Mission 1

[lwcoyote]

McKenzie grabs her gear from the vehicle, easily shouldering it then looking to her new charge and giving her head a quick jerk towards the plane. "Let's go Private, we've got some work to do." she chirps somewhat cheerfully. "Double time it, we don't want to keep our ride waiting!"

[Janxi]

Lane took a seat and pulled out a packet of Must gum, a popular Israeli brand and unwrapped a stick before chewing. She looked over at Julia and smiled as she boarded. "Want a stick?"

[Mierin]

Julia smiles and takes the offered gum and replies, "Thanks." Popping it into her mouth, Julia waits for the others to get onto the plane so they could be on their way.

[dakota]

Once aboard, the first thing everyone noticed was the passenger compartment had been altered. The standard row seating was gone, replaced with a narrow conference style table with the standard seating removed and replaced with oversized comfy chairs that turned from forward facing to facing the table. There was no seat at either end of the table and the cockpit was now open to the cabin.. The rear part of the cabin was closed off with a partition that doubled for a viewscreen for the projector built into the table and beyond it was a pair of what looked alot like hospital beds.

Once they were starting to board, Randle spoke up from the cockpit, " MacKenzie, you're copilot. Once we're leveled off, we'll get down to business."

[Tori]

Forbes took a seat at the front and buckled in. "Could we get the DEA files on the players and heavy hitters in the area? It would help to know what we're up against," he said looking at his boots.

[Janxi]

Lane got her phone. "Hey McKenzie? Is all that stuff about talking on the phone during take off true, or is it bullshit? If it's bollocks, I could maybe make some calls to Washington." Lane held her I-Phone in hand showing it to McKenzie like she was tempting her with a sweet.

"Of course, if it crashes the plane, I can wait until we're in the air." Her breath smelled of the cherry gum. "I always thought it was a way to make us pay through the nose to use the air phones."

[dakota]

Once the plane was airborne and leveled off in the flight path, Major Randle unbuckled himself and then gave Mackenzie a pat on the shoulder, “It's all yours now. Try to keep us level.” He stood, removed his jacket and moved to the head of the conference table. “” All right folks, let's get down to business.” He flipped open a panel in the top of desk to reveal a key pad and the lights dimmed as the projector displayed a computer screen on the far wall.

Taking the time to remove his tie and roll up his sleeves, Randle keyed open a file labeled El Paso. Xander smirked, ”Uh oh, it's time to get serious, the tie is off.
“

“Shut up Xander.” Randle said flatly as the first image popped up on the screen of a large collection of firepower. On a table lay 6 SR-75 Stoner assault rifles, a Mannlicher sniper rifle, a MM-1 grenade launcher, 2 AT-4 rocket launchers, 8 HK MP-5s with silencers, 5 Beretta 93-Rs, 2 Desert Eagles, an HK-21 machine gun and enough grenades and knives for a small company. “This is what ATF collected from the eight man strike force smuggling the RDX. None of the eight had any identification on them, but two of them did have scars consistent with previously being shot. There were three vans with stolen Texas plates behind the building, both of them checked through border services and had come into the country within the past 72 hours and analysis verify the explosives had been in the vehicles.”

He paused a moment. “Here's the interesting part. Two of the strike force members, “he keyed the next slide to show to faces, both of them obviously lying on a coroner's gurney, “ have abilities like yourselves. The one on the left apparently had some form of telekinesis judging by the reports and is an unknown. But, our friend on the right we have a possible match for. We're waiting on DNA matching results, but his super strength and ability to shrug off gunfire make him a probable match for one Raoul Tavares. Former strongman for the Magellan Cartel, he went off the radar about a month ago, but reports have him listed but can't confirm him in the employ of this man.”

Another slide came up on the screen. “Jorge Pujols. Former cocaine monkey that recently learned he can make more money dealing weapons than he can dope. They call him the Bleeder because he likes to hack people up and watch them bleed to death. No one can put a firm location on his power base, and his last reported sighting was a month ago in Panama. Which just happened to be a day before the diced up remains of a police chief that had vowed to clean up the smugglers using the Canal were found in a fountain in the city square.” He looked at the team members assembled around the table. “Your first assignment is twofold. Find out what the explosives were being smuggled in for, and make sure the supplier can't do it again. Questions? And remember, from here on in, there is no more rank, so get used to calling each other by name. Using rank in the field not only gives away your change of command, but that you have english speaking military backgrounds.”

[lwcoyote]

Before entering the cockpit, Mckenzie flashes a grin to Lane. "I'd hold off, at least till we're in the air. I don't know if its true or not... have heard stories though." she replies, winking.

Settling into the co-pilots seat, McKenzie buckles in properly and dons a headset, then checks a few of the instruments before offering a quick nod to Randle. "Yessir, I'll try not to crash us." she replies, half-teasing. As Randle begins his briefing, McKenzie double-checks the auto-pilot, then listens it, keeping an eye on the instruments.

"Sir? The strike force... did they show any gang markings? As in, are we dealing with an established gang, or someone new?" she inquires.

[Janxi]

Lane whistled. "That's enough firepower for a Marine infantry squad, much less a gang of, what are they? Punks?

"Do we have some cash to buy our own RDX?"

[dakota]

"We have access to money, but we need to identify a buyer first." Randle said. " these aren't punks or gangbangers. They were organized and discipled. To the point, analysis of the shootout shows they have to be either paramilitary or mercenary."

[lwcoyote]

McKenzie ponders Randle's response. "Any ties to the Los Zetas?" she asks then, over her shoulder. "Former Mexican specforces turned drug runners could instill that sort of orginization. Juarez and El Paso are a bit out of their usual territory, I think.. but they could be looking to move up."

[Tori]

Forbes nodded at McKenzie's question. It was a very good one. She was already proving herself to be a quality XO. "What about the Federales? Are they sympathetic to these guys, opposed or ignorant?"

[Janxi]

"I was responding to my platoon sergeant, no disrespect to what seems to be a formidable enemy, sir. Someone seemed to call the opposition punks and was non-appreciative when called on it. And now, boyfriend and girlfriend seem kinda quiet."

Lane kicked back and decided to listen. "Do these guys snort, like hookers, play cards? We need to find a weakness and exploit it. Any eyes on intel with their people?"

[Tori]

"Lane, that's been dealt with. We're looking forward to the mission, now."

[dakota]

Radle shook his head, " Faderales try, but they're no match for a death squad like the one in El Paso. There's no sign of connection to the Los Zetas. but one or two might have been drawn from there. For the most part, I would say they are drawn from all over Central America, most likely whoever is behind this hiring mercs and retaining the best for his operations like this. Certainly something like this is not a one time operation."