At 0745 Conklin was set up at the OP overlooking the offramp at the Trans-Canada.

He reported the UAs (Undercover Agents) were en route and he was flagging them down for a ride. They were driving a Black 2-door Dodge Ram 1500 pickup with a hard-top. At 0755 they arrived at the fort and were let in.

Tyler, the driver, got out. He was wearing civilian clothing, leather bomber jacket over a Kevlar vest, blue jeans and combat boots. His Colt M1911 was in a thigh holster, with a CAR-15 propped against the dash.

He knew Taras but introduced himself to the others he didn't know. "Howdy, y'all! I'm Tyler, you can call me Ty.

"Taras, how you doin', you son-of-a-gun?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:13, Thu 17 Feb 2022.

The passenger, a lanky Russian, got out. He was dressed in a track suit with gold chains, as befit his role as an arms dealer.

He too knew Taras. "Good morning. How are you, my friend?"

Tyler! Koldan! Good to see you again! How are you doing? I hear you were busy strikimg some deals in the valley...

Taras knew that a good deal of info could be obtained from them and it would be very useful for the next mission. He invited them to sit down, grab a drink and shoot the breeze about the latest news.

They headed into the company house for tea and coffee (from ration packs).

"We heard about the old guy who was here. Sad to hear he's in the hospital. Hope he gets out soon," Tyler said as he poured boiling water into instant coffee powder.

Koldan sipped his tea. "Things are getting complicated here. Guns are starting to flow north of the border. Some military grade weapons. But mainly cheap firearms. Home made pistols. People are getting nervous, want something for home and personal security. We have a couple suppliers down south. And customers lined up here."
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:13, Thu 17 Feb 2022.

"So, you have any questions, or you want me to dive right in?"

Go ahead and spill the beans as they say here... I may have a few questions to clarify your info but go on...

In reply to Taras Vladimirovich Shevchenko (msg # 7):

"Ok then.

"Lots of movement going on. Gangs are moving east, away from stability operations in Richmond, the western parts of Surrey and Burnaby. They're coming up the valley. Everyone here is tense and expecting the worst, arming up for a confrontation. Plenty of ex-military hardware is floating around. For those that can't afford it or want something more concealable cheap pistols are flooding the valley. The main arms market used to be Annacis Island but that flooded out in the spring. Plus too close to the areas we're bringing under control.

"There are two major arms pipelines coming from over the border. Not much yet but they are poised to expand their operations and become much bigger. One supplies the arms merchants that relocated from Annacis Island and have set up in the Cloverdale Arena between Surrey and Langley. You can get small arms there. If you want something heavier you need to go to the old prison in Matsqui. That's where the other pipeline leads.

"This rade is based on whatever salvage people can get their hands on, and prewar valuables. But the really valuable merchandise is worth more than some wedding rings, toasters, CDs and potatoes. There will be a big deal going down soon, we don't know when or where. Lots of firepower coming up. In exchange, what's being called "product" is going south. We don't know what that is but our guess is drugs. Prewar bikers here controlled many grow-ops for marijuana, they could have gotten their hands on prewar caches of hard drugs like heroin, methamphetamine, powder and crack cocaine. Another possibility is some kind of WMD like fissile material salvaged from an unexploded nuclear weapon or chemical agents. Disrupting this deal is our (Koldan and myself) unit's operational number one priority. We'll need your assistance with this.

"We have heard some rumours that there is a biker gang that runs Matsqui, the Razorbacks. They just got their hands on something big. Something that will keep them safe against raids from police and other gangs.

"There is another rumour that a large group moved down the Fraser valley from the interior and settled in Abbotsford. Some sort of right-wing Christian militia organisation with possible ties with similar groups down in Washington. No established connection to New America as of yet. They've been seen across the river in Mission as well but no clashes as of yet. Also, no known clashes with the bikers in Matsqui."
Mission was the small community centred around Westminster Abbey, a large Catholic monastery (a Benedictine order).

New America was a considerable threat, although somewhat diminished. They were an umbrella organisation combining a wide spectrum of far-right fringe groups like neo-Nazis, anti-government militias, Christian identity "churches", White supremist groups, etc. throughout the USA and Canada unified under the survivalist prophet and neo-Nazi Carl Hughes. They seemed to be gaining power before Hugh's arrest by the US Federal government. Afterwards it had fractured but retained a power base in the US Southeast, Great Planes and the Pacific Northwest, along with BC, Alberta (where they had infiltrated the surviving government and military before being rooted out) and the prairies. The team had run into a cell of NA commandos before: the KGB agent posing as LT. Jagelis had used them to round up unwilling workers to recover fissile material from an unexploded Soviet warhead which would have been used to make a dirty bomb to destroy the government's UBC enclave.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:21, Mon 21 Feb 2022.

This is a lot of very interesting information and really good value. Well done... very good work.

We will stand behind any effort to bring down that possibility of using nuclear material. Of course.

