Delta Squad

[jesbro]

There was nothing they could do to stop the missiles within the few seconds they had but once they blew and Nathan saw the cloud appear he gave the order, “General get all of your men out of the city now or they are going to die!”

That was all it took to start a retreat of Andorran forces out of the area the cloud would settle in. although many were still in the city when the cloud settled it was not many compared to how many would have died if Nathan had not told them to retreat, “Our men still surround the city so if any of the terrorists try to get out we will cut them down. Our medics say that the cloud was made of anthrax spores and the medics and doctors are treating the soldiers with antibiotics right now. We just averted a major disaster here.”

Nathan continued, “Once you can confirm that all the terrorists in the city are dead we will begin cleanup. The destroyer made them scared enough to blow themselves up and even though it was sort of amusing watching them do it without us having to blow them up, they would only do that if they had something to hide. After it is declared safe to go back into the city we need to get an excavation crew out there to identify the wreckage to find out where they came from.”

The General agreed, “I will let you know once the excavation team is ready.”

[jesbro]

Brian was bored as well, “Tell me again why we are here.”

Jesse answered, “We are here to make sure that the arms dealers don’t use this route to ambush any of the weapon convoys that go through here. There are many places on this road that can be used for ambushes and if there is one we need to be there to catch them in the act.”

Brian had another question, “How are things going in Andorra?”

Jesse answered again, “They have defeated the terrorists and took back the city. They tried to use a bioweapon but our forces got out in time and any terrorists left in the city were killed. Those missiles were too advanced to have been made by the terrorists so we know someone big is supporting them. It could be these arm dealers or it could be the government from another country for all we know. The city is safe for the time being but this fight is not over yet. We will find those responsible and will make them pay. That I can guarantee.”

[Markus Wilding]

The Overwatch Officer glanced at his watch. The convoy was on time as it rolled down the highway. He blew out a breath and watched Jesse and Brian. If they dared to betray the generosity of the Commonwealth...

The sound of an explosion interrupted his thoughts. One of the BMPs had been hit with a Javelin missile. The soldiers began shouting in a mix of French and English as they tried to figure out what had happened. The Officer grabbed an M8G assault rifle from the truck and ran forward. He shouted in both English and French to the confused soldiers around him "MOVE! Attack! Let's get our $*%# together for %*$#'s sake!" before he too ran up. The remaining BMP-3s began firing upon the source of the missile, and the other trucks began to move out. Soldiers began hopping off to advance upon the attackers, who were popping out of the brush with AK-74s from old Commonwealth armories. A soldier tossed pistols to Jesse and Brian and shouted "You better know how to use these! Shoot me and I'll blow your face off!"

[jesbro]

Jesse answered, "You don't have to worry about that." He shoots a nearby bad guy (Or whatever you want to call the guys working for the arm dealers) in the head and takes his AK-74. "Now this is how you take down the bad guys. Use their own weapons against them. The AK-74 might not be the best but it is better than one lousy pistol."

Brian and Jesse then help the Commonwealth Officers and soldiers take out the rest of the arm dealers that ambushed the convoy. Jesse then looks back at the overwatch officer, "Your welcome."

[Markus Wilding]

He glanced at them for two seconds before shouting "Secure those weapons!" Two soldiers came up and quickly took the AKs and pistols away from Jesse and Brian. The Overwatch Officer moved away as the commander of the unit began ordering soldiers to get the wounded on the BMPs, while simultaneously checking the BMP that had been hit by the Javelin. No survivors. The Overwatch Officer began checking the bodies, looking for any sort of documentation. After checking enough bodies, he finally found what appeared to be orders.

"These are written in French." he said, approaching Brian and Jesse. "Translated, it reads that these [i]mudaks[/i] were to attack this very convoy and take the arms from it, then hand them over to a 'Black Death'. Do you know of any sort of organization?"

[jesbro]

Jesse answered, “Yes. They were the ones that attacked Andorra. The weapons we captured from some of them came from the Commonwealth so that is why we came here, to track down and destroy the arm dealers that gave them those weapons. Exactly how many convoys were destroyed and robbed by these guys? Because if it was more than a few than what the Andorran military faced in Perpignan might have only been the scouting party, paving the way for a much bigger army.”

