NationStates Jolt Archive

How to Cook Humans, pg 1

The eating of Human flesh is perhaps one of the most unique experiences in the world, though indeed great care must be taken when consuming the meat. There are a great number of maladies and diseases that can be transmitted through numerous sources, blood especially. The purpose of this book is to inform how to properly select, prepare and cook appropriate meats for delectible meals.

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

For Angel life was simple, she worked, she slept, she had fun. Life in the vault was remarkably easy. The Vault was a large underground bunker, the vault was seperated into different domes, each dome had residences, play areas, schools, and exercise equipment. There were also a number of special hydroponic domes which supplied a variety of foods, and special animal farming domes as well. Food wasn't particularily scarce, there was enough for everyone just the Central Authority strictly controlled the amount produced and it's distribution everyone getting a measured amount of fruit, vegetables, grains, meats and dairy.

Most people worked one way or another in the food business, either preparing food, grwoing it, harvesting it or distributing it. Those that didn't at the moment either were accepted into the Central Authority or were on a Rota system. They would change out with someone who was, sharing the burden equally amung them.

---------

What Angel and all the other inhabitants of the Vault didn't know was that the whole system was a lie. It was in essence a farm, a human farm... more specially a human meat farm.

Located somewhere underground within Atheistic Right the farm was administrated from with by the Central Authority where those that were accepted were slaughtered and either carved up into cuts for meat markets, or were sold as whole corpses where the customer would do all the butchering work.

They opperated internationally, through secret meetings and backdoor arrangements. Using whatever loophole or security flaw they could identify to sell their product.

This is where we begin...

OOC:
There are many ways for you to interact with this. Perhaps you can play a character in the Vault who's destined to be food, someone who wants to buy, or perhaps someone who wants to uncover the truth and take the farms down.

An OOC Thread has been created here for usage of any participating in the thread or any observer who wishes to make comments or contribute who isn't already involved. The thread is Here (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=572686)

OOC: soylent green is people!

ooc Vault not been playing any fallout games have we?

OOC: If it's OK, I'd like to be a buyer from within Ambrella. I'll go ahead and post, if anything's wrong, let me know.

IC: Shaun was a relatively normal human being. He enjoyed watching TV, spitting on the poor workers, and earning money. He was like any other civilized, well-off Ambrellan. In one respect, Shaun was slightly different. He did have a craving for human flesh. He tried to get it any way he could, but he didn't have quite enough money for the fancy imported brands. Sometimes, he killed. He had a miniature slaughter-house in his basement.

As a 2nd-level manager, Shaun Mange was much better off than most Ambrellans. He lived in a large apartment in Central Wealth, making a 30 minute helicopter commute every day to watch over his peasants. Some days, the craving was so strong, he considered calling one of his workers over... slitting their throat, and bagging them for later. Too bad someone would notice.

Today, Shaun recieved his usual catalogue in the mail. Sometimes he wondered why he continued to have it delivered, he could barely afford any of the sumptuous delicacies listed within. It was pictureless, and all the items were coded. For example, "Fresh 753, Deboned" was actually "Fresh Human Arms, Deboned". He scanned the manual, and finally, on page 17, his eyes lit up. It read "Bargain Meats" with a subheading of "Low, low prices!". He was overjoyed. Arms, legs, and tongue. All his favorites, some up to 40% off.

He grabbed the phone and dialed, "1-800-632-8631" or "1-800-MEAT-ME1". It rang.

"1-800-MEAT-ME1, how can I help you?" The voice answered in a telemarketer-like way.

"Yes... I'd like two cases of 812... and a whole 947, bones and all."

"Ahhh... I see you're taking advantage of the bargain section." She sounded quite sarcastic. "That will be about... $17,000."

"Good, good. Please deliver it to 82 Bunsen Street, Central Wealth, Banking, Ambrella." He was huffing with excitement.

"Thank you, sir." The phone clicked.

OOC: I see that I didn't leave much room for a reply. If someone wishes to show up at this guys house to investigate.... or something, that'd be fine.

ooc Vault not been playing any fallout games have we?
OOC: No unfortunately, though I wish I were, friends of mine have been though.

*snip*

How to Cook Humans pg, 23, Supply

There are numerous ways to source fresh human meat, the easiest is perhaps to go out hunting a bag your own, this carries with it risks not only from people who might want to prevent you, the meat donor included, but also from various contagions that may be found within. With proper preperation and butchering of the meat however, and with proper cooking at a high-heat there is no reason why you should not be able to enjoy the hard work of your labours, If you do hunt your own meat, it's recommended that you train as a butcher or perhaps as a doctor. This way you'll be easily able to access the necessary tools, as well as the know how to properly dissect a human body.

The Tele-marketer entered had entered the codes into the system and created the order, an order that would be created electronically and sent to the cold warehouse for dispatch.

To be far the phone operator had no idea what all the numbers meant, none of his workmates did either, the system dealt only with numbers and generic phrases such as boned and unboned. They were selling meat of course but exactly what was a matter of gossip around the office.

Meanwhile a van with his order was loaded in an offshore processing facility, the white human flesh was packed with chicken in an attempt to disguise it's nature with the numerous chicken bones doing their bit to absorb any x-rays that attempt to penetrate the box and fool any cursory customs inspection.

Everything was ready for the delivery to get underway towards the final destination, of course this was only the first step, privacy and confidentiality of customer's were paramount and if somehow an over-zealous customs agent did find out there would be measures to protect the identity of one Shaun Mange of 82 Bunsen Street, Central Wealth, Banking, Ambrella.

OOC: Yeah, that's fine. As for payment, you'll get an invoice mailed to you after the delivery with account details and hints about how to get it there under the radar.

OOC: Ok. Sounds good.

IC: Shaun was leaving work. It had only been three days. How long did it usually take to ship things? He couldn't remember. He hopped onto the helicopter, whose pilot was waiting as usual, 7:00 PM, sharp. He sat down, closed the half door, and took a deep breath.

"Still in building 7, eh?" The pilot always asked the same question.

"Yes Nigel, Building 7." Shaun was clearly fidgety.

The pilot looked back, helicopter still on the pad. "Something wrong t'day, Guv?"

"No, Nigel. Just fly." He glared.

"Are ye sure? Ya seem awful tense t'day."

"DAMNIT, fly the the machine, Nigel!" Shaun boiled over. Immediately, the pilot pulled up and the helicopter flew. Ahhh, the whooshing of the blade. Shaun smiled, images of man-stakes dancing through his head. Two cases of tongue! A WHOLE ARM, bones and all! He would have to BBQ the arm, otherwise it might be tough. It was bargain meat, after all.

The pilot flew silently for the next twenty-five minutes. "Ey Guv, we're almost there. Prepare for landing!"

"Thanks Nigel." Shaun tossed the pilot a five dollar bill as he got off the copter. He then proceeded to the main floor. He spotted the main desk, and walked up to the manager.

"Hello, sir. Package for me? Shaun Mange."

"No, Mr. Mange. Nothing today." The smile dropped of Shaun's face, as he went upstairs for a bland meal of beef and potatoes.

Jessica Harper was your average 28-year old female. She came from a good family (born in the Vault, too) and had plans to have her own good family. She'd been seeing a man, but wasn't sure if he was right for her.

Jessica thought she would ask her friend Brian for advice.

She picked up the telephone and dialed his number. It rang several times and went to his answering machine.

That's unusual... she though to herself. She left a message and assumed that he was just out harvesting some grains or something.

Little did Jessica know, Brian had been butchered. Butchered like a cow. Butchered like he wasn't an intelligent being. Butchered like he wasn't human...

[OOC: Hope you don't mind. This thread is one of the best ideas for an open RP I've seen in a few years.]

OOC: Would you mind if I rp a high-up in some criminal syndicate that controls the farms?

Also, I agree with Asgarnieu. This is a really great idea.

*snip*
How to Cook Humans pg, 24, Supply

In addition to sourcing fresh flesh from the locals that populate your area and having to work at properly preparing the meat before cooking there are a number of companies that source meat and sanitarily prepare it for you. Sometimes the meat is especially breed and guaranteed to be free of contaminents though the cost of these services are usually more costly due to risk of importing over international borders as most of these operations run from a few select nations.

Angel was walking through the dome and knocked on Brian's door, she had met him a couple of days ago in the fields and there, she thought they had some chemistry between them and she wanted to pursue a relationship, of course there was no answer, how could their be when no one is home.

"Brian?" the door was loosely open, and she pushed at it. "Brian?" The place was empty. All personal items were gone, clothing, photo's the place was almost bare if it weren't for the furnishings. The place was spotless except for a single note.

She read it...


Friends and Relatives,

I'm sorry I couldn't tell you, it happened all so fast. But I'm now in the Central Authority. I'm not sure what my job will be there but I will know that I will be busy and won't be able to see you unless you come into the Authority too. A new life awaits me and it's bitter sweet. I hope this letter finds you all well and you will be able to live your life well and not mourn me. It would sadden me if you didn't keep living your lives because I wasn't there to share it with you.

I'm sure it won't be long till we see you. All my best wishes.

Love Brian.



OOC: Would you mind if I rp a high-up in some criminal syndicate that controls the farms?

Also, I agree with Asgarnieu. This is a really great idea.

OOC: That's fine, just could you run details through me before you post. Thanks

*snip*

Things slipped Ambrellian customs fairly easily, a brief check of the chicken contents confirmed that they were frozen and meet other appropraite checks before being quickly passed over and onto the next time.

The "chicken" was transported to an intermediary destination where the meats were properly seperated. The chickens were sent off to be sold in standard supermarkets while the other white meat was repack and sent to the final destination and the customer.

In total it took 6 days since the order was taken to the time it arrived for Mr. Shuan Mange

Would it be expensive?
Our nation is controlling any food suplies, and we need a profit in deals of human flesh.
However certain religious aspect have to be negociated, like the killing of human for their flesh... Could it be blood preserved or something else?
Please confirm these details to our Minister of Faith for Food Supplies.
Thanks for this great oppotunity of making business with some exotic countries.
We are waiting to sign a fair contract with any good supplier.

Jessica got word of Brian's relocation and pondered quietly the implications of not having her best friend around.

Why couldn't he just tell me? Was he scared? Was he nervous? Jesus! I wish I had known!

The way an average human female might, she began to blame herself. As she sat on her plush red couch, she reminisced about the great times they had shared.

As the mental images flew past, something clicked.

She loved Brian.

How to Cook Humans, pg30, Supply

The costs of gaining supply can vary dramatically in some states human meat is openly and publically sold, in other places you deal with what most would the Black Market suppliers, or perhaps with supplying the meat nearby area. All these have associated costs, some might cost more or less in terms of cash investment but all are just as eaqually costly in terms of overall risk.

*snip*
This letter intriged the upper-management of the farm, it wasn't often they were directly contacted by a national government. After some discussion it was decided it would be best to reply and see what opportunity could be taken advantage of.

The letter was sent from inside Maccahabia from one of the busier post offices, finding who sent the letter was going to be almost impossible, but it arrived at the Ministry of Faith for Food Supplies.


To Whom it May Concern;

As you may know, our company distributes human flesh for consumption, what you may not know that we also, farm and butcher the meat ourselves. As for price for the consumer, Human Flesh is always going to be the most expensive meat due to it's nature but we guarantee our meat to be free of any contamination. We usually harvest an individual for it's meat anywhere from 18 to 30 years of age depending on the individual and our meat is premium produce. We would be happy to see and discuss any supply needs but due to our business nature we believe it wise to keep to the shadows for the moment. We'll get in contact with you and start negotiations.

Thank you.

*snip*

He was gone, but something about Brian interested Angel she wanted to know more about him, what did he do, why was he selected. She started to ask around about Brian, some people only occasionally saw him and didn't know much at all, others hadn't heard of him until she came to someone who knew both him and Jessica.

"Yeah, they were an item. Jessica and Brian, neither of them realised it though, they love is blind but they couldn't see it, even though they could of been walking around with a big light flashing over the heads for the rest of us. It was that obvious."

She managed to get Jessica's address and decided she wanted to meet her, she took along the note and knocked on the door.

Bela Ferenc was a rare breed of person for an Ursavian. He was a black-market dealer, and he was also rare for a black-market dealer. He dabbled in firearms, vehicles, and other such things including human trafficing but the one he benefited the most from was meat. Not just any meat: human flesh. Though the black market within Ursava was rather miniscule in comparison to other countries it was still there and there were several foreigners who loved illegal delcacies. In fact that was why Bela currently was aboard an inconspicous fishing trawler with four other men: his personal guards; calling through his sources so he could place an o rder while looking down at the list of products that his most recent clients had wanted.

When the person on the other end finally picked up Bela stated his order:

"Yes, I would like four orders of fresh and deboned 753, two orders of fresh 947; bones and all, and three cases of 812." Bela said, reading from the small note-pad.

"Ahhh, has my package arrived?" Shaun had found a message on his answering machine from the front desk, saying that his special delivery had come.

"Yes... I hope it's still good. We didn't realize that it was meat until Jerry there-" he pointed at the doorman, "began to smell it. We immediately put it in the fridge, I'm sorry if it went bad."

"You better hope it's still good. I paid good money for that chicken." Shaun went behind the desk. "Where is it?"

The desk manager looked ashamed. "Like I said, we put it in the fridge."

"Well, it's not there!" Shaun was becomign concerned.

"I'm sorry sir... someone must have thought it was theirs and taken it. What else is in there?"

"There is a bottle of watter, a box of chocolates, and a case of ground chuck." He was annoyed.

"They must have thought your chicken was their ground chuck, Sir. I think I have her name here... yes. Sue Herman, Apartment 702. Shall I get it from her?"

"No. I'll do it myself." Shaun headed for 702 with a case of ground chuck."

OOC: If someone would like to be Sue, that would be fine.

OOC: I'll totally be her.


Sue Herman rubbed a hand through her dark red hair and then promptly used that same hand to rub the bridge of her nose. In her other hand was the container full of, as far as she knew, ground chuck. Sue set it in her fridge and stretched out while heading to her bed-room nearby. She would make her meal later but after an exhausting day at work she just wanted to lay down and nap for a while. Sue slowly moved on to her bed and lay down, shutting her eyes and waiting to drift off to sleep.

OoC: If you can send in some journalists, I think that you can uncover a scandal.

ooc: hope this is still open. been noticing it for a couple of days and got interested...

ic:

Grom, CFUS

The city known as the Peak of the Commonwealth (ie. the highest in elevation) was not a bustling metropolis like Osuis, nor was it a modern epitome of innovation, like Meridian. It was a mountain town, known for its ski resorts in the winter and not much else. For most, it was a quiet place away from the bustle of the rest of the country, where you knew pretty much everyone, aside from tourists that is. and when it wasn't winter, well, there was a whole lotta nothing to do.

For twenty-six year old Marko Alavus, it was a fate worse than death. After graduating from the Academy at twenty, he'd been on a fast track to senior-special agent with the FSB-the country's Federal Security Service. But this past year had topedoed such hopes. He had run across a case; the case, in his opinion. He'd tracked an international food shipment-one that initially seemed to hold no suspicious activity. But something had caught his eye. Following his hunch, he'd tracked it down to someone in Grom; a someone whom he'd gotten to learn for nearly a year. No longer an active duty agent, he couldn't do anything with information he found...and he'd found something good.

The results of the tissue samples he'd sent in had come in-courtesy of an old ME friend of his. The ME's report was indisputable, the meat was human. He reminded himself of this as he stood outside the man's house. Marko drew his pistol (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Walther_P99_9x19mm.png) and kick down his door. He's at the table, eating, and I can't notice the irony of that. His hands reach for something; the knife on the table I think, and I squeeze the trigger, taking him in the shoulder. The force spins him in a semi-circle, and I exploit his position, pinning his arm behind his back and slamming him against the table. The .40 S&W round blew a sizable hole in him, and all the fight's left him.

"Now," I say in a menacing voice I don't recognize as my own, "I'm gonna ask questions, and you're going to give them to me."

------

After an hour of interrogation, I turn to leave, files and computer discs in a small duffel I took from him. He's still bleeding on the floor, pretty badly too. I suppose the bullet hit a vein or artery. I level my pistol and fire two shots.

"Ut pro mihi meus officium," I mutter as I walk out.

ooc: feel free to rp what info i found, seeing as i just jumped in.

A knock sounded at Jessica's door. A rare occurrance, she warily peered out of the eyehole to see who it was.

The knock sounded again and Jessica debated opening the door. She was still depressed.

Begrudgingly, she unlocked the deadbolt and looked her visitor in the eye.

"Yes...?"

Interesting...
Trouble is the high price.
Even from the black market.

We could eventually discuss some arrangements as we have too many priests and use them as cattle for your farming.
They are clean, males and do not fart too much.

I say that because our treasury is a bit under the normal level, maybe you heard about the debit crunch our ecomnomy is suffering since the election of Slaveck Banana the heir of the black market.

OOC I love this idea, can I join too?

IC

Most people in (insert some country here depending on what's convenient) knew Maria's name, she wrote about crime for (insert name of newspaper here). What they didn't know was that she also was a member of The Free Priesthood, a highly illegal religious organization, and that this crime reporting was a convenient cover.

She also was a journalist without a story, something she tried to solve by surfing dubious websites hosted in equally dubious countries. "Arms, drugs, humans... been there done that. Can't they sell something more interesting for a change? Something juicy?" she said to herself. "Wait, what's this? Exotic meat? What are all these codes?"

If she had lived in a comic book universe, there would have been flashing dollar signs in her eyes. "I'm sure some of those animals must be cute. This is going to make the front page!"
Maria drank the cold second half of her coffee, and began creating herself a new false identity, like she had done many times before.

Two days later she had a passport with a photo in which she wore a wig, a driving license, a bank account, an email address that appeared to already exist for a few years, a cell phone on the same name, and everything. All these things were easy to get if you knew where to get them, and the police always let her get away with it because they thought she only used them for doing the not-quite-legal dirty work for them. If only they knew...

She filled out the contact form on the website she had found.


Sirs,

I have an insatiable need to try new things, but there are some things I just won't eat, such as cats (I love cats more than people). Unfortunately I have no idea what the codes on your website mean, could you please provide an explanation to me? I understand you might not be willing to send this information through email, if so we can try to find an alternative way to communicate.

Regards,

Julia N

OOC: If it's okay, I'll be playing as a government official of whatever government is convinient, and I'm monitering the calls and emails and all that made, but my char doesn't get what all the codes mean so he investigates and gets himself into all sorts of trouble lol.

IC: Larron Calfon worked for (insert government name here). His job was to monitor all calls, emails, web searches, meetings, etc. Each day was fairly normal and he didn't really hear much usually but today was different. He was listening in on a call where one person asked for a "712" and a "324". This was strange to Larron so he tried to trace the call, but they hung up before he could center on either location.
"Damnit! I almost had them!" he yelled out loud. "I need something more, maybe if I listen to the whole call again I can get something more out of it."
So he listened to it several times more, and he got a website name out of the listening. He visited the website where he found advertisments for "exotic meats", followed by several codes. He didn't know what to do, and he knew his boss would dismiss this so thought he'd keep it to himself.

OOC: Thanks everyone for the interest - But I'm afraid that involving anyone else would just serve to unnecessarily complicate matters. I go away for one day and look what happens :p

I''m going to have to close this to new particpants, African-Akhad Union is the last entrant...

Oh - co-incidently has any one indentified where I stole the name of the 'book' and the name of this thread from?


IC:

How to Cook Humans, pg 31 Supply

No matter what method you employ to supply your fresh human meat there are a few basic rules that you need to abide buy to ensure you can enjoy your food in peace. Due to most national governments denying our rights to enjoying human flesh would mean that anyone that wishes to exercise that right would end up in jail or perhaps being put to death as a criminal. The First rule of supply is Don't ge Caught, and the second is, don't let anyone else see the meat..

*snip*

"The order has been placed, Would you like it delivered to the usual location?"
*snip*

The man laid dead on the floor, it didn't matter anymore that his computer had been ransacked, he couldn't be harmed by the information on it anymore but there were details that could be very dangerous for a certain group of shadowy self proclaimed farmers.

There were records of a number of small payments spread over numerous accounts from banks world wide, most were located in countries that had strict privacy laws and it would be hard to get any details at all about the holders of the accounts, however there were thngs of immediate interest, a catelogue of 'meat'. Each having various codes, there were no images or exact details of what each code number meant but there was a number that was prominately displayed. Somewhere there must be a code book, but where would those be kept?

*snip*

"Jessica? My name is Angel... I worked with Brian just the other day and I was wondering if I could talk to you about him."

*snip*

We have someone who will meet with you, in Maccahbia, we'll send the meeting details shortly. We would appreciate if you could bring one of these priests along so we can do a physical examination during the meeting. Due to their experience in the outside world we can't risk exposing our flock to their ideas but they might indeed be useful to supplement our breeding stock.

*snip*
"Dear Julia N,

Thank you for your interest in our produce, we serve a very select clientele. We'll be in touch with you further to ascertain whether or not you meet our strict requirements."

New customers were always welcome but when you were in the line of business you always had to be careful who knows when a journalist or a cop or someone else who can cause trouble comes snooping around. It had happened before, though those that tried weren't very good. They ended up finding out about the operations first hand being carved up and distrubted around in their network.

"No, we can't bring it in the normal way: the Coastal Guardsmen are doing random hand-searches now days." Bela Ferenc said, putting the note-pad on a nearby desk.

"Bring it in at night, fifteen miles west of the original island on the smallest boat that can hold it all." Bela said, looking around the room while pacing.

What Bela and the person he was talking to couldn't know was that members of Ursava's Coastal Guardsmen were listening in on them via a 'bug' within the cabin of the boat. Unfortunately Bela was so cocky about his security that he never bothered to check for such things in personal areas like the boat.

Maria read the message.

Dear Julia N,

Thank you for your interest in our produce, we serve a very select clientele. We'll be in touch with you further to ascertain whether or not you meet our strict requirements.

How 'helpful'. Oh well, at least they don't suspect anything.

She wrote a little sensationalist article about how robberies were up 200% after last year (in which the number had been exceptionally low, but she didn't mention that), then checked her mail again. Nothing. She went for a long walk. Still nothing. Maybe I should send another message.


Please get in touch soon, I'm getting more curious and hungry by the minute. I have imported strange things before, I use (countryside address) for that. Could you maybe send some samples or information there? It is also suitable as a meeting point but any other place in that general area is fine by me.

OOC: Oh - co-incidently has any one indentified where I stole the name of the 'book' and the name of this thread from?

"To Serve Man"?

The man laid dead on the floor, it didn't matter anymore that his computer had been ransacked, he couldn't be harmed by the information on it anymore but there were details that could be very dangerous for a certain group of shadowy self proclaimed farmers.

There were records of a number of small payments spread over numerous accounts from banks world wide, most were located in countries that had strict privacy laws and it would be hard to get any details at all about the holders of the accounts, however there were thngs of immediate interest, a catelogue of 'meat'. Each having various codes, there were no images or exact details of what each code number meant but there was a number that was prominately displayed. Somewhere there must be a code book, but where would those be kept?

FAPSI, Niflheim ADB, CFUS

The Federal Agency for Government Communications and Information was held in a secret bunker underneath the tarmacs and hangers of Niflheim. Inside, technicians, ADF officers and intelligence agents poured over millions of communications, sending, relaying and intercepting e-mails, phone calls and even computer contacts.

Being allowed inside was usual a tangle of red tape for those not authorized to be in there, but Marko had found a way. Even though he was a pariah, he had some friends left in the intelligence community. He walked through the hallways before coming to an office. On the door, typed letters read, "Asenya Toprichovna: Dep. Dir. Game Theory." Basically, Game Theory was fancy for 'code-breaker.' He knocked and entered before waiting for a response.

"Gentlemanly as ever," Asenya said as she circled around her desk to embrace him. Standing a couple inches shorter, her black hair was cropped short and held in place with a large silver clip. Her uniform was a service blue, the jacket hanging on a coat rack by the desk. After stepping back, her face got serious, "Marko, what in the world did you get into?"

"Remember when everyone was crazy for my hunch?" he asked with a slight smile, "I've got my proof." He tossed her a ream of the printed out records from the man's computer. "They're in code, but I'm sure that if we can crack it, we can find out the people behind this," he said. "I got another hunch I'm gonna check out; a man in San Salvus," Marko explained, "If I can find the codes, can you trace him, you think?"

"Some of these country's have strict privacy laws," Asenya said as she glanced over the documents, more and more convinced that Marko was right. "But that's never really stopped us," she smiled, giving him a wink.

"Thanks," Marko said, turning for the door, he handed over some discs as well, "There are the originals and copies, I'll give a call once I have something," he said before leaving out the door.

Asenya scowled; he could've at least stayed a bit...

ooc: i'll post the next 'raid' later on.

"I don't really have anything to say, but why not." Jessica replied to the woman named Angel. "Come in..."

How to Cook Humans, pg 35, Supply

Security and Privacy are indeed one of the top requirements for anyone wishing to induldge in the delicacy of Human flesh, when you are involved especially during the supply process, secrecy and privacy are very important, we recommend that you don't take any sort of delivery of meat to your home, but to an intermedary location where your identity could remain a mystery. Only a fool would think that somehow someone would not take an interest in unusual behaviour and start an investigation.
*snip*

"I'm changing the destination now adding the comments."

Not having to deal with customs made things a lot easier no real attempt needed to made about hiding the nature of the cargo, in fact trying to do so usuallu complicated things. In the usual timeframe for Bela's drop a fishing trawler passed within a nice distance of the Island, well, a nice distance for someone easily to get off in a dinghy like vessel and go to the shore. The main problem was how to get the meat there as well. Two dingies were strapped together the weight of the meat distrubted as equally as possible over all of it

They set the two dingies down carefully still moving through the area at the normal slow speed of the trawler. After the most delicate of operations they were finally in the water, the engines of the dingies making relatively slow progress trying to pull the meat of the meat through the water. At least with this setup it shouldn't alert anyone relying on sonar.

*snip*

She didn't get a reply from that email and it seemed that they had forgotten her, about 5 weeks later it was about 6pm in the evening when someone knocked on the door.

OOC: Nope, this book was thought to be called "How to Cook Humans" but it was actually called "How to Cook for forty Humans" thanks to "space dust"

*snip*

One of the first things that immediately stood out was that all these banks had a "Leon Grande" on their board, it could be co-incidence but maybe not, the second thing was that they didn't own any land at all. No Branches, no actual bank buildings, the banks existed the account numbers verified that but no immediately known physical location.

"I don't really have anything to say, but why not." Jessica replied to the woman named Angel. "Come in..."

"Thanks..." Angel warmly smiled, she had long blonde hair wrapped up, blue eyes, a smile that leapt out from her.

"I found the note Brian left, and I heard you two where a couple,so I thought you should have it." She weakly smiled this time, who could you smile properly under these circumstances?

She reached into her pocket and pulled out the slightly crumpled piece of paper with the words written on it. "Here, that's the only thing left of him." She reached out presenting the paper to her. It wouldn't replace him but at least it would be something.

Bela Ferenc stood on the shore with only one of his four guards he waited for the boat in the distance. With a small, portable civilian telescope Bela was acting like he was looking at the moon. Secretly he was dissapointed that he couldn't use the island. It was a beautiful place that he would occasionally spend a little time to relax there after a trade. Alas, he couldn't so now he was stuck on the beach. What he didn't know was, that, hidden by the various food stands of a nearby board-walk, several Coastal Guardsmen crouched in anticipation for the ship to make land-fall while a second team waited to strike at the boat the moment Bela was taken down.

Orwell Stane stood impatiently on the moving walkway, he was irritable. Glaring out of the plexiglass tube that was suspended above the sortation facility, he reflected on the faild divivery. the Jaqlonians had intercepted 2 whole corpses! the only other time this had happend Mullongrad officials had found his largest delivery ever, 5 men, and 3 babies. someone hadden't done their job proporly, and the stiches in the cows had been noticed.
The faulty employee, had naturaly been donated to the cause. Orwell glanced down at the facility, and noticed the mans corpse, his arms and legs had allredy been packeged, and a butcher was revoving his brain.
Orwell ran the most sucssesful blackmarket trade possible. No "doner family" ever gave twice, and his collection workers only visited a town once a year. indeed, Orwell ould only be connected to the fisrt incident, and it was not enough to imprison him, so Mr. Stane continued his horrible buissness

One of the first things that immediately stood out was that all these banks had a "Leon Grande" on their board, it could be co-incidence but maybe not, the second thing was that they didn't own any land at all. No Branches, no actual bank buildings, the banks existed the account numbers verified that but no immediately known physical location.

His phone rang. Marko looked down and noticed it was Asenya.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Hey yourself," she said over the line. "I got something for you. Does the name Leon Grande mean anything to you?"

"Not really..." he answered, "Why?"

"His name's coming up a lot, along with dummy banks. They seem to exist on paper but little else," she informed him.

"Hrm...interesting," Marko said.

"What is?"

"Remember that lead I was checking on?" he asked rhetorically. "I suppose this is divine providence."

"Marko? You know where he is...? Look, with this evidence, we can reinstate you...you don't have to do this alone," Asenya pleaded.

"No, that's all right. I can work more...freely now."

ooc: feel free to rp part of the 'interrogation'

"We weren't a couple!" Jessica snapped defensively. She took the piece of paper from Angel and looked at it longingly. She could feel judging eyes staring at her.

She directed her eyes to Angel's eyes and let her heart do the speaking.

"We weren't a couple, but I loved him. Honestly, truly loved him. Thank you for this," she spoke, choking on her emotion.

A torrent of tears rushed from her eyes as she reached out to Angel for a comforting embrace...

She didn't get a reply from that email and it seemed that they had forgotten her, about 5 weeks later it was about 6pm in the evening when someone knocked on the door.

Maria/Julia of course didn't live at the remote address she had given. The door of the cottage wasn't locked, it opened a little when it was knocked on. Opposite to the door was a table. On the table was a cell phone with one number programmed in it. A piece of paper with a large arrow drawn on it was stuck to the wall above the phone, to make sure it would be noticed. Below the arrow someone had written "Just let it ring once and I'll be here within an hour".

*SNIP*
OOC: Thanks for the interest - but there are already alot of people here and I don't think the thread can really cope with anyone more.

I'll get the mods to change the title.
IC:

How to Cook Humans, pg 40, Supply

The supply section is only complete once you have possession of the meat and are storing it in a secured location until you are ready to have your meal, you may have purchased it you may have killed someone for it but until it's locked up safely ready to be prepared or eaten the job is still not quite complete yet.[/i]

*snip*
The call, there wasn't really much to go on but advanced sound analysis resulted in a lead, there was some ambient noise that wasn't identifiable at first but there was a name of a bank. Perhaps this guy banked there?

*snip*
The boat kept coming in, there was nothing to indicate something was going wrong, the contact was there, his identity seemed to match the client. And despite not seeing anything else he was always on the look out. The boat slid to a stop at the jetty and the man tied a rope to temporarily moor it while business was conducted.


*snip*
"Leon?" he asked

"Yes?" came the response from the man whom he had tracked down.

"Leon Grande?"

"Who are you?" Leon was starting to get a bit worried now, he started backing away.

"Nevermind who I am... Oh, don't worry abot calling your guard, they can't get the signal down here." He smilled and quickly efficiently and adeptly whacked Leon Grande out cold.

After an hour or so of unconciousness... he woke up somewhere, in a room brightly lit, he could see the face. And this made him even more frightened.

"So Leon, What's this about the banks?" he simply asked the question, a tone of menace obvious.

