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Forum Games and Roleplaying / Re: Space Cowboys for Hire [Turn 6]
« on: May 09, 2021, 06:06:13 pm »
Mission Report Part (7/?)
Potter Properties' Heist of Martinez & Sons (Part One)
"That's the thing, man. I've grown up a lot these last few months. I really was a believer back then; I thought we were a force for good. But I guess I just really was that stupid and naive, wasn't I? How can I stay in some immortal 'family' for a practical eternity, yet be a disbeliever? Nothing personal, but once I lost my faith in our mission, this all became just another dirty job to hate."
Well after nightfall in Rattlesnake Ridge, Erik Heller the Blackbagger and James "Hoxton" Hoxworth pull up to the Shiraz hookah lounge in their Land Rover SUV. Shiraz seemed like little more than a hole in the wall, but the technical writer from Potter Properties, Miss Khadija Gilani, insisted on meeting them there. It's a neutral location that shouldn't readily expose either party's employers, but it's an attempt to hide in plain sight. The 'customer always being right,' your operators oblige. With their firearms and other tactical gear stowed at the apartment, your operators should easily pass as civilians.
Team Leader Erik Heller reminds Hoxton before going in, "Now remember, we're just two bros chatting up a girl on a Friday night. I'll be doing all of the talking, you just gotta wingman me."
"You got it, man."
"I know it's your last dance and all, but I can't afford to have you going lameduck on me."
Hoxton tries not to roll his eyes, "You're gonna doubt me after all the work I put in with those Smilodons on Lossarnach?"
"Dude, you killed it back then..." he slips into his Australian accent, "...and if that ain't true, my name ain't Dingo Hella!"
They share a laugh before stepping into the smoky lounge. The air is thick with a mix of tobacco, cannabis, and opium fumes. Incense burners and flavoring agents take the edge off the second-hand smoke, but the musty odor of the place is still oppressive. Your operators eyes water slightly in the acrid atmosphere.
Still, Erik can see why their contact chose this place. It's a popular nightspot, but the atmosphere is low-key. The lighting is set to the bare minimum, and each party stays huddled in their own secluded booth.
A dusky young woman gives him a gentle handshake in introduction, "Erik? A pleasure to meet you..."
She gives a wry grin as she shakes Hoxton's hand, "And you are?"
"Hox-"
Erik interrupts, "That's Jim."
The woman turns back to Erik, "Oh, I see."
Sharing a hookah, the three go over their plans for the next few days. Erik had already thoroughly cased the building last month with Anna. They had located the report and confirmed the combination for the safe that held it. Furthermore, they'd already established the delivery timeline.
Khadija laughs, "Well frak me sideways, sounds like you've got this Tranquility Hill case all buttoned up. Inshallah, editing the document won't take long."
"You're compensating us well for this, and you get what you pay for, Ma'am."
Khadija rolls her smoky hazel eyes, "Ma'am is what you call my mother, Erik. ...Not like you'd find her in an opium den like this... My friends call me Dee."
Erik gestures to the shared hookah hose, "Wait, this is opium?"
Khadija shakes her head, "Nope. I never liked the stuff anyways."
Erik follows up, "Me neither, really stops me up if you know what I mean."
Khadija laughs, "Too much information, my friend. Though that's why there's dried fruit on the menu: traditional remedy, and also organic.
"Huh, I'll keep that in mind."
"Besides, cannabis kief hashish is more my jam, but the old man is pretty Puritanical about that kind of stuff and won't let me expense it for a business meeting."
Erik flirts, "Hashish in a hookha, well aren't you the traditional Arab?"
Khadija scoffs, "Arab? I'm Persian, bitch."
"Hey, didn't mean anything by it-"
"-it's fine. I get it a lot. Anyhow, this is just tobacco. Didn't want to get too presumptuous on the first date. I mean, does SpaceX even let you smoke up there?"
Hoxton pipes up, "Yes, but no. You can, but it's more trouble than it's worth."
She raises an eyebrow, "Oh, so he can talk after all..."
***
Team Leader Erik Heller finishes rigging up the new and improved button cams inside the SUV. Firing up the upgraded Wave app, he smiles as multiple feeds come through on his smartphone.
He looks over to Hoxton in the driver seat, "Looks like we're in business pal."
Hoxton leans over to see, "Frak yeah, man. Works as advertised."
"Now we just gotta park this thing, and let it do the work. You know, back in the day, we had to do this all manually."
"You mean, last month?"
"Exactly.... There's a parking lot up here. Just gotta pay the long term fare, and we should be good."