[Markus Wilding]

"That is classified information." The Overwatch Officer tucked the note away and then produced a map, handing it to Jesse. "This is a map to the port in Lome. Go there and return home. Do not return to the Commonwealth for any reason. If you attempt to re-enter the Commonwealth you will be arrested and executed for espionage attempts."

[jesbro]

Jesse knew they were onto something. So why did this guy now want them to leave? Unless he didn’t want them to take out the arm dealers. “Why, you afraid we are onto something here. You afraid that we are going to take out these arm dealers before you can do anything about it. I know you don’t like us and the thing is that I had a bad feeling about you from the start and perhaps I am right. I have dealt with dirty cops and soldiers before and they all ended up dead. I know you want to hit me with your gun right now but doing that will only prove my point. There is more going on here than what we have seen so far and I believe that you know what it is. So if you don’t want me to go back and talk to your superiors about it (whether we have permission to or not) I suggest you tell us the truth. What is really going on here?"

[b](OOC: If this Overwatch Officer is a bad guy than Jesse and Brian will end up killing him before this thing is over. They didn't leave Hell's City until their enemy there was dead so don't expect them to leave the Commonwealth until they get the same results.) [/b]

Edited November 4, 2011 by jesbro

[Markus Wilding]

The Officer ordered the soldiers to "escort" Jesse and Brian to the port. "I gave you fair warning. You [b]will[/b] leave the Commonwealth, and you [b]will not[/b] come back. What I say is law, and law says you are spies from Andorra intending to aid arms dealers and terrorists inside the Commonwealth." Later, the two would be taken to the port, escorted by twenty soldiers.

The ship itself was already in port, and the soldiers ordered Jesse and Brian onto it. They formed a line behind them, closing any possible route of escape along with the garrison force already at the port. "Go on, spies, go home! Return to this country and face death!" If they wanted to get past these guys, a lot of stealth would be required.

OOC: Basically, you'll probably have to start sneaking around a LOT.

[jesbro]

[b](OOC: What they do next depends on if any of you want to continue this thing in the Commonwealth or just end it here. I personally don’t care if we end it here and just say that the arm dealers were captured/killed.)[/b]

Brian just wanted to go back home at this point, “I’m sure the officers can handle the arm dealers, we took a shot at trying to find them and we didn’t, plain and simple. What we should do next is go back to Andorra and help them in case the terrorists decide to attack again.”

Jesse calls Andorra Command and instead of Paul answering it was Damion, “How are things going there bro?”

Jesse was a little shocked, “Damion what is going on? Where is Paul?”

Damion answered, “He is in Angers right now helping decide the future fate of France but I am sure I can help you. I know you are on a ship coming back to Andorra and I suggest you stay on it, especially since I am the one that sent it to pick you guys up. You tried to find the arm dealers and even though you didn’t find them you helped the local forces enough to where I believe they can find them themselves. It is over Jesse, the terrorists are dead and the arm dealers are about to be taken out by the local Overwatch Officers. There is nothing more you need to do there.”

[jesbro]

Jesse and Delta were in their HQ in the basement of their estate and they had absolutely nothing to do. Until they got more info on the Black Death organization, the Dragon Cult, or a mission that has to do with something weird or supernatural they were basically bored out of their minds. Renard was busy upgrading the AI Sarah so she would be better suited to helping Delta get info in the field through their PDA’s, she also ran much of the automatic stuff in the house as well so it could be said that she was a smart house, until she or someone else such as Paul gave them more info on their enemies or a mission involving something considered weird or supernatural there was nothing for them to do but sit around and talk.

Jesse and Brian were talking about the New France and how things may be for them in the future, “It’s not that I do not like what Paul has agreed to do Jesse, it is that he would not try to put up some sort of resistance like he is always known to do.”

Jesse agreed, “I know he is changing but so are we, most of us have wives now and soon we will probably have kids. Its things like that we need to worry about, we need to make sure our kids will be safe should something happen in the near future, we can’t keep on fighting for the rest of our lives like my grandpa did.”

Brian countered, “He actually had a good reason to do that though. I mean wasn’t his wife killed by the cult?”

Jesse answered, “Yes. They wanted revenge for what he did to them but killing her didn’t stop him, it only made him pissed and he hunted them down for the rest of his life. We took out a lot of them recently as well and it probably won’t be long until they start coming after us. Until them and the terrorists are destroyed we can’t guarantee the safeties of our families. For now we will keep on doing what we do, fight the forces of evil and investigate anything that may be magical and/or supernatural.”