"I don't know, What banks. I don't know what you're talking about."

"You're a bad liar... Leon, you're on the board of 6 banks. Banks that barely exist. Tell me what you know!"

"No, I'm not, this is all a misunderstanding. really please! Leon Grande is not my real name! Just please don't kill me!!"

Leon started to sob uncontrolably, He grabbed him and threw Leon against the wall. He pulled out a knife "I'll kill you right now if you don't tell me the truth!"

The next 5 minutes were full of Leon having verbal diaehorrea speaking very fast, but he was able to catch most of it the general gist of it was that someone had paid him very handsomely to 'become' Leon Grande, all addressess, all photo's, everything was changed so that in essence that he would become Leon in every legal sense. But he had no idea about the banks, that they even existed. He says that might be able to help that he might be able to find out what's been going on in the banks, and perhaps find who this Leon Grande really was. If that was indeed his real name.



*snip*
Angel didn't really know how to react, all she could do was to return the embrace and comfort the poor woman. She did feel sorry for her, even if they weren't a couple. she loved him. That much was obvious.

Who knows how long they embraced it seemed like ages but could of only been a few seconds. "Would you like to tell me about him?" she asked, hoping that it would help her cope. Even though she didn't think it was a death it might as well been.

((OOC: Asgarnieu, you'll have a TG from me in a moment.))

"Leon?" he asked

"Yes?" came the response from the man whom he had tracked down.

"Leon Grande?"

"Who are you?" Leon was starting to get a bit worried now, he started backing away.

"Nevermind who I am... Oh, don't worry abot calling your guard, they can't get the signal down here." He smilled and quickly efficiently and adeptly whacked Leon Grande out cold.

After an hour or so of unconciousness... he woke up somewhere, in a room brightly lit, he could see the face. And this made him even more frightened.

"So Leon, What's this about the banks?" he simply asked the question, a tone of menace obvious.

"I don't know, What banks. I don't know what you're talking about."

"You're a bad liar... Leon, you're on the board of 6 banks. Banks that barely exist. Tell me what you know!"

"No, I'm not, this is all a misunderstanding. really please! Leon Grande is not my real name! Just please don't kill me!!"

Leon started to sob uncontrolably, He grabbed him and threw Leon against the wall. He pulled out a knife "I'll kill you right now if you don't tell me the truth!"

The next 5 minutes were full of Leon having verbal diaehorrea speaking very fast, but he was able to catch most of it the general gist of it was that someone had paid him very handsomely to 'become' Leon Grande, all addressess, all photo's, everything was changed so that in essence that he would become Leon in every legal sense. But he had no idea about the banks, that they even existed. He says that might be able to help that he might be able to find out what's been going on in the banks, and perhaps find who this Leon Grande really was. If that was indeed his real name.

ooc: wrote that very nicely. i was a bit aprehensive on giving u control for a bit...thanks

ic:

Marko had relented and literally threw 'Leon' into a chair.

"Stop your damned crying," he sighed at the man, "You gotta have a bit of gottamned decency when you die..." Marko softened his voice, though just a bit, "Look, I ain't gonna kill ya!"

He picked up his phone and dialed, "Now shut up, I mean it," Marko said as the phone rang.

"Marko, you bastard!" Asenya shouted.

"Ya, good day to you too," he replied sarcastically.

"Look, I'm trying to look out for you but if you keep-"

"I found 'im," Marko interjected. "Apparently, he's a patsy. Someone set up to assume the identity."

"Makes sense," Asenya replied, "From the information we've gathered, he only goes to the bank to make withdrawals...what's his real name?"

"I'll look into that," Marko answered, "He's willing to help out, I think...if he can give me a good lead, it'll be enough."

"All right, just keep in touch," Asenya urged, "And watch your back."

"Yes dear," he sighed before hanging up.

OOC: I'm creating an OOC thread for this, reasoning will be posted in the thread and Here (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=572686) it is.

As the boat was moared in to place and the person who had came to the main-land on it headed for Bela Ferenc, the Coastal Guardsmen moved. They had waited until the man was too far from the boat to get back in time to escape. Lights on the bottom of MP5s shined on to Bela, his guard, and the man from the boat as at least a dozen men in Coastal Guardsmen combat uniforms came storming out from behind food stands and from the shadows of a few nearby trees. The lights covered Bela, his bodyguard, and the man from the boat as the Guuardsmen moved in.

"Freeze; show us your hands!" One of the Guardsmen shouted.

How to Cook Humans, Pg 44, Supply

Sometimes things just don't work out someone finds out about your eating habits, some of the time you should be able to deal with the intruder into your private business but unfortunately you cannot. This leaves you with a limited number of options. You could always run, but then again, you'd be running for as long as people are chasing you and there is always the chance that they will find you, Hand yourself over to face whatever judgement the morally arbitary law of the courts decide, or kill yourself to prevent either of these happening.
*snip*
This all seemed very odd, very unusual. I was as if she was trying to hide something.

The man opened the cell phone and it dialed the person who gave their name as Julia.

"Hi, um, we're at your place... I'm not entirely sure where but, our car has broken down. I've got the number for the Car Club we're in. So um, would you be able to ring them for us?" Thr man on the phone seemed a bit nervous, mostly he found this abit weird but, there was something else behind it. "It's the National Motorists Club, My name is Leon Grande."

*snip*

'Leon' was whimpering all the time during, he looked towards the exit of the room and back to Marko, but decided that he wouldn't make it and it would only infuriate him more.

"My real name is Franklin, by the way, Franklin Johnstone..."

Franklin spilled everything that he knew, The banks were little more than a server in a datacentre, He was the local man who talked to the data people whenever something went wrong at the server. The bank only has one account and no actual cash it's just a virtual stopover point. Any money that comes in, gets shunted out the next day.

So, what are we going to do now?" Franklin asked as if he was going to go along whatever Marko was about to do.

*snip*
He was fast, the man that had moored the ship, he was able to 'shoot from he hip' as it were and got as many rounds off as possible, though he did get at least one off. The shots weren't aimed at any of the Guardsmen or even at himself. It was aimed at Bela Ferenc they weren't the most accurate of shots but it all happened within a split second.

Bela fell with two rounds in his shoulder and his body-guard pulled a micro-uzi from under his coat which he brought to bear on the man from the boat. He emptied the entirety of the clip before he was brought down by three Coastal Guardsmen. More Coastal Guardsmen approached the man from the boat, their eyes making his skin seem a lot brighter than it was normally. Their boots thudded on the board-walk as several men placed themselves between the man and the boat and others surrounded him.

"Drop the gun, drop it now!" One of the Coastel Guardsmen called.

'Leon' was whimpering all the time during, he looked towards the exit of the room and back to Marko, but decided that he wouldn't make it and it would only infuriate him more.

"My real name is Franklin, by the way, Franklin Johnstone..."

Franklin spilled everything that he knew, The banks were little more than a server in a datacentre, He was the local man who talked to the data people whenever something went wrong at the server. The bank only has one account and no actual cash it's just a virtual stopover point. Any money that comes in, gets shunted out the next day.

So, what are we going to do now?" Franklin asked as if he was going to go along whatever Marko was about to do.


"Well first," Marko said, pulling something from his jacket pocket. "Let's try a little orthidontry," he grabbed 'Leon' by the jaw and wedged his mouth open, waving the stick-like object through his mouth. "Let's see if you've got any hidden gems, eh?" He roughed up the man a bit, "And if you're smart and cooperate, you'll go back to whatever it is you do without your depravity...if not, a gulag is a nice place to retire to."

Maria was surprised the phone rang more than once, considering the calling number. Usually contacts didn't want to speak over the phone. And at this time the only ones who might want to contact her there were the owners of that meat website who didn't seem interested in talking to her. After a while she answered the phone.

"Julia."


"Hi, um, we're at your place... I'm not entirely sure where but, our car has broken down. I've got the number for the Car Club we're in. So um, would you be able to ring them for us?" Thr man on the phone seemed a bit nervous, mostly he found this abit weird but, there was something else behind it. "It's the National Motorists Club, My name is Leon Grande."


"You sure found a fine place for your car to break down, mr Grande. You must be completely lost too! Anyway, you're welcome to use the phone you used to call me to call your car club. Wait... aren't you the new delivery guy?"

*snip*

"No, sorry I don't do deliveries. You must be thinking of someone else... well, you see that's the problem, I am lost, I don't even know what street or laneway or whatever I'm on, it's your house right. So you'd know the address and be able to direct the car club here for me. Please, I'm in a desperate need. Who knows how long it would take to get back into town walking from here. And that's if I can somehow find my way into town."

*snip*

He tried to scream for a moment but he soon realised it was not a good idea. Marko obviously knew what he was doing having chose a place that whatever they crys of his prisoner, there would be no one that could here him and it would only provoke him that little bit more. Marko had obviously made his point Franklin's eye exuded fear, he would at least for now, do whatever Marko told him.

*snip*
He collapsed down on the ground and was dripping blood as the shots from the guard went right through him missing major organs and blood vessels but he was still in bad shape. He managed a sort of grim/freaky smile before passing out, the gun still loosely held in his hand.

"Alright, could you please tell me the phone number of your car club?"

He tried to scream for a moment but he soon realised it was not a good idea. Marko obviously knew what he was doing having chose a place that whatever they crys of his prisoner, there would be no one that could here him and it would only provoke him that little bit more. Marko had obviously made his point Franklin's eye exuded fear, he would at least for now, do whatever Marko told him.


"Good," Marko said as he roughly pushed him to the ground. "Now, Franky-boy, I've got a proposition for you. You lead me to these guys you've told me about, give me IP info or something I can send down to my friends in Intel and I might think of letting you go...maybe even with all your limbs intact," he added.

There was a knock on the door, and Marko stood up then to check it out. He chambered a round in his pistol and looked outside before answering it.

"PPS," the delivery man said. "Got a delivery for a Marko-"

"That's me," Marko interjected, not wanting Franklin to learn his whole name. He signed for the package and the delivery man left.

He walked back in and opened it. Inside was a leather wallet and an index card on top.

Marko,
Thought that you'd need it in case you had to do a little 'official' business. Sorry, but FSB still doesn't like you.
-Asenya

Marko opened the wallet. Inside was a badge with the red star, hammer and sickle, and a sword down the middle. It read, "Komitet Gosudarstvennoi Bezopasnosti." the KGB...

"Alright, could you please tell me the phone number of your car club?"

He gave her the phone number, his name agains and an account number. And thanked her profusely.

Should Julia/Maria do some background checking she would find the car club had been established for a very long time, the number she gave matched the number available in a number of publically available sources.

They waited for the car club to come and pick them up...

*snip*

"I've got their phone number here, I'll ring them and get the server logs to you? Details of all transactions, incoming deposits and outgoing withdrawals, as well as all the networking junk, i'm sure they could email it or send it to wherever you want. Just let me go... "

Maria called the car club (still calling herself Julia since you never knew how deep things went or who was listening in to phones purchased with a false identity) and told them a Leon Grande was waiting for them at her second house.

"I've got their phone number here, I'll ring them and get the server logs to you? Details of all transactions, incoming deposits and outgoing withdrawals, as well as all the networking junk, i'm sure they could email it or send it to wherever you want. Just let me go... "

"Don't do anything to make them suspicious," Marko said..."In fact, gimme the numbers first."

He waited until he'd gotten the numbers and then sent them on to Asenya. There would be about a half hour wait, so he decided to go ahead with the rest of the scheme.

"All right, contact them, but put them on speakerphone. If I hear anything at all suspicious, I'll tap two in your chest and one in that thick head of yours, all right Frankie...?"

Maria called the car club (still calling herself Julia since you never knew how deep things went or who was listening in to phones purchased with a false identity) and told them a Leon Grande was waiting for them at her second house.

She had passed the first step of the process, being directed to the out of the way house was unusual but in the situation was very so understandible. It could easily be the location where she goes and sits for her special meals. Away from prying eyes.

But this was just the first step, work, they'd try to find out where this Julia worked, they wouldn't call or send an email. They'd try to confirm that she is physically working, exactly how would depend on her listed job, but then again you can never be too careful.
"Don't do anything to make them suspicious," Marko said..."In fact, gimme the numbers first."

He waited until he'd gotten the numbers and then sent them on to Asenya. There would be about a half hour wait, so he decided to go ahead with the rest of the scheme.

"All right, contact them, but put them on speakerphone. If I hear anything at all suspicious, I'll tap two in your chest and one in that thick head of yours, all right Frankie...?"

Franklin did exactly what he was told, gave the number to Marko who then passed it onto his contact, some girl, obviously some sort covert agent but to be honest he didn't care. The only thing that he wanted after this was to stay alive.

When he finally dialed the number, first he put it on speaker phone, the dail tone was evident. He entered the number, each tone verified a button was pressed. Asenya was able to match, the number was the exact number that was said before, a female voice answered the phone.

"Lexington Datahouse, My name is Louise, How may I help you?"

"Hi, I'd like to speak with Don please."

"I'll put you right through, who may I ask is calling?"

"Leon Grande."

"Just a moment, Mr Grande."

A very brief musical interlude, as he was temporarily put on hold.

"Leon, It's Don. What can I do for you."

"I need to have a look at the server logs, apparently were having some problems with a client down-stream and their insiting that it's our fault. So i've organised with them to go over the logs with a joint technical meet."

"We haven't had anything unusual with your servers, just a day ago I looked over the logs."

"Yeah, well, I need to show them that, It's a right big mess and if I can't disarm the situation right now who knows what might happen."

"Okay, I'll get the logs for you immediately, usual place?"

"Uh, Don, We don't have a usual place, Can't you just email it or something?"

"Nah, sorry, too big and you know privacy issues. No way are we going to email anything like that, but we'll burn a DVD and organise a physical drop. Do you have a preference?"

Franklin shook his head as if Don could see him, "No, no idea sorry."

"Alright, well, you know that coffee shop down on Riverstone St?"

"Oh, yeah, that's right in the middle of town."

"right, I go there for coffee regularily so I can slip you the disc there easily without arosing suspicion. I'll be there in about an hour."

"Alright, thanks, It's great. I don't know what I would do without you."

"Just remember that when it comes to our evaluation reports." Don chuckled

"See you there."

Franklin turned off the speakerphone and put the handset back in the craddle ending the call.

"So... what now?"

The records about Julia stated she did not work, and had been in hospital for a few weeks about a year ago. The same hospital had paid a nice sum to her, enough to live on for a few years. Apparently something had gone wrong there, and the resulting claim had been settled outside court.

Franklin did exactly what he was told, gave the number to Marko who then passed it onto his contact, some girl, obviously some sort covert agent but to be honest he didn't care. The only thing that he wanted after this was to stay alive.

When he finally dialed the number, first he put it on speaker phone, the dail tone was evident. He entered the number, each tone verified a button was pressed. Asenya was able to match, the number was the exact number that was said before, a female voice answered the phone.

"Lexington Datahouse, My name is Louise, How may I help you?"

"Hi, I'd like to speak with Don please."

"I'll put you right through, who may I ask is calling?"

"Leon Grande."

"Just a moment, Mr Grande."

A very brief musical interlude, as he was temporarily put on hold.

"Leon, It's Don. What can I do for you."

"I need to have a look at the server logs, apparently were having some problems with a client down-stream and their insiting that it's our fault. So i've organised with them to go over the logs with a joint technical meet."

"We haven't had anything unusual with your servers, just a day ago I looked over the logs."

"Yeah, well, I need to show them that, It's a right big mess and if I can't disarm the situation right now who knows what might happen."

"Okay, I'll get the logs for you immediately, usual place?"

"Uh, Don, We don't have a usual place, Can't you just email it or something?"

"Nah, sorry, too big and you know privacy issues. No way are we going to email anything like that, but we'll burn a DVD and organise a physical drop. Do you have a preference?"

Franklin shook his head as if Don could see him, "No, no idea sorry."

"Alright, well, you know that coffee shop down on Riverstone St?"

"Oh, yeah, that's right in the middle of town."

"right, I go there for coffee regularily so I can slip you the disc there easily without arosing suspicion. I'll be there in about an hour."

"Alright, thanks, It's great. I don't know what I would do without you."

"Just remember that when it comes to our evaluation reports." Don chuckled

"See you there."

Franklin turned off the speakerphone and put the handset back in the craddle ending the call.

"So... what now?"

"Bolzhe moi, only an hour?" Marko thought. He pulled out his phone in a second. "C'mon, c'mon," he muttered to the ringtone. "Asenya? Look, I need whatever technical support you can get me to the Michelev Coffeehouse on Riverstone," he explained, "Yeah, I know it's short notice...yeah, yeah...ok, see you there."

"Ok," he turned to Franklin, "Here's the plan. Putting a bug on you or somewhere close would likely get you caught...so I'll be going in twenty minutes before you. You meet your contact. When he approaches you, blow your nose so I know which one he is. Don't worry, if anything goes south, I'll be right there."

"Bolzhe moi, only an hour?" Marko thought. He pulled out his phone in a second. "C'mon, c'mon," he muttered to the ringtone. "Asenya? Look, I need whatever technical support you can get me to the Michelev Coffeehouse on Riverstone," he explained, "Yeah, I know it's short notice...yeah, yeah...ok, see you there."

"Ok," he turned to Franklin, "Here's the plan. Putting a bug on you or somewhere close would likely get you caught...so I'll be going in twenty minutes before you. You meet your contact. When he approaches you, blow your nose so I know which one he is. Don't worry, if anything goes south, I'll be right there."

To be honest Franklin didn't think the server people would do anything, I mean as far as they were concerned he was their client and he gave them a request, an appropriate request. However there was certainly the unknown, whoever made him a patsy. Wouldn't like what he's doing. He only hoped that the hour was too short for somone else to set up an ambush to kill him.

The options were certainly get killed now by Marco or have a chance of getting through this with your life later. There wasn't an option...

An hour after the phone call he looked down the street he was on the corner of the block the cafe was only a couple of stores down. Here it goes...

He walked upto the open door of the cafe, he immediately could see Don, he had met him before but now was a time for covert action. As he went passed he worked a sneeze and blowing of the nose as a sort of mechanism to provide plenty of time for Don to slip the DVD into his bag. Marco hopefully would of seen it, Franklin entered into a line to order a hot drink 'to-go'

The records about Julia stated she did not work, and had been in hospital for a few weeks about a year ago. The same hospital had paid a nice sum to her, enough to live on for a few years. Apparently something had gone wrong there, and the resulting claim had been settled outside court.

Interesting, but that wasn't the reason they were looking for her occupation, they wanted to meet someone physically who knew her, knew about her and could verify some things about her. They would have to delve into her background deeper trying to find out about this lawsuit, who it was against, what she did before the lawsuit. Anyone who would be around who could verify what they knew about Julia. They purposely for now at least didn't go see her parents.

Interesting, but that wasn't the reason they were looking for her occupation, they wanted to meet someone physically who knew her, knew about her and could verify some things about her. They would have to delve into her background deeper trying to find out about this lawsuit, who it was against, what she did before the lawsuit. Anyone who would be around who could verify what they knew about Julia. They purposely for now at least didn't go see her parents.

There had never been a lawsuit or any publicity about what had happened to Julia. She had - apparently - been paid to shut up, and any doctors who might have been involved in the matter either didn't know about it or pretended not to know about it.

If they wanted to talk to people who knew her, they would have to find her friends. This would be difficult, because her only listed address was her 'second' house where she obviously did not spend much of her time, and they had not met her in person yet so they couldn't follow her.

Julia seemed to have taken care to hide things about herself. Maybe the hospital thing was part of a cover, then 'Julia' wasn't her real name. Or maybe she was ill. It was impossible to tell at this time. In any case her methods were different from those the police would use.

To be honest Franklin didn't think the server people would do anything, I mean as far as they were concerned he was their client and he gave them a request, an appropriate request. However there was certainly the unknown, whoever made him a patsy. Wouldn't like what he's doing. He only hoped that the hour was too short for somone else to set up an ambush to kill him.

The options were certainly get killed now by Marco or have a chance of getting through this with your life later. There wasn't an option...

An hour after the phone call he looked down the street he was on the corner of the block the cafe was only a couple of stores down. Here it goes...

He walked upto the open door of the cafe, he immediately could see Don, he had met him before but now was a time for covert action. As he went passed he worked a sneeze and blowing of the nose as a sort of mechanism to provide plenty of time for Don to slip the DVD into his bag. Marco hopefully would of seen it, Franklin entered into a line to order a hot drink 'to-go'


From up above, the cold gaze of a Commonwealth surveillance satellite locked onto the man identified as 'Don.' As he left the cafe, the satellite continued to follow him, tracking him even as he made it to a vehicle. Once it was in motion, the satellite kept its cold gaze locked on.

Marko got a call. He answered it, looking at Franklin out of the corner of his eye. He put down the copy of Catcher in the Rye he was reading.

"Yeah? Got it...you sure?" He looked over at Franklin again, "All right, keep on him...we're going back."

He walked over to Franklin, suddenly smiling.

"Hey, how are you?" he asked jovially, as if Franklin were a long-time friend. "Haven't seen you in ages," he shook Franklin's hand. Play along and come with me he hissed through his smile, "What've you been up to?"

From up above, the cold gaze of a Commonwealth surveillance satellite locked onto the man identified as 'Don.' As he left the cafe, the satellite continued to follow him, tracking him even as he made it to a vehicle. Once it was in motion, the satellite kept its cold gaze locked on.

Marko got a call. He answered it, looking at Franklin out of the corner of his eye. He put down the copy of Catcher in the Rye he was reading.

"Yeah? Got it...you sure?" He looked over at Franklin again, "All right, keep on him...we're going back."

He walked over to Franklin, suddenly smiling.

"Hey, how are you?" he asked jovially, as if Franklin were a long-time friend. "Haven't seen you in ages," he shook Franklin's hand. Play along and come with me he hissed through his smile, "What've you been up to?"

"Oh, um, Just the same old, Still got that place out in the 'burbs.... and uh... Yeah got a dog now too." he didn't really know what to ay Franklin had time to prepare what he said to Don before this was all ad lib. "Let's uh, go for a walk and we can catch up."

Meanwhile Don walked a few blocks, following route that eventually take him to the building where Lexington Datahouse was, directory lookup confirmed it.

This had seemed to have gone very well, The information in the DVD needed to be processed but they had it and there wasn't any signal that Don or any server datawarehousing people thought anything was amiss.

There had never been a lawsuit or any publicity about what had happened to Julia. She had - apparently - been paid to shut up, and any doctors who might have been involved in the matter either didn't know about it or pretended not to know about it.

If they wanted to talk to people who knew her, they would have to find her friends. This would be difficult, because her only listed address was her 'second' house where she obviously did not spend much of her time, and they had not met her in person yet so they couldn't follow her.

Julia seemed to have taken care to hide things about herself. Maybe the hospital thing was part of a cover, then 'Julia' wasn't her real name. Or maybe she was ill. It was impossible to tell at this time. In any case her methods were different from those the police would use.

Care taken to hide one's identity was not necesarrily a bad thing, there are infact of reaons why this would be beneficial. While it didn't seem like a police activity, there was still a number of posibilities, could be customs,a spy agency or some sort of wanna be Private detective...

However, there was still information to be traced, the information about the large payofff was filed for later investigation while they tried fins anything about her that existed before the hushed up "settlement". Job, tax, Driver's licence, school records... anything for a Julia N that shed new light. They needed someone just to confirm that they saw and directly interacted with her, anyone.

Marko patted his shoulder in a familiar manner and led Franklin out, towards an awaiting surveillance car that had been dispatched by the nearby KGB detachment. An agent in the backseat opened the door and Marko pushed him in forcefully. The car was off the moment the door was closed.

"Did pretty good," Marko complimented Franklin. "Why that face? Relax." He turned to the agent that sat on the other side of Franklin, "And you're Agent Michenev I believe?"

"Yes, Comrade-Agent," the older man said. Marko patted down Franklin and produced the disc, handing it over.

"Here," Marko said, "Take this to FAPSI, SOUD or whoever you need to, get it analyzed. Make sure to duplicate it and send either a duplicate or this original to my contact in the FSB."

"Think it's that important?" Michenev asked. He recieved a cold gaze from Marko, "Right, we're on it."

The car dropped them off at Franklin's residence and continued off.

"Once we get what we need," Marko explained, "I think we should pay a visit to Lexington Datahouse..."

Maria used her 'Julia' phone to call a hacker she knew. They spoke in code that they made up on the spot.

"Yes?"
"Hi, it's Julia Novas"
"Oh hi, what can I do for you?"
"Someone stumbled into my house, a Leon Grande. Why does the name sound familiar to me?"
"Let me think... *tapitytapitytap* *silence* hmmm some boring rich guy, wasn't he? Shall I have a look in the old yearbook?"
"If you've got nothing else to do."
"OK, why don't you come have a coffee with me later today? If you don't mind bringing the coffee, I ran out."
"Sure. See you later."
"See ya."

Maria used her 'Julia' phone to call a hacker she knew. They spoke in code that they made up on the spot.

"Yes?"
"Hi, it's Julia Novas"
"Oh hi, what can I do for you?"
"Someone stumbled into my house, a Leon Grande. Why does the name sound familiar to me?"
"Let me think... *tapitytapitytap* *silence* hmmm some boring rich guy, wasn't he? Shall I have a look in the old yearbook?"
"If you've got nothing else to do."
"OK, why don't you come have a coffee with me later today? If you don't mind bringing the coffee, I ran out."
"Sure. See you later."
"See ya."
It seemed that there was nothing about this woman from berfore her "pay-off". It was certain that the name was an alias, but that didn't mean anything.

But a call had been monitored, she had used her phone to make enquiries about a Leon Grande. They didn't know exactly how but knowing the name was an alias meant that she chouldn't be getting whoever it was to look into Leon Grande through simply the year book. This could only mean one thing...

It was time for a face-to-face meet, A few hours later, enough time to not directly link with the phone call that had been made, Julia received a call,

"Julia? Hi, We spoke to you earlier in regards to some exotic meats? We'll like to meet you in person to discuss a deal. There is a park, called 'Peterson Park', find it and sit on the north side of the statue. Make sure you have our brochure in your hand. We will come when you arrive."

Marko patted his shoulder in a familiar manner and led Franklin out, towards an awaiting surveillance car that had been dispatched by the nearby KGB detachment. An agent in the backseat opened the door and Marko pushed him in forcefully. The car was off the moment the door was closed.

"Did pretty good," Marko complimented Franklin. "Why that face? Relax." He turned to the agent that sat on the other side of Franklin, "And you're Agent Michenev I believe?"

"Yes, Comrade-Agent," the older man said. Marko patted down Franklin and produced the disc, handing it over.

"Here," Marko said, "Take this to FAPSI, SOUD or whoever you need to, get it analyzed. Make sure to duplicate it and send either a duplicate or this original to my contact in the FSB."

"Think it's that important?" Michenev asked. He recieved a cold gaze from Marko, "Right, we're on it."

The car dropped them off at Franklin's residence and continued off.

"Once we get what we need," Marko explained, "I think we should pay a visit to Lexington Datahouse..."

Operations can sometimes be tarnished by others interfering.

There was a knock on franklin's door, "Who is it?" he asked. "Franklin, it's Daniel Reid, We used to go to school in Primary." He couldn't quite remember who Daniel Reid was but conforted by the fact that Daniel seemed to know him and Daniel's voice was registering as vaguely familiar.

He opened the door to see Daniel, he looked familiar as well so he was directed inside. He was carrying a Jacket which he left at the doorway. It would be his last mistake as moments later he lay dead bleeding on the floor, a dagger that was clean of prints had been quickly jabbed into his throat hitting the juggular and severing the airway down to his lungs.

Furthermore a truck had rammed itself into the Lexington Datahouse and exploded, bring down that building, and damaging the others around it. There had been no warning but the explosives inside had been made of Deisel and Phosphate fertiliser. Very quick and crude, it seemed that the explosive had all been thrown together at the last minute. There was some fertiliser that hadn't been touched by the, there had been no real proper triggering device, the truck itself when it crashed into the building provided that, there was almost 20 seconds of delay.

Obviously someone is serious about not being caught...

A few hours after calling her hacker 'friend', Maria met him in his apartment.

"Hi M-Julia. Come in."
"Hi Harm." (she only knew his nickname)

Once inside, she handed him his 'coffee' - a fat stack of money. "So what did you find?"

"Strange figure, seems like the kind who can be in two places at once. He's on the boards of some banks that I never heard about before. I doubt it's a real identity. Oh and someone else has been doing the same research, but I can't figure out who."

"Nice work."

He played with the money. "I'm intrigued, if you pay me some information instead of money I'll try to find some more info on mr Grande. What is this case about?"

"Some organization selling 'exotic meats', I want to know of what animals."

"Hmm. They seem much too rich and organized to be poachers. Very interesting."

Her phone rang.
"Yes?"

"Julia? Hi, We spoke to you earlier in regards to some exotic meats? We'll like to meet you in person to discuss a deal. There is a park, called 'Peterson Park', find it and sit on the north side of the statue. Make sure you have our brochure in your hand. We will come when you arrive."

"Okay, see you there in a bit."

She put away the phone. "Speak of the devil... Could you please print the brochure from (website address) for me?"

"Sure. What proxy did you use? We want them to think it's you printing it..."

"42security"

Harm had a quick look at the printout before giving it to Maria. "Oh boy. Those guys are bad news."

"Do you know what the codes mean?"

"No, but I do know a curious friend disappeared from the net after trying to investigate someone who used the same codes. I'd better go with you."

Harm put on a boring looking coat and hid two handguns under it. "Don't worry, I'm not interested in revenge, only in protecting my income."

Harm arrived first, sat down on a bench to the west of the statue and opened a heavy computer book. About fifteen minutes later, Maria sat down in the requested spot and pretended to read the brochure.

Operations can sometimes be tarnished by others interfering.

There was a knock on franklin's door, "Who is it?" he asked. "Franklin, it's Daniel Reid, We used to go to school in Primary." He couldn't quite remember who Daniel Reid was but conforted by the fact that Daniel seemed to know him and Daniel's voice was registering as vaguely familiar.

He opened the door to see Daniel, he looked familiar as well so he was directed inside. He was carrying a Jacket which he left at the doorway. It would be his last mistake as moments later he lay dead bleeding on the floor, a dagger that was clean of prints had been quickly jabbed into his throat hitting the juggular and severing the airway down to his lungs.

Furthermore a truck had rammed itself into the Lexington Datahouse and exploded, bring down that building, and damaging the others around it. There had been no warning but the explosives inside had been made of Deisel and Phosphate fertiliser. Very quick and crude, it seemed that the explosive had all been thrown together at the last minute. There was some fertiliser that hadn't been touched by the, there had been no real proper triggering device, the truck itself when it crashed into the building provided that, there was almost 20 seconds of delay.

Obviously someone is serious about not being caught...

Marko reacted in a second, pulling his pistol and firing. He caught Daniel with two slugs in the leg, and fired another for good measure into his other knee. Now bleeding on the floor, he rushed forward, gun level. He crushed the man's forearm under his boot as he checked for more weapons.

"Zacroy svoy peesavati rot, sooka," Marko cursed, kicking the man in the stomach. He picked the man up by his collar and rammed his head into the wall. He did this three times, dropping Daniel roughly to the ground. Daniel was unconscious on the floor when his phone rang, informing him of the explosion.