Equipped with the new cameras, the SUV becomes a passable persistant surveillance platform. Your team only has to visit it daily to swap memory cards and batteries. The backup Gator ATV proves its worth in the meantime, providing transportation in the SUV's absence. Erik does task Hoxton to do some surveillance from some other vantage points in the Gator ATV as well. With the FLIR binos, he's able to check the building at any hour.
Reviewing the footage back at the apartment, it doesn't look like much has changed since last month. While they only have an exterior view of the Martinez & Sons building, the pattern of life seems unchanged. Business hours are roughly 9 to 5, but Grandpa and Grandma Martinez still live upstairs. The younger son, Miguel, lives with them, while the older son, Oscar, lives with his wife elsewhere. Oscar brings his three kid to see their grandparents most days, but takes them home after dinner. Miguel occasionally runs errands, but it's still lights out by 9 pm.
Erik considers additional intrusions to place cameras inside the building, but decides against it. He's satisfied with the intelligence he has, and doesn't think it's worth the risk.
Erik finishes briefing Hoxton, "...that's what I did last month, and it looks like it'll be the same gameplan this time."
"A side window though? Why don't you just pick the front door this time? We got the hardware for it."
"Total rookie move. The main entrance is always the most deliberately secure. This one is also highly visible to bystanders, as is usually the case. The side window is a pain in ass, but it's safe."
"Hey, you're the pro on this."
"That I am. Anyhow, should be easier than falling off a log."
***
With their stakeout both automated and largely perfunctuary at this point, your operators find they have a lot of time on their hands. Fast-forwarding through footage doesn't take that long, and Erik is comfortable enough in the actual breaking & entering that he doesn't need much rehearsal. To pass the time, Erik decides its best to keep a low profile, taking extended "power naps" as rest. Hoxton, on the other hand, pursues other forms of relaxation...
Khadija rolls over in bed to respond to Hoxton's musings, "Hey, I don't take it personally. Maybe, Tranquility Hill really is that risky a development? As the old saying goes, bad engineers kill people. So, I guess I'm kinda a hired gun too? I just try not to think too much about it I guess."
"Wait, you're an engineer now? Like with trains?"
Khadija laughs, "Gorram you're adorable... No, I'm a trained civil engineer. I interned at AMR for a few years until they told me 'I didn't fit their corporate culture.' Parents wanted me to get back to Lossarnach, but then I'd forever stay their little princess. I'm overqualified and underpaid at Potter Properties, but at least I get to breathe out here on Harad. Say what you will about Harad, but it's true freedom at a working class wage."
"Freedom, huh? You know, I've been studying with Namata about that."
"Namata?"
"Doc Jack Barbera: The Raptor King. Have you heard of him?"
"Oh yeah, his little circus is in town so to speak. He lives up on the Leviathan with you guys, right? My parents took me to one of his shows on Lossarnach when I was younger. Sure was something to see dinos up close. The guy himself is quite the entertainer too."
"Well he's so much more than just an entertainer. Namata's a businessman, scientist, explorer, philosopher, and a visionary."
"Huh, the things an immortal idle-rich billionaire on a spaceship can 'accomplish.' If only we all could be so lucky to inherit biotech patents."
"See, that cynicism is just your intellectual shell impeding your potentiality."
"Is that even a word?"
"Your radiant soul wants greatness; greater than the boundaries you impose upon it."
"This 'Namata' says that?"
"Of course. His family brought humanity Transcendent Immortality. Who better to understand the human soul than him?"
Khadija tries not to laugh at him. It's patently absurd. But he's still young, and we all passionately believed similarly ridiculous notions at that age.
"That's why I'll be joining him after this last assignment."
"Join him? Is he going to stick you in some circus getup too? I'm sure your ass would look hot in some leather pants. I think you'd need a boob job for the rest of it though."
Khadija tries to stay light and playful, but Hoxton starts getting frustrated, "No, it's not like that! I must be rightly guided to continue my eternal transformation! As his student, I shall discover and walk that path!"
Khadija recognizes she hit a nerve and decides to back down. While this booty call has certainly gone off the rails, she did need him to complete his mission if she wanted to keep her job, "I'm sorry Jim, I was just playing. Inshallah, you will find your fate with this man."
He calms down as well, "It's okay, Dee. Most-"
She cuts him off, "-wait, who's 'Katy?'"
He's confused until she breaks into a smile, and then he realizes the pun.
Finally fully appreciating why Erik did the talking at the meeting, she moves to end this night on an upnote. She pounces on him, "You talk too much. Time to snap into a Slim Jim..."
