Mission 1

[Tori]

"Thanks to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, we WILL be taking on a small army. Our own government provided narcoterrorists with Barretts, AK-47's and other automatic weapons. Even without enhanced capabilities, we'll be taking on some very well-armed individuals."

He made some more notes. While writing, he said, "Maybe we need two birds. I want some anti-armor capability, so the 20 mm is preferred. For the second we can go AP. I thought maybe an M134 with the 40 mike-mike, like the old Cobra mounts in Vietnam. Don't know how well one would dismount something like that. You could take the 240 off the side pretty quickly.

"Comic book indeed. Why I studied all those titles. Perhaps you will help Alexandra peruse them. Sadly, there is a lack of any scholarly journals on combating persons like ourselves, so we make do with comics."

[dakota]

""From what I heard from my buddies on El Paso SWAT, these guys had Stoners, SAWS and an M87. Serious hardware compared to freebie AKs, and what kind of toys are they holding back to defend home turf?" Xander replied, his tone betraying that this mission had personal strings attached. " Odds are though we'll end up in some middle east hellhole planning to put nukes in payphones or some crap."

The shudder of the plane decceleratingjust before the wheels howled in protest while the plane touched down and began the long taxi towards an isolated hangar.

[Dome]

Simmons whistles a long high pitched whistle, "thats a lot of hardware for some street punks. I can see why you want to arm up."

Rubbing his chin, "put me at 2500 meters or so with a xm500 and I'll clear the way for the rest of you." (Those Familiar with this type of Rifle would realize 2500 meters was outside the effective range listed for this gun)

As the plane taxi's into the hangar he says, "so here we go, do we get to meet the man behind the curtain, or will we get our missions through a speaker phone on a conference table," his questions not directed at really anyone being more rhetorical musings as he peaks out a window.

[lwcoyote]

McKenzie nods to Forbes, then relaxes as the plane touches down, barely noticing. Once it has stopped, she unbuckles, but doesn't stand, instead letting the others debark first. "Speaker phone might be fun... maybe we'll get some sort of TV show or movie out of it." she remarks to Simmons, amused. "Imagine that, we could end up famous!"

[Tori]

"Colombian cartels can and do build their own stealth submarines to transport their product across the Caribbean. They can afford an endless stream of aircraft, go-fast boats, armored vehicles and will excavate tunnels miles long. They can and do hire mercenaries who are combat veterans to train their elite soldiers. Many of their troops are Marxist guerrillas with experience in insurgency warfare against their nation, law enforcement and quite frankly Delta teams. Some may even be specops troops from less-than-friendly nations like Venezuela or Cuba. Either of those nations could easily organize and train a meta-human detail to overwhelm border security.

Even gangs in Central America and Mexico have experience in bloody clashes with police, national armies and rival gangs. I would say they are at least the equivalent of Iraqi Mujhaddin. They are larger and nearly as organized as la Cosa Nostra, and a lot more willing to spill innocent blood. Many have done hard prison time and gained more power than their warden. Most, in fact have local and federal law enforcement on their payroll, have snitches within the police, or are police themselves.

"Bluntly, these aren't street punks in dew rags holding their Glocks sideways and listening to NWA. These will be some of the most well armed, and if not well trained, then violent and ruthless murders, rapists, smugglers, slavers and drug dealers the U.S. has ever seen. They may also be getting funds from the Taliban in exchange for smuggling heroin, terrorists and WMD's across our borders. In many ways, they are no different than the enemies we saw in Afghanistan.

"No, it doesn't surprise me they have a meta team. Forming Spirit was a logical reaction."

The lurching landing was nothing new for Forbes. "McKenzie? When you are 75, and this team is finally declassified, I wish you all the best selling your show with the speaker phone. As far as our leadership goes, I would expect anything from a fairly anonymous brigadier general, to COMJSOC, ACOS, Chair of the JCS, or frankly, POTUS." he looked up and made eye contact with everyone for the first time, however brief.

"We're the rock stars of JSOG. We may never be famous, but we will be revered by those authorized to know us, and will be handed the most impossible missions, which we will accomplish." He made another note and broke the eye contact.

"It is time to requisition gear and weapons. If you haven't got your own, or have idiosyncratic gear, you will get an issue. There will be times when we need to fit in as standard soldiers. I recommend an HK 416 and the M9. For heavy or custom work, please prepare a list of all that you require."

[Dome]

Simmons just nods, and hides the smile that wants to creep onto his face. He thinks, 'I really don't need a lecture on cartels, I was in Panama. I was taking out cartels before his father was a glimmer in his parents eye. A typical LT fresh out of school, has to always speak like he is the smartest guy in the room and give a speech every time he opens his mouth.'

He says, "Lieutenant, you may need to lighten up a spell, I think we all under stand what black ops, deep cover means. Just trying to lighten the mood a bit before we step out and meet the shot caller," taking advantage of the permission to speak freely he was given a few minutes ago.

He nudges the kid and says, "how you holding up? Nervous yet? Don't be, they're just people. Just follow the LT's lead, if he salutes, then you do, otherwise hang back and stay quiet. That's what I'll be doing," shooting her a toothy grin.