"Just make sure those discs get to where they need to go," Marko said. "Has the scene been secured? Makre sure that we have FSB in there too. KGB has a habit of keeping things from us." He frowned a bit, "Why would SVR be involved? They have a foreign source...? Through FAPSI? I see, an intercepted call...keep me informed."

factsheet: SVR=foreign intelligence service, fapsi=federal agency for government communications and information

ooc: i'm implying that my country has found out about 'julia' btw

OOC just checking, that means she is NOT in your country, right?

*Snip*
The park had only a few trees spread out, there was some play equipment with a few children. It wasn't busy but 'Harm' could of easily been some guy just enjoying the park.

Maria's Julia phone rang, as always the number had been blocked.

"Julia, thanks for coming, We'll be sending someone down to meet with you soon."

The call ended, There wasn't a sound apart from that generated as a sniper round struck the stone work just an inch away from her head.

*snip*

Daniel grimaced and reacted to the pain with a quick in take of breath through his gritted teeth. He started to withdraw his knif to assail Marko with it, but the pain slowed him down, Marco had already started into him the knife fell to the floor and while he retaliated and got a few good shots in, he was seriously overpowered and collapsed to the floor.

The phone had a few numbers, mostly recorded in the outgoing call list, as the incoming call number was blocked.

OOC just checking, that means she is NOT in your country, right?

Daniel grimaced and reacted to the pain with a quick in take of breath through his gritted teeth. He started to withdraw his knif to assail Marko with it, but the pain slowed him down, Marco had already started into him the knife fell to the floor and while he retaliated and got a few good shots in, he was seriously overpowered and collapsed to the floor.

The phone had a few numbers, mostly recorded in the outgoing call list, as the incoming call number was blocked.

ooc: i actually posted before thinking...i was under the impression she was a foreigner in my country, so whichever way you want it...should i tg you with a description of my country, or can you just use my factbook?

ic:

Wake up, Daniel the distorted voice said.

A light clicked on, bathing him in blinding white light. He was stripped to his boxers, tied and chained to a chair in the center of the room. The distance of the walls was too far to be seen in the little light provided, but there was the presence of an immense space about it.

You've been a bad boy, Daniel. Poor Franklin never saw it coming...neither did the datahouse employees the Voice continued.

You're looking at a very harsh sentence said the Voice. Did you know that hard labor is still a punishment..and then, there's always death The Voice was silent for a moment. Is there something you'd like to say?

Maria moved away a little from the spot where the bullet had hit the statue. She knew they could kill her if they wanted to, running away now wouldn't help. She looked into the distance, trying to figure out where the sniper was.

Harm stopped 'reading' for a moment, didn't see anything odd, then continued pretending to read.

OOC: see ooc thread

Maria moved away a little from the spot where the bullet had hit the statue. She knew they could kill her if they wanted to, running away now wouldn't help. She looked into the distance, trying to figure out where the sniper was.

Harm stopped 'reading' for a moment, didn't see anything odd, then continued pretending to read.


The most obvious place for the sniper to be was in the set of apartments directly in front of Julia/Maria. To be honest, this was a little test. She couldn't see anyone coming out the front, perhaps they went out a back way or down the fire-escape? Who knows? just the fact that 5 minutes later Julia recieved another call.

"Julia, To be honest we didn't expect you to still be there, We can't be too careful with our clients especially with recent investigations into our activity. You will find a booklet with the codes and what they mean in you place out of town. You know the number to call if you would like to place an order, and be very careful with that booklet."

The call ended, the number was blocked as usual and for once perhaps Julia finally had a lead on this investigation.


Wake up, Daniel the distorted voice said.

A light clicked on, bathing him in blinding white light. He was stripped to his boxers, tied and chained to a chair in the center of the room. The distance of the walls was too far to be seen in the little light provided, but there was the presence of an immense space about it.

You've been a bad boy, Daniel. Poor Franklin never saw it coming...neither did the datahouse employees the Voice continued.

You're looking at a very harsh sentence said the Voice. Did you know that hard labor is still a punishment..and then, there's always death The Voice was silent for a moment. Is there something you'd like to say?

The light certainly made Daniel uncomfortable, he wasn't used to it, he was blinking alot trying to get used to the light while listening to what was being said. It took about as long as for the voice to finish what it was saying for Daniel to get as accustomed to it as he could.

"Yeah, Shove it up yer AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGHHHH." He half-yelled, half screamed, the threat of death didn't seem to make an impact. "Come on, if you're going to kill do it now!"

The chains were cold on he skin but it wasn't that bad, really, compared to what would be done to him if he was let free.

Do you think that's all we can do? the voice asked coldly. You may feel a sharp pain at the base of your neck. Our neurological studies are astounding

With that, Daniel was subjected to the pain of being slowly disemboweled, while at the same time, it felt as if a drill were going straight down through his thigh.

That is called pseudo-physiological neurologic stimulus...in other words, we can make you feel whatever pain we want

The Voice was silent for a good long while, as if contemplating the next move. There was the sound of a door opening somewhere in the darkness. A shuffling sound followed that, ending dead center in front of Daniel, just out of his view. Footsteps receeded and the sound of a door and multiple locks followed. There was silence again, until the faint murmurs of someone gagged and restrained could be heard.

You're data may have been hard to trace, but not those close to you

With that, another light was turned on, revealing a half-naked, gagged and blindfolded figure facing Daniel.

Wouldn't you like to say "hi"? Of course, they can't hear you...

ooc: dunno which 'close person' you want to make it (gf, mother, sister etc...) so i left it vague purposely.

*snip*

After the call ended, Maria pretended to talk back on the phone. "Okay I'll be home in a minute." She walked to a busy street and disappeared into the crowd.

Half an hour later, Harm walked off in a different direction, to meet her at his apartment.

...

"What happened?"

"They fired a warning shot at me, then told me they would leave an explanation of the codes in my cottage."

"I told you they were bad news."

Maria nodded. "But at least I'll have some video of them, thanks to the hidden camera I had you install a couple years ago."

"True, but does that really help?"

"We'll see after I fetch the information and the tape tomorrow."

After the call ended, Maria pretended to talk back on the phone. "Okay I'll be home in a minute." She walked to a busy street and disappeared into the crowd.

Half an hour later, Harm walked off in a different direction, to meet her at his apartment.

...

"What happened?"

"They fired a warning shot at me, then told me they would leave an explanation of the codes in my cottage."

"I told you they were bad news."

Maria nodded. "But at least I'll have some video of them, thanks to the hidden camera I had you install a couple years ago."

"True, but does that really help?"

"We'll see after I fetch the information and the tape tomorrow."

The information was in a manilla envelope pieces of paper with printed words, There was a bit of a blurb about the 'exotic' meat, explaining the delicacy that human flesh could be. And then it went into the gruesome details, codes for the full body, torso and various other body parts, there were a number of sample photo's, human steaks, brains all the various parts that they deal with. Not only was there the actual meet but there were also videos of a sexual nature where a couplr 'get it on' and then one pulls out a knife kills them, butches them and eats them. It was all very disturbing.

As for the video, they got video of the person that placed it, they got the face but everything else was covered, it seemed female but there wasn't anything to really distinguish them. Though that name... Leon Grande appeared on the documentation a number of times.

Do you think that's all we can do? the voice asked coldly. You may feel a sharp pain at the base of your neck. Our neurological studies are astounding

With that, Daniel was subjected to the pain of being slowly disemboweled, while at the same time, it felt as if a drill were going straight down through his thigh.

That is called pseudo-physiological neurologic stimulus...in other words, we can make you feel whatever pain we want

The Voice was silent for a good long while, as if contemplating the next move. There was the sound of a door opening somewhere in the darkness. A shuffling sound followed that, ending dead center in front of Daniel, just out of his view. Footsteps receeded and the sound of a door and multiple locks followed. There was silence again, until the faint murmurs of someone gagged and restrained could be heard.

You're data may have been hard to trace, but not those close to you

With that, another light was turned on, revealing a half-naked, gagged and blindfolded figure facing Daniel.

Wouldn't you like to say "hi"? Of course, they can't hear you...

ooc: dunno which 'close person' you want to make it (gf, mother, sister etc...) so i left it vague purposely.

"Jackie?!"

"You Bastards took Jackie?!!"

Jackie was his younger sister, they had some tremendous upheaval in their childhood, went from foster family to foster family. The only constant were each other and he was very protective of her.

"You're just as bad as they are, do you think that I wanted to kill Frankin, or lead that bombing of the offices? I don't get up in the morning and think of people I can kill. I do what I have to keep us together, to keep her safe. If I didn't do what they say or if I was ever brought, they'd use her in one of their sick and twisted videos. I don't have a choice, I never had a choice. I'm dead no matter what happens so better I die here now. No matter what else you put me through."

He was almost trying to stare down this disembodied voice, not looking anywhere in particular.

"JUST ******* KILL ME AND GET THIS OVER WITH!"

With this he just broke down and just started to weep.

"please..." this escaped as a bare whisper as the weeping continued.

The information was in a manilla envelope pieces of paper with printed words, There was a bit of a blurb about the 'exotic' meat, explaining the delicacy that human flesh could be. And then it went into the gruesome details, codes for the full body, torso and various other body parts, there were a number of sample photo's, human steaks, brains all the various parts that they deal with. Not only was there the actual meet but there were also videos of a sexual nature where a couplr 'get it on' and then one pulls out a knife kills them, butches them and eats them. It was all very disturbing.

As for the video, they got video of the person that placed it, they got the face but everything else was covered, it seemed female but there wasn't anything to really distinguish them. Though that name... Leon Grande appeared on the documentation a number of times.



"Jackie?!"

"You Bastards took Jackie?!!"

Jackie was his younger sister, they had some tremendous upheaval in their childhood, went from foster family to foster family. The only constant were each other and he was very protective of her.

"You're just as bad as they are, do you think that I wanted to kill Frankin, or lead that bombing of the offices? I don't get up in the morning and think of people I can kill. I do what I have to keep us together, to keep her safe. If I didn't do what they say or if I was ever brought, they'd use her in one of their sick and twisted videos. I don't have a choice, I never had a choice. I'm dead no matter what happens so better I die here now. No matter what else you put me through."

He was almost trying to stare down this disembodied voice, not looking anywhere in particular.

"JUST ******* KILL ME AND GET THIS OVER WITH!"

With this he just broke down and just started to weep.

"please..." this escaped as a bare whisper as the weeping continued.
We are not unreasonable...but understand that we will do what is in the best interests of the State said the Voice after a long while. There seems to be very limited options for you. Help us and we can protect you and your sister. Just so you know, there were two men trying to accost her when our operatives took her. With us, we can promise she won't be harmed. The only other option is to either kill you, or you continue to take your chances with them. The choice is yours, but you don't have time to decide. said the Voice. What's your answer?

*snip*

Maria ran to the wc, threw up, and did not want to look at the part of the information she had not seen yet.

As for the video, they got video of the person that placed it, they got the face but everything else was covered, it seemed female but there wasn't anything to really distinguish them. Though that name... Leon Grande appeared on the documentation a number of times.

A woman? Strange. Maria searched the tape of the camera for that other visitor, the one who had called himself Leon Grande. He had sounded male... The camera would record only when movement was detected, and then only one frame per second, so there was a chance Leon Grande might still be on it. She felt stupid for not looking at this sooner.

Angel didn't really know how to react, all she could do was to return the embrace and comfort the poor woman. She did feel sorry for her, even if they weren't a couple. she loved him. That much was obvious.

Who knows how long they embraced it seemed like ages but could of only been a few seconds. "Would you like to tell me about him?" she asked, hoping that it would help her cope. Even though she didn't think it was a death it might as well been.



And then most suddenly, a shadow walked into the room. When light hit the shadow, it revealed a petite lady with jet black hair. Her face seemingly showed a sense of innocence

"Hello," she said. "Am I disturbing anything?"

*snip*

"Okay, Alright... I'll give you everything I know, but if you don't live up to your bargain and take of her then, I'll do everything I can to hurt you!"

He told them everything he knew about the operations, they worked in little cells, each cell had very little contact with others but and there were always certain individuals who would be the contacts. Get the orders and make sure they're delivered, checking up on clientelle and other covert operations such as determining if the host nation has caught on to their operations.

There are 2 groups of people within the groups, some weird guys who actually enjoy what they are doing and the others who some how or another seem to find that they don't have much option but to do what they say.

They keep saying about doing something in 'his' name. Some sort leader, the moniker Leon Grande to him seemed to be some sort of reference. Though he didn't know how.

All the 'meat' came from overseas from warehouses but if you really wanted to stop them you have to stop them at their source. That is 'chop off the head and the body will fall'.

That's as far as he could think off the top of his head, though he would be open to answering any specific questions.
*snip*

The video would reveal this Leon Grande, to actually be a schmo who had been in deep dept, but now all the dept had been paid off. He is certainly not a mastermind, has a history of minor criminal convictions, and not really much else, he had a wife and a kid but they left him and the wife shacked up with someone else. He probably doesn't even know who he's working for just gets these tasks.

And then most suddenly, a shadow walked into the room. When light hit the shadow, it revealed a petite lady with jet black hair. Her face seemingly showed a sense of innocence

"Hello," she said. "Am I disturbing anything?"

"Yes, Yes you are!" Angel said still comforting Jessica, "Now, what do you want?" Angel was a bit harsh but she knew who it was. It was 'her' a bit of a social outcast and an annoyance though quite harmless. So she didn't totally go off at her, though Jessica was alot more understanding.

"Please come in, I'm actually glad for the company right now. Brian, he's gone to the Central Authority." she gave a pained smile, it hurt, she hadn't yet plucked up the courage to read the note from Brian and was still hurting.

"Yes, Yes you are!" Angel said still comforting Jessica, "Now, what do you want?" Angel was a bit harsh but she knew who it was. It was 'her' a bit of a social outcast and an annoyance though quite harmless. So she didn't totally go off at her, though Jessica was alot more understanding.

"Please come in, I'm actually glad for the company right now. Brian, he's gone to the Central Authority." she gave a pained smile, it hurt, she hadn't yet plucked up the courage to read the note from Brian and was still hurting.

"Oh," Maria replied. She wasn't used to dealing with emotions. She had learnt to numb them after the many times she was disciplined for breaking some sort of rule; the last one being for running around the farm naked. But something within the mentioning of the Central Authority brought forth something in her. Something she was quite curious about.

"Did he tell you about it?" She enquired.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________
Offices of the Missing and Exploited Children Squad, Colonial Police
Colonial Police Headquarters
The Federal Enclave, Freedom State
Northern Colonies

Agent-in-Charge Anthony D'Arcy sat in his office. It was 7:00pm and most of the other agents had already gone home but here he was, starring at a board with a bunch of face. D'Arcy had been working within Colonial law enforcement for over 40 years, back when this squad was part of an independent organisation, the Federal Investigative Bureau, which had been absorbed with other Federal law enforcement agencies to become the Colonial Police. He had been working with this squad for 25 years, over half of his time with the force. He was nearing retirement, but one case still bothered him. A case of a missing child that had never been solved. He looked over the board and starred at one poster in particular. It was a young, 5 year old girl. She was quite petite and had a distinctive jet black hair. Her face seemingly showed a sense of innocence.

'Ten years', he thought. 'Ten years, I've dedicated my career trying to find you.'
"Where are you?" He spoke aloud.

"Okay, Alright... I'll give you everything I know, but if you don't live up to your bargain and take of her then, I'll do everything I can to hurt you!"

He told them everything he knew about the operations, they worked in little cells, each cell had very little contact with others but and there were always certain individuals who would be the contacts. Get the orders and make sure they're delivered, checking up on clientelle and other covert operations such as determining if the host nation has caught on to their operations.

There are 2 groups of people within the groups, some weird guys who actually enjoy what they are doing and the others who some how or another seem to find that they don't have much option but to do what they say.

They keep saying about doing something in 'his' name. Some sort leader, the moniker Leon Grande to him seemed to be some sort of reference. Though he didn't know how.

All the 'meat' came from overseas from warehouses but if you really wanted to stop them you have to stop them at their source. That is 'chop off the head and the body will fall'.

That's as far as he could think off the top of his head, though he would be open to answering any specific questions.

You're proposal is acceptable replied the Voice.

Lights clicked on throughout the room, revealing to be the size of a large hangar. Two men in black suits undid the clasps to Jackie's restraints.

Her gag and sensory deprivation devices will be removed outside of the room. You will be reunited shortly

The men led her away as another pair began taking off Daniel's own restraints. One man patted his shoulder apologetically.

"Name's Marko, I'm the Agent-in-Charge, Federal Security Service," he introduced himself. "I know there's no real way to apologize, but our first priority is the safety of the State. If you'd elaborate on what you've told us, we can get both you and Jackie into protective custody."

Maria considered her options. If she would dig deeper and then publish about it, she would certainly be killed. And the only way to learn more about these people would be to get in touch with them, which meant ordering from them, and she certainly couldn't do that.
Worse, she now knew too much, if she would not become a client she might be considered a threat, and these criminals very obviously had no emotional difficulties with killing humans.
And worst of all, if she would do nothing, other people would die.

Maria needed help. But whose help could she ask without putting that person in danger? She remembered something Harm had said, someone else had been doing research about Leon Grande. Perhaps if he could figure out who that was...

---

Back in the city...

"Hi M-Julia. Why didn't you call before coming here? Geez you don't look very well... Come in."

They sat down at his kitchen table, Harm gave her a cup of tea. "What's going on?"
"They're worse than bad news. They sell human meat. Please do everything you can to figure out who the other one interested in Leon Grande was, and if they work for the Commonwealth please get me in touch with that person directly."

"Damn that's sick. I'll see what I can do but I can't promise anything."

"Oh," Maria replied. She wasn't used to dealing with emotions. She had learnt to numb them after the many times she was disciplined for breaking some sort of rule; the last one being for running around the farm naked. But something within the mentioning of the Central Authority brought forth something in her. Something she was quite curious about.

"Did he tell you about it?" She enquired.

"No, well, not really. He left this note... I haven't looked at it yet, I.. I... just couldn't. Not yet. Here."

She extracted herself from the embrace while Angel seem to warm abit to her, she did appreciate what Brian meant for her even though she was adamant they weren't a 'couple'.

The note was slightly smugged but in all other ways was exactly the way Angel found it.
You're proposal is acceptable replied the Voice.

Lights clicked on throughout the room, revealing to be the size of a large hangar. Two men in black suits undid the clasps to Jackie's restraints.

Her gag and sensory deprivation devices will be removed outside of the room. You will be reunited shortly

The men led her away as another pair began taking off Daniel's own restraints. One man patted his shoulder apologetically.

"Name's Marko, I'm the Agent-in-Charge, Federal Security Service," he introduced himself. "I know there's no real way to apologize, but our first priority is the safety of the State. If you'd elaborate on what you've told us, we can get both you and Jackie into protective custody."

"We both know that if they don't get taken down, they will find us eventually no matter what you do." Daniel commented before going on to elaborate.

He described that everyone had a sort of safe house to go to, if anyone was ever captured or killed, only the individual knew their own house. His was a place in a couple of towns over and he gave the address. He thinks that you might be able to trace the other safe houses once you look into that. There were 5 other people in Daniel's Cell, but the one with the link to other cells was called Scorpion. Get to Scorpion... you can get to another cell closer to the core organisation.

The wierd group all had animal names, Scorpion, Redback, Bear, and the llike and it was those guys that made sure everything happened as the boss or Bosses wanted. Those are the guys you want, anyone with a stupid animal name should be killed or taken into custody and interrogated and tortured before being killed. They weren't human, well, they don't act like they are.

*snip*
OOC: I presume FUS will somehow connect you up with his investigation.

Back in the city...

"Hi M-Julia. Why didn't you call before coming here? Geez you don't look very well... Come in."

They sat down at his kitchen table, Harm gave her a cup of tea. "What's going on?"
"They're worse than bad news. They sell human meat. Please do everything you can to figure out who the other one interested in Leon Grande was, and if they work for the Commonwealth please get me in touch with that person directly."

"Damn that's sick. I'll see what I can do but I can't promise anything."


"We both know that if they don't get taken down, they will find us eventually no matter what you do." Daniel commented before going on to elaborate.

He described that everyone had a sort of safe house to go to, if anyone was ever captured or killed, only the individual knew their own house. His was a place in a couple of towns over and he gave the address. He thinks that you might be able to trace the other safe houses once you look into that. There were 5 other people in Daniel's Cell, but the one with the link to other cells was called Scorpion. Get to Scorpion... you can get to another cell closer to the core organisation.

The wierd group all had animal names, Scorpion, Redback, Bear, and the llike and it was those guys that made sure everything happened as the boss or Bosses wanted. Those are the guys you want, anyone with a stupid animal name should be killed or taken into custody and interrogated and tortured before being killed. They weren't human, well, they don't act like they are.


OOC: I presume FUS will somehow connect you up with his investigation.

In the city...

There was a knock on the door. Moments later, the door opened with the distinct sound of a lock drill. In stepped two men, both in suits and overcoats.

"Please don't be alarmed," said one. "Commonwealth Federal Security Service," he flipped open a billfold, showing the badge. "We've been tracking you for some time."

---------

"That's good to hear," Marko said as he led Daniel out of the room. He showed him into a small room that had bins full of drab-green cargo pants and similarly-colored knit shirts. "You can change and get dressed...sorry that it isn't exactly Calvin Klein," he said. "Once you're ready, we'll reunite you with Jackie. She has had no memory of her involuntary detention, and we would like to keep it that way," he amended.

"I guess you don't have to search for that other anymore" Maria said to Harm.

The badge looked real, so she decided to take the gamble. "I'm Maria Dinova, the journalist. And this is one of my not quite legal but entirely ethical informants. We have a little problem, I got curious about a group that turned out to be something else than I expected."

She moved the envelope to the side of the table where the two men were standing.

"I guess you don't have to search for that other anymore" Maria said to Harm.

The badge looked real, so she decided to take the gamble. "I'm Maria Dinova, the journalist. And this is one of my not quite legal but entirely ethical informants. We have a little problem, I got curious about a group that turned out to be something else than I expected."

She moved the envelope to the side of the table where the two men were standing.
"Yes, your associate has been on *SOUDs 'Persons of Interest' list for some time," the agent replied, "And we know quite a bit more than you."

"You must come with us now," his associate replied, "This is now a matter of national security, falling under the direct jurisdiction of the GRU."

"I assure you," the first agent interjected, "You are not in trouble. We have leads that we think would benefit from your investigation."

*Inter-linked System for Identifying Enemies

"Yes, your associate has been on *SOUDs 'Persons of Interest' list for some time," the agent replied, "And we know quite a bit more than you."

"Persons of Interest" said Harm. "What an appropriate name, because it is knowledge I seek most of all. But that's probably not what you mean by it."

"You must come with us now," his associate replied, "This is now a matter of national security, falling under the direct jurisdiction of the GRU."

Maria replied "I'll be happy to go with you, doing nothing will eventually put me in danger... I hope I can somehow help to protect society against these sickos."

"No, well, not really. He left this note... I haven't looked at it yet, I.. I... just couldn't. Not yet. Here."

She extracted herself from the embrace while Angel seem to warm abit to her, she did appreciate what Brian meant for her even though she was adamant they weren't a 'couple'.

The note was slightly smugged but in all other ways was exactly the way Angel found it.


Maria read it out loud,

"Friends and Relatives," she started. "I'm sorry I couldn't tell you, it happened all so fast. But I'm now in the Central Authority. I'm not sure what my job will be there but I will know that I will be busy and won't be able to see you unless you come into the Authority too. A new life awaits me and it's bitter sweet. I hope this letter finds you all well and you will be able to live your life well and not mourn me. It would sadden me if you didn't keep living your lives because I wasn't there to share it with you.

I'm sure it won't be long till we see you. All my best wishes.

Love Brian."

"Not long at all," Maria repeated. "Maybe we could sneak in and visit him. How about that?"

"Good, let's get going."

The agents led the pair to a waiting M5 sedan, driving off as soon as they had gotten in. The ride was long, taking them to the outskirts of the capital. Taking an unmarked road, they were soon met by armed guards. The agents showed credentials and were waved forward. The drive went on for miles before they stopped in the center of an open field. The ground suddenly sunk in as a platform lowered the car down into the earth.

"Welcome to the FSB," the first agent said as the platform came to a rest.

"Very nice" said Harm. "Oh, I hope someone will replace my lock. All information on my computers is encrypted, but I don't have the kind of resources you do so I'd hate to have to replace them."

Maria shook her head. "There's not much that will impress you, is there?"

"Cannibalism does."

"Don't worry," the agent said as he led them through the hallways, "By now your computers have already been downloaded by SOUD and FAPSI agents."

They were led to a room where a man in olive-drab garb was talking to another in a suit.

"Agent Alavus, these are the two you wanted to speak to," the agent said, leaving them alone.

"Hello there, call me Marko," he said, revealing his badge, "It says KGB, but I'm really not such a bad guy."

*snip*

Daniel perhaps smiled for the first time for a long time, though it was soon gone. "That's fine. Thank you. Now could you let me get changed in privacy?"

IF Marko didn't leave him alone, he'd have to make do with whatever situation he found himself in, either way, He'd end up the same. Dressed in these new clothes and ready to see Jackie again.

"Jackie!" he exclaimed... "Dan! What's going on?" she replied, not liking what's happening around her. "Don't worry, there friends. We won't have to worry about the others ever again." They hugged as like a long lost re-union. "I missed you" she whispered "so did I." he replied. "So where are we, who are these people?" she queried looking around. "They're with the government, they're going to take those other guys down. We're safe, your safe. We won't have to worry about them ever again."

Maria read it out loud,

"Friends and Relatives," she started. "I'm sorry I couldn't tell you, it happened all so fast. But I'm now in the Central Authority. I'm not sure what my job will be there but I will know that I will be busy and won't be able to see you unless you come into the Authority too. A new life awaits me and it's bitter sweet. I hope this letter finds you all well and you will be able to live your life well and not mourn me. It would sadden me if you didn't keep living your lives because I wasn't there to share it with you.

I'm sure it won't be long till we see you. All my best wishes.

Love Brian."

"Not long at all," Maria repeated. "Maybe we could sneak in and visit him. How about that?"

"What if we get caught?! Jess here is in no fit state and we don't even know where he is." Angel countered... "Let her grieve first and then perhaps we can see."

Though Jessica was pondering what she heard... "No... somthing's not right Brian would never say that last bit about saddening him. No he'd say something about remembering the times we had, and so he'd always be with me... just as I would be with him. No... this letter can't be from him... It can't..."

"What if we get caught?! Jess here is in no fit state and we don't even know where he is." Angel countered... "Let her grieve first and then perhaps we can see."

Though Jessica was pondering what she heard... "No... somthing's not right Brian would never say that last bit about saddening him. No he'd say something about remembering the times we had, and so he'd always be with me... just as I would be with him. No... this letter can't be from him... It can't..."

Maria pulled on her black jacket.

"Well the only way we are going to find out is to sneak in and ask him," Maria said. "And if we want to do that, we must make haste. No time for whishy-washy grieving. Suck it up."

Daniel perhaps smiled for the first time for a long time, though it was soon gone. "That's fine. Thank you. Now could you let me get changed in privacy?"

IF Marko didn't leave him alone, he'd have to make do with whatever situation he found himself in, either way, He'd end up the same. Dressed in these new clothes and ready to see Jackie again.

"Jackie!" he exclaimed... "Dan! What's going on?" she replied, not liking what's happening around her. "Don't worry, there friends. We won't have to worry about the others ever again." They hugged as like a long lost re-union. "I missed you" she whispered "so did I." he replied. "So where are we, who are these people?" she queried looking around. "They're with the government, they're going to take those other guys down. We're safe, your safe. We won't have to worry about them ever again."


ooc: how young is she, btw?

"Of course, have your privacy," Marko said, "We took pictures while you were unconcious anyway..." he chuckled, "Sorry, bad KGB joke..."

Marko left to call Asenya, who was already getting data from Harm's computer, as well as one hard-drive recovered from the datahouse.

"Not sure how much we can salvage from that one...it might have nothing of value anyway," she informed him.

"Do what you can," he answered, "I know you can do it."

After ending the call, Marko led Daniel to be reunited with Jackie. He stood back and smiled at their little reunion. He waited a bit before stepping forward and clearing his throat.

"Hello Jackie," he said in a calm and sweet voice, "I'm Marko. I'm one of the agents working the case with your brother. We have a lot of work to do now, but we've already set up a place for you and your brother here. Another agent will take you to your quarters, your things have been brought from your house...I'll try not to keep your brother away too long, okay?"


Later, as Marko kept asking questions, getting as many details of the safehouse and the other operatives, there was a knock on the door. An agent came in with that reporter and her friend.

Maria pulled on her black jacket.

"Well the only way we are going to find out is to sneak in and ask him," Maria said. "And if we want to do that, we must make haste. No time for whishy-washy grieving. Suck it up."
"I have to do it, Angel. I need to know." Jessica said

"Alright, if we do it, we need a plan. We just can't go up to the door and say 'We want to see Brian.' And I think, I've got one..."

OOC: I'll send you a TG soon NC

*snip*
OOC: She's 18, he's around 25. But are still very close. He's a protector and she still looks up to him and and frequenltly puts himself out for her

IC:
Daniel gave him all the information that he knew, he had done some checking of of his safehouse that he shouldn't of done but he was very careful not to get caught.

His safe house was owned by an investor, the investor owned his safe house and his own house and that was it. The Investor paid a real estate agent to manage the property for him, it was called "LG Investments" which dealt with numerous types of investments. Of the hundreds of properties that were under their control "LG Investments" had 23 properties (including the safe house) that were officially unoccupied. 5 of those however had land lines on and working, and electricity to the buildings, including Daniels. Scopion was to be in one of the other 4.

As for the other 3 members of the team, there were...

Snake, a female who was the intelligence officer, She was the primary one who researched this Julia pretending to be a lawyer, and other such appropriate posessions. She was one of those, she would torture and kill anyone who didn't meet her standards. He knew she was on the tail of someone called Julia.

Ian, he was the brutish muscle who did what he was told. Daniel didn't know why he was working with them but he assumed it was for a similiar reason to him. Though Daniel was scared of Ian he was much more physical and bash your head in, where Daniel was more of precision attacker.

Wolf, was the leader he didn't have a howl but he had the tenacious dogged determination to make the group as a pack. Each working in collaboration to achieve the goal. And he kept those under his control in line with harsh 'jungle' justice.

With his capture they should all go to their safehouses and wait for at least a week until "the heat" would die down. He didn't know which was Scorpion's place but he was the groups link to the rest of the network so they'd need to checkout the various communication methods to locate him.

As he was finishing up he saw the reporter enter the room.... "Julia... Are you.. I mean, do you work for the government?"

"We'll set the plan in motion," Marko was saying as he listened to all the information on the safehouses. "We'll hit each one simultaneously. The investment company's offices, the safehouses, the properties...even their private residences. We'll call in extra boots from Spetsnaz if we have to," Marko laid out the plan.

He smiled a bit at Daniels clumsy introduction.

"Technically, she does now," Marko said with a wry laugh.

"Don't worry," the agent said as he led them through the hallways, "By now your computers have already been downloaded by SOUD and FAPSI agents."

They were led to a room where a man in olive-drab garb was talking to another in a suit.

"Agent Alavus, these are the two you wanted to speak to," the agent said, leaving them alone.

"Hello there, call me Marko," he said, revealing his badge, "It says KGB, but I'm really not such a bad guy."

Maria shook his hand. "Maria Dinova. And this guy calls himself Harm, but he's not a bad guy either."
Harm nodded.

