag grenades out, pulled the pin, and threw it. Three men were sent flying.

It's a good thing that plane was stolen, they shouldn't be able to track me through that.

Knowing that nobody had seen his face, Jaq quietly tucked away his weapons and snuck out of the airport without anyone seeing him once.

Jaq looked at his GPS unit. The friend of the bounty lived only about 3 blocks from where he was standing. He made his way to the house, and snuck in stealthily threw a window. The bounty's friend wasn't home yet, so Jaq started searching some files on the friend's computer.

Nothing

Suddenly the door to the house open.

"Freeze!" Jaq yelled, point his gun at the woman. "Your going to tell me where Audrey is!"

Dear Roderick,

I'll awiat your coming at the airport. I'll have the entire place closed down to provide security. They'll be about twenty secret service members as well as a platoon of Black Berets to ensure your safety. See you soon.

From
Crowley

"Danny!" Crowley yelled, "Shut down the local airport and have a platoon ready! We're going to meet Roderick soon."

Jaq smiled. After a few threatening motions, a few slaps, and a couple of firing of guns, he had found the current location of his prey.

"Mind if I take your car?" Jaq asked his captive.

"N-no. Please don't shoot me."

"Okay," Jaq replied, grabbing a dagger and throwing it at his captive. "I won't shoot you."

He found the keys to the car, and turned it on. It was a 2006 BMW, and it handled well. After a few minutes of driving, he found Audrey's house. Just as he got out, he heard pistol shots being fired at him. He took cover, but his shoulder took a shot.

"Damn it!" he yelled. This capture was going to be hard.

IC:

Erica wasn't expecting to be found so easily, but killing this guy was no problem to her. She had both Military and TLA training in various martial arts and with various weapons, so this situation didn't worry her. She loaded her .45, and took another shot at the bounty hunter...

The hunter rushed out, firing widely with his pistol. He took another round to his shoulder and nearly fainted, but managed to keep his posture. He only had two grenades left: a frag and a flash-bang. He grabbed the flash bang, activated it, threw it to the ground, and averted his eyes while running for cover. He saw civilans running for their lives, and he started firing into the crowd, hoping they could be herded into a position to give him mobile cover.

"Searching the Mediterranean for a bulky man with an olive complexion and stubble? What the hell?"

"Come on, Dave. It'll be fun. I know I'm having a blast," Dave's companion said sarcastically. In front of the two men, their commanding officer turned to face them, his face expressionless. After a second, a slight grin tugged at the edge of his mouth.

"You two get back to work, now," he said.

"Yes, sir." The two men obidiently began scanning the data on their computer consoles.

Major Paul Gordon, DPS, RIA, looked back to the cockpit of the modified V22 Osprey, which at the moment was flying over the island of Menorca, and was headed for Corsica. The pilots were handling everything well, and the lack of something to do was starting to bother the Major. The two technicians behind him were focused on their computers, A2 loadouts. They were using a very advanced and very illegal virus to monitor internet traffic on European, Middle Eastern, and American servers, trying to locate the biggest of the Tocrowkian bounties, one Kasv Jorian. The information provided by the Tocrowkian government made it likely he was in Europe or the Middle East, and Gordon had figured the Mediterranean to be the best place to start looking.

"Major. We've found something," reported one of the techs.

"All right, let me see," said the Major. Looking over Dave's shoulder, he quickly scanned the relevant information. A security camera at an Italian bank had recorded someone who looked very much like Jorian.

The Major's face broke into a wide grin. "Thomas, assemble the strike team. We've found the target."

OOC: Sorry for the puppet post, too lazy to log on as Otagia.

IC:
The usual place, the usual time he said. Why oh why is he always so fracking late?

Looking around, Coatl admired some of the art on display. Only a couple by the old masters, but there was some decent holo work here by newer artists. The robotic spider was particularily nice, especially the fact that it wove and rewove its own web. The wonders of modern programming...

Coatl turned as he heard footsteps, and saw his fixer walking towards him, carrying a briefcase.

"It's about time. You were supposed to be here ten minutes ago."

"Yeah, yeah. Still, the toys I got for you should make up for it. Feast your eyes on this one!"

Setting down the briefcase, he opened it, revealing a human leg.

"Augmetics? What's the trick on this one, Brandon?"

