As Ohanzee hears the news he draws both of his Savalette's and becomes tense as he mentally prepares for being surprised or ambushed on their way to the appartment building.

Why doesn't this fact suprise me?

Ghost Dragon says to Jessie. "Bandage me up if there is time. I can heal, but I may tire myself by doing so. If you bandage me first, I can heal anything that remains. That way, I can stay sharp for any real fighting."

Jessie nods and says to the group, "Cover me for a moment while I work."

She reaches into her backpack and pulls out her medkit and goes to work on Ghost Dragon as quickly as she can.

Mirage, stops moving through the park when she receives Arden's message, and crouches behind the nearest tree.

Over the TaccComm: "Arden, any idea what kind of armour and weapons they're packing? Jessie I'll cover from my current position, I'm about half way through the park, could do with some backup through."

She peers through the snow, looking for enemies while she waits for replies.

Warpath listens to the comm chatter as he settles down to wait, wrapped in his camo gear and cloak. The thermal dampners in the cloak keep him hidden from prying eyes, and also serve to keep in the heat that escapes the insulated camo suit. He keeps his rifle under the cloak, as well, in order to keep it from icing up while he waits.

Mirage scans the compound for movement, but doesn't find any. Jessie quickly applies the medkit which does it's best to heal Ghost Dragon.

Ghost Dragon says, "Thank you. I will need some time for the spell to take effect. It should take them a few minutes to mobilize."

Ghost Dragon's hand takes on a slight shimmer. He touches his wound and concentrates on healing it.

Having dealt with the Watcher Spirit patrolling the compound, Danny remains on the Astral, his meat body securely strapped into the van. He follows along with the group as they penetrate the grounds of the apartment complex, prepared to deal with any other magical threat that the insertion team might encounter from that direction.

It doesn't take long for Ghost Dragons wound to heal. The wind and the snow is still blowing, making visibility hard.

Jessie puts the medkit away quickly and redraws her pistol.

"Alright team... we're good to go again, lets get this drek finished up and go home. Dragon, keep a lookout on the Astral for us, I don't want anymore surprises if they can be avoided."

Jessie starts to creep foward again, trying her best to see throught he snow and hear through the wind.

Ghost Dragon says above the wind. "Let's do this quick. We do not know how much time we have."

He casts another invisibility spell on himself and stands next to Ohanzee.

Ghost Dragon finishes healing himself good as new, the team moves out. The main door to apartment bldg 1 is a solid looking steel and glass double. Two panes of hardened, bullet resistant glass are etched with the NovaTech star. Beyond the door is a small looby with 4 elevators. The doors have a maglock connected to a covered keypad. The immediate area in front of the door is protected by a covered awning.

"Be ready to head in. I'll sneak up and hit the code in. We'll enter right away and deal with any guards, then we're headed up the elevator.

She crouches low and makes we way towards the door, trying to use the snow storm for cover. We should have got a damn decker, she thinks to herself.

Ghost Dragon creeps up to within 10 m of the door and waits, his eyes watching and his ears listening. He observes the doorway and keeps Jessie covered with his gun drawn.

With pay like this, I should be making my bullets instead of buying them.

Ohanzee is keeping himself close to the wall while trying to avoid any windows. All the while he keeps a look out for possible security measures. He has both of his guns drawn and is waiting next to the door, ready to step in and fire.

The door slides open with an electronic wir and a gush of warm air at Jessies agile touch. The lobby appears to be empty. It is a small room, just big enough for the four lifts, and a small desk. Drawing her pistol she steps in and crouches down, scanning the room.

"Alright, lets get movin'."

She steps causiously through the doors, eyes darting to see if she can spot anything that would cause her problems or put holes in her.

Once satisfied, she moves to the elevator to the secured floor and calls it down with her code.

Standing just outside the door Ohanzee crouches down and looks inside, knowing where to look is as important as knowing what to looks for. He spots the barely detectable, shaded tubes of fiber optic cameras poking out from the corners of the room.

