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>>5228803

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WZ2I28Chk0

You’re driven back into the land of the living by the distinct sound of wheels screeching against hot tarmac.

When the plane rattles to a shuddering halt, you grab your duffle and start to disembark. After stepping off the ramp onto some shitty little Quraci airfield, you pause a moment to get your bearings and stretch a little.

Your shoulder still aches like a motherfucker from that AT round that you caught back in Venezuela. Doesn’t help that your pack is digging right into it, but you’ll just have to grin and bear it. Griping and moaning won’t change a thing, especially not here.

Even so, you miss Jack, Pandion, Darius, Isaac, even Set. Hopefully the rest of your boys are smart enough to see through Delrio’s bullshit and handle whatever he pulls. But for now, you’re stuck here.

You take a deep, uncertain breath and suck in the dry desert air. The heat, while certainly not a friendly face, is definitely a familiar one. When you close your eyes, you almost manage to fool yourself that you’re back in the Marines again, just another jarhead on a patrol.

You sweep a few sectors, pop a couple insurgents, head back to base, make a brief report, grab some chow, kill time for a while, then do the whole thing again the next day.

But when your eyes open, you’re reminded of the reality in which you find yourself. On a probable suicide mission to kill or kidnap some scientist from a fucking embassy of all places. Doing the kind of shit that leaves a mark on a man. Part of you wants to acknowledge the irony of it all; that you’re back in the saddle again, but on the wrong side.

Under the scorching sun and endless sands, an odd feeling begins to well up deep in your gut. And it’s not the surplus rations Shade split with you.

This whole situation, coupled with the heap of trouble you’re about to get into puts a pit in your stomach. And the fact that the scenery and geography resembles your last official deployment doesn’t help much either. Not quite full-circle, but the signs are there, and it’s starting to get in your head.

You don’t see the ghosts of the past lurking in your peripheral vision or anything, but you’re still unsettled. There’s a fair chance that you’ll be shooting at professional soldiers, just like you used to be. Hell, they’ll probably assume that you’re the kind of militia shithead you used to deal with back in the service.

And that parallel stings most of all.

Guess the sandbox still has some bite to it.

Ravan snaps you out of it when he tosses you an earpiece.

“Keep radio silent unless I specifically request an update. The more we chatter, the higher the chances that somebody gets a trace on your location.”

>>5228805

You put the earpiece in, give him a silent nod and climb aboard the shitty van left at the airstrip as the team’s transportation. Before the panel door slams closed like a casket being nailed shut, you spot the plane do a quick U-turn and take off again.

Pretty telling that your captors don’t even think you’ll make it far enough to need an exile waiting on standby.

And course the fucking van’s AC is busted, the cheap bastards. Everyone else is in full combat gear, but you and Shade concurred that it’ll be less suspicious if you kept your kit squirreled away until you get situated in the construction site.

Don’t want to raise any red flags and potentially blow the op before it’s even off the ground.

As much as you’d like to fall back asleep, you’re too wired to let your guard down.

You look over to see how Shade’s handling the pre-mission jitters, and can’t help but whistle lightly when you get a better look at his rifle.

Looks to be an old bolt-action Springfield with an expensive looking silencer and a long-range scope. All of the bells-and-whistles seem pretty new.

Nothing quite like the blend of old-school firepower with modern gadgetry. In this case, it’s done surprisingly tastefully.

The rest of the ride is spent in terse silence. You’d make conversation with the others, but nobody seems to be in the mood for it.

Besides, given the implied attrition rate, it’s probably not a good idea to get attached.

A couple hours later, the van drops you and Shade a couple blocks from the construction site. That way, the van has time to circle the neighborhood and sniff out a trap while the pair of you set up.

Getting into the construction site doesn’t take anything too strenuous. All you needed was to rub a bit of dirt in your already nasty-ass civvie clothes, snag a high-vis vest and a helmet, and maintain an air of total disinterest.

Shade follows your lead and keeps his head down.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQTCS6aWRSc

After riding a rickety cargo elevator that’d make the Qurac version of OSHA have a stroke, you and Shade arrive at the 12th floor. It’s a good compromise being having a good angle on the embassy and having options when this inevitably goes to shit.

Thankfully, this floor is deserted. Guess whatever shift works this section isn’t due for a while.

Besides some power tools, workbenches, and bags of concrete mix, there’s nothing much of interest.

Shade starts stacking the bags of concrete mix around a long, narrow workbench to form a little firing stand of sorts, and you follow suit with one of your own.

It’s solid thinking. Won’t stand up to concentrated fire but it blends in with your surroundings environment and should be more than enough to block a stray shot.

After setting up the hide, Shade begins to field-strip and examine his rifle, before pulling some cleaning supplies from his pack and getting to work. It takes a keen eye to spot, but his arm trembles every so often.

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>>5228806

> “You alright? Think you got it clean as a whistle back on the plane.”

He doesn’t look at you, instead focusing on the internal mechanisms of his sniper rifle with a methodical and almost religious precision.

“I know. Just a tradition of mine.” He croaks out.

You nod in silent understanding. As far as weird pre-op rituals go, Shade’s doesn’t even rank in the top 50. Nothing wrong with doing whatever it takes to get in the right headspace for this kind of work.

After all, soldiers are some of the most superstitious bastards you’ll ever meet. And given some of the shit you’ve gone blow-for-blow with, there might just be a nugget of the truth to it all.

You shift back into position and continue to survey the area for points of interest; chokepoints, potential counter-sniping spots, available cover, etc.

Your concentration is broken when Shade gently taps you in the shoulder with his boot and crouches down next you.

“Here. Got some extra gear for you. Don’t fucking break any of it, alright? I’m gonna want it back later.”

Included in his little care package is some spare ammo, a good scope, and a silencer for your M14.

> “Thanks. Where’d you get this shit, anyways?”

“Stole most of it, traded for the rest.”

He cocks his head.

“Is it stealing if they were dead?”

> “That’d be looting.”

Shade cracks a little grin, one that doesn’t look like it gets a lot of use.

“Cool.”

Suddenly, your earpiece starts to crackle, signaling an incoming message from Ravan.

“Defcon, are you and Shade in position?”

> “Roger. No issues, got a clean line of sight.”

Looks like it’s time to plunge into the breach yet again. At least you’ll hopefully dodge the worst of the fighting on this one.

You’re not one to shy away from getting in the thick of things, but you’ve lost most of the tricks up your sleeve.

No magic, no fancy gear, just your own skills and whatever else you can cobble together.

Besides, it’s one thing to put everything on the line for business or for the people you care about. It’s another to have a gun put to your head and be given an ultimatum.

You’ll do as they ask, until they slip up and give you a real opening. Then, you’ll go for the goddamn throat.

“Good. We’re moving in soon. Wait for my signal, then kill anything holding a weapon.”

As you aim down the scope of your rifle and get a feel for the light wind blowing over the city, you mentally kick yourself. The embassy definitely would’ve had a phone you could’ve used.

Of course, those would definitely be tapped so it’s not like it’d be a secure call. That, and you’d have to avoid letting anyone notice, which would’ve been a trial on its own.

Rather than worry about that, you instead busy yourself with memorizing the location of the Russian perimeter guards. Doesn’t look like they’re on high alert, but something’s definitely spooked them.

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>>5228807

They probably know something’s coming, but not when, where, or from whom. Further proof that offense is much more fun than defense.

Before things kick off, you need to figure out how you’re going to contribute.

After some strategizing, you decide to…

> Spot targets inside the embassy for Shade. Could make the difference for your boys on the inside.

> Have Shade keep an eye on the perimeter while you engage targets inside the embassy. A division of labor makes the most sense.

> Spot targets in the surrounding area for Shade. The main priority should be to keep the perimeter locked down.

> Other?

>>5228808
> Spot targets in the surrounding area for Shade. The main priority should be to keep the perimeter locked down.
We'll do our job and let the others do theirs.

Good to have you back Axis.

>>5228808
>> Spot targets in the surrounding area for Shade. The main priority should be to keep the perimeter locked down.

>>5228845
Thanks, anon.

>>5228845
>>5228887

In the interests of keeping things rolling, I'll go ahead and call it here.

Roll me some 1d100s+30.

DC: 70 / 90 / 110

(Enhanced Perception / Ring of Clarity are currently unavailable, hence the lower bonus.)

Rolled 83 + 30 (1d100 + 30)

>>5228895
GUN! Witness me, bit titty goddess of luck

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>>5228900
witnessed!

Rolled 59 + 30 (1d100 + 30)

>>5228895

Rolled 86 + 30 (1d100 + 30)

>>5228895
Lets get a 1

>>5228900
>>5228906
>>5228909

That's an excellent success, writing.

>>5228911

You settle into your hide and wait for the fireworks to kick off.

Suddenly, the van screeches to a halt in front of the embassy.

> “Now.”

Aided by your spotting, Shade picks off the soldiers standing guard in front of the embassy with a frightening economy of motion.

Ravan and the rest of the squad quickly knock down the gate, fan out into groups, and make their way inside.

Wildman and Rotgut bulldoze right through the front entrance, paving the way for the rest.

There are scattered bursts of gunfire echoing through the now eerily quiet streets before they’re promptly snuffed out.

It’s a tall order, pulling this off all on their lonesome, but that frankly isn’t your concern. You’ve been assigned to keep the perimeter spick and span and dissuade anyone from poking their heads out too far.

As a refresher, Ravan and Kalash are working crowd control. They’ll be taking hostages in case this gets really down and dirty.

Wildman and Rotgut are on sweep and clear duty to find the target and his research.

Meanwhile, Nitro and Daemon rifle through anything and everything they can get their greasy mitts on.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t take long for company to start pouring in.

You’ve got movement. And a lot of it.

>>5228948

Looks like you’re not the only guest at this party. Near as you can tell, you’ve got three different groups trying to get to the embassy. None of them seem to be aligned with the other, so it looks like you’re either dealing with someone else interested in that research, or just extra security.

