He took another sip from his warm cup of coffee as his eyes wondered the paper in front of him, looking for any lead or information that could uncover the truth behind Igneous' partner. His hands were somewhat cut from his hasty swapping various papers, becoming ever more reckless for his hands as he dug deeper into specific lead after specific lead.
"You oughta' be wearing gloves for work like this."
He glances his head back as he hears a door swinging open and a pair of footsteps entering the room. He was greeted by a man dressed in a business-casual attire, he wore a large grin on his face as a pair of glasses draped over his eyes. It wasn't anything a reasonable man would wear in a battlefield, as such, he was unmistakably a member of their Intelligence & Reconnaissance division.
"What the hell do you want this time?'
"Ah, I got those files you needed, sir."
"Just leave them on the desk, ... , and get me another cup."
He sees a file being placed down to his side, a small marking on its corner stating, 'GOI OP REP'.
"This is it?" He'd remark at the folder's thin side, seemingly only two or three pages within.
"It was the only folder equating to some sort of operational report, you only grabbed a few files and the majority of any remaining information was most likely destroyed in that explosive trick you pulled."
"Naturally, just be gone and let me examine these in peace."
"Affirmative, sir."
While he was a member of the Apochrosi squad, his talents hadn't all come from natural experience and years spent on operation. During his down time he was a cunning and clever detective belonging to the Intelligence division, combing through each file with ease and trying to connect the dots. His investigations and scouting work was a key part in the various successes they'd been experiencing recently. Though the sudden introduction of a new party of which they had absolutely NO past involvement with did complicate his process somewhat, various logs documenting their exchanges and joint operations didn't give him a single idea of who these people were. His pondering would be cut short as he hears the slow creaking of a door's handle being turned and opened, a pair of slow and graceful footsteps following soon after.
"Make it quick and get out."
"Hmph, that is no way to address a business partner, turn around and speak to me directly."
"Glancing back, he's surprised to see a man in a full suit standing behind him, a stern look at the man's face as he glared at the agent expectantly. Standing up, he closes the various files on his desk and turns to face the unknown agent.
"Who are you and what is your business here?"
"Well then, at least you're straight to business. If you hadn't noticed yet," he pointed towards a familiar emblem on shoulder of his suit, a golden ampersand across a bright magenta background surrounded by another golden border. The MCD's distinctive and flashy logo. "I am a representative to the MCD, and to say they've been pleased with your last contract would an understatement. We've been thinking of hiring YOUR squad once more."
"Eh? Go talk with our superiors, I don't handle shit down here."
"Oh, quite the opposite. I am told you are the Senior Intelligence Overseer of Regional Operations and the Chief Investigator of this facility. What a title, no?"
"Ridiculously exaggerated, most of my work isn't even spent with my colleagues in this division."
"Ah yes, your other line of work. The Apochrosi squad, pride special operations unit of Ervna's Canadian region. Specialized in discreetness and unconventional tactics, yes?"
"That would sound right, though, specialization in discreetness may be stretching it a bit far."
"Nothing's exactly discreet when it all ends in a firefight anyways. Though I hope you can live up to your discreet reputation with this new job."
"Like I said, I am in no way responsible for any operations we move on-"
"Hush, I believe this job's payout may be appealing to you. You're looking for the men who sided with this Igneous company, the same company and ally that raided our depots. So I believe we share a common enemy, correct?"
"That would be right."
"As the Overseer of your department in the regional area, I'm sure you know how powerful a good lead could be. It may very well uncover everything you've been looking for."
"Are you suggesting you would know something about this faction?"
"Straight to the point, only naturally we do. They've been harassing us for several years at this point, several years we've taken to investigate this party. A sizable portion of that duty alongside a large amount of currency would be your payout for this operation."
"Sounds enticing, I may be able to get my superiors to consider it."
"All good, Specter, all good. Say, would you mind stepping out for a moment?"
"I've already secured the potential of this job, what more do you want?"
"I find that we work best with a business partner who we know and trust. Contracting for questionably legal work isn't particularly a safe venture. I'm sure someone in your squad is wise enough to know that."
"I suppose I could take a break," he stretches his arms out before sipping the last of his coffee, "Let's head out then."
Before leaving his office, Specter would neatly organized the various files and papers he was taking a deep look at. Sorting them next to relating document and placing them in a drawer. He turns back to see the MCD representative waiting patiently outside of the room. Stepping out, he locks the office behind him and begins to pace around the site.
