False Flag

Just A Simple Job

Face was just about to tuck into a fresh hot pizza that had been delivered, when his Fixer called. The Fixer, Joe, said “I have a line on a hot job, that should be relatively simple. Seems a Johnson needs a shotgun for a courier job, pays premium. Do you want it?” When face said yes, Joe advised its an out of town gig and that Face & the team are to meet the Johnson at 5.00am at a disused airfield in Puyallup.

Face rounded up the team and they headed to the airfield a little early to scope the place. The airfield was deserted. At precisely 5.00am a Helicopter landed and a human wearing nondescript BDU’s exited the heavily armed vehicle and stated “if you are hear to meet with the Johnson, step on board”. As soon the team boarded the chopper, it took off and headed South, landing shortly after at an old deserted auto mechanics shop. Another helo was already on the deck. Existing the chopper the team were guided into the disused shop where a smartly dressed elf, whose ramrod posture screamed military. Without preamble Mr Jonson advised the team the job is to escort a smuggler, Michael Wind Rider, and his cargo to the Front Range Free Zone (FRFZ) in Denver. Mr Johnson said the pay is NY 17,000 plus any medical expenses (if required). Face tried to negotiate the fee up, but without success.

Accepting the gig, Mr Jonson handed the party a commcode to contact him once the job was done or in an emergency. Mr Johnson also provided contact details for Michael Wind Rider. With that, Johnson boarded his Helo and left. The Team were guider back to the chopper they came in on and were dropped back at the disused airfield in Puyallup. Once the chopper departed, the team called Michael Wind Rider who advised he would pick them up from the same airfield at 6.00pm tomorrow. Wind Rider advised the party to tool up and be prepared for a 3 – 4 day trip.

At 6.00pm the following day, the Team waited at the airfield all tooled up. A few minutes late a drone flew over the airfield, scoping the place then a screaming T-Bird landed. Wind Rider, and Amerindian Orc, beckoned the party to board his transport, Sundowner 2. Once aboard Win Rider advised the first stop was reno to pick up the “package” then take a zig zag path to the drop off in Denver. The pic up in Reno went without a hitch. The package was an oblong metal container 2.5m x 0.5m x 0.5m with an impressive maglock securing it closed.

From Reno Wind Rider headed to the “refuel station about 30km South of Provo in the Pueblo Corporate Council. As Wind Rider lander the party could see a motley collection of old shacks. Win Rider said this was a smugglers refuel station and transmitted the codes to get access. Wind Rider asked the Team to get the refuel lines from the shack as he checked over one of the engines. Teflon, Milo and face headed to the shack, opened the door to reveal a dark dust, dirty interior. They could see the large tank of aircraft fuel with the refuel lines attached to a drone next to it. Adjacent to the drone was a table with a control pad for the drone. As Teflon went to step in, he noticed writhing on the floor across the shack and was attached by a snake, a Deathrattle. Dispatching the snake, Teflon could see numerous others in the hanger. Deciding not to battle his way through he asked Benny to hack the drone and refuel the ship. In short order they were back in the air again.

Wind Rider announced the next refuel stop was near Laramie, within the Sioux nation. Wind Rider advised crossing the boarder was not without risks and asked Benny to join him on the flight deck and help with spoofing the boarder patrols. On the approach to the refuel station Wind Rider announced that he is a bit worried as he can’t raise the refuel station control. With Benny’s help the find that there isn’t any jamming or atmospheric interference, just no response. Running on fumes Wind Rider announces they have to land but warned the team to be ready for anything.  As they land the waypoint station is completely dark and Benny is unable to pick up any matrix activity at all. Worrying.

As the party exit the T-Bird to investigate, Teflon & Milo notice moving shadows through the upstairs windows of the refuel station. Heading to the main building, Teflon & Milo try to open the main doors to find them jammed. A window opened and a voice called down demanding they leave immediately. Teflon tries to negotiate with the “voice” to say they are in need of fuel and are willing to pay. The voice shouts back “what can you offer?”. At this point, Flash Cat who his disembarked the T-Bird spots the person behind the voice from an open window upstairs and Lightning Bolts said person. Any hope of negotiation now over the Team take cover as they come under bow & arrow fire.

Arriving in Denver.

As Milo and Teflon moved forward to engage the defenders and find access to the building, Flash Cat came under fire and was wounded. Face sprinted to Flash cat’s aid whilst Benny took control of the Heavy Machine Gun in the T-Bird’s dorsal turret. The combined threat of the heavy weapon coupled with Teflon and Milo breaching the building was enough to get the defenders to surrender. Flash Cat, after being healed and full of bravado demanded the defenders, the Prairie Igasho, leave waypoint station. The team were then able to refuel and carry on to Denver.

The flight was tedious, with the only brief bit of excitement dodging patrol craft at the FRFZ border. Wind Rider bought the T-Bird into land at a private section of Stapleton Airport and taxied into the open hanger. A fifty-by-fifty metre chain link fence with a gate at the opposite end to the hanger. The terrain surrounding the hanger is wide open except for to rusting belly cans.

 As Wind Rider shut down the T-Bird, Face put a call into Mr Johnson on the commlink they were given to advise the package had arrived. Flash Cat, invisible, moved out the hanger to investigate the rusting belly cans, when he noticed a dust cloud caused by a speeding van heading in their direction. As he turned to call out a warning a shot rang out, killing Wind Rider instantly as he descended the ramp from the T-Bird.

 Taking Cover, the team realised two snipers were hiding in the rusting belly cans. Flash Cat took out one of the snipers with a spell. As the rest of the team targeted the remaining sniper the can under further attack from two different assailants. The battle was fierce and touch and go for a while as one of the new assailants was also a mage who was using invisibility. To add to the confusion the van burst through the gates in the chain link fence, but was taken out be Benny using the HMG on the T-Bird. Eventually the team took out all hostiles. The two snipers wore chameleon suits but had no other ID on them. The other two assailants turned out to be an Aztlan Blood Mage and Adept.

 Shortly after a blacked out van pulls into the area. A well dressed Ork, accompanied by 4 heavily armed soldiers alight from the van. The party recognised the Ork as Bennett, who accompanied Mr Johnson at their initial meet. The package was transferred to the van and Mr Johnson called to say that payment had been made to the runners for the job and arrangements were being made to transport them back to Seattle. On the meantime they were to accompany Bennett to a hotel in the UCAS sector.