"I guess you already know what these people sell" Maria gave him the envelope, she looked sick just thinking of what was inside. Apart from that we have images of the faces of two of them, a woman and a man who called himself Leon Grande... But there seem to be many men with that name, you know what I mean? Finally, right now they trust me but as far as I can tell the only thing I can do is order from them."

Harm had found himself a seat, Maria sat down too.

"So that's our situation, let's see if we can help each other."

Maria shook his hand. "Maria Dinova. And this guy calls himself Harm, but he's not a bad guy either."
Harm nodded.

"I guess you already know what these people sell" Maria gave him the envelope, she looked sick just thinking of what was inside. Apart from that we have images of the faces of two of them, a woman and a man who called himself Leon Grande... But there seem to be many men with that name, you know what I mean? Finally, right now they trust me but as far as I can tell the only thing I can do is order from them."

Harm had found himself a seat, Maria sat down too.

"So that's our situation, let's see if we can help each other."
"Well, I wouldn't want you to order any more," Marko said, "And bring some innocent life to an end...I've met with a Leon Grande; but this guy," he points a thumb at Daniel, "Stuck a blade into his throat..." He seemed to notice Daniel's wounds, "Sorry about shooting you and all that, by the way."

"Daniel has provided us with the safehouses and offices of a local cell. The plan so far is to raid each house simultaneously and capture and detain anyone we see. If we can capture someone higher up who knows more, maybe we can start tracking the source."

"Maybe we should check if the two who visited my cottage are members of the same cell as the one Danijel knows about, or of another. If you clean up two cells at once, that will make the ones higher up the tree nervous. And nervous people make mistakes..."

"Maybe we should check if the two who visited my cottage are members of the same cell as the one Danijel knows about, or of another. If you clean up two cells at once, that will make the ones higher up the tree nervous. And nervous people make mistakes..."

Daniel ignored the comment about Marko shooting him, and replied to Maria. "Yes, It was certainly us that were dealing with you, but now that things have happened as they did, Ju.. Sorry Maria. That you should be informed that there are currently delivery problems." The Julia phone buzzed with an SMS informing her that delivery to her area is currently unavailable and it will be rectified as soon as possible.

"If you make these people too nervous they'll either shut down certain operations, kill those who were apart of the contact chain and start again later and then come after us."

"I have to do it, Angel. I need to know." Jessica said

"Alright, if we do it, we need a plan. We just can't go up to the door and say 'We want to see Brian.' And I think, I've got one..."



"Well," Maria replied. "We don't have time to waste here. What is it?"

"Maybe we should check if the two who visited my cottage are members of the same cell as the one Danijel knows about, or of another. If you clean up two cells at once, that will make the ones higher up the tree nervous. And nervous people make mistakes..."

Daniel ignored the comment about Marko shooting him, and replied to Maria. "Yes, It was certainly us that were dealing with you, but now that things have happened as they did, Ju.. Sorry Maria. That you should be informed that there are currently delivery problems." The Julia phone buzzed with an SMS informing her that delivery to her area is currently unavailable and it will be rectified as soon as possible.

"If you make these people too nervous they'll either shut down certain operations, kill those who were apart of the contact chain and start again later and then come after us."

"I'll get the FSB on it," Marko said as he flipped open his cell phone. He passed along the message and continued with the conversation.

"Daniel is right," Marko said, "This'll be a big step, but what they have to realize is that such a large-scale raid will mean that the entire intelligence arm of the Commonwealth is after them. Even if they've paid off certain members of the government or agents within the Service, it will be impossible to take us all down..."

"So it was you" said Maria. "You looked a bit different on my hidden camera. Well, scratch that about cleaning up two cells at once then."

"May I make a suggestion" said Harm. "We could tell them 'Julia' is on a vacation on the other side of the Commonwealth, and will accept deliveries there. Maybe they will take the bait, then we have two chains to follow instead of one, and doubled chances of finding the head."

"So it was you" said Maria. "You looked a bit different on my hidden camera. Well, scratch that about cleaning up two cells at once then."

"May I make a suggestion" said Harm. "We could tell them 'Julia' is on a vacation on the other side of the Commonwealth, and will accept deliveries there. Maybe they will take the bait, then we have two chains to follow instead of one, and doubled chances of finding the head."

"That's... actually not a bad idea... We don't do deliveries and it's another track to follow. So what you thinking of ordering? It would have to be a big order to make it easier to track. Are you sure you're fine with that?"

Maria seemed too disgusted to say anything.

Harm replied, "I would prefer not to place any orders at all, but if in the end it saves many more lives than are sacrificed... Then I'm not so sure what is right and what is wrong."

"That's... actually not a bad idea... We don't do deliveries and it's another track to follow. So what you thinking of ordering? It would have to be a big order to make it easier to track. Are you sure you're fine with that?"

Maria seemed too disgusted to say anything.

Harm replied, "I would prefer not to place any orders at all, but if in the end it saves many more lives than are sacrificed... Then I'm not so sure what is right and what is wrong."

"I agree with Harm, it's not something I want to happen, but if it can't be helped..." Marko said. "We'll send this off to the *GRU. They have to approve the raids anyway..."

*Main Intelligence Directorate

Maria said "You are asking me to kill someone by placing that order, or at least planning to do that in my name. I'm not sure what to think."

"We're going to have blood on our hands no matter what we do. All we can do is try to reduce the number of murders. I don't think they catch random people from the street because that would draw way too much attention. If we, er, order, someone is going to get killed. If we don't, most likely that same person will also be killed, and many others too."

"I guess you're right..."

"Well," Maria replied. "We don't have time to waste here. What is it?"

"I met Brian doing some work in the field. They take the produce into the CA and then do whatever they do to it in there and then distriibute it around. We could hide in the produce bins and they take us into the CA. I don't think they'll check it, I mean why would someone go to the effort?

We should be able to slip in after work tomorrow."

"Well good," replied Maria. "We meet here 5 o'clock ok?"

Maria said "You are asking me to kill someone by placing that order, or at least planning to do that in my name. I'm not sure what to think."

"We're going to have blood on our hands no matter what we do. All we can do is try to reduce the number of murders. I don't think they catch random people from the street because that would draw way too much attention. If we, er, order, someone is going to get killed. If we don't, most likely that same person will also be killed, and many others too."

"I guess you're right..."

ooc: so, there's two Maria's...?

ic:


Marko got a phone call. He frowned after a few terse words and hung up.

"The GRU has agreed in a 7-3 decision to allow an order to be placed by your alter ego," Marko sighed. "Go ahead and set it up, and we'll begin tracking the new cell..."

OOC add another Maria and it's going to be like that scene in Being John Malkovich

IC

Maria shook her head "I can't do that."

"Fine. Something else, how did you sign the messages you sent to them?"

"Julia N, why do you ask? ... Oh damn now you made me do it."

"Sorry, all is fair when saving lives." Harm nodded to Marko. "Now I know the website she contacted them through, the proxy she hides behind and the way she writes her name. That should be enough to impersonate that fake identity of hers."

"They asked me to order by phone."

"Hmmm" said Harm. "Even if you did want to execute my plan it would be better to write anyway, we don't want them to notice any emotions." He noticed the others gave him a strange look. "What?"

"Execute."

"Oh, er, sorry, bad choice of words."

At the FSB Base

Daniel had been sitting relatively quiet, he had a pencil and a piece of paper, writing numbers down.

There were 3 of one, 2 of another and 4 of something else, each was listed down the piece of paper as a shopping list and what Daniel calculated the total cost to be 45 Grand, 45,000 Liore (OOC: Assuming that's equivalent to around 45K USD RL)

"Well, another thing the ordering people haven't heard you're voice. So as long as the voice is female and comes from the phone number they have on records there should not be a problem."

"Order this, it shouldn't arose suspicions but it's big enough to be able to track fairly easily. It's perhaps better if you didn't know exactly what you were ordering. Oh, one more thing... I don't think there is anything really more I can help you with, would I be able to go?"

In the Vault

"Yes. We'll do it then, As soon as possible." Jessica nodded her head, she wanted to know as soon as possible.

"Alright, I'll see you there. Better be there to keep you guys out of trouble if you're so determined to get into it. 5 o'clock it is."

"Thanks for your work," Marko said as he took the information. "It would be too dangerous to let you go now," he explained, "Once the order and the raid are carried out, they'll most likely do as you say and try and cover their asses. We'll move you and your sister to a secure location soon, ok?" The door opened and a woman stepped in. "Ah, here she is...lady and gentlemen, this is Asenya. She's my former partner from my time in the FSB."

"Hello all," she said, "So, what's the deal?"

In the FSB Base
"The deal is... I need to go to the toilet, which way?" Daniel smiled slightly trying to hide his embarrasement. He got up from the seat and looked around hoping someone would tell him or show him the way.

In The Vault

5pm that day they all assembled together. "No one knows when it happens, but we know it does, sometime between about an hour from now and when we wake up in the morning someone comes and takes the grain into the CA Storage Bin. It might be a long wait but we'll need to not fall asleep while doing so. And here, I made these for you." There was three long narrow cardboard tubes with heshen both ends. Angel presented Jessica and Maria with the tubes.

"They'll help you breath while in the bins and hopefullly will allow us to not get detected."

They headed off to the farm in that Dome and found 4 full bin's of grain ready to be deposited into the CA.

Maria put the tube into her mouth.

"Lets get in," came a muffled voice, as she diving into the grain.

"Oh, sorry," Marko chuckled uneasily. "The agent outside will escort you. One will accompany both you and your sister wherever you go for the time being," he motioned for Daniel to take his leave.

FSB Base

Daniel made his way out of the room for a moment, and came back around 10 minutes later...

"So, how long till the raids?"

Vault

Everyone entered their crop bins and waited, hours dragged on about 10 o'clock at night the bins were disturbed some sort of mechanical lifting device had laid a hold of the bins and started moving at a walking pace, it was hard to hear anything and the only thing they could tell for sure was that they were moving.

After 15 minutes of moving they stopped, about 5 minutes later Angel stuck her head out of the bins looking around. The Room was very mettallic, the walls the floor, the roof and the door.

A gratting covered most of the floor with some sort of pit, where the grain was meant to be disposited, the door out of the room was closed, but wasn't locked.

"We must wait for the second cell to activate, so we can begin tracing them," Marko said, "But...tentatively they're scheduled for the day after tomorrow."

FSB Base

Vault

Everyone entered their crop bins and waited, hours dragged on about 10 o'clock at night the bins were disturbed some sort of mechanical lifting device had laid a hold of the bins and started moving at a walking pace, it was hard to hear anything and the only thing they could tell for sure was that they were moving.

After 15 minutes of moving they stopped, about 5 minutes later Angel stuck her head out of the bins looking around. The Room was very mettallic, the walls the floor, the roof and the door.

A gratting covered most of the floor with some sort of pit, where the grain was meant to be disposited, the door out of the room was closed, but wasn't locked.

"We better move quickly to the door", replied Maria, getting out of the bin and walking towards the door. "Lest this pit opens up."

Maria looked at her watch. "Would you mind if I checked my answering machine for messages now?"

(ooc it's a dead man's switch)

FSB

"Well, they're not going to do anything until the order's been placed, speaking of which, how's that going?" Daniel queried he was perhaps a bit restless, a slight change from before but nothing really concerning, especially considering the type of people they were dealing with.

"I wouldn't if I were you, I can't be certain what they would do, they may have traced the car you drove to the park in or something I don't know but reaching out at this point could blow the whole thing... and you don't want to stuff up like this, these guys are down right scary."

Vault

"I don't know why we we're tipped down there to begin with. They must do it later or something." Angel whispered beckoning Jessica and Maria over.

"You ready? stay close, move silently and again keep up."

She gently eased the handle down.

"Oh, and remember, you see anyone pretend you belong."

Jessica looked calm, but was really just holding everything together, she needed to see him, to know everything was OK.

The door opened slowly and quietly for now the cooridoor was empty doors lined each side extending both ways, they didn't know where there where. Angel steped down choosing a direction and making her way through it with lift but purposeful steps, making practically no sound.

"Shouldn't we be trying these doors" replied Maria.

OOC: Let's trying fastening the pace.

With Daniel's new information, the call was discarded and the raids green-lit. In the various areas, blacked-out vans and darkened helicopters descended on the businesses, houses and safehouses. Men with automatic rifles in black, unmarked uniforms broke down doors, dragged people out from showers, beds and kitchens. They busted in doors, tossing in stun grenades and smoke bombs. They fired tear gas and an occassional controlled burst of less-than lethal weapons; conventional weapons always ready to bring it to the next level.

Marko and Asenya had brought the party into the War Room, letting them see the raids take place in real-time. Satellite and headmounted displays were shown in high-definition screens along a wall, showing the results of the raids.

"I wouldn't if I were you, I can't be certain what they would do, they may have traced the car you drove to the park in or something I don't know but reaching out at this point could blow the whole thing... and you don't want to stuff up like this, these guys are down right scary."

"It seems a bit much to assume that they know my real identity and the phone belonging to it." Maria showed she had two phones. "If they had figured out who I really am I would have been dead now, correct?"

Ian's Safehouse

The Raid went like clockwork, agents set up a covert perimeter and when everyone was in position they pounced, everyone executed the plan very well. Ian was surprised, thrown to the ground and arrested he tried to attack one of the agents but he ended up with a butt of a gun being smacked against his forehead and knocked out cold.

Wolf's Safehouse

Things were quite a bit more hairy at Wolf's he was armed and despite not having direct knowledge of the attack he was prepared just in case.

His shotgun fired at the agent bursting in the front door before ducking out of the way into a side room. A few more shots where fired but in the end the result was the same an unconcious man, though much more dangerous and more dangerous for the agents that executed.

Scorpion's Safehouse

This safehouse was different again the agents entered into the house and one of them was taken from the side, It all happened so quick. The agent was knocked out but nothing really long term, moments later another couple of agents started to advance, though they were too late as bubbles started form around his mouth. He had swallowed some of suicide pill, rather than being taken alive.

Snake's Safehouse

Perhaps the most perturbing safehouse, this one was completely empty Snake was still at large somewhere. There was no information about where she might be but who knows where she might be.

Back At the FSB Base

Daniel stopped "I don't really know what these guys think, and franklu I don't want to know. They may know and they're keeping an eye on you, or they might not. But well, whatever." He finished being somewhat upset with Maria and turned. "Look, is there somewhere I can be just, me and Jackie... I need to get away from all this."

In the Vault

Each of the doors had glass windows to look in, most of the rooms where empty. The place seemed somewhat deserted, until they turned around the corner. The first door they arrived at what looked like a surgery, about 5 or so people where cutting into a body. The people in the room didn't notice them as they were concentrating on cutting into the body. They were seemingly removing something, it was then Jessica noticed something.

"That's... That's Brian." she spoke "What's happening?"

Angel, pushed Jessica aside and peeked in. They finished removing the heart from his body but there was no equipment, nothing that you'd expect in any proper medical procedure.

"They're harvesting his organs." Angel commented. One of those inside the room paused, and started to turn around to the door but Angel and Jessica and ducked out of view. Their eye's were wide with shock of the realisation that the body of those that they cared for were being chopped up for bits. They didn't know how, why or what happened with the parts afterwards.

Back At the FSB Base
*snip*


Maria nodded. "I guess it can wait a few days."

An hour later, an extra circuit hidden in the answering machine dialed a foreign telephone number and let it ring once.

Somewhere, someone said to someone else "Maria might be in trouble, she didn't reset her timer today".
The other replied, "I'll ask Damien to go find out what's going on."

Ian's Safehouse

The Raid went like clockwork, agents set up a covert perimeter and when everyone was in position they pounced, everyone executed the plan very well. Ian was surprised, thrown to the ground and arrested he tried to attack one of the agents but he ended up with a butt of a gun being smacked against his forehead and knocked out cold.

Wolf's Safehouse

Things were quite a bit more hairy at Wolf's he was armed and despite not having direct knowledge of the attack he was prepared just in case.

His shotgun fired at the agent bursting in the front door before ducking out of the way into a side room. A few more shots where fired but in the end the result was the same an unconcious man, though much more dangerous and more dangerous for the agents that executed.

Scorpion's Safehouse

This safehouse was different again the agents entered into the house and one of them was taken from the side, It all happened so quick. The agent was knocked out but nothing really long term, moments later another couple of agents started to advance, though they were too late as bubbles started form around his mouth. He had swallowed some of suicide pill, rather than being taken alive.

Snake's Safehouse

Perhaps the most perturbing safehouse, this one was completely empty Snake was still at large somewhere. There was no information about where she might be but who knows where she might be.

Back At the FSB Base

Daniel stopped "I don't really know what these guys think, and franklu I don't want to know. They may know and they're keeping an eye on you, or they might not. But well, whatever." He finished being somewhat upset with Maria and turned. "Look, is there somewhere I can be just, me and Jackie... I need to get away from all this."


"Well, we got most of them," Asenya sighed. "We've posted Snake on our Most Wanted list, faxing all the info we can to the Federal Border Service."

"Once we get them into interrogation," Marko amended, "We should find out more." He looked over at Daniel. "Yeah, sure...an agent will escort you to your quarters. I believe she's there."

ooc: do we know what snake looks like?

In the Vault

Each of the doors had glass windows to look in, most of the rooms where empty. The place seemed somewhat deserted, until they turned around the corner. The first door they arrived at what looked like a surgery, about 5 or so people where cutting into a body. The people in the room didn't notice them as they were concentrating on cutting into the body. They were seemingly removing something, it was then Jessica noticed something.

"That's... That's Brian." she spoke "What's happening?"

Angel, pushed Jessica aside and peeked in. They finished removing the heart from his body but there was no equipment, nothing that you'd expect in any proper medical procedure.

"They're harvesting his organs." Angel commented. One of those inside the room paused, and started to turn around to the door but Angel and Jessica and ducked out of view. Their eye's were wide with shock of the realisation that the body of those that they cared for were being chopped up for bits. They didn't know how, why or what happened with the parts afterwards.

"He wasn't sick when you last met him was he?" Maria whispered into Jessica, well aware of the consequences of being found out at this point.

OOC: Yeah, Daniel would of given you a physical description of them

At the FSB Base
Daniel smiles at Marko and mouths "Thankyou" to him, he starts to go, but not before apologising to Maria. "Sorry, It's just, well, I don't reakly know how to describe it... Stressful, maybe. Anyway. I'm sorry for how I reacted."

He didn't really want to hear any reply, whatever it was it wouldn't really matter and would only shorten his time with Jackie, So he left.

Ian and Wolf were being delivered soon, whatever happened with Scorpion's body was upto the FSB, So for now it too was being taken to the base.

Vault

"No, he was healthy. There had never been anything wrong with him health wise at all." Jessica shook her head at the suggestion. "He did seem very well, when I saw him." Angel commented, The started to cut away at his limb's starting with his arm's and working on his leg's. The was no bleeding at all, all the blood had been removed from the body. A slit around his neck was now visible it would have pierced the jugular, and probably be where all the blood was drained from his body.

'No bleeding,' thought Maria. 'And there's quite a few people.'

"We need to move along," Maria whispered to the both of them. "See where these organs are being moved to."

She when whispered further into Jessica's ear, "There's nothing for us here."

*bump*

OOC: Yeah, Daniel would of given you a physical description of them

At the FSB Base
Daniel smiles at Marko and mouths "Thankyou" to him, he starts to go, but not before apologising to Maria. "Sorry, It's just, well, I don't reakly know how to describe it... Stressful, maybe. Anyway. I'm sorry for how I reacted."

He didn't really want to hear any reply, whatever it was it wouldn't really matter and would only shorten his time with Jackie, So he left.

Ian and Wolf were being delivered soon, whatever happened with Scorpion's body was upto the FSB, So for now it too was being taken to the base.

Vault

"No, he was healthy. There had never been anything wrong with him health wise at all." Jessica shook her head at the suggestion. "He did seem very well, when I saw him." Angel commented, The started to cut away at his limb's starting with his arm's and working on his leg's. The was no bleeding at all, all the blood had been removed from the body. A slit around his neck was now visible it would have pierced the jugular, and probably be where all the blood was drained from his body.
"Well, I've been up for almost two straight days," Marko commented. "I'll hit the sack until they're brought in so, there're quarters set up for everyone. I suggest you sleep; we may not get another chance soon."

OOC: Waiting on TFP!

FSB Base...

"I'm not sure if I'll be able to sleep, but I do want to be awake when things start happening here" said Maria.

---

Maria's house...

In the middle of the night, a man named Damien picked the lock of Maria's apartment in the city. He took apart her computer, removed the harddisk and copied the contents to a small laptop. After that, he put the computer back together and carefully placed everything he had touched in its original position.
He muttered "Do I really want to know what trouble she got herself into?" to himself as he closed the door behind him and locked it. "No. But the boss does."

The night settled into a quiet routine, some people slept others didn't. Time passed and early in the morning a vehicle came delivering those that had been captured in the raids.

However that was not the only thing to happen during the night, when I guard went to check on Daniel and Jackie to get them up and ready. They found Jackie sitting at the edge of the bed, just looking down at her feet touching the ground. The door to the en suite had a bit of a mess. Daniel was lying in a bloodied pool of water inside the bathtub. His wrists were cut and he was bleeding into the water.

After checking the pulse, they found there wasn't one... Daniel had lost too much blood. He was dead.

The night settled into a quiet routine, some people slept others didn't. Time passed and early in the morning a vehicle came delivering those that had been captured in the raids.

However that was not the only thing to happen during the night, when I guard went to check on Daniel and Jackie to get them up and ready. They found Jackie sitting at the edge of the bed, just looking down at her feet touching the ground. The door to the en suite had a bit of a mess. Daniel was lying in a bloodied pool of water inside the bathtub. His wrists were cut and he was bleeding into the water.

After checking the pulse, they found there wasn't one... Daniel had lost too much blood. He was dead.
Marko awoke 'Maria' first.

"You awake?" he asked, "Come with me. We've got a situation...well, a couple." He held out a PDA, "Do you recognize this man?" he asked, the video showed Damien breaking in and copying her files. "Good news is, we've already copied all your computer's contents; bad news is that we have no idea who this man is." He walked over to a holding room. "And there's even more bad news," Marko added, "Daniel has killed himself," he whispered. Inside, Jackie was sitting with her personal agent and Asenya, who were trying to console her.

'No bleeding,' thought Maria. 'And there's quite a few people.'

"We need to move along," Maria whispered to the both of them. "See where these organs are being moved to."

She when whispered further into Jessica's ear, "There's nothing for us here."

Jessica reacted particularily to that last comment, though Angel managed to get in the way and stop anything from really happened. "That's Brian in there." she hissed. "How can you be... How can you say that!"

Shivers went down Angel's spine , it wasn't the volume it was the tone, a really scarry tone. She didn't have to be loud an luckly she wasn't the hisses were about the volume of the whisper themselves.

"She's right though, we need to go and see what they're going to do." Angel keeping her voice low and in control and calm, started to usher them all away into a nearby closed, but unlocked, and empty room.

"So what now, they pass and we lock in step with them? or we follow from a distance?" Angel queried.

...

FSB Base

Jackie was quite understandibly shocked, she had the suicide letter but couldn't make herself read it. She couldn't believe that he killed himself. He always did what he had to so that they could stay together.

She passed the note with quite a lot of hesitation to Asyena. It was folded but easily unfolded to read.


Jackie...

All my life I've done what I have had to do to keep us together and safe. We have only ever had each other to rely on but now you are going to have to start living again. I've never told anyone what happened back, you know when, I couldn't get past it. It's lead to some horrendous things I've seen and done. I've done what I had to but I've only been dragging you down with me. My actions haven't been protecting you they've been harming you.

It's only been until the last day that I realised what I have been doing to you my entire life and that is something I just can't live with. Jackie I love you... but do what I couldn't move on from the past you have shown me just how strong and capable you are. Move on from the past forget about it, forget about me and start a new future for yourself. Without me to wreck your life up I know you will do great. I did this for us, I did what I had to do ... Like I always do.

XXX

Daniel

Jessica reacted particularily to that last comment, though Angel managed to get in the way and stop anything from really happened. "That's Brian in there." she hissed. "How can you be... How can you say that!"

Shivers went down Angel's spine , it wasn't the volume it was the tone, a really scarry tone. She didn't have to be loud an luckly she wasn't the hisses were about the volume of the whisper themselves.

"She's right though, we need to go and see what they're going to do." Angel keeping her voice low and in control and calm, started to usher them all away into a nearby closed, but unlocked, and empty room.

"So what now, they pass and we lock in step with them? or we follow from a distance?" Angel queried.

...

FSB Base

Jackie was quite understandibly shocked, she had the suicide letter but couldn't make herself read it. She couldn't believe that he killed himself. He always did what he had to so that they could stay together.

She passed the note with quite a lot of hesitation to Asyena. It was folded but easily unfolded to read.
"Jackie," Marko said softly, "I believe some of the fault is mine..." he hesitated, "I think maybe, I pushed him too far for information. Maybe I didn't notice some signs or something." His voice trailed, "We'll get the people who motivated your brother to do these things, and bring them to justice. I promise."

Jessica reacted particularily to that last comment, though Angel managed to get in the way and stop anything from really happened. "That's Brian in there." she hissed. "How can you be... How can you say that!"

Shivers went down Angel's spine , it wasn't the volume it was the tone, a really scarry tone. She didn't have to be loud an luckly she wasn't the hisses were about the volume of the whisper themselves.

"She's right though, we need to go and see what they're going to do." Angel keeping her voice low and in control and calm, started to usher them all away into a nearby closed, but unlocked, and empty room.

"So what now, they pass and we lock in step with them? or we follow from a distance?" Angel queried.

"I'm sorry," replied Maria, viciously, but still quietly whilst glaring angrily at Jess, "But your boyfriend is dead and has been dead for a good while now. Now if you were to bolt in there and start making some noise, you will shortly join him. As to what we will do, we wait until they finish, and then we follow them at a distance, making sure we keep quiet. If they start looking at us, we start pretending that we are surgeons. Talk about cutting up that heart out of that guy or something."

Marko awoke 'Maria' first.

"You awake?" he asked, "Come with me. We've got a situation...well, a couple." He held out a PDA, "Do you recognize this man?" he asked, the video showed Damien breaking in and copying her files. "Good news is, we've already copied all your computer's contents; bad news is that we have no idea who this man is."

Maria frowned. Damn, couldn't they have waited a bit before investigating? How do I cover this up?

"No, I do not recognize him. As you know I write about crime, I guess someone noticed I wasn't home and was curious what I knew about one case or another. In the worst case this was one of the meat traders verifying whether 'Julia' and me are the same person, but copying my files seems like a strange way to do that if they could simply look at my photo album instead. It's more likely someone couldn't wait for the newspaper to be printed. They're not going to learn anything that's relevant to us, except that I was interested in that 'exotic meats' website. I guess Daniel doesn't recognize the guy either?"

Maria had used a lot of words for saying "no idea". She hoped Marko wouldn't notice she tried to convince him the event was unimportant.

He walked over to a holding room. "And there's even more bad news," Marko added, "Daniel has killed himself," he whispered. Inside, Jackie was sitting with her personal agent and Asenya, who were trying to console her.

"Oh dear. Never mind what I said about him recognizing the man who broke into my house, then."

She walked into the room. "Jackie... I'm sorry to hear what happened... I... If there ever is going to be an article about the case, I won't mention Daniel and you in it if you don't want me to. ... I guess there's not much I can do for you or for helping bringing the people who made this happen to justice, but I'll do everything I can."

"Have you shown the video to Harm? You never know..." said Maria to Marko.

---

In another nation, some members of the Free Priesthood examined the data Damien had sent to them.

"Looks like she disappeared while investigating that exotic meats thing. Do we know who is behind that?"

"A name 'Leon Grande' keeps showing up."

"Hmmm. I don't know what kinds of meats mr Grande sells, but they're probably illegal enough for nobody to care that we make trouble for him. I suggest we take down his website and see if we can get any other accounts of his suspended too. All in favor?"

A DDOS attack was executed against the exotic meats side, (ooc successful?) attempts to crack various accounts of mr Grande were made, and a message was sent to the email address found in Maria's computer.


Mr Grande,

We are the Free Priesthood. You may never have heard of us, but we assure you we are able to make your life very difficult.

We believe you have something that belongs to us, a woman named Julia Novas. If you give her back her freedom, we will leave you alone. If you don't, we won't.

Maria frowned. Damn, couldn't they have waited a bit before investigating? How do I cover this up?

"No, I do not recognize him. As you know I write about crime, I guess someone noticed I wasn't home and was curious what I knew about one case or another. In the worst case this was one of the meat traders verifying whether 'Julia' and me are the same person, but copying my files seems like a strange way to do that if they could simply look at my photo album instead. It's more likely someone couldn't wait for the newspaper to be printed. They're not going to learn anything that's relevant to us, except that I was interested in that 'exotic meats' website. I guess Daniel doesn't recognize the guy either?"

Maria had used a lot of words for saying "no idea". She hoped Marko wouldn't notice she tried to convince him the event was unimportant.

Marko looked at her with a sidelong glance. There was something she wasn't telling him...

"In any case, it'll only be a matter of time before he is recognized by SOUD and detained. Then we'll know what we need to."


"Oh dear. Never mind what I said about him recognizing the man who broke into my house, then."

She walked into the room. "Jackie... I'm sorry to hear what happened... I... If there ever is going to be an article about the case, I won't mention Daniel and you in it if you don't want me to. ... I guess there's not much I can do for you or for helping bringing the people who made this happen to justice, but I'll do everything I can."

"Have you shown the video to Harm? You never know..." said Maria to Marko.


"Someone is waking him now," Marko said.

In Harm's quarters...

"Sir, there's a situation, we need you up and ready now," a stern voice said, switching on the lights and flinging clothes at him.

---

In another nation, some members of the Free Priesthood examined the data Damien had sent to them.

"Looks like she disappeared while investigating that exotic meats thing. Do we know who is behind that?"

"A name 'Leon Grande' keeps showing up."

"Hmmm. I don't know what kinds of meats mr Grande sells, but they're probably illegal enough for nobody to care that we make trouble for him. I suggest we take down his website and see if we can get any other accounts of his suspended too. All in favor?"

A DDOS attack was executed against the exotic meats side, (ooc successful?) attempts to crack various accounts of mr Grande were made, and a message was sent to the email address found in Maria's computer.

FAPSI HQ

"Sir, someone just attacked the exotic meats site," a tech exclaimed. "Recording all data, tracing source..." He looked across several screens. "Several accounts of Leon Grande are being cracked into."

"Imbed tracking software," his superior said. "Find out who's trying to crack into these sites."

FSB

Jackie somehow managed a quick smile for both Marko and Maria... they meant well. "Daniel isn't ... wasn't.... easily intimidated. He was the kind of guy to find the light at the end of the tunnel blindfolded. Though usually it ended up being just another train..." she trailed off as various scenes played out in her mind, Daniel always had a plan, always knew what he was going to do. She didn't let herself see it at the time... but all this was coming, it had been on the horizon a long time.

"Daniel was always there, always looked after me, fussed over me. I had got angry at him" She sort chuckled once it sounded like a weird raspberry. "a lot... but he was always there. Maria, you can, say whatever you need. Whatever he did, whatever he was involved with he was my brother, and he was everything to me." Tears were welling up as she started to sob softly

Vault

There was some obvious tension.. "Ladies... Please." Angel piped in "Brian's dead and there's nothing that we can do about that. Sniping at each other certainly won't help. Something strange here is going on, this is going far beyond Brian. Think of all the others that you've heard 'entering' the Central Authority... We need to do something, for Brian yes, but to prevent a Brian happening to everyone else in the Vault." Angel chided them both, but quietly as they were in the room. They heard some doors swing open, and castor wheels... They must be moving what remains of brian.