@ Jessie,

The elavator blinks and hums to life. A few seconds pass and the door dings, and starts to open...

Ghost Dragon takes the side of the door opposite Ohanzee, his footprints in the snow making it obvious that he is there. He leans over slightly and peeks into the lobby to give Jessie cover.

As the team disappears into the building, Warpath pulls out his cell phone and dials a number. It picks up and he says, "Yeah. They're inside. Two more are located across the street." He gives the locations of the others outside the building. "Yeah, and the money?"

He nods, "Good doin' business with you." He closes the phone and drops in his pocket before making his way back to the Brumby and driving away. Out of Seattle, just in case the corps screw this up.

Warpath keeps watch vigilantly. Thoughts of selling out the team are far, far from his mind. Really.

Sink follows the others inside, a throwing knife in one hand. a concussion grenade in the other. He leans his back up against the wall behind Ohanzee and waits.

Ghost Dragon readies a HE defensive grenade in his other hand, in case it's needed. He watches the lobby, whilst still remaining invisible, and makes sure that he isn't surprised by whatever pops out of the elevator.

Something could be behind me. It would be very ironic if the man we came to get suddenly walked out of the elevator.

Ghost Dragon takes a quick look to his rear and then focuses on the lobby again.

@ Mirage,

Like a whisper lost in the wind Mirage moves to the corner of the building to give the teams egress the most cover.

@ Jessie, Sink, Ohanzee, and Ghost Dragon,

The elevator door slides open revealing a well lit, and empty car. There are only two buttons on the console, up, or down. First Jessie, then the rest of the team pile into the elevator. Sink of course, get's in last, he has to practically get on his knees to fit in the small box. The doors close and the elevator surges upward. A groan of metal alarms the team but the lift does not fail. The doors open with a ding. A short hallway with fluorescent light awaits the team. At the end is a single door.

Jessie creeps down the hall towards the door. She takes a look around to see if she can spot anything funny (hiden security devices, traps, etc). Once she reaches the end of the hall, he examines the maglock to see what she is going up against.

The maglock is fairly simple, the expectation being that the outer security would have already defeated any intruder. A simple key pad/swipe card affair. No visible security systems are present, but since the hall has only one entrence it makes sense that there would be.

Through the walls the noise of the trid can be heard. It sounds like music tv.

Sink looks unhappy in the elevator. "Dis would be a great place for an ambush" he says crouched down on one knee.

[ Arden ]

"Insertion team be advised: HTRT is inbound. Say again, HTRT is inbound. They are arborne, ETA 3 minutes. These guys sound likes pros, so wrap this up."

"Also be advised, building is wired. They are watching you."

Jessie groans and pulls out her tools, going to work on the door as quickly as possible. "You guys be ready to go in when the door opens."

The lock opens with an audible 'click'. The door moves slightly indicating it has in fact been opened.

Jessie flattens herself against the wall, letting the rest of the team go in before her. She may know how to use her pistol, but she also knows she isn't a tank.

Ghost Dragon stands on the side of the doorway, next to Jessie. He puts his hand on her shoulder, so that she knows he is right in front of her, and takes a look at the doorway.

Ghost Dragon can see a hallway that is three meters long that leads into a common room. A white fluffy couch with it's back to the hallway is in the room. He can hear, but not see the tridee, which is playing so loud it is almost hurting his ears.


-00:02:58

Ghost Dragon hesitates for just a moment as he surveys what he can see. He smiles to himself.

Professional, indeed. Only an idiot - or someone very smart - would play the trid that loudly. He must be using it for cover.

Ghost Dragon drops his spell, as he stands back from the door, and shouts, "Who will go first?"

Warpath curses under his breath at the announcement and pulls the ties on his camo cloak. The thermal baffles in combination with the polymer serve to blur his outline significantly against both vision and sensors. He arranges himself in a "fight then flight" position and slots up an HE and smoke grenade as a double "welcome" present when the "bad" guys show up.