The first convoy belongs to the local militia security force, and they’re eager for a fight. You know the type well; brash, cocky, and prone to making absolutely fucking atrocious tactical errors. So far, they’re content to make their way towards the embassy nice and slow, like they’re just out on a patrol. Guess they don’t see the point in rushing to save a bunch of foreign citizens. Their pace makes it easy for you to get a read for what they bring to the table. Nothing too special; technicals, outdated automatic weapons, RPGs, all that good stuff. The biggest threat they pose will be if they somehow manage to pull off something colossally stupid before getting killed.

The second convoy is markedly different. They’re rolling in hard and fast in the hopes of catching the embassy team by surprise before things can really escalate. Ten-to-one, they’re Russian reinforcements or some kind of asset assigned to protect the embassy. They’re better disciplined, packing modern gear, and don’t look like they’re in the mood to take prisoners.

But the third convoy is the one that really gets you spooked. Nearly didn’t clock them, but they’re definitely trying to get in on the action. Once you notice it, you start looking for the easy tell; they’ve all got heavily tinted windows. And they make a valiant effort to disguise it, but their crappy local cars have some armor plating. That’s some serious tradecraft and prepwork. Whoever the fuck they are, they’re definitely not civvies, so that means it’s open season.

You…

(Shade’s attack will be an auto-success, but there will be a roll for effectiveness. Yours will require a normal roll. Can double-up on choice of target. I’ll allow another vote if your aid isn’t necessary)

> Have Shade target the unmarked vehicles. Whoever they are, they need to keep their noses to themselves.

> Have Shade target the QRF. If they can establish a foothold, the boys in the embassy are on very thin ice,

> Have Shade target the security forces. Hopefully, it’ll send a message to step the fuck off.

You decide to…

> Sling some lead at the unmarked vehicles. Hopefully you can “encourage” them to turn around and slink home.

> Focus on the QRF. Can’t afford to let them get anywhere near the embassy grounds.

> Focus on the security forces. Like shooting fish in a barrel, just like the good old days.

> Other?

>>5228950
> Have Shade target the QRF. If they can establish a foothold, the boys in the embassy are on very thin ice,
> Sling some lead at the unmarked vehicles. Hopefully you can “encourage” them to turn around and slink home.

>>5228962
+1

This is a moderately important decision and it's been quite slow tonight, so I'll just leave it open until our next session. (Friday at 5:00 PM EST)

As always, thanks for playing!

>>5228950
> Have Shade target the unmarked vehicles. Whoever they are, they need to keep their noses to themselves.
Best to have an auto success on what look to be the biggest danger.
> Focus on the QRF. Can’t afford to let them get anywhere near the embassy grounds.

I don't suppose we have a way to hack into these new groups comms? Would be a big help if we could somehow get these guys to fight each other.

>>5228962
+1 Seems reasonable

>>5228950
> Have Shade target the QRF. If they can establish a foothold, the boys in the embassy are on very thin ice,
> Sling some lead at the unmarked vehicles. Hopefully you can “encourage” them to turn around and slink home.

>>5228950
> Have Shade target the QRF. If they can establish a foothold, the boys in the embassy are on very thin ice,
> Sling some lead at the unmarked vehicles. Hopefully you can “encourage” them to turn around and slink home.

>>5228950
> Have Shade target the QRF. If they can establish a foothold, the boys in the embassy are on very thin ice,
> Sling some lead at the unmarked vehicles. Hopefully you can “encourage” them to turn around and slink home.

Inb4 theyre CIA assets we just blew up

also, wheres the writeup you said would come on monday?

>>5230635

The interlude is finished and ready for publication, thanks for asking.

Unfortunately, the previous thread was dead by Monday, and it didn't feel right to open this new thread with it. Likewise, I didn't want to potentially derail the action with a massive wall of unrelated text.

Once tonight's session is done and dusted, I'll go ahead and dump it.

Honestly, I'm relieved to have it done, took me forever. Might've bitten off more than I could chew, but that's all part of the fun.

>>5228962
>>5228990
>>5229293
>>5229344
>>5229373
>>5230635

Alright, looks like having Shade handle the quick-response force and targeting the unmarked cars wins. Starting off a little early, but I'm roaring to go.

Roll me some 2d100s.

First roll is yours (+15), second roll is Shade's (+25)

1st DC: 55 / 75 / 95
2nd DC: 60 / 80 / 100 (Guaranteed minor success due to your excellent spotting)

Rolled 41, 74 = 115 (2d100)

>>5230975
Here goes nuffin

Rolled 33, 45, 64, 63 = 205 (4d100)

>>5230975
should I roll more if no one else shows up?

>>5230986
ah fuck didn't mean to roll on that post kek

>>5230986
I'll take your first two, don't worry about it. It's only been ten-ish minutes since the official start of the session.

Plenty of time for folks to roll in.

Rolled 41, 48 = 89 (2d100)

>>5230975
never fear, for I am here

>>5230978
>>5230986
>>5230997

Looks like a minor success for you, and a regular success for Shade.

Go ahead and give me some 1d100s+30.

DC: 95

Rolled 9 + 30 (1d100 + 30)

>>5230999
Time for the good old Sean luck

Rolled 2 + 30 (1d100 + 30)

>>5230999
Have a roll before I have to run errands for the rest of the night!

Rolled 71 + 30 (1d100 + 30)

>>5230999
Oh shit.

If only we still had Thermal sight.

Rolled 9 (1d100)

>>5230999
rollan
>>5231004
>>5231005
>2
>9
hmm yes sean's luck

>>5231004
That tracks
>>5231005
Probably for the best that I can't really join tonight

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>>5231006
haha

SAVE

>>5231008
>>5231005
>>5231004
get rekt suckers

That's a success, writing.

And for what it's worth, two degrees of failure followed by a last-ditch success does describe Sean's overall luckiness pretty well.

>>5231013
>two degrees of failure
wut?

>>5231017
The two really low rolls.

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>>5231013
I would say he's both the luckiest and most cursed man alive simultaneously, to the extent that he managed to both crit success himself superpowers (the arm) and critfail himself into the fucking suicide squad.
No wonder Set fucking loves him, he couldn't have chosen a better personification of Chaos even if he tried

>>5231019
Wouldn't those just be failures? I didn't know we had grades as well, thought it was just binary.

>>5231023
Yeah, they're just failures, I was just getting a little dramatic with it.

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>>5231024
oh

>>5231023
it is binary, but 3 rolls under 10 is gonna affect anyone's view on how the roll would go.

similarly with 3 rolls over 95 even if not one is a crit

>>5231013

It’s a tough call, but it’s one you make fast.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwh7QxS2c6s

> “Response force of military vehicles at ten o’clock, bearing south-by-southeast. Engage when ready.”

As soon as you give the word, Shade starts firing. In a perfect world, you’d be able to watch and assess how he’s doing, but this isn’t the time for an inspection.

No matter how unsavory the mission or unfair the circumstances, all you can do is roll with the punches and make the best of it you can. Time to get in the fight.

You’ve got your rifle, and while marksmanship isn’t your strongest talent, you’re certainly no slouch when it comes to the art of reducing someone to a fine, pink mist.

With careful aim, you focus on the incoming cadre of suspicious vehicles that drew your attention.

It’s a good thing you did, because the unmarked cars are speeding up. Maybe they’re just in a rush, or something tipped them off. Either way, they’re not reaching their destination without things getting a little bumpy.

Your initial shots score deep, spiderwebbing cracks into the windshield of the lead vehicle, but there’s no real penetration.

Should’ve known that they’d have some kind of bulletproofed glass given the other upgrades they’re sporting.

Guess there’s not much else for it, your aim is solid but not solid enough to waste time trying to nail such a small target when there are other alternatives to attack first.

With a muffled curse, you shift your aim lower and aim for the tires, and puncture the driver side wheel after a volley of shots.

The car loses control and swerves, slamming horizontally into a side street and wedging itself thoroughly in the way.

The rest of that particular convoy slows to a crawl, as men begin carefully exiting and taking cover positions. Just as you feared, they’re smart enough to avoid rushing in and poking their heads out.

Their gear looks expensive, but nothing to write home about. Overall, they give you the feel of professional mercenaries, except for one critical detail that you nearly miss.

They’re all clean-shaven. Each and every one. No beards, no long hair, nothing of the sort.

>>5231039

As someone who’s spent plenty of time with professional gunslingers and hired killers, you know from experience that personal grooming definitely isn’t focused on to such a degree. Whoever they are, they’re only trying to look like mercs. Kinda like how your group is pretending to be insurgents.

Shade’s done a bit better, he managed to nail the vehicle’s gas tank and blow up maybe a third of the quick response force’s vehicles. Looks like they’re pulling back as quick as they can, but they’ll probably be back.

As for the local security forces, they’ve heard the explosions and are moving in to investigate. So far, they haven’t been touched and are maybe a couple minutes out from reaching the embassy grounds.

With radio silence in effect, it’s impossible to tell how things are going inside the embassy. You’d have to reposition and establish whole a new base of fire to peer through the windows, but by then, things will have gone to hell in a handbasket down on the ground.

No, your only option is to keep the pressure turned up in any way you can.

You…

> Order Shade to shift focus to suppressing the militia forces, they’re getting too close for comfort. You’ll keep hammering the not-mercenaries and keep them pinned in place.

> Scout your surroundings with your binoculars, just in case somebody is trying to get the jump on you. Might save your life if you’re right, but it could also be a terrific waste of time if you’re wrong.

> Move Shade and yourself to another firing spot. It’ll cost precious time, but it’s a necessary safety precaution.

> Try to crack the frequency for any surrounding communications devices. It’ll be a bitch and a half to pull off, but the tactical opportunities are staggering.

> Other?

>>5231041
>> Order Shade to shift focus to suppressing the militia forces, they’re getting too close for comfort. You’ll keep hammering the not-mercenaries and keep them pinned in place.

>>5231041
>Order Shade to shift focus to suppressing the militia forces, they’re getting too close for comfort. You’ll keep hammering the not-mercenaries and keep them pinned in place.

>>5231047
>>5231053

Go ahead and roll me some more 2d100s.

