Some things never change(CLOSED)

[Alfegos]

"Target in sight. Target is DOWN. Alert medical."
The message crackled over Xha'ki's earpiece as he swung inwards, covering the arc from his left to the axis of advance, Pavel doing the same on his side. Clean, clinical, almost perfect. His bayonet glistened with blood, having already been used to finish the spluttering corpse left behind in Pavel's terrifying rampage, and sweat made his skin glisten. Just as he bounded forwards from cover in search of their target, a burst of gunfire crackled across the compound. He reflexively fired off a double tap and zigzagged into cover, hitting the deck as white, searing pain washed over him. He let out a yell as he rolled across, hand resting on where a round had missed the plates in his armour and buried in his side. Hand putting pressure on the bleed, he drew his pistol from the front of his body armour, firing off a few shots in the direction of the enemy, before dropping it back down.
"Pavel, I'm hit!" He paused, thinking back to the man's earlier shouts. The phraseology was strange, but he knew it would get the reaction needed.
"Pavel, liquidate the rest of the compound!"
He reached around, fumbling for his first aid pack, as he watched blood continue to run out in his hands. He didn't know quite what damage the round had done, other than it still sitting inside him somewhere - the bastard thing hadn't come out the other side. Reaching in with his spare hand, he dragged out the gauze, leaving the pack on his chest as he ripped the side of his armour open. The aerofibre inner padding, thankfully, had taken most of the bullet's energy away, and the round had penetrated but a short way into his abdomenal muscle. Not to say it didn't take the greatest part of his energy to fight the white haze of pain and light-headedness that came with the injury, as he forced the gauze into the hole. As he looked down, he noticed the two new holes over the plate in the armour now doubtlessly crazed and ruined, noting he was lucky as he continued his work. The gauze was coated in celox shellfish extract and within seconds he saw the blood flow ceasing. Packing yet more of the gauze in weakly, he then moved for the bandage, trying to apply the pressure necessary as strength flowed from him. Happy the work was done, he fired off a morphine pen into his leg, leaving the pen on the floor with the rest of the medical waste as he tried to force himself back up.

Pavel, it seemed, had dealt with the enemy - all he needed to hear was the scream of a man lifted bodily off the ground by the crazed soldier, bayonet shining in the sunlight through the skewered man's back, to know that the nearest threat was dealt with. Using his rifle as a walking stick, he forced himself up, before almost collapsing under the weight he was carrying. He was injured, and badly, but at least he had some of his wits about him still, as he dumped his patrol pack on the ground - all he needed now was in the body armour that hung like an apron over him. Dragging himself over to where he heard a moaning, he saw exactly who their target was, smiling to himself.
"Niko I presume?" He smiled, recognising the man from the photos, as he moved over to the badly savaged man. Surprisingly enough, he was still conscious, despite the trail of blood behind him. Happy his trauma pack still dangled around his neck, he got to work in his blood-deprived state, drills taking over.

"Alexi, this is Xha'ki. SITREP, over."
The communications weren't as secure as he would've liked, but to hell with it - the cavalry would be arriving any moment soon.
"Alexi, I have secured the target and am currently stabilising and packaging the target for Medevac. I have been injured, and will require medical treatment on arrival of EVAC. Pavel is engaging the remaining enemy." He paused as he heard the panicked yell of a man running, followed by a loud yell and a gurgling moan. It stopped with a single gunshot. "I want you to move position to the West side of the compound, flanking through the woods about 100 metres in1, and secure us a regroup position off the objective. I want you to get an ETA for our ride out of here. Roger so far, over?" He continued with his work on the casaulty, now the wounds were exposed - the man would, it seemed, be unable to walk for years. His kneecaps had been shredded, and were it not for the man's own common sense he would have bled to death from his popliteal arteries. The man had put tourniquets on, it seemed - those were soon replaced by two CAT torniquets, tightned until the near unconscious man screamed.
"It's for your own good Niko - if you can feel this, you're still alive!"
He pulled the tourniquet one notch tighter, the man now sobbing, before applying gauze and bandage to the man's shredded legs. He kept an eye on the man - very little blood left, it seemed. Did he give this man the saline drip he had on him, or did Vasquez need that one saline drip he carried? He made the decision himself, looking for a vein on the man's arm - none. The man's legs? None. He reached back into the kit, looking for the device he knew he would have had to use at some point, and prepared it. A small-ish looking olive green tube, like some kind of autoinjector, which placed over the man's left upper arm. Finding the head of the man's humerus from the muscle locations, he pushed down, making a final check on a small twisting gauge, before removing a safety pin. The crack of the srping firing a needle straight through the man's bone and into the marrow within was sickening, and was rewarded with yet another moan of agony from his patient.
"If you didn't like that Niko, this bit's going to be worse." He fumbled around, attempting to lock the drip line into the exposed needle head, eventually locking the tube in to yet more moans of pain from his casualty. Attaching a syringe to the drip bag, he drew out fluid, before inserting the needle into a small airlock in the line.
"For what is about to happen Niko, I am really, really sorry." He was slurring his words now, but was still thinking relatively clearly. He nodded, hoping the man wouldn't pass out, as he flushed the IO line out.

The reaction was immediate - in flushing out the line, to allow the saline to start filling the man's circulation, the fluid had a habit of backwashing through the hole and under the lining of the bone - a feeling, he knew, that was possibly worse than any wound an enemy could inflict on him. The man didn't even scream, instead every muscle locking in pain, his teeth almost cracking as they ground together, before he subsided into semi-consciousness. He quickly fired the antibiotic shot into the man's system, leaving the morphine for now, before checking on any other injury. Rolling the man onto his side and clearing his mouth, he sat back exhausted. Blood was still slowly soaking from him, and he was still reeling from the shock of the injury. Despite the morphine he had fired into his system, the pain was still present, and that combined with the opiates and the physical exertion made him vomit.
"Pavel, I need you back here, right now, to get this casualty out. I can't carry him." He took out a pen, scribbling notes onto the man's medical report, before taping it to the man's chest - just like with the Captain. He quickly wrote one for himself, chucking at how peverse it was for the medic to be treating himself, forcing it into his body armour.

"Pavel, just pop smoke and go back the way we entered. I'll cover you." He leant his exhausted body against the ruined building they were by, resting his rifle to look out over the area. He could hear fighting still, though was becoming less and less aware of what was happening... no, he suddenly snapped back into an alert reality, taking a swig of water as he focused out over the area, gunshots coming into focus. There was fighting to his north - towards where his fire support and Alexi were - he hoped they had listened and extracted. To his east, Pavel should have been running back to help him. He sat back and waited, trying to gather what little strength he had left.