The sounds grew louder as they came closer to the door that they were hiding in.. and then it started to grow softer having passed without incident...

Angel looked at Jessica and mouthed "ready?" Jessica remained quiet not saying a word but nodded in response. Angel whispered in Maria's ear. "We'll follow..."

Meanwhile Somewhere Else

A figure was sitting behind a computer at a desk, the elusive Leon Grande.

Another figure obviously some sort undetermined underling "Sir, the website, you know the ... 'meat' ordering site it's down. It's been subjected to a Distributed DOS attack. This email also came soon after..."

The underling presented the piece of paper to Leon by sliding it towards him on his desk. The piece of paper was picked up and read...

Without saying a word he motioned to as if to cut off the head. He didn't need this, the various intelligence agencies where on the case. They had obtained the patsy, who had been killed... there was alot more to worry about than these freaks.

An email was written on Leon's computer before being distributed through many intermediaries. temporary proxies, personal computers that were vulnerable and many other protections. The email read...

Members of The Free Priesthood.

Ms. Julia Novus is not in our custody and never has been. She is a registered customer of our exotic meats business, though she hasn't placed an order yet.

According to our records she had recently been under review and was only accepted as a registered client yesterday. It is believed however that the security agencies of the Free United States, Her country of residence, continues to investigate unfairly our business practices. If indeed she is imprissoned it is not us that is holding her but one of the nations many security services. Our information is not clear on which one it is but from what we know of their agencies that would be more the territory of the FSB or the KGB.

Our webserver is being taken down until the atacks stop.

FSB

Jackie somehow managed a quick smile for both Marko and Maria... they meant well. "Daniel isn't ... wasn't.... easily intimidated. He was the kind of guy to find the light at the end of the tunnel blindfolded. Though usually it ended up being just another train..." she trailed off as various scenes played out in her mind, Daniel always had a plan, always knew what he was going to do. She didn't let herself see it at the time... but all this was coming, it had been on the horizon a long time.

"Daniel was always there, always looked after me, fussed over me. I had got angry at him" She sort chuckled once it sounded like a weird raspberry. "a lot... but he was always there. Maria, you can, say whatever you need. Whatever he did, whatever he was involved with he was my brother, and he was everything to me." Tears were welling up as she started to sob softly

"Did your brother..." Marko began as he walked over, placing his coat over her shoulders and offering a handkerchief, "Did he have any, religious preference? Is there some sort of service we can provide for him?"


Meanwhile Somewhere Else

A figure was sitting behind a computer at a desk, the elusive Leon Grande.

Another figure obviously some sort undetermined underling "Sir, the website, you know the ... 'meat' ordering site it's down. It's been subjected to a Distributed DOS attack. This email also came soon after..."

The underling presented the piece of paper to Leon by sliding it towards him on his desk. The piece of paper was picked up and read...

Without saying a word he motioned to as if to cut off the head. He didn't need this, the various intelligence agencies where on the case. They had obtained the patsy, who had been killed... there was alot more to worry about than these freaks.

An email was written on Leon's computer before being distributed through many intermediaries. temporary proxies, personal computers that were vulnerable and many other protections. The email read...

"Whoever they're communicating with..." the tech said, "They know about us. Perhaps we should contact the Agent-in-Charge..."

FSB Base

Marko's phone rang, and he let Jackie keep his hanky as he stepped away.

"Yes...?" he asked. "What...no, I don't...really, she is...? I'll talk to her." He hung up the phone. "Maria, could I talk to you-privately?"

(snip)

Harm got up as quickly as he could with the headache he had. He waited for someone to tell him what was expected of him.

---

Elsewhere...

The message from 'Leon Grande' was received and discussed by the same group as before.

"What do you think?"

"I don't know. Her being captured by the authorities is not a logical thing to make up, so it might be true. But if this Grande is in such trouble that both KGB and FSB are involved, he must be selling something worse than poached meats. I don't see why we should be nice to him."

"True."


Mr Grande,

If Julia was captured because of your business, that still is your responsibility. We will stop making trouble for the next 48 hours and expect you will provide more useful and verifiable information to us within that period.


---

"Yes...?" he asked. "What...no, I don't...really, she is...? I'll talk to her." He hung up the phone. "Maria, could I talk to you-privately?"

Maria nodded. "Of course. What's the problem?"

(snip)

Harm got up as quickly as he could with the headache he had. He waited for someone to tell him what was expected of him.

On the way, the agent explained what had happened to Daniel, and handed over a picture of Damien.

"Know this man?" the agent demanded.
[/QUOTE]


Elsewhere...

The message from 'Leon Grande' was received and discussed by the same group as before.

"What do you think?"

"I don't know. Her being captured by the authorities is not a logical thing to make up, so it might be true. But if this Grande is in such trouble that both KGB and FSB are involved, he must be selling something worse than poached meats. I don't see why we should be nice to him."

"True."



---



Maria nodded. "Of course. What's the problem?"

Marko handed over the two e-mail transcripts.

"Mind explaining these?"

Somewhere not really known by anyone who isn't there

'Leon Grande' had received the message and confirmation that the attacks had stopped.

With just a flick of his hand an underling went on and started the process for the web server to go back up.

"We haven't heard anything recently from our people there have we?"

"No, sir."

"They've probably been taken... Scorpion would of certainly taken his suicide pill otherwise we'd obviously would of heard from them by now. Alright, be on the look out for any activity with Scorpion's equipment. Hopefully they won't find it but if they do. Implement standard protocols."

On the road Outside Scorpion's safe house

A single motorbike drove down the street past Scorpion's safe house, the headgear and bike leathers suitably hid her identity. She drove past, looking for any signs of federal agents, if there didn't look like there was any at that location, she'd risk turning her head to look. Either case she'd continue on riding on the motor-bike.

FSB Base


She dabbed her eyes but the tears were still coming, the actually sobbing however had ceased. She did feel cold and shivered a bit the jacket almost felt like Daniel's. She grabbed a hold of it with one hand. Wishing that she could still hold onto to Daniel... but Daniel was gone never to come back.
"No, he didn't believe... He didn't want to believe in anything. It doesn't matter, just bury him with respect for the life he lived."

FSB

Vault

There was some obvious tension.. "Ladies... Please." Angel piped in "Brian's dead and there's nothing that we can do about that. Sniping at each other certainly won't help. Something strange here is going on, this is going far beyond Brian. Think of all the others that you've heard 'entering' the Central Authority... We need to do something, for Brian yes, but to prevent a Brian happening to everyone else in the Vault." Angel chided them both, but quietly as they were in the room. They heard some doors swing open, and castor wheels... They must be moving what remains of brian.

The sounds grew louder as they came closer to the door that they were hiding in.. and then it started to grow softer having passed without incident...

Angel looked at Jessica and mouthed "ready?" Jessica remained quiet not saying a word but nodded in response. Angel whispered in Maria's ear. "We'll follow..."


It was apt that they chose Maria to lead the group. With her black hair and dark clothing, it would have been hard to see her in the dim lights of the facility. She opened to door quietly, looked out and upon seeing nobody, began to walk slowly across the hallway, her feet landing with just the right amount of force so as to not make a sound that could arouse the facility. When the bed turned a corner, she beckoned the other girls to follow her. Whilst the other girls were making their move, she peeked across the corner to see where the bed was heading.

Harm took a good look at the picture, then shook his head. "I have no idea who that is."

---

Maria read the emails. "There's an organization out there that kills people and sells them as food. The Free Priesthood does not kill people. So this should not be important to you right now."

She thought for a moment. "But if you really have to know, yes, I am a member of the Free Priesthood, and so is the man who came to investigate because I had disappeared. My job is to gather information about everything illegal and immoral, to see if any of it is a threat to us. ... I bet you consider the beliefs and practices of some of our members unsavory, and our manipulations and our interest in the wrong side of society suspicious, but I hope you believe me when I say we don't mean any harm to anyone."

Maria extended her hand. "Pleased to meet you, colleague."

Somewhere not really known by anyone who isn't there

'Leon Grande' had received the message and confirmation that the attacks had stopped.

With just a flick of his hand an underling went on and started the process for the web server to go back up.

"We haven't heard anything recently from our people there have we?"

"No, sir."

"They've probably been taken... Scorpion would of certainly taken his suicide pill otherwise we'd obviously would of heard from them by now. Alright, be on the look out for any activity with Scorpion's equipment. Hopefully they won't find it but if they do. Implement standard protocols."

On the road Outside Scorpion's safe house

A single motorbike drove down the street past Scorpion's safe house, the headgear and bike leathers suitably hid her identity. She drove past, looking for any signs of federal agents, if there didn't look like there was any at that location, she'd risk turning her head to look. Either case she'd continue on riding on the motor-bike.

The ground surveillance had been limited to a pair of agents stationed ten miles from the safe house, but there was ongoing, 24/7 surveillance nonetheless. Far overhead, protected and secure in it's orbit, a satellite saw everything in crystal, multi-spectrum digital view. It zeroed in and registered someone on a motorbike, a woman, the controller discerned. The lens focused, taking snapshots in millisecond intervals, relaying the images back to various agencies.


FSB Base


She dabbed her eyes but the tears were still coming, the actually sobbing however had ceased. She did feel cold and shivered a bit the jacket almost felt like Daniel's. She grabbed a hold of it with one hand. Wishing that she could still hold onto to Daniel... but Daniel was gone never to come back.
"No, he didn't believe... He didn't want to believe in anything. It doesn't matter, just bury him with respect for the life he lived."

Asenya took over consoling Jackie as Marko talked to Maria. She smiled a bit at the jacket he'd given the girl, He's a softy after all... She quickly removed it's grin, completely inappropriate for someone consoling another.

"I'm sure we'll give him the best service we can," she put her arm tentatively around Jackie. "He'll be honored as a man of valor."

Harm took a good look at the picture, then shook his head. "I have no idea who that is."

"I see, well," the agent said, leading him to the room, "Everyone is in there, talking about the latest developments. They may need to ask you some questions."


Maria read the emails. "There's an organization out there that kills people and sells them as food. The Free Priesthood does not kill people. So this should not be important to you right now."

She thought for a moment. "But if you really have to know, yes, I am a member of the Free Priesthood, and so is the man who came to investigate because I had disappeared. My job is to gather information about everything illegal and immoral, to see if any of it is a threat to us. ... I bet you consider the beliefs and practices of some of our members unsavory, and our manipulations and our interest in the wrong side of society suspicious, but I hope you believe me when I say we don't mean any harm to anyone."

Maria extended her hand. "Pleased to meat you, colleague."

"Anything that operates within this country outside of the law is of concern to the Commonwealth," Marko said flatly. "And if you manipulate people who are citizens of the Motherland, you are harming the country itself...but, I suppose, these factors are debatable, and are best left for another day to muddle through. Unless I see clear violations of our laws or threats to our security, I won't mention it in my reports." Marko replied.

ooc: didn't reply to the last part because...is that a pun? and, is it directed at me?

OOC "pleased to meat you" - slip of the keyboard, LOL! And yes, she is offering a handshake to Marko.

IC

"Thank you, but I'm afraid my active role in the Priesthood will be over now some people know about me.
Anyway, I called you a colleague because we have similar duties and, I believe, do want the same things. In the Commonwealth there is a reasonable level of religious freedom and political stability. The purpose of the Priesthood, er, activities here is to keep things that way."

Maria considered the new situation for a few moments before continuing.

"Normally we do not cooperate with any other organizations because, for the safety of our members in more troubled nations, we don't want anyone to know who we are. But this human meat matter is so wrong that I think we would do everything we can to stop it in every nation we are in. Let's make sure all of those bastards get locked up forever."

She extended her hand to Marko a second time, hoping he would accept the gesture this time.

OOC "pleased to meat you" - slip of the keyboard, LOL! And yes, she is offering a handshake to Marko.

IC

"Thank you, but I'm afraid my active role in the Priesthood will be over now some people know about me.
Anyway, I called you a colleague because we have similar duties and, I believe, do want the same things. In the Commonwealth there is a reasonable level of religious freedom and political stability. The purpose of the Priesthood, er, activities here is to keep things that way."

Maria considered the new situation for a few moments before continuing.

"Normally we do not cooperate with any other organizations because, for the safety of our members in more troubled nations, we don't want anyone to know who we are. But this human meat matter is so wrong that I think we would do everything we can to stop it in every nation we are in. Let's make sure all of those bastards get locked up forever."

She extended her hand to Marko a second time, hoping he would accept the gesture this time.
"I see," Marko said, taking her hand in his, "Well, as I said, unless I see something that hints this may be detrimental to the Commonwealth, I'll certainly keep this between us." He smiled. "If you end up getting booted out, I'm sure we could offer you a job."

ooc: thanks, you're the first person to refer to my country as 'The Commonwealth,' the way i prefer it be refered as ^________^

Vault

The corridor wasn't long about 10m, or 33ft, in total length, they had just stopped at a doorway halfway down the corridor . There was a security device a pinpad where the right number code needed to be entered. Maria was about 4m, or 13ft, away from the back of the closest 'surgeon'.

Jessica and Angel came up quietly as well, carefully plotting their foot prints not make as little noise as possible. They were there in time to see them entering the last of the code. A small click from the door sounded as it accepted the code and the door opened easily.

The door was pushed open as the front crew lead the trolley through the door backwards. The trolley with the covered remains of Brian disappeared through the door and so did the last of the surgeons. As they disappeared the door started to close slowly behind them. It was on some kind of bracket mounting that once the door was opened closed it once there was no physical barrier to do so.

Base

"Thank you for everything... " she reached over and hugged Aseyna "... You didn't have to do this... You and Marko. It means so much to me... and I know it would for Daniel too. Anyway... I'll be right, go get these people. They're the ones that put him in this situation, and they're the ones responsible for his death... and whomever else. Get them... "

Vault

The corridor wasn't long about 10m, or 33ft, in total length, they had just stopped at a doorway halfway down the corridor . There was a security device a pinpad where the right number code needed to be entered. Maria was about 4m, or 13ft, away from the back of the closest 'surgeon'.

Jessica and Angel came up quietly as well, carefully plotting their foot prints not make as little noise as possible. They were there in time to see them entering the last of the code. A small click from the door sounded as it accepted the code and the door opened easily.

The door was pushed open as the front crew lead the trolley through the door backwards. The trolley with the covered remains of Brian disappeared through the door and so did the last of the surgeons. As they disappeared the door started to close slowly behind them. It was on some kind of bracket mounting that once the door was opened closed it once there was no physical barrier to do so.

Base

"Thank you for everything... " she reached over and hugged Aseyna "... You didn't have to do this... You and Marko. It means so much to me... and I know it would for Daniel too. Anyway... I'll be right, go get these people. They're the ones that put him in this situation, and they're the ones responsible for his death... and whomever else. Get them... "
"We will get them," Asenya, with an encouraging squeeze, "I promise you that."

I declare war on Macchabia

I declare war on Macchabia
OOC: Thank you for that insight, however it has no bearing on this RP, it's closed.

If you want to declare war with Maccabia over what they have done, that's fine. But frankly it has nothing to do with this story WHICH IS CLOSED. If you want to go to war with Maccabia... please do it in another thread.

Thank you.

N.B. Also there is an OOC thread... which you may want to use next time then posting in the IC thread, especially a closed IC thread.

Vault

The corridor wasn't long about 10m, or 33ft, in total length, they had just stopped at a doorway halfway down the corridor . There was a security device a pinpad where the right number code needed to be entered. Maria was about 4m, or 13ft, away from the back of the closest 'surgeon'.

Jessica and Angel came up quietly as well, carefully plotting their foot prints not make as little noise as possible. They were there in time to see them entering the last of the code. A small click from the door sounded as it accepted the code and the door opened easily.

The door was pushed open as the front crew lead the trolley through the door backwards. The trolley with the covered remains of Brian disappeared through the door and so did the last of the surgeons. As they disappeared the door started to close slowly behind them. It was on some kind of bracket mounting that once the door was opened closed it once there was no physical barrier to do so.



Maria was pretty sure of the numbers being punched into the keypads. Looking behind to see that the other girls hadn't lost her, she carefully pressed the buttons.

'6', she thought as she was pressing the button. '5, 9,9,ummmm, 9?'

"Guys," she whispered. "I forgot the last few numbers, could you remember what they were?"

"I see," Marko said, taking her hand in his, "Well, as I said, unless I see something that hints this may be detrimental to the Commonwealth, I'll certainly keep this between us." He smiled. "If you end up getting booted out, I'm sure we could offer you a job."

"Thank you" said Maria. "I don't expect I'll be needing a job, since it is the newspaper that pays me, not the Priesthood. And I wouldn't exactly be booted out... Anyway, I noticed something strange in these messages, they say I did not order yet. I thought you were going to place an order in my name? Did they figure out it wasn't me?"

"We will get them," Asenya, with an encouraging squeeze, "I promise you that."

Jackie didn't say anything more, she squeezed Asenya back. It was good to have someone to lean on now that Daniel had gone... perhaps he was right... perhaps... no... she couldn't think about that. Not now.

The hug continued for another few minutes... "I never even considered the possibility that Daniel would be gone..." she mused out loud. "Excuse me, there's something I need to do. Where's some paper and pens... I need to write something..."

Maria was pretty sure of the numbers being punched into the keypads. Looking behind to see that the other girls hadn't lost her, she carefully pressed the buttons.

'6', she thought as she was pressing the button. '5, 9,9,ummmm, 9?'

"Guys," she whispered. "I forgot the last few numbers, could you remember what they were?"

"Um. 5 and 7.. didn't quite get a good look." Jessica replied, she wasn't really... "I don't like this but... it wasn't 5 then 7, It was 6 then 8. Same movement but started in a different place.. I saw it." Angel however was.

"Oh for god's sake," Maria retorted angrily, but still silently. She proceeded to press 6 and 8 after pressing the other numbers that Maria did see.

Vault

The numbers clicked and the door opened there was a short but wide corridor there was a door at the far end, it was closed though there was another door, though that probably wasn't the best description. It was more of an opening with plastic flaps swinging slightly before stopping dead still.

The area was much cooler than where they came from and footsteps could be heard disappearing from the room off to the side, but the slight squeaking of the trolley was no where to be heard.

Outside Scorpion's Safehouse Later that night

The same motorcycle appeared on the street, the only real illumination coming from the street lights outside. This time she was looking for any sign of life inside.Lights on, sounds or indications of a television or anything of the ilk. Hopefully it should be fairly obvious.

Vault

The numbers clicked and the door opened there was a short but wide corridor there was a door at the far end, it was closed though there was another door, though that probably wasn't the best description. It was more of an opening with plastic flaps swinging slightly before stopping dead still.

The area was much cooler than where they came from and footsteps could be heard disappearing from the room off to the side, but the slight squeaking of the trolley was no where to be heard.

"In here," Maria whispered, pointing to the flapping doors.

bump

OOC: Remember NC that Christmas is just around the corner. Threads are not going to be as active as they normally are.

ooc: will post tomorrow...sleepy now, sorry.

OOC: Remember NC that Christmas is just around the corner. Threads are not going to be as active as they normally are.

OOC: That's true. I just have a custom of bumping up threads that haven't had activity for a day so that it doesn't die.

OOC: Ok, I've going to bump this again

"Thank you" said Maria. "I don't expect I'll be needing a job, since it is the newspaper that pays me, not the Priesthood. And I wouldn't exactly be booted out... Anyway, I noticed something strange in these messages, they say I did not order yet. I thought you were going to place an order in my name? Did they figure out it wasn't me?"

Jackie didn't say anything more, she squeezed Asenya back. It was good to have someone to lean on now that Daniel had gone... perhaps he was right... perhaps... no... she couldn't think about that. Not now.

The hug continued for another few minutes... "I never even considered the possibility that Daniel would be gone..." she mused out loud. "Excuse me, there's something I need to do. Where's some paper and pens... I need to write something..."


"Sure," Asenya said, producing a notebook and a pen. "Take your time..." she said before getting up. "I gotta check on something, but I'll be back in a bit, okay?"

Asenya walked out and found Marko.

"You know...they've arrived, we should start interrogations soon."

"I know," Marko said. "This whole mess distracted me. Let's go."

The Room

"Good morning," a distorted voice said as a light clicked on. The bound and hooded figure was drenched in white light.


Outside Scorpion's Safehouse Later that night

The same motorcycle appeared on the street, the only real illumination coming from the street lights outside. This time she was looking for any sign of life inside.Lights on, sounds or indications of a television or anything of the ilk. Hopefully it should be fairly obvious.

The satellite continued to track the cyclist, and from an undisclosed location, three blackened helicopters took off, all lights extinguished on them.

Maria dialed a foreign number (using her "real" phone, not the Julia one), said something about having found a rare species of butterfly, then hung up. "And now we wait."

FSB Base

Jackie sat quietly for a minute, emotions assailed her like a tornado coming in from every direction all at once. Though from the outside you wouldn't think that it was happening, for now she was alone and she knew that she had to get used to it for Daniel was now gone.

All this happened very quickly, but she had an idea. She raced after Asenya and caught up with her just down the corridor/ "Asenya... I want to face them... I want to see them make sure they look me in the eye and most of all. I want them to be scared. To take away what they had to become nothing... not even the animals they take their names from... but nothing."

Outside Scorpion's safehouse

With no signs of life coming from inside Snake took her bike into the driveway and quietly opened the door with a lock-pick. It only took a few seconds and she was inside. She was inside going through the house looking for something. She took just a fraction over 5-minutes to find what she was looking for. It was a small device hidden somewhere in the bedroom. It started connection with a satellite in orbit.

Vault

There was a couple of trolley's in there. The room was cool, clean and practically sterile. There was no one in there but you could see another plastic strip door with. White sheets had been draped over all of the trolleys as faint whirring for machinery could be heard through the other 'door'.

The Room

Ian squinted and closed his eyes.... "what... what the **** is going on?" he sort of stammered starting the sentence he was certainly slightly disorientated.

FSB Base

Jackie sat quietly for a minute, emotions assailed her like a tornado coming in from every direction all at once. Though from the outside you wouldn't think that it was happening, for now she was alone and she knew that she had to get used to it for Daniel was now gone.

All this happened very quickly, but she had an idea. She raced after Asenya and caught up with her just down the corridor/ "Asenya... I want to face them... I want to see them make sure they look me in the eye and most of all. I want them to be scared. To take away what they had to become nothing... not even the animals they take their names from... but nothing."

"I...don't know about that," Asenya said, turning to Marko. "Can we let her?"

"An interrogation isn't really something you should see," Marko told Jackie. "We often use...unsavory methods..." He sighed. "You stay in the booth with me; no talking while the mike is on, and keep comments at a minimum. This can also take a very long time," he rested a hand on her shoulder. He led her over to a secured room, guarded by men with automatic weapons. Inside, monitors showed their first captive.

"How you doing there, Ian?" a woman at a console said into a microphone.


Outside Scorpion's safehouse

With no signs of life coming from inside Snake took her bike into the driveway and quietly opened the door with a lock-pick. It only took a few seconds and she was inside. She was inside going through the house looking for something. She took just a fraction over 5-minutes to find what she was looking for. It was a small device hidden somewhere in the bedroom. It started connection with a satellite in orbit.

There was no signal that FAPSI couldn't intercept, and the second that a broadcast had eminated from the house, it was tracked, analyzed and filtered, low-jacked and traced.

Over a low rise in the mountains, the line of helicopters hugged the ground, their specially-built engines quiet for their size. In a few minutes, they had created a perimeter around the house as Spetsnaz commandoes stormed the building with lightning precision.

The Room

Ian squinted and closed his eyes.... "what... what the **** is going on?" he sort of stammered starting the sentence he was certainly slightly disorientated.

"How you doing there, Ian?" the distorted voice asked.

Vault

There was a couple of trolley's in there. The room was cool, clean and practically sterile. There was no one in there but you could see another plastic strip door with. White sheets had been draped over all of the trolleys as faint whirring for machinery could be heard through the other 'door'.


"Well," Maria said, pointing to the door where the sound was coming from. "Let's move along."

Maria knew asking to see the interrogation wasn't a good idea, so she stayed where she was. After a while, her phone rang.

"Maria, are you OK?"
- "Peachy. I'm only hiding, the authorities are protecting me."
"What do you want?"
- "That organization. They sell human meat."
"... ... ... They sell WHAT?"
- "They're evil, we're the good guys, I think it's pretty obvious what comes next."
"... Right. I'll discuss that with the others."

Harm frowned as he listened to Maria talking on the phone. After the call ended, he asked "who on earth do you work for?"

"Perhaps it's better if you don't know."

---

After a unanimous vote of Free Priesthood high priests, governments were NOT informed about the existence of an organization that sold human meat, and the DDOS attack on its server wasn't continued. Instead, TFP did everything it could to figure out where the meat was produced, by breaking into both computers and buildings.

"I...don't know about that," Asenya said, turning to Marko. "Can we let her?"

"An interrogation isn't really something you should see," Marko told Jackie. "We often use...unsavory methods..." He sighed. "You stay in the booth with me; no talking while the mike is on, and keep comments at a minimum. This can also take a very long time," he rested a hand on her shoulder. He led her over to a secured room, guarded by men with automatic weapons. Inside, monitors showed their first captive.

"How you doing there, Ian?" a woman at a console said into a microphone.


Jackie gave Marko a brief smile and stood quietly watching what was happening to Ian. She just stood there practically not moving a muscle while the interrogation continued.


There was no signal that FAPSI couldn't intercept, and the second that a broadcast had eminated from the house, it was tracked, analyzed and filtered, low-jacked and traced.

Over a low rise in the mountains, the line of helicopters hugged the ground, their specially-built engines quiet for their size. In a few minutes, they had created a perimeter around the house as Spetsnaz commandoes stormed the building with lightning precision.


The signal had stopped moments before Spetsnaz raided the property, though it seemed to be broadcast to an area of sea and land that was thought to be uninhabited. The signal was short, too short to get any sort of more detailed fix but there was a large area it could come from.

As for the Safe House itself it's doors were busted open as Spetsnaz commandos raided it for a second time. This time they were looking for the woman on the bike. It was still in the driveway and satellite surveillance had shown that she had not left the building. She however was dead, her eyes were wide open, and she had been convulsing on the floor. The device was sort of melded to the skin on her hands.

"How you doing there, Ian?" the distorted voice asked.

"Fine, apart from this bright light that's being shone into my face... Are you going to tell me what's going on or not?"

Ian started to struggle against his restraints though it didn't do him any good, the straps where just hurting as he tried to twist and turn around them.
"Well," Maria said, pointing to the door where the sound was coming from. "Let's move along."
"Aren't you going to let her say goodbye?.. you know... to Brian?!" Angel scoffed at Maria's seeming inhumanity. "She has a chance to say goodbye, something that not many people get." Jessica slowly moved towards one of the trolley's, she hesitated for a moment deciding whether or not to lift the sheet or not... but she couldn't. She couldn't risk his image, the face that she had known from being corrupted by whatever they had done to him.

"Goodbye Brian... I cared for you so much." she bowed her head and closed her eyes remembering all the times they shared together.

"Angel, she is right... we need to go... I'm not going to let them be unpunished for what they did to him."

Jessica moved on with a new purpose... just the ability to say goodbye changed everything for her as Angel followed behind. Through the plastic flaps there was another corridor just like the one on the otherside. This time the door was at the other end of it. The machinery could be heard slightly louder and was clearly coming from behind the door.

OOC: Will reply to TFP abit later.

ooc: before i post, what was ian's codename?

OOC: Daniel said that Ian was sort of like him, blackmailed or something into doing what he has been doing for them. Though as to the exact details of such he never knew. Ian never had an animal name... Daniel didn't either...

Jackie gave Marko a brief smile and stood quietly watching what was happening to Ian. She just stood there practically not moving a muscle while the interrogation continued.



The signal had stopped moments before Spetsnaz raided the property, though it seemed to be broadcast to an area of sea and land that was thought to be uninhabited. The signal was short, too short to get any sort of more detailed fix but there was a large area it could come from.

As for the Safe House itself it's doors were busted open as Spetsnaz commandos raided it for a second time. This time they were looking for the woman on the bike. It was still in the driveway and satellite surveillance had shown that she had not left the building. She however was dead, her eyes were wide open, and she had been convulsing on the floor. The device was sort of melded to the skin on her hands.


The head agent cursed as she convulsed on the floor, slightly tempted to put a round in her forehead, but instead telling them to once again search the house, to find the source of the signal, and to bag the body.


"Fine, apart from this bright light that's being shone into my face... Are you going to tell me what's going on or not?"

Ian started to struggle against his restraints though it didn't do him any good, the straps where just hurting as he tried to twist and turn around them.


Inside

"Now," Marko told Jackie. "We may mention Daniel...say very nasty things about him...it's just for show, as part of the interrogation."

The Room

"We've met your buddy Daniel," the voice said to Ian, "And he's told us such nice things about you; we knew we just had to meet. How do you like your accomodations? Daniel thought you'd like them."

After a unanimous vote of Free Priesthood high priests, governments were NOT informed about the existence of an organization that sold human meat, and the DDOS attack on its server wasn't continued. Instead, TFP did everything it could to figure out where the meat was produced, by breaking into both computers and buildings.

Somewhere far away

"I don't like it, I don't like it one bit...." The man who ran the whole show mused aloud to the cronies who inhabited his office on a regular basis

"but the DDOS has been stopped... they've gone after the KGB, or FSB or whatever you told them were the Commonwealth's agencies."

"That could be true IF THEY HADN'T TRIED TO HACK OUR WEBSITE after we put it back up. Good thing our IT guys were on the watch for an attack... they had the system cloned and spoofed with a fake site. Otherwise we might have been compromised..."

"So... what are we going to do?"

"Well, what we are going to do is defend... and by defend... I mean attack... They are a religious organisation after all and the best defence is attack. I want these guys to know what it means to cross us. Find them.... then kill them I've got some information from the IT guys about the locations of our hackers. We'll start with them and see how far we can go."

A few days later there were people who arrived at the address received from back-tracking the hackers. There were a couple walking past as if enjoying a nice evening walk together, talking laughing but they where casing out the joint and neighbouring properties getting ready to strike.

The sources the hacking was traced back to all seemed to be people who really wouldn't want to be members of something like TFP - if they weren't politicians with strong Christian, Muslim or atheist beliefs, they were people who had been convicted for hate crimes. Each of them lived near a TFP member, though, who had at some point in the past broken into the house and added an extra part to the computer that changed it into a wireless access point.

None of the hackers was in the Commonwealth, the high priests knew putting citizens at risk when the authorities had a free priestess wouldn't be a good idea.

"Aren't you going to let her say goodbye?.. you know... to Brian?!" Angel scoffed at Maria's seeming inhumanity. "She has a chance to say goodbye, something that not many people get." Jessica slowly moved towards one of the trolley's, she hesitated for a moment deciding whether or not to lift the sheet or not... but she couldn't. She couldn't risk his image, the face that she had known from being corrupted by whatever they had done to him.

"Goodbye Brian... I cared for you so much." she bowed her head and closed her eyes remembering all the times they shared together.

"Angel, she is right... we need to go... I'm not going to let them be unpunished for what they did to him."

Jessica moved on with a new purpose... just the ability to say goodbye changed everything for her as Angel followed behind. Through the plastic flaps there was another corridor just like the one on the otherside. This time the door was at the other end of it. The machinery could be heard slightly louder and was clearly coming from behind the door.



"There could be people over the other side," Maria whispered to the other girl's ear. "I'm going to open this door ajar and see what's inside.