First roll is yours (+15), second roll is Shade's (+25)

1st DC: 75 / 95

2nd DC: 60 / 85

Rolled 22, 96 = 118 (2d100)

>>5231077

Rolled 12, 27 = 39 (2d100)

>>5231077

Rolled 57, 72 = 129 (2d100)

>>5231077

>>5231078
>>5231080
>>5231088

Alright, that's a failure for you and an excellent success for Shade.

Would you like to use Roll the Die and give it another go?

> Yes.

> No.

>>5231090
>No

>>5231090
>No.
No reason to use it here, we're still safe even if we job and don't hit anything.

Rolled 50, 10 + 20 = 80 (2d100 + 20)

>>5231092
>>5231094

Alright, looks like we're keeping it in reserve for now.

If you would, please go ahead and roll me another set of 2d100s.

First roll is yours (+35), second roll is Shade's (+10)

DC to be determined.

Rolled 20, 96 = 116 (2d100)

>>5231098
ROLLAN

Rolled 84, 47 = 131 (2d100)

>>5231098

Rolled 64, 13 = 77 (2d100)

>>5231098
can i get a 1?

>>5231099
>>5231112
>>5231113

That's a success for you both, writing.

Shade's getting some killer rolls tonight.

>>5231114

You quickly bark orders to Shade; that he should re-focus and deal with the intruding locals.

And deal with them he does, killing soldier after soldier with swift but precise killshots.

In a timeless display of poor decision making, the militia convoy attempts to force their way through and just shrug off the sniper fire.

After nailing all their drivers, the remaining survivors flee on foot, with Shade harrying them the whole way. After all, the best place to shoot a man is in the back.

In contrast, you don’t have such an easy time.

The not-mercs manage to zero in on your position quickly and maintain a cohesive and organized push.

Whenever somebody made a move, your position gets rinsed with suppressive fire that prevents you from getting a clear shot. Before you know it, the not-mercs manage to comprehensively close the gap.

And your “defenses” (the bags of concrete and some crappy scrap) aren’t liable to hold out for much longer. In the end, your worries end up being moot.

As it turns out, the not-mercs are packing high explosives. After diving out of your hide to avoid the RPG that the mercs were packing, they start aiming rockets at the foundation of the building.

Fuck, the construction site is just living on borrowed time at this point, you can already hear the supports start to ominously creak and groan, signaling an incoming collapse.

After warning Shade, you and he…

> Ride the elevator down. It’s the fast and simple, but risky.

> Leap the gap to a nearby building. Trouble is, you’ll be exposed to gunfire, and your heavy armor won’t do you any favors.

> Hold your position and try to ride it out. If you can time it right, you might be able to cushion the blow somehow.

> Improvise another way out. (Include general idea / plan)

> Other?

>>5231126
>> Leap the gap to a nearby building. Trouble is, you’ll be exposed to gunfire, and your heavy armor won’t do you any favors.

>>5231126
>> Leap the gap to a nearby building. Trouble is, you’ll be exposed to gunfire, and your heavy armor won’t do you any favors.

>>5231128
>>5231132

Alright, roll me some more 2d100s

First roll is yours (+25), second roll is Shade's (+10)

DC: 75 / 95

Rolled 75, 42 = 117 (2d100)

>>5231160

Rolled 6, 23 = 29 (2d100)

>>5231160

Rolled 85, 69 = 154 (2d100)

>>5231160

>>5231163
>>5231168
>>5231182

That's an excellent success for you, and a regular success for Shade.

Starting to get pretty tired, so I'll go ahead and end tonight's session.

We'll pick it back up on Wednesday at 5:00 PM EST, hope to see you all there.

As always, thanks for playing! (And the interlude dump will begin now)

>>5231183
Thanks for running!

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>>5231183

MEANWHILE, AT THE HALL OF JUSTICE

Great work Jaime. The League finally starts to give you a bit more responsibility and what do you do?

Sleep through your alarm and show up late for your first major League meeting; your only shot to finally make an impression that you’re not just some rookie.

Alright, you’re mostly just there to observe and keep your mouth shut, but it’s still cool!

Thank God that Captain Atom and Green Arrow are making such a racket that nobody notices you slip in late.

Except for Batman, who shoots you a look that promises future punishment. Looks like he really has a stick up his ass today, but given the stories you’ve heard, that’s that’s practically a given.

“I mean, look at this!” Atom yells, pulling up a series of live feeds from various international news networks.

On the first, there’s footage of a ferocious street-to-street skirmishing between rival militia groups. A stray RPG hits an apartment building, smashing a jagged hole in it.

On the second, there’s footage of a campaign speech decrying violence and political corruption that’s interrupted when the stage is stormed by masked men that gun the speaker down.

On the third, there’s grainy video of a peaceful protest being stomped out by heavily armed soldiers and the protestors being dragged away. One of the protestors wriggles out of their grip and makes a run for it, before being gunned down.

And on the last is footage of rioters and paramilitaries storming a government building and setting it ablaze, punctuated with some thug in fancy armor nearly beating the head-of-state to death.

Atom points to each of them in order.

“Qurac. Sierra Leone. Bulgravia. Venezuela.

Look at what’s happening out there! While we sit here and argue about laws and treaties, tyrants and terrorists run amok! And these are just the ones we know about! I don’t know about you, but I’m sick and tired of sitting on our hands and waiting for someone else to handle the world’s problems. We have a duty to act!”

“Good point. And what happens when we set the precedent that the League can unilaterally knock over regimes it doesn’t like?! The second we do that, every tin-pot dictator and corrupt politician that might be next on the chopping block is going to start recruiting as many meta-humans as they can, by force if need be! Reckless interventionism would only lead to a new arms race, maybe even a new Cold War depending on how the chips land!” Arrow yells in his face.

“And what would you propose, then? That we ask politely for them to stop, maybe send a strongly-worded letter advising them to change their ways?”

“I don’t know! And it’s not my job to know! That’s not a decision any of us should be making!”

Green Arrow points an accusatory finger at Atom.

“Unlike you, I know that we are not equipped for this, and we shouldn’t be! What do you think will happen the moment we leave!? They’d tear whatever regime we’d be propping up apart! We’d be occupiers, not heroes!”

>>5231189

“And unlike you, I joined the League to make people’s lives better, not to sit on the sidelines and watch as the world burns!” Atom spits.

Sensing that things are at risk to go even further off the rails, Wonder Woman intercedes.

“Everyone, let’s just calm down. Atom, I understand how you feel but the League charter exists for a reason. Unless we receive official permission from either the nation in question or by international decree, our hands are tied.”

Atom still looks angry, but he concedes the point. Likewise, Black Canary manages to reel Arrow back.

You release a breath that you weren’t aware you were holding in. Pretty heavy stuff for your first meeting, but you’re not a kid anymore. Going into things blind and hoping for the best won’t cut it anymore.

“Moving on to our original agenda, Batman has prepared a briefing on a League target of interest, one that some of you may already be familiar with if you’ve kept up-to-date with your assigned materials.” Wonder Woman continues, shooting a glance your way.

Shit. Knew there was something else you forgot to do today.

Just nod your head and pretend you know what they’re talking about. It works on your calculus teacher, hopefully it’ll work here too.

Batman takes over and begins to display some reference materials. It’s not much, just a few hand-drawn pictures of a guy wearing a trenchcoat and wearing some kind of ski mask, plus some shaky security footage that doesn’t give much detail.

“This is Gunsmoke, a mercenary and criminal that I’ve been tracking for some time. He’s relatively new to the scene, but has managed to establish himself as a thorn in the League’s side. I’ll get into specifics soon, but are there any questions before I begin?”

“Is it possible that he’s an old enemy of yours just wearing a different coat of paint?” Flash asks.

“Possible, but highly unlikely. After a thorough investigation, all potential known candidates that match Gunsmoke’s build and techniques were elsewhere during his criminal activities. Therefore, I stand behind my conclusion that he’s new.”

Flash raises his hand, intent on asking another question.

“What kind of name is Gunsmoke anyways? Is he a big Western fan or something?”

Batman ignores him and moves on.

“My professional psychological evaluation is that Gunsmoke has few, if any, reservations about killing. Barring certain exceptions, Gunsmoke has displayed a consistent level of brutality in both his methodology and combat strategies. However, it goes deeper than just that.”

>>5231192

“Gunsmoke has a code, one that he’s stuck to consistently. For instance, while on a mission to destroy the Iceberg Lounge, one of Penguin’s prized moneymakers, he took precautions to have civilians evacuated from the building and rescued a kidnapped GCPD officer. From this and other pieces of evidence, it’s a fair assumption that Gunsmoke avoids lethal violence against the general public or law enforcement.”

“What’s his motivation? Money, power, personal enjoyment?” Superman asks.

“Unknown at this time.” Batman reluctantly admits.

“Then let’s cut to the chase. How do we catch him?” Green Lantern bluntly interjects.

The omni-present scowl on Batman’s face gets even scowlier.

“Mercenaries like Gunsmoke are different from more organized criminals in that they have little in the way of territory and drift from job to job.”

“In English?”

“He only surfaces when he has a target in mind, which makes it hard to pick up his trail. He doesn’t have any major holdings that we know of, which makes it impossible to conduct surveillance. Our only option is to predict his next move.”

“If he doesn’t wish to draw attention to himself, perhaps we could bring him to us. What if we were to offer him a fake mission that leads him directly into a trap?” Wonder Woman offers.

“That may work, but we have no way of getting in contact with Gunsmoke, and there’s a good chance he’ll smell a rat. If he’s smart, he’ll only take jobs from known quantities with a reliable reputation. Being approached by an unknown would only spook him, and might push him underground.”

“What do we know for sure about him?” Canary asks, jabbing Green Arrow in the side when he goes to say something snide.

“Most of the information in his dossier is speculation, but I feel strongly that certain key elements are correct. The first is that Gunsmoke has received some degree of military training, possibly either from an official source or a clandestine agency. After some kind of negative discharge or hostile parting of ways, he branched out into independent criminal activity. It’s worth noting that Gunsmoke seems to retain a high degree of autonomy, drifting from target to target with little in the way of connection.