"It's calibrated to your exact parameters, so it'll work just as well as your current aug. And it's got a neat little trick, a grenade launcher built into the kneecap. One round, but it'll take out whatever's in your way."

"Neat. Remind me to raise your tip..."

"Just doing my job. Also got the latest assortment of firearms, anything you could possibly want: sniper rifle, assault rifle, carbine, SMGs, pistols, even a GPMMG. Oh, and I got a lead on a Mr. Von Roland. Tip says he was spotted in New Zealand, I've got a plane with your name on it prepped already. You're going to fly out in an hour."

"Good. Shall we go then?"

"Sure. And by the way, you've got a spider on your shoulder..."

Coatl jumped, and quickly brushed the over eager mechanical arachnid off his shoulder. Well, at least the place is quiet...

tag

((OOC: Malkyer, mind posting again? Like approaching the safe house? I can't really see an opening to reply to your current post.))

Erica immediatly Recognized the flash bang, and covered her eyes. Once the flash expired, she began firing at the Bounty Hunter again, hoping to peirce one of the civillians and hit him as well.

((OOC: Malkyer, mind posting again? Like approaching the safe house? I can't really see an opening to reply to your current post.))

OOC: Actually, can we just assume that me people are looking for him? I'm, leaving for a trip soon and don't have time to reply. Sorry.

"What is taking his plane so long?" Francis asked Danny Hanlon. "Turbulnce," came the reply. "Huh?" Danny explained. "Solar Radiation heats the earth's crust. Cool air desends while hot air rises. It makes the ride bumpy which can spook the pilot." Crowley looked around at the Black Berets and MPs in the airport. He looked away from the large windows, "Damn Turbulance," Just as he said this a small plane landed.

Roland stepped out, and dusted off his suits. He regained his land legs in seconds, and looked around for his allies.

"Roland!" Crowley yelled as he saw his old freind, "It is good to see you. I do, however, have some bad news."

Jaq suddenly stormed the building, gun blazing, he almost got hit again, but managed to get to the door and enter the building. He saw his prey. Before he could register her apearance, he fired 3 bullets at her, hoping they would hit their target.

[OOC: Tocrowkia, TG]

bump

bump

Bump

"Roland!" Crowley yelled as he saw his old freind, "It is good to see you. I do, however, have some bad news."

"Oh?"

Roland began.

"And what is this?"

~Erica...~

Two bullets missed, but one struck Erica in the thigh. She whimpered, by rolled out of the way and behind a desk. She stuck her .45 out, and fired two rounds at the hunter.

"Oh?"

Roland began.

"And what is this?"



"You remeber Sean O'Riley, correct? He was using his power in office to.. well he was acting contrary to the good of the CFA. Because of this he was," The Admiral paused, "eliminated."

Coatl relaxed in his private Lear Jet, the pilot competently handling the controls on their way to New Zealand. He tapped away at his laptop, trying to make sense of the info he had been fed. Brandon had done a great job getting him ready for the hit, but he had no idea how much of the info was accurate, and didn't have a precise location yet. Still, he did have a phone number...

Picking up his cell phone, he dialed a number. The phone rang once, and was answered.

"Hey, David, my man, what's up? Lemme guess, you're having trouble with a job and have turned once again to your little bro."

"Right as always, Cherub. Can you track someone by their phone number?"

"You kidding? I can learn everything about them that's ever existed by their phone number! Whatcha got?"

"Cell phone, probably a throw-away, no name on it, but I'm sure it's my target. Brandon just doesn't make mistakes about this sorta thing. Anyway, what can you get from it?"

Coatl rattled off the number, and could hear quick typing over the phone line. After a short pause, Cherub was back.

"Well well, you're in luck. I'm feeling generous, and can pinpoint his location and routines. When you get in town, I'll e-mail you data on his movements daily. Once you find his routine, make your kill and give me my cut. Have fun, aniki."

"You too, Cherub. I'll wire you your cut as soon as I get payed. See you soon."

"Oh, and one more thing, bro. He's not in New Zealand anymore."

"WHAT?! When the hell did this happen?"

"Just recently, apparently. Cell phone says he's in Drexel Hillsville. I'll keep an eye on his movements still, lets hope he comes outside occasionally. My bet is that he's going to be hidden, and well guarded. If he comes out, he'll be easy to take down with a little sniper work."