[Fayt2]

alex snarled over the radio ''damn im hit he took a round in his shoulder but targets liquidated status of objective?''

[Mokastana]

There was something about hearing Niko scream in pain, even if the Mercanaries were treating him, that made Ricardo smile. He had sat in his building listening to what was left of his men die. Fighting was losing cause, the artillery had made that clear and the distant roar of helicopter gunships meant that his men would be overrun. One clip left in his P90, a suicide switch and no exit plan. Yep, this was not according to plan, not at all. Here he sat against a wall, just outside that wall was a few feet to the building where the Fegosian worked to keep Niko alive. He listened over the screams for the gas mask warrior to leave, cruel efficient and monstrous. Not even the Wild Man of the South was this cruel. Of course, that was legend, this Gas Mask monster was real, and here. Heaven knows where it came from, but it did not show well on the group he was fighting.

Finally the Gas Mask Warrior was ordered away to pop smoke to get the back up here. If he was going to make a move it was time. Without coming out of hiding he spoke up, loud enough for the enemy soldier to hear, seeing as Niko had passed out from the pain. He didn't know that the Fegosian was badly wounded, but he spoke up anyways.

"Well, Fego, it looks like you caught us with our pants down. Must have been hiking it since before the attack even began. Don't bother, I will come out in a minute, once I know that the Masked warrior and you won't shoot me. Of course, I have a suicide switch, so that wouldn't end well for either of us. You going to shoot or shall we talk?"

[Alfegos]

(OOC - "All callsigns, this is Foxtrot-Zero, do you receive men, over?")

The Fegosian medic cursed to himself as the man started speaking. What was it now? With Pavel nowhere in sight, probably chasing the routing enemy into the depths of the forest, it was just him and a radio. The words slowly sunk in as he drew his pistol and combat tool, leaving the beastly weapon propped against the rubble as his patient lay back almost comatose, murmuring gibberish to himself.

The hidden voice was claiming it had a suicide switch? So what? Was the man wearing a suicide vest, or in true cinema villain fashion had he spent the effort to rig up the compound with high explosives?
"OK, I won't shoot you, if you do exactly what I say. And that is to come out, hands on your head, detonator control where I can see it. I honestly don't care if this place goes up in flames, but I'm pretty sure you don't want to blow yourself sky high just yet."
He coughed, using the wall to pull himself up, before resting the handgun in the direction of the man's voice. Just in case, he let a grenade roll from its pouch into his hand, pushing his finger through the ring pull and letting it hang. He smiled to himself as he waited.

[Fayt2]

fenix got on the radio ''sir whats your status i could use a fucking combat medic over here'' he snarled damn p-90s the former federeartion spec ops sniper pushed himself to his feet muttering to himself ''pain is good soldier it means your still alive get off your ass and do your job'' he holstred his rifle and pulled out his side arm using his one good arm

[Hurtful Thoughts]

Alexi continued to use the largest tree-stumps and boulders for cover as she watched as the assistant-sniper take a few hits and scream into his mike for assistance... so much for his nationalist-pride in that armor he wore... which apparently couldn't take a 5.7mm to the shoulder-pauldron very well at all...

Meanwhile, with 'the rebbies' closing-in on them and the other mercenaries, and things being neatly wrapped-up with casualty evacuation ready to proceed.

Whilst threat-scanning, she pumped a few stripper-clips of 7.62x54R into her assault-rifle before backtracking to captain Romeo with the knowledge that Alex could still walk, talk, and defend himself.

"Uh, we could use that casvac sometime today, sir." she breathed into the radio-phone whilst hefting the semi-awake captain against her shoulder

[Fayt2]

Alex was cursing to himself ''fuck'' '' i screwed the pooch on this job damn defender mark 2 reinforced combat armour can't even stop a p 90 when i get home i am replacing all my gear with lryian arms gear''. he had reached his patience limit for shit federal issue gear. he got on the radio ''are we extracting yet? ''i hope that fuck niko is still alive'' he groused over the radio

[Mokastana]

"OK, I won't shoot you, if you do exactly what I say. And that is to come out, hands on your head, detonator control where I can see it. I honestly don't care if this place goes up in flames, but I'm pretty sure you don't want to blow yourself sky high just yet."

"Ah," Ricardo spoke still from hiding, he couldn't let the wounded Merc get the upper hand on him, "You may not care, but your employer probably does. I am sure there is a clause in your contract regarding targets of opportunity. Consider this one a gift. Me. Currently the price tag on my head is $100,000 from the locals and half a million on the Federal level. And it sounds like someone is on the way, all you have to do is escort me to the helicopters."

With that he stepped out slowly from behind the remains of a wall, both hands up but not on his head. The left held the detonator and the right he held the P90 by the optical sight.

"Don't worry, its jammed." Slowly he reached down and set it at his feet."Sign of good faith."

******

The Captain had heard the gunfire and waited, assault rifle up and at the ready. Laying in a cot unable to move was not the way a Mokan soldier was suppose to fight. He heard Fenix get his and scream for a medic, this was going to hell quickly. He recognized the P90s as foreign weapons, these were not the AM-07s he knew as a child. Someone had screwed the pooch in intel, and now he hoped he wouldn't get caught in a firefight in this situation...

Checking his radio he called for Alexi to try and get a SITREP, until he saw her come in through the bushes, grab him and try and move. He worked to help her keeping his weapon up and ready.

"Damn it Alexi, we better not be losing already. "

Above them the Mokan Hinds roared overhead, spraying lead over the forces assaulting the snipers, rockets near the entrance and more bullets further out. Clearly the gunners had practiced for this kind of event and were skilled at their jobs. Loudspeakers roared as the Helicopters began circling above them:

"THIS IS LA POLICIA NACIONAL, EVACUATE THE AREA. SURVIVORS WILL BE ARRESTED. I REPEAT, THIS IS LA POLICIA NACIONAL, EVACUATE THE AREA. SURVIVORS WILL BE ARRESTED."

Minus the Spanish, most of the message was in Aquarian. Whether or not the enemy forces would hear the message over the gunfire would be another matter entirely. Within minutes one of the helicopters lowered near the north end of compound, roped flew out followed soon my men wearing full Dauntless attire in full spectrum camouflage. The other continued to circle and keep an eye out for any enemies who didn't get the hint. Rifles up they descended onto the compound, Alexi's Satellite phone began to ring: "Hello beautiful, I am here to pick you up. You can bring your friends."