I’ve been combing through events of interest since Gunsmoke first showed up on the radar, and I think I may have something. A few months ago, shortly before Gunsmoke made his appearance, Black Mask organized a prison riot at FCI Fairton in an attempt to kill an inmate that was preparing to testify against him. During the chaos, Black Mask’s men set several cell blocks free and encouraged them to escape, using them as a smokescreen to draw the attention of the state police and federal authorities. In the ensuing manhunt, almost all of the fugitives were captured aside from a small group that is still at-large.”

>>5231194

“I like the angle, but I still haven’t heard anything connecting Gunsmoke to any of these guys. No offense.” Green Arrow interjects, managing to dodge Canary for a moment.

“None taken. But I hadn’t finished. Only a few weeks before the breakout, there was a temporary transfer to one of the maximum-security blocks. A dishonorable discharge convicted of a laundry list of capital offenses.”

“What do we know about him?” Superman questioned.

“That’s where things start to get murky. All the records about the inmate himself have been digitally erased, almost like someone covered his tracks.”

“That’s definitely suspicious. Do you have any other information on him?” Flash asks, clearly interested.

“Not at this time. Gunsmoke’s been careful to avoid making a splash, but we’ve constructed a threat assessment based upon engagements in the field and extrapolations from after-action combat data.”

“C’mon man, you’re managing to make talking about fights boring! Lighten up a little.”

Batman just stares at Flash, who seems to realize the enormity of the foot he’s shoved in his mouth.

“I guess we should just go down the list and narrow down possible abilities and way to counter them.” Black Canary says, studying the threat report intensely.

“Guess I’ll be your huckleberry. Does he have metahuman powers?” Flash offers hesitantly.

Batman shakes his head.

“Unlikely. On numerous occasions, he’s conducted himself in a manner consistent of a baseline human being. While it’s possible he’s been supplementing his abilities with some kind of combat drug or advanced technology, we lack any concrete information on his abilities.

There’s a brief moment of silence, as everyone, including you, puzzle over the report.

“Are we going to address the elephant in the room at any point?” Lantern asks, with his typical lack of tact.

“I assume you’re talking about the S.T.A.R. Labs raid?” Flash idly tosses out, unaware of the growing tension in the room.

As soon as he mentions S.T.A.R. Labs, Wonder Woman’s expression grows harsher, Martian Manhunter looks shamefaced, and Flash looks like somebody kicked his dog.

“We’re all aware of what happened, and there’s no point in re-hashing it again.” Batman says, coldly and finally.

Manhunter quietly raises his hand.

“I actually have some good news. M’gann should make a full recovery.”

“That’s great news! And I know it’s early to ask, but does she remember anything from her attempted mind probe?” Green Lantern asks, nearly managing to be diplomatic.

“Not much. All she can recall is that he had well-developed mental shields, preventing her from reading further than bits of his surface thoughts. There is however, one point of note.” Manhunter shifts uncomfortably in his chair.

“What is it?”

>>5231195

“M’gann managed to get a brief emotional read on him. According to her, he’s like no human she’s ever seen. That there’s a massive core of rage and violence bursting at the seams, just waiting to be unleashed. Whoever Gunsmoke is under that mask, he’s teetering on the edge.”

“That just makes it more important that we catch the guy before he really goes off the deep end. Does he have any known associates? Anyone he might trust that we could use against him?” Atom asks.

“I would heavily advise against that. Gunsmoke has a ferocious temper, and targeting his teammates seems to particularly anger him. The psych analysis is still uncertain, but I would wager that he’s suffered a great loss that still haunts him, causing him to lash out whenever a surrogate figure is exposed to harm.

I advise caution either way, but here are his known associates, in case they attempt to block his capture.

Recently, Gunsmoke has been seen in the company of several freelance mercenaries, who I’ve taken the time to compile some basic information on.

Cortez. Cat burglar and professional thief. Wanted in connection with several high-profile thefts. Career criminal, did a stint in Blackgate before joining the Falcone crime family, and later cut ties. Likely serves as a consultant or infiltration support. Probably introduced by a third-party of some kind.

Genghis. Assassin and gun-for-hire. Rumored to be a former Yakuza that jumped ship after losing a bloody internal power struggles. Interpol has a dozen open cases tracing him across the world. Likely serves as the team’s muscle and assassination specialist.

Gremlin. Blackhat computer hacker. Another fresh name, but another one to watch out for. Works as a data broker on the side, but primarily specializes in high-risk system cracking. His role in the team is self-evident.

That’s the end of his confirmed associates, but Gunsmoke has had dealings with other criminal elements as a freelancer. His client list includes Bane, and Gentleman Ghost.”

“Hang on a second. Bane, I get. But Gentleman Ghost? What’s the angle there?”

>>5231198

“Given that one of Gunsmoke’s first outings was to attack a S.T.A.R. Labs convoy alongside Gentleman Ghost, it’s possible that he was recruited or enticed into employment, possibly with the prospect of his continued freedom.”

“That’s a couple times now that Gunsmoke’s been seen targeting S.T.A.R. Labs. Do you think there’s a personal connection?

“Possibly. Their board of directors have been cagey about the extent of the damages and the specifics about what research has been stolen. However, it’s more likely that Gunsmoke’s acting on behalf of some kind of client.”

“And if we take him down, we might be able to follow the trail up the food chain.” You say without thinking.

“Exactly, Beetle.”

Black Canary stands up to speak.

“We’ve ruled out metahuman powers and advanced technology, but what about what about magical powers? According to Gentleman Ghost’s file, he’s been known to dabble with arcane artifacts. Maybe he’s juicing Gunsmoke up somehow, in exchange for his services.”

“Despite my personal views on the subject, I’ve been in contact with several League affiliates with more experience on the subject. Unfortunately, most of them agree that it’s not possible to tell without an in-person meeting. Constantine mentioned that he could smell something big in the works, which is never a good sign. Just in case, I’ve petitioned Zatanna to set up a magic-sensitive tracker in Gotham. If there’s a large discharge of anomalous energy, we’ll be alerted and can proceed from there.”

“Thank you, Batman. Moving on to the next point in today’s agenda; the hunt for Black Manta. Any news, Aquaman?”

(That'll do it for the interlude, hope you like it. Was a bitch and a half to write, that's for certain. Have a good Easter, anons.)

>>5231200
You too mang. See you when we see you.

>>5231200
thanks for running, axis!

>>5231200
thanks axis, that was a pretty good one.

>>5231200
good shit Axis.

>>5231195
>and Flash looks like somebody kicked his dog.
I assume you meant Batman? That's a mean way to refer to Barbara.

>>5231200
Happy Easter dude.

>>5231379
The heist happened in Flash's territory while he was out.

>>5231454
Yeah, but the way it's written makes it seem like he's reacting to himself.

>>5231199
I love our show and tells, and he doesn't know which means we aren't a known element in the Suicide Squad he's found out about. Goood, goood, our disguises are still intact.

>>5231379

I was going for more of a:

> Flash inadvertently sticks his foot in his mouth.

> Wonder Woman and Manhunter react negatively.

> Flash realizes that he's being an ass.

kind of thing.

>>5231800
With the way you wrote it came off as more accidentally mixing up the names.

Where is thread #8 it's not in the archive

>>5231899
QM skipped a number

>>5231899
>>5231970
Nah it just wasn't archived because it was too spicy. Should have been there, we even had taquitos mid-thread.

>>5231808

Fair enough, I'll keep that in mind.

Thanks for the feedback, anons.

>>5231899

As the other anons said, I lack the ability to count. Hence the #9.5 thread to help get back on track.

File: 1604594315397.jpg (41 KB, 680x793)

41 KB JPG

What the fuck have I come back to, how the fuck did we end up getting suicide squaded? I hope to god our men are safe can keep it together until we get back. Have we any ideas as to how we're getting the bomb out our skull?

>>5232392
We don't know for sure they bomb our brains, Delorio betrayed us in the middle of the fight, we got grabbed after that.

>>5232419
Well they certainly did something. We can't even spit fire any more.

>>5232438
We aren't sure yet if that was the Squad doing it, or if we got minor brain damage.

>>5232441
Technically that would still be their fault. Their assets giving us seven concussions and all.

>>5232446
Seven? We don't remember how many walls we got thrown through.

>>5232455
I can only count to seven.

>>5232470
Ah, fair enough, I don't know what seven means?

>>5231199
Hmmm, we'll have to keep that tracker in mind I guess. Not that we were ever particularly flashy with out magic anyways.

>>5231199
You know I have to wonder if we will be seeing another more localized briefing interlude regarding Sean's detective persona for the Gotham natives and league aligned magic experts! Would be a bit of an interesting dichotomy to see how it differs from the Gunsmoke briefing especially if it ends up with a possible suggestion to hire him on as a consultant or even a possible league member.

>>5235879
Personally, I would really like that. It would be fun to drag Barbra out on a supernatural mystery.

>>5236009
I can only imagine how much Sean would sweat worried Babs is gonna figure out who he is while his back is turned.

Meanwhile Babs is feeling the exact same way.

And both misinterpret everything the other says.
>"Your suit is a bit tight huh? Must be nice to change into something casual after hours."
>oh fuck does he recognize me from the library?
>"You know Jonah if you wore a long coat you could fit more of your magic doodads in it."
>oh fuck does she recognize me from the heists?

>>5236009
Gotta make all the Daphne jokes

>>5236100
Gotta go all the way, and get her to help us find stuff in the university archives. I mean there's nothing quick like having a librarian help do the heavy academic lifting.thyyp

>>5236125
Gotta get a fixer upper van and a good dog first.

>>5236009
>>5236100
>>5236125
>>5236188
But who is going to be our Scooby and Shaggy? Its 50/50 our Chimp bud would be down or insulted, but what about Shaggy?

>>5236431
Have you forgotten the crazy historian we worked with? He's perfect.

>>5236439
Do we even have his number? Pretty sure he fucked off after we stopped him from being turned into human sushi.

>>5236444
Cullen? Yeah pretty sure we have his number. And he's still around. Agnor the cultist is the guy we helped skedaddle. Unless I'm seriously forgetting some stuff happened.

