OPERATION: Hidden Dragon

[Cleretic]

"Well, Cass saw the smoke, she just didn't know what it was. And if it's the same as the Atenists use, it's sort of a yellowy-green..." She shrugs. "Not my field, though. Good luck on the ground, guys, I'll be doing my thing at the same time." She waves with her phone-holding hand before making her way out. Or at least, trying to--she needs to briefly pocket her phone and pull the door open with both hands to open it enough to leave.

 

[Aerinn]

Raises a hand in farewell before getting back to business. "What about having us coming in partly on the ground? They're not heavily armed, we know that. We could send in an APC and keep eyes off the sky, catch them with their trousers down."

 

[Jericho Blake]

"Thanks, Ms. DeFlemsey." Jericho turns back to Kate. "We could, though getting an APC all the way up there may not be doable. If we have two choppers one can serve as a gunship to get the heat of us while we deploy. But again, I don't know if we have access to a stealth bird. I would call helicopters plan A, sneaking in on foot plan B. A mixture is good depending on what info we get from Mr. Havelock."

 

[Aerinn]

"What about one of those big double rotor helicopter things? I don't know what they're called, but the RAF have them. It shouldn't be too hard to arrange to borrow one. We could airlift the APC close enough to go in loud and proud. Eyes might be on the skies while we get the APC close enough, but if they think our only air activity was the lift then that should ensure a stealth drop goes smoothly while they worry about a ground force. I think a gunship will have them looking up. Don't you? It'd be nice not to be picked off while rappelling."

 

[Jericho Blake]

"I was hoping for a quieter entry, honestly. I'm assuming we'll be outnumbered. But let's see what we can find out."

 

[Aerinn]

"If you want a quiet entry then a helicopter isn't the solution. They're not exactly silent."

 

[Jericho Blake]

Blake is about to answer, then shakes his head and stays quiet, turning to the tired-looking Havelock.

 

[Requine]

Havelock looks up from his phone. "Like I said, 60 guys. They have about 30 weapons - half of which you took out of commission. Security system is very light. Cass is in the back of the place, farthest away from the entrance. They plan to die to stop us from taking her. I'm inclined to oblige them."

He pauses. "I thought I heard you folks had a false defection planned? A suicide bomber? How does this figure in?"

 

[Nevaan Zhang Yang Chuan]

A chorus of steely clicks echoed across the halls as Nevaan limped towards the gathering of agents. His movements were accompanied by a soft mechanical hiss from his right leg, the stride of his footing was uneven and mildly unnatural. Dressed in a red tank top, black jacket, trousers and cheap pair of sneakers, a look of confusion splayed across his features as the fair-skinned man gazed at the faces of the people in discussion. He appeared distinctively Oriental but there were no indications nor anything uniform that indicated which faction he belonged to.

"Uhm, hi," he greeted, his voice thick with a peculiar Asian accent. "Mr. Blake said we are meeting here to help Miss Cassandra?"

 

[Jericho Blake]

Blake frowns. "Suicide..."

 

[Requine]

Havelock waves at the newcomer. "Sit down. You're just in time for the meat and bones of the matter." He then looks at Blake and Burnet. "Seriously. Neither of you heard about Gillian Zhuge's defection?"

 

[Aerinn]

"Jesus fucking Christ, nice way to keep it bloody quiet when there's already been one fucking traitor." Kate throws up her hands.

 

[Requine]

"I felt like the front half of the building going up in flames was worth a warning."

 

[Jericho Blake]

Jericho looks at Kate emotionlessly, then back at Havelock. "I knew it was a distraction play. But what is this about a bomber? Front half?"

 

[Aerinn]

"Well you could have said something without compromising the identity of the fucking plant."

 

[Russell K. Kobayashi]

Russell leans forward, listening intently to the conversation.

 

[Requine]

"Can't close the door to put the horse back in the stable. Blake, Zhuge is goin' in wired up with an explosive vest. She does her job, there ain't going to be much left standing."

 

[Nevaan Zhang Yang Chuan]

The fashionably-late man nodded, his expression remained cast with a lost, confounded gaze. Quietly, he pulled a chair near by and slid into a seat. He maintained his silence out of respect and politeness, simply listening to the on-going discussion for a few minutes. He waited for a strategic pause in the discussion and chimed in as tactically as he could.

"So, what's the plan so far?" he smiled, twiddling his thumbs as he gazed at Kate, Havelock and Blake. "Oh, oh, my name is Nevaan Zhang. You can just call me Nev. Nice to meet you all."

 

[Requine]

"Witch Hunter Derek Havelock. Cass's fiance." He offers you a big, calloused hand. "We're hammering out the details right now, actually."

 

[Jericho Blake]

"Glad I know this little detail. There's our distraction, then." He looks to the newcomer. "Welcome, Mr. Zhang. Seems our plan is to assault via the rear entrance while the front of the building burns."