Day 17 was sunny, at least on this side of Arulco. Booyah was spending his morning training up a militia. A few of the locals from Chitzena had followed the team south and promised to help defend the SAM site.
Dimitri had started the same process on the eastern side of the country with locals from Drassen.
Xeron, Burntpies, Shadowgandor, and Euchr remained with Booyah until the first round of militia was trained. At 1600 the team met to get their next assignments.
“I have heard some interesting things about San Mona,” Booyah started, “I’d like you all to pass through that town on your way to Drassen. It does not sound like San Mona will be hostile. The mine is abandoned so the town doesn’t hold much value directly. Don’t go starting any fights. Once you guys get a feel for the area head back to Drassen. I’ll have a resupply shipment meet you all there.”
While the team was in transition, Dimitri’s militia training was interrupted.
Dimitri retreated and the militia scattered. Skyrider was grounded again.
Shadowgandor’s team got to the abandoned San Mona mine late in the day. As promised the sector was quiet. “What do you say we take a trip down the rabbit hole?” Shadowgandor proposed.
“An abandoned mine? Count me out!” Euchr replied.
“I’d love to,” Xeron growled. Shadowgandor snorted and headed into the mine.
The team moved slowly through the first sector of the mine but didn’t come across anything. “This place continues to the east,” Burntpies reported.
Xeron didn’t think it was worth it to continue searching but Shadowgandor explained that since it was a mine it might have some explosives hidden somewhere. Those were always helpful. The team continued to explore the mine but didn’t come across anything. Just as the cave system seemed to dead end they came across a small room.
“Well well well!” Shadowgandor exclaimed. “Looks like someone has been hiding something. Burntpies open those bad boys up while Xeron and I keep an eye out.”
The team moved into position while Burntpies started in on the first chest. “It is not locked, probably nothing.” He said as he opened the chest. “Not nothing! Grooving!” he exclaimed. Shadowgandor turned to seem him holding a stack of $100 dollar bills. “Our father who art in heaven… there must be $5,000 there!” Burntpies laughed and moved to the next chest. “More here!” he exclaimed again.
He continued to move from chest to chest, opening all six. When he finished the team stopped to count the pile of cash.
“30,000 big ones man… I can’t hardly believe that.” Xeron mumbled. Shadowgandor nodded. “Let’s get out of here before someone realizes the cash has gone missing.”
As the team left the room they noticed a ladder. “Probably best not to push our luck, there could be guards up there.” Shadowgandor cautioned.
“A quick peek won’t hurt anything.” Xeron replied and motioned toward Burntpies.
Burntpies made his way up and found himself in a small room with a crate. Without thinking he pushed the box open.
And set off an alarm.
“Damnit damnit damnit! This is not happening!” he shouted as he ran hurried back down the ladder.
Xeron and Shadowgandor were ready for him. “Let’s get the fuck out of here man!” Xeron said as he turned and started to run.
They did not stop running until they made it out of the mine.
“I am glad to see you guys-“ Euchr started as the team came running out of the entrance.
“No time, no time, let’s get the hell out of here!” Shadowgandor said as she moved past.
Reunited, they moved south around the town of San Mona. After Shadowgandor explained the story to Euchr he asked, “So I guess we won’t be visiting the town today, huh?” Shadowgandor shook her head.
They contacted Booyah via radio and arranged for a pickup for the funds. Booyah agreed that San Mona should be avoided for the time being. “Continue to Drassen, your resupply just got a lot nicer. After you get your equipment you’ll need to retake the eastern SAM site.”
Booyah then placed a couple of orders.
He elected for two day delivery to save some money on shipping. No use being wasteful.
The squad continued to move towards Drassen. Half way through their journey the found someone alongside the road.
The man’s name was Hamos and while he didn’t say specifically, it sounded as if he was a Mercenary before he ended up driving an ice cream truck. Interesting.
Shadowgandor offers to bring him on board. He agrees at a fair price of $250 a day. He also agrees to drive the truck.
The team could travel quicker in the truck but would have to go back through San Mona. Hamos took the driver seat while everyone else hid in the back, hoping no kids would want ice cream at five in the morning.
They didn’t, and the squad moved through San Mona without issue.
As they continued on their journey, Deiddranna’s forces arrived to retake the northwestern SAM site. Booyah retreated while the militia dug in to do battle.
They didn’t stand a chance.
As Booyah retreated the team in the truck ran into a problem. “Road block ahead, man. 8 of them here, and a bunch more to the north.” Xeron explained.
Shadowgandor decided to leave Hamos with the truck and attack the enemy patrol with the rest of the squad. “It’s about time,” Burntpies stated, “so far updates been boring.” Having no clue what he meant, Shadowgandor shrugged at Xeron as she readied her weapon.
The team moved in in a loose formation. Xeron took up a position behind some rocks, brought his rifle to his eye and spotted the first enemy.
“From a place you will not see, comes a sound you will not hear. It is good to have a sniper rifle again, man.”
Euchr worked, reluctantly, as a spotter for Shadowgandor and Xeron while Burntpies kept an eye on their blind spots. In no time the team had cleared the area and radioed Hamos to meet back up with them.
The rest of the trip was smooth sailing. When the team arrived at Drassen they had a couple of days to wait before the shipment arrived on day 20.
Early that day Booyah got an email.
So… that was Kingpin’s money. Kingpin ran San Mona and did have some firepower but being threatened with bodily harm was nothing new. Besides, the he had already spent the Kingpin’s money on a one week extension with Shadowgandor and a pile of guns. He couldn’t pay even if he wanted. Booyah didn’t want.
Speaking of the pile of guns, a few hours later the team was equipped.