>>5236446
It takes a minute per update, so I might go back and reread the stuff.

>>5236446
No, you've got it right. Unless I've managed to get my names mixed up, which is entirely possible.

>>5231183

As you and Shade quickly pack up your shit and run, the foundation of the half-constructed building begins to slowly shift, heralding its imminent implosion.

The best idea you can think of is to get to an elevated position and make a running jump into a nearby building. The closest one you can see looks like some kind of office building or something, so that’ll have to do.

Best to not consider the consequences of falling short and the long, perilous drop that would ensue.

You and Shade haul ass to the roof as the floor begins to feel shakier and shakier. While weaving through the construction, some of the not-mercs take potshots at you that get a little too close for comfort.

You’re itching to retaliate, but that’d be the wrong call. They’ve already got you scoped in, and the last thing you should do in a swiftly crumbling building is allow yourself to get boxed in and pinned down.

Upon reaching the roof, the both of you budget some space to build speed that’ll hopefully carry your across the gap.

It’s not an easy maneuver in heavy gear, but you’ve spent enough time hauling around Apokoliptian armor to know how to squeeze performance out of it anyway.

Notably, you even manage to outpace Shade and his comparatively lighter equipment.

When you’re nearly at the edge of the building, the structure nearly gives way under the strain of your rapid footsteps, and the panic gives you the little extra boost you needed.

As you soar through the air, there’s a gut-wrenching moment of self-doubt when you’re worried that you misjudged the distance and are about to be reduced to a red stain on the pavement.

But no, you slam through a plate glass window and land in a tastefully furnished (and blessedly empty) corner office.

Shade managed to land nearby, looking a little worse for wear. Some scratches, cuts from wayward glass, strained muscles, that kind of thing. Irritating, but not life-threatening or threatens his ability to fight.

That certainly got out of hand quickly. Wouldn’t have expected the not-mercs to deploy high explosives in the middle of a metropolitan area. Guess they really must not give a fuck so long as the job gets one.

At least you’ve got one thing going for you; the not-mercs hopefully think you bought it due to the building collapse.

At the very least, you’ve got enough time to take a quick breather; to gulp down some air, check your rifle for any damage, and calm your frenzied nerves a bit.

When you landed, you managed to shift your weight just right to avoid doing anything nastier to your weapon besides giving it a couple scrapes.

>>5237103

Shade wasn’t as lucky, the barrel’s got a nasty dent in it. It’s fixable, given time, materials, and expertise you don’t have. In lieu of his Springfield, he’s packing an old Webley revolver that he had tucked away as a backup.

Seems like Shade has a thing for old weapons. Not that you’re really in a position to judge, given the myriad of stuff you’ve “acquired” during your previous jobs.

That cavalry sword, the throwing knives, that six-shooter, etc. Maybe once you’re through with all this shit, you’ll learn how to use them. Right now, they’ve just been gathering dust.

After shaking off the post-adrenaline jitters, you call Ravan to inform him of the tactical situation and how things are starting to go off the rails.

At least, you would’ve, if a burst of static didn’t squeal through the receiver the second you went to transmit your message.

Shade tries his as well, only to report the same static.

Shit.

Either both earpieces broke from the fall, or they’re jamming you.

Neither is a particularly helpful development, but the possibility of advanced tech entering the fray carries connotations you’re not entirely comfortable with.

And now that the plan has gone the way of all plans upon contact with a potentially superior enemy force, the time has come for some improvisation.

You decide to…

> Work your way through the building, reach ground level, find a straggler, and interrogate them. Hopefully, they’ll be too busy trying to sift through the rubble of the construction site / sieging down the embassy to notice you.

> Look for some way to send Gremlin (or anybody else) a secure message. If you pull it off without tripping any alarms or raising any red flags, you might be able to secure a fastpass out of this mess.

> Take this opportunity to cut bait and and make a run for it. Communications are down, and the building you were posted in is in pieces; you’ll never have a clearer shot than this.

> Rappel down the building and fight your way to the embassy. It’s risky and unorthodox, but you need to link up with Ravan and the others.

> Other?

>>5237105
>> Work your way through the building, reach ground level, find a straggler, and interrogate them. Hopefully, they’ll be too busy trying to sift through the rubble of the construction site / sieging down the embassy to notice you.
>> Look for some way to send Gremlin (or anybody else) a secure message. If you pull it off without tripping any alarms or raising any red flags, you might be able to secure a fastpass out of this mess.

>>5237105
> Rappel down the building and fight your way to the embassy. It’s risky and unorthodox, but you need to link up with Ravan and the others.

>>5237105
>> Look for some way to send Gremlin (or anybody else) a secure message. If you pull it off without tripping any alarms or raising any red flags, you might be able to secure a fastpass out of this mess.

>>5237105
>> Look for some way to send Gremlin (or anybody else) a secure message. If you pull it off without tripping any alarms or raising any red flags, you might be able to secure a fastpass out of this mess.

>>5237128
>>5237138
>>5237154

Alright, looks like trying to send some kind of message wins, looks to be a bit divided about what to do after.

Roll me some 1d100s+15

DC: 100

Rolled 92 (1d100)

>>5237155

Rolled 35 (1d100)

>>5237155

Rolled 42 + 15 (1d100 + 15)

>>5237155
Rollan
>>5237157
YOOOO

>>5237157
>>5237158
>>5237160

That's a success.

Who would you like to call?

> The Executive. He's a prick, but Marshall, Carter and Dark owes you one, and now's the time to cash it in. And if this happens to bring down the heat, you’re not exactly going to mourn his passing.

> Gremlin. If you need intel, he's your go-to guy. He's had your back before, and you need people you can trust in your corner.

> Jack. He’s probably worried sick about you, the least you can do is pass the news to him personally.

> Other?


And as a follow-up, do you try to conceal this from Shade?

> Just tell Shade the honest truth. If you can trust him to watch your back, you can trust him not to tattle.

> Give Shade some bullshit task to do to distract him, then make the call. Can’t trust anyone at this point.

> Other?

>>5237169
>> Gremlin. If you need intel, he's your go-to guy. He's had your back before, and you need people you can trust in your corner.
> Just tell Shade the honest truth. If you can trust him to watch your back, you can trust him not to tattle.

>>5237169
>The Executive. He's a prick, but Marshall, Carter and Dark owes you one, and now's the time to cash it in. And if this happens to bring down the heat, you’re not exactly going to mourn his passing.
>Give Shade some bullshit task to do to distract him, then make the call. Can’t trust anyone at this point.
I don't have anything against Shade, but for all we know he could be bugged without his knowledge. Best to have no-one know.

>>5237173
We are jammed, that's why we are doing this now.

>>5237174
Bugged was the wrong word, I mean more so compromised through magic or godknows what else. I'm just saying that they likely have some ace that we don't know about, otherwise the suicide squad would be a fucking joke with people escaping right left and center.

>>5237169
>> Gremlin. If you need intel, he's your go-to guy. He's had your back before, and you need people you can trust in your corner.
> Give Shade some bullshit task to do to distract him, then make the call. Can’t trust anyone at this point.

>>5237176
I mean all it takes is a drone on overwatch and a button to make sure you do what they say or you die. You go somewhere they don't want? They probably put you on a timer and if you don't report back in ASAP they just pop your dome. They're one of the few agencies that genuinely doesn't fuck around and will just kill you if you give them grief.

And it's not like disabling the bombs helps you either. Since they'll just send a strike team out to gun you down, or a heavy hitter on payroll if you're bulletproof. It's really not hard to keep track of people when you've got UAVs and satellites to watch over any deployment areas.

>>5237170
>>5237173
>>5237177

Alright, roll me some 1d100s+25

Also, just realized that I messed up the last roll, should've been a +20 rather than a +15.

Rolled 49 + 25 (1d100 + 25)

>>5237191
Watch us instantly critfail or something laughably ridiculous

Rolled 76, 57 + 10 = 143 (2d100 + 10)

>>5237191
Forgot to roll for Shade.

Rolled 66 + 25 (1d100 + 25)

>>5237191

Rolled 1 + 25 (1d100 + 25)

>>5237191

>>5237193
Your wish is granted

File: 1648398532506.png (117 KB, 241x282)

117 KB PNG

>>5237201
AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
THIS FUCKING QUEST MAN
CURSED AS SHIT.

>>5237201

It never gets old.

Would you like to burn your re-roll and use Roll the Die?

> Yes.

> No.

>>5237203
Why are you upset? This is what you asked for.

File: 1647273500220.jpg (166 KB, 1280x720)

166 KB JPG

>>5237204
>Yes.
>>5237205
I was saying it in the same way a person may say 'break a leg'

File: 653765387765.png (214 KB, 597x280)

214 KB PNG

>>5237207
>'break a leg'
As you wish.

>>5237204
>> Yes.

>>5237207
>>5237211

Go ahead and give me another set of 1d100s+25.

inb4 second critfail.

Rolled 37 + 25 (1d100 + 25)

>>5237213
Forgive me dice gods, please give us your blessing

Rolled 34 + 25 (1d100 + 25)

>>5237213
Do I still remember how to do this...?

Rolled 67 (1d100)

>>5237213

>>5237215
>>5237216
>>5237217

That's a success, writing.

>>5237218

> “Shade, you mind doing a quick sweep to see if there’s anything up here we could use? Think my gun’s jammed, need some time to get it cleared.”

“Looking for anything in particular?” He rasps.

> “See if you can find a guard room or something. Might have some supplies or external camera access.”

He nods and exits the corner office.

You wait for the steady sound of his footfalls receding as he begins checking through other rooms.

Once you’re confident that he’s far enough away, you make your move.

Ironically, the jamming is actually giving you the lifeline you need. If the bomb implanted in your brain is wired with some kind of audio recorder, then you might be free and clear to speak without fear of immediate termination.

If the process is magical, then you’re fucked but this is an opportunity far too tempting to let slip by.

And you know a trick that might just work. The fact you’re getting static instead of just blank nothingness means that you’re dealing with haphazardly deployed tech.

Strong and powerful, but unrefined. Like a heavyweight boxer with shitty technique. He’ll still knock the average joe on his ass ten times out of ten, but a talented amateur might just get one over on him.