It had been a long time since Alberto got a chance to rope down into a combat zone, and the ride was just as fun as he remembered. He noticed his slip in professionalism when he called Alexi, but for the first time in a while, he was back in the element. Eyes up, and no one was around. Looks like Hinds were still angles of death to poor infantry, even if what was once the greatest gift the MBSA got their hands on were now outdated police helicopters. How times change.

Ricardo looked over to see the Federal Agents descend from the helicopters, noticed the Dauntless were not police issue and looked back to the Fegosian Merc in front of him.

"Federal Agents, right here right now, Fego I wonder if we weren't both set up."

[Temnorus]

Pavel shuddered when he received the order to liquidate. Instinctively he barked,

"Compliance."

To an Asset of the Commissariat of Contentment the art of liquidation was eternally more important than the near religious Novaya Bolshevist Ideal and leagues upon leagues higher up the list of priorities than the elusive sense of self. Sheathing his knife, he raced off into the depths of the smoking compound. Mechanically executing every wounded enemy he came upon and methodically eliminating the living pockets of resistance. Pavel lost track of time and instead existed kill to kill. Sucking breath through the filter of his gasmask, his world boiled down to a series of stills; smudged lenses, the distant stink of cordite, and pursuit of the enemy. Blood on the buildings, on the ground, on the corpses, his own body, and then the forest.

Standing over an enemy combatant who could be only seventeen at the most, Pavel emerged from the liquidation triggered haze and became conscious of where he was. The "combatant" was crying, mumbling what were no doubt prayers that alternated with begging for his life. Pavel meanwhile stood over him, affected by a brief wave of vertigo that forced him to take a shaky step back. Claustrophobia swept over him and with a shaking hand he removed his gasmask, the rubberized thing pealing away with an audible smack. Rivulets of sweat dripped down the sides of Pavel's face and instinctively he wiped away the perspiration with the back of his arm.

Softly he said to the whimpering youth,

"Avante cogino."

Despite Italian not being a common language, the youth rose shakily, understanding the Asset's body language more than anything else. A moment of silence passed before Pavel moved to lowering the hand that held the mask. He was struck by the reflection in the lenses. Covered in gore and mud, he appeared more demonic than human and again felt the pull of his prior life tugging at his fragile sense of humanity.

Perhaps sensing the change in temperament, the child-soldier made to run only to tumble over the thick roots of the forest. Pavel turned, again more of a machine than man. Fitting his mask back into place he leveled his rifle and fired a burst of five rounds into the chest of the young man. Standing over the fresh corpse he fitted a fresh clip into his rifle and listened, the distant sound of helicopters filtered in and without a second thought he turned to jog off towards where he thought the compound was.

[Alfegos]

The Fegosian man slowly placed the grenade down, keeping pistol level at the man, as he listened to the sound he had been waiting for – that of the air support they desperately needed. As gunfire and rocketry harassed the few left not dealt with by Pavel, he had to make up his mind as the man in front of him danced his merry dance. He paused as he thought over the man's statement, before remembering a wanted poster he had seen in an FUPF checkpoint.
“In that case, you have a simple choice. Either you disarm that detonator and place it at your feet, and let me search and restrain you. Or, I shoot you. The reward is still valid if we hand you in dead.”

He listened as the men disembarked from their helicopters, shouting orders as they prepared an approach.
“Alexi, this is Xha'ki, alert re-enforcements that the compound is heavily trapped. I say again, the compound is heavily trapped. Do not attempt entry until all clear given. Ensure our casualties are loaded onto helicopter for evacuation. Inform HQ that we have two high value targets awaiting delivery. Acknowledge, over.”

His pistol shook slightly, yet his aim was unwavering, as through a hazy mind memories came back of times just like this, and decisions he had made.
“I work for the federal government, so it's you who's been set up for the fall. Now, am I shooting you, or are you doing what I told you to?”

[Fayt2]

alex raidoed the. 1. i. c ' sir do you need reinforcement i am wounded but 'tis but a flesh wound i can fight but not with my rifle i am stuck to using my , socom

[Mokastana]

“In that case, you have a simple choice. Either you disarm that detonator and place it at your feet, and let me search and restrain you. Or, I shoot you. The reward is still valid if we hand you in dead.”

“Alexi, this is Xha'ki, alert re-enforcements that the compound is heavily trapped. I say again, the compound is heavily trapped. Do not attempt entry until all clear given. Ensure our casualties are loaded onto helicopter for evacuation. Inform HQ that we have two high value targets awaiting delivery. Acknowledge, over.”

“I work for the federal government, so it's you who's been set up for the fall. Now, am I shooting you, or are you doing what I told you to?”

Ricardo could tell the Soldier had had enough games, ready to call it quits. Unfortunately the situation was not as easy as the soldier wished.

"I wish I could disarm the detonator, but due to the model that would require disarming every bomb this is wired to and take up way to much time we don't have. I don't want to die anymore than you but I have had reasons to distrust Mercenaries like yourself in the past, as the man behind you can attest. So here is the situation: You shoot me, Kaboom, we all die no reward. We waste time as everyone bleeds out disarming the bombs, some of us possibly die from exposure or the Blades attack again, we all die. Or, you have your team come and collect us, I am escorted under armed guards to the helicopters, we all leave and the place detonates as the Blades storm the compound again. Your call."

Ricardo looked the man directly in the eye, waiting to hear his response, inside he hoped the Merc didn't want to waste time disarming the bombs, no doubt the Feds would not hang around that long. That or he would feel a bullet tear up his insides before he let loose his grip, blowing up the package next to the wall he had been cowering behind. Wood and glass shrapnel tearing them all three apart. As he waited one hand slowly reached for his ear piece as he spoke again:

"Let me call off my men."

"Anyone still nearby the compound, cease combat and evacuate, surrender to Federal Authorities if you need medical help. No one else is coming for us. I repeat, cease hostile actions against anyone near the compound."

With that both hands stayed in the air, wondering what this Fegosian Merc would do.

[Alfegos]

"Ricardo... isn't it?" The Fegosian mercenary smiled, remembering the poster more clearly. The pain in his abdomen was a dull nagging ache now, and morphine was starting to make him somewhat euphoric. He smiled, as decisions he would have treated with intense cautiousness became more realistic. What was it he had been taught time and time again with the units in the Fegosian Army he had once worked with?
We do no negotiate with terrorists, for they are to be assumed untrustworthy until otherwise proven.
He pushed himself slowly upwards, until he was standing, taking time to make it look like he was more injured than he was. Though he was covered in blood, from both him and many other men, and his gloves were now crusted in dust mixed with the red liquid, he knew that quick movements could, and in some ways would, end the situation.