[jesbro]

[b](OOC: I am open to ideas for their next mission. Preferably something that has them investigate anything that may be magical and/or supernatural.)[/b]

[jesbro]

[b](OOC: Continued from where Order of the Light and Tale of the Red City left off. The hunt for Geoffrey and Bridgette continues while they try to help the Andorrans regain their independence from the new French Communist Oppressors.)[/b]

Later Jesse and Brian met up with Alexis and Daniele in an area near to where Christine was. “So how are you girls doing? Did you spot him yet?”

“No we didn’t Jesse but he cant stay away from her forever and sooner or later he will have to try to come and be with her, and when he does we will be there.”

“Unless he tries to come after me because I am the one that turned him in.”

“Come on Jesse. No one else besides us, the guys at the estate, and the Empress even knows it was you that turned him in. Besides you should already know how to kill him anyways if he does attack you.”

Jesse, “Decapitation or BOOM! Either way we are not trying to kill him, we are going to capture him, ask him some questions, and then cure his craziness once the French Scientists find a cure. Earlier they told me they were close but needed a little more time. But it might not work if he was already crazy and had been planning this for a long time... NAA.”

Alexis, “Anyways I’m guessing you guys heard the news from Andorra, that the people are beginning to rise up against the Communists?”


Brian, “Even if we were going to join them we don’t have enough weapons or foreign support to fight a whole war against these French Communists.”

Daniele, “That might not be totally true. I might know some people that may be willing to help us [b](OOC: Anyone willing to help them.)[/b] and if they know what is going on and agree to help they will contact me.”

Jesse, “I’m guessing the Empress won’t help us either, we might trust each other a lot more now but she is still the main leader of France besides Simone, unless Simone already kicked her out as well in which case her forces might be able to help us as well.”

Alexis, “Good luck guys. I don’t think even Christine knows where the Empress is right now. After Simone won the election she seemed to have disappeared.”

Brian had a theory but it was a little far fetched, “You think Simone might be working with Bridgette?”

Jesse was getting angry, “She better not be with her. That will only make me more pissed.”

Edited December 1, 2011 by jesbro

[jesbro]

Jesse and Brian were still trying to figure out where the Empress could have gone but they still had no leads. “We could try searching the Palace of Versailles, but that would get us nowhere since Simone basically owns it now. She would go somewhere she knows Simone would not look for her.”

Brian, “That could be anywhere Jesse. How are we supposed to find her if we don’t have any leads as to where she is?”

Jesse, “Then we get her to come to us.”

“How?”

“Andorra. The mountains there are a perfect place to stay hidden from people like Simone. If she is still in French territory she will either be there or somewhere in the Alps. There are a few old Castles in the Andorran mountains and the French Alps so odds are she is probably in one of them. Let’s just hope we find her before Simone does. With how much Simone hates monarchists she will probably try to kill her if she gets the chance and we can’t let that happen.”

[jesbro]

Damion was not doing a good job or getting people to join their cause but at least he was trying. Meanwhile Jesse and Brian had no clue as to where the old Empress was. She was kicked out of office so Simone could take over but from what they heard she was not dead. Meanwhile Brian was getting impatient, "Jesse, even if we do manage to find her how are we supposed to get her to join us. Heck Damion basically screwed any chances of us getting any support from other nations."

"Yes his speech is not working but it is the truth. War is coming and if Simone wipes out the resistance in Andorra there will be nothing to stop her from taking over Europe. We know what happens next, first she will try to get as much support from other nations like she is right now, then she will build up the French military until there is no more room in France for it, and once she has everyone else trusting her she will betray them and try to conquer all of Europe. It's happened many times before and although each one of them was stopped eventually we now have a chance to stop another one before she can even try."

"And how will we even be able to do something like that?"

"The key is finding the old Empress and what is left of her forces. If we join forces we will be strong enough to take down Simone before she has a chance to use her new offensive army. That is if we can ever find out where the $%&@ she is!"

Meanwhile in the Andorran Capital Nathan, and Anthony were with Damion as he sent out his message. "Well guys I tried, but I don't think it made much of a difference, now we just need to hold out against Simone's army while waiting for Jesse and Brian to finish their mission."