***
It's just after 10 pm as your operators creep up to the side window of Martinez & Sons. Per higher's insistance, both are relatively conspicuous in appearance, wearing balaclavas and tactical plate carriers. With the additional weight in hardware, Erik is a heavy lift up to the window. As Hoxton strains under the weight of the man on his shoulders, he's glad they made the call to leave the plates back at the apartment. ("MacCauley said plate carriers, but not anything about the plates...")
With Erik clear though the window, Hoxton moves back to his ATV as lookout. A firefight isn't expected, but an AS Val carbine is stowed just in case. Erik has similar arrangements in the SUV parked in the side alley.
Once inside, Erik the Blackbagger pauses to get his bearings. As awkward as it was, he'd managed to keep one eye closed since they left the apartment. Upon opening it, it actually does assist in his vision adjusting to the darkness quicker. As everything comes into focus, he makes his way to the dimly stairwell with the safe.
Accompanied by a long creaks, the safe door swings open. Rifling through the office files, Erik looks for the Tranquility Hill file. Finding the file folder, he pulls out the contents, replacing them with some blank paper he brought along. Unless somebody decides to wake up in the middle of the night and open the folder, the swap should go undetected. Hopefully Dee works fast, and they can be back before daybreak.
All is going well until he drops the folder, spilling sheets of paper all over the floor. Swearing to himself, he feels around in the dark cleaning up his mess.
"¿¿¿Hola???"
***
Potter Properties' Heist of Martinez & Sons (Part One)
Quote from: Reconciled Plan
Potter Properties
Personnel
Erik Heller (IC)
James Hoxworth
Hardware
1x Land Rover SUV
1x Gator ATV
1x FLIR Thermal Binoculars
1x WhiteFalcon! Covert Entry Kit
2x VAL SP-6 Carbine
All standard issue gear available (Although if we end up using plate carriers and firearms something has gone horribly wrong)
Plan
The team should acquire cheap lodgings somewhere relatively nearby such as the previous, and stake out the property to identify if a different pattern of life has changed since last time, using both vehicles making sure to use a mixture of vantage points to cover more ground, rather than only ever in the Land Rover. If Mr. Heller feels confident, and infiltration to place cameras and microphones for additional intel is acceptable. PIRs are as follows.
1) Has the daily schedule of the occupants changed since last month?
2) What/when is the longest or closest window for infiltration?
3) How frequently is the report checked in the safe?
4) Have any new access routes opened up due to the WhiteFalcon kit?
5) How long will the forging take before the document can be returned, if it will take a significant amount of time will a stand-in copy be needed?
Using these, the team should be able to identify the ideal times for a back to back infiltration. Worst case, the team may need to produce a "stand-in" copy of the report that will survive cursory inspection in the case of the occupants checking on the safe whilst the client is making alterations. Hopefully, this will not need to be any more complicated than a ream of blank paper to replace the report in its envelope/case.
During infiltration, Mr. Hoxworth will be positioned nearby, such as across the block as a lookout/driver in an ATV with Flir Binos in hand and AS Val under the passenger’s seat, and Erik will park close-by for infiltration, also wear balaclava masks during infiltration. Consider doing "low-tech night vision". Cover one eye with a cloth (or just keep it closed) so its already adjusted to the dark, just so we can minimize the "stumbling around in the dark" phase this time. Pirated tested, FAA approved! If caught at all, terms of engagement are for no lethality but only non-lethal takedowns as well as wearing plate carriers unless it affects combat agility for Erik.
"That's the thing, man. I've grown up a lot these last few months. I really was a believer back then; I thought we were a force for good. But I guess I just really was that stupid and naive, wasn't I? How can I stay in some immortal 'family' for a practical eternity, yet be a disbeliever? Nothing personal, but once I lost my faith in our mission, this all became just another dirty job to hate."
Well after nightfall in Rattlesnake Ridge, Erik Heller the Blackbagger and James "Hoxton" Hoxworth pull up to the Shiraz hookah lounge in their Land Rover SUV. Shiraz seemed like little more than a hole in the wall, but the technical writer from Potter Properties, Miss Khadija Gilani, insisted on meeting them there. It's a neutral location that shouldn't readily expose either party's employers, but it's an attempt to hide in plain sight. The 'customer always being right,' your operators oblige. With their firearms and other tactical gear stowed at the apartment, your operators should easily pass as civilians.
Team Leader Erik Heller reminds Hoxton before going in, "Now remember, we're just two bros chatting up a girl on a Friday night. I'll be doing all of the talking, you just gotta wingman me."
"You got it, man."
"I know it's your last dance and all, but I can't afford to have you going lameduck on me."