He took a deep breath, letting the silence between the two of them hang like a veil, the detonator all the while the centre of Xha'ki's attention. The slider on the pistol was forwards, and the safety was already off - both knew there was at least one round in the chamber of that handgun, and a finger on the trigger sat ready to pull at a moment's notice. To make a point of this, he cocked the hammer back with his thumb, removing the primary trigger that formed part of the weapon's safety mechanism. As thoughts went through his head, he laughed to himself.
"So, if I shoot you in the head right now, you won't have time to let go of any dead man switch you've got, I still have time to bring the casualty back to the helicopter, and we pick up your dental records so I can claim the bounty on your corpse? That, or I take you to the helicopter now, and hope you've got nothing concealed on your person, or that you won't run and set the bombs off early? You didn't think this through, did you?"

If the Sword of Damocles hangs over you, take the option least likely to compromise the mission.

He paused, making up his mind. The switch certainly was a dead man's one - the target let go, and they would all die. And yet, at a few paces, it was possible. Slowly, he approached to just outside of arm's reach of the other man, keeping an eye on his target.
"Well, since I'm feeling in a good mood..." He paused and gently smiled, looking as the man relaxed slightly, before putting a bullet straight between Ricardo's eyes.

In a quick movement the Fegosian stepped forwards to grab the man's balled fist, falling backwards with the suddenly heavy man's body atop him. The man wouldn't even have had time to register the flash of the muzzle, as a 9mm round went sailed through his temple, ripping a hole through the centre of his brain and brainstem, the arteries and linking nerves, before exiting in a puff of fluids out the back of his skull.
Keeping a tight grip on the switch in Ricardo's now lifeless hand, knowing his life now depended on it, he closed his eyes as blood and brain fluid slowly leaked onto his face, waiting for an explosion.

[Mokastana]

"Ricardo... isn't it?"

The mercenary smiled and slouched for a bit longer. Seconds ticked by as Ricardo tried to determine what exactly would be the thought process this man would use. A click on the hammer of his pistol began to point to options that Ricardo thought no sane man would do, but it was perhaps possible that this Merc was beyond sane. Looking at his partner the obvious was becoming clear, He had made a terrible calculation error on getting out of here alive.

"So, if I shoot you in the head right now, you won't have time to let go of any dead man switch you've got, I still have time to bring the casualty back to the helicopter, and we pick up your dental records so I can claim the bounty on your corpse? That, or I take you to the helicopter now, and hope you've got nothing concealed on your person, or that you won't run and set the bombs off early? You didn't think this through, did you?"

Surely that was not the train of thought this Merc was using, here he was offering himself up, a half million dollars for grabs while dead paid maybe a forth of that. They did not want his corpse, they wanted his knowledge. Ricardo had made it big since surviving Zaheran and was far more valuable as a witness than as a body bag. Unless....

"Well, since I'm feeling in a good mood..."

"Chingate!" Was the last thing Ricardo said before the bullet blew his brains out across the wall he had just been hiding out from behind. When Ricardo's body tensed expecting to fight or flight, it improved the Fegosian's odds of survival.It took just one more second for his grip to loosen around the detonator and somehow, by the grace of God or Fate or some higher being, the Fegosian managed to grab the dead's man and thus, keep the switch closed as he fell to the ground. Grey matter and other fluids pouring down onto his face from the hole that used to be part of his face.

Still no bomb went off.


Outside Federal Agents heard the shot and raced towards the perimeter to get a better idea of what just happened. The last thing they wanted was their target dead, but they would not say that out loud. Holding position they saw the Fegosian laying down with the body on top. Alberto shouted over to him:

"Anyone Alive out there?"

[Alfegos]

Xha'ki lay for what seemed like hours, hearing only his breathing and feeling the occasional twitch of the man lying on him. The fingers around the detonator loosened slightly, allowing him to clutch at the detonator, and hard. With white knuckles, he ripped the device from the man's hand, before rolling the body off him. The man's face was contorted in the shape of his last words, slowly paling as blood continued to leak from his destroyed head. He continued to sit back, lying on the ground as he held the detonator to the light. It wasn't the simple device he had expected - no, it wasn't an IED made by a desperate criminal. For a start, there wasn't a hodge-podge of wires and tape - rather, a smooth manufactured metal cylinder, a moving switch held down by his finger. A small antenna moulded out of the bottom provided long range signalling, whilst a few well-concealed ports sat ready to accept a wired output. It was a beautiful object, and one he knew would not simply be disarmed by taking out the battery. Was it already transmitting a signal, and failure of the signal would result in a blast?

"Hey, you men - I need four volunteers to evacuate the wounded - get the rest of your arses out of here. This place is rigged to blow!"
He moved over to the wounded body of his target, the main objective now, primarily moving to his trauma pack. With a roll of surgical tape, he tied the switch down hard, keeping his hand on it at all times.

He signalled across to the nearest Mokans, the clarity that had entered his head still somewhat present - adrenaline, perhaps, fighting his wound and the morphine circulating in his system.
"I'm over here - but watch your step."
He wondered how the federals would react - he had already seen one of the greener recruits vomiting at the sight of the carnage in front of him, and already he was starting to see just how much chaos they had wreaked. The men he watched come over, the braver of the group, quickly moved to take over the wounded man. However, the looks at the dead corpse of "Ricardo" suggested to him they were after that man - and sure enough, a group of men came to pick up the body, moving it to a safe distance. He followed at the rear, using his rifle to help prop himself up at times, stumbling occasionally on the rougher ground, keeping his hands tight on the detonator.

Eventually, he reached the helicopters, noting Alexi had done her part of the deal. They were missing Pavel and one of the Mokan mercenaries, though knew that one of the two had deserted. As for the other, well... he could only imagine the terror in the men still running into the forest, black monster chasing them with inhuman strength and speed. As the vehicles took off, he moved towards where the commander sat.
"Situation as of now is that we have one hostile wounded and, my the name of "Niko", and your men have picked up the body of one dead man wanted for a bounty of $500 000 by the Federal police - "Ricardo". Enemy have mostly been killed, or have fled into the forests. More urgently, the compound is rigged with HE, and your birds are unlikely to be safe this close. Once you we get out to a safe distance, I can ensure the bombs go off safely."
He pointed to the detonator in his hand, clasped tightly.
"Your friend Ricardo had this as a bargaining chip, and as you know it is not policy to negotiate with suicide bombers. Now, do you want to get us and your men out of here? We can discuss niceties back at the nearest safe base area."