[sasqaricious]

Alex looks towards the Sargent, "No not at all to be honest. I am just staying silent here while they work out everything that needs to be. I after all joined the military as it is the place I should be, and the power thing was just discovered recently. I am not caring where or when or who is in charge, but right now I am not sure what to make of the situation." She states back to Simmons not sure if he knows that she has been through the full military training and such, although never having to be officially in the field.

Continuing silently loud enough that only Simmons can hear it, "I am almost wondering what I am doing here to be honest as it sounds like those two have everything in hand. I mean is there anything else you would think they would tell us. Or seeing that LT seems to know everything about me, maybe I should just wait and see."

[Dome]

Simmons whispers back just for the private, "that's a good question. My guess is the US government may be able to pull it off with the just those two, but from my experience, uncle sam always likes to stack his deck. He has us in his deck, so whether he needs us or not, we will be put into play."

[Tori]

"Lightening the mood? I see no need for levity at this time. We will be meeting our operational commander." His voice was devoid of emotion as he grabbed his overnight bag from under his seat.

Simmons looked over at McKenzie. "You have to appreciate this mode of travel. It beats the busdrivers' C-17's..."

[sasqaricious]

Alex starts to give a smile and about to speak when she was interrupted again and starts to realize that this seems to be what it was almost in prison, not that she expected any different but for a moment she had a glimmer of hope that this will be the small amount of freedom and that some of her debt to society was paid.

[lwcoyote]

McKenzie glances to Forbes, then the rest of the team; having worked with the lieutenant in the past, she's well aware of his little quirks and idiosyncracies. "Everyone deals with the stress of a new situation differantly, sir." she murmurs to him, before shrugging and standing.

Turning her attention to Xander, she offers him a nod. "Like most of us I'm going into this pretty blind, but it seems like you've been here in advance. Is this our final destination, or will the higher ups be moving us to a particular base anywhere? Do we get our own mansion disguised as a school, or maybe a building in the shape of a giant T?"

[Tori]

"McKenzie? I understand, but why would a speaker phone be humorous or ironic? As long as the speaker presents his correct callsigns and countersigns, is in our TO and E, and we have encryption keys for his transmission, why should we not accept orders from a superior who contacts us by telephone?"

He got the reference to the Teen Titans and X-men having read and studied those comics. "More likely an old platoon barracks at Fort Bliss. We would have operational security, access to vehicles and Biggs Army airfield for rotary and fixed-wing operations. We have a large compliment of ICE air and land border surveillance, and proximity to El Paso and Ciudad Juarez, assuming we're allowed to cross the Rio Grande.

"Of course this is conjecture. We could be sent to the North Pole and operate from a large crystalline structure. But that seems logically impractical."

[Dome]

Simmons says, "They could just want us to work out of this hangar, or underneath it. I've seen the government use some pretty surprising headquarters for their covert missions. Perhaps they will assign us some sort of mobile headquarters."

"LT I know the mission is serious and we should all be respectful as we meet the Commanding Officer, I didn't mean to imply differently. I was trying to ease any tension that may exist. I'm sure we all understand the situation and will show due respect," he says in a serious tone trying to make sure that the LT knows he isn't just a joker.

[Tori]

Forbes came as close to a grin as he ever had before. The tips of his lips turned up ever so slightly. He still could not establish eye contact. "It would befit the United States Army to post us at Andrews or Ft. Meade and have us battling narcoterrorists in west Texas. It's what would be referred to as a hands-on-theatre approach. So what do you all think? When we fight the drug smugglers and gangs, Fortress of Solitude, Ft. Meade, or Forward Operating Base Tilghman in Afghanistan?

"I'm infantry, and I happen to think as soon as we touched down, we lost a lottery."

Forbes was savvy enough to realize infantry would always fight. Clearly Simmons resented him, but they shared the same training. They shared the same experience on the ground. Politicians and bureaucrats would always crap on grunts. Send them snow shoes in the jungle. Woodland cammies in the desert. Hot chocolate in Iraq in July, and ice cream in the highlands of afghanistan in February.

"Please again. I asked for thoughts on standard weapons. I've had no response. Is this satisfactory, or should we find another long arm and side arm selection? Please discuss."

Forbes waited for the jet's hatch to open and steps to fall. Through the port-hole he studied the greeting committee. If anything was hinky, and he considered everything hinky, he would warn the team.

Military etiquette[dice=100] [rand=37774404408210194878216207451999464403157154112448503536883059523]

[lwcoyote]

McKenzie almost rolled her eyes in exasperation at Forbes comments on the speakerphone, but stopped and managed to bark a soft laugh at his referance to the Fortress of Solitude. Giving him a pat on the shoulder, she shakes her head ruefully. "Coming along, at least."

Pulling a carryon out from under her seat and shouldering it, she nods once more to the others, then looks back to Forbes. "Since we're de-plane-ing we should probably hold off on weapon discussions, I would think. Particularly if we're meeting the brass."