Nathan, "It is not your fault Damion. We should have been able to see those Communists coming up but all we did was sit around and watch. We are going to make a difference this time. Her forces are coming in through the main roads. If we can block those and get her forces to spread out it will be easier to take them out once they do attack the cities. This strategy worked when both Napoleon and Hitler invaded Russia and each time their defenses held. We are going to make them fight for the city and once we have them tired and on the run we will pursue."

Damion has another idea. "Or I could try to negotiate with her if it is not too late. As long as we can get Andorra free of her reign we will be able to fight another day once the time is right."

Nathan didn't agree. "The reason she is sending those forces down here is to find and kill you. You really think they are just going to let you go and talk to her."

Damion had made his mind, "If that is what I have to do in order to make Andorra free than that is what I will do. Should she try to kill you shall go ahead with this plan and wipe out her forces, but only after you either confirm that they are going to attack or that I am dead."

Nathan answered, "Yes sir."

[jesbro]

[b]A small inn located on a road in the Andorran mountains.[/b]

Jesse and Brian have spent the past few days looking though the nearby Castles located in those mountains and they are tired. They pay for their room and go to sleep, Brian on the couch and Jesse in the bed. Yet it didn’t seem to make Jesse feel any better about the past and the future. His dead grandfather John then came to him in a dream. It was a white endless room and standing not to far from him was his grandfather in white robes. “I see that things are not going well for you right now. The Andorran’s do not want to be ruled by someone like Simone but without the guidance of Paul they are scared so they throw their support behind your brother Damion who might not be as scared as them but without Paul he does not know what to do.”

Jesse was upset, “We have no idea where he went. For all we know he could be dead. We have been looking for him all over but we ran out of places to check. The people are not afraid about what is to come, they are afraid about what will happen should Simone take total control. They are the ones that wish to fight and Damion is the one rallying them all together. Damion has pleaded with her many times before he left to give the people what they want and each time she refused. She is a greedy little !@#$%* and will not stop until all of Europe is under control of the Communists.”

Grandpa John answered, “I see your problem. You are trying to do the right thing yet you do not know if it really is the right thing do. What do you think?”

“The people want freedom and independence but Simone for some reason refuses to give them that, even after Damion pleaded with her many times before he left she still said NO! Either she is a fricken greedy !@#$%^& or there is something else she is hiding, some reason as to why she wants Andorra so badly and is willing to kill anyone to get it, and I have to find out why before it is too late.”

John, “It seems there is more to this than meets the eye. Find out the reason for her actions Jesse, and perhaps you will be able to save Andorra before it is too late.”

Jesse was confused, "Wait what do you mean?" But before it could be answered he woke up. "Oh crap. Whenever you think he is about to answer your question he slams the door in your face."

Brian was half awake, "What happened?"

Jesse answered, "Nothing Brian, go back to sleep. It's going to be a long day tomorrow."

Edited December 5, 2011 by jesbro

[Sarah Tintagyl]

High in the Pyrenees the snow was beginning to fall as a line of armored cars made their way up the mountain paths, moving through the small villages looking for Andorran rebels and reminding these people who their true masters were. Throughout the night, rebels who could not learn to keep their volume down found themselves taken by Clarisse Villejoin's black bags and whisked away into the frozen night. Specifically however, Clarisse was looking for a number of Andorran Leaders who had made themselves known to the Empress and the Aristocracy. The mythic Delta Squad who were, it was rumored, for the strange happenings in attempting to find Geoffrey and the lost Duke of Andorra. They were the vanguard of Andorran independence and for all purposes in maintaining One France and One Party, they had to be exterminated.

Stepping out of the armored car, her green frock coat flapping behind her in the wild winter wind, Clarisse looked at the picture of Jesse and the other members of Delta Squad that she held in her hand. The sound of someone gasping for air could be heard through the wind as two Revolutionary Prefects walked out of the darkness carrying an old man, who was bleeding down his nose and ears.

"You know about the inn up the hill from here, Comrade?"

"Please, Comrade Prefect, I meant no harm in running from your guards. They scared me, surprised me that's all. They-"

Clarisse jumped forward and grabbed him by the collar and held him in the air. "Not as much as I'll scare you if you don't give me the information I want, right now." She held up the picture of Jesse, "Have you seen this man?" She said tightening her grip on his neck.

"Y-Yes Comrade. Up the hill, at the inn."