Hamos would be our long range spotter/cover fire master. He was given Shadowgandor’s old gun with the added punch of an M203 grenade launcher. Mostly he would use the binoculars.
Euchr was offered the gun but he declined, preferring his trusty shotgun.
Xeron was also offered a new sniper rifle, but he too declined stating that the Dragunov we pulled off that elite was his favorite weapon. He was given a better scope and flash suppressor. The suppressor would make him harder to spot.
Shadowgandor was given a new long range rifle and some attachments including the trigger group, which would let her burst fire.
Burntpies was also upgraded. Since he was going to be heading into close range combat he was given the Abakan with a folding stock (to ready the gun faster) and a foregrip (for more accurate bursts). He also got all the best armor (not show in the screen shot).
The first order of business was to retake the eastern SAM site, which was being held by seven elites.
The team advanced slowly while Hamos watched the enemy through his binoculars. Finally, when everyone was in position, Xeron opened fire.
Xeron and Shadowgandor covered the gate in blood at ranges no enemy could hope to compete with.
None of the enemies learned lessons from their comrades. Every time an enemy would move in to look at his fallen brother or show his face from behind cover, or try to flank the squad Xeron and Shadowgandor would respond with precise shooting.
Once the dust had settled the team realized that one enemy was still in hiding. Everyone searched the outside while Burntpies went to look inside.
It turned out one enemy did learn from his comrades.
Before Burntpies could respond, the enemy sergeant lunged at him throwing punches. The strikes connected, but it wasn’t enough.
Burntpies cleared the zone.
As it turned out, the squad didn’t spend much time in this zone the last time we attacked. As the building was searched Burntpies came across a room full of chests. He went to open the first one and got a surprise.
Xeron snickered. It was decided that it was best simply to leave the chests for later. The team would have an explosives expert someday. Instead the team headed towards Alma.
The one problem with a long range sniper team is that they are completely ineffective at night so when the road was blocked the team had to hide out and wait for sun rise. Instead of assaulting Alma from the west as planned, the team was forced to come in from the north.
The team still looped around to the west side of the base while Hamos kept an eye on the gate through his binoculars. Finally, everyone was in position and Shadowgandor had a clear view of the gate.
It was time to open fire.
Both of Xeron’s shots found their mark, killing one of the guards. Shadowgandor’s first shot hit but her second missed.
The guard started to run.
But he just died tired. As he fell the team heard and explosion and an alarm. Every guard in Alma knew they were under attack.
Shadowgandor and Burntpies searched the exterior of the compound while Booyah and Hamos watched the entrance. After the exterior was cleared of enemies, Burntpies and Hamos got into position to storm the building.
The duo found the entrance empty but as they moved into the hallway an unseen enemy fired a burst a Burntpies.
His armor held, however, and he and Hamos ran for cover. As they scrambled out of the hallway an elite showed up but missed his shots.
Shadowgandor moved in to help, but found herself face to face with more trouble.
A burst from her weapon ended the major and she continued on before being pinned down by a different enemy. Hoping the guards were distracted, Hamos moved in to check the hallway but found himself on the wrong side of a burst of fire.
The shots knocked him off his feet. Burnt pies took the opportunity to engage the enemy but none of his shots hit and he was forced to jump back behind cover.
Burntpies moved out again but this time he was less lucky, taking a few hits while still missing the enemy. Once again he pulled back behind cover, but this time he took the regeneration (health) and energy boosters he had been saving.
His wounds were not in vain, Euchr managed to get Hamos on his feet while the enemy took cover from Burntpies shots.
The drugs worked wonders and after a few minutes Burntpies returned to the fight and cleared the hallway. As the team moved into position an enemy got the jump on Shadowgandor and landed a few shots before she put him down.
Most of the enemy shots were coming from the control room off to the south so Burntpies tried lobbing a grenade in.
The team didn’t hear any screams. Frustrated, Burntpies decided to storm the room.
But he and Shadowgandor were both hit in the hail of enemy gun fire.
“There is no way to get in there… everyone pull back!” Shadowgandor complained.
“I know a way.” Burntpies replied.
Hamos was given the job. The way was explosives. The problem was his handling of them.
The TNT detonated early, killing Hamos instantly and knocking the enemy out on the other side of the wall. As soon as the smoke cleared, Xeron killed the enemy, leaving only one enemy in the sector, the one in the center of the green consoles.
Xeron moved along the outside of the building, trying to get a shot in on the enemy but never saw him. Finally, Euchr volunteered to flush him out with the team’s remaining grenade.
Euchr moved along the outside of the building and finally got in postion to make the throw. He tought he was out of sight of the enemy. He was wrong.
The enemy took his head off and the team was forced to retreat.
Burntpies took it the worst. “Two of us died here. The way this outfit is run, I do not like.”
The squad fled Alma and was forced to avoid patrols while making their way back to the ice cream truck. When they finally did, Burntpies and Shadowgandor both collapsed in the back. Xeron was forced to drive back to Drassen without anyone to help keep him awake.
The team made it back and everyone separated, disturbed by how poorly the mission went. They met back up a few hours later.
“I don’t have much trainin’, but I’ll do what I can.” Xeron offered as he set to tending the wounded.
When the team contacted Booyah he agreed that another medic would need to be hired, but that was easier said than done. The first problem was cash on hand which the team sorely lacked.
The second problem…
The top 5 medics at AIM had no desire to join us. At least not right now.
“Everyone try and relax tonight. Maybe tomorrow will bring better news.” Booyah advised.
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Topic: Let's Play Jagged Alliance 2-1.13: Part 6: Storm Team (Read 56031 times)