And so she twisted the knob on the door, and gave the door a slight, weak push to get it ajar.

*New Years BUMP*

The head agent cursed as she convulsed on the floor, slightly tempted to put a round in her forehead, but instead telling them to once again search the house, to find the source of the signal, and to bag the body.


The signal orginated from the device in her hand. It communicated with a base device attached to an extremely large antennae embedded into the walls of the house. The connection broke, as without the device used to operate the base and to provide the content the whole system was useless.


Inside

"Now," Marko told Jackie. "We may mention Daniel...say very nasty things about him...it's just for show, as part of the interrogation."


"I know... you're saying what you have too. He wouldn't want it any other way." She looked towards Ian with piercing eyes keeping as still as the grave.


The Room

"We've met your buddy Daniel," the voice said to Ian, "And he's told us such nice things about you; we knew we just had to meet. How do you like your accomodations? Daniel thought you'd like them."

"Daniel... huh... He got himself killed didn't he... That would be the only way he'd say anything about me let alone those... animals, oh, and the accommodations THEY'RE GREAT... It's just the company that I have an issue with."

The sources the hacking was traced back to all seemed to be people who really wouldn't want to be members of something like TFP - if they weren't politicians with strong Christian, Muslim or atheist beliefs, they were people who had been convicted for hate crimes. Each of them lived near a TFP member, though, who had at some point in the past broken into the house and added an extra part to the computer that changed it into a wireless access point.

None of the hackers was in the Commonwealth, the high priests knew putting citizens at risk when the authorities had a free priestess wouldn't be a good idea.

"They're around here somewhere. These things don't have that long a range." That was going through the minds of most of those that went about searching for the TFP. They hacked into the Wireless Access Point and got it to log the device identifiers for any clients. That way hopefully they'd be able to ID the device and therefore it;s owner.

"There could be people over the other side," Maria whispered to the other girl's ear. "I'm going to open this door ajar and see what's inside.

And so she twisted the knob on the door, and gave the door a slight, weak push to get it ajar.

The door was harder to open but with a push they managed to get it open, the noise was louder. Maria could see some kind of carcass it was hard to determine what the carcass was of but it seemed that they entered some kind of Abattoir.

It didn't take long for the Free Priests to notice the counterattack. So they set up a trap.

From one of their locations, a man named Sam pretended to try to break into the same system he had done before, pretending to have some difficulties and trying it again and again. A few meters behind the door of his apartment, there was a tripwire that would trigger something, and five more free priests were hiding in one of the rooms.

The door was harder to open but with a push they managed to get it open, the noise was louder. Maria could see some kind of carcass it was hard to determine what the carcass was of but it seemed that they entered some kind of Abattoir.

"There's a carcass of some sort in there," Maria whispered to the girls. "But I can't see anyone, so let's go in."

She entered the room and beckoned the girls to follow her. After standing there in thought for what may have seemed a long while, she came up with a revelation.

"Somehow I don't think," Maria started. "Seeing all that shit that has been happening behind our very noses, that this is merely a facility for butchering plain cattle."

Maria examined the carcass deeply, and having considered that the trolley with Brian had finished its travel nearby, came to a personal conclusion that it was probably what would happen to the likes of Brian who has been reassigned to the Central Authority.

"My belief is that," Maria started in a cold, clinical tone, ignoring all social mores regarding death. "This carcass is a carcass of a human body. Brian would have been next on that hook. We should follow it to see where it goes. Can you see any doors, vents or entry points out of this room aside from the one we came in?"

bump for FUS

ooc: sorry, NC, been busy w/ holiday hours...

The signal orginated from the device in her hand. It communicated with a base device attached to an extremely large antennae embedded into the walls of the house. The connection broke, as without the device used to operate the base and to provide the content the whole system was useless.
"Tag and bag this," the Spetznas commander said, "Send it up to FAPSI for analysis."

"Yessir."


"I know... you're saying what you have too. He wouldn't want it any other way." She looked towards Ian with piercing eyes keeping as still as the grave.

Once again, Marko patted her shoulder reassuringly. She sure seemed like a strong girl.


"Daniel... huh... He got himself killed didn't he... That would be the only way he'd say anything about me let alone those... animals, oh, and the accommodations THEY'RE GREAT... It's just the company that I have an issue with."
"The feeling is mutual," the Voice said. "And he talked for other reasons. You see, we didn't torture him per se...but we had a delightful time with his sister...let him watch too. Would your family like to join us?"

"Tag and bag this," the Spetznas commander said, "Send it up to FAPSI for analysis."

"Yessir."

The a large electrical discharge had been built up in the capacitors of the device then routed through two metal contacts on the side of the device. Snake ended up completing circuit and so got fried skin tissue had burnt into the device.

The burst of electricity scrambled the system bad enough that no settings, information or communication protocols could be found though some of the Integrated Circuits survived, mainly the receiver. It seemed that whoever they were talking to were trying to cauterise the situation. Cut off all methods of contact and kill any of their agents that were left.

That night a number contract killers had entered into the Free United States under the guise of foreign nationals wanting a holiday within the Commonwealth. Their targets where the various links in the distribution chain for this 'meat' within the commonwealth


"The feeling is mutual," the Voice said. "And he talked for other reasons. You see, we didn't torture him per se...but we had a delightful time with his sister...let him watch too. Would your family like to join us?"

"He wouldn't talk, he'd rip you limb from limb... " he was almost laughing as he thought about Daniel "but alright, alright... point taken. No need to bring my family into this... What do you want to know?" He reacted quite different than Daniel. Almost as if he knew it was inevitable and just threw his hands in the air and gave up without a fight.


Once again, Marko patted her shoulder reassuringly. She sure seemed like a strong girl


Jackie listened and half chuckled herself at Ian's first comment... "He probably would of tried... if you had done anything to me the out come would be alot different."

She paused as if slightly confused as Ian finished... "No, somethings not right, he's not fighting for his family... He didn't even try to make a deal for them. No, This is wrong... something is certainly wrong here."
"There's a carcass of some sort in there," Maria whispered to the girls. "But I can't see anyone, so let's go in."

She entered the room and beckoned the girls to follow her. After standing there in thought for what may have seemed a long while, she came up with a revelation.

"Somehow I don't think," Maria started. "Seeing all that shit that has been happening behind our very noses, that this is merely a facility for butchering plain cattle."

Maria examined the carcass deeply, and having considered that the trolley with Brian had finished its travel nearby, came to a personal conclusion that it was probably what would happen to the likes of Brian who has been reassigned to the Central Authority.

"My belief is that," Maria started in a cold, clinical tone, ignoring all social mores regarding death. "This carcass is a carcass of a human body. Brian would have been next on that hook. We should follow it to see where it goes. Can you see any doors, vents or entry points out of this room aside from the one we came in?"

Angel and Jessica both followed, they however didn't look at the carcasses because they also had came to the same conclusion as Maria.

"I'm going to be sick!" Jessica exclaimed as she started running off trying to find a suitable receptacle for vomit. In the end she just had to vomit on the floor. A voice in the distance started to laugh they couldn't see it... "You must be our new process workers." the voice was loud, loud enough to be heard over the machinery which started to shut down right after he finished.

Footsteps could soon be heard echoing closer... "It's alright, even here people can still get nausious when they see their first human carcass. It's very different to seeing blood."

The man who belonged to that voice could finally be seen stepping out into a sort of corridor between the machines. "I'm Wolf, the leading hand. What are your names?"

Even in the Vault Angel Jessica and Maria had heard of a wide variety of animals, cows, sheep and goats for one but also some predators as well, and Wolf was one of those.

It didn't take long for the Free Priests to notice the counterattack. So they set up a trap.

From one of their locations, a man named Sam pretended to try to break into the same system he had done before, pretending to have some difficulties and trying it again and again. A few meters behind the door of his apartment, there was a tripwire that would trigger something, and five more free priests were hiding in one of the rooms.
"Idiot, can't even get into his own compromised system. This is going to be easy."

He had the device ID and set up his own little unsecured network emulating an Access Point. The device automatically connected to it and how he could hunt around and detect the strength of the signal... Stronger signal the closer he was.

Now he he was sure he'd located the system. The hacker must be terribly unobservant. The idiot had just literally gained access to the system he had before, not that it mattered whatever he was trying to do. He wouldn't be able to do any more after he'd get done with him. Alright... time to wipe his system.

Sam noticed the signal strength of the wireless network got better and better. The only explanation for that was that the access point was moving in his direction. He smiled. "C'mere little fish, take the bait..."

Suddenly he had an unpleasant thought: what if the "fish" would not try to get into the house but would simply bomb it? Oh well, too late to change the plan now... A security camera showed someone looking at some kind of device while approaching the building.

"There you are. Hook, line..."

Angel and Jessica both followed, they however didn't look at the carcasses because they also had came to the same conclusion as Maria.

"I'm going to be sick!" Jessica exclaimed as she started running off trying to find a suitable receptacle for vomit. In the end she just had to vomit on the floor. A voice in the distance started to laugh they couldn't see it... "You must be our new process workers." the voice was loud, loud enough to be heard over the machinery which started to shut down right after he finished.

Footsteps could soon be heard echoing closer... "It's alright, even here people can still get nausious when they see their first human carcass. It's very different to seeing blood."

The man who belonged to that voice could finally be seen stepping out into a sort of corridor between the machines. "I'm Wolf, the leading hand. What are your names?"

Even in the Vault Angel Jessica and Maria had heard of a wide variety of animals, cows, sheep and goats for one but also some predators as well, and Wolf was one of those.

"I'm Amanda," replied Maria, hoping that the girls would take her lead and not reveal their true names. "Nice to meet you."

She looked at Jessica vomiting and saw an opportunity.

"I think she might need some fresh air," began Maria. "Is it possible you can take us outside?"

bump

Sam noticed the signal strength of the wireless network got better and better. The only explanation for that was that the access point was moving in his direction. He smiled. "C'mere little fish, take the bait..."

Suddenly he had an unpleasant thought: what if the "fish" would not try to get into the house but would simply bomb it? Oh well, too late to change the plan now... A security camera showed someone looking at some kind of device while approaching the building.

"There you are. Hook, line..."

But... he stopped tapping a few things on his device he started to hack the hacker back, he knew it wouldn't be easy but hopefully he knew some tricks that would allow him to gain access and compromise his target's system.

He was blissfully unaware of the security camera's existence, let along that he was seen on it.

"I'm Amanda," replied Maria, hoping that the girls would take her lead and not reveal their true names. "Nice to meet you."

She looked at Jessica vomiting and saw an opportunity.

"I think she might need some fresh air," began Maria. "Is it possible you can take us outside?"

The man breathed a heavy sigh. "Don't tell me you're all one of those weirdos... and No! You get you're work done first. You're early, so that's one good thing. You bring those carcasses in that room back there and hang 'em up on those hooks here." He walked towards them indicating some un-used hooks on the rail. "And after that... You take them to the butchers... after you do that. You can have a break but don't be long, I'll have other things for you to do then. So don't be long."

Sam scratched the back of his head. "Why is he trying to get into my system while standing at my door?"
He undid the most recent security update. "It's not like I keep any important information about the Free Priesthood on my computer... let's see what he's up to."

The man breathed a heavy sigh. "Don't tell me you're all one of those weirdos... and No! You get you're work done first. You're early, so that's one good thing. You bring those carcasses in that room back there and hang 'em up on those hooks here." He walked towards them indicating some un-used hooks on the rail. "And after that... You take them to the butchers... after you do that. You can have a break but don't be long, I'll have other things for you to do then. So don't be long."

"Righto boss," Maria replied, silently hiding her disappointment. She looked over the girls, and in particular the still-vomiting Jessica.

'She isn't going to like this,' Maria thought, before she fully turned around and began to address the two girls.

"Ok," she started again. "Angel, Jess, you need to help me carry that body in that trolley," pointing at the trolley carrying Brian. "And put it up that hook up there," pointing now to the unused hooks. "And then we can move it along 'til we find the butchers."

bump for FUS

bump

The a large electrical discharge had been built up in the capacitors of the device then routed through two metal contacts on the side of the device. Snake ended up completing circuit and so got fried skin tissue had burnt into the device.

The burst of electricity scrambled the system bad enough that no settings, information or communication protocols could be found though some of the Integrated Circuits survived, mainly the receiver. It seemed that whoever they were talking to were trying to cauterise the situation. Cut off all methods of contact and kill any of their agents that were left.

"It's a right mess," the FAPSI technician said as it was delivered to the lab. Some circuits survived...maybe we can trace parts, at least," he sighed. "Hopefully, more than that..."


That night a number contract killers had entered into the Free United States under the guise of foreign nationals wanting a holiday within the Commonwealth. Their targets where the various links in the distribution chain for this 'meat' within the commonwealth

Asenya had dismissed herself from the interrogation and was in the Control Room.

"Contact SOUD and get the names and passports of anyone entering the country in the last week, especially those that are on tourist Visas," she ordered.


"He wouldn't talk, he'd rip you limb from limb... " he was almost laughing as he thought about Daniel "but alright, alright... point taken. No need to bring my family into this... What do you want to know?" He reacted quite different than Daniel. Almost as if he knew it was inevitable and just threw his hands in the air and gave up without a fight.



Jackie listened and half chuckled herself at Ian's first comment... "He probably would of tried... if you had done anything to me the out come would be alot different."

She paused as if slightly confused as Ian finished... "No, somethings not right, he's not fighting for his family... He didn't even try to make a deal for them. No, This is wrong... something is certainly wrong here."

"Any ideas?" Marko asked, pausing the Voice as she leaned back from the mike and lit up. "I want you to know something...we do have his family...we'd like not to involve them as well, but..."


ooc: sorry, so sorry for not replying.

OOC: FUS, you have a TG from me. I need to know your response as to which direction I will take what happens next.

OOC: FUS, you have a TG from me. I need to know your response as to which direction I will take what happens next.
ooc: prosthetics, so that there's a way to "un-mask" the villian, as it were...

OOC: 'k - and you've got another TG coming you way
IC:
"Any ideas?" Marko asked, pausing the Voice as she leaned back from the mike and lit up. "I want you to know something...we do have his family...we'd like not to involve them as well, but..."
"Why don't we?" Jackie reacted as if she had a wonderful Idea. "Let me talk with them, put us in a room together and lock us in. You can hide a mic on me somewhere and we'll talk. I mean what else will there be for us to do? As long as they don't find the mic. I know what it's like, I've been through it... just a few hours ago. They'll give us information we can use that we can involve his family... without involving them."

"It's a right mess," the FAPSI technician said as it was delivered to the lab. Some circuits survived...maybe we can trace parts, at least," he sighed. "Hopefully, more than that..."

The circuitry was complex and unique, good and bad in that it wasn't just off the shelves. It was apart of a proprietary system. Very hard to trace where it came from but once you found it, you've got it for sure. Though there was a mark micro-embossed on the outside three small straight parellel lines to the left in line with the top, middle and bottom edge of a half-circle. Much like the symbol for a car's high beam.

*snip*

Jessica was recovering, Angel had a bottle of water with her, which was only appropriate as they were going to be spending god knows how long waiting for something to happen.

"Here, take a swig, swish it around your mouth and spit it out on the floor."
Angel was trying to be helpful.

"Come on we've got to put these..." she struggled to find a suitable word to describe what they were while taking Jessica into consideration she couldn't and so settled for these before adding the final word to finish the sentence "up."

Which they both set about their grim task trying not to think about Brian, or the others whoever they were and the loved ones that missed them.

*snip*

The man wasn't in the system long, just to confirm the existence of various tools used by hackers, rootkits amd other pieces of software. He had got his man and he was sure of it. Now it was time to call in the cavalry. He started walking away from the house, from it's inhabitants. He got on a cell phone and made an anonymous call to the appropriate local authorities in charge of computer crimes. He gave the address and details of the unauthorised access gaining control of a private citizens system to launch a DOS attack at a third party.

The government in some cases had it's uses now if it only would move in a protect it's citizens it would give the people behind the Exotic meats to get their proper revenge.

O

Jessica was recovering, Angel had a bottle of water with her, which was only appropriate as they were going to be spending god knows how long waiting for something to happen.

"Here, take a swig, swish it around your mouth and spit it out on the floor."
Angel was trying to be helpful.

"Come on we've got to put these..." she struggled to find a suitable word to describe what they were while taking Jessica into consideration she couldn't and so settled for these before adding the final word to finish the sentence "up."

Which they both set about their grim task trying not to think about Brian, or the others whoever they were and the loved ones that missed them.



OOC: Ok, let's get this moving quickly, I'd like them out into the real world soon.

"Brian seems a bit on the light side," Maria said plainly as she lifted him out of the trolley. "Here, grab his leg ladies."

OOC: 'k - and you've got another TG coming you way
IC:

"Why don't we?" Jackie reacted as if she had a wonderful Idea. "Let me talk with them, put us in a room together and lock us in. You can hide a mic on me somewhere and we'll talk. I mean what else will there be for us to do? As long as they don't find the mic. I know what it's like, I've been through it... just a few hours ago. They'll give us information we can use that we can involve his family... without involving them."

"We'll have to make it like you're a captive too," Marko said. "Would you mind being restrained and treated...roughly?" he asked.

The circuitry was complex and unique, good and bad in that it wasn't just off the shelves. It was apart of a proprietary system. Very hard to trace where it came from but once you found it, you've got it for sure. Though there was a mark micro-embossed on the outside three small straight parellel lines to the left in line with the top, middle and bottom edge of a half-circle. Much like the symbol for a car's high beam.

"I swear, I've seen this symbol before..." the tech said. He was seated at a terminal with three screens, each screen displaying rows of symbols and company logos. It was part of the SOUD's immense identification database, and the computer was searching the whole system for a match to the one they'd found.[/QUOTE]

Sam watched the man walk away. "I guess he's not going to come in... Oh damn, he must be getting help. We can't let that happen." He grabbed a pair of scissors, cut the tripwire in the hallway, then banged on the door of the room the others were in. "Our target is getting away, let's go!"

"Which way did he go?"
"That way."
"Is it that guy at the end of the street?"
"Could be. Okay, you two go around the left, you two go around the right, and you and I follow him. If he doesn't run, ask for directions and act confused. If he does run, stop him."
"Understood."

OOC: Ok, let's get this moving quickly, I'd like them out into the real world soon.

"Brian seems a bit on the light side," Maria said plainly as she lifted him out of the trolley. "Here, grab his leg ladies."

"It's not Brian... not anymore." It was all getting a bit much for her but the quicker she did it the quicker they could get out of this ghastly place, and it did help thinking that what made Brian, Brian was no longer present in this mangled carcass.

Once she was able to disassociate what she was handling from the people that "donated" their bodies then it was able to happen much smoother and she even found herself being as practical as Maria.

Soon, the Job was done and the coast was clear. Taking a good look around they found a ladder to a metal grate platform high above the ground, a sliver of bright light streamed in from what must be outside. The ladder seemed stable enough yet it could be very deadly if someone fell off from a height.

"We'll have to make it like you're a captive too," Marko said. "Would you mind being restrained and treated...roughly?" he asked.


"I know... I'm up for it." she spoke, still thinking about Daniel wanting revenge on the people that forced him into this situation. Getting treated roughly was a price she'd gladly pay.


"I swear, I've seen this symbol before..." the tech said. He was seated at a terminal with three screens, each screen displaying rows of symbols and company logos. It was part of the SOUD's immense identification database, and the computer was searching the whole system for a match to the one they'd found.

He eventually found something that matched, it was by a company called "Speed of Light Manufacturing" it was in Liberty City, Liberty Realm. The company did mostly chips for the communications industry. Looking over the details of the company's range of chips he couldn't find a match... but he did find a little section about custom-made products. So once they got their records, they would be able to find their clients, once they find their clients they should have their perpetrators, and be able to stop this thing once and for all.

There was one main problem, the nation was full of Libertarian gun nuts, meaning that they wouldn't give up the information without a fight, and one with guns at that. Any information to be gathered would have to be done by a special forces insertion. Which if caught would fall practically under any definition of the term 'Act of War'.

Sam watched the man walk away. "I guess he's not going to come in... Oh damn, he must be getting help. We can't let that happen." He grabbed a pair of scissors, cut the tripwire in the hallway, then banged on the door of the room the others were in. "Our target is getting away, let's go!"

"Which way did he go?"
"That way."
"Is it that guy at the end of the street?"
"Could be. Okay, you two go around the left, you two go around the right, and you and I follow him. If he doesn't run, ask for directions and act confused. If he does run, stop him."
"Understood."

The man got on his phone as he approached the T-Intersection the street ended into, it was a very short phone call a matter of about 10 seconds at most. And as he got to the corner he just waited... for something to happen, or perhaps someone to come.

((OOC: Liberty Realm is another nation that I control)

"I know... I'm up for it." she spoke, still thinking about Daniel wanting revenge on the people that forced him into this situation. Getting treated roughly was a price she'd gladly pay.

"All right, let's get you prepped," Marko said, leading Jackie out of the room. He took her to a small secluded room. "This is gonna hurt," he warned, rolling up his shirt. "Ready?"

He eventually found something that matched, it was by a company called "Speed of Light Manufacturing" it was in Liberty City, Liberty Realm. The company did mostly chips for the communications industry. Looking over the details of the company's range of chips he couldn't find a match... but he did find a little section about custom-made products. So once they got their records, they would be able to find their clients, once they find their clients they should have their perpetrators, and be able to stop this thing once and for all.

There was one main problem, the nation was full of Libertarian gun nuts, meaning that they wouldn't give up the information without a fight, and one with guns at that. Any information to be gathered would have to be done by a special forces insertion. Which if caught would fall practically under any definition of the term 'Act of War'.
Electronic systems came to life as the eyes of the Commonwealth centered on the nation of Liberty Realm. The technicians sighed as the intelligence agents informed them of the nature of LR.[/QUOTE]

"We'll have to inform the Premier...only he and the Defense Directorate can authorize this..."

OOC: As per TG with FUS -

Sorry, I didn't word it properly what I meant was who would be coming to the FUS and for what reasons? Are there alot of tourists? or could it be some sort of business trip. I get that it's like the soviet union KGB/FSB kind of gave it away.

Basicaly, I need the basics of the cover story. "Assassin X is from Y, nation and is a Z." sort of thing.

OOC: As per TG with FUS -

Sorry, I didn't word it properly what I meant was who would be coming to the FUS and for what reasons? Are there alot of tourists? or could it be some sort of business trip. I get that it's like the soviet union KGB/FSB kind of gave it away.

Basicaly, I need the basics of the cover story. "Assassin X is from Y, nation and is a Z." sort of thing.
ooc: um, they're your chars, so you can make up whatever cover they need...or are you asking me to set up their covers as well. i'm kinda confused, too..

OOC: I don't really know what people are commonly touristing in the Commonwealth, is there any particular pattern, as to where they are from or what they want to see/do/reason for coming?

"It's not Brian... not anymore." It was all getting a bit much for her but the quicker she did it the quicker they could get out of this ghastly place, and it did help thinking that what made Brian, Brian was no longer present in this mangled carcass.

Once she was able to disassociate what she was handling from the people that "donated" their bodies then it was able to happen much smoother and she even found herself being as practical as Maria.

Soon, the Job was done and the coast was clear. Taking a good look around they found a ladder to a metal grate platform high above the ground, a sliver of bright light streamed in from what must be outside. The ladder seemed stable enough yet it could be very deadly if someone fell off from a height.




"Hmm... I thought we were supposed to bring these to the butchers," Maria said. "Oh well, nobody here, we better make a break for it, lest you vomit again," point her finger at Jessica.

She looked around the room and saw a ladder.

"Over there, ladies," she pointed.

Upon examining the ladder, she faced the other two ladies.

"Up here," she pointed up again. "Is freedom. You two get up there first, and I'll spot you two."

The man got on his phone as he approached the T-Intersection the street ended into, it was a very short phone call a matter of about 10 seconds at most. And as he got to the corner he just waited... for something to happen, or perhaps someone to come.

"Damn" said Sam. "If that didn't look like a call for assistance, I don't know what does. This is going to get ugly. Prepare to capture him."

The two that walked behind the man were the first to approach him, since they didn't have to walk around a block. They first turned left, pretending to ignore him, then Sam turned around and walked back.

"Excuse me, sir. Do you know how to get to Chaucer street?"

Sam had a quick look at the face of the man, then nodded to his companion who approached from the other side. Before he could reply, the man felt a needle being stabbed in his neck, and within a second the lights went out.

Sam looked around to see if there were any witnesses, and noticed a police car appear on the other end of the street, where his house was. "Oh shit."

The left team appeared around a corner. Sam pointed to them, then moved his hands as if turning a steering wheel. The two turned around and ran off to fetch their car. Moments later the right team appeared too, and calmly walked towards Sam, his helper and the unconscious man.

"All right, let's get you prepped," Marko said, leading Jackie out of the room. He took her to a small secluded room. "This is gonna hurt," he warned, rolling up his shirt. "Ready?"


Jackie shook her arms and rolled her shoulders, she was loosening her muscles getting ready for what was to come afterwards. After about 10 seconds she stopped.

"Alright, I'm ready."

She stopped moving, she was fairly relaxed and just stood still ready to receive the physical blows that would be coming as best she could. She knew what Daniel had gone through and now she was going to pay him back for all that he had done for her.

*snip*

"Almost Forgot..." Angel turned back towards and made her way to a console type area of the machines. She pressed a green button and the machines whirred into action. The hooks started moving following the track they were heading off to who ever would be doing the proper butchering.

Angel raced back and started climbing up the ladder. "Aww, Come on Maria... Leave her alone... It's been a rather weird day."

As she ascended her foot slipped... "Better do it one at a time... This doesn't feel stable." wait till I'm up Jessica."

She took the ladder and made it up to the top and so did Jessica...

"Do you smell that? Something stinks..." Angel commented to Jessica, she looked out of the exit... "Well, I've found what stinks. We're right next to a huge pile of... well ... garbage."

None of them had seen a garbage tip but the amount of trash that was there was just amazing. To leave the area they'd have to go over it.

*snip*

The Police just seemed to be keeping an eye on the place and was waiting, they was apparently unaware of what was happening down the road and they were ready to flee. Once they did so a Taxi pulled up to the kerb behind themin the other alternate street.

"Almost Forgot..." Angel turned back towards and made her way to a console type area of the machines. She pressed a green button and the machines whirred into action. The hooks started moving following the track they were heading off to who ever would be doing the proper butchering.

Angel raced back and started climbing up the ladder. "Aww, Come on Maria... Leave her alone... It's been a rather weird day."

As she ascended her foot slipped... "Better do it one at a time... This doesn't feel stable." wait till I'm up Jessica."

She took the ladder and made it up to the top and so did Jessica...

"Do you smell that? Something stinks..." Angel commented to Jessica, she looked out of the exit... "Well, I've found what stinks. We're right next to a huge pile of... well ... garbage."

None of them had seen a garbage tip but the amount of trash that was there was just amazing. To leave the area they'd have to go over it.

"She didn't to make it weird for the rest of us," quipped Maria into the hole where Jessica and Angel had made their way up.

After getting up, Maria had a look at the pile of garbage and shrugged her shoulders.

"Well," she started. "We've been through weirder shit. This should be child's play," whilst getting on the pile.

They dragged the unconscious man into their unmarked white van. After closing the rear doors behind them, Sam knocked on the back of the cabin. "Drive!"

The driver asked his teammate in the passenger seat "is anyone following us?"
She rolled down her window and adjusted the mirror so she could use it, then looked down the street to Sam's house. "The police aren't paying attention to us."

In the back, Sam told one of the others "Zap him."
The other used a simple device hacked together from the flash of a camera and a big coil systematically at every spot on the unconscious body, to fry any bugs or transmitters that might be in the clothes or even inside the body itself.

OOC shall we have a car chase, or skip to your guy waking up tied upside down to a heavy piece of wood, seeing only something white at short distance at all sides around his head?

OOC: I don't really know what people are commonly touristing in the Commonwealth, is there any particular pattern, as to where they are from or what they want to see/do/reason for coming?

ooc: according to my NS page, I have really nice forests and crap, so mostly eco-tourism, although the monuments in the capital would attract people (much like in washington) as well as tourist towns like Grom (it's like Aspen, CO) and San Salvus (imagine a sleepy french village).

Jackie shook her arms and rolled her shoulders, she was loosening her muscles getting ready for what was to come afterwards. After about 10 seconds she stopped.

"Alright, I'm ready."

She stopped moving, she was fairly relaxed and just stood still ready to receive the physical blows that would be coming as best she could. She knew what Daniel had gone through and now she was going to pay him back for all that he had done for her.

With a sigh, Marko cocked back his arm and landed a blow squarely on her jaw. Years of training in espionage had given him the talent of knowing how to hit someone just right, so that the wound looked much worse than it actually was. As she fell back, he grabbed Jackie and landed a knee to her stomach, toppling her. For the next few minutes, he roughed her up, adding months of 'abuse' to her body in that short time frame. When he was done, Marko went over to the wastebasket and gagged.

"Sorry..." he muttered, wiping his mouth. "Let's get you to a holding cell."

"She didn't to make it weird for the rest of us," quipped Maria into the hole where Jessica and Angel had made their way up.

After getting up, Maria had a look at the pile of garbage and shrugged her shoulders.

"Well," she started. "We've been through weirder shit. This should be child's play," whilst getting on the pile.

As they started on their way over the first main garbage mountain they stumbled across a small wooden shack somehow constructed in this mess. There wasn't really any windows noticablle and just how it stood up in a rather straight looking fashion was anyone's guess.

They could easily just walk past the hut and make their way into the large sprawling city that they were technically at the foot of this large mound of garbage. It was really a question of would they risk it?
They dragged the unconscious man into their unmarked white van. After closing the rear doors behind them, Sam knocked on the back of the cabin. "Drive!"

The driver asked his teammate in the passenger seat "is anyone following us?"
She rolled down her window and adjusted the mirror so she could use it, then looked down the street to Sam's house. "The police aren't paying attention to us."


Just because the police car didn't follow didn't mean it wasn't paying attention. It had called in on the radio for more cars, sighting the details that it had. An unmarked white van. While the police stayed until a proper warrant could be obtained and the house could be searched. Other police cars came speeding towards their last destination. The first one that they saw was coming down in the opposite direction, making a quick 3-point turn into a driveway and out again. The Police car's sirens and lights started.

They were on fairly open suburban streets, there were a number of options open to them, and quick ways to any different number of various street settings. For the moment they were only limited by their choices.



With a sigh, Marko cocked back his arm and landed a blow squarely on her jaw. Years of training in espionage had given him the talent of knowing how to hit someone just right, so that the wound looked much worse than it actually was. As she fell back, he grabbed Jackie and landed a knee to her stomach, toppling her. For the next few minutes, he roughed her up, adding months of 'abuse' to her body in that short time frame. When he was done, Marko went over to the wastebasket and gagged.

"Sorry..." he muttered, wiping his mouth. "Let's get you to a holding cell."

With the knee in the chest Jackie gasped for air as it was all knocked out of her. She submitted and kept as still as she could during the onslaught. The battering she received certainly hurt but not as much as she expected it should looking at her own wounds. She was a bit unsteady on her feet. Yet kept quiet apart from the aforementioned reflex gasping.

Jackie merely nodded her head fairly weakly before starting to shuffle along following the direction and lead of Marko.

--- Assasins as Tourists withinthe Commonwealth ---

There was quite a rather normal flow for tourists in the country, the lovely snowfields, eco-tourism and the monuments and cultural exhibits in the nations capital.