"Thanks for the info, I'll turn the plane around and get myself a room there. See you back at the villa."

Hanging up his phone, he walked over to the pilot, and had him set a course for Drexel Hillsville. He walked back to his computer, and checked himself into a hotel near the targets location.

Jaq fell forward. His bullet proof vest had saved his life, but not without some damage. As Jaq hit the ground, he realized he had an angle on Ericka. He held his breath and fired his last bullet.

Coatl sat in his hotel room, tapping away at his laptop while he watched a documentary on Kiwi birds on the television. His head was bare, his eyes grey. On the desk next to him sat his wig and contact lenses, as well as a pair of micro-masks to alter his facial features. A pistol was in his shoulder holster, and two more in the desk.

He sat contentedly watching TV, viewing his e-mail occasionally to get updates on the habits of his target: If he left the bunker, when he left it, when he was in the cafeteria, when he went to the bathroom, everything about the man's life. If there was a single weakness in the man's guard, Cherub and Coatl would find it and exploit it to the fullest.

OOC: Tocrowkia, TG.

"I don't like this, Major. Too many civilians around. If we fuck up, the RIA will have our asses."

Gordon raised an eyebrow as he leaned against a wall, lighting a cigarette. "So don't fuck up." The other man waited for a moment, to see if Gordon said anything more. When the commander remained silent, he shrugged and took a long pull from a water bottle. Italy was hot.

Gordon closed his eyes, savoring the smoke. We're the best at what we do. Even if we screw up, we can just disappear. No one will ever be able to prove it was us.

Another man walked casually by the two standing on the street corner, and ducked inside a small shop. Gordon waited a second and followed. He found the man looking through the newspaper stand. "Venice daily is right there," he pointed out. The other man nodded. Taking the paper, he saunted over to a shelf and studied the candy.

"We've identified his safehouse, sir. It's a three-story apartment building about half a mile away. Other people live there, but we haven't established whether they're civilians or TLA. With Jorian's connections, I wouldn't doubt that he's got back-up."

"Have you seen him?"

"Yeah. A couple of times, going to get food, pick up a newspaper, regualr stuff. We haven't made any move yet, as per your orders."

"Good. I want another day or two to detect any patterns or habits he may have. Anything that will make him easier to grab."

"And if he skips town? The Tocrowkian bounty isn't exactly secret."

"We follow him. Besides, I have the strike team on constant standby. They can be anywhere in northern Italy in half an hour, forty-five minutes tops if he tries for Rome or a border." The extra fifteen minutes was as much a symptom of secretly violating another country's airspace as it was a matter of distance. The survelliance agent nodded, and grabbed a candy bar. After he paid, the two men strolled outside.

"It's a nice day. Warm, though," the Major commented. A breeze brought the smell of a canal to him. One of the less pleasant canals.

Kasv paced back and fourth in his apartment, awaiting the arrival of his comrade. Finally, after several agonizing minutes, a knock came at the door. A smile lined Kasv's face, and he opened the door.

"Brother."

He exclaimed. Another male TLA member walked in, and Jorian shut the door quickly. The two men exchanged an embrace, and then went back to a normal standing position.

"I trust you know why I called you?"

Kasv asked.

"You believe you are being pursued."

He replied. Kasv nodded.

"Indeed. And I cannot allow my self to be captured by anyone. And that is why I requested you stand in for me, brother."

Kasv stated. The other nodded.

"I would do anything for the cause, brother."

Kasv smiled again, and pulled a suit case onto the table, and opened it. Several pounds of C4 were loaded into it, along with the detonators.

"This is twelve pounds of C4 High Explosive. Enough to destroy this room, and kill anyone out in the hall. As you can see, there is also another button here. Activate it first. It will detonate an additional forty pounds of C4 hidden in a car across the streets. If all goes well, this attack will kill up to one hundred."

Kasv rose up.

"Go in peace, brother."

The other man said. Kasv nodded.

"Go in peace."

He replied coldly, before slipping out the door.

~Erica Gun Battle~

The bullet hit Erica in the throat, causing blood to spray out in massive quantities. She fell to the floor clutching the oozing red fountain.

And that was the end of Erica.

~Roland Meeting~

"Aw, well. At least he was liquidated for legimate reasons."

Roland replied.