So far we've been in clash with a bike gang that I believe is the same "Razorbacks" you mentioned. They tried to raid the Fort but we ambushed them. Some of them were killed. Problem is they have a sort of light tank and we need to get rid of it. It happens that the commander is also one of the arms trafficking leader we want to eliminate.

By any chance do you have any intel on yhis threat? Apparently they cross the border often but we're not vlearedto jump over. We are looking for a possible base we can target. Or set up an ambush to destroy it

Taras realized that getting rid of yhe LAV-75 and crew was paramount but just yhe tip of the iceberg. A "Broken Arrow " scenario seemed something out of a nightmare. More so when they were supposed to be on the receiving end.

In reply to Taras Vladimirovich Shevchenko (msg # 9):

"Da. We will try to locate base of operation for this tank. Not first time you have faced tank here in valley, yes?

"As well, when we move on arms smuggling into Cloverdale, will advise when backup needed."
This message was last edited by the player at 04:55, Wed 23 Feb 2022.

Da, we have come across tanks before. We were lucky to play a little game of chess against a 55 and won. But this time it seems that the light tank commander may be a grandmaster himself. Every bit of intel we can get is precious....

Please be in touch and we will offer all the help we can.

In reply to Taras Vladimirovich Shevchenko (msg # 11):

Tyler finished his coffee while Koldan sipped his tea.

"Fine, we'll do that.

"Anything you need, you let us know. We got some small arms, of course, and one or two trucks.

"If that's it we'll be heading on over to McMillan Island and the Reserve. Got a meeting with Chief Williams. Time to get going."

He stood up and offered his hand.

As Koldan and Tyler got up to leave Kel peeked in. She said to Taras,

"Hey Boss, team is at the border. We have the Coyote set up for surveillance right now. But if we need to roll it will take time to collapse it and stow the gear. So you want us to stow it now? That will mean we can't use the radar and thermal optics to monitor the highway. It'll just be binoculars. But that will save us a few minutes if we need to boogie.

"Sounds like ROVER is at the border crossing."
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:17, Wed 02 Mar 2022.

Get the "Loving Spoonful " ready for Quick Response if needed. The border could turn hot any minute.

Perhaps the earlier indecision at the Fort upon the possible arrival of the LAV-75 put Taras in a more proactive stance regarding the most valuable combat piece of the team

Tyler and Koldan departed in their SUV, heading to a meeting with the First Nations band on nearby MacMillan Island.

Kel got the Coyote (KNIGHT) ready to roll, with Sochaki as gunner, Mercredi as driver and herself as commander. Along with them would be the Humvee (KING) with Lee driving and Tremblay as gunner. The vehicles were fueled up and ready to roll.

The remaining personnel (Gunny Conklin, Sgt. Fox) remained to guard the base and/or recuperate (Shane West). As instructed by HQ the American prisoners had already been cut loose and then dropped off at the Pacific border crossing by other units the previous day. (It was possible that the rumoured local CIA station at UBC had taken aside any that seemed willing to work for them but this was just speculation.)

In reply to helbent4 (msg # 15):

Hearing the change of plans (or, rather, going back to the original plan) Kel hopped out of the Coyote and wandered over to Taras.

"Hey Boss. Recce element spotted some hoofprints, half a dozen rider, coming north over the border (DELTA), then going west along Zero Ave. (MSR ZIMA).

"Sounds like they are breaking off following those tracks and heading back up to the intersection with 16 Ave. (ECHO) and continuing west from there along 16. (ASR BLUE) per their original route."
This message was last updated by the GM at 01:16, Wed 09 Mar 2022.

Very well, thank you. Yes, of course they will come across fresh tracks, is the border after all. But no, that's not what we need. We need "talking footprints". Thats is, finding locals and get intel. Tell them to focus on the mission.

And, by the way, we need to move closer the support element. We'll get KNIGHT up and running so they can be at least 20 minutes away if needed.

Let's get Mac to follow quietly those tracks but without engaging...


This message was last edited by the player at 02:22, Wed 09 Mar 2022.

In reply to Taras Vladimirovich Shevchenko (msg # 17):

"OK, I'll take the Coyote and Humvee and move up to Aldergrove to be in position to provide support. That will bring me much closer and traveling over roads they've already cleared.

"I think sending Mac to follow the tracks is still a good idea. I'll pass that along to Abbott and let him decide when he wants to do that."

After a few minutes prep the Humvee followed by the Coyote headed out the South vehicle gate, heading for Aldergrove via the Trans-Canada and then Highway 13. Although the surveillance mast was stowed Darek used the gunner's thermal channel to scan the route ahead over top of the Humvee.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:52, Thu 10 Mar 2022.

With meeting over the Fort over and a developing mission to attend to, Taras wrapped up the party and boatded the humvee. A king and a knight will be rolling down the checkered board of avenues and streets that spread all the way to the border.

Not many preparations were needed. Gear was still stowed on board. The Ukrainian RPG-7 and the great number of rounds gatheted for a possible antitank battle still occupying most of the rear.

KNIGHT from KING, lead the way...steady as it goes. I'll follow behind just in case we need a quick enveloping.