"I always find it interesting the founding of organization likes ours, how did we come to be? Why are we discussing the business of contracting a private military company to carry our less than legal deeds to acquire resources and information about anomalies that the vast majority of the world is unaware to?"
"I never really question that. People are hungry to understand the world and to hoard resources for themselves."
"You would know the former of the two, wouldn't you?"
"Affirmative, I've seen some fucked shit in my investigations."
"Speaking of why our companies exist, how do you believe we ended up here? Your risking your life on the front lines and I risking my freedom as I act as the middleman for a questionable business. Why not work our lives peacefully doing a trade we love or slaving away in the offices?"
"Suppose I was always interested in uncovering the truth, true crimes and cold cases does that to an aspiring and bored youth. So, I pursued my aspirations, graduating with an undergraduate's and joining up as an Intelligence Officer with the CSIS."
"An esteemed position that many would envy, nothing more noble than working for the good of the people, all whilst earning good money for a relatively calm job. Why leave that life? Many people were be satisfied with their lives at the point."
"There was always an itch in me looking for something greater. Uncovering a murder case or tracking down a drug ring was exciting, but it became bland soon later on. Felt like there was something greater for me, even if it meant I had to venture out of the legal space."
"So you wanted something greater for yourself. Did Ervna reach out to you for some assistance? Maybe they needed someone to do some dirty work, an inside man on the CSIS?"
"At first it was just passing over information. A location, name, stuff I could easily access. It was good money for simple work, so I didn't mind it at first. Eventually the amount they paid more began to slowly rise and so did the effort I had to put in. Taking my time to investigate a certain address, tracking down and following a shifty fellow, hell, even taking a look at a body at the height of the payments."
"Seems like you were basically already an agent for them, I'm sure the CSIS would have approved of none of it."
"That would be right. They eventually began to pay me far more than what I made as an Intelligence officer. Eventually, they reached out to me for one final time and offered me a business deal. Working for them full time in exchange for better pay. I obviously accepted and here I am."
"Impressive, impressive. So you worked for Ervna for quite a while and rose through the ranks. Somewhere in the progress joining up with Apochrosi and met your colleagues, correct?"
"Mhm."
"These colleagues you work with, how are they? The people you work with is certainly a massive part in your success. I would know."
"Some of the best, some of the most comradery, and to be frank, sometimes the most batshit insane people I know."
"But you work well with them?"
"Ah, of course, no worries on that part. My life has been saved by them multiple times and I've returned that favor myself. Crystal and I did a wonder of a job on that outpost."
"Of course, some of our recon teams overheard Igneous' allies complaining about the total loss of an outpost. Impressive, I must say."
The MCD representative halts Specter, "Well then, I'm sure there's plenty more for the two of us to discuss. But enough of this prodding around, I'm satisfied with this trust we've developed and I myself trust you with this next job. Expect to be hearing from your superiors soon."
"I'll be seeing you, ... "
"Joseph, call me Joseph."
"That's an alias, isn't it?"
"Naturally. And likewise, I'll look forwards to meeting with you once more."
Briefing
"Greetings, Crystal. It appears the MCD was satisfied with out work back at the convoy escort operation, as they have contracted your team for another job. We've been contracted to dispatch a group of unknown contacts residing within the apartments of Lethbridge city. An assassination contract, essentially. We have been giving little information other than the fact that these contacts MAY be armed and dangerous. Stay discreet and don't attract the attention of the local populace or law enforcements. The MCD would also like to pass on a message relating to the operation, 'Beware the Serpent's wrath.' Good luck."
Sitting in the front passenger seat of a sedan, he looks out at the several cars passing as they wait to turn into the lane. A moment of Deja Vu strikes him as they sat waiting to move, a situation somewhat similar to their failed deal about a week back.
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"You could've turned a second ago," Specter spoke out, bored out of staying on the same road for a minute by now.
"Not my fault the traffic's this bad," the driver shot back, who was one of the few MCD agents accompanying them on the operation.
Looking back through the side mirror, he saw a vehicle that had been following them for the past few turns. Painfully obvious to any normal person that they may have been being stalked. Though he would not worry, as he knew the pursuing car was filled with three more allied agents. Their resident point man Crystal, the engineer Hephaestus, and another unidentified MCD agent. He's brought back from his bored gaze as their car finally turns onto the road. On the furthest end of the street, he saw a large building towering over the stores and restaurants around it. A bland single color with dozens of windows covering it, it was unmistakably an apartment building, and where their targets would be.