She smiled and threw the man into the snow then turned to her guards. "Let him go and then surround the inn, I'll be up in a moment. We'll kill these !@#$%^&* before they knew what hit them."

---

As Delta Squad slept at the inn, the armored car pulled up and a pair of black boots jumped down to the ground and the inn door swung open. If Jesse and Brian were awake, they would hear the sounds of boots tramping through the inn, all the while Clarisse relaxed for a moment by the fire. Her hands on her set of twin knives in case things got bad.

"Find them, and bring them to me."

[Sarah Tintagyl]

They were awake fast after they heard the loud sound of the door slamming open and the sound of loud footsteps. Got Brian startled at first. "Jesse did you hear that?!"

"Yep. Kinda wish I hadn't. Luckily we didn't come with any luggage besides our weapons. If these are who I think they are than we do not have much time." Jesse opens the window that was near the other side of his bed. "Luckily we are only on the second story, plus we made higher jumps than this before."

“Yea, but all the higher ones were into water.”

"Well snow is still water. Just might be a bit of a harder landing."

"Do you still have your pistol on you in case they make it up here before you jump?"

As Jesse and Brian near the window, the door to their room gets pounded on. "Open up! In the name of the Party! Open the door!"

Jesse answered, “I always have my pistol on me. You never know when the time comes that you will need one. LIKE NOW!" Jesse aims his pistol at the door. "Go jump, I will follow."

"Bring both weapons with you. I won't need one if I have to make a quick escape."

The bullet strikes one of the guards as he falls back, immediately the entire door is riddled with bullets as three Revolutionary Guards slam through the door and open fire.

Brian jumped and Jesse used the bed as cover while still shooting at them. "How the heck did they even find us?!"

Jesse shot the men that came through but he knew it was not over yet. Jesse reloads his pistol. "You $%&@ers ready for round 2 ?!"

Jesse wouldn't be able to hold out long as he would hope, the AK-47s would litter the room, giving him little area to move. If he stayed in one place he would be dead before long. Meanwhile, as Brian jumped, he would hear the tall-tale sounds of footsteps in the snow behind him.

Before Brian would be able to act, a shot rang out, sending him to the ground, though not fatal he wouldn't be able to fight. "I see, you are part of the mythic Delta Squad?"

Meanwhile Jesse was still hiding behind the bed. "Oh $%&@ it!" He ran at the window and dove out. Arriving just as Clarisse walked towards them.

"Who are you?" Said Jesse.

Clarisse smiled and walked forward in the snow after she had fired at Brian. "Clarisse Villejoin, Prefect Lieutenant of the Ministry of Security. You are both under arrest for treason against the Party."

Brian was nervous, "Oh boy." But of course Jesse wasn't "Yea sorry but that is not going to happen. We are currently looking for some people and unless you know where they are we have no reason to talk to you." Jesse still aiming his Assault Rifles (M4A1) at her.

She stepped back for a moment, still aiming her gun at Jesse's head. "Now, you want to solve it like this? Aren't you the mythical leader of Delta Squad?" She opened her trench coat with her other hand, where her knives were hidden. "How about you face me like a man."

"Trust me those knives are not going to help you much."

Clarisse smiled. "You're a cocky son-of-a-!@#$%*. You know that."

"People keep on telling me that. But I still kick ass."

She looks at his M4A1 and smirks, "So are we going to fight fair, or are you going to keep threatening me with that gun?"
"Now you see that depends. If you really want to fight fair knives are not the way to do it either." Jesse drops his gun. "You have to use your hands."

Clarisse nods and throws off her trench coat into the snow, cracking her knuckles. "I couldn't agree more." Pulling out a rubber-band she puts her hair into a tight ponytail and steps towards Jesse and beckons him forward. "C'mon, traitor. You first."

Jesse lunges at her and trows the first punch.

Jumping out of the way in the snow was hard, it was cold, and the wild snowflakes were already caking onto Clarisse's eyes. But Jesse's move was predictable, a lunge and in the snow it would be even harder to execute. She jumped to the side and reaching out, the Prefect grabbed his arm and flung him to the ground. An elbow to the back was there to remind him what he would be in for. "C'mon, Delta Squad. Don't make this easy for me." She said mockingly.

Jesse gets back up and looks at her angerly "So that;s how its going to be."

Jesse does a low kick with his leg and it hits her in the chest. "This is going to be too easy. You are fragile."

