Open Downtown District A Simple Haul

Sly

A Literal Metaphysical God
Owner
Sep 1, 2020
32
5
8
Lock and Load

KxtCJZksH3B6c5dgKs0dhidK3wugKNTmrPoWa3dFkjc.jpg



"Alright boys. Strap it on, we need to get this tin tank moving!" Jason hollered to the group as he loaded two Nova Model 338's and slid a few extra cylinders into his pants pocket. The job was simple, a quick convoy to transport a prototype Cerberus Chip for Manticore Special Operations. Manticore had been working on these chips for months testing them in the field and they sure as hell weren't going to trust some random fixer to move it for them. Jason knew how valuable the chip was and his mission was clear- "I want a Raptor truck in front primed and ready to fire; You see anything get in the way, you give them one warning shot, I want the second shot in their head. Understood?" he yelled as he watched 5 Enforcement Officers board the Hummer-like vehicle, one climbing to the top and pulling back the bolt on a heavy mounted machine-gun. Jason nodded, it was showtime. He glanced down at his digipad typing a message. "Train is moving" he typed as he boarded the armored APC parked behind the Raptor. He climbed through a metal door-frame and sat next to a large metal chest stored in the back of the vehicle. The cargo area had no windows and was designed as a troop transport vessel. With him sat 3 Enforcement Officers who dared not look away from attention. "Small arms fire isn't shit to this thing but we don't have the nicest friends out here so keep your head on a swivel-" The 2 vehicle convoy began headed towards their destination; Most of the route had already been cleared or directed to alternative paths before they were set to move so the trip would be nice and quick. Jason leaned his head back and began to take some deep breaths. Convoy missions like this weren't normally such a big deal but this job in particular was one of great importance- for better or worse. A few minutes passed when suddenly a callout came over the radio: "SIR!". Jason sprung to life, rushing towards the front of the APC where he could squint through the dusty reinforced windows. The Raptor gunner continued his message "Unknown, 200 meters straight ahead near the overpass." Who the fuck was this? The route had been closed nearly 30 minutes ago and Enforcement had already swept the area. "Put lead in that prick if he doesn't move, I can't afford someone to fuck this up!" Jason yelled over the radio; He watched as a warning shot drifted near the approaching unknown. "I said waste that shithead, take him ou-"
BOOM!

A fiery inferno burned the front of the vehicle, Jason clung to life off the bottom of the APC. As the ringing in his ears slowed and his blurred vision came to, he quickly realized they had flipped and smoke was filling the cabin. He limped forward to see the driver and passenger hanging from their waists out of their chairs lifeless; Both faces were devoid of the men they were moments before and were replaced by bloodied shrapnel and char. "-repeat this is Delta 2-2, we are Priority Black, requesting immediate air superiority and zone lock-down. They are moving in on the cargo!" Squinting through the smoke, Jason could see Enforcement officers engaging an unknown assailant while they took cover behind the flipped, smoldering Raptor- "Who the fuck.." he thought to himself. Suddenly the door behind him at the back of the APC slammed open. "It's time to move-" an unknown voice hollered as Jason reached one of his pistols. In an attempt to kill his attacker, he missed and shot into the side of the armor plated interior. He felt a hand grab his neck and a bag thrown over his head as he was shoved to the ground. Struggling to get up, he attempted to push himself off the ground as he could hear someone open the cargo box from behind. "Keep your fucking paws off the merchandise!" Jason heard what sounded like gunshots from near the Raptor followed by his attacker barking "Fuck, we gotta go!" with the sound of a Corpo VTOL in the distance. He squirmed as he slid the bag off his head; Managing to slide himself up the side of the APC, Jason grabbed his side-arm and readied himself for whatever hell was about to ensue. Kicking the body of an Enforcement Officer nearby over, he grabbed the radio and uttered "Priority package his been compromised, status Black; Enforcement teams, prepare for extract."


 
  • Like
Reactions: TheFlyingPotato

TheFlyingPotato

New member
Sep 2, 2020
18
1
3

Z A S A D A

Tag: @Sly

There were lessons to be learned from the past. Important lessons that could serve you well in the future, keep you from making the same mistakes. Chechnya and Grozny in particular taught the Russian Army a lot of about urban operations with vehicles, just like Mogadishu taught the Americans the same. Vasily was far too young to have been alive at the time, but he'd studied enough about Spetsnaz operations during the conflict that he was well aware of the techniques they'd used to stop Chechen convoys, and the tactics that the Chechens used to stop Russian Army convoys.