All you need is a suitable device, capable of handling long-distance communications with a minimum of fuss.

As you already know, your crappy little ear mic doesn’t have the juice nor the stones for the job, but the corner office has just what you need; an international phone line.

God bless capitalism and the ceaseless mechanics of commerce.

After cracking open some of the internal wiring, and fiddling with the components, you manage to jury-rig a makeshift signal amplifier.

With it, you can boost the strength of the signal and cut through the haze of jamming, but only for a few minutes. After that, not only will the signal be locked on and suppressed, but the not-mercs might even be able to backtrace its location.

And that’d be bad.

Given the sensitive nature of all this, it’d probably be best if you stuck to a tech wizard like Gremlin.

You dial his emergency number, and are greeted by a heavily computer-altered voice.

>>5237278

“Who is this, and how did you get this number?”

> “It’s me. Not entirely sure this line is secure, so don’t drop any names. Keep your voice scrambler on too.”

“Good to hear from you. How’s your “business trip” going? And what’s got you so spooked?”

> “To make a long story short, it went poorly. So poorly, that I’m in the clink, assigned to a work-release program of sorts. In that, I do what they say, or they’ll detonate a bomb they put in my head.”

“Fuck. I’ll get the guys together and work something out. I’ll do some digging, see what I can tur-“

> “Listen to me! Do not cut a single corner, do not leave a single precaution untaken. These people are not fucking around. If they ever find out about this, you and I will never be heard from again. Do you understand?”

Your tone, while muted to avoid alerting Shade, only gets more and more impassioned.

“Alright, alright, I get it. What can you tell me then? Any clues to narrow down who they are, their capabilities, that kind of thing?”

> “It’s officially called Task Force X, but everyone just refers to it as the Suicide Squad. They’ve been holding me in some Louisiana shithole, Belle Reve Penitentiary or something. Some kind of high-level government black-ops group, I reckon.”

“I remember seeing rumors floating around the forums about this, but I never took it seriously. Always lumped it in with the theories about dental fillings picking up CIA transmissions or that Batman was secretly a depowered clone of Superman.”

> “Well, it’s real, and they play for keeps.”

“Guess it explains why I’m getting a collect call from Qurac. What’s the deal there, anyhow?”

Fuck, you’ve got maybe 40 seconds left on the timer.

> “Running a bit low on time, just watch the news; you’ll be able to piece it together. And get a message to my landlord, you hear? He’s probably worried sick that I haven’t paid this month’s rent.”

“Landlord? You mean-“

> “No. Names.”

“Shit, sorry. Not cut out for this spy stuff. Anything in particular you want passed on?”

> “Just that I’m alive, and that he should get word to some of my associates about a rat problem they’ve been having. Name of Delrio.”

“Thought you didn’t want to use names?”

> “Don’t rightly care what happens to him, so long as it’s long and painful. Be seeing you around.”

“Godspeed, man.”

You hang up, are finished field-stripping and cleaning your M14 when Shade gets back.

> “Any luck?”

He shakes his head no.

> “Well it was worth a try. Now we should…”


> Move low and slow. We take our time, coordinate our movements, and avoid getting into a straight fight of any kind.

> Push through them, hard and fast. We need to reconnect with the others, or risk being left behind.

> Hunker down here and observe. Rushing in is just gonna get us killed.

> Other?

> Move low and slow. We take our time, coordinate our movements, and avoid getting into a straight fight of any kind.

>>5237280
>> Move low and slow. We take our time, coordinate our movements, and avoid getting into a straight fight of any kind.

Rolled 28, 60 + 15 = 103 (2d100 + 15)

>>5237288
>>5237290

Roll me some 2d100s

First roll is yours (+25), second is Shade's (+20)

Rolled 8, 47 = 55 (2d100)

>>5237304
lets get that 1 again

Rolled 6, 52 = 58 (2d100)

>>5237304

>>5237309
Hey man it takes time to charge up that kind of energy. Already asking for another is rude.

Rolled 93, 25 = 118 (2d100)

>>5237304

We can do better.>>5237309
>>5237311

Rolled 83, 35 + 40 = 158 (2d100 + 40)

>>5237309
>>5237311
>>5237314

Alright, looks like you succeed and Shade fails.

Roll me some 1d100s+65

Rolled 81 + 65 (1d100 + 65)

>>5237315

Rolled 38 + 65 (1d100 + 65)

>>5237315

Rolled 67 + 65 (1d100 + 65)

>>5237315
Don't worry Shade, we'll embarrass ourselves more than you have soon enough.

>>5237318
>>5237323
>>5237327

That's a success. Hate to cut it off here, but duty calls.

Unfortunately, I won't be able to run on Friday, next session is Wednesday at 5:00 PM EST.

Apologies for the reduced number / length of sessions, but I've got a lot on my plate these days.

As always, thanks for playing!

>>5237333
Stay alive, Axis

anyone watched the new batman movie? how was it

>>5239043
I didn't watch it so I can tell you with certainty it's mediocre unless you want it as background noise.

You can trust me because I said "with certainty".

>>5239043
One of, if not the best superhero movie of all time. In a theater, it's better than the dark knight.

>>5239563
Counterpoint: The only thing saving this movie from being a bland slog is Paul Danos amazing Riddler. He completely carries the film. There's a much better film somewhere in there that's not 3 fucking hours.

>>5239043
Reading the comics (and actually reading them instead of some youtubers 10 min summary) will massively improve the experience, but even then it's pretty good on its own.

It is very much a movie that operates on the rule of cool. If you think about things too much you realise that it's completely nonsensical and the entire thing falls apart, but there were too many 'cool' moments to make you care about how stupid the whole thing is. Very much a turn off your brain and watch the pretty action movie, essentially the complete reverse of the nolan films.

>>5239743
did you not see the fucking action?? The elevator scene was the best scene ive seen in a theater, with the (you know what) being the only sources of light in the dark theater

>>5241886
Yea the action is good but it's like a half hour of a 3 hour movie. I like detective batman but those scenes were largely Battinson staring at a thing dead silent for like 5 minutes and then saying the answer.

Hey anons, just wanted to check in and let everyone know that I'm not dead.

I've been mulling it over, and I really like the interlude idea that...

>>5235879

proposed. Consider it on the backlog for now though, at least until the end of the current mission.

Anyhow, hope to see you all here tomorrow! I realize that the pacing has gotten a bit slower, but I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing.

Feel free to let me know if you have any concerns / comments.

>>5244299
I appreciate the amount of communication since you've been back. The shorter sessions usually mean I end up missing them but that's just life. Keep up the good work boss! I am curious how Jack's been handling Sean missing. Must be torn between getting the rifle and finding us.

File: not-mercs.jpg (395 KB, 1467x800)

395 KB JPG

>>5237333

> “We should work our way to the embassy, but we can’t rush it. They’ve got us outnumbered and outgunned, if they manage to force us into a straight fight, we’re done for.”

“Agreed.”

> “Good. Have you had any real stealth training?”

“Not really.”

> “Then just follow my lead. Walk where I walk, and move when I move. We can get through this if we play it smart enough. Now, we just need to find a stairway and get to street level.”

As the both of you head for the emergency exit stairs, a thought crosses your mind.

> “Where is everyone? Would’ve thought that we’d encounter one of the office workers by now.”

“Hiding. In the security booth. Doubles as a panic room.”

Guess that explains it then.

After traversing several flights of stairs, you’re finally back to ground level. Now, you just have to figure out a way to get across the street without drawing the attention of the heavily armed band of professional killers that has doubtlessly had time to post sentries and potentially booby-trap the area.

Just another day in the endless shitshow that is your life.

The collapse of the construction site is a double-edged sword when it comes to moving stealthily.

On the one hand, the rubble kicked up a massive cloud of soot, sand, and grime, absolutely tanking visibility. If you had Thermal Sight it would’ve been the perfect playground for you, but as it is, you’re stuck with normal vision.

But so long as you keep your ears open, there shouldn’t be any issues.

The poor line-of-sight makes it easy for you slip through the not-mercs’ perimeter without drawing attention. However, the amount of debris scattered around poses its own challenges, as Shade soon discovers.

After nearly blundering straight into one of the not-mercs’ line of sight, Shade quickly tries to take cover and wait for the danger to pass. In his haste, Shade dislodges a chunk of rubble and spooks a nearby hostile; who activates a shoulder mic.

“STEEL RAIN, reporting in. Suspicious movement in grid TANGO 7. Moving to investigate, over.”

And of course, Shade had to attract the attention of someone smart enough to radio in his position before investigating a potential danger.

Can’t shoot him, that’d make far too much noise. Gonna have to get a bit more physical with this one.

>>5245778

You line yourself up, and nail the not-merc with a bonecrushing tackle, seconds before he would’ve noticed Shade.

Before he can muster any real defense, you bash him in the head several times with one of the jagged pieces of rubble that Shade had disturbed.

Shade flashes you a sheepish thumbs-up, and a muttered apology.

The dead hostile’s shoulder mic flares back to life.

“STEEL RAIN, this is DRAGONS TEETH. Report in, over.”

Fuck. This is exactly what you were afraid of. If they don’t get a response, they’re going to scramble reinforcements.

“STEEL RAIN, do you copy? Over.”

You…

> Attempt to bullshit your way out. If you can come up with a plausible imitation and cover story, you might just be able to avoid a heap of trouble. (Include suggestion)

> Pretend that you’ve taken the not-merc hostage and pump STEEL RAIN for information. Knowledge is power, and you’re sick of walking into this shit blind.

> Ignore him and fiddle with the radio. If you’re quick and skilled enough, you might be able to keep him from locking you out of their comms once the jig is up.

> Other?

>>5245782
>> Pretend that you’ve taken the not-merc hostage and pump STEEL RAIN for information. Knowledge is power, and you’re sick of walking into this shit blind.

>>5245804

Just noticed I've gotten my codenames mixed up, you'll actually be pumping DRAGONS TEETH for intel.

STEEL RAIN isn't really in a good position to speak at the moment, what with the massive head wound and being dead.