Clarisse falls back into the snow before rolling back around and getting back to her feet. "Don't test me." Runs at Jesse to attempt to tackle him into the ground, but as she does, he begins to pull his body away...

"You are going to have to do better than that."

She falls to the ground in pain, but pushes herself back up and stretches out her body. Wiping the blood from her mouth and grunting. "Damn..."

As Clarisse gets back up Jesse tackles her to the ground nearly banging her head against a nearby rock. He gets back up, "I don't have time for this because we have a job to do." He looks over at Brian who is holding his leg where he was shot but is otherwise OK. "Those myth's you heard were true, as you just experienced. Next time I will not be so merciful."

Clarisse looks up, blood in her eyes and running down her mouth and behind her head. "Go to hell..." She says before collapsing into the snow.

Brian is still looking at her when Jesse gets to him, "So what are we going to do about her?"

"Either she will be rescued by her soldiers or she will die right there in the snow. I don't really care which, we need to find the Empress and my uncle so we can find a solution to stop this conflict before it gets out of hand. Lets move."

[Captain Enema]

From the shadows of the forest comes a darkhorse. To some he's known as the Le Infant Perdue of the Les Terribles and to others he is known as Malcolm. To himself, he has no name as he can't even remember it given the dozens of aliases he's taken over the years in his service to Legion. With Legion gone, Denard and the other Dengali survivors dead by their own hand in accordance to the unholy pact they swore on the last day of the Battle of Dengali, Malcolm finds himself adrift in the world.

To that end he's wandered from country to country. He's done a little work here, a little work there, and occasionally he's found a place he briefly considered calling home. After period of idleness he invariably becomes bored with staying in one place and he begins to wander again. His latest travels has brought him to an Inn high in the mountains of the Pyrenees. Much to his surprise he finds himself watching a hand to hand bout between Jesse and Clarice.

He pulls on a shirt over his lanky frame to cover his much abused upper torso which is a roadmap to the wickedness that men do to each other in the name of their own vain ambitions and government. A jacket is quickly found and with it a pair of gloves and Malcolm puts all of them on. A second of debate prompts him to pull on his woolen hat that has a furry ball on the top that he finds ridiculous and warm all at the same time.

Malcolm quickly and quietly moves down to Clarisse and quietly says, "Oi luv, take my hand, we need to get you out of the snow and under cover..." His other hand is inside of his jacket pocket and firmly wrapped around the grip of a SpecFor Mark IV Legion .45 caliber pistol with porting and Pachyderm grips and red dot tactical sight.

[jesbro]

Jesse and Brian continued their way through the forest towards a nearby castle. Although it is unlikely anything they are looking for will be there it will be a good place to lay low while waiting for more info from Renard. “How is the leg Brian?”

Brian, “Better than before but it will still be a long time before it heals. I can’t tell if it is inside the leg or if it grazed it.”

Jesse, “Well it does not look too bad. More like what happened when Nathan was hit back in Noveria. It will take a while to heal but you will be fine. If you won’t be able to run you can just find a place to sit and pick off any bad guys that approach.” They can see the large stone castle on the mountain in the distance. “Come on, we are almost there. I know the Empress is probably not there but we can at least law low while waiting for Renard to tell us where to go next.”

[Captain Enema]

Though he is a day behind Delta Squad, Malcom isn't at all deterred. Searching and hunting is all part of the trade of being a Gunman. That's what he is at heart, a man with a gun who is intent at righting wrongs by force of arms if needed. The political situation set aside as he's no fan of communism, Malcolm finds himself left with the problem of how Delta treated Clarisse after Jesse beat her into a senseless pulp. "That wasn't right on their part, you don't leave a fallen foe in the snow to die if you are able to help them.. not right at all."

He manages to find a set of faint tracks in the snow and begins to follow them hoping he can glean useful intelligence as to their location and intentions. At this moment Malcolm isn't entirely sure what his intentions are towards Delta Squad, but he suspects that he'll figure them out as he goes.

(OOC: see the other thread for my preparations. To be very clear, I'm not saying I'm absolutely 100 percent certain I'm hot on your tail as for all I know these tracks could be leading me to the nearest supermarket.. but I'm looking...)