Hoxton tries not to roll his eyes, "You're gonna doubt me after all the work I put in with those Smilodons on Lossarnach?"
"Dude, you killed it back then..." he slips into his Australian accent, "...and if that ain't true, my name ain't Dingo Hella!"
They share a laugh before stepping into the smoky lounge. The air is thick with a mix of tobacco, cannabis, and opium fumes. Incense burners and flavoring agents take the edge off the second-hand smoke, but the musty odor of the place is still oppressive. Your operators eyes water slightly in the acrid atmosphere.
Still, Erik can see why their contact chose this place. It's a popular nightspot, but the atmosphere is low-key. The lighting is set to the bare minimum, and each party stays huddled in their own secluded booth.
A dusky young woman gives him a gentle handshake in introduction, "Erik? A pleasure to meet you..."
She gives a wry grin as she shakes Hoxton's hand, "And you are?"
"Hox-"
Erik interrupts, "That's Jim."
The woman turns back to Erik, "Oh, I see."
Sharing a hookah, the three go over their plans for the next few days. Erik had already thoroughly cased the building last month with Anna. They had located the report and confirmed the combination for the safe that held it. Furthermore, they'd already established the delivery timeline.
Khadija laughs, "Well frak me sideways, sounds like you've got this Tranquility Hill case all buttoned up. Inshallah, editing the document won't take long."
"You're compensating us well for this, and you get what you pay for, Ma'am."
Khadija rolls her smoky hazel eyes, "Ma'am is what you call my mother, Erik. ...Not like you'd find her in an opium den like this... My friends call me Dee."
Erik gestures to the shared hookah hose, "Wait, this is opium?"
Khadija shakes her head, "Nope. I never liked the stuff anyways."
Erik follows up, "Me neither, really stops me up if you know what I mean."
Khadija laughs, "Too much information, my friend. Though that's why there's dried fruit on the menu: traditional remedy, and also organic.
"Huh, I'll keep that in mind."
"Besides, cannabis kief hashish is more my jam, but the old man is pretty Puritanical about that kind of stuff and won't let me expense it for a business meeting."
Erik flirts, "Hashish in a hookha, well aren't you the traditional Arab?"
Khadija scoffs, "Arab? I'm Persian, bitch."
"Hey, didn't mean anything by it-"
"-it's fine. I get it a lot. Anyhow, this is just tobacco. Didn't want to get too presumptuous on the first date. I mean, does SpaceX even let you smoke up there?"
Hoxton pipes up, "Yes, but no. You can, but it's more trouble than it's worth."
She raises an eyebrow, "Oh, so he can talk after all..."
***
Team Leader Erik Heller finishes rigging up the new and improved button cams inside the SUV. Firing up the upgraded Wave app, he smiles as multiple feeds come through on his smartphone.
He looks over to Hoxton in the driver seat, "Looks like we're in business pal."
Hoxton leans over to see, "Frak yeah, man. Works as advertised."
"Now we just gotta park this thing, and let it do the work. You know, back in the day, we had to do this all manually."
"You mean, last month?"
"Exactly.... There's a parking lot up here. Just gotta pay the long term fare, and we should be good."
Equipped with the new cameras, the SUV becomes a passable persistant surveillance platform. Your team only has to visit it daily to swap memory cards and batteries. The backup Gator ATV proves its worth in the meantime, providing transportation in the SUV's absence. Erik does task Hoxton to do some surveillance from some other vantage points in the Gator ATV as well. With the FLIR binos, he's able to check the building at any hour.
Reviewing the footage back at the apartment, it doesn't look like much has changed since last month. While they only have an exterior view of the Martinez & Sons building, the pattern of life seems unchanged. Business hours are roughly 9 to 5, but Grandpa and Grandma Martinez still live upstairs. The younger son, Miguel, lives with them, while the older son, Oscar, lives with his wife elsewhere. Oscar brings his three kid to see their grandparents most days, but takes them home after dinner. Miguel occasionally runs errands, but it's still lights out by 9 pm.
Erik considers additional intrusions to place cameras inside the building, but decides against it. He's satisfied with the intelligence he has, and doesn't think it's worth the risk.
Erik finishes briefing Hoxton, "...that's what I did last month, and it looks like it'll be the same gameplan this time."
"A side window though? Why don't you just pick the front door this time? We got the hardware for it."
"Total rookie move. The main entrance is always the most deliberately secure. This one is also highly visible to bystanders, as is usually the case. The side window is a pain in ass, but it's safe."
"Hey, you're the pro on this."