He'd been informed about a Manticore convoy transporting something important through the downtown district. His intel hadn't quite covered what it was, but his clearance was high enough that he was made aware it was some sort of cybernetic. In any event, his job was to secure the shipment and get out. Quick, clean and quiet. Or so he'd been told. Convoy ambushes were usually the former, but never any of the latter. In fact, they tended to be extremely loud and equally as messy.

He'd inserted in well in advance at least ten klicks out from the convoy's route and moved into position on foot. He'd been holding at his position on the overpass, waiting for the convoy to make its way into his sightlines with an anti-materiel HEIAP round loaded in his rifle. Till then, he waited, perched up high, position secure thanks to the pair of anti-personnel mines he'd placed to defend it from any too curious for their own good. It had been several hours before he ever caught sight of the convoy.

Vasily tightened his grip on the rifle, carefully regulating his breathing as the convoy moved in the same slow motion that he was cursed to witness life in. His curse was a blessing too, one that made him into a lethal killer, the perfect soldier. With little else to live for, he was scarcely aware of its downsides. He spoke to virtually no one that wasn't like him.

He'd specifically set up in a position such that he could target the lead vehicle and still have perfect sightlines on the rear vehicle when it showed itself. The round in his rifle could comfortably punch through 60 millimeters of armor plating at an angle of 45 degrees at 1000 meters, at 200 meters he was more than confident it would punch right through the bullet resistant glass on the front of the truck. He easily sighted in on the driver as he noticed the rear vehicle's gun aiming in his direction.

Vasily estimated that the gunner likely made out what little of his rifle he could at this range, given that his suit's them-optic camouflage systems were active, but it wouldn't help him. He'd die next. What Vasily didn't know was that it wouldn't be by his hands. Before he could pull the trigger, a massive explosion detonated, claiming the lead vehicle. "Ty che blyat (what the fuck)?" he cursed under his breath as he waited for the smoke to clear. Things had certainly gone to hell in a heartbeat, as Cindi was so fond of saying.

The lead vehicle was a smouldering wreck, and the rear vehicle on its back. Now would be best to move in, but he had a feeling whoever set the explosive would be along shortly. Vasily caught sight of Manticore's lokhi moving on the convoy, in the chaos, however, he also picked out movement of what he'd bet his not so considerable pay was most definitely local gangsters. A moment's analysis of their body language, movements, weapons and equipment gave him the confidence to also bet that they were the ones that set the explosive.

Simple and quick analysis told him neutralizing the better armed and equipped Manticore enforcers was the smarter idea. Additionally, they'd be far more likely to identify and report his presence if he left them alive for too much longer. An annoyed sigh escaping his lips, Vasily readjusted his aim, years of experience enhanced elite training guiding it toward the lead Manticore enforcer. He gently pulled the charging handle, ejecting the round loaded which he expertly loaded back into the magazine which he then placed back into the pouch on his carrier rig.

He loaded a fresh magazine, one loaded with tungsten carbide armor-piercing rounds. Checking again that he was still on target and then making some slight adjustments to his aim. At this range the rifle's targeting computer didn't even have to make any adjustments, and even firing on subsonic firing mode the round would punch through most forms of personal armor. He pulled the trigger once, and a moment later watched as the lead Manticore enforcer fell backward, dead before he hit the ground.

By the time fire was directed in his general direction, Vasily had picked another of their number off with an expertly placed shot to the torso. None of that aiming for the head bullshit snipers did in hollywood movies. The only time he'd risk a headshot was if he was at a longer range and if the he was sure his target's body armor would stop the round. In this time, however, to their credit, the enforcers took cover behind the wreck of the convoy's lead vehicle. Vasily debated moving in to finish them off momentarily, but the not-so distant sound of engines made him reconsider. The sight of the gangsters withdrawing cemented this.

"Next time, cyka," he whispered as he stowed his rifle and began to make his way down. As much as he relished the prospect of killing the Manticore lokhi, it seemed that there was another group that bore dealing with. Whether they proved to be a problem, or a potential new ally was a different story entirely. He melted from shadow to shadow, making his way for the service ladder, occasionally glancing in the direction of the carnage that was the ambushed convoy and in the direction of the incoming VTOL.

 
Last edited:
  • Love
Reactions: Sly

Chask

Residential Weapons Man
Moderator
Sep 2, 2020
6
1
3
Another day, another pile of Manticore shit that needed to be cleaned up. Why a simple security cordon could not be maintained was beyond him, but then again he wasn't paid to ask those sorts of questions. No, he was paid to wade into the mess and sort everything out, usually by filling the problem with lead.