[jesbro]

Jesse and Brian had finally made it to the castle on top of the mountain a couple hours later. The gate was closed but was not locked so with a little shoving it creaked open. As they went inside they began to search for any signs of life but could not find any except some rats and other rodents and birds which have made this place their home. “There is nothing here, just a bunch of rats. This place can make a good place to rest for a while before we search the other nearby castles.”

Brian, “Dang Jesse how many castles are there over here?”

Jesse answered, “There are about 5 within 50 miles of here, 3 of them are within 25 miles. These mountains provided strategic positions along the supply routes between France and Spain so they each built many castles and other fortresses in these mountains. The Cathar Castles as they were called were a series of fortresses built by the French King on the southern border of his lands at the end of the Albigensian Crusade which was in 1229. That would make some of these places over 700 years old. Some are pretty intact for how old they are, and this one has one of the best views I have ever seen.”

They look out over the valley and in the distance they can almost make out the city of Perpignan, the city under siege. They can almost make out spherical smoke clouds over the city from AA fire even though they couldn’t hear any explosions. “It seems that the battle has started. I just hope that Damion and the rest of them live through it.”

Brian couldn’t believe the number of troops that Simone sent, “Dang it is like she sent her whole army.”

Jesse was still going over what his grandfather said, “Find her and you will be able to stop Simone before it is too late. If you don’t than she will destroy Andorra and there will be nothing that will stop her ultimate plan from succeeding.” Surely it was not that unifying France thing they keep talking about, if so than that goal had already been achieved. There had to be something else, another reason as to why she was attacking Andorra but what could it be? And why send a huge army to do it?

Then Ranard called them on his satellite phone, "Things are getting bad in France. The Reign of Terror has begun again, the prefects are taking people away in black bags now. We don't know what they are doing but if this is anything like what happened during the era of Napoleon than it cannot be good." Jesse could hear a rumble through the phone. "Don't worry Jesse we are all in the bunker underneath the Estate in case we get a direct hit. Do not worry about us, worry about finding a way to defeat Simone and end her new Reign of Terror before it spreads to the rest of Europe."

Jesse looks back at Brian, "Did you hear that Brian?" He nods yes. "That is why we are fighting them Brian, that is why we left her behind back there after our little fight. It is people like her that are stealing people away in the middle of the night before doing horrible things to them. I would rather die fighting than let them come to Andorra and do the same thing here. We are running out of time, the battle has already started. Now if Simone will not listen than we are going to end this ourselves and if we have to execute her to end this little Reign of terror" He reloads his rifle, "Than so be it." He then sighs, "But before that we need to find the Empress and see what she says."

Edited December 8, 2011 by jesbro

[jesbro]

Jesse and Brian were still in the stone castle thinking of what to do and where to go next, “Jesse, what makes you even think that the Empress is even anywhere near this place? We have to think outside the box, if she is not in France or Andorra than where else would she go?”

Jesse answered, “That just it. I don’t know, she should be somewhere nearby but… the UFE. Of course it had to be there.”

Brian was confused, “Wait what?!”

Jesse continued, “Bridgette is the reason, when we were helping them take out Kang and the Dragon Cult in Korea they kept on talking about Bridgette and how she was the one that turned Rhee into that monster thing. They were working for the Empress and could still be there somewhere. Our best bet at finding the Empress and Bridgette would be to start looking for them there.”

Brian understood. Now they just had to get there. “OK. Now how are we supposed to even get there?”

Jesse answered, “There are forces from some other nations that will be trying to evacuate as many civilians and Andorran leaders as possible. All we need to do is get back to the city and leave with them, and then we should be able to find a way to the UFE from there.”

Brian hated Jesse’s plans and this was one of his most crazy ones. “You know Jesse there is a reason as to why I tend to hate your plans even though the work most of the time. They always have us infiltrating certain places where it is almost impossible to get in. THE FRENCH HAVE A HUGE FRICKEN ARMY SURROUNDING THE CITY!! HOW THE $%&@ ARE WE SUPPOSED TO GET IN?!!”

Jesse continued, “That is where it gets tricky, we will probably have to take out 2 French soldiers, and steal their armor and stuff so we can get through their lines undetected.”

Brian could tell how hard it was going to be. “Yea I have a feeling that will not work.”

Jesse was getting angry, “Then let me know when you come up with a good plan to get in!!”

[Captain Enema]

Malcolm is still very much hard at work tracking Delta Squad. A few questions there, a few telltale signs over there, and some good luck on his part with piecing together a few obvious drops to intelligence has given him a rough idea that they are located in a nearby castle. The obvious signs that really stand out for him are the footprints.