He signalled to Alexi, already mounted with the remainders of their team - her, a wounded Alex, and a wounded Captain. If Pavel hadn't responded to their radio requests to regroup, he wasn't coming back. They would search for him once the debrief had happened - no, he would personally come back and find Pavel.

[Mokastana]

"GET TO THE CHOPPA!!!!"

Alberto had barely noticed the cliche in his words as everyone raced to the landing zones. The first Hind was on the ground, doors open as they loaded Niko Worton's tired body into the side, followed by the Fegosian being carried by two more troops. Behind Alberto one soldier followed, carrying the leaking head and right hand of Ricardo in a plastic evidence bag. A quick fingerprint scan on Alberto's portable scanner confirmed the prints matched Ricardo Cortez, but dental records and the actual hand would have to serve as evidence. The rest of the body was left as not mission critical. Besides, Ricardo's Method of Operation was to blow up where ever he was. Why should this one be any different.

With the first helicopter loaded up with four Federal Agents, Niko and Zak, it took off quickly. The next helicopter in turn dropped down and began to load up Alexi and the Captain, whether Alex and Pavel would make it was up to them. Alberto and his last man jumped in, guns out and looking through infrared scopes for signs of the remaining Mercs.

"DO YOU SEE THEM?"

BOOM!

The first building inside the compound exploded into a large fireball in the sky, followed quickly by two more, rocket charges went up from the Stinger and RPGs stocks inside. Shrapnel began to rain down near the helicopter as the pilots began take off maneuvers if anyone was down there they didn't have much time left.

Another explosion, more ordinance going off.

Then as if luck or some cruel god was watching, one of the rockets managed to race towards the landing zone, crashing into the tail of the final helicopter, being unguided in of itself, no counter measures had time nor ability to stop it. It was pure bad luck. The Chopper began to spin as alarms went off inside. It was only 20-30 feet above the ground, but in those few feet it felt as if life itself was flipping coins to see who would live or die.

*****

"Come in Commander, Are you alright?"

Alberto looked up, a little confused, he was in a helicopter, it crashed, what was...

"Come in Commander, Come in."

"Yes?"

That's right, the mission."

"Commander, how many-"

"Ignore us, get the target back to base, send another chopper to get us. We can hold out."

The explosions had stopped, maybe the base was done being blown to bits. Looking around he saw what looked like a few others with him.

"Report, who's still with us?"

"I am sir, not sure I can get up though." said the unnamed soldier next to him carrying the head and hand. "evidence still secure."

"Good, you?" He looked over to Alexi and the Captain, only one looked like they could respond.

[Alfegos]

(OOC - They're dead Moka, all of the others! It's just you and me now pal :/)

Xha'ki slumped back on the helicopter's floor, finishing the brief handover to the onboard medic. Promptly, despite this not being a MEDEVAC vehicle, a fluid driver was fitted to the IO line to ensure that the saline was going in under pressure. The response was somewhat immediate, the man almost sitting up as colour rushed back into his skin, before dropping back down onto the floor. As the man's vital signs were taken, the medic doing what he could to package the patient before he was dropped off at a hospital, Xha'ki looked out the of the helicopter, as the compound ripped itself to pieces.

The heat flash was enough to tell him to hang on, as he dropped the now useless detonator to the floor. As the feeling of radiant warmth made him temporarily feel somewhat more comfortable, he had but a couple seconds to wait before the shockwave hit the helicopter, bouncing it around. At this distance, the pilot easily kept control - it was nothing but a minor inconvenience. As flashes and blasts continued to rock the area, loud even above the noise of the rotors, he turned back to dealing with himself.

The bandage was soaked in blood, and as he eased off pressure he looked to see if the wound was still going. Thankfully, it was not, a horrible clotted mass showing him that his handywork, however horrible, was working. Gently, he reapplied the bandage, before making sure he had downed one of the two water bottles still on him. He was still light headed and somewhat confused, but still had some fighting in him. He refastened the body armour, and sat back waiting for wheels down.

His attention now turned to the air crewman who had been talking into his radio constantly for the past few minutes now, a look of upset on his face. What was the matter? The Fegosian signalled with his hands, and got a response that was not very cheery - helicopter down. He stood up rather quickly, as the helicopter rolled slightly, pausing to regain balance before hauling himself through the internal space of the vehicle.
"What's going on!" He shouted over the rotors, as the aircrewman paused.
"Helicopter with the IC is down! No radio contact as of the moment!"
"What are we doing then?"
"They're picking them up after we've dropped off the casualties."

Xha'ki paused, thinking - the helicopter that had gone down had both the mortal remains of Ricardo, Alexi, and the Captain. He wasn't leaving two team members, or a bounty for that matter, behind.
"I want you to get me a helicopter, ready for takeoff, as soon as this craft touches down at the airforce base. I don't care what you need to do to get me it, but it will happen. Look."
He pulled out a piece of paper, before writing down a series of details.
"You and whoever comes with me aboard the helicopter will get paid well. I want my people, your boss, and my bounty out of that hellhole."

The forest was thinning, as the airforce base approached.
"I'm a man of my word - now get on the radio and do it."

He moved back, voice sore from shouting, as the medic pointed - they needed to unfold a stretcher. The item was locked open, before he and the medic rolled the casualty on carefully. Hopefully, there would be an ambulance waiting - he didn't have time to hang around between landing and getting that next helicopter. In the short time they had left, he made a note of the finances of the team - very healthy, it seemed - before noting to himself that this would be the last field job he did. If this was the standard of things, or of teams he would be getting, then he would be switching employers or retiring. Even if he went back to Alfegos, to a Fegosian Security Contractor, it seemed they would be somewhat less outrageous than these people.

"FIVE MINUTES." He sat back down, moving to hold the bag of saline as the casualty drifted in and out of consciousness. This might be his last mission out of injuries, noting the burning of that bullet in his abdomen. He quickly grabbed the morphine pen out of his pocket, the last one he had... no, there was another, but that needed to be saved for the casualties, if there were any, on the ground. "

[Hurtful Thoughts]

Just as things began to look like a nice ride home, things went Call-Of-Duty esque spectacular failure of a dust-off as the base decided to explode anyways and clip the tail of her bird and send probably the most important person here back into the god-awful jungle.