There were 3 rather interesting contract killers that entered the country and each were unaware of the other's presence. Perhaps the most unusual thing about them as tourists was that they entered alone.

Damien Fortescue was from a nation that the Commonwealth had little interaction with, his cover story was that he was a professor of history and the arts and was going to right a paper on the Commonwealth's cultural history. A history of how the arts inside the country had changed with the political situation. His destination was the nations capital.

Nicola Pervue was from a nation that does a small amount of trade with the Commonwealth and she was from a Cheese producer trying to arrange to get an already existing outlet in the sleepy french village to sell their cheeses to the populace.

Simon Gianio was from a nation that had some contact with the Commonwealth years ago but hardly any now, he wasn't going to any really touristy areas within the nation, but he claimed that he believes that he has some distant relatives here that he wants to try and find.

OOC great now we have two Damiens, too

IC

"You said they weren't paying attention, eh?"

"Damnit. Sorry."

The driver stopped the van, and waited for the police officer to show up next to his window. He waved some badge, said "Counter-terrorism unit. This car was never here", then floored it.

The van was faster than it looked, and by the sound of it, it definitely didn't have its original engine. It turned right, in the direction of the center of the city, where there probably would be more white vans. The people in the back where thrown against the left side as it turned the corner. Sam cursed, he had bruised his elbow.

OOC: Yeah we have a tendency for that don't we.

IC:

As they started on their way over the first main garbage mountain they stumbled across a small wooden shack somehow constructed in this mess. There wasn't really any windows noticablle and just how it stood up in a rather straight looking fashion was anyone's guess.

They could easily just walk past the hut and make their way into the large sprawling city that they were technically at the foot of this large mound of garbage. It was really a question of would they risk it?



"No way I'm going back inside," replied Maria, as she walked past the hut.

*bumping again*

*bump*

With the knee in the chest Jackie gasped for air as it was all knocked out of her. She submitted and kept as still as she could during the onslaught. The battering she received certainly hurt but not as much as she expected it should looking at her own wounds. She was a bit unsteady on her feet. Yet kept quiet apart from the aforementioned reflex gasping.

Jackie merely nodded her head fairly weakly before starting to shuffle along following the direction and lead of Marko.

Marko got behind her and handcuffed her, making sure the cuffs pinched her wrists. He handled her roughly, getting himself in the mindset of a ruthless captor. He opened a locked room with a steel door and shoved her inside, causing Jackie to hit the concrete floor hard. He quickly locked it and waited for the play to commence.

--- Assasins as Tourists withinthe Commonwealth ---

There was quite a rather normal flow for tourists in the country, the lovely snowfields, eco-tourism and the monuments and cultural exhibits in the nations capital.

There were 3 rather interesting contract killers that entered the country and each were unaware of the other's presence. Perhaps the most unusual thing about them as tourists was that they entered alone.

Damien Fortescue was from a nation that the Commonwealth had little interaction with, his cover story was that he was a professor of history and the arts and was going to right a paper on the Commonwealth's cultural history. A history of how the arts inside the country had changed with the political situation. His destination was the nations capital.

Nicola Pervue was from a nation that does a small amount of trade with the Commonwealth and she was from a Cheese producer trying to arrange to get an already existing outlet in the sleepy french village to sell their cheeses to the populace.

Simon Gianio was from a nation that had some contact with the Commonwealth years ago but hardly any now, he wasn't going to any really touristy areas within the nation, but he claimed that he believes that he has some distant relatives here that he wants to try and find.

VI Lenin Int'l Airport, Meridian City, CFUS

The airport for the nation's capital was a hub of activity, accented with modern-looking decor and the latest technology. Every fifty meters or so, a FPS guard stood silently, scanning the people that passed by.

"Passport and purpose of visit?" the FPS agent asked at the terminal booth.

*snip*
The Police looked at the Van as it sped away, the badge looked right but they only did see it for a moment.

"This is Officer Jackson, Requesting Liason with CTU. Abduction suspects claim to be with CTU. Need confirmation. suspects are heading towards the city in a souped up white van with no tags or markings. Will follow at safe distance with lights and sirens off. Over and out."

The car was about 10 seconds behind as they pulled out from the curve and as discretely as a police car can started to follow the suspects into the city

OOC:Are you guys speeding, or is the car just faster than you'd expect it to be?

*snip*
The group made their way down the mountain of garbage purposely avoiding the little shack and anyone or anything that might be in it.

They made their way down to the edge of the mound and as they did, faint alarms started to go off behind them, but with all the activity on the streets it would be hard for anyone to hear.

The place was dirty, smelly and generally not very pleasant. There were lots of people walking about, some clothed, some not all with guns or other weapons displayed on their person for all the world to see. About 50 meters up on the other side of the street 2 people where engaged in a sort of rumble they both had knives out in their hands struggling against each other. The passers-by didn't seem to take any interest only going around them as to not get knocked down by their struggling.

There were a few other... interesting... sights people leashed and harnessed like animals with no other clothes on getting lead around by someone and others that can't properly be described apart from being sick and depraved. They were for all intensive purposes ... in hell.

*snip&

Jackie umpfed as she hit the floor The handcuffs ached but they were meant to. She seemeingly didn't notice that Ian's family was there as she struggled to her feet using the wall as support. She ran towards towards the door and charged into it, screaming at 'her captors'.

She turned around and for the first time came face-to-face with Ian's family. Her eyes were wide, she made them so as to mimic fear. She backed up and pressed her back against the wall. There they were the family, his wife, and 3 children. Ages 10,13 and 17.

"Wh- Who are you?"

"Same as you... " the wife said, her name was Lucy Genai, before raising her hands and showing Jackie the handcuffs on her wrists. "How do I know..." Jackie choked as if unable to complete the sentence. "that we are prisonors too?" Lucy finished off the sentence for her. Which Jackie nodded acknowledging that was similiar to the question she was going to ask.

"You don't, and neither do we... but if we are going to get through this we are going to have to rely on each other, provide support."

Jackie visibly softened, as she sat down on the cold difficultly

"Yeah, I did have support, My Brother... Daniel his name was... but he died. We were so close you know. Us against the world we were always there for each other alongside, but he got a mysterious job and soon disappeared, and I didn't even hear from him until they dragged me in here."

"Did you see him.. did you see your brother?" Lucy had a bit of hope that there was a chance that she'd see her husband again...

"No, not really, he's dead."

"Oh... so what happened?"

"Don't know they wouldn't tell me... so what about you, do you know why your here?"

"Well, I didn't - they haven't come to us and talked to us yet, but if that's your story. My husband also sort of disappeared, he said he got a job and would have to leave and then I never from him again. We've been coping, Andrew here (indicating the 17 year old) has been great helping. It's been tough but we've managed."

"I think about Daniel all the time, everything we've done together, everything we've overcome, the fun, the hard work... everything."

The discussion continued on Jackie sharing and swapping stories with Lucy about their loved ones.

There was the time where Ian got them lost out in the woods, only to stumble upon their campsite completely by chance. Thier car was a sedan

There was another story where Ian had to pick up some meat for that night's meal but there was a mix-up and instead of getting the steaks, they got chicken fillets instead. Ian didn't realise until he got home and by the time it was too late. The butcher had shut. So they had to have chicken instead of steaks which made a rather interesting meal.

There were numerous other stories were Ian was some how involved in a mix-up that ended up in an unexpected result. Stories that had details, that only family members would know.

*snip*

They all handed over their passports and gave their prepared speil, Damien being interested in the history of the nation. Nicola trying to help promote their nations Cheese products within the Commonwealth and Simon with his searching for his long lost relatives.

OOC Technically not speeding (yet), but you could fine me for dangerous driving. The CTU ID is, of course, fake.

IC

The woman in the passenger seat made a quick phone call: "Hi dear, we met some old friends and they're coming to the party too. Do we have enough plates? ... Okay, see you there."

At about the same time, the CTU would tell the police no operations were going on in the area. The van was now *definitely* speeding. A few minutes into the chase, the van suddenly braked hard and backed into a street it had just passed. An identical van (with identical license plates) raced out of the same street, and drove off in the direction they had come from. Two people who had been waiting on the sidewalk quickly clicked different license plates over those on the first van.

Jackie umpfed as she hit the floor The handcuffs ached but they were meant to. She seemeingly didn't notice that Ian's family was there as she struggled to her feet using the wall as support. She ran towards towards the door and charged into it, screaming at 'her captors'.

She turned around and for the first time came face-to-face with Ian's family. Her eyes were wide, she made them so as to mimic fear. She backed up and pressed her back against the wall. There they were the family, his wife, and 3 children. Ages 10,13 and 17.

"Wh- Who are you?"

"Same as you... " the wife said, her name was Lucy Genai, before raising her hands and showing Jackie the handcuffs on her wrists. "How do I know..." Jackie choked as if unable to complete the sentence. "that we are prisonors too?" Lucy finished off the sentence for her. Which Jackie nodded acknowledging that was similiar to the question she was going to ask.

"You don't, and neither do we... but if we are going to get through this we are going to have to rely on each other, provide support."

Jackie visibly softened, as she sat down on the cold difficultly

"Yeah, I did have support, My Brother... Daniel his name was... but he died. We were so close you know. Us against the world we were always there for each other alongside, but he got a mysterious job and soon disappeared, and I didn't even hear from him until they dragged me in here."

"Did you see him.. did you see your brother?" Lucy had a bit of hope that there was a chance that she'd see her husband again...

"No, not really, he's dead."

"Oh... so what happened?"

"Don't know they wouldn't tell me... so what about you, do you know why your here?"

"Well, I didn't - they haven't come to us and talked to us yet, but if that's your story. My husband also sort of disappeared, he said he got a job and would have to leave and then I never from him again. We've been coping, Andrew here (indicating the 17 year old) has been great helping. It's been tough but we've managed."

"I think about Daniel all the time, everything we've done together, everything we've overcome, the fun, the hard work... everything."

The discussion continued on Jackie sharing and swapping stories with Lucy about their loved ones.

There was the time where Ian got them lost out in the woods, only to stumble upon their campsite completely by chance. Thier car was a sedan

There was another story where Ian had to pick up some meat for that night's meal but there was a mix-up and instead of getting the steaks, they got chicken fillets instead. Ian didn't realise until he got home and by the time it was too late. The butcher had shut. So they had to have chicken instead of steaks which made a rather interesting meal.

There were numerous other stories were Ian was some how involved in a mix-up that ended up in an unexpected result. Stories that had details, that only family members would know.

Inside the Control Room, Marko listened in on the conversation, hoping for some clue or fact to drop that they could work with. He trusted Jackie, but his suspicious nature wouldn't let up.

They all handed over their passports and gave their prepared speil, Damien being interested in the history of the nation. Nicola trying to help promote their nations Cheese products within the Commonwealth and Simon with his searching for his long lost relatives.

ooc: let's assume they got different checkers, ok?

Damien

"Well, then, the capital is sure steeped in history," the agent said, stamping his passport. "Via Lenin is your one-stop destination for historical attractions...and the embassies themselves were once the homes of aristocrats."

Nicola

"Do you have your foreign trader's license, issued by the Federal Trade Committee?" her agent asked as he passed her some papers, "Even so, you'll need to fill these out."

Simon

"The Department of Records and Documents is your safest bet, though there are some discrepancies from when the Royal Records Department was ransacked during the Revolution..."

The group made their way down the mountain of garbage purposely avoiding the little shack and anyone or anything that might be in it.

They made their way down to the edge of the mound and as they did, faint alarms started to go off behind them, but with all the activity on the streets it would be hard for anyone to hear.

The place was dirty, smelly and generally not very pleasant. There were lots of people walking about, some clothed, some not all with guns or other weapons displayed on their person for all the world to see. About 50 meters up on the other side of the street 2 people where engaged in a sort of rumble they both had knives out in their hands struggling against each other. The passers-by didn't seem to take any interest only going around them as to not get knocked down by their struggling.

There were a few other... interesting... sights people leashed and harnessed like animals with no other clothes on getting lead around by someone and others that can't properly be described apart from being sick and depraved. They were for all intensive purposes ... in hell.



It took a few moments for them to process all the information into their minds. Having left an ordered life for one fuelled with chaos, an environment they were definitely not familiar with.

"Let's just walk this way," Maria told the other two girls, pointing away from the fight.

The woman in the passenger seat made a quick phone call: "Hi dear, we met some old friends and they're coming to the party too. Do we have enough plates? ... Okay, see you there."

At about the same time, the CTU would tell the police no operations were going on in the area. The van was now *definitely* speeding. A few minutes into the chase, the van suddenly braked hard and backed into a street it had just passed. An identical van (with identical license plates) raced out of the same street, and drove off in the direction they had come from. Two people who had been waiting on the sidewalk quickly clicked different license plates over those on the first van.

"This is Officer Jackson, Request a car regiistration check on a white <make Model> van." As he just got off the radio he saw the van reverse into the side street. This was odd, he was catching up, and yet he saw the van cross the street right infront (although still ahead).

"Something's not right. Why would you do that."

Other cars were reporting in and were coming very close to the area yet hadn't quite joined in the chase. Having reported the last known movements of the vehicle (i.e. what he saw).

He reported that he would be breaking off the chase to investigate a related matter and turned down the street that the Van reversed into. What immediately caught his attention, was an almost identical van, the number plate had changed but this could certainly be the van he was chasing. He continued on passed the van as if he didn't notice or there was something else more important that he had to do. He turned the next street seemingly returning back the way he came. But he still had to check that this wasn't the van that he was chasing earlier, he had to plan how to do that surreptitiously.

Inside the Control Room, Marko listened in on the conversation, hoping for some clue or fact to drop that they could work with. He trusted Jackie, but his suspicious nature wouldn't let up.


The conversation was lightly prodded by Jackie from remembering what they had done/gone through together to remembering the person themselves, personalty traits, marks on the body. For instance Daniel had a small tattoo on his back right on his right shoulder blade were where Ian had a lightning bolt on the back on his neck. It was there before he married and reminded him to keep himself on track.

OOC: Just so you know, no one has seen this Lightning Tattoo on Ian now that you have captured him.


Damien

"Well, then, the capital is sure steeped in history," the agent said, stamping his passport. "Via Lenin is your one-stop destination for historical attractions...and the embassies themselves were once the homes of aristocrats."


Damien smiled at the border guard. "Thank You, I will be sure to spend some time there." He made his way out of the airport, calming walking past the FPS guards. He would get a Taxi, go to his motel and prepare.

Nicola

"Do you have your foreign trader's license, issued by the Federal Trade Committee?" her agent asked as he passed her some papers, "Even so, you'll need to fill these out."

"Ummm..." She had a momentary look of panic, but that dissappeared. "Sorry, I need to make a call to Head Office, that is alright isn't it?"


Simon

"The Department of Records and Documents is your safest bet, though there are some discrepancies from when the Royal Records Department was ransacked during the Revolution..."

"That would be here in the capital?" Simon queried

It took a few moments for them to process all the information into their minds. Having left an ordered life for one fuelled with chaos, an environment they were definitely not familiar with.

"Let's just walk this way," Maria told the other two girls, pointing away from the fight.

They agreed with Maria, this was indeed a disturbing place... it was disturbing enough realising that everything you knew was a lie but to replace it this was almost too much to bear.

It only took a few step down the street as someone purposefully bumped into them and started to make a scene about how dare they be bumped into. It would be a matter of how they reacted that would determine their future, or perhaps lack of it. In this 'city'.

The conversation was lightly prodded by Jackie from remembering what they had done/gone through together to remembering the person themselves, personalty traits, marks on the body. For instance Daniel had a small tattoo on his back right on his right shoulder blade were where Ian had a lightning bolt on the back on his neck. It was there before he married and reminded him to keep himself on track.

OOC: Just so you know, no one has seen this Lightning Tattoo on Ian now that you have captured him.

ooc: meaning...the Ian we have doesn't have it?



Damien smiled at the border guard. "Thank You, I will be sure to spend some time there." He made his way out of the airport, calming walking past the FPS guards. He would get a Taxi, go to his motel and prepare.

"Where to?" the cabbie asked as Damien stepped in.

"Ummm..." She had a momentary look of panic, but that dissappeared. "Sorry, I need to make a call to Head Office, that is alright isn't it?"

The agent waved another agent over and they conversed for a minute. The other agent left.

"Ma'am, you'll need to stay within the terminal until this is resolved. Without the proper permits, we can't allow you entrance," he concluded.

"That would be here in the capital?" Simon queried

"Yes, sir," the agent said, flipping through some pages, "I don't have it here, but if you call Information, they'll straighten you out," he gestured to a row of pay phones, the company of PT&T on the kiosk.

ooc: meaning...the Ian we have doesn't have it?


Yeah.

Yeah.
Marko quickly grabbed the file they had on Ian. In their custody, they'd taken all sorts of photographs to find identifying marks...the tattoo was absent.

"What the...?" he muttered, turning to Asenya. "Then who the Hell is that?" he pointed to the monitors displaying 'Ians' cell.

The escape maneuver wasn't over yet, there was a good reason to use exactly this spot. Once the police car had turned around the corner, they drove off in the same direction. Just before the corner, the passenger got out for a moment to check if the police was out of sight, then got back in. Moments later, the van entered a multi-story car park.

They removed both(!) extra layers of number plates, and put their abductee in the trunk of a sedan. Sam and the woman drove off in the sedan, the rest of them spread into the city.

Meanwhile, the driver of the second van noticed the police car that had been on the tail of the others wasn't following him, and no other police cars were to be seen yet. He parked in a quiet dead end alley, removed his own extra plates, hid them under his coat, and walked away.

To the police it would seem the cars had disappeared into thin air. There were hundreds of vans like these - which two were the ones they were looking for? There was nothing suspicious about the five cars of the same model that were found parked in the area: all registered to apparently normal people.

---

A few hours later, the captured man woke up, tied and upside down. All he could see around him was something white that was very close on all sides around his head, and a little of the ceiling. The lights on the ceiling seemed too bright, maybe because of the drug that had been used when he was captured. A male voice asked "Do you know why you're here?"

They agreed with Maria, this was indeed a disturbing place... it was disturbing enough realising that everything you knew was a lie but to replace it this was almost too much to bear.

It only took a few step down the street as someone purposefully bumped into them and started to make a scene about how dare they be bumped into. It would be a matter of how they reacted that would determine their future, or perhaps lack of it. In this 'city'.

"Maybe we should find something to eat," Maria asked. "I'm hungry as."

Marko quickly grabbed the file they had on Ian. In their custody, they'd taken all sorts of photographs to find identifying marks...the tattoo was absent.

"What the...?" he muttered, turning to Asenya. "Then who the Hell is that?" he pointed to the monitors displaying 'Ians' cell.

'Ian' to be honest was totally confused by what was happening they just started to interrogate him and then suddenly... nothing. Was something up? he didn't know.

"Hey, What's going on here?" he protested wondering if anyone would answer him

The escape maneuver wasn't over yet, there was a good reason to use exactly this spot. Once the police car had turned around the corner, they drove off in the same direction. Just before the corner, the passenger got out for a moment to check if the police was out of sight, then got back in. Moments later, the van entered a multi-story car park.

They removed both(!) extra layers of number plates, and put their abductee in the trunk of a sedan. Sam and the woman drove off in the sedan, the rest of them spread into the city.

Meanwhile, the driver of the second van noticed the police car that had been on the tail of the others wasn't following him, and no other police cars were to be seen yet. He parked in a quiet dead end alley, removed his own extra plates, hid them under his coat, and walked away.

To the police it would seem the cars had disappeared into thin air. There were hundreds of vans like these - which two were the ones they were looking for? There was nothing suspicious about the five cars of the same model that were found parked in the area: all registered to apparently normal people.

---

A few hours later, the captured man woke up, tied and upside down. All he could see around him was something white that was very close on all sides around his head, and a little of the ceiling. The lights on the ceiling seemed too bright, maybe because of the drug that had been used when he was captured. A male voice asked "Do you know why you're here?"

The Policeman had parked his car just around the corner though as the person peaked they saw the Policeman enter a clothing store. Whether it was to buy clothes or to deal with a shoplifter who knows, but the chance was there to be taken.

The Van drove away and arrived at it's destination without a hint of the police car following them. About half an hour later the policeman stumbled onto the vans realising that whatever happened they were well and truly gone. This was a professional operation, The policeman ran checks to see if the vans had any connection to the house the policeman who reported the kidnapping had, finding none. A search warrant was eventually delivered and they went through the house top to toe efficiently.

---

The man was groggy and felt weird, it was the after-affects of the drug that knocked him out. "huh, Wha" was the only thing was able to manage initially but he started to become more concious of his surroundings.

"Maybe we should find something to eat," Maria asked. "I'm hungry as."

"Yeah, been. A long day... but where do we eat here?"

There a few cafes and restaurants of various sorts around but they didn't have any money nor was their really any concept of money from within the vault.



"Where to?" the cabbie asked as Damien stepped in.


He gave the address of his motel it wasn't a usual tourist motel but there had been known to be a few tourists go there.


The agent waved another agent over and they conversed for a minute. The other agent left.

"Ma'am, you'll need to stay within the terminal until this is resolved. Without the proper permits, we can't allow you entrance," he concluded.

Nicola got on her phone and talked to her boss... "They won't let me in, the admin give me a 'foreign trader's license' by their Federal Trade Committee"

"What no they didn't, Here check for yourself. I'll pass you over to the guard here." She was exasperated over the paperwork SNAFU and annoyed. She covered the mic of phone and presented it to the guard. "Ummm, I'm sorry, about this would you be able to tell my Boss what's going on?"

"Yes, sir," the agent said, flipping through some pages, "I don't have it here, but if you call Information, they'll straighten you out," he gestured to a row of pay phones, the company of PT&T on the kiosk.

"Thank you." and with that he picked up what he had and made his way over the payphones. Finding information number he dialled it and asked for the address of The Department of Records and Documents. Once he had got the information he wrote it down with a piece of paper and pencil he pulled from his bag just before he started the call.

Having put it away he hung up the phone and started to look for his 'relative'. Which would give him an excuse to go anywhere in the nation... after he had visited the Department of course.

'Ian' to be honest was totally confused by what was happening they just started to interrogate him and then suddenly... nothing. Was something up? he didn't know.

"Hey, What's going on here?" he protested wondering if anyone would answer him

"Don't worry Ian," the Voice said in the darkness, "I'm here for you. Shhh...no need to worry..."

He gave the address of his motel it wasn't a usual tourist motel but there had been known to be a few tourists go there.

"Ah, here you go, Mister," the Cabbie said. "San Julien Hotel."

Nicola got on her phone and talked to her boss... "They won't let me in, the admin give me a 'foreign trader's license' by their Federal Trade Committee"

"What no they didn't, Here check for yourself. I'll pass you over to the guard here." She was exasperated over the paperwork SNAFU and annoyed. She covered the mic of phone and presented it to the guard. "Ummm, I'm sorry, about this would you be able to tell my Boss what's going on?"

The agent was about to tell her 'no,' but he felt a bit sorry for her and nodded, taking the phone.

"This is Agent Tchesnov of the Federal Border Service. As I explained to your associate, business-related visitors must have proper documentation from the Federal Trade Committee. If it's simply a matter of misplaced documents, we'll allow an electronic fax, as long as it can be confirmed with the FTC," he explained the situation.

"Thank you." and with that he picked up what he had and made his way over the payphones. Finding information number he dialled it and asked for the address of The Department of Records and Documents. Once he had got the information he wrote it down with a piece of paper and pencil he pulled from his bag just before he started the call.

Having put it away he hung up the phone and started to look for his 'relative'. Which would give him an excuse to go anywhere in the nation... after he had visited the Department of course.

"Need a cab?" a young man asked the next person to walk through the doors of the airport terminal. "I know every spot in the city," he added.

The Van drove away and arrived at it's destination without a hint of the police car following them. About half an hour later the policeman stumbled onto the vans realising that whatever happened they were well and truly gone. This was a professional operation, The policeman ran checks to see if the vans had any connection to the house the policeman who reported the kidnapping had, finding none. A search warrant was eventually delivered and they went through the house top to toe efficiently.


A computer with all the software a hacker could dream of was found, but no clues about who owned it. Perhaps personal data had been kept on an external disk, and that disk wasn't there anymore.

The fingerprints of one unknown person were all over the place. In one room there were fingerprints of five other people. One, a woman named Anne Jones, was supposed to have been dead for eight years already, the others were unknown.

According to a file dug up from the archives, Anne was a prostitute who had stolen some documents from someone high up in the secret service. Two months later she died of a drug overdose and was cremated. The dead hooker who had been identified as Anne Jones must have been someone else. Unfortunately the only photos in the file were of the corpse, but perhaps the secret service might have some of the real Anne...

After a lot of bureaucratic trouble, the secret service gave the police one blurry photo of a woman who might be a young version of the one the policeman had seen for a short moment sitting in the passenger seat of the van. They also told them the stolen documents were reports about the activities of some cults.


The man was groggy and felt weird, it was the after-affects of the drug that knocked him out. "huh, Wha" was the only thing was able to manage initially but he started to become more concious of his surroundings.

Sam's face appeared in the oval section of ceiling that the man could see. "Good morning, sleepy head. Do you know why you're here?"

"Yeah, been. A long day... but where do we eat here?"

There a few cafes and restaurants of various sorts around but they didn't have any money nor was their really any concept of money from within the vault.



"I smell food there," Maria replied, pointing to one of the restaurants. " They probably give out the food like in that place. Let's go eat!"

She walked into the outdoor tables, and sat down, beckoning the other girls to follow her lead.

"Don't worry Ian," the Voice said in the darkness, "I'm here for you. Shhh...no need to worry..."


That was weird... with nothing that he could really do he sighed and continued waiting.


"Ah, here you go, Mister," the Cabbie said. "San Julien Hotel."

"Thank you." Damien said as he paid the driver and left a tip of around 10% to the nearest Liore as appropriate. About an hour later he left the San Julien Hotel and Took a Taxi down to the Via Lenin. He was very aware of his surroundings and observant of anyone that maybe following.

He entered an appropriate gallery looking through some of the art works as his cover. He hadn't seen his target but he didn't expect to, another hour of this and then he'd "clock off" as it were and then find his place of work.


The agent was about to tell her 'no,' but he felt a bit sorry for her and nodded, taking the phone.

"This is Agent Tchesnov of the Federal Border Service. As I explained to your associate, business-related visitors must have proper documentation from the Federal Trade Committee. If it's simply a matter of misplaced documents, we'll allow an electronic fax, as long as it can be confirmed with the FTC," he explained the situation.

"Uh, Thank you Agent. I'll find the documents and fax them over, I'll let you know when we do." and with that the phone on the other end hung up.

Once it was clear for Nicola that the call had ended she asked the Agent."Is there a cafe or something where I can go and get a coffee while I wait?"


"Need a cab?" a young man asked the next person to walk through the doors of the airport terminal. "I know every spot in the city," he added.

"Yeah, I'm looking for the The Department of Records and Documents." he decided not to give the address of the department as a test.
A computer with all the software a hacker could dream of was found, but no clues about who owned it. Perhaps personal data had been kept on an external disk, and that disk wasn't there anymore.

The fingerprints of one unknown person were all over the place. In one room there were fingerprints of five other people. One, a woman named Anne Jones, was supposed to have been dead for eight years already, the others were unknown.

According to a file dug up from the archives, Anne was a prostitute who had stolen some documents from someone high up in the secret service. Two months later she died of a drug overdose and was cremated. The dead hooker who had been identified as Anne Jones must have been someone else. Unfortunately the only photos in the file were of the corpse, but perhaps the secret service might have some of the real Anne...

After a lot of bureaucratic trouble, the secret service gave the police one blurry photo of a woman who might be a young version of the one the policeman had seen for a short moment sitting in the passenger seat of the van. They also told them the stolen documents were reports about the activities of some cults.

"Seem's like these Cult is active... A good way for people to stop looking for you is to look dead. The corpse could of been anyone, but with this photo it's hard to tell if it's her or not."

"Okay, this is obviously a planned escape, they had this all set up before had. The names of the Vehicles must be involved., but most likely they're going to be a dead end. Though you never know."

The department head gave orders for 2 policemen to check up on the names of the white vans. To go see their addresses, found out everything that they could about them, another pair tried to identify the man who was taken, and finally other pair would try and track down known associates of Anne 8 years ago.

Sam's face appeared in the oval section of ceiling that the man could see. "Good morning, sleepy head. Do you know why you're here?"

Gaining composure again he stared at his captor. "You're one of THEM, aren't you." the word 'them' dripped in hatred and it despising what they were.

He saw no point in lying, they surely already knew the answer and perhaps later on he could use them if he answered correctly.

"The answer was because I was snooping around."

He kept his eyes in contact with Sam almost as if silently challenging him.

"I smell food there," Maria replied, pointing to one of the restaurants. " They probably give out the food like in that place. Let's go eat!"

She walked into the outdoor tables, and sat down, beckoning the other girls to follow her lead.

Food wasn't the only thing she smelled and it wasn't pleasant at all, but the smell of food was indeed hard to go unnoticed.

Angel and Jessica both followed Maria's lead taking a seat at the table, they looked around wondering what was happening. There was a menu on the table, and they could read it. There were meats of all sort, including human. the prices was listed, but they were only numbers which had no context for the three of them.

Gaining composure again he stared at his captor. "You're one of THEM, aren't you." the word 'them' dripped in hatred and it despising what they were.

He saw no point in lying, they surely already knew the answer and perhaps later on he could use them if he answered correctly.

"The answer was because I was snooping around."

He kept his eyes in contact with Sam almost as if silently challenging him.


Sam sighed. "No, that's not the right answer. That you were so willing to snoop around was very helpful of you. If we didn't want you to do that, we would have packed our stuff and disappeared. You walked into a trap. ... Now, the correct answer is that we want to know something. We would really like to know where the meat is produced."

Food wasn't the only thing she smelled and it wasn't pleasant at all, but the smell of food was indeed hard to go unnoticed.

Angel and Jessica both followed Maria's lead taking a seat at the table, they looked around wondering what was happening. There was a menu on the table, and they could read it. There were meats of all sort, including human. the prices was listed, but they were only numbers which had no context for the three of them.

"I suppose we just wait here for someone to feed us," replied Maria.

"I suppose we just wait here for someone to feed us," replied Maria.

A waitress appeared at the table... "What ya' want?" she asked she was rather rude to be honest and she didn't bother hiding the distain for deailing with the customers.


Sam sighed. "No, that's not the right answer. That you were so willing to snoop around was very helpful of you. If we didn't want you to do that, we would have packed our stuff and disappeared. You walked into a trap. ... Now, the correct answer is that we want to know something. We would really like to know where the meat is produced."

He snorted, the snorting turned into laughter, the laughter just kept coming until he had something to say. "Ha, oh... that's funny. I'm not going to tell you." his laughter was stil evident in the tones as he spoke. though he soon regained his composure. "You know they do to the meat... what do you they'll do to me if I tell you anything. And anyway... why should I? It's delusional idiots like you that ruin life for the rest of us. God - hah... a childrens fairy tale told to keep you in line keeping you in check, keeping you from becoming who you really are. God doesn't exist and you're either dumb, crazy or part of the conspiracy... So once again why should I tell you anyting?"

OOC: Please note all views are IC and should be treated as such and kept in the IC realm.