And he was just fine with that.

The cramped troop bay of the VTOL was filled with the sounds of gear being prepped for a fight. Bolts slamming home, straps tightening, rounds being loads into magazines. Response Team Epsilon-3 had their fangs out and were ready to jump into the thick of it. The briefing, if it could even be called that, was curt and to the point. A Manticore exec's convoy and their precious cargo had gotten their teeth kicked in, and it was Epsilon-3's job to secure the package and pull the bigwig's ass out of the fire. Local Enforcement assets had already suffered heavy causalities, so a hot LZ was to be expected. Thankfully, recon drone surveillance and the VTOL's weapon systems meant that they could at least get on the ground in one piece. Even hardened gangsters weren't arrogant enough to stay in the open when cannon shells began filling the air.

As the VTOL settled into a low hover behind the remains of the convoy, Carter hauled the door open and looked out, chuckling as a round pinged off the hull next to his head. He glanced back to his team with a cocky grin, "Well they've certainly rolled out the carpet for us. Kick the ropes, and lets get down there!" A thick rope was pushed out each of the VTOL's doors, and seconds later there was a fresh squad of heavy infantry on the ground. As the ropes fell to the ground behind him, Carter shouldered his rifle and scanned the immediate area, snapping off a few round at the unfortunate soul that chose that moment to peek out of cover. "Bravo, take the left side, sweep and secure. Alpha, on me, we've got a VIP to secure. You see anyone without a Manticore IFF, put them in the dirt. Move." With each fireteam given its task, Carter led the way up to the wrecked APC, spotting the suit wearing schmuck that had gotten himself into the mess. "Alpha, set a perimeter around the vic, I don't want anything getting close!" he barked as he hustled over to Jason's position, sliding into the cover of the APC next to him. "Fine day for a party, Mr. Shiou. What's the status of the package?"
 
  • Like
Reactions: TheFlyingPotato

Sly

A Literal Metaphysical God
Owner
Sep 1, 2020
32
5
8


"A fine day it is indeed son! The fucking package went off with whoever decided to light this powder keg. Get your team ready to move, I'm not losing this damn thing without a fight. The package is chipped so we can keep an eye on them." Jason held at his head lightly, a small bit of blood oozing out the back of a minor cut. He looked at the high-tech bullet monkeys of Epsilon-3 as they approached behind their squad leader, quickly barking at one of the lower ranking members, "Give me that rifle, you boot.. Daddy has a job to do-". Grabbing the rifle from the Unit's hands, he chambered a round, "-and for Christ sake, take the safety off when you're jumping into a shitshow!" Scoffing, Jason switched the safety off and pointed to the direction he heard the assailants running towards. "This alleyway is going to make for some tight spaces so buckle up your men and keep an eye on the rooftops, I'm not trying to get stomped on from some prick who can climb-"

The passage way was tight but still able to fit 2 by 2. A light smoke hazed the area a bit and the sound of ammo popping off in the distance behind them from the blown out vehicle echoed through the mixture of brick and metal walls. Loud voices could be heard down the way in front of them but it was hard to gauge exactly how close. Suddenly a loud noise from above caused Jason to jerk his head and the rifle up towards it, revealing nothing more than a bit of dirt and dust in the air. He sighed lightly, raising his rifle back in front of him. "Keep an eye out for any flying rats! Hey Commando Joe, get a man or two in front of us too, I'd rather the expendable take point."


 

TheFlyingPotato

New member
Sep 2, 2020
18
1
3

Z A S A D A

Tag: @Sly | @Chask

To move weapon in hand would have been for the best, unfortunately however, that was out of the question. People tended to notice a floating gun more than they did the silhouette of a phantasmal figure. That was, if they were observant to notice even that. So as much as he wanted to be able to put down the Manticore lokhi, he'd leave them alive. For now. His targets were the gangsters that managed to ambush the convoy and steal that chip. He was not about to get outdone by their sort.

Enhanced strength and reflexes let him move from rooftop to rooftop with relative ease. He was making good pace. A slight smirk flickered across his otherwise stony features, likewise hidden by his helmet, as he caught sight of the Manticore team. Reinforcements, he could tell, likely dropped off by that VTOL that he'd seen fly in. They were reasonably well armed too, decently armored as well. At this range, they'd be a problem. Safer to avoid them than engage them. In any case, they weren't what he was here for.