That person was her, of course. Although the director of the MBSA and the Captain of her new mercenary outfit, plus the remains of their bonus-bounty were a bit important too.

And the crash smashed the scope on her sniper-rifle. Shit.

"Come in Commander, Are you alright?"

Alberto looked up, a little confused, he was in a helicopter, it crashed, what was...

"Come in Commander, Come in."

"Yes?"

That's right... the mission...

"Commander, how many-"

"Ignore us, get the target back to base, send another chopper to get us. We can hold out."

The explosions had stopped, maybe the base was done being blown to bits. Looking around he saw what looked like a few others with him.

"Report, who's still with us?"

"I am sir, not sure I can get up though." said the unnamed soldier next to him carrying the head and hand. "evidence still secure."

"Good, you?" He looked over to Alexi and the Captain, only one looked like they could respond.

Alexi looked-up from her unconscious commanding-officer and gave herr-kommandant a toothy-grin.

"Our dear friend V. here's still alive, but it doesn't look like he'll last too much longer. We've gotta get moving, any leftover rebels are sure to scour the wrecks for anything of value, and I'd rather not let myself, two high-ranking officers, and my ticket to some bonus-pay fall into their hands... Unless it's on my terms."

She cleaned herself up, and stripped a flak-vest off the dead co-pilot. No longer lugging half a million rounds of ammunition as punishment for her attitude, she could finally afford to carry some protective clothing. She also picked-up several of the helicopter's medkits for Vasquez, and pried a bench-seat from the wreck to use as a stretcher for their unidentified [but still conscious] whiney little grunt-hole.

Back on the subject of ammunition, with pretty much all her 5.56mm dumped in the woods, she was stuck with a few boxes of 6.5x55mm HURT, about a dozen 23x50mm H.E., a single WP smoke-grenade, and just shy of 200 rounds of comm-block 7.62x54R sitting pretty with the AM-07.

Finished taking stock of the situation, she affixied the assault-rifle's bayonet and casually twirled the badger trench-axe (shovel): "So, who do you figure is going to find us first?"

[Mokastana]

Helicopter, on route to Cheng Tsu Hospital

"I want you to get me a helicopter, ready for takeoff, as soon as this craft touches down at the airforce base. I don't care what you need to do to get me it, but it will happen. Look."
He pulled out a piece of paper, before writing down a series of details.
"You and whoever comes with me aboard the helicopter will get paid well. I want my people, your boss, and my bounty out of that hellhole."

The forest was thinning, as the airforce base approached.
"I'm a man of my word - now get on the radio and do it."


"Listen Merc," the pilot began speaking before a black clad MBSA soldier cut him off, without a nametag or other defining features of his uniform besides the thick Lyran Armor he spoke up for his team.

"We are not going to the Air Base, we are going straight to the hospital in Cheng-Tsu. National Police and Mercenaries have already secured it and we will be dropping you and the target off there. If you want to follow us back into the hellhole be my guest, but as Second in Command to the Situation Director, I am already going to be taking this Helicopter back to the crash site to recover him. This matter is of Federal Importance, your bribes are useless here."

Soon the helicopter landed on the rooftop of the tall hospital. Being that medical care was one of the Nation's top priorities, the hospital easily overlooked most of the small(by modern standards) city. From here they could see the smoke from the docks as sirens blared in the distance. Other police helicopters, both local and National, scoured the skies. Below them military grade vehicles sat in the middle of intersections and no doubt he could make out the military checkpoints letting ambulances pass but moving traffic away from the hospital.

"Get these wounded into approved rooms ASAP, Five and Six, stick with the target, Three, you are going to stick with me and we are getting our commander back. I assume you are joining us Fegosian?"

With that the helicopter took off back towards the Jungle.

"We have just enough fuel to do a few passes there and get home. Tell your boss to be at the LZ the moment we get there."

*****

Alberto had helped move Romeo, who was now unconscious, from the helicopter. Time was of the essence and he needed to get his men and wounded to a secure location. Pilot was dead, gunner unconscious. When Alberto saw Alexi taking the flak vest off the dead one he removed his Dauntless vest and passed it to her.

"If I am going to be hiking I don't need this."

Capt. Vasquez, unable to move, co-pilot unable to move. Fellow Federal, busted knee but mobile, half speed. Luckily they had crashed next to the tree line, giving some hope for cover at least.

"So, who do you figure is going to find us first?" Alexi asked once the area was secure, swinging a shovel like it ain't no thing...

"Ideally, back up, realistically, probably the well equipped terrorist."

Opening his backpack Alberto began to pull out various devices, laser designator, long range radio, a green box with clear top. He flipped a switch on the side of the box and turned on the radio:

"Serpent One to Apothecary, angel down, requesting Holy Light."

"Copy that Serpent one, Holy Light inbound."

Looking back at Alexi Alberto smiled. "Nice thing about the Bureau, we always have support on hand. Grab that designator, aim it towards the forest West of the compound."

The radio cracked to life again.

"Serpent one, this is Holy light, come in."

"Holy light, this is serpent one, IR flash is on, requesting 200 yards length of shining light, West to East, starting 100 yards South of the IR flash. Area is tagged with Laser. Do you confirm?"

"Copy that, 100 yards coverage, West to East, starting at laser tag."

The low roar of YA-28s in the distance were soon accompanied by a bright flash of light from where Alexi had pointed the Laser. Racing to the East from that point fire erupted from the ground engulfing everything and anyone in its path. The fire tore through the compound and continued on into the jungle across. Another explosion, another wave of fire in the same direction.

When the explosions ceased a wall of fire stretched from the jungle of one side of the compound to the other, cutting straight through its remains.

"Serpent One, this is Holy Light, heading out."

"Thank you Holy Light, Apothecary will keep you on call."

Looking back to Alexi Alberto smiled: "Well my Dear, hopefully that will convince them to think twice before coming to bug us."

[Alfegos]

"Fair enough - can't expect to know what you lot have been planning." The mercenary watched the casualty being taken off, the emergency team quickly moving to receive the man. It was likely that the man would bypass all triage systems put in place, and be sent straight to an operating theatre - though when the government got involved, someone's life could be seen as a priority to many others, out of that need - but that was no concern of his for the meantime. He stayed put on the helicopter as it took off, heading off rapidly back the way they came.