>>5245782
> Ignore him and fiddle with the radio. If you’re quick and skilled enough, you might be able to keep him from locking you out of their comms once the jig is up.
Getting live info will be more beneficial in the short term

>>5245782
> Ignore him and fiddle with the radio. If you’re quick and skilled enough, you might be able to keep him from locking you out of their comms once the jig is up.

>>5245815
>>5245823

Alright, roll me some 1d100s+20

DC: 80 / 95 / 110

Rolled 40 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>5245849

Rolled 24 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>5245849
Lucky rolls come on

Rolled 71 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>5245849
fail

Rolled 16 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>5245849

>>5245856
>>5245865
>>5245866

That's a minor success, writing.

>>5245868

Trying to fool DRAGONS TEETH over the radio would be a waste of time. You’re shit at impressions, and there’s a good chance they probably have authentication phrases just for situations like this.

No, you’d be much better off trying to compromise the safety and security of the communications network.

Luckily, the model is fresh-off-the-line with all the bells and whistles, including a primitive internal command line. With some well placed commands, you manage to quickly build a down and dirty backdoor into as many channels as you can, shortly before they remotely pull the plug.

All in all, it was a modest success.

They managed to lock down most of the functionalities, like geotagging and actually being able to speak, but at least your backdoor means that you can eavesdrop on their conversations.

And boy, are they chatty.

The connection is full of white noise, but you’re able to make out a transmission over the din of noise.

“This is GOLDEN BLAZE, reporting a pair of hostile contacts inside the embassy! It’s confirmed; they have hostages! Requesting guidance, over!” The speaker is obviously nervous, probably a rookie in over his head.

A new voice cuts in over the static.

Cold. Ruthless. Feminine.

“Hostages are to be considered expendable. You have your orders.”

Seconds later, there’s screaming from the embassy and a cacophony of gunshots.

You can’t believe what you’re hearing; it’s one thing to accept a calculated risk that puts lives in danger in order to accomplish a greater good.

It’s another to order the cold-blooded execution of innocent people to simplify a tactical situation. One’s an unfortunate necessity of the work, the other is butchery, plain and simple.

Whoever these people are, you’ll shed no tears once they’re all worm food. But that’s not the only broadcast you intercept.

“COPPER RIOT is pinned down! Enemy heavies have them pinned by the ambassador’s office, taking heavy casualties.”

At least it sounds like someone’s having a better day than you.

“SILVER LEAP needs the EOD techs, stat! These crazy fucks have the place wired to blow!”

Bombs weren’t part of the plan.

While you’ve been messing with the radio, Shade dragged the not-mercs’ body behind cover and started sorting through his new loot.

Looks like he’s earned himself a shiny new rifle, courtesy of the corpse carefully stuffed into a rocky crevice.

Now that you’re both spoiling to do some damage, the pair of you go off to pick a fight with…

> GOLDEN BLAZE. From the sound of it, they’re engaging Ravan and Kalash. He’s your nominal superior, who knows what might happen if he gets fragged.

> COPPER RIOT. Those “heavies” are probably Wildman and Rotgut. Maybe they’ve managed to secure the research you’re here to recover.

> SILVER LEAP. Any mentions of heavy explosives makes you antsy, it’d be better to check it out. Nitro or Daemon would’ve had to be responsible, but why?

> Other?

>>5245900
>> COPPER RIOT. Those “heavies” are probably Wildman and Rotgut. Maybe they’ve managed to secure the research you’re here to recover.

>>5245900
> SILVER LEAP. Any mentions of heavy explosives makes you antsy, it’d be better to check it out. Nitro or Daemon would’ve had to be responsible, but why?
Don't want the building coming down on us

I'll leave the vote open a bit longer.

>>5245900
>> COPPER RIOT. Those “heavies” are probably Wildman and Rotgut. Maybe they’ve managed to secure the research you’re here to recover.

>>5245930
>>5245973

Roll me some 1d100s+30

DC: 55 / 75 / 95

Rolled 8 + 30 (1d100 + 30)

>>5245996

Rolled 72 + 30 (1d100 + 30)

>>5245996

Rolled 18 + 30 (1d100 + 30)

>>5245996

>>5245997
>>5245998
>>5245999

That's an excellent success, writing.

After heading through the side door that Nitro and Daemon used to make their entry, you and Shade work to pick up

It’d be easier if you could start at the front doors (where they first entered the building) but that area is probably a hot zone at the moment.

Instead, you just carefully sweep the area, looking for anything that might point you the right way. Good thing you spent that time messing around as a detective, because it is definitely paying the bills today.

Rotgut and Wildman’s trail isn’t easy to pick up, but you notice clues that indicate their recent presence. Shell casings, scuff marks, the faintest whiff of sour bourbon, things like that. Normally, it wouldn’t be too hard to notice this kind of stuff, but when you add on the fog of war inherent to operations behind enemy lines, even the sharpest of senses can be dulled.

But not this time.

Thanks to your ability to locate and stay abreast of their trail, you manage to locate their position quickly and without any kind of fuss.

Which is probably for the best, considering how a full-scale reenactment of they seem hellbent on re-enacting the Tet Offensive.

Rotgut and Wildman managed to build themselves a little trench / barricade of discarded furniture, and are absolutely ripping the not-mercs to shreds whenever they try to advance. Their LMGs probably make it a lot more simple.

There’s a terrified looking man bound and gagged in the fancy looking office; probably the scientist you’re here to kill / capture. Looks like he had a suitcase handcuffed to his hand, before it was shot off. The suitcase is nowhere to be seen though.

Hopefully, it’s been stashed in a secure place. Getting irradiated or contaminated by a lab-grown mutant virus or some shit isn’t your idea of a good time.

Rotgut and Wildman look battered, but they’ve been giving as good as they’ve been getting.

There must be at least a dozen or more enemies scattered in various bits and pieces all over the tastefully decorated walls. And built into one of those walls is some kind of secure terminal. Maybe it could come in handy once the fighting dies down?

In the end, you decide to…

> Lay down cover fire and suppress the not-mercs long enough for Rotgut and Wildman to mow them down. They’re equipped for the heroics, you aren’t.

> Put a frag grenade in the nearest cluster of hostiles. That ought to put the fear of God in them.

> Flank them and shoot them in the back. It’s very risky, but has the potential to end the fight decisively in your favor.

> Hack into the internal security systems and seal off this wing. Could buy you and the others some time to think.

> Other?

>>5246026
>Lay down cover fire and suppress the not-mercs long enough for Rotgut and Wildman to mow them down. They’re equipped for the heroics, you aren’t.

>>5246026
>> Lay down cover fire and suppress the not-mercs long enough for Rotgut and Wildman to mow them down. They’re equipped for the heroics, you aren’t.

>>5246026
> Lay down cover fire and suppress the not-mercs long enough for Rotgut and Wildman to mow them down. They’re equipped for the heroics, you aren’t.

Rolled 5, 52 + 25 = 82 (2d100 + 25)

>>5246035
>>5246037
>>5246041

Roll me some 2d100s

First roll is yours (+15), second roll is Shade's (+20).

Only one needs to beat what I roll.

Rolled 54, 60 = 114 (2d100)

>>5246049

Rolled 40, 99 = 139 (2d100)

>>5246049

Rolled 20, 15 = 35 (2d100)

>>5246049

>>5246056
>>5246058
>>5246061

That's a success!

Since Shade gets the highest roll, I reckon that he should get a bit of the spotlight for the next update.

I'm going to go ahead and call it here, but I'll throw in the vote for your next course of action.

As always, thanks for playing! Next session in Friday at 5:00 PM EST.

> Interrogate the scientist. Maybe he'll be able to shed some light on the subject.

> Escort Rotgut and Wildman out of the embassy with the samples, then head back inside for the others. Job's not done until everyone's accounted for.

> Just get the samples, kill the scientist, and get out of here. You don't owe these people anything, survival is the name of game here.

> Other?

>>5246065
>> Interrogate the scientist. Maybe he'll be able to shed some light on the subject.

>>5246065
> Interrogate the scientist. Maybe he'll be able to shed some light on the subject.

>>5246065
>> Interrogate the scientist. Maybe he'll be able to shed some light on the subject.

>>5246065
>> Escort Rotgut and Wildman out of the embassy with the samples, then head back inside for the others. Job's not done until everyone's accounted for.

>>5246065
>> Escort Rotgut and Wildman out of the embassy with the samples, then head back inside for the others. Job's not done until everyone's accounted for.
No man left behind.

>>5244299
Glad to see that you liked my idea!

> Interrogate the scientist. Maybe he'll be able to shed some light on the subject.

>>5246065
> Escort Rotgut and Wildman out of the embassy with the samples, then head back inside for the others. Job's not done until everyone's accounted for.

>>5246071
>>5246095
>>5246109
>>5246982

Looks like getting some answers wins. Trying out something a little different, let me know what you think.

>>5248189

Shade’s POV

The plan’s not half-bad; bait out some fire, and give the heavies enough space to really put the hammer down.

And it seemed to be going well, until Defcon takes one to the leg and goes down hard.

You plug the shooter with a nice, solid burst from your new piece. Goddamn, that felt satisfying. You’re not really a fan of newer models, but she practically purrs in your hands as you shred a couple more guys to bloody ribbons.

Generally, modern gunsmiths don’t know what the fuck they’re doing. Keep trying to re-invent the wheel and produce some over-engineered hunk of shit that smashes into expensive pieces whenever it gets put to the test in a real fight.

The only kind of hardware worth putting faith in is old-school. Might not be as flashy or pretty to look at, but it puts big holes in people without crumbling. At the end of the day, that’s all that matters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMXE3fulO8g

You get a grasp of Defcon’s prone form, hoist him up a little, and drag him with your off-hand while spraying lead at the cocksuckers taking potshots at you.

Wildman (and that dickhead Rotgut) keep them from offering any real chase, which is a shame. Would’ve liked the opportunity to score a few more kills.

Once Defcon’s propped behind something solid, you take a moment to give him a once-over. Guessing he probably smacked his head when he ate pavement. And it looks like the round went straight through the leg; didn’t hit anything important. A quick patch job should do the job for now; he’ll probably be fine to walk, but anything else is asking for trouble.