He snorted, the snorting turned into laughter, the laughter just kept coming until he had something to say. "Ha, oh... that's funny. I'm not going to tell you." his laughter was stil evident in the tones as he spoke. though he soon regained his composure. "You know they do to the meat... what do you they'll do to me if I tell you anything. And anyway... why should I? It's delusional idiots like you that ruin life for the rest of us. God - hah... a childrens fairy tale told to keep you in line keeping you in check, keeping you from becoming who you really are. God doesn't exist and you're either dumb, crazy or part of the conspiracy... So once again why should I tell you anyting?"

Sam smiled back at him. "Let's see. If I were dumb, we would have been in the opposite situation of which we are now. If I were part of the conspiracy, you would have been caught by police instead of by me. That leaves us with... crazy. Guess what, you're upside down with your head in a toilet! And I'm going to keep flushing the piece of shit you are until you stop talking crap."

Cold water gushed over the face of the man.

A door opened and closed. A second or two later an angry female voice said "Sam! I understand you're angry about what his organization does, but he's not going to be useful if you drown him."

"We've got to get him to talk somehow."

"Yes but not this way. What if he's forced to work for them?"

"... Er. He did say something along those lines. Guess I'll go for a walk."

"Yes, you do that. Guys, put him right side up."

He could see the room now, a bathroom in an office building that could be anywhere. The woman was quite good looking, probably in her late 30s or early 40s. She dried his face with a towel. "Sam can be such an angry idiot, why haven't we fired him yet?" She shook her head.

"Hi. My name is Anne. I have a simple deal for you: you tell us what we want to know, and we give you a new identity, a new nationality, and the protection of the sneakiest organization in the world. How does that sound?"

OOC everything strictly IC. I do not approve of torture.

A waitress appeared at the table... "What ya' want?" she asked she was rather rude to be honest and she didn't bother hiding the distain for deailing with the customers.



Not being used to having choice in her diet and the demeanour of the waitress unnerved Maria and made her panic. She quickly browsed through the menu and chose the first thing she saw.

"The Head of Fattest Pig with special sauce," replied Maria.

OOC: The Fattest Pig is the national animal of the Northern Colonies. It is also considered a delicacy.

*bump*

FUS i think you need to reply to something.

OOC: I had sent him a TG before... but he seems that he hasn't logged in to NS for 9 days so couldn't of got it.

I can't really progress any further.. Though if FUS can't reply. We'll have to transfer the major investigation over to TFP.

I'll give it another few days and another chance to post before doing so however.

Well, his last post on Jolt was today, so I think he is still quite around.

ooc: sorry for not posting. it's because i have a lot on my plate atm. still, very sorry

ic:

That was weird... with nothing that he could really do he sighed and continued waiting.

The door burst open and two darkened figures wrested Ian to the ground roughly, chair and all. They grabbed his head and wretched it to examine him. They revealed it to the mirror.

"You're not who you say you are...are you?" the Voice asked menacingly. "We don't like being lied to..."


"Thank you." Damien said as he paid the driver and left a tip of around 10% to the nearest Liore as appropriate. About an hour later he left the San Julien Hotel and Took a Taxi down to the Via Lenin. He was very aware of his surroundings and observant of anyone that maybe following.

He entered an appropriate gallery looking through some of the art works as his cover. He hadn't seen his target but he didn't expect to, another hour of this and then he'd "clock off" as it were and then find his place of work.

"Welcome to the National Museum of Fine Art," a volunteer greeted him. "Would you care for a tour or information regarding the exhibits?"


"Uh, Thank you Agent. I'll find the documents and fax them over, I'll let you know when we do." and with that the phone on the other end hung up.

Once it was clear for Nicola that the call had ended she asked the Agent."Is there a cafe or something where I can go and get a coffee while I wait?"

"Yes, there is an internet cafe right there," the Agent pointed helpfully. "Someone will find you once your papers have cleared," he explained.

"Yeah, I'm looking for the The Department of Records and Documents." he decided not to give the address of the department as a test.


"Ah, I know that, spot-on," the lad said, leading the way to his cab, a 90's Nissan Sentra. "It's in the archival district, c'mon."

Not being used to having choice in her diet and the demeanour of the waitress unnerved Maria and made her panic. She quickly browsed through the menu and chose the first thing she saw.

"The Head of Fattest Pig with special sauce," replied Maria.

OOC: Well you might not get quite you expect...

Angel and Jessica both ordered as well, Angel had some kind of chicken dish... No idea what it was and Jessica had some beef. They were both thinking that there couldn't be too much problem with either order...

--- 10 minutes later ---

Their order was ready, three plates Maria's was litterally a aft pig's head. With eyes and everything still inside it was roasted and the skin turned into a sort of crackling. It made it hard to open, but the pork (and pig brains) inside way well make up for it.

Meanwhile the chcken dish was basically the head chopped of and the whole deep fried. Angel looked shocked at her friends sure she looked after plucking and getting the chickens ready to be eaten but there was a disjoint between the preperation and the actual food.She didn't know what to make of it.

Where the beef, was basically a big lump of meat cooked just so the outside looked nice but the inside was basically raw.


Sam smiled back at him. "Let's see. If I were dumb, we would have been in the opposite situation of which we are now. If I were part of the conspiracy, you would have been caught by police instead of by me. That leaves us with... crazy. Guess what, you're upside down with your head in a toilet! And I'm going to keep flushing the piece of shit you are until you stop talking crap."

Cold water gushed over the face of the man.

A door opened and closed. A second or two later an angry female voice said "Sam! I understand you're angry about what his organization does, but he's not going to be useful if you drown him."

"We've got to get him to talk somehow."

"Yes but not this way. What if he's forced to work for them?"

"... Er. He did say something along those lines. Guess I'll go for a walk."

"Yes, you do that. Guys, put him right side up."

He could see the room now, a bathroom in an office building that could be anywhere. The woman was quite good looking, probably in her late 30s or early 40s. She dried his face with a towel. "Sam can be such an angry idiot, why haven't we fired him yet?" She shook her head.

"Hi. My name is Anne. I have a simple deal for you: you tell us what we want to know, and we give you a new identity, a new nationality, and the protection of the sneakiest organization in the world. How does that sound?"


"The only thing I hate more than my bosses... are religious wackjobs... and I'm scared of my bosses and not you. Does that answer your question?" The question was dripping with sarcasm, and he didn't directly address the question that was posed to him. He was obviously hostile to religion as a concept, but it was also perhaps the first time he had looked it right in the face.

He stared Anne down expecting her to respond react to what he had said.

ooc: sorry for not posting. it's because i have a lot on my plate atm. still, very sorry

ic:



The door burst open and two darkened figures wrested Ian to the ground roughly, chair and all. They grabbed his head and wretched it to examine him. They revealed it to the mirror.

"You're not who you say you are...are you?" the Voice asked menacingly. "We don't like being lied to..."

The face of 'innocent' Ian turned sharply into a twisted snarl, which chuckled. "All this it was all for Daniel anyway... making him feel as he had someone to talk to, confide in... The Idiot really believed Huh. When you picked me up, you seemed to really believe I was Ian. I thought I might continue to game just that little bit longer. Frankly, I'm a bit surprised you didn't realise sooner." he started cackling as an evil madman. A glint in his eye showed that he enjoyed the game. His laughter died down... "Let me guess, you interrogated his family until you found something that didn't quite add up. Tell me what it was... and I'll tell you who I really am."

His twisted, evil smile grew wider as he looked at the shapes... "Something to do with the back.. or neck. A Tatoo maybe... they didn't get me a decent photo of his back."



"Welcome to the National Museum of Fine Art," a volunteer greeted him. "Would you care for a tour or information regarding the exhibits?"


"No, thanks, but I'm fine. I prefer to get my first look without knowing anything about... free to see things without any direction or leading." He smiled briefly at the volunteer. "Though I might get a map, so I don't get lost, if I could."

After dealing with the Volunteer he wondered around the museum of Fine Arts. Looking at the paintings, but also looking looking for someone who might be a curator of this fine establishment.


"Yes, there is an internet cafe right there," the Agent pointed helpfully. "Someone will find you once your papers have cleared," he explained.


She knew no one had the papers for her, it was big gambit... though it seemed to be all falling into place. After ordering a coffee she logged into one of the computers there and started to confirm information about the village, where she was supposedly going for a meeting. There had been meeting, she had already set up a conflict between her and the office and it could very easily look like a office beacracy mess-up. She looked at her watch... 20 minutes had passed since left the guard. Having finished her coffee she ordered another one and pulled out a book starting to read... She checked the time again, still abit more. and read abit.

After a total of almost exactly 35 minutes since leaving the guard she recieved a phone call from her office again. "What do you mean... You can't find it?" she almost yelled down the line. "Wha...you mean... " she breathed heavily half-sighing and planted her forehead into a hand that had been reaised to near her forehead... essentially facepalming. "Look this had been planned for weeks... I couldn't go to see my own neice being born because this born."

"Hmmm... Yeah, well stuff you... everything's already paid... the return flight IS NON-REFUNDABLE, thank you cost cutting accounting. I'm going to make the best of it... alright."

A minute later 'the office' rang the appropriate num,ber and informed them that a paperwork mishap had occured and it seemed that they didn't have the proper paperwork for this, however they also informed them that Nicola needed to talk with someone about what was happening.



"Ah, I know that, spot-on," the lad said, leading the way to his cab, a 90's Nissan Sentra. "It's in the archival district, c'mon."

Having entered the Taxi it took him right to the door, paying the fare and a slightly yet not over the top generous tip. He left...

He had a name, he just needed to find it... and the Government of the Commonwealth would help him do so. He approached the front door of the building, looking for any guards or archivists, for hoops that he'd have to jump through before gaining entry.

"The only thing I hate more than my bosses... are religious wackjobs... and I'm scared of my bosses and not you. Does that answer your question?" The question was dripping with sarcasm, and he didn't directly address the question that was posed to him. He was obviously hostile to religion as a concept, but it was also perhaps the first time he had looked it right in the face.

He stared Anne down expecting her to respond react to what he had said.

Anne smiled at him - the friendly gentle smile of someone who is impossible to offend. She knew that response might be infuriating, and the amusement from being annoying was exactly what made her able to act as friendly as she did.

"So you prefer a short life working for people you are afraid of over a long life in which you will occasionally have to deal with people you dislike. How interesting... But not very smart. You see, when people are obviously playing 'good cop, bad cop' with you, the smart thing to do is to make the 'good' one believe you're cooperating with her, even when you're not. But you, you just told me that scaring you is the only way to make you cooperate." She shook her head. "Bad idea. What shall I do now? Bring back Sam? Naww... I think I'll just explain your situation to you. But first..."

She put a piece of duct tape over his mouth.

"The way I see it, innocent people are getting killed by your organization. I have something that might make it possible to stop it - you. As long as I don't make use of that possibility, that makes me share some of the responsibility for those deaths. Not as much as it is your responsibility, of course, but still. The thing is, unlike you, I don't like it. Let me show you why... (Guys, put him back where Sam put him)."

He was back upside down in the toilet.

"I imagine the first thing you guys do when butchering a human being is to remove the blood..." Anne used a swiss army knife to make a cut in his neck, exactly in the bruise where he had been stabbed with the needle. "Well, after you kill them, of course, but I can't do that cause dead people don't talk. Alright, I'll give you some time to think while you listen to the drip-drip-drip of your own blood. Don't try any funny stuff, there is someone watching you."

She switched off the light as she walked out of the room.

--- a while later ---

The lights went back on, both Sam and Anne returned. The man was put upright and his wound was treated. Anne removed the tape from his mouth.

"Would you like to talk now, or shall I walk you through the next steps of changing a human into bits of meat? Or perhaps you would like to know what Sam has in mind?" Anne still smiled, as if she was suggesting different flavors of tea to a friend.

OOC: Well you might not get quite you expect...

Angel and Jessica both ordered as well, Angel had some kind of chicken dish... No idea what it was and Jessica had some beef. They were both thinking that there couldn't be too much problem with either order...

--- 10 minutes later ---

Their order was ready, three plates Maria's was litterally a aft pig's head. With eyes and everything still inside it was roasted and the skin turned into a sort of crackling. It made it hard to open, but the pork (and pig brains) inside way well make up for it.

Meanwhile the chcken dish was basically the head chopped of and the whole deep fried. Angel looked shocked at her friends sure she looked after plucking and getting the chickens ready to be eaten but there was a disjoint between the preperation and the actual food.She didn't know what to make of it.

Where the beef, was basically a big lump of meat cooked just so the outside looked nice but the inside was basically raw.

OOC: Righto lol

IC: After trying for a few minutes, Maria finally managed to get to the meat. Having not eaten for hours, anything, even offal, tasted delicious in her mouth.

After everyone finished off their meals, she relaxed for a moment, before pointing to the door.

"Let's go," Maria said to the other girls, standing up and walking off, not aware that the culture in the Central Authority, and the culture up in the real world were totally different, especially in regard to the requirement for the distribution of food.

The face of 'innocent' Ian turned sharply into a twisted snarl, which chuckled. "All this it was all for Daniel anyway... making him feel as he had someone to talk to, confide in... The Idiot really believed Huh. When you picked me up, you seemed to really believe I was Ian. I thought I might continue to game just that little bit longer. Frankly, I'm a bit surprised you didn't realise sooner." he started cackling as an evil madman. A glint in his eye showed that he enjoyed the game. His laughter died down... "Let me guess, you interrogated his family until you found something that didn't quite add up. Tell me what it was... and I'll tell you who I really am."

His twisted, evil smile grew wider as he looked at the shapes... "Something to do with the back.. or neck. A Tatoo maybe... they didn't get me a decent photo of his back."

"We don't really require you're cooperation," the Voice said as a needle was stuck into 'Ian's' neck. The agent pushed down the plunger. "We'll get all we need in the next few minutes..."


"No, thanks, but I'm fine. I prefer to get my first look without knowing anything about... free to see things without any direction or leading." He smiled briefly at the volunteer. "Though I might get a map, so I don't get lost, if I could."

After dealing with the Volunteer he wondered around the museum of Fine Arts. Looking at the paintings, but also looking looking for someone who might be a curator of this fine establishment.

Dr. Nova Satorini, curator for the National Museum, was perusing the latest exhibit. Unlike most academics, she was very hands-on, fond of mingling with the museum's patrons and listening to their idle conversation. She insisted it made it easier to make the next exhibition. Looking around, she saw one man who stood apart from the others.

"Like this one?" she asked idly, pretending to be a regular museum patron. "It's a Van Gogh...on loan to the museum, y'know."

She knew no one had the papers for her, it was big gambit... though it seemed to be all falling into place. After ordering a coffee she logged into one of the computers there and started to confirm information about the village, where she was supposedly going for a meeting. There had been meeting, she had already set up a conflict between her and the office and it could very easily look like a office beacracy mess-up. She looked at her watch... 20 minutes had passed since left the guard. Having finished her coffee she ordered another one and pulled out a book starting to read... She checked the time again, still abit more. and read abit.

After a total of almost exactly 35 minutes since leaving the guard she recieved a phone call from her office again. "What do you mean... You can't find it?" she almost yelled down the line. "Wha...you mean... " she breathed heavily half-sighing and planted her forehead into a hand that had been reaised to near her forehead... essentially facepalming. "Look this had been planned for weeks... I couldn't go to see my own neice being born because this born."

"Hmmm... Yeah, well stuff you... everything's already paid... the return flight IS NON-REFUNDABLE, thank you cost cutting accounting. I'm going to make the best of it... alright."

A minute later 'the office' rang the appropriate num,ber and informed them that a paperwork mishap had occured and it seemed that they didn't have the proper paperwork for this, however they also informed them that Nicola needed to talk with someone about what was happening.

"This is quite a bind," the Agent told her office. "The only thing I can think of is temporary travel papers," he informed them. "Of course, she'd only be allowed in on official business, and any deviation; ie. somewhere where she doesn't need to be, she can be detained. She'd have to go straight away to the Trade Bureau..."


Having entered the Taxi it took him right to the door, paying the fare and a slightly yet not over the top generous tip. He left...

He had a name, he just needed to find it... and the Government of the Commonwealth would help him do so. He approached the front door of the building, looking for any guards or archivists, for hoops that he'd have to jump through before gaining entry.

The Department of Records was surprisingly quiet today, with only a few people in que to be called upon. The sign said to take a number and wait for the next available archivist. There was only one guard, and he seemed less than interested in his job.

Anne smiled at him - the friendly gentle smile of someone who is impossible to offend. She knew that response might be infuriating, and the amusement from being annoying was exactly what made her able to act as friendly as she did.

"So you prefer a short life working for people you are afraid of over a long life in which you will occasionally have to deal with people you dislike. How interesting... But not very smart. You see, when people are obviously playing 'good cop, bad cop' with you, the smart thing to do is to make the 'good' one believe you're cooperating with her, even when you're not. But you, you just told me that scaring you is the only way to make you cooperate." She shook her head. "Bad idea. What shall I do now? Bring back Sam? Naww... I think I'll just explain your situation to you. But first..."

She put a piece of duct tape over his mouth.

"The way I see it, innocent people are getting killed by your organization. I have something that might make it possible to stop it - you. As long as I don't make use of that possibility, that makes me share some of the responsibility for those deaths. Not as much as it is your responsibility, of course, but still. The thing is, unlike you, I don't like it. Let me show you why... (Guys, put him back where Sam put him)."

He was back upside down in the toilet.

"I imagine the first thing you guys do when butchering a human being is to remove the blood..." Anne used a swiss army knife to make a cut in his neck, exactly in the bruise where he had been stabbed with the needle. "Well, after you kill them, of course, but I can't do that cause dead people don't talk. Alright, I'll give you some time to think while you listen to the drip-drip-drip of your own blood. Don't try any funny stuff, there is someone watching you."

She switched off the light as she walked out of the room.

--- a while later ---

The lights went back on, both Sam and Anne returned. The man was put upright and his wound was treated. Anne removed the tape from his mouth.

"Would you like to talk now, or shall I walk you through the next steps of changing a human into bits of meat? Or perhaps you would like to know what Sam has in mind?" Anne still smiled, as if she was suggesting different flavors of tea to a friend.

He snarled at both of them. "What a joke. You say you bring peace and all religious hooey... and this is how you act? Hah... You're no better than us your imaginary sky friend's into some kinky stuff for prudes like you."

They had confirmed all of the indoctination and quite unflattering things of religion that his society had, and now he was enboldene, he knew is fate. He was going to die... eventually. But what is life without a little ... pain?



IC: After trying for a few minutes, Maria finally managed to get to the meat. Having not eaten for hours, anything, even offal, tasted delicious in her mouth.

After everyone finished off their meals, she relaxed for a moment, before pointing to the door.

"Let's go," Maria said to the other girls, standing up and walking off, not aware that the culture in the Central Authority, and the culture up in the real world were totally different, especially in regard to the requirement for the distribution of food.

There were people who were looking out for this sort of thing. It was certainly not the firsttime people had tried to skip out without paying and it certainly won't be the last. They came from the street... 2 women. Pretending to be entering as patrons... until they both suddenly hit. One hit Angel hard and with a quick follow up blow she stumbled backwards falling over. The same happened to Jessica, only Maria was left as the two women faced her off.

"So... How are you going to pay for what you just ate?" one asked as they both smiled at Maria with a creepy smile. As if they were going to enjoy beating her up.
"We don't really require you're cooperation," the Voice said as a needle was stuck into 'Ian's' neck. The agent pushed down the plunger. "We'll get all we need in the next few minutes..."


He let out a loud annoyed gravely roar... "Truth Serum... how original." He gritted his teeth as contorted his face is if he could force the serum out of his blood stream and out through his pores. Though it wasn't working... whatever it was it was taking effect.

Dr. Nova Satorini, curator for the National Museum, was perusing the latest exhibit. Unlike most academics, she was very hands-on, fond of mingling with the museum's patrons and listening to their idle conversation. She insisted it made it easier to make the next exhibition. Looking around, she saw one man who stood apart from the others.

"Like this one?" she asked idly, pretending to be a regular museum patron. "It's a Van Gogh...on loan to the museum, y'know."

Bridge at Arles, (1888) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vincent_Van_Gogh_0014.jpg)

"Oh, yes... I like the form of his subject. He's finding beauty in the mundane. A bridge who's only thought by those that built it was it's function, in it self turned out to be a wonderfully elegant and beautiful piece of art in it's own right."

"This is quite a bind," the Agent told her office. "The only thing I can think of is temporary travel papers," he informed them. "Of course, she'd only be allowed in on official business, and any deviation; ie. somewhere where she doesn't need to be, she can be detained. She'd have to go straight away to the Trade Bureau..."


"I'll need to get things organised with my people on the ground.. but that seems acceptible. I'll ring back in a few minutes after I've spoken to her."

The call finished and moments later Nicola's cell phone rang. She didn't even need to look at the caller ID she knew who it was.

"So what's going on?" she had calmed down but there was still a slight undertone of hostility. She was tired from the trip and just wanted to get into her hotel room. Well, that's what she was pretending to be like.

"We need you to go down the Trade Bureau, straight awway and organise some temporary travel papers.. and well, you'd only be allowed on 'official' business."

"Wait... go down to the Trade Bureau... wait in line for who knows how long... Finally get to my hotel. Sleep head to the meeting... and what? Just stay in my room all day? You promised I'd have some time to do touristy stuff."

"I'm sorry, but it's the only thing we can do. They're quite strict on immigration laws."

"No, the thing that you should of done was get the damned paperwork in order... I mean was the idiot... Bah, It doesn't matter... What does is that I'm sick incompetent management... This is the last straw... I'm quiting... "

She hung up the phone and waited knots where in her stomach as she decided to go and find someone try and make a deal.

The office rang up and informed them that Nicola was now no longer working for them and she is now only a private citizen.

The Department of Records was surprisingly quiet today, with only a few people in que to be called upon. The sign said to take a number and wait for the next available archivist. There was only one guard, and he seemed less than interested in his job.

He got a ticket with the number on it and sat down and just waited... It did seem a bit easy...

He snarled at both of them. "What a joke. You say you bring peace and all religious hooey... and this is how you act? Hah... You're no better than us your imaginary sky friend's into some kinky stuff for prudes like you."

They had confirmed all of the indoctination and quite unflattering things of religion that his society had, and now he was enboldene, he knew is fate. He was going to die... eventually. But what is life without a little ... pain?

Sam laughed. "Bring peace? Us? Who ever gave you that silly idea? We have always been at war. So far the only thing we've done was trying to make sure we are left alone. We have ignored all the human rights violations we've noticed happening around us, as long as they didn't happen to our members. We don't believe we can make the world better for everyone, keeping it safe for ourselves is keeping us too busy. But you crossed a line. You kill other people, not as a last resort to defend yourself, but to sell them as food. And yet you think you act as moral as we do. My friends and me may believe some strange things, but I have never met someone as delusional as you."

"Listen," said Anne, "I gave you a chance to help end the injustice you have been participating in, and get away with it without getting hurt. But you told us the only way to make you cooperate is to make you more scared of us than of your bosses. Fine, then we'll do that. Don't blame us, you're doing it to yourself. And you know what's the worst thing of all? We're allowed to do anything you ask in return for your help, but we're not allowed to kill you. And the way you're playing your game, you're soon going to wish you were dead."

She turned to Sam. "Do you know anything about butchering?"

"Not really."

"Any idea what is done after removing the blood?"

"Ummm... Remove the guts?"

"I guess... Hmm maybe we should let the doc take over from here, I'm not sure if I can show his insides to him without killing him or causing an infection that will eventually kill him."

Anne sighed, then said to the man "If I were you I would ask for money in addition to the new identity, instead of asking us to hurt you. Unless I was protecting something sacred, then I would do exactly the same thing as you're doing now. Is killing innocents and selling them as food sacred to you?"

There were people who were looking out for this sort of thing. It was certainly not the firsttime people had tried to skip out without paying and it certainly won't be the last. They came from the street... 2 women. Pretending to be entering as patrons... until they both suddenly hit. One hit Angel hard and with a quick follow up blow she stumbled backwards falling over. The same happened to Jessica, only Maria was left as the two women faced her off.

"So... How are you going to pay for what you just ate?" one asked as they both smiled at Maria with a creepy smile. As if they were going to enjoy beating her up.



"What the fuck!" Maria exclaimed as she saw Angel and Jessica both fell to the ground. "What's a pay? h?ow do we pay. I'm so so sorry, I'm not from here," she stuttered, still struggling to comprehend what was going on.

bump

bump

He let out a loud annoyed gravely roar... "Truth Serum... how original." He gritted his teeth as contorted his face is if he could force the serum out of his blood stream and out through his pores. Though it wasn't working... whatever it was it was taking effect.

"Shh-shh," the distorted Voice said, "It'll be alright. And if you tell us what we want, maybe you'll get out."

Bridge at Arles, (1888) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vincent_Van_Gogh_0014.jpg)

"Oh, yes... I like the form of his subject. He's finding beauty in the mundane. A bridge who's only thought by those that built it was it's function, in it self turned out to be a wonderfully elegant and beautiful piece of art in it's own right."

"We have quite a few works of his over in the European wing if you're interested," Nova informed him. "By the way, I'm Dr. Nova Satorini, curator of this museum," she introduced herself.

"I'll need to get things organised with my people on the ground.. but that seems acceptible. I'll ring back in a few minutes after I've spoken to her."

The call finished and moments later Nicola's cell phone rang. She didn't even need to look at the caller ID she knew who it was.

"So what's going on?" she had calmed down but there was still a slight undertone of hostility. She was tired from the trip and just wanted to get into her hotel room. Well, that's what she was pretending to be like.

"We need you to go down the Trade Bureau, straight awway and organise some temporary travel papers.. and well, you'd only be allowed on 'official' business."

"Wait... go down to the Trade Bureau... wait in line for who knows how long... Finally get to my hotel. Sleep head to the meeting... and what? Just stay in my room all day? You promised I'd have some time to do touristy stuff."

"I'm sorry, but it's the only thing we can do. They're quite strict on immigration laws."

"No, the thing that you should of done was get the damned paperwork in order... I mean was the idiot... Bah, It doesn't matter... What does is that I'm sick incompetent management... This is the last straw... I'm quiting... "

She hung up the phone and waited knots where in her stomach as she decided to go and find someone try and make a deal.

The office rang up and informed them that Nicola was now no longer working for them and she is now only a private citizen.

"Well, all right. Does she still have a regular travel Visa with her?" the Agent on the phone asked.

ooc: yes, she does.

He got a ticket with the number on it and sat down and just waited... It did seem a bit easy...

After a short wait of around 15-20 minutes, an office worker at one of the booths finally called his number.

Sam laughed. "Bring peace? Us? Who ever gave you that silly idea? We have always been at war. So far the only thing we've done was trying to make sure we are left alone. We have ignored all the human rights violations we've noticed happening around us, as long as they didn't happen to our members. We don't believe we can make the world better for everyone, keeping it safe for ourselves is keeping us too busy. But you crossed a line. You kill other people, not as a last resort to defend yourself, but to sell them as food. And yet you think you act as moral as we do. My friends and me may believe some strange things, but I have never met someone as delusional as you."

"Listen," said Anne, "I gave you a chance to help end the injustice you have been participating in, and get away with it without getting hurt. But you told us the only way to make you cooperate is to make you more scared of us than of your bosses. Fine, then we'll do that. Don't blame us, you're doing it to yourself. And you know what's the worst thing of all? We're allowed to do anything you ask in return for your help, but we're not allowed to kill you. And the way you're playing your game, you're soon going to wish you were dead."

She turned to Sam. "Do you know anything about butchering?"

"Not really."

"Any idea what is done after removing the blood?"

"Ummm... Remove the guts?"

"I guess... Hmm maybe we should let the doc take over from here, I'm not sure if I can show his insides to him without killing him or causing an infection that will eventually kill him."

Anne sighed, then said to the man "If I were you I would ask for money in addition to the new identity, instead of asking us to hurt you. Unless I was protecting something sacred, then I would do exactly the same thing as you're doing now. Is killing innocents and selling them as food sacred to you?"

"Innocents? no human is innocent. If you look out their it's a dog eat dog world. You're struggling to survive just like everyone else. To survive we all act like the animals we are. We do the things we do to survive, at others expense. One thing we do is eat other animals, it's done throughout the animal kingdom, evening eating their own species such as the Female black widow spider or various male rodents who eat their own male offspring so as not to let them challenge the Sire's dominance. Humans are as animals just as much as cattle or dogs or chickens. So why shouldn't we? why should we adhere to this specific set of Morals, just because you don't like it? Go and **** yourself!"
"What the fuck!" Maria exclaimed as she saw Angel and Jessica both fell to the ground. "What's a pay? h?ow do we pay. I'm so so sorry, I'm not from here," she stuttered, still struggling to comprehend what was going on.

The two 'guards' just smiled at Maria, though it wasn't a friendly smile, it had a sense of malevolence to it that was just so unfamiliar to all of her experience. Angel and Jessica started to get back on their feet.

"You ate our food, now you have to give us something back in return, now normally you'd give us money. But I guess you don't know what that is, come with me and we'll find an alternative arrangement."

2 others were approaching from behind, they still had some time to react until they reached and if wanted to run for it, they'd have to do it quickly.

"Shh-shh," the distorted Voice said, "It'll be alright. And if you tell us what we want, maybe you'll get out."

He raised his lip in utter contempt for the voice but he kept quiet as the drugs entered his system and started to do their work. About 6 minutes later he was under the full effect of the drug and ready to answer any questions.


"We have quite a few works of his over in the European wing if you're interested," Nova informed him. "By the way, I'm Dr. Nova Satorini, curator of this museum," she introduced herself.


"I'm more interested in important national works, such as imagery of rulers, major military victories/defeats, anything along those lines. My names Damien Fortescue. I'm very interested in Art and it's role in recording history."

He extended his hand to shake the Curator's hand


"Well, all right. Does she still have a regular travel Visa with her?" the Agent on the phone asked.

ooc: yes, she does.


"Uh, Yes, I'm sure she does." the man didn't seem to be so sure in the tone of his voice. Though indeed he knew she did. That was the whole plan to come as a business rep, have this mix up, and then be a tourist for 3 days that had no tourist plans so that she literally could make decisions on the spur of the moment.

"I'd get her to come back, but to be honest... I'm glad for her to be out of my hair for a while. Well, thank you for being understanding. I'm sorry about all this."

After waiting for a response if any came, he'd hung up. There, done as good it seemed to be going as planned. Authorities are usually good about these things if you're up front and not trying to hide anything. Though it was a double bluff.


After a short wait of around 15-20 minutes, an office worker at one of the booths finally called his number.

He went to the booth that called him. He gave the name of the Great Grandfather of his target."I'm looking for any information about any living relatives you might have.

"Innocents? no human is innocent. If you look out their it's a dog eat dog world. You're struggling to survive just like everyone else. To survive we all act like the animals we are. We do the things we do to survive, at others expense. One thing we do is eat other animals, it's done throughout the animal kingdom, evening eating their own species such as the Female black widow spider or various male rodents who eat their own male offspring so as not to let them challenge the Sire's dominance. Humans are as animals just as much as cattle or dogs or chickens. So why shouldn't we? why should we adhere to this specific set of Morals, just because you don't like it? Go and **** yourself!"

Sam smirked. "I'll go along with that logic. Animals like rewards and fear pain. We're the ones handing out the rewards and punishments here, so you should do what we want. Or you could face the consequences, but that would mean you're more than an animal after all."

Anne nodded in agreement. "So either you act like an animal, and try to avoid being cut into little bits by helping us, or you act like a human, remember your sense of morality, and help us." She turned around. "I'm going to fetch the doc, you've got about half an hour to decide for which of the two reasons he's not going to cut you up, or else he will. See ya."