It took but a few minutes for him to sort himself out, ensuring that his backpack and patrol pack were stowed away. With combat rig ready to go, he made sure a fresh magazine was on his rifle, pistol still strapped to his chest. A second shot of morphine provided what temporary strength he needed for this engagement, as he checked through what medical supplies he had left - relatively little. He took the first aid bag off the side of the helicopter, checking what contents were within, noting to himself that it would do - after all, it was a kit designed for use by relatively inexperienced soldiers, not a paramedic bag. Hanging it back up, he moved back to his seat. Suddenly remembering what he needed to do, he turned his radio back on, switching to the frequency he had written in his notebook - hopefully Alexi hadn't changed the radio frequency, but knowing her she had played around with the radios somewhat.
"Alexi, this is Zak." They hadn't even bothered with callsigns, so why start now? Horribly unprofessional, but then what could he do.
"Alexi, ensure that you and all other persons at crash site are ready for heli-evac in figures 5 minutes. I say again, heli-evac from your position, figures 5 minutes. Acknowledge, over."
He flipped the trestle off, as the forest rushed beneath them. Whilst his mind was muddled, and somewhat focused on just getting his job done, there had been some observations disturbing him. These people were rather interested in things over than what Alexi had originally said - otherwise, why the interest with the dead man? Similarly, the burning harbour and mass casualty incident that had obviously taken place at the hospital painted a picture of something much wider ranging. But for now, he would be sorting things out, and worrying about this all when he'd had some sleep.

[Hurtful Thoughts]

Uncharacteristic of Alexi's trolleriffic unprofessionalism, she highlighted the treeline without question as napalm set-down a firebreak. The warm fuzzy feeling of the security it could afford them soon faded as she knew even lightly armored vehicles could cross the inferno with little difficulty -that or it would turn into a forest fire and kill them all- and grew more sullen as the director asked if she was impressed.

"I'd rather those were attack-helicopters, that way they could've just landed and picked us up already."

True enough, the radio she'd pilfered from the rebels crackled a bit as Zak informed them on ETA. Normally she'd just roll her eyes in acknowledgement and maintain radio-silence, but she was given orders to respond so the old-timer wouldn't die of an ulcer...

"Acknowledged, Queen of Shiva. How's life in purgatory?"

Meanwhile, it was still her job to secure and hold the LZ for the VIPs before the VTOLs arrived. She still had a smoke-grenade and some string, so that could work as a good remote-sentry to make things difficult for any AA moving into the east flank while helping the pilots judge for windage. Rigging 23mm cannon-shells into landmines was a bit tougher, but the rifle-bayonet made a decent trowel --no point getting the shovel muddy-- to make holes big enough for the pocket-loads of pain to be planted in; with just their armed fuzes protruding from the surface.

Then came topping all the AM-07 magazines she had off with rounds, and loading her 'elephant-gun' to go 'hunting' for any dangerous-game searching for an easy meal.

[Fayt2]

ALEX fenix was not happy his shoulder was wounded and aching but he snarled to himself ''fenix mind on the mission this maybe as bad as operation orion so get your head out of your f**cking ass and do your job'' he got on the radio to alexi ''grim reaper here is evac coming?

[Mokastana]

OOC: a little fluid time here to bring this to a wrap...

IC:

The wait for the helicopter had managed to be, unfortunately, quite uneventful. With the wind blowing south the fires from the napalm began to consume in that direction, some tried to head north but the heavy moisture of the jungle kept it at bay for quite some time. Within another ten minutes the original jelly base petroleum had all but burnt off, leaving the original cinders and trees burning away. Almost nothing remained of the base, being blown up followed by a napalm strike had left only the strongest foundations of structures. In other words, debris and small fires were everywhere and not much else. In the distance an occasional rifle fire would signal the two factions were still fighting each other on the retreat, but it was no one here's problem at this point.

Within 20 minutes the Hind flew over the former LZ, spraying bullets and a few more rockets into tree lines just to be safe, then the two Federal Agents rappelled down to secure the Landing zone and help move the wounded, leaving Zak inside the chopper to operate as an impromptu door gunner when they landed to load the wounded.

Soon the Captain and wounded pilot were on board, followed shortly by Alberto and his wounded comrade with the goods. Alexi and anyone else who made it to the LZ in time got a lift. It was crowded but they made it up and headed off towards the Police Base. Until Alberto began speaking:

"What do you mean towards the Police Base?"

"Fuel sir, If I went back to the hospital I would have to refuel there."

"Then we will. Head to the hospital, If I have to I will get you a fuel truck waiting in a city park. I am not waiting another minute to wrap this mission up, or to get these wounded to a hospital." The last part sounding almost like an after thought. "Consider that an order from a Director of the Federal Government, National Interests."

And so the Helicopter turned towards the city and continued on.


*****
Alexandria "Alexi" Sheppard was escorted to a hospital room were she was treated for basic cuts and bruises, offered water and food(which was surprisingly pleasant for hospital food) in this case rice and cashew chicken. A warm bed on one of the top floors and a nurse to look over her for the night. She was, of course, allowed to keep her equipment with her, she was still technically on duty and able bodied after all. But she got a night stay in the hospital at no charge and the rights to check on her team, being the most senior commander still able to get out of bed. As she was about to walk out the door she saw Alberto Cruz walk in ask her to sit down. He was no longer dressed in the black combat uniform, instead the elderly chap was wearing a black suit pants and blood red button up shirt, black tie and a light trench coat, also black. Dead giveaway for an agent of the Bureau of Secret Actions. Behind him two other agents stood, guarding the door. Letting himself in he turned to close the door and pulled a folder out from his jacket. He handed it to her, giving her a minute to decide what to do. Inside was $10,000 USD, and an envelope sealed with wax.

"I must regret to inform you, that you may have died on this mission, but the afterlife does offer some pretty promising opportunities. Inside that envelope is an opportunity for someone of your skill and caliber, something that only someone like yourself can do properly. By accepting, you get the 10,000 Universal Standard Dollars, this stack of $10,000 Gold Labors up front(he pulled a tightly wrapped roll out of another pocket and tossed it to her), an additional $400,000 USD after completion, a new identity and freedom to go wherever you would like, as long as it is no longer within the Federation of Mokastana. If you accept, we will declare you dead this moment and take you and your equipment to a waiting helicopter where you will begin. If you refuse, well, let's focus on the future shall we?"


***

Xha'ki Jev'kan Sei'lo'ae (Nickname: Zakh)

Zakh woke up in a hospital bed, head slightly fuzzy from the previous events, IV drip in his arms and some of the newest medical equipment he knew of surrounded him. At his bed side sat one of the Federal Agents, dressed in the same black on red uniform Alberto wore. He waited until Zakh was fully conscious before beginning.