One of the men, Brian had required help walking after Jesse roughed up Clarisse and left her for dead. This sort of injury changes a man's stride. Malcolm isn't any sort of expert tracker, but he's ran a few men to the ground in his time and he's savvy enough to know that the pair of footprints leading away from the village show one more or less healthy individual and the other favoring his good leg to support an injured one. Questioning the locals doesn't give him answers so much as it gives him instinctive guesses.

He admires the Andorrans for their stoic look of stupidity when asked any sort of question that isn't in a language that they can perfectly understand. The niggling suspicion has risen up inside of Malcolm on more than one occasion that they probably understood him just fine, they were just being loyal to their own countrymen. Not that he faults him for this but it doesn't give him much to go on with hard intelligence. Still, there is the stubborn look of defiance from a people who know they are about to be beaten for the sake of defiance and the stubborn look of defiance a person gives you when they know something and aren't going to tell you anything. It's not hard intelligence, but Malcolm frequently has worked with far less.

What he does know is that French forces are busy pounding the crap out of some squalid little sty of an Andorran City named Peripan or some such business. He knows the direction Brian and Jesse are heading and he knows that one of them is less than mobile. This gives him the option of a rustic looking castle or a few cottages in the nearby area. "Bah, this is going to take forever to figure out. Hopefully Clarisse will get off her ass soon and call me. With any luck I'll be able to get her to get a damn vehicle with a working heater and some thermal imagery devices to scope these buildings," Malcolm grumbles to himself as he makes himself comfortable in a barn that gives him a decent view of the approaches to the castle, the castle, and a good view of some of the nearby cottages he suspects they might be holed up in.

[Sarah Tintagyl]

The Pyrenees contained a great majesty in the way the stone crags lifted up to the sky and the small villages dotted the landscape below. Most of these hamlets were too small to even put on a map and the people probably still lived as they had when the towns were first built. Pockets of the ancient and medieval world, preserved by the high peaks, welcoming to the strangest of visitors and of those travelers, Clarisse was probably one of the most strange. Or so she thought. After leaving Dra. Blanco's castle, the French Prefect wasted no time in returning to the inn where she and Jesse had first fought. There was nothing left now, having been burnt down by the French Expeditionary force so getting information would be impossible. Turning her horse, she continued down the road until reaching another small hamlet where she hopped to persuade the people to point her in the right direction.

It wasn't hard, most villagers tended to keep to themselves. They hadn't seen anyone, no one named Jesse, no one named Brian, and the tavern master asked the woman in black to leave.

She narrowed her eyes and dipped a finger in her drink before turning back up to the man behind the counter. "You don't, eh?" Taking the glass in her hand, she flung it at the man's head before reaching over the bar and dragging him onto the counter. When the other men inside went to attack her, a mental barrier stopped them in place.

"Witch! She's a witch! Get out of here!"

Clarisse never turned back, only chuckling as she tightened her grip on the tavern master. "They're right you know and you made this entire ordeal much more difficult for me, so unless you want me to push your head into your chest. I suggest talking. I've heard people saying how strange men have been walking through these towns an in the mountains, that's rare. Do you know the people I'm looking for?"

"Yes, I saw two of them walk through the village a few days ago. Then another man was following them, he was asking questions and seemed to be tracking them."

"Malcolm." Clarisse closed her eyes and tightened her grip on the tavern master. "Which way did they head?"

"Back towards France proper, along the Cathar route, there's probably about six or seven castles along the road. They were looking for the Empress of France saying she was hiding in the region."

"The Empress?" The Prefect's eyes widened, "That's impossible. No one's seen her in ages. How..." Clarisse shook her head and released the tavern master as he fell back behind the bar. "Thanks for the information, tell your friends who ran out not to try something as futile as witch hunting. I dislike being kept from finishing my work."

---

A bit later, once Clarisse was out of the town in the fear of actually being attacked by the townsfolk, she finally took her phone out and dialed Malcolm's number. "Malcolm, thanks for leaving your number with me. I'm leaving some backwater village now, I think I know where our friends are heading. This road leads back into France. See if you can hold them up for me, I have an idea. There's someone their after and I'm going to get to her first. When we meet again, I think you'll find what the doctor was able to do to me is rather agreeable."