"Get your silenced weapons ready," the driver spoke up, "Remember, we're CSIS agents looking for a group of gang members belonging to the Indian Posse."
Specter smirks upon hearing mention of the CSIS, something he was experienced with, "If anyone asks about our legitimacy, let me talk. Used to be part of them."
"Affirmative, let's hope it doesn't come to that."
Changing lanes, he pulls into the apartment complex's parking lot and scouts around the area for a somewhat hidden but accessible hiding spot.
"This is Wraith to Arma-1 and Arma-2, I have visuals on your vehicles. Area is clear of any identifiable hostiles, you're good to move in. I'll keep you updated on any sudden developments."
"Affirmative, Wraith."
Wraith was sat on the roof of a conveniently abandoned office building across from the apartment, a selling point of the apartment's appeal, the apartment's business has since been declining following the office closing down several months ago. A sniper to her side and pair of binoculars in her hand, she would be scouting and providing over watch for her colleagues on the field.
Dismounting from the sedan, he hides his pistol in a concealed holster and starts walking to the apartment's entrance. Pushing open the double doors, he was greeted by an empty lobby, occupied by a rugged man laying on a bench and a single receptionist. The atmosphere was stale, not a single bit of unique decoration from the bland room and an uncomfortably warm temperature compared to the frigid Canadian winter. On the other end of the room laid a pair of elevators, none of them active as the majority of the building's residents are out for their day jobs.
As he paces towards the elevators, he hears a voice from the receptionists' counter, "Uhm, sirs! Over here."
He walks over to the receptionist, who greets him, "Welcome to the East Lethbridge Apartment Complex, just need to know your reason for entry before letting you through."
The MCD agent nudges Specter to speak up, whispering to him for a moment "Anything but the CSIS excuse."
He pauses for a moment before returning his attention to the receptionist, "Oh, we're just meeting a client for a business opportunity."
"Hmm, alright, who might this client be? We need to keep track of anyone who enters the residence."
"Uh," he recollects during their briefing the apartment room they would be breaching, "We were told to meet in room 083."
"Ah, wonderful, so nice to see him moving up in the world. Lonely fellow he is. Allow me to notify him for you, have a nice day!"
"Shit." He mutters to himself in his mind.
Looking at his "work" colleagues, he hopes the two men more experienced in the business world would have a solution to keep them undetected. Fortunately, one of them steps up to the counter. His methods, however, he did not sigh in relief for.
He slams a fist on the counter and raises his voice, "I'm sorry, did I tell you to do that?"
"Sir? I'm-"
"Do you have any idea who I am? I'm representing a Fortune 500 company and we don't have any time to waste. Do you know how valuable my time is!"
"Sir, I just-"
"Fuck off and stop wasting my bloody time."
"It's just company protocol-"
"And my protocol is to finish this by afternoon! It's 11:30, do you think I have the time for this shit?"
"Sir, that may be in your-"
"We can buy this apartment ten times over with pocket change. I'll make sure your manager hears of this, be gone."
The receptionist glares at the MCD agent for one final time before putting down the phone, "You're free to move on, have a wonderful day!" She'd say whilst putting on a fake smile and personality.
They leave towards the elevator without another word, Specter feeling somewhat awkward following the short exchange of words. The elevator was surprising spacious considering the rather shoddy apartment it was installed in, he waits until everyone files into the elevator before heading for the fifth floor. He catches glimpse of Crystal entering the complex through the double doors before the elevator fully shuts, he hopes he has his own way of bypassing the receptionist.
"That was ... something."
"It got us through safely."
"She's probably going to be real pissed right about now. You sure Crystal's team would be able to get pass her, now?"
"She's a receptionist, probably deals with our bullshit every other day."
"Eh, sure. Crystal can handle himself fine. Took the position of squad leader for a reason."
The MCD agent interjects, "Just stay on your guard. No telling what's in these halls, chief doesn't want anymore incidents following that depot raid."
The elevator ride was tense as they approached their target location, but peaceful as the sound of elevator music rang through the small space. A moment of calm that Specter enjoyed, because who doesn't like being left on hold while a scuffed loop of elevator music plays whilst you're trying to get customer support? He quickly grew bored from the tune only five seconds after. A few moments would go by until, *DING*, the elevator halts and slides open, an empty and barren corridor greeting them.