"Thank you for your service out there, you and your team did quite well, given the circumstances. Now pretty soon a representative from Montana Securities will be here to begin debriefing you, so I just wanted to make sure all the facts were cleared up. First off, your team captured Niko Worton, congratulations, a little beat up, but we can forgive that, he is still of use to us. Montana Inc will receive payment for him shortly. As for the capture of Ricardo Cortez, mid level family member of the Cortez Crime family, the price is half a million living, $100,000 dead. Seeing as there is no body however, just fingerprints and dental records, the records might be hazy on which way he was caught. My understanding is that with bonuses like that, Montana Inc takes half, then you can split the remaining half between the team that did it. Seeing as only about half your team made it out alive, a three way split on a quarter of a million dollars is quite nice. Could take care of the family for a long time on that money, maybe take a miss on a cruise through the Mokan Caribbean. Maybe retire from these dangerous missions, get a nice fancy desk job and always be home for supper. You would be amazed how far a recommendation by the MBSA can get someone in Montana Incorporated.

However, it does seem as if your friend Alexi did eventually die of a bullet wound she got getting into the helicopter, I don't know how much you remember when you waited for us to get on board, but I am sure you remember seeing Alexi wounded. Right next to the wounded but living body of Ricardo Cortez, your giant bonus check. It is possible the drugs in your system threw your memory off, but I believe that is what happened."

Taking a minute the agent sat up and took a short breath, looking over Zakh's reaction to the information the agent just threw at him.

"I hope you understand what I am saying. It is much easier to correct the records at the beginning than to go back and change them at a later date. Make the easy choice, enjoy some time off."

[Hurtful Thoughts]

Alexandria "Alexi" Sheppard was escorted to a hospital room were she was treated for basic cuts and bruises, offered water and food(which was surprisingly pleasant for hospital food) in this case rice and cashew chicken. A warm bed on one of the top floors and a nurse to look over her for the night. She was, of course, allowed to keep her equipment with her, she was still technically on duty and able bodied after all. But she got a night stay in the hospital at no charge and the rights to check on her team, being the most senior commander still able to get out of bed. As she was about to walk out the door she saw Alberto Cruz walk in ask her to sit down. He was no longer dressed in the black combat uniform, instead the elderly chap was wearing a black suit pants and blood red button up shirt, black tie and a light trench coat, also black. Dead giveaway for an agent of the Bureau of Secret Actions. Behind him two other agents stood, guarding the door. Letting himself in he turned to close the door and pulled a folder out from his jacket. He handed it to her, giving her a minute to decide what to do. Inside was $10,000 USD, and an envelope sealed with wax.

"I must regret to inform you, that you may have died on this mission, but the afterlife does offer some pretty promising opportunities. Inside that envelope is an opportunity for someone of your skill and caliber, something that only someone like yourself can do properly. By accepting, you get the 10,000 Universal Standard Dollars, this stack of $10,000 Gold Labors up front(he pulled a tightly wrapped roll out of another pocket and tossed it to her), an additional $400,000 USD after completion, a new identity and freedom to go wherever you would like, as long as it is no longer within the Federation of Mokastana. If you accept, we will declare you dead this moment and take you and your equipment to a waiting helicopter where you will begin. If you refuse, well, let's focus on the future shall we?"

You mean if I say no, you'll make your lies come true and find someone else... bastard... Alexi thought to herself, she'd been in this sort of situation more times than she could count, and it didn't take a mind-reader to see a thinly-veiled attempt at extortion. Her reply wasn't quite as subtle.

"Sure thing. Big 'ol Boss Guy. But with all due respect; If I do this job 'correctly', I won't need a new identity. As for the money, there was a rebel that helped us, got a slug through the shoulder, see to it that he gets half my earnings from this mission to cover his medical-expenses. If not, I will kill you with an obscenely large rusted spoon."

She left the envelope closed for now as she waited for Alberto's reaction, sealed containers almost always carried nasty surprises anyways.

[Mokastana]

"Sure thing. Big 'ol Boss Guy. But with all due respect; If I do this job 'correctly', I won't need a new identity. As for the money, there was a rebel that helped us, got a slug through the shoulder, see to it that he gets half my earnings from this mission to cover his medical-expenses. If not, I will kill you with an obscenely large rusted spoon."

She left the envelope closed for now as she waited for Alberto's reaction, sealed containers almost always carried nasty surprises anyways.

The fact that she was willing to give up $200,000 for a drug guard who helped her had caught Alberto off guard, even if his face didn't show it. Instead he smiled and came up with a quick response to how to answer that particular request.

"The National Police managed to get a lot of prisoners after we left, if he was among them or if we can track him down I will see to it that he is treated as a VIP in Federal Custody, heaven knows how the locals are treating the Cartel soldiers. Give me his name and a basic description and I will have my men hunt him down for you and make sure he gets treated well. We are not agents of the Grand World Order or The People's Freedom, after all."

With that he knocked twice on the door, and the two other agents looked in, then rolled two gurneys into the room.

"Load up her equipment on one, as for the other, if you would be so kind as to lay down Alexandria. You do have to appear dead after all."

They loaded her equipment up first, checking with her to make sure everything was accounted for, after that they let her lay down. A thin white sheet was spread over her body to cover her up and help give the illusion she was dead as they began to roll her out of the room. The carts twisted and turned going through the hospital, after a few minutes she heard a set of doors open, followed by the wind across the rooftop and a helicopter warming up. A few more meters and a jolt as the gurney was loaded into the Helicopter, a second clank and scrap of metal signified her equipment had made it on as well. Pulling the sheet off her face Alberto closed the helicopter door and gave her a chance to look over her equipment, make sure everything had made it.

Once everything was accounted for, the helicopter took off towards the airport. The night sky lit up brightly with stars, for even above the small city, not enough lights were on at night yet to hide the lights above them. A single light came on in the helicopter that illuminated the passenger compartment well enough to let them begin.

"Feel free to open the envelope now, inside you will find photographs and information on your target. The mission is assassination. One man. No one else. Anything besides that and you will have failed and be declared an enemy of the state. We have arranged a meeting point and a location for you to take the shot two weeks from now. Your target's name is Juan Dugal, Speaker of the People in Parliament. One of the key members of the Socialist Worker's Party."

Though Alberto did not mention it, Juan Dugal had also been present the last time Alex was in Mokastana, only as a Generalissimo who allowed with her team access to Mokastana and met with both her boss and Alberto Cruz when the bio weapons had to be taken care of.