A clumsy slip, momentary loss of balance, but quick recovery, kicked up more dust and dirt than he'd have preferred. One of the Manticore operatives looked up. This one piqued his curiosity for a quick moment. The man was clearly in the crash. That combined with their current heading meant that they were out to recover the chip as well. This was sure to complicate things to no uncertain degree. That just meant he had to be faster. Only problem was, if he moved any faster the camouflage systems were going to struggle to compensate, and that was going to be more than a little problematic.

Vasily cursed, regretting not asking for backup. Though he may as well have been wishing for an entire tank battalion, because an SSO squad was not coming. Major Ivanova had made it pretty clear that if he was identified he was going to be disavowed faster than he could say, 'Nu blyat.' And so, Vasily continued moving in the direction that by his best estimates the gangsters were moving in.

 

Chask

Residential Weapons Man
Moderator
Sep 2, 2020
6
1
3
Carter let an amused grin peak out from beneath his helmet's visor as the exec gave a status report. " Package is in the wind, and we get to chase it down. this'll be fun!" Jason's appropriation of one of his men's rifles drew a chuckle from him, but that quickly became a frown as the safety error was revealed. "You'll be doing PT til ya puke tomorrow, Jefferson. Epsilon, form up and get ready to move!" Their perimeter guard fell back from their positions, covering each other with bounding fire as the team moved to encircle Jason and Carter, moving them both towards the indicated alleyway. Two of his boys took point, sweeping the alley ahead shoulder to shoulder, with Carter right behind them. The noise above made Carter snap hisaim skyward with practiced precision, scanning for movement before signaling the pointmen to move on. The request for "expendables" up front made him snort, shooting Jason a side-eyed glare. "The expendables are all lying dead in what's left of your convoy, Mr. Shiou. My men have the front covered, in case you didn't notice. Focus on keeping that tracking signal alive, I will worry about security."

@Sly @TheFlyingPotato
 

Skye

An omen
- @Sly @TheFlyingPotato @Chask -

(OOC: She's open for interaction, if somebody wants to spot her~)


- Atari -

Tari held her breath as she watched from the roof of a neighboring building, flickering green eyes studying the commotion below. Manticore tech was the best of the best-- it sold for a pretty penny no matter where you went. The law of supply and demand didn't seem to apply to it-- no matter how much there was, it was all incredibly valuable. A girl like her would get a hefty sum if she brought back some of those shiny new toys.

She adjusted her black hood over her face, tucking away a stray lock of blue hair. Couldn't have them identifying her if she eventually decided to swoop in while they were distracted.

She activated her cybernetic arm's wireless connection function-- USB ports were so clumsy-- and checked to see if this "package" they were all screaming about was giving off any kind of tracking signal. Most of them did, since they had to be monitored-- there would be way more instances of things like this if they didn't!

She breathed a silent exhale. She was but a shadow on the roof... a shadow with glowing green eyes, but only a shadow.

And she waited.

 

Sly

A Literal Metaphysical God
Owner
Sep 1, 2020
32
5
8
(OOC: @Skye, I'll try to set it up for someone to spot you)​



"Your men will do whatever they need to so that we secure this package. Understand, boot? This thing will have all of our necks on the line if it's lost." Jason surveyed the area as the group moved forward, his own nerves building as they attempted to maintain pursuit. The area was all too quiet as they pushed forward into the narrow passageways. A bit of steam and smoke radiated from the backs of businesses and sewer vents and the feeling of tension grew with every step further. "Get some of your men up on the rooftops, we need eyes from the tops. Use the fire escapes!" he said, adjusting grip on his weapon.

"Corp higher-ups" were notoriously violent and Manticore was no exception. As Jason pushed with the group he recalled a time when an intern was thrown from the top floor window of a high-rise for getting a little too curious near a datalink terminal in a big-wig's office. Poor bastard never saw it coming and he was flying before he even had time to start screaming. Of course corporate killing isn't good for business so a netrunner doctored up the lad's medical history and made it a sad tale of woe for a struggling suicidal intern who just simply couldn't take the pressures of daily life anymore- Ironic and sickly enough, the same suit that had him tossed from the window was quick to send the largest arrangement of flowers to the family in the following days.

Jason shook the thoughts from his mind, he had a job to do and he wasn't going to let some fuck-up ruin the mission. Realizing that they weren't making ground quick enough, he spun his head towards the commander. "What can we do to cut them off on the other side? I'll be damned if we go on a cat and mouse chase all night through this scumdump!"