That’s definitely going to hurt once he’s back on his feet.

And that pisses you the fuck off. He’s tricky, talks too much, and is definitely up to something. But he’s alright, especially compared to some of the other pricks you’ve been forced to work with.

Wouldn’t shed a tear or anything if he died, but you won’t throw him to the wolves or nothing. In the Squad, that’s the closest you can get to friendship.

You kick it into high-gear, go on the offensive, and cut yourself a piece of the slaughter.

After blitzing towards one of the stragglers, you smack the rifle out of his hands and use him as a meatshield. The fancy armor that he’s packing gives you plenty of breathing room to keep up the pressure.

Plus, it looks like your opposition likes the spine to risk shooting one of their own. What a bunch of fucking lightweights.

>>5248193

Your constant stream of increasingly-accurate fire, and the heavies pouring mag after mag of LMG ammo their way causes them to rout.

As they try to flee, you nail as many fleeing targets as possible. You let out a disappointed sigh once the last of them reaches the exit to another wing of the building.

Oh well. Hopefully they’ll be back later.

You let the comforting stench of cordite wash over you as you survey this most recent hunting ground.

It’s beautiful.

Been a while since you were in a scrape that got your blood pumping; one that makes each burst of impact and adrenaline feel like you’re riding a roller coaster of death and destruction through everyone and everything that’s ever crossed you.

But it feels like you’re missing something.

Oh yeah, cleanup.

Almost as an afterthought, you pump a few rounds into your heavily wounded former shield and anyone else still wriggling on the floor.

Once he’s back on his feet, Defcon’ll probably have a fit about “unnecessary risks” and “getting back to base in one piece.”

It’s cute that he doesn’t get it, but he’ll figure it out soon enough.

You’re all marked men; nobody ever truly makes it out of the Squad. And in that case, you might as well just focus on having fun with it before some fucker gets a lucky shot and punches your ticket for good.

Sucks that you don’t get to choose, but a fight’s a fight. Doesn’t matter who lives or who dies, only that you go down with blood on your teeth.

You let out a deep sigh.

Would be nice to finally fight somebody with the stones to properly finish things. Guess there’s always tomorrow.

End of Shade’s POV

>>5248196

You come to with a searing pain gnawing through your leg and an incessant jackhammering in your skull.

Must’ve tripped and hit your head when the not-mercs clipped you.

At this rate, you’re going to earn a commemorative battle scar on every goddamn continent.

But that’s enough bitching, time to examine the goods.

You carefully roll yourself over, prepared for the worst.

Not good, but not bad either. Looks like a through-and-through. Hurts like a bitch, but it missed the femoral artery and anything else that would’ve had you bleeding out like a hemophiliac, so at least there’s that. Besides your slight concussion, you should be fine.

Looks like somebody, probably Shade, slapped some basic first aid on your wound. You’ll need to re-dress it and fashion some kind of splint to avoid tearing anything before you can move out.

After cracking open the paltry medical kit you were issued, you’re left swearing. Plenty of gauze and supplies that’ll get you patched up, but nothing to help take the edge off.

Except for maybe one thing.

A syringe, with a load of chemicals stenciled on the side. Thanks to your tinkering with poisons and rudimentary medical knowledge; you recognize the cocktail.

It’s a speedball; contains all sorts of nasty chemicals that’ll keep you primed and ready for war. Amphetamines, combat stimulants, nerve deadeners, that sort of thing.

You’re loath to jam this shit in your body, but in lieu of painkillers, it’s the closest thing you’ve got. And if there’s more fighting to be done, you might need the killer edge that it provides.

It’s not an easy decision, but you…

> Inject the speedball. You’ll risk slowing everyone else down otherwise.

> Don’t take the speedball. You’ll just have to make do.

> Other?

>>5248198
>Don’t take the speedball. You’ll just have to make do.
>Other.
Use our inner rage to ignore the pain.

>>5248198
> Don’t take the speedball. You’ll just have to make do.

>>5248198
>> Don’t take the speedball. You’ll just have to make do.

>>5248223
>>5248233
>>5248237

Roll me some 1d100s+10

DC: 55 / 75 / 95

Rolled 19 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>5248244
okey

Rolled 65 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>5248244

Rolled 6 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>5248244
Tough it out Sean, you've been hit with worse. Way worse.

Rolled 46 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>5248244

>>5248246
>>5248249
>>5248250

That's a regular success, writing.

And don't worry, alternate POV stuff won't be a regular thing. Just thought it'd be a neat change of pace.

>>5248256
I liked it, it was neat.

>>5248256

For a brief, shameful moment you’re sorely tempted to jam the speedball into your leg, depress the plunger, and let its explosive cocktail rush through your body.

But you need to keep your senses sharp and your mind focused. And once the speedball wears off, you’ll be back to square one, in probably worse help.

You’ll just have to tough it out without anything to soften the blow. You’ve taken plenty of scars and bruises, what’s one more added to the canvas?

This burst of courage helps to steel you for what comes next.

Battlefield medicine is never pretty. After removing the bloody bandages, you begin dabbing the wound with disinfect, which hurts like a motherfucker.

Then, you bust out the suture kit and get to sewing. Just to be safe, you bite down on a spare tongue depressor.

Once you’re finished playing operation, you tightly bind it with some fresh bandages. Not too tight, otherwise you risk losing circulation and having the leg go gangrenous.

Lastly, you fashion a makeshift splint out of some broken furniture and surgical tubing.

At no point does anyone offer any real assistance, seemingly content to let you work through it on your own.

Bunch of assholes.

With the aid of a nearby handhold, you slowly force yourself to your feet. Looks like you’re back in business.

The leg still aches and screams when you put too much pressure on it, but you’re able to fight.

Better avoid doing anything like leaping from collapsing buildings though.

While Shade hunts for any skulking holdouts, Wildman and Rotgut are content to shore up their positions and scavenge whatever spare ammo they can find.

The slow pace is fine with you, gives you plenty of time to shake down that scientist and see if he has kind of valuable intel to offer up.

As you hobble towards the ritzy office, you rack your brains, searching for the details from the mission brief. Sharif Majeed, bio-medical expert that’s synthesized some kind of artificial plague.

Note to self, avoid damaging the samples.

>>5248306

As you previously spotted, he’s been bound and gagged. Looks like the suitcase that was once handcuffed to him is tucked behind a heavy-looking wooden desk. Betcha that’s probably the samples. Not a bad place for temporary storage on Rotgut / Wildman’s part, wouldn’t be easy for stray a round to punch through and hit it.

As for the interrogation, there’s plenty of options available to get him to crack and spill the beans.

He’s obviously scared out of his mind; maybe you can use that as leverage?

You decide to be…

> Blunt and threatening. His survival is only a secondary objective, one that you’re not particularly worried about accomplishing. Make that fact clear.

> Charming and deceitful. Tell him whatever he’d like to hear; that he’ll be safe, that nobody’s going to hurt him, all that jazz. Doesn’t matter if it’s the truth or not.

> Honest and straightforward. This isn’t going to end well for him, but maybe you can coax him into doing the right thing. Help him earn a little salvation.

> Other?

Just got caught up haven't been around since we took out Batgirl the 2nd time, what a wild ride

>>5248310
>> Honest and straightforward. This isn’t going to end well for him, but maybe you can coax him into doing the right thing. Help him earn a little salvation.

>>5248310
> Blunt and threatening. His survival is only a secondary objective, one that you’re not particularly worried about accomplishing. Make that fact clear.

> Blunt and threatening. His survival is only a secondary objective, one that you’re not particularly worried about accomplishing. Make that fact clear.
Also offer an olive branch that should he give us some good information that would change our mind his survival will have the chance of moveing up in our priorities list!

>>5248310
> Blunt and threatening. His survival is only a secondary objective, one that you’re not particularly worried about accomplishing. Make that fact clear.

Rolled 37, 80 + 40 = 157 (2d100 + 40)

>>5248354
>>5248355
>>5248356

Roll me some 1d100s+25.

DC to be determined

Rolled 90 + 25 (1d100 + 25)

>>5248367
Lucky numbers come on

Rolled 19 + 25 (1d100 + 25)

>>5248367
I'll get the low roll out of the way

Rolled 78 + 25 (1d100 + 25)

>>5248369
>>5248377
>>5248378

That's a failure, writing.

>>5248369
At least we have the 115

>>5248381

Sometimes, the threat of violence is more impactful than the act itself. Fear is a powerful tool if you can leverage it correctly.

> “I’ll make this simple. You know why we’re here?”

He nods.

> “Good.”

You undo his gag, staring directly into his panicked eyes.

> “Then you know that you’re not our priority. Your research is. If you answer a couple questions and tell me what I need to know, your odds of survival might just improve. Understood?”

There’s a flash of defiance in his eyes, and his voice is steady when he responds.

“No.”

> “I’m sorry, I think I must’ve misheard. Care to repeat that one more time?” You growl, getting directly in his face.

Your attempt at intimidation backfires, only further stoking the flames of his little rebellion,

“I said, no. You jackals may attempt to defile my research, but you won’t get far. To gain anything more than a basic understanding of my genius requires [b my cooperation, something you will never have.

Unlike you, I care about something far greater than myself. I may be scared, but I will never bend to thugs like you, or your pathetic puppet-masters!”

He finishes his trade, red-faced and proud.

What’s your next move?

> Beat the answers out of him. You tried asking politely, now it’s time to put his pride to the test.

> Kill him. He’s expendable anyway, and you’re itching to wipe that smug little grin off his face.

> End the interrogation. This is a waste of time, he’s obviously not going to budge.

> Other?

>>5248401
>> Beat the answers out of him. You tried asking politely, now it’s time to put his pride to the test.

>>5248401
>> End the interrogation. This is a waste of time, he’s obviously not going to budge.
>OK :)
Mind games R Us. We're not the guys who'll chop his dick off for being stubborn anyway.

>>5248401
>> Beat the answers out of him. You tried asking politely, now it’s time to put his pride to the test.