"That I am. Anyhow, should be easier than falling off a log."
***
With their stakeout both automated and largely perfunctuary at this point, your operators find they have a lot of time on their hands. Fast-forwarding through footage doesn't take that long, and Erik is comfortable enough in the actual breaking & entering that he doesn't need much rehearsal. To pass the time, Erik decides its best to keep a low profile, taking extended "power naps" as rest. Hoxton, on the other hand, pursues other forms of relaxation...
Khadija rolls over in bed to respond to Hoxton's musings, "Hey, I don't take it personally. Maybe, Tranquility Hill really is that risky a development? As the old saying goes, bad engineers kill people. So, I guess I'm kinda a hired gun too? I just try not to think too much about it I guess."
"Wait, you're an engineer now? Like with trains?"
Khadija laughs, "Gorram you're adorable... No, I'm a trained civil engineer. I interned at AMR for a few years until they told me 'I didn't fit their corporate culture.' Parents wanted me to get back to Lossarnach, but then I'd forever stay their little princess. I'm overqualified and underpaid at Potter Properties, but at least I get to breathe out here on Harad. Say what you will about Harad, but it's true freedom at a working class wage."
"Freedom, huh? You know, I've been studying with Namata about that."
"Namata?"
"Doc Jack Barbera: The Raptor King. Have you heard of him?"
"Oh yeah, his little circus is in town so to speak. He lives up on the Leviathan with you guys, right? My parents took me to one of his shows on Lossarnach when I was younger. Sure was something to see dinos up close. The guy himself is quite the entertainer too."
"Well he's so much more than just an entertainer. Namata's a businessman, scientist, explorer, philosopher, and a visionary."
"Huh, the things an immortal idle-rich billionaire on a spaceship can 'accomplish.' If only we all could be so lucky to inherit biotech patents."
"See, that cynicism is just your intellectual shell impeding your potentiality."
"Is that even a word?"
"Your radiant soul wants greatness; greater than the boundaries you impose upon it."
"This 'Namata' says that?"
"Of course. His family brought humanity Transcendent Immortality. Who better to understand the human soul than him?"
Khadija tries not to laugh at him. It's patently absurd. But he's still young, and we all passionately believed similarly ridiculous notions at that age.
"That's why I'll be joining him after this last assignment."
"Join him? Is he going to stick you in some circus getup too? I'm sure your ass would look hot in some leather pants. I think you'd need a boob job for the rest of it though."
Khadija tries to stay light and playful, but Hoxton starts getting frustrated, "No, it's not like that! I must be rightly guided to continue my eternal transformation! As his student, I shall discover and walk that path!"
Khadija recognizes she hit a nerve and decides to back down. While this booty call has certainly gone off the rails, she did need him to complete his mission if she wanted to keep her job, "I'm sorry Jim, I was just playing. Inshallah, you will find your fate with this man."
He calms down as well, "It's okay, Dee. Most-"
She cuts him off, "-wait, who's 'Katy?'"
He's confused until she breaks into a smile, and then he realizes the pun.
Finally fully appreciating why Erik did the talking at the meeting, she moves to end this night on an upnote. She pounces on him, "You talk too much. Time to snap into a Slim Jim..."
***
It's just after 10 pm as your operators creep up to the side window of Martinez & Sons. Per higher's insistance, both are relatively conspicuous in appearance, wearing balaclavas and tactical plate carriers. With the additional weight in hardware, Erik is a heavy lift up to the window. As Hoxton strains under the weight of the man on his shoulders, he's glad they made the call to leave the plates back at the apartment. ("MacCauley said plate carriers, but not anything about the plates...")
With Erik clear though the window, Hoxton moves back to his ATV as lookout. A firefight isn't expected, but an AS Val carbine is stowed just in case. Erik has similar arrangements in the SUV parked in the side alley.
Once inside, Erik the Blackbagger pauses to get his bearings. As awkward as it was, he'd managed to keep one eye closed since they left the apartment. Upon opening it, it actually does assist in his vision adjusting to the darkness quicker. As everything comes into focus, he makes his way to the dimly stairwell with the safe.
Accompanied by a long creaks, the safe door swings open. Rifling through the office files, Erik looks for the Tranquility Hill file. Finding the file folder, he pulls out the contents, replacing them with some blank paper he brought along. Unless somebody decides to wake up in the middle of the night and open the folder, the swap should go undetected. Hopefully Dee works fast, and they can be back before daybreak.
All is going well until he drops the folder, spilling sheets of paper all over the floor. Swearing to himself, he feels around in the dark cleaning up his mess.
"¿¿¿Hola???"
***