Specter is first to step out as he takes point, checking each corridor as he stepped out of the elevator, "Clear, keep your weapon concealed until we breach."
"Affirm."
He pauses by a door and takes a moment to inspect the numbered doors, he mumbles what he reads to himself, "Seventy eight, seventy seven, seventy six, other corridor."
The agents nods as one of them starts heading left. Following close behind he stops next to an open corridor and peeks down the hallway, continuing as he sees it to be empty.
"Eighty seven, eighty six, here we are. Keep your wits about you."
Pacing steadily through the chamber, his footsteps are quiet as to preserve even the slightest of covertness. He hurries past the first few doors until he reaches the fourth door down, whereas an ordinary door labeled '83' stood. He moves to the opposite end of the doorway as he upholstered his silenced pistol, the other two take the other end as they cover his blind spot.
Raising his hand, he bangs loudly on the door and awaits an answer. Remaining ever silent, he hears the slightest of footsteps coming from beyond the doorway. The footsteps appear cautious, slowly approaching the door as if they knew what's to come. The footsteps pause for a moment as he hears an unknown noise from the other side, seemingly grabbing something he rears back for a moment under the threat of a firearm.
A young woman's voice comes from the doorway, "What do you want?"
Specter firms his grip on the pistol, "Canadian Times Sweepstakes, got a delivery for room ... " He holds the 'oo' for a moment and pauses for a second as he pretends to read from a label, "Room 83, is that you?"
His keen ears pick up on some faint muttering from the doorway, "Wha- I didn't-" she raises her voice, "Who are you? I didn't enter no contest!"
"Your address was entered in a raffle, you won a gift card to Loblows."
He waits for the unknown contact's response, who appears to make no move.
"We've got a-"
He's interrupted as he hears shuffling from beyond the doorway, growing quieter as they move away from the door. The pacing stops as she stops somewhere on the other end of the room. He hears something else clicking from the apartment room, then a few *beeps* in the distance. He can make out some muttering."
"C'mon, c'mon, pick up." It appeared to Specter as if she was calling someone.
"C'mon- Yes, listen. ... No time, listen to me! ... They're here, I need help, get down here!"
Specter turns to his two MCD colleagues, "She's calling for help, breach."
The agent nods as he raises his foot to above the door's handle and lock, bending his leg as he prepared to use his own weight as a battering ram. Lunging his foot forwards, the door abruptly swings open as he rushed inside.
"CSIS! Get on the ground!"
"Get on the ground!"
Specter take a step into view of the doorway as he raised his pistol, preparing to cover his MCD agent. The woman doesn't heed their orders, looking back at the group of "CSIS" agents, she pulls her hand back to her side, seemingly about to toss something at them. Though to his confusion she doesn't seem to be holding anything, he can see a visibly empty palm.
"Get on the fucking ground! You're being detained!"
The MCD agent that breached and rushed in would once again repeat his orders, "Get on the ground!"
The woman glares at the forwards MCD agent and takes a single step and lunge towards the group of operatives, not itself dangerous as she doesn't appear to be wielding any form of weapon. More concerningly was her act of swing her open hand towards the agent.
"Raise your hands and get on- FUCK!"
Much to his surprise, the MCD operative would collapse to the ground as he lets off a violent outcry of pain. Specter would respond in kind as he fires a pair of shots, but too little too late as the hostile target ducks to the side, hiding herself behind a wall.
"Shit! Engage, engage!"
He fires several more rounds to cover himself as he moves to an adjacent and empty room, stepping into a tiny kitchen, so it seems. The other standing agent would advance on the dangerous woman with his pistol raised, being covered by Specter's line of fire.
"Just surrender, you don't have to do this!"
As the MCD agent nears the corner, leaps to her side and grabs the operative's back, raising a knife and putting it to his throat.
Using the agent as a meat shield, she points the helpless operative at Specter and starts maneuvering towards the window, all whilst yelling at Specter, "Get the fuck away from me! GET OUT!"
Specter doesn't fire out of fear of striking the MCD agent, the operative's struggling movements and her unstable maneuvering making a difficult shot, "Just let him go and you'll- Wait, what are you-"
To his surprise, she'd rear her right arm back and swing it at the window, shattering it open. She quickly let go of the operative and leapt out gracefully, plummeting from a four to five story drop.
"Shit, shit!"
Mustering a full sprint, he rushes to the window and glances around, expecting to see a limp and barely alive body struggling to even breath. He's taken aback as he sees a perfectly agile and athletic person sprinting out of the alley, seemingly unaffected by the leap of death.