Knowing that it's by far too late for discretion and secrecy Ohanzee says to the rest of the team:
"Fire at anyone moving. Stun, don't kill. Doesn't look like we can count on cooperation. It has been a pleasure working with you."

Both Guardians drawn and unlocked Ohanzee steps into the door. He is highly tense, relying on his instincts only, shutting out all thought as best as he can. Staying close to the walls he does his best to secure any doors and rooms he comes across.

The hallway is not very long and leads into a large circular (and elevated) area. The kitchen, dining room, balcony, and two other doors are locate around the circle in a clockwise fashion. Each door is about 5 meters apart. Several pieces of furniture have been overturned, and the temperature is as cold inside as it is outside. The balcony sliding door, and every other visible window appear to be open. As Ohanzee steps carefully inside he see's the barrel of a Colt Manhunter crest the top of the couch, along with two piercing blue eyes aiming it. They stare at eachother the span of a heart beat before opening fire.

Two rapid fire rounds blast into the long haired assassin as he try's in vain to find cover and return fire.

Using the door to give her cover, Jessie takes two shots at the pair of blue eyes accross the room.

Jessie's heavy pistol booms in the narrow hallway. Her capsule rounds slam harmlessly into the couch, where the ork would have been without cover.

Ghost Dragon leans into the doorway and crouches down. He uses astral perception to try and get a bead on the guy behind the couch.

Hearing that they've been made, Sink pockets the knife and draws his Shotgun, still holding the grenade in his other hand.

Get down" he hisses at the others. I'm going to toss a concussion grenade.

He leans out of the elevator, then tosses the grenade over the couch, leaning back in as sson as he throws.

The grenade sails over the couch and detonates with a roar, leaving a ringing noise in everyones ears. The blast shreds the couch and the splinters the tridee into a million pieces.

Firing wildly Archer darts out from his cover and dives through the door into the kitchen. Bullets slap around the entry way, one burying itself in the door jam, the other slamming into Jessies shoulder.

-00:02:55

Seeing bullets fly, Jessie dodges back behind the door and her heart jumps seeing an explosive round slam into the wall where she was just standing.

Gathering her courage about her, she rushes foward to the end of this small hallway and peeks her head around, firing off a round if she spots her target, and taking cover behind the wall again. If she doesn't see him, she'll hold her action and motion for Sink to come up and give support.

Jessie catches glimpse of Archer as he slides behind the wall. Her enhanced reflexes bring up the pistol with lightning speed, the SG link locks on and she squeezes the trigger. The capsule round impacts with the door sending drywall flying.

Ghost Dragon sets up an Armor spell and casts it on himself as he runs to the end of the hall near Jessie to assist with his pistol drawn. Glancing briefly over his shoulder, he smirks.

His reputation is well-earned. I saw that ambush coming, but they didn't. Why am I not surprised?

"Careful. He will have more tricks planned. One of you scout the other direction. If he is smart, he is leading us away from our target. Be ready for booby traps all of you. This is far from over I believe. Wounded stay together and guard one another. He may circle around to finish you off. Jessie, you're with me. And for the love of Buddha, load some real ammo people! This isn't a game anymore!"

As Ghost Dragon speaks, the head and shoulders of a good looking ork slide out from behind the frame of the kitchen door, just barrely far enough out to get a bead. The red laser sight settles for a half a heart beat on Ghost Dragons chest before the roar of the Colt fills the now quiet room.

Warpath yawns and scans the sky, watching out for the HTRT. Damn, is cold out here, he thinks.

SInk pulls out another grenade, but leaves it in his off hand. He rolls forward, out of the elevator and comes up, shotgun in hand, ready to fire.

Ghost Dragon lines up the red dot on Archer's head and fires a single shot. His weapon makes a piff sound as the round exits the barrel's silencer, the casing plopping flatly onto the carpet.

Jessie raises her pistol as Archer comes out into the open, takes aim, and fires off a round.

Over the TacComm, "Arden, do you have anything that might stop this Tactical Team?"