Wraith
Her eyes paced as she saw four motorbikes pull up into the apartment's parking lot, each figure concealed by a hood and cloak. She's further alerted as one of the figures pulls out an SMG and ornate knife, in response she reaches for her sniper and takes aim.
"This is Wraith to Crystal, four hostiles moving in on the entrance, they're armed!"
She focuses her sights on the furthest back of the armed figures, finding her shot as she accounts for distance and wind all while tracking a moving figure. Her opportunity to fire comes as one of the figures takes cover behind one of their sedans, protecting him from Crystal's fire, but unfortunately not from her. Slamming down on the trigger, a bullet is sent flying into the figure's hood, penetrating straight through it and striking the man in his head. This would not go unnoticed as one of the cloaked hostiles takes out an assault rifle and begins firing on her position, forcing her down.
"This is Specter, target just jumped down into the fucking alley! She's still fleeing!"
"I'm sorry, what-" glancing out, she sees a woman dressed in similar garb to the four armed figures currently at the entrance. An opportunity comes to her mind as the woman appears to be heading straights towards her location, a ladder conveniently leading down to the alley beneath. Slinging the sniper over her back, Wraith quickly runs towards the ladder and prepares to descend. Trying to keep pace she places her hand and legs steadily on the ladder, standing by to carefully descent ... , then she'd let go.
Wraith quickly slid down the ladder and descended gracefully the ground below, stopping only a few feet from ground zero as she gripped the ladder firmly. As Wraith unholstered a silenced pistol she'd turn towards apartment and slowly make pace, seeing their target running down the street as she glanced out. Wraith would remain in cover as she awaits the woman to emerge closer, silent as a mouse, and her arm holding a pistol laid to her side as she prepared to grab the assailant with her other vacant hand. To her annoyance, the woman would take the other route as she ran further away from the apartment, losing her opportunity to intercept. An idea would strike her as she'd sprint the other direction out of the alley, planning to detain the agent.
Despite having an incredibly conspicuous sniper rifle on her back, she'd pull up her scarf and put on a pair of sun glasses to conceal herself, knowing it's midday and activity would be at an all-time low. Sprinting pass a startled pedestrian, she turns a corner and glances out, seeing the woman running towards her, seemingly unaware of Wraith's presence. She pulls out her combat knife and pistol, preparing to somehow nonlethally dispatch her. The frantic footsteps grew closer as she gripped her knife firmly. Wraith pauses for a moment as the footsteps are no more than a meter, she leaps out and swings her elbow at the woman's body, bringing her down to the ground.
"Not a single move!"
Her instincts kicked into life as Wraith saw her hands reaching for something. Grabbing the woman's arm, she narrowly avoids being stabbed by an ornate ritual knife. Wraith slams the arm into the ground as she knocks the knife away.
She quickly clicks on her radio, "Target detained alive. Get a car over here, quick!"
Pulling out a knife of her own, she raises it the target's neck in a moment of Deja Vu for the woman laying on the ground and begins questioning her in a stern voice, "Who the hell are you, who do you work with!"
"Agh, the Serpent's won't have for this-"
She throws an elbow into the woman's chest, "Answer the question!"
"You- You have no idea what you're dealing with, do you?"
Taking the knife away for a moment, she swings a left hook into the woman's face, returning the knife back to her neck shortly after. A wave of relief washes over her as she sees a familiar sedan race around the corner and a far more familiar face within, Crystal.
She glares back at the woman, "You'll have time to find your tongue when you're in custody."
Mission Debrief
Status: Success | Several targets killed, one captured
Casualties: 2 | Two MCD agents killed by gunshots(?)
Summary:
Squads designated Arma-1 and Arma-2 would move in to neutralize a target (hereby designated S-1) of which is, according to the MCD, is 'highly dangerous and protected by several contacts'. Arma-1 entered the apartment residence whilst Arma-2 remained on standby in the lobby. Led by Specter, Arma-1 would breach Room-83, suffering the casualty of an MCD agent in the process. S-1 would flee the premises as Arma-2 engages a small squadron affiliated with S-1. S-1 would be intercepted by Wraith and detained as S-1 was disarmed.
"I don't know how she shot that agent. She didn't hold a gun in her hands and just threw out an empty first. It pierced a fucking hole in his body, no handgun could've done that. We're not dealing with something natural here, what does the MCD know?